Evanescence (Black Rose #1) (21 page)

"Cedric!" I yell.

He stops. My mother places a hand on his ankle. He looks down at her and kicks her ribs. She lets out a shriek.

"Mom!"

He kicks again and she rolls holding her forearms to her stomach.

"What are we going to do?!" Essence says.

I throw my hands to my head to try and think, but nothing comes to mind. Cedric kicks one last time sending mother into the air. She tumbles to Bianca. He then starts walking towards us.
Think Evan! Don't be afraid!

"Leave him alone!" Essence yells leaving my arms.

"Essence no!" I yell losing my grip of her.

He catches her punch by the wrist and smirks. My heart falls into my stomach. Cedric kicks her at the hamstring and she drops to her knees.

"Cedric!"

He holds her head by the hair. Essence's eyes meet mine as she grips onto his hand full of her hair.

"You see? Strong," he says. He then places his hand on her throat and raises her into the air.
Why aren't you doing anything!
My heart bleeds. I try to save Essence. When Cedric is arm’s reach, a devastating blow connects with my nose and I drop to my knees cuffing my face. The pain shot to the bone. He broke it. Warmth fills my hands.
Blood.

"
Cedric. Please. Stop this
." I beg holding my nose, looking into Essence's eyes as she struggles to breathe. He doesn't respond.

I hear his grip tighten around her neck and immediately a tear falls from my eye.
I feel weak, but…but I am not. I can't be. This is why I am here with my family. So I can become strong and accept myself. I am not weak. I can do something about this. I may not have changed yet, but I promised myself I will always protect Essence and would never let any harm come to her. But here she is. Held high above the ground, choking within Cedric’s merciless grip.

I look over at my family who are on the ground trying to help each other.
He's hurt my family and he's hurt me. Now everyone is counting on me to do something
.

"Ev-Evan," I hear Essence choke.

"Why should--?"

I ball my fist and shove it into his stomach. He chokes on his words. Essence hits the ground, gasping for air as Cedric hovers himself above his knees, wincing and grunting from the blow. I stand above him.

"You can't beat me," he says shaking his head and laughing.

He swings and the blow hits my cheek, throwing me from my feet and onto my back.

"Cedric stop this!" Abel yells running over. 

"Cedric!" mother calls.

They surround him.

"You all wish to fight me?" he says. "I'm too strong. For you…" he points at Abel. 

"You…" he points at Bianca. 

"You... And you," he says pointing at Mike and my mother. "And I'm definitely stronger than you." He points looking over at me.

"You don't have to do this," my mother says. "We can talk about what's bothering you." 

"No," he responds.

"Let us help you," Abel says.

"I don't need help!" he yells.

"What is it that you want?!" Bianca asks.

"I WANT EVAN DEAD!" he yells. 

"Why?!" Mother yells.

"You see, at first, I was just upset over babysitting and may have exaggerated a bit about killing him. But then, he wouldn't just stop taking everything from me! Everything I’ve ever wanted!"

"What are you talking about Cedric?!" Bianca asks.

"You all saw it. You saw it! When we were teaching him! You saw his eyes! You saw the charm glow! It's choosing him! Waiting for his transformation! Just so he can take what belongs to my family!"

A shiver runs down my spine, everyone looks at each other, then at me.

"Is it true?" I ask them.

My mother nods.

"Yes, but we were unsure."

"No you weren't," Cedric says through his clenched fangs. "The moment you seen the charm glow, and the color of Evan's eyes, you all bowed."

Essence tugs my arm and I nod. That would probably explain the fire.

"He will not take what's mine," he shakes his head. "I have to get rid of him before he transforms. If he does, the charm will coil itself around his neck, while I be nothing, have nothing, and have no one!"

In an instant, he knocks Bianca to the ground. Mike angrily throws countless punches, but each of them miss as Cedric dodges effortlessly. He then plants a foot into Mike's chest. I hear a crack and Mike cries in agony.

"MIKE!" I yell.

My mother and Abel charge for Cedric. He waits. Mother extends her foot for a kick, but Cedric catches her ankle, swings her body like a bat, and let’s go. Abel catches her and they both hit the ground. I stand in between what can be the fate of us all. Here is my chance.

I dig my feet into the ground, crouch my upper body, and sprint towards him. I hold my fist behind me gathering as much energy as I can. Cedric has yet to see me coming.
My punch is going to land and it's going to land hard.
I throw my fist through the wind and towards Cedric, but then, my confidence falls. His eyes lock into mine and a grin spreads across his lips. Before I can brace for his counter, his foot leaves the ground and connects under my jaw. 

What follows is a pop in my neck that makes my body feel like pins and needles and then, nothing. I flop onto the ground and roll towards the cliffs edge. 

"Evan!" I hear a scream. 

I struggle to lift my head. I try to move, but I feel paralyzed. My daze sees figures approaching me. I blink and the corners of my vision are a blur and begin to fade, but I don't feel any pain. One of them holds my face close to theirs. It's Essence. I know her scent, but I cannot respond nor move.

"For years," I hear Cedric say. "I've sat back and watched how engulfed this family was with Evan. Neglecting me. At least he had Sarah, Kaius, Valencia, Mike, Bianca, and now, Essence! Now, possibly the next Dracula?! No! That's mine! It belongs to me! If my father is dead, which I highly doubt, I must avenge him as well as my brother and sister, Mathis and Agatha. Better Evan be dead too!"

"Evan," I hear a cry. "Open your eyes. Please...Wake up." 

I feel myself slipping away. I feel light as a feather. Sleepy. Cold.

My mother, Valencia, holds me on her lap, singing to me.

Bianca and I chase each other down the hallways of the mansion.

My stepmother, Sarah, sits next to me on my bed, comforting me from the nightmare I was having.

"Everything will be okay," she says.

"We always had to watch Evan in school and wait for him to remember us! And then Kaius! Kaius becomes the Dracula by default? Stealing the throne from my father? It should be me! My reign!"

                                        
 
~

Mike and I are at the rec center; he saves me from the kids who try to toss me into the pool. Essence is in the hallways seventh grade year, then eighth grade, ninth, and now, tenth, but I never speak.

Abel stands above me.

"It's you. It really is you, Evan," he says.

Mike is gone. I speak with his grandmother.

"He's happy here. Isn't he, Evan?" She asks me.

My family finds me on the cliff.

"We've been watching you, Evan," my father says.

Essence finds me in the tree. She kisses me for the first time.

"I'll always be here for you," she says.

"I want what is mine! No one ever cared about my feelings! Made me feel special! I was treated as an adopted kid to everyone given the bare minimum! And Kaius! He was supposed to remain loyal my father and didn't! And I am supposed to care about all of you?!"

My family teaches me how to be a vampire.

My father shows and tells the family history.

Cedric attacks us as he stands above the bell tower.

He hurts my family. They fall across the grass, one by one.

He hurts Essence...

He...Hurts Essence.

"It's…it's happening," I hear someone say. It is my mother.

"No," cries Essence. "Please. Not right now."

My heart slows. I try to hold on, but death is strong. When it wants you, it takes you. I can't move. I can barely breathe. I am dying. I am dying and when I wake, I will no longer be a 'who,' but also a 'what.' A vampire

"Evan," Essence whispers. "I love you." 

This is it. This is the moment. This is the end of me.

I love you too, Essence.

I walk through the darkness trying to find light. There is nothing and it is cold. Beneath my feet is a moist, thick texture like mud. It reminds me of the forest when it rains, but I don't smell the rain nor do I smell the mint.

"Hello?" I call out. My voice travels onward, but no voice returns. 

"Hello?" I call again. Nothing. I can tell no difference between blinking and keeping my eyes open. I begin to walk and feel through dark for anything I can touch, but nothing meets my hands. Then, the air around begins to warm and the smell of burnt wood grows stronger with each step I take. Instantly, I stand amongst a charging crowd of people yelling at the top of their lungs. Some leap into the fire lit air, some hiss as they are laying in the dirt wounded, and some are fighting others…Vampires. I look around and fire blazes everywhere around us and burns wooden buildings and houses. No one acknowledges me. It's as though I am a ghost.

"I can't hold them off much longer!"  I hear a voice shout.

On a large mound of rock stands two men back to back as masses of vampires jump and fight them. They dodge and throw some vampires here and some there. 

"Don't fail on me, Kaius!"

Kaius? 

"Father?" I say to myself. 

I begin to run through the crowd pushing vampires away to get to my father. I get tossed about as the two vampires continue to fight the hundreds; dodging, throwing, and killing. I fall to the ground and immediately scramble to my feet now closer to them both.

"Lucid! We can't take them all!" I hear my father yell.

The vampire with the heavy scar that cuts across his face from eyebrow to his chin stops fighting and turns to my father. He pushes him.

"Then go! Get out of here! I don't need you," he tells him.

"No!" my father shakes his head. "I'm not leaving you alone. You can come with me!"

"Leave!" he yells again as a heavy wind knocks my father, myself, and everyone away and across the ground. I push myself to a sit and stare at the green light that emits from Lucid's necklace. My father stares at him momentarily and Lucid looks betrayed. My father then leaps away, disappearing amongst the crowd of fighting vampires.

"Dad!" I call out.

I try to follow and look amongst the hundreds, but fail to find him. Lucid continues to fight the vampires who are beginning to close in on him. He kills and dodges and throws one after another. Fire leaves each punch he lands and death meets each vampire thrown, but the crowd is too difficult to manage and continues to grow. They manage to grab hold of him. I can try to help, but I know I would not succeed. I am no match. 

The vampires try to pull him apart. It doesn't work. A vampire steps in front of him. The others bring Lucid to his knees, struggling in the process. The vampire raises his arm high above his head wielding a sharp wooden object, and with one quick swipe, Lucid's head is removed. A clean kill. 

The crowd goes wild as the vampire holds the Viscus charm high for all to see. The green light dims within the necklace. I look around for my father, but he is nowhere to be found.

The cheering suddenly dies down and turns into a small, chatter as they look to the sky. I follow their eyes, but the sky is dark. I see nothing.

 A boy and a girl land on the ground and immediately start to take out vampire after vampire. They can't be much older than myself, but they are much quicker and stronger than they look. The boy has short black hair that spikes up to white ends. Black paint runs from his bottom lip, down his chest, and disappears behind his black leather clothing. The girl has a white bob and wears black lipstick. Her neck and hands are covered in black symbols. They fight through the crowd flawlessly and some flee away. I stand not too far away from them as they look about for anyone else that wishes to fight.

"Mathis!" says the girl as she runs over to where Lucid's body and head lies. 

The boy turns his attention to her and runs over. 

"NO!" he yells. "No! No! No!"

He holds Lucid's body into his lap and puts his face into the chest. They both cry over Lucid. When the crying stops, Mathis lifts his head and anger fills his swollen eyes and fists.

"Agatha," he says through clenched teeth. "Get his head. There isn't much time." 

"What do you plan on do--?"

"Now!" he shouts. She rises to her feet without another word and picks up Lucid's head. Mathis throws Lucid's body over his shoulder and they leap over the fire, escaping. 

I look around and I am alone. I walk over to where Lucid had been killed. Nearby, the Viscus charm lies in the dirt, the light still dim. A woman with white hair, startles me as she brushes past and falls to her knees panting. She picks up the necklace and stares at it. 

"Lucid," she whispers to herself. "I am too late." She cups the charm to her chest and bows her head. I watch as she sits still moments longer, before she lets out an angered yell.

"Vengeance. Vengeance will be mine and with my family!"

She stands to her feet and leaps away with the Viscus charm.

"Kaius!" I hear a woman cry out. 

I turn to the voice and find myself standing in the night on a wet paved road, no longer the battlefield. The woman who took the necklace lies on the ground. My father rushes and tends to her. She is badly wounded.

"Scarlett! What happened?!”

"There isn't much time for me. I won't make it."

"You must stop this."

"No Kaius!" She pleads. "I fought for him," she nods. "And for my family…Mathis and Agatha."

"Where are they?"

She cries out in agony and winces at the pain. She chokes, but recovers.

"There is talk that they are now dead. I mustn't believe it, but I haven't been convinced they are alive. Please, there is a boy at my home. His name is Cedric. The last of my family and your relative. Take him Kaius. Take care of my boy."

Kaius clasps his hand around hers and nods.

"As I would my own."

"And take this." She holds out the Viscus charm. "Protect it. Keep it away until it chooses another."

Kaius hesitates, but accepts and pockets the charm. 

"Go. Hurry before they find my boy. Watch over him Kaius. Love him."

"I will. I promise you." He stands to his feet. "Goodbye, Scarlett."

She smiles gently and her face goes cold. Her body begins to ash and blow in the wind. My father takes off. 

A pain cuts across my head. I clasp my hands to my temples and drop to my knees. The pain digs deeper. 

It's happening!

 I let out a cry in agony and drop my forehead to the wet paved road.  I hear a crunch in my ears as the pain intensifies inside my head. My vision begins to fade and disorientate. My eyes burn like fire, my mouth aches, and my skin begins freeze.

I pound my fist onto the ground hoping it would stop, but it is no use. I begin to choke as though the air is being sucked dry from my lungs. The inside of my chest becomes as cold as ice as my hands begin to shake and tingle. I look into my shaking palms, then flip them over. My family's mark appears and a final yell leaves my throat. All becomes still before the darkness consumes me.