Guardians of the Diamond Book One: The Rose

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Okay, guys. You heard him. I guess I'm going to have to fight him." Matt said as he faced us. "Not like I expected that to happen," he added sarcastically.

"Matt," I said sternly because the reality of the danger of the situation was setting in, "do you realize how outrageous this sounds? He's a freaking vampire. If he gets his hands on you, he could probably snap you in half. You're kind of skinny."

Matt ran his hand through his hair. "I know, I know. And I'm not 'skinny'."

"Yeah, yeah. You're 'lean'. Tell it to someone else. Matt, listen to me. You're the only one without a diamond," I pointed out. "Let me or Jess fight... or me and Jess."

Matt looked like he was considering my proposal.

"We talked about this, Matthew," Jonathan reminded him. These were the first words he had uttered since we left the house. "You are the one who has to fight him. You know what to do. If you do not fight R. K, there's no telling what might happen. He has to be killed today."

Matt closed his eyes and nodded. "Got to stick to the prophecy and kill him before the Summer Solstice gets any nearer," he muttered. He looked up and said louder, "Okay, I'll do it."

Jessica and I pulled Matt to the side, away from Jonathan and Ashley.

Jessica hit Matt on his arm. "Are you crazy?!" she shouted. "You'll get killed! Then we'll get killed. How are you expecting to beat him in a fight? He has vampire super strength. Are you forgetting what happened when he came to our house? He threw you against a wall and knocked you out!"

He sighed. "I know. That's not going to happen this time. I won't get killed, Jessica. I know what to do. It's what I'm supposed to do. I'll get him to a weak state and hold him back. Then you and Kate will need to get the sword and stab R. K. in the heart. I'm just glad that Ashley doesn't have to do anything, besides be present. She's just too little."

Jessica eyes widened and she took out an earring. "Here take this." She held it out to Matt. Following her lead, I took out one of mine as well and tried to give it to him.

"It's okay. I won't need it. Really," Matt said as he pushed back our hands.

We all glanced over to Ashley, who hadn't said one word. She was so small and petite. I was glad she didn't have to get all intertwined with this situation all that much, too. I wish we could have just left her at home. I reached out and put my arm around her shoulders.

"We knew what we were getting into before we came here. Why are you two having second thoughts all of a sudden?" Matt asked Jessica and me.

Jessica shrugged. That motion from her basically said, "Whatever. Go ahead."

"No," I protested with a shake of my head. "No, Matt you cannot do this. I'm sorry, but I honestly do not believe that you are capable of weakening R. K. in any way. I'm having second thoughts because I realized how idiotic it was for us to think that we were capable of this."

"Thanks for your support. Don't be a pessimist. Anyways, you had a vision that we would win," Matt said to me. Then he looked slightly panicked, "It can't change, can it?"

"I'm not trying to be a pessimist. I'm being realistic. I don't care if I had a vision that we would win. I think the future changes all the time. We could have done something that changed the future to him beating us, not the other way around. We need to get out of this."

Matt laughed humorlessly and said, "Looks like we exchanged places as the skeptic. Sorry to tell you this, Kate, but even if I wanted to get out of this, I don't think we have a way." Matt gave me his I-have-a-plan-so-shut-up look. He turned to Jessica and said with minimal movement from his lips, "When I say rain, make it rain."