The Start Of Something New.

34.

**Devin's Pov.**

"She's here." Nathan stated peering out his bedroom window in the attic, arms crossed as he watched the ones from the house, running out to kill the others who were trying to intrude.
I walked over to look out.
My brows furrowed.
"No warning or anything, just a full blown attack. Jace said it wasn't her entire army." I told him.
Nathan smirked.
"There's nineteen of them in total, nine came along with her. She believes they have a chance at killing us, with just nine in total." He said now.
I frowned at him.
"I need to go he-"
"Help?" Nathan turned to me with an arched brow.
"Devin, full offense but when your pals were killed the other day. You were frozen, what could you possibly do that wouldn't land you in everyone's way?" He asked me.

My eyes flickered to black as I went to walk away from him.
But the other caught my wrist, pulling me back.
"If you go out there, you'll get yourself killed. Right now, out there? Its kill or be killed, they're not going according to that list that you mentioned before, they're just killing to kill. In order to please that witch outside." He told me now.
I looked at him.
"We were given abilities for a reason, Nathan. To keep each other safe, so when threats like that approached." I told him.

Nathan made a face.
"If you start talking about how anyone in this house is your friend, besides that little girl you talk to a lot. I'm going to punch you, interest or not. Don't be stupid." He said lowly.
I glared.
"If you want to hide up here to save your own ass, by all means Nathan. Go ahead." I ripped my wrist back from the other, heading to the attic door.
"Devin!"
I turned around and he stood there, this glare on his face but it grew soft.
Inhaling sharply I ran out of the room.
Leaving the other behind.

"I'll avenge them.. Alaric, Claudia.. Kane.. Your death's will not be in vain." I said.

"Oh, that's so cute. Giving yourself a little pep talk are you?" I turned around, feeling my blood running cold as my eyes fell on a figure in one of the abandoned bedrooms.
"In the house?!" I went to look around but hissed being slammed into the wall.
Knocking the picture frames down.
I didn't recognize him.
I thought he'd be that guy from last time.
But it wasn't.

He had dark brown hair that rested at his shoulders, and ice blue eyes.
"But a pep talk isn't going to keep that pretty face of yours alive, sorry mate." He smirked swinging down his stake.
I shut my eyes tight, ready to feel my body burn.
Instead I heard a grunt then the sound of a loud thud.

I opened my eyes and gasped sharply.
His head was no longer connected to his body.
I looked past him and there he stood.
Nathan.
Looking pissed he had blood on his shirt.

"Not even five minutes later, and you're already trying to get yourself killed." He spat bitterly.
My knees wanted to buckle as I looked to the body that turned to ash in seconds.
Nathan grabbed my wrist, slamming that stake into my palm.
"If you're going to kill Devin, be on your god damn guard." He barked.
Blushing I nodded as we ran down the hall, but remained on our guard as Nathan stayed in front of me.
He'd motion with his hands for us to continue, or to stop.
And constantly, he was looking over his shoulder to make sure I was behind him.

"Where are those annoying humans, are they safe?" Nathan questioned lowly.
"They're in the basement, Joshua locked them up earlier in order to keep Monty and the girls safe. Everyone's priority is Lexi, she's pregnant." I told him.
Nathan smirked bitterly.
"A human carrying a vampires child? What a dumb ass bitch, did you break the news to the little family?" He asked pulling me into a room, as he looked over his shoulder.

"No.. they were too caught up in the moment, no one wanted to break the news to them." I said softly.
Nathan glanced to me, then out of the room.
"Carter made a mistake by impregnating her, in the end. He didn't see the two of them lasting, how sad." He sighed.
I frowned.
"Maybe my ability messed up earlier, maybe-"
"Devin." Nathan looked at me.
"Our abilities never mess up, what you saw is what will happen. There is no correcting it," he took my hand walking us out of the room.
"At least she'll have four years with him." He said.
----
We made it into dinning hall and I was relieved to see some of the others had came in here as well.

"You're okay." Ebony wrapped her arms around me as I frowned looking at her.
"Who's all outside?" I asked her.
Ebony frowned.
"Joseph, Lance, Dimitri, Solomon, Emily and Nicole." She said.
Stella walked up to us frowning.
"There are others inside of the house, we're not sure how many are even here." She said now.

"There was nine, but Nathan killed one upstairs." I told them.
Stella looked to the black haired vampire, before frowning at me.
"I don't think any of ours has been killed, Sage and Lexi are both locked in the basement with Monty. So they'll be safe during this whole attack, nothing can get in or out." She told us.

I nodded.
"Where's our guardians?" I asked them.
Ebony frowned.
"In their room, they know we'll be successful. If we can kill Deidre, all of her mindless puppets will be free of the compulsion she has them drowned in." She said bitterly.
I nodded.
"Okay, so we should still try to kill a few before we get to he-"
"No." Came Sterling's voice as he walked into the room.
Carter, Jace and Joshua following behind him.

"Our target is Deidre, she came here thinking those puppets will keep her safe? She's wrong." His eyes fell on Nathan then on Jace.
He seemed to hesitate.
"I killed her once, and she's back from the dead? We'll burn her body this time, and be done with this." He said.

Nathan smirked as my brows knitted.
"What-"
"You're quite the actor, Sterling. I need tips." Nathan stated.

The room fell silent as all eyes fell on Sterling and on Nathan.
"What are you talking about?" Sterling hissed bitterly.
Nathan grinned.
"You killed her?" His eyes fell on Jace who refused to make eye contact with either of them.
Nathan bit his knuckle as he laughed.
"God fucking damn, you guys are massive idiots. Sterling here, never killed Deidre." He stated.

Carter thought on impulse by ripping Jace back from Sterling.
Joshua glared at them.
"We all saw her body before she turned to ash, Nathan." He spat.
Nathan blinked.
"Oh, his emotions are back on? That's annoying." He sighed as he stepped up.

"Pop quiz for my idiots in this room, what happens once a vampire's heart has been staked or their head has been removed?" He asked as his eyes fell directly on Jace.
All eyes fell on Sterling.

"They turn to ash." I found myself answering lowly.
Nathan smirked.
"They turn to ash!" He moved faster than I could even blink.
He stood in front of Jace as Joshua growled at the other.
Amusement danced in Nathan's eyes.

"Seeming how it was only you, me and our dear old friend Sterling that was there that night. What did Deidre's body, NOT do that night Jace?" He asked him.
I don't think I could see the actual fear in anyone's eyes, more than I could see it in Jace's.
Not only was he terrified of Deidre.
He was terrified of Nathan as well.

I had no idea what kind of past these guys had together.
But I knew at one point, Joshua was in on making Jace's life hell.

"It didn't turn to ash." He said.
Nathan smirked.
"Are you understanding now?" He looked at us.
"Sterling never killed Deidre, it was an act. All of it." He looked at Sterling.
"Did you forget you were acting? Or are you just more of a monster than your faithful followers pinged you to be?" He asked him.

Sterling stood there, the air in the room was getting thick.

"I.." He lowered his head.
"I never realized how stupid you each could be, personally." He looked at us smiling.
Stella's brows furrowed.
"You never intended on killing her from the beginning, did you?" She asked him.
Sterling laughed.
"Of course not you stupid bitch! Why would I kill the one who saved us all?" He asked her with knitted brows.
"She fed us and protected us, the only one she could of cared less for was you." His eyes fell on Jace.

"A pathetic piece of shit who wanted to die, so damn tiring to hear. I kept Deidre alive so she could return to kill you, and I kept myself from killing you on our first time meeting again. For that to happen." He stated.

Jace glared at him.
"I'll do the job you couldn't." He growled.
Sterling smirked at him.
"I'd love to see you try." He said running out of the room before anyone could try to stake the other.

I stood there as Joshua glared.
"Don't just stand there! Any vampire that doesn't live here, you kill them. Understood?" He demanded.
No one questioned it.
We were all running now.
Watching each other's backs as we made it outside.

It was like a scene from in a movie.
There were vampires on top of vampires, trying to stake the other.
Some were screaming.
If I had a heartbeat, it would be pounding.

"Find Sterling, and kill him." Joshua ordered.
I flinched at his tone.
This whole time.
He was acting.
He was only spying and trying to pull out our weaknesses.
I felt like I was going to be sick.

"Devin, move!" I heard a voice bark.
But I was too out of it before I swung my fist, hitting something.
A face maybe?

I had no idea my eyes were even squeezed shut before they opened.
"Is that really your best punch?" This girl asked me, she had fire red hair and cold gray eyes that resembled the guys that Nathan had killed earlier.
I gripped the stake in my hand, fixing to connect it to her chest.
Before I felt a fast movement and the air was being knocked out of me, as I laid against the tree.
My back was broke and the pain was killing me.
The advantage of being dead.
Not to mention being a vampire?
You healed with injuries that could cost a life.

I could taste the bitter metallic taste in my mouth before coughing it up.

"Devin! Are you okay?" I heard someone shout.
But my head was spinning.
Where was my stake?
I lost it after being tossed like a fucking doll!

Wincing as I got to my feet, I stumbled leaning against the tree as I felt the bones in my back trying to reconnect.
Such a disgusting sound, not to mention feeling.
I twisted my back to make sure the bones were properly healed.
Before I looked for what could of been my stake.
Honestly.
Even a thick well sharpened stick would do the trick, but vampires don't really waste their time sharpening the things that can end us in seconds.

A headache appeared as I managed to find my stake.
Bending down and grabbing it.
My senses kicked in as I spun around, this time connecting the stake inside of someone's chest.
Please don't be one of mine..

I opened my eyes and sure enough, it wasn't.

It was that same red head from earlier, standing there in actual shock as she managed to look at her chest and then me.
I watched her body turn to dark red and black ash in seconds, the only thing left were her silver earrings.
I stood there frowning at her body.
"I'm sorry." I said quietly.
----
"How many is that?" Carter hissed.
"Five so far, there's four left excluding that bitch." Joshua said bitterly.
Nathan looked to them before his eyes fell on me.
"How many have you killed?" He questioned.
I frowned.
"I killed that girl from earlier." I told him.
"The one that tossed you like nothing?" Joshua questioned me.
I nodded biting my lip.

Nathan looked to them.
"Sterling is hiding, now that his secret's out. He'll stay close to Deidre." He told them.
Jace glared.
"Sterling made speeches about how he hated Deidre, how she was an abusive ruler over us. Why keep her alive?" He asked lowly.
Nathan smirked.
"Because he's a sick son of a bitch, I hope to hell he didn't mate with anyone." He stated.

My brows furrowed.
"Why does that matter?" I asked.
Nathan arched a brow.
"When mates are marked together, as these two are and as Carter and his human girlfriend are. So is your mind and heart, if the vampire is taken out. The mate will go insane, until they're at the point of suicide." He explained.
My eyes grew wide.
"Emily and Solomon-"
"They're both fine now." Carter reassured me.

I frowned deeply.
Nathan looked to the others.
"Did our traitor mark anyone?" He asked.
Joshua glared.
"He's been interested in Lexi's friend, Sage? But I don't think he touched her." He stated.
Nathan sighed.
"Not good enough, once Sterling is dead. I need someone in that basement, watching her. Humans are different from vampires when it comes to loss." He explained.

"I'll go." Joshua volunteered himself as Jace glared.
"Why does it have to be you?" He demanded.
Joshua smirked.
"Would you rather check on them?" He offered quietly.
"No, fuck it. You check on them, I'd rather see both Sterling and that bitch die. Monty will understand." He said bitterly.
Joshua smirked softly.
"Understood." He said.

Nathan frowned.
"From here we'll split. Jace and Joshua will go left-"
"Don't fucking boss me around, you piece of-"
My eyes grew wide as Nathan slammed Jace into the wall.
Joshua refusing to move as Nathan held him still.
"How about you shut the fuck up and listen to me you bitch? I don't particularly like you either, but I'm sucking that shit up. You will do the same, or I'll resort to fucking compulsion." Nathan smirked bitterly at him.
"Choose your poison." He stated.
Jace glared at him.

"Okay," Joshua walked over snatching his mate from the other.
"Jace is with me, and I'll assume Carter and Devin are with you?" He asked him.
Nathan nodded.
"Yes. Once Sterling is dead, you will go to that basement and check on that girl. Once you're positive she's okay, you'll help us kill Deidre. Understood?" He questioned.
Joshua nodded.
Nathan nodded again.
"Good, now go." He ordered.

We ran in opposite directions.
And like before in the house, Nathan kept making sure I was close to his side.
He refused to keep me out of his sight.
----
"They took the bait, they know you're here. Now you have to leave, before one of them find you." I heard Sterling's voice.
Nathan kept us still as he listened.

"Let them come, they're all such huge disappointments. We only have one objective here, get the gifted child and leave." She explained.
I looked to Carter and Nathan who's eyes were both black.

"Gifted child? Who would that be?" Sterling questioned her.
"Monty Reese." She answered with annoyance.
"But because you idiots are dropping like flies, this mission will not be as much of as success that I'd like for it to be." She stated.
"Monty Reese? I apologize Mistress Deidre. But he is no gift, he's a plain vampire. He doesn't even have any abilities." He told her.
She laughed.
"Oh you poor, naive--"

I flinched at the sound of Sterling groaning.
"Boy, of course he has abilities. He has all of them, I felt that when I met him in that alley. Contemplating on killing him or not." She said.
"All of them? There's no vampire alive that can have every ability in them, their bodies can't withhold that kind of power." Sterling protested.
"Are you accusing me of lying, Sterling?" Deidre questioned him.

Nathan held his hand up, his eyes fell on Joshua and Jace who looked like they were just as ready to attack the two, as him and Carter were.

"I apologize for offending you, but its not possible. You exaggerate!" Sterling hissed before we all heard a loud cry from the other.
"Poor thing." Deidre sighed.

"Do the five of you wish to hide from me, or would you rather run like cowards?" She questioned.
Nathan stepped out first and my eyes were wide.
A stake rested on the ground where Sterling would of assumed to be.

"Its more along the lines of waiting for the right time to attack, if we're being honest here." Nathan stated his eyes on Joshua who ran away from the group.
Deidre's eyes followed him before smirking at all of us.

"My oh my, its been a long time children." She greeted them but by the looks of their expressions, that wasn't a greeting to them.
I couldn't even make myself move, not from the strength she was projecting.
Deidre's eyes fell to the stake.
"What a waste of time, he thought of himself as a fearless leader. But instead, he was nothing more than a liar and a traitor. Don't miss him too much, alright?" She smiled.

"Fucking whore." I heard Jace spat.
"Jace, don't!" Carter barked as Jace ran out.
Soon enough, not only was it him running at her.

All of ours that had been hiding, was too.
I stood there with wide eyes.
There was nothing for me to do.
But to only stand there and watch.
----
Joshua ran into the house, his eyes wide seeing the basement door open.
"Fuck." He hissed running into the basement.

"Joshua!" His eyes fell on his younger mate before he looked to Lexi and Sage.
"Are you both alright?" He asked the two girls.
Lexi frowned at him.
"We're fine, did a boy with black hair and black eyes with a scar running down his face, run out of the house?" She asked him.
His brows knitted.
"A boy?" He looked around before walking over to the cell, frowning.
"No, I didn't see anything." His eyes fell on Monty.
"Are you okay?" He asked the other.
Monty nodded.
"I'm fine, is it almost over with? We've been hearing nothing but screams and its starting to make us uneasy." He told him.

Joshua sighed softly.
"I know, but yes. The others have Deidre cornered, she's not getting far." His eyes traveled to Sage.
"How are you feeling, Sage?" He asked her.
Sage blinked.
"Fine I think? A bit cooped up, but nothing weird." She smirked at him.
Joshua nodded.
"Okay." He looked around.

"Sterling-"
"Joshua!" He turned sharp at the sound of Monty's voice before was met face to face with the boy that fit Lexi's description.
Messy black hair and cold black eyes, a deep scar that was driven down his left eye as he glared harshly at the taller of the two.
His strength wasn't compared to Joshua's.
He was new.
A fresh blood.

For a moment, Monty's face flashed in his mind as he looked at the other.
His brows knitted trying to fight the other off.
"Joshua!" Monty cried and the boy mimicked his mates voice and expression.
"Fuck, its the same ability as mine." He growled slamming the boy into the wall.
Who cried out in pain.
"Illusion's don't come cheap when you earn them. What the fuck did you do to get this ability, kid?" Joshua growled.
The boy smirked at him.
"Wouldn't you like to know." He stated.
Joshua blinked as his brows knitted.
"Yes. I would? The fuck." He spat.

"Joshua, behind you!" Lexi hissed.
Joshua couldn't move.
Another was in the same room as them.
Fuck.
FUCK.
Not good.

"Get the boy." Another male hissed.
The black haired vampire's grip loosened.
"You get him, I'm dealing with this one on my own. Where the fuck is Abel?" He demanded.
"Abel's tied up with that loud mouth bitch, probably the same height as you, Adrian." The other told him.
Jace..!
Joshua growled as Adrian growled back.

"Damn it Dante, grab that fucking guy so we can leave before we upset our Mistress." He demanded.
Dante raced to the cell door, ripping it open.
"No!" Joshua used all of his might to shove the other off, before racing over to the cell.

Grabbing the back of Dante's shirt, choking the other before tossing him backwards.
Joshua slammed the cell door, his eyes glowing black as he growled.
"You won't touch him." He warned bitterly.

Adrian and Dante got to their feet, glaring at the other in front of the cell.
Joshua used his arms to guard the cell as his fangs bared out.
"I'll give up my own life, before you touch anyone in this fucking cell. Especially Monty." He growled.
Adrian grinned.
"Perfect, because we can kill you three and still get away with the pretty one behind you." He shrugged.
Joshua glared at him.
"Fucking try me." He growled.

Dante leaped out going to tackle the other, but Joshua was faster.
He used his forearm to wrap around the others neck.
"Close your eyes." He told the three behind him.
He squeezed down harder, hearing Dante gasp and hiss in pain.
Before he felt the others body go completely limp.

Dante's head rested near the door as Joshua dropped his body.
Adrian glared at him.

"What's taking so long, Adrian?!" A girls voice demanded before racing downstairs.
Her hair was black as night with blue eyes that nearly looked white.
She glared at Joshua who glared back.
"Your soon to be deaths, is whats taking so long." Joshua told her.
She scoffed.

"Go back upstairs Ruby, tell Deidre she miscalculated their strength." Adrian hissed at her.
"Are you crazy!? She just killed Sterling for calling her a liar!" She exclaimed.

The room fell quiet for a moment.
Sage stood there, her eyes wide with tears.
"No.." She fell to her knees as her brows knitted.
"Sterling's.. dead?" She asked.
Joshua remained on his guard.
"That was why I had to check on you, Sage. To make sure you hadn't gone insane, but that only happens once you're marked." He explained.

"M-Marked?! Sterling wanted to.. but he decided against that! Why didn't you keep him safe?!" She demanded at him.
Joshua wanted to face them.
But this was two against one.
"He was the enemy all along Sage, I know that's hard to believe when its coming from me. But its true, he was a spy on the inside. Acting like a good friend, a loving partner and a fearless leader. But he never killed Deidre, he kept her alive so she could have her vengeance on the ones who betrayed her." He growled.
"Starting with him." He locked eyes with the girl known as Ruby and Adrian.

"If you don't want to end up like your friend here, you'll retreat." He growled.
Ruby arched a brow.
"Retreat? We're not cowards." She laughed running at the other.
Groaning Joshua moved to the left but it only ended him in the corner.

"Get the kid." Ruby ordered Adrian.
He went to the cell.
And as Joshua went to run to stop them a second time.

A cold feeling in his back stopped him.
Poking out of his chest was the tip of a stake.
He stood there.
All sounds became inaudible.
 He failed.
All he could see was the screaming and crying face of his mate.

Lexi and Sage screaming for help.
And the sight of those vampires going inside of that cell.
Before everything went black.

And he could no longer feel anything.