This takes place during the tragic events of the Christmas party and the day after.
I haven't posted in so long goshhh
get ready for an inspiring speech and NO SEBASTIAN because I haven't written a post yet that wasn't saturated with that boy xD
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“Do you remember, Karin?” Remember what?
“No,” I murmured, tightening my crossed arms around my stomach. Then I doubled over as I lost control of my very body. What’s happening...? It was Christmas just minutes ago...We were all so happy, carefree, unafraid... “No! I don’t remember-- I don’t...I don’t-I don’t-I don’t--!!” My voice began to break with every word.
I tried so hard to forget, but with every denial a vivid flashback coursed through my memories. It hurts so much...
“Karin?” Colette was suddenly above me, looking down with a scared expression in her eyes. I didn’t even realize I had passed out. I groaned; I was sprawled across our living room couch. Sitting at the edge of it, my dear friend placed her delicate hand on my neck and brushed my hair to the side. “You’ve been out for hours...Here--” She handed me a full glass of water and half-melted ice cubes.
I tried to thank her, but all I could manage was a dry whimper. As my voice returned, I asked, “What’s going on?”
Colette tossed me a glance full of apprehension and pity before answering, “Akira mentioned something about.... leaving the estate.”
“Wha-a--” I huffed as though the breath had been knocked out of me. Leaving? No... “I don’t want to go--” Colette, sensing I might panic again, took the water from my hands and lightly pushed me back so that I was laying down once more.
“Karin dear, you must rest.” I took a deep breath through my nose and closed my eyes painfully. “...If I may, I shall begin to pack your belongings. Don’t fret, I will send for someone to keep you company. Please excuse me,” With that, she pulled a quilt over me and stood to leave.
As she made her way upstairs, an eery silence lingered in the parlor. “Sebby?” I cried faintly, not even trying to hide my need to see him.
“Oh, he’s long gone.” I craned my neck to see Vevila leaning casually against the frame of the doorway. “After you passed out, he started freaking out over deja vu like you-” she gazed at me with heavy lids, a look of utter apathy playing across her face. “-and some of the others- Anyway, he wasn’t strong enough to stay here. Have you seen his eyes lately? Probably hasn’t fed in weeks...maybe months. My guess? That’s what he’s doing now.”
If I didn’t already feel nauseous, Vevila’s words certainly did the trick. “No, he wouldn’t...He promised...” Vevila saw through the chink in my armor with a glint of her deadly beautiful eyes.
“Oh, did he? Do you really think he could keep up his vampirical celibacy forever? He’s been holding out for months just to keep you happy, and it’s been killing him. I, for one, am glad to see he’s finally thinking of himself for a change.”
Unable to stay in the same room with her any longer, I threw the quilt off my legs and made my way past her. “Don’t pretend like you know him,” I whispered as fiercely as I could muster.
She just laughed. “At least I know who he really is. I don’t live in denial of that because I understand his... predicament.” She licked her lips a little.
I shuddered away from her and made my way up to Akira’s room. I thought, she’s crazy. I have to talk her out of moving us all to Germany. She doesn’t even know German! Why GERMANY?
I rapped on her door a little harder than I would have any other day. She swung it open and hissed, “Oh, what NOW--?” she saw me standing there and relaxed, but only slightly. Her face was stained with drying tears. “Karin, please. I’m a little preoccupied at the moment.”
“Don’t you think we all are?” I snapped. I took a small step forward so that she couldn’t close the door in my face. She was genuinely taken aback by my attitude.
“Look, I know you’re upset, but this is the only option we have right now. If we stay here, we’re just sitting ducks for XL.”
At the mention of that name, I was overcome by a terrible wave of anger. Why did she have to remind me? For the first time in far too long, I had felt true peace. But now... “I wish I had never let you do this!” I cried incredulously. Akira fixed her eyes on me.
“What did you say?” she asked slowly, her features dangerous.
“I wish I’d never agreed to make this stupid club-- or let you drag Sebastian and me across Europe-- or, or, almost DIE at the hands of those-- I wish I would have stopped you!” I was practically screaming now; anyone in the house could have heard me if they listened. Akira tried to say something. “No, you listen to me! I am not leaving my home just so you can run away! All these lives depend on us, and you’re screwing every one of us over if you think you can just--” I was forced to stop as her hand flew across my cheek.
I looked down at the floor as my cheek began to sting. Tears of pain welled in my eyes and blurred my vision terribly. Akira’s hands firmly grasped my limp shoulders.
“Shut up. Just shut up! Don’t say that. I’m not running away. Can’t you see I’m trying to save us? Now that I know what’s really going on-- I won’t let it continue. How many others are there? We have to stop them if it means giving up everything we have. Our ignorance. Our security. Our home. Our lives.” By now, I had blinked away the tears and I could clearly see Akira’s face in front of mine. Her eyes were locked with mine in such intense conviction. Her hands began trembling on my shoulders. She took in a shuddering breath before continuing, “Yes- I am risking every one’s lives. But if that means the difference between being a f*cking lab rat or free forever, it’s a risk I hope every one of you are willing to take with me.”
