Vampwood

The Big Reveal

I almost change my mind about telling AJ how I feel...If she didn't want me as someone who's not dying or being controlled, then I'll find a way back to emotionless. I sit beside AJ on the bus since everyone gives me dirty looks if I go near them and AJ touches my hand which sends electricity through me.

"Jesse, I'm sorry that I said how I felt," I look at her. "I should've realised that you didn't feel the same." She tries to stand but I grab her arm and gently pull her back down.

"When I was dying, I saw everyone important to me," She looks confused. "It started with you, then Brianna and my parents. I've been emotionless for as long as I can remember but when you said how you felt, what I thought was awkwardness wasn't awkwardness. I-" She covers my mouth, looking done.

"Shut up and kiss me," Your wish is my command. I kiss her and my mind explodes. We pull apart and she puts her hand on my cheek. "You can finish that sentence now." I smile, happy to finish the sentence.

"I love you...I think I've loved you since before I had emotions," I kiss her before continuing. "Being around you was the closest I ever got to feeling emotions. Basically...I like me better when I'm with you." AJ grins and puts her head on my shoulder.

"I like me better when I'm with you...Except for when I'm forced to stab you in the stomach by an immortal vampire mother," We start to laugh and she covers her eyes. "Why are you somewhat better at this? You were emotionally dead!" Mad sticks her head between us with an eyeroll.

"You need to stop bringing that up," She looks at Dante and Jade, seemingly worried. "They're going to sacrifice themselves...I'll need your help to stop them. The head vampire's mother won't go easy on them, even if that's technically her great grandchild." I look at Mad, feeling sad.

"It's their choice, Mad," Mad and AJ are confused. "I know things no one else knows...It's not as fun as you'd think." Jade's walkie talkie turns on and a voice comes out.

"This may be the end of the vampires but it is not the end of your story," I take AJ's hand. "See you in Lexington, prophesied." Dante takes the walkie talkie and throws it out of the window.

"I really hate her," Everyone else nods and Dante rubs his eyes. "Well, I believe I should tell you the prophecy word by word," He pulls out a metal cube and puts his tattoo, a match to Jade's, against it. It opens and Dante takes out an old piece of paper. "This is the first time I've read this since Alessio became Time," He clears his throat. "'To defeat Wiktoria Kozak, a couple brought together by vampires must make their last sacrifice'...I do not remember a name being here the last time I read this." I frown at how familiar the name sounds until it hits me.

"Oh God. She was the history teacher at our school," Vince and Brianna nod slowly while AJ, Robbie and Darling are confused. "For those of you who skipped History, that was the teacher's name. Almost every guy in the class had a crush on her." Brianna leans forward awkwardly.

"And a lot of the girls," We all give her side eye. "Not me. I was busy staring at Vince, hoping he'd like me back." They kiss and I ugh.

"This is going to be the new constant in my life? Really?" Suddenly I feel like something's being carved into my chest and fall off my chair in pain. It leaves quickly and I lift my shirt up where Ezio's name is. "He sacrificed himself, it's not my fault." I blackout in time to see the others doing the same. I have no idea where I am. It's some crappy barn and there's Wiktoria Kozak, at least what she looked like when she was teaching history.

"You know everything but my story now," Winter looks extremely pissed at where we are. "Sorry, Winter, your barn was the best place for this discussion." Winter surges forward and throws Wiktoria against a wall.

"There's no place for us to talk like you haven't mutated us," Wiktoria flicks her wrist and we all fly backwards except Winter. "You can't use magic on me in my barn anymore, remember?" Winter shoots us a look that says later while Wiktoria smiles.

"I may be unable to use magic on you but I can on them," She points at me and I feel like my insides are on fire. I scream, clutching my stomach. "I'll leave poor Jesse alone if you sit down like a good girl," Winter goes to us and the others sit up while I still feel like my insides are burning. "Oh, sorry," My insides stop burning and I projectile vomit on Wiktoria. "Disgusting." I try to grin, wiping at my mouth.

"Then don't make my insides burn," She flicks at me and my head whips back. "You know, hurting us won't make us listen to your story...Or at least me." She waves her hand and we're tied to chairs.

"About a thousand years ago, when all creatures existed in harmony, I a weak minded witch...A cousin to Di Giorgi's actually," Mad looks mildly terrified at the prospect which is surprising. "There was a attack in the place I called home which is now known as Lexington," Jade flips her hair, looking mean. "I lost my children. So, after years of testing, I found a way to make people immortal, my test subject was myself but I had to make sure it worked on everyone. I used it on...I believe your family, Winter who were mermaids until I made them sirens. The price of immortality is the loss of the little things that make you human," I really wish I was awake now. "You see, I am who I am for love...For loss. You killed my children, I lost them because of you." I roll my eyes, annoyed.

"Okay, look, I didn't kill Ezio, he sacrificed himself for his sort of grandchild," I nod at St Clair. "He helped your son kill himself basically. I don't really know anything about the others." Mad swallows awkwardly.

"I wasn't going to kill Katerina but she forced me to...So she could see my brother again," Mad nods at Winter. "She didn't kill your son...Her boyfriend did but that was because he was acting like her death was nothing." Jade looks at her still flat stomach.

"I killed Kazimir since he's the reason Dante and Maria were vampires...He killed my baby sister," I can see regret in Wiktoria's eyes. "I killed your son and I'm sorry for your loss but I don't regret it...I lost the only family I had that never lied to me and killed who killed them, no regrets." My eyes open and I sit up, looking around in a seat on a plane.

"How'd I get here?" AJ takes my hand and kisses me for a long time before answering.

"You wouldn't wake up so we went onto the plane. I think either Kyle or Dante lifted you on," I nod, my hand touching Ezio's name thoughtfully. "We're going to that place...Uh..." AJ thinks hard before Jade looks at her friends with a smile and says something that sounds sad and happy.

"Home." AJ hands me my gun which I lock and load with a smile, I'd protect everyone I care about...Maybe even Tom, who knows? I'll just protect them.