Shards of My Past (Original Version)

*Twenty-Six*

We were driving, when the car jumped. First the front, then the back, and it was on the road again. But something didn't feel right.

"What the hell was that?" Storm shouted.

I didn't answer. We were slowing down. Soon, there was nothing I could do but sit in the car with four popped tires. Storm got out, unable to handle sitting in silence. Like standing in silence was better? I didn't ask. I didn't say anything.

I got out of the car, not wanting to sit in silence by myself. After slamming the door closed, I ran my hands through my hair, fighting the urge to scream.

"Found you," a familiar, yet different voice said. It wasn't kind as it had been when I met her. This was the voice of a predator hunting down its prey. And, yes, I was the prey.

"Lindsay," I said, turning to see the redhead donning an all black ensemble, drastically different than when I met her before. Two hulking men flanked her, wearing serious expressions, and all black.

"How long have you been running, Tae?" Lindsay asked.

"Longer than you've been alive," I answered.

Lindsay stuck her tongue out between her teeth. "This is going to be fun, isn't it?" She snapped and her lackeys sprung forward, each one holding an arm. "Put her in the van, boys," Lindsay said, carefully inspecting her nails. They were painted bright red.

The "boys" did not put me in the van. At least not right away. "What about him?" one asked, jerking his towards Storm.

Lindsay looked up, unconcerned. She pulled a knife from her boot and threw it at him. He was standing on the other side of the car, so I couldn't see where it landed, but he fell to the ground.

I cried out his name and I was jerked around and shoved in the back of a van. Lindsay drove, saying how happy her daddy would be now that I had been caught, while the lackeys watched me in the back. They'd tied me with ropes that I was pretty sure I could snap if I wanted to. But I couldn't. Not yet.

One pulled out a roll of duct tape. I frowned.

"Is that necessary?" I asked. "I haven't said anything."

"Not for your words," he answered, ripping a length off and taping my mouth.

"Don't want you bitin' anyone, now do we?" the other said, in a severe southern accent. He had a fierce looking snake tattooed on his neck. I couldn't tell for sure, but I think it was biting an apple. Who knew snakes liked apples?

He turned and I could see that it was a bloody head. Made more sense.

The van bumped me around, making me growl through my taped mouth.

"She's gettin' angry, boss," Tattoo Guy said.

Lindsay scoffed. "Like I care. In a few hours, she'll be dead." On purpose, she turned very sharply, throwing me against the side of the van.

Ooh, if my mouth wasn't taped...

Then I wondered, Why the hell did Aaron like this girl?

We arrived very quickly to an abandoned house.

The lackeys carried me inside and instantly saw it was only abandoned on the outside. The inside had been turned into a science lab.

I was forced into a chair, and untied just to be bound by the leather straps on the chair. My duct tape was not removed. I was anxious to get it off.

"Daddy!" Lindsay called out.

I furrowed my brow. She paid me no attention.

"I got the vampire!" she added, when nobody came.

Footsteps clomped down the stairs and I found myself wishing for them to collapse.

"Taelynn Summers. Finally I've got you." He stared at me from behind his glasses. His hair was a shock of black and gray. His eyes were a a dull gray color, that I imagined must have been bright blue when he was younger.

Ooh, if I could only talk and make fun of his age...

I was getting desperate to get this damn tape of my mouth. Any excuse would do.

"I can't even talk to her," Lindsay's daddy said. "Somebody remove that tape!" he demanded.

Tattoo Guy stepped up to the plate and ripped the tape off; I didn't flinch.

"Ah, better. Now, Taelynn, you will give me what I want." Okay, I'll just say this: I don't know what to call him. I'm not gonna say "Lindsay's dad" every time, so I'll just call him... Einstein. His hair was kind of, well, everywhere.

"And what is that? Immortality? Seems a shame to waste it on somebody as old as you," I purred. I pouted, in false apology that he was so old.

Einstein grew slightly furious with me. But at least I got my insult in. But, really he must have only been forty-five to fifty or something.

I deduced his aged look to stress.

"I want the cure to the disease that took your village," he snapped.

"Look, bro. I don't have a cure. I am the cure and not everyone can be like me," I said.

He looked shocked. "What does that mean?" he asked.

"What does that mean?" I said, mockingly. "Did you not hear what your lovely daughter called me?"

He looked to Lindsay. But she had left, with the other lackey. Tattoo Guy stood a few feet away from me.

I smirked. "Well, this has been fun," I said, "but I must be going." I pulled my arms away from the chair and the old leather straps snapped. I kicked out of my ankle straps one at a time and was standing before Tattoo Guy could register what had just happened. He grabbed for me, but I held his arm firmly, and flipped him onto the ground.

For an extra bit of show, I flashed my fangs at Einstein. He leaned back against the wall and sank to the floor.

"Don't hurt me," he whispered. "Don't hurt my Lindsay."

At that point, it was too late for either of them. I jerked him up by his head and twisted, breaking his neck.

I heard a scream.

"You monster!" Lindsay shouted at me. "What have you done?"

"You started this," I said, stepping closer.

I lunged.