Beyond The Fangs

Chapter 20

JAEGER

I relived my worst nightmare. The day I lost my mother. 

The dream wasn't unfamiliar, I had it often enough, but it had been different tonight. The villagers were screaming insults and jabs like they had that day, but there were new things said in my dream. They weren't shouting that I was meant to die because of what I was like they had, they were shouting about what I couldn't be. 

You'll never be able to change what you are.

Vampires will always have black hearts.

The villagers were suddenly in the burning cabin with my mother and me, protected by some force that stopped them from getting burnt. They were laughing at us despite our pleas, and even though I knew it was a dream, the pain still felt so raw.

You deserve to burn, as does your mother for bringing you into this world.

Impurities have no place in the world.

I realised that what they were saying wasn't for the Jaeger from back then, it was for the Jaeger now. The one who was trying to change for the better. The one who wanted to give humanity a chance. The one who was working with a Vanquisher. They were speaking to that Jaeger.

You could never save humanity even if you wanted to.

Do you really think a Vanquisher would work with something like you?

Jab, after jab, after jab. I tried screaming, tried blocking my ears, tried running away, tried waking up, but nothing worked.

I was trapped in the nightmare, my fears being voiced by the villagers.

You'll always end up alone.

That Vanquisher will leave just like everyone else in your life.

Your past will always define you.

You'll always be a Slayer.

My mother was unconscious beside me as the cabin burnt more and more and the villagers shot insult after insult.

It was the worst kind of torture.

But then Izzy appeared.

She was in the far corner of the cabin and her lips moved but her words were inaudible, the crackling fire and the villagers overpowering them. I tried to get closer to her, but I couldn't get up. So I called her name. Again. And again. And again. But she didn't move.

I roared, dreading the nightmare but knowing there was no way out. I had to endure this until morning, and who knew how far away that was. I lifted my knees to my chest, holding my palms against my ears as I shut my eyes in a futile effort to drown out the noise.

Beside me, my mother shifted. I opened my eyes to see hers open too.

"Mother," I croaked.

Her expression remained impassive, but she whispered, "Jaeger."

My brows scrunched, confused as to how she spoke without moving her lips when I realised that she wasn't the one speaking. I turned around and there stood Izzy.

"Jaeger," she whispered. "Wake up."

I shut my eyes again, shaking my head. I couldn't get out of the nightmare. I tried. I had to wait it out. I had to—

She suddenly bent beside me, placing her hands on my cheeks and forcing me to face her. Her hands were cold despite the blazing heat in the room.

"Wake up," she whispered. "Please. Jaeger."