Chapter 5 - The dark side.

Ellie's POV:

"Ellieeeee" A voice whispered as I wiped my blurry eyes, trying to clear my distorted vision. I could feel a cold breeze whip across my skin as the hairs on my arms began to stand in alarm. "Ellieee" It came again, followed by a menacing chuckle, but it sounded like a woman's laugh.

My vision cleared as I looked down to see I was bare feet in the forest as they nestled within all of the mud and twigs as thorns began to pinch my toes and break into my skin, but once again I found myself in a situation where I couldn't move and my chest felt tight and wrought like the air itself was squeezing tightly onto my ribs and not letting go. I looked up ahead to see three bodies emerge from the clearing in the trees. My breath hitched as I saw the three vampires me and Vaugh had shot at walking toward me with vengeful sneers. The bullet holes were still visible on their bodies as blood continued to spill from them, trickling all the way down to their feet, staining the earth beneath them with each step. How? How are they not dead? My head whirled as my chest heaved, trying to catch my breath.

They suddenly stopped in their tracks as my mother appeared in front of them, looking at me, her eyes filled with fear as they stood eagerly behind her. One of the men grabbed ahold of her head and tilted it to the right, keeping his eyes fixated on me, he lowered his fangs against her neck and ruthlessly bit into her. I could hear the piercing of her skin and feel the sting as if it were my own. My throat tightened and my legs wobbled as my hand clasped my neck from the pain. I tried to scream out but my voice was nothing but a groan and a high-pitched squeak.

"NOOO!" I tried to yell out as I reached my hand out for my mother, ""STOP" My breath whispered as I watched the life being drained out of her. "PLEASE!" I tried to move my legs, my feet.... I tried to reach out to her to make them stop, to save her but she was too far and just as always....fear was crippling me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, move! move... please, just move! I willed my body. Everything fell silent! No more whispers, no more laughter. Even the breeze had somehow disappeared. When I reopened my eyes, they were gone, but I knew I wasn't alone. I was still stuck and I could feel eyes lurking in the trees, watching and planning.

"Ellie!" A soft voice spoke as a hand laid on my shoulder. I looked around to see my mother standing next to me in her white gown, no blood, no marks on her neck, but the lightness of her touch told me she was dead.

"Mum". I croaked. "What is happening?" I asked as a tear escaped my eye. "Where am I?"

"Ellie, will you come with me now?" Her voice echoed as she lifted her hand from my shoulder and reached it out for me to take. "You should come with me... it's safe".

"Come with you where?"

"To be in peace, my darling!"

"Am... am I dead?"

"Come... come with me!" She replied, as she completely ignored what I'd asked.

"No!" I rebuffed back. "Not until you tell me what's happening!"

"They'll come for you Ellie, they'll come for you and you'll suffer the same fate as I did". She spoke as blood began to appear and her white gown was gone, replaced with the clothes she wore when she lay dead in my arms.

"Mum! I'm sorry!" I began to cry. "I'm so sorry I couldn't save you!"

"Hush, my darling. It's not your fault, but come with me now and it'll all be ok!"

"Who's coming for me, Mum?"

"Take my hand".

"But.... but what about the others? Are they safe?"

"Ellie!" She shook her head. "It is not a fight you can win, take my hand!"

"The hunters! They're still out there aren't they? The rogues.... they're going to attack?"

"You do not need to fight, it was never our fight. You're too soft and sweet, too kind to be at war. Come with me and you'' never have to fear them again".

"But.... but we have to stop them, they'll kill everyone".

"That arrow was not meant for you!".

Images flashed into my mind, ones of Talon, as I raced toward him. His guilt-stricken face as he held me in his arms. The tears in Kyan's eyes, the voices shouting around me as they called for help. A feeling.... a feeling began to thump at my heart of everyone I cared so much about. "No.... I... I can't, I can't leave them!" I whispered as I looked back at her.

Her mouth turned into a snarl as her face began to warp and misshape, turning her features into something completely different. Even her calm aura was vanishing as the breeze came flooding back even colder and the trees started swaying violently against each other.

The face was now half vampire, half human as its sharp teeth gritted at me in a rage. I stared wide-eyed as it took hold of my arm, squeezing tightly until I could feel the coldness of its fingers piercing my bones.

"YOUR BLOOD IS MINE!" it roared. "I WILL TAKE EVERY OUNCE OF YOUR LIFE! YOU ARE WEAK AND PATHETIC! YOU ARE MY KEY TO THEM! ONCE I HAVE YOU, THEY WILL ALL FALL. I WILL END THEM ALL!" It's deep voice raved, pricking at every cell of my body, turning it into stone so I could not escape. I could not fight back.... it had me.... it had me choking on all of my fear.

It's red bloody mouth turned into a vicious grin, with its sharp pointed fangs in full view, making my entire body shudder. "You're scared and weak! WEAK! PATHETIC!" It's growl blasted in my face.

"Fuck you!" I spat back, already aware that it was winning and it was right... I was weak. But I wasn't raised to be anything different... A well spoken woman, ready to do her bit for the community and her husband, no matter how much I didn't want to.

It laughed again, amused by my little attempt to show some fight. "One way or another, I'll end you!" I told it through gritted teeth. Even though his cold black eyes were staring right through me as if I was already dead just being in it's presence.

"YOU DON'T STAND A CHANCE!" It roared into a laughter. Then it's mouth widened, stretching apart, until I could see the back of it's black throat and his roar blasted across my face, shaking the entire forest. I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing myself not to scream or show the fear it had already so easily plucked from me.

It's grip disappeared and everything fell silent and dark, I couldn't even feel the ground beneath my feet.