Eighty

My father came from behind and grabbed me by the waist, raising me from Vlad’s body and bringing me hard to his chest. I was so fucking broken, I would kick at Anton’s legs and extend my hands, trying to reach Grizzly at all costs. At that point, I couldn’t understand my life without him. I couldn’t devise a future for me in the coming days. How does one live without a heart pulsing inside the chest? Mine was lying torn, in silence, on that very floor!
Anton turned us around from Vlad, and I noticed the faces sitting by the wall, staring at us. My biological father with red-rimmed eyes and his face contorted in grief for me. I felt the urge to comfort me, coming from him, but I wasn’t ready for that, much less now when sorrow was deep entrenched in my brain.
Beside him, Radu, disheveled, with his back to the concrete, holding my stupid sister with so much care and possessiveness to him. Something they just had denied to Vlad and me forever. There was wariness and a challenge of sorts in those beautiful eyes that reminded me so much of my Grizzly, and the only thing I could think of was I’d never feel his arms holding me that way again, and it was maddening!
I hid my face in his chest, weeping loud once my father turned me to him. I just wanted the pain to go away. It was infuriating how it hurt. “Dad…” I squeaked, shutting my eyes and hugging him tight to me. “Please, make it go away.” The room spun and there was no more air around as I tried to bring them into my lungs.
“Pumpkin.” My father’s choked voice seeped into my brain. I didn’t want to listen to anything. My sobs came out so hard it shook my entire body. I wanted to crawl into a hole and wake up only when I could see those forest greens, looking back at me with all the love and passion that made me burn for him. “Alex! Look at me, now!” He sounded harsh and rough to my ears, bringing me short, and I snapped my face up to him with wide, tearful eyes. “Alex, get a grip! You don’t realise what you have done, pumpkin. You cursed yourself.” Dad announced in a mournful tone.
“I don’t care!” I screamed at him, my eyes glowing white as the icy claws of hate gripped at my heart.
“Yes, you do, pumpkin.” He hugged me again, kissing the top of my head as he whispered, “Now, finish what you’ve started.” His words made little sense to me in the beginning, then he put his index finger under my chin, making me face him again. “Go, pumpkin, finish it.”
I gave him a no, and I snatched his sword from his back in a hasty move, turning towards the source of all my miseries, but I wasn’t there to vindicate myself. No. It was time brother dearest learned his lesson. Pain poured out of my soul with each step I led. Rage sizzled in my veins as if all the lightning from above had struck me at once, and my body scorched hot to the touch, glowing as static floated around me like sparkles of dust under the sun.
With each step towards that puny bastard, the surrounding air charged and the sword in my hand hummed, its vibration traveling to my skin in a soothing caress. My mind was in a red haze when I stopped in front of him and met his eyes for long, endless minutes.
“Don’t even think of retaliating, Alizandra, or I won’t think twice before snapping your sister’s neck,” he growled, massaging her throat and defying me. Alice went stiff in his arms, staring at me.
“No, you won’t, you’re bluffing. She’s your weakness, and you’re in love with her. Why else would you hold her to yourself with such possessiveness?” His eyes darkened to red, and his grip tightened on Alice as my voice boomed in the room, cold, without a spark of emotion. I raised my free hand, and with a sharp movement I drew her out of his grasp and she slid through the tiled floor like a rag doll, resting by Doctor Blake’s legs, who watched the scene with bewilderment.
“NO!” She yelled, desperate for slipping from his grasp. “No, You can’t…” Now it was her turn to kick and scream when Doctor Blake locked her to him. “Please…”
“Take care of her, Doc.” I got a brief nod from him, and with another move, Radu’s sword dropped to his feet. He stared at me with dismay on his face. “What? Did you really expect me to just kill you cold-blooded? No brother dearest, I’m gonna give you a chance to fight for your life.”
“I wouldn’t take any less from you, little sister.” His raspy voice made its way to my ears, so much like Vlad’s. Tears burned behind my eyes, but I had to concentrate on the task in front of me, and to do that, I had to be a bitch, not a grievous mess.
“Don’t put your hopes high on me, I may not be fair in this battle.” Even before my words stumbled out of my mouth, I was already onto him.
Blades crashed and sparks flew as my fury grew, giving me strength to charge against him with much violence, entrusted by my own talents. I knew he wasn’t powerless; he also had his own gifts, and right there I felt like in those Hell in a Cell wrestling matches, where everything was allowed until you turn your adversary into powder.
I was so enraged, so pissed, I couldn’t give a fuck about my morals. Every time our swords came together, I built up energy, and he would get a full-blown electrical discharge, putting him on his knees. Every agonizing scream I ripped out from him soothed my shattered soul. He was trying his best not to get distracted by Alice’s strained whimpers, but all the time, his eyes flew to her distressed figure on the floor.
He had an amazing power and endurance, and his blade would become incandescent when retaliating against me, burning my skin with each blow he granted me with. We got drained and battered, playing cat and mouse I didn’t know for how long, maybe it was only minutes, but it seemed an eternity, and I didn’t know how much longer we’d endure.
When his heel collided with my face, and I fell on one knee, it was enough of that shit. Radu came over, his sword pointed to me from above his head, ready to slay the crap out of me. I blocked him, but in a last resort I called to my Dad’s dagger lying beside Vlad’s body. The perplexed look in his eyes foreseeing his own death, accompanied by my sister’s screams, was priceless. He didn’t predict I’d stoop so low that I’d pull such foul play.
Yeah, I got fed up with being nice. I plunged the dagger deep into his chest and twisted in his insides. The knife hummed and grew bright as he gasped, staring at me. His red eyes flickered, going back to green, then he looked at my horrified sister.
“You know, brother, it’s your turn to devote some lifetimes, looking for each other, searching for repentance, and making amendments…” He didn’t think I’d take mercy on him, but for now, he was done. “A life for a life…” I said and pushed him away with the plant of my foot, sending him a few feet away from me, as Alice broke free and crawled to him, cradling his head to her.
“What have you done, my love?” She quietly wept, caressing his face. “What am I going to do without you?”
“Forgive me, Alice.” His eyes were fixed on her face as he tried to touch her, but his strength was no longer there. “I did everything wrong.” Tears streamed down his eyes, and his breathing waned down. “I’ll… I’ll find you again… I promise it will be different.”
“Please, please. Hold on.” Alice grasped him to her in a tight embrace, but was gone. “NO!”
Sorrow filled my soul with the heart wrenching scene developing in front of me. She was feeling the same agony as I felt, and there was nothing I could do about it. I slumped to the floor on my haunches, exhausted, and after the adrenaline wore off, a trembling seized me, shaking to my core as I doubled over my stomach and screamed my pain away, crying my eyes, heart and soul to the world.
I was about to pass out when warmth surrounded me, reaching for every nook and crannies of my numb body. The fresh scent of forests and morning dew seeped into my senses, as someone scooped me up from the freezing tiles and nestled me protectively in strong, comforting arms, relieving some ache from my heart.
“Let’s go home, dragă.” Listening to those words so full of love and emotion, relief washed over me, and I succumbed to the darkness.