2/10/2016 0 Comments Chapter 8 - Battle LinesMaggie's POV
I looked at Dean, who was still fuming at Seth. Somehow, I knew LaKeisha was right. This wasn't Seth's fault. It really wasn't Julien's fault. It was Dean's. He was the catalyst for what has been happening in LaKeisha's life. She's no vampire. She's human, and now she's paid the ultimate price all because of Dean's desire to have her. I stood there letting the anger rise. Roman noticed and walked over to me. "Maggie, you can't be angry at Dean. I know why you are, but eventually you have to forgive him." Roman said. "How can I? He's the reason I'm a vampire and LaKeisha's mom is dead. Because of his blinding desire, she's lost me and her mom. How can she live like this?" I said. "Maggie..." Roman started to say. "She can't. She shouldn't have to accept this life. This is our life. Not hers." I said. Suddenly panic came across Roman's face. Something was wrong, and I felt Roman's grip tighten on my shoulder. He looked at me and said the words that would change everything. "LaKeisha is at Julien's. We need to get to her fast, or Julien dies." Roman said. "Wait. What? She's at Julien's? How did she sneak out without us knowing?" Dean asked. "She's blinded by revenge. If it consumes her, neither one of us will be able to stop her. Including you, Dean. You're strong, but my sister is stronger. She's stronger than all of us. She's human, but she is a vampire. We can not let her lose the little humanity she has left." Roman said. "Then I say we leave now and get to Julien's." I said. "Let's go." Dean said. LaKeisha's POV "I'm sorry to hear about Amanda's passing. It was tragic. I know how much your mother meant to you." Julien said. "You're sorry? Sorry for what?" I asked. "LaKeisha, you do know I did love your mother. She was the great love of my life. I didn't want to see your mother hurt, but it had to be done. You cannot have ties to the human world." Julien said. "Ties? She was my mother, and you killed her!" I said, angrily. "I had her killed. My hands are washed clean. I only asked Seth to do it because I knew Dean wouldn't do it. He's torn between his love for you and his loyalty to me. Truth be told, I think it's endearing. Now, if he wants to stay alive, he will do the one thing that I asked of him." Julien said. "I know. Turn your daughter into a full-fledged vampire. I'm sorry to disappoint you, father. I will never be a vampire, and truth be told, you will never lay a hand on Dean." I said. "My dear sweet child, Dean will do whatever I ask him. Because he may love you, but he is loyal to me. I am his sire. Not you." Julien said. "I never questioned Dean's loyalty to you. In fact, I feel that if you asked Dean to kill my mom, he would have. Because he would do anything to keep me with him. Yes, he is loyal to you, but he is loyal to me. I will not turn into a killer because my dad can't stand the fact that he has a half-human daughter. You chose this. Not me. Accept it for what it is. I am your daughter. I am very much human, and I will stay that way." I said. "Your humanity has clouded your judgement. You can not stay a human, LaKeisha. You can not rule the vampire world as a human. You do not understand our world." Julien said. "I don't care about all of this vampire mess. What I care about is my mother. She's dead. You killed her, and you have to pay, Julien." I said. Suddenly, my grandmother, Melanie, appeared. She's dead. Wait. Am I dreaming? I have to. Because she can't be here. "Mother, what are you doing here?" Julien asked. "I'm here to protect my legacy. My granddaughter. LaKeisha, look at me. This is not the time or the place. You're not strong enough. Not yet. I need you to survive, my child." Melanie said. "He killed my mother. He has to pay." I said. "And he will by your hands. You must not let revenge blind you, or it will consume you. You can't let that happen. Joseph needs you. Maggie needs you. Seth needs you. Dean needs you." Melanie said. Maggie. I completely forgot about Maggie. My vampire family. No, I can't do this alone. I need them. I need Melanie. "I need them. Grandmother, help me." I said, tearfully. "I am always near, my child. Right now, you must get stronger. Learn all you can from your brother. Embrace your destiny. When the time comes, my son will face the music. The battle lines have been drawn." Melanie said. "Mother, your judgement is clouded." Julien said. "It is not, Julien. I am very clear in my thinking, even in the spirit world." Melanie said. "I will not stand for this betrayal, Mother. I am your son." Julien said. "You stopped being my son the moment you killed me." Melanie said. I looked at Melanie. Julien killed Melanie. The shock and anger was overwhelming. I wanted to kill Julien. My family was dying by his hands, and I needed to stop him. I started to lunge at Julien, but my brother stopped me. "LaKeisha, stop! This is not the time. Listen to Grandmother. Julien will die. I promise you. He will pay for everything he's done to us." Roman said. "No, he has to die now!" I said. "Sis, I know you're hurting. You loved your mother. I know. Just like I loved my grandmother. She was the light of my life. Now, I just found my sister, and she's the light of my life. I can't lose you, LaKeisha." Roman said. I looked at my brother. I wrapped my arms around him. He picked me up and walked towards the door. "You live to fight another day, Julien, but your days are numbered. LaKeisha will take her rightful place, and I will make sure of it. I promise you that you will pay for what you did." I heard Dean say. "Dean, I made you..." Julien started to say. "No, you wanted me to be a monster, and I was. Then you asked me to be LaKeisha's mate. Yes, I was willing to do your bidding, but the moment I saw her, I knew I needed to protect her. This is her life, but she is gonna live it as a human. I will not turn her. Not for you. Not even for me. I may never grow old, but at least she can. The day she dies is the day I die. I am no longer a puppet for you, Julien." Dean said. Suddenly I felt a rush of wind and found myself back at the home I share with Dean. Roman carried me to my room and laid me down. It would be sunrise soon, and the only people I want around me was Roman. I needed my brother. "You need this time with her, and I respect that. She is your sister. I will go to my room. When she is ready, she will tell you. Right now, she needs her family." I heard Maggie tell Roman. "Maggie, you are family. I will move your coffin into the room next to mine. We will both be here." Roman said. Dean understood what Roman was doing. He had to prepare me for the battle ahead. Dean turned walked into his room. "I know what you did, Dean. For now, you don't have to worry about her knowing, but I will protect her from you." Melanie said. "I know." Dean said. "Good. Then you need to prepare as well. Because the war has just begun." Melanie said.
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AuthorMaggie Riven and LaKeisha Chestnut Archives
May 2016
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