Poison: Origin

Running but not sure where I was going. I couldn't see anything in the dark halls, everything was blurred by tears. I saw him, the joy and hunger in his eyes. I saw him, deep gulping sound resonating from his throat. I saw it, and his ensanguine lips. Now I understand why Ez and Nathan hunt them. Now I see why. . .

Still, there were many questions in my mind. How? I didn't understand how something so normal, so human could so something so evil as to kill a child. Elle wasn't innocent per say but he didn't know that. The conversations with Ez suddenly made sense now. When he told me how evil they were, I paid no attention. I usually pushed them aside thinking; Leon couldn't be like that.

I was so sure that if he could do that to Elle, he could just as easily do it to me. There was a burning in my chest, even my mind told me to slow down; he wouldn't be able to find me in this maze of a mansion so soon. But I couldn't stop, not when he was back there, after something like that, it was like running from a hungry wolf. Stopping wasn't an option.

I couldn't run when my breathing was so erratic from crying at the same time. I stopped, just a little bit. Just realizing how weak my knees felt, I let myself fall. I didn't know what had caused my knees to be so weak, the running or all the crying. Ez and Nathan would eventually find me here, I had followed the arrows back, so they would find me. The arrows, we were playing a game, I almost forgot. I told Elle we should play a game . . .

Images of that moment in the cage came back and my now steadier breaths became erratic again. I was responsible, I did it! I recommended to play a game to make Elle feel better. Now she doesn't feel anything at all! I got up again, I had to get away, I had to leave, I wanted to go home where I could feel safe.

He looked so mad, more anger and hate in his eyes than I had ever seen in any person at all. I could never see him as a normal person, not after Elle's blood staining his lips. Then there was what lay hidden just under those bloodstained lips, two long fangs glistening with crimson. Why didn't I ever see them before, I never wanted to see them again.

Leon, I never missed him more than I did now. I wanted him like I knew him, not how I'd seen him. What would I do when we came face to face, would I forgive him, like I did to so many. More important, what would he do? Would he kill me now that I've seen his true nature. I wanted him to be back to normal, the same way I wanted to deny him what was in his nature. I wanted to erase what I saw, but that's not what I what I was supposed to want.

Just as I rounded a corner, I hit something hard. Looking up, the only thing I saw two fangs before I shut my eyes and screamed as loud and long as I could. If he was going to kill me, I would not go down silently. I screamed out all the confusion and frustration I felt, everything poured into one single scream.

When nothing happened I peeked through one eye. I saw fangs again, but the person they belonged to wasn't Leon. Instead it was someone else, another vampire. Only he was different, he looked like he was fourteen or fifteen. Everything, but his skin, was dark. His hair, his eyes, his clothes, everything. He had one thing in common with Leon, he too was unbelievably good looking.

When I had finally composed myself, he rudely scoffed; showing off those glistening incisors. I half felt like hitting his impolite head hard with a stick, but I realized; if someone had screamed like an insane person in front of me, I would have been surprised too. He proceeded to rudely ignore me and continue in his marry way. I turned to look at him in shock as he went. No normal person could be that rude. In fact who was this person, who just randomly appears out of nowhere? Who does that?

"Eli!" Ez said coming with Nathan from behind me. Nathan was carrying the shot gun he had from before. Involuntary heat rushed into my face. Nathan was wearing nothing but boxers and an undershirt. Ez's head bandage was now gone, he probably only wore it to try make Elle feel guilty. I would have drooled had they not looked so serious.

"Where's Elle!" Nathan asked in apprehension. He looked so worried. I didn't think he cared so much for Elle. "Where is she!" he asked again. Just as he said that I remembered where she was. Tears once again threatened to come out. Her body limply fell to the floor only to stepped over by Leon so heartlessly.

"The cage," was all I managed to mutter. Nathan seemed to understand my blubbering voice.

"Ez, you stay behind with Eli, Grim!" he called out. At the end of the hall was the boy who I assumed to be Grim. He was anxiously tapping his fingers. "We're going," Nathan said running up to him. Grim motioned with his hand for Nathan to lead the way, they disappeared into the hall shortly after.

"Eli what happened." Ez asked me. It took me a moment to recompose myself, before I told him exactly what I saw. When I neared the end I had another urge to cry, but I didn't know why. All I knew was that I missed him so much and I would never see Elle again.

I put my hands over my eyes, like I did when I was little to keep people from seeing me cry. Now it was more of an impulsive thing since any person would know what I was doing. I cry a lot, I know, but that's because others cry too and I can feel their sadness making me cry for them. I hardly cry because I, myself, feel bad. Now doing that small act provided me with reassurance, as weird as that sounds. But when I cry, because I'm hurt and not because of someone is too, covering the world with darkness and seeing nothing that makes me sad makes me feel that much more better.

In my darkness was startled with the sudden warmth which I was enveloped in. Slowly I removed my hand from my face coming face to face with Ez's tender chest. He had his arms wrapped tightly around me. I knew that it was in a guy's natural instincts to hug a crying girl, but regardless, it made me feel better.

Removing my hands from my face, I wrapped them tightly around him, bringing him closer to me. There was nothing but his warmth and a comforting view of knowing that someone was there for me. I liked this new substitute.

"Don't worry you don't have to tell me," he whispered. Our close proximity allowed me to hear his words perfectly. Ez and Elle had a weird relationship, acting more like siblings than anything. To Elle, Ez had the part of moody older brother, while to Ez, Elle played the part of annoying little sister who bested him at everything. Though they didn't show it, I knew they really cared about each other. It would be unfair if he didn't know what happened to her.

But being the one who told him, felt worse than anything.

"It's okay, you'll see," Ez cooed into my ear. Hearing his comforting words just made me feel worse. I decided to just blurt it out, and get it over with. Hopefully Ez wouldn't take it like I had.

"He killed her," I said once I had enough breath to speak. Ez's muscles tightened around me and he held me tighter. Looking at him to see his reaction, I found him staring, not at me, but down the hall. I followed his gaze only to see what I had been running from for so long.

There in the darkness, he stood. Blood covering his lips, chin, and parts of his chest. It wasn't the blood that scared me. His eyes, they were so contorted with rage and hate they made me shiver. To keep from my hands from shaking uncontrollably I clutched onto Ez's shirt. Leon sneered at us, even in the dark I could see those two gleaming teeth.

I turned away into Ez's shirt. I couldn't remember Leon like this. I wanted this thing to disappear completely. There was a horrifying crack from the direction Leon was standing. As I turned I saw Grim, the other vampire, holding Leon painfully by the neck against the wall. A small trickle blood ran down his forehead, but he showed no hint of pain. I was so confused by the situation, I wanted to run away, but at the same time I wanted to help Leon. I didn't want him to get hurt. Just because of what he did, didn't mean I wanted him dead, but a normal person would. Right?

Around the corner came Nathan, holding Elle's body in his hands. He seemed unphased by the fact that they were two vampires in the room. Instead he came straight up to us. I had a good look at Elle; she was unbelievably pale from lack of blood, there were two deep puncture wounds on her neck, but her chest was slowly rising up and down. She was alive! Leon hadn't killed her, yet what he did was still unforgivable. Ez let go of me to go get Elle from Nathan. Nathan silently handed Ez a glimmer of sliver. Ez held open his palm revealing his pendant.

I didn't even realize I had dropped it.

"Get her out here," Nathan said to Ez, indicating towards me. Ez nodded and stretched his arms out to carry Elle to safety, but Nathan refused. "Once Grim is free, I'll send her up with him. He's much faster than any of us." he said holding onto Elle's body tighter. I never realized Elle had such a close bond with Nathan either. But their bond wasn't like the one she had with Ez. Come to think of it, Nathan always sided with Elle, even when the fight was between her and Ez. Though there was an age difference Ez was his best friend.

"Come on!" Ez said pulling me by my hand. Not wanting to be anywhere near Leon at the moment I let him lead me away. So many things were running trough my mind.

What kind of relationship did Elle and Nathan really have? Who exactly was this Grim person? Where was Ez taking me? And most importantly what was going to happen to Leon?

I wouldn't lie, he scared me, but I really didn't want him to die. What the hell was wrong with me!? Leon had tried to kill Elle, and would do the same to me if he ever had the chance. I wasn't really paying attention to my surroundings, but at some point we had exited the bottom floors of the arena, and came to the upper levels. How many people had Leon hurt, or killed? Even though I had seen it, I just couldn't believe that he was a killer. He was so kind to me. If seeing was believing then I had to believe.

A loud siren pierced my thoughts. Ez heard it too, and immediately stopped to listen. I'd heard the announcements they had in the manor before, but never one like this. Suddenly came that voice that I had grown so used to.

Attention: D.S. Zero will be activated. A single Class 2 Vampire has escaped confinement, initial attempts of recapture have failed. The escaped vampire is the infamous Poison so you understand this drastic measure. Anyone who manages to successfully kill him will be greatly rewarded. Again D.S. Zero will be activated.

"Damn it!" Ez yelled out in frustration as he quickened our pace. So they were going to kill him. . .

"Ez, what going on?" I asked, my voice barely audible over the siren. He didn't seem to hear and kept going. I repeated my previous question, this time loudly so that he'd hear. This time he ignored me!

"Tell me what going on!" I yelled out frustrated, yanking my hand from his in the process. I immediately had his attention. His face was severe, something horrible was going on.

"Listen to me closely, we don't have much time," he advised. He held on to me by the shoulders, adding even more seriousness to the situation. "D.S. stands for Defense System and Zero is the worst when it comes these things."

"What does it mean?" I asked quickly before he could continue. People were beginning to come out of the rooms. Most of them in like I had seen them that day when they ambushed Leon back home. They had all heard the alert and they knew what to do. Every single one of them only carried some form of weapon, a few even resorted to using common household materials, and they were all headed in the direction we had come from; towards Leon.

"It means that we are going to make this Manor Poison's grave." he announced over siren. A few of the hunters who were standing close by cheered at this statement. He grabbed my hand and pulled me away at the same pace as before. While we were walking he continued the explanation. "Every single door that leads to the outside is reinforced with over a ton of weight. D.S. Zero activates these reinforcements that make exit impossible once it does. Not even the strongest vampire can escape. Which is why we're in a hurry. It takes over ten minutes for the Defense System to recognize every single exit and we need to get you out before that so that you're not caught in the crossfire." He explained. There were shouts down the hall we had come from. I quickly looked over my shoulder to see a few of the eager hunters swinging away.

"Shit," Ez muttered. Leon had caught up so quickly. He threw a hunter down the hall, he landed then skidded to a stop right next to us. Ez hardly wasted any time, he moved the hunter's unconscious body into a room then locked the door form the inside. He then came to me - holding the knocked hunter's weapon, a kitchen knife. He handed me his pendant again. "At the end of this hall there's a door. This," he said indicating to the pendant he had just given me. "will grant you access inside. Once inside you'll see some stairs take them all the way up and you'll be on the roof. If you make it in time, the door will lock when you close it." he elaborated. I didn't move at first, to conflicted to do anything right.

"GO!" he yelled. I snapped back into the situation and did exactly as he told me. Without looking back, I blotted down that hall. Even as hunters poured out of the rooms, bumping into so some, I still kept going.

Soon I came to the door in question. It was a door for sure but it had no doorknob, and no way of opening it. I, at first, tried pushing it, but it wouldn't budge. I held out Ez's pendant not sure how to work it. Maybe the door might able to see it and open up for me. I had no such luck. I stood there stupidly, unable to get the door open. Behind me the sounds of the fight were slowly inching closer. Panicking I hit the door hard in a frustrated anger. There was a clicking sound, but the door didn't open. I stepped back, tying to inspect what the click had done.

The wall beside the doorknobless door slid open just a little, next to where the doorknob should have been. It was a small squared opened, just big enough for a hand. There was a blue light coming seemly form the inner walls. It suddenly clicked in my head. I put the pendant inside the small niche. First there was a small humming, then there was a suction noise, similar to that of the opening of a refrigerator. I removed the pendant and the small niche closed. Unsure if what I did made anything happen, I pushed slightly on the door. This time it opened for me.

The sounds of the yells became louder as I hurried into the stairway, making sure I closed the door behind me. The stairwell, like the rest of the manor, was made of deep mahogany wood. Even the railings were made of wood. I was mildly disturbed by the fact that if someone, anyone at all, left any form of heat unattended; this whole place would go up in flames. I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the run up the stairs.

There was a throbbing pain in my legs. I wouldn't stop, not when I was so close to the end. The first couple of floors had been easy - despite all the running from before - after the second or third, I grew tired. The distance of travel between the floors was incredibly long; the manor had usually high ceilings. I never knew how many floors the manor had, six, including the attic, above ground and four or five protruding deep into the ground. Judging from where I started - second to the bottom - I had gone up at least five. Just a few more. From the floor I was on currently I could see the ceiling.

A huge bang shook the stillness of the stairway. I stupidly looked over the railway with overpowering curiosity to see what had caused the sound. The door I had come from had been blown off. On top of it lay Ez facing directly up; I wondered if he could see me. He seemed to acknowledge my presence and struggled to get up, not even managing to lift himself on his elbows before collapsing into an unconscious state.

Leon emerged from the doorway, standing over the defeated Ezekiel. He stared at him as if making sure he wouldn't get up anytime soon then calmly looked up to where I was. With new found adrenaline, I climbed up those last few floors not looking back. After a short while, I saw it. The gray door with the metal bar across the middle. Above the door there was, what looked to be a electronic clock; ,8; the red number blinking a few times.

Then it changed; 7. A timer! And I only had seven seconds before everything went into lock down mode. I tested myself, pushing myself like I had done that day in P.E. 6. Running two steps at a time, a simple trip could be deadly. I was halfway up the final set of stairs.

5, I couldn't look at it anymore. If I didn't make it in time, I didn't want to know by how much. Only a few more steps . . .

"Eli!" Leon shouted, being the only other person in room. I didn't stop or hesitate, if anything it made run faster. He sounded terribly close, only a floor or two below me. Just as I approached the door began to resonate with a high pitched bleep. I came to the door, not bothering to stop I shoved onto the metal bar hard as I passed. I slammed open that door as I passed, still running, fresh air licking at my face. Unable to get a firm grip on the loose gravel on the roof, I stumbled onto the grainy pebbles.

I managed to break my fall with my hands and knees. I shifted on the gravel so that I was sitting facing the now closing ringing gray metal door. There was luckily only a small stinging on my hands and no blood. But the door refused to close any faster, it was leisurely inching it's way to a close. My knees were spared by my loose clothing, leaving only minor discomfort.

The roof was an odd one to say the least. It had all the things a roof would need, such as heaters, but around the edges were thick railings resembling thick slabs of concrete as though it was meant for people to up here. For a moment I pictured Leon charging through the same way I had in pursuit. I brushed those thoughts aside when I saw the door's close it's last inches. I relaxed now; I had made it.

At the very last second a hand shout out grabbing the side of the door keeping it from closing completely. I didn't even have to think to know who it was on the other side. I was too weak to run away or think of an escape as Leon emerged from the doorway. The gravel beneath him crunched as he walked forward.

I thought about just giving in, too tired to do anything at all but I knew Alyssa would be mad at me if I did. I couldn't let myself get killed now, not after all I've been through. Stubbornly, I got up; as I did my vision blurred - a clear indicator to stop. Would it be counted as suicide if I jumped off the edge of the building to avoid a more painful death? If there was some form of afterlife, and Alyssa was there; would she be disappointed in me? I guess I would have to find out.

I neared the edge of roof with Leon's crunching steps behind me. He was walking, why would he run; not when I was trapped. For now at least. I took a moment and think over what I had to do if it came down to it.

The great pines were still taller than the manor and stood out darkly against the navy blue of the sky. Millions of stars where a visible blue indicating that the manor was well outside the city, secluded and isolated from the rest of the world. Glowing like a florescent sickle in the sky, the moon stood out in the sky demanding the attention from the smaller stars. It was so nice out tonight.

"S-, s-, stay back!" I yelled waving my hand out in front of me. He stopped taken aback. The blood he had had on his lips was now gone. The only reminder that remained was those few drops on what remained of his shirt. It had been torn in many places, most of the damage, however, had been on the chest. He looked less menacing now, looking more like a victim than the killer.

"El-" he said taking a step closer. I climbed onto the cement railings, if he chose to to do something I could just jump off and spare myself the pain. Leon froze in place, genuine worry on his face. He wasn't going to kill me? It could, of course, only be a charade for me to come down slowly and allow him to more easily strike.

"I said stay back!" I warned. Just in case, just in case, those words were being repeated in my head over and over again. My knees buckled from exhaustion and my vision blurred again. There loud bangs audible; coming from the door I had come from. Nathan's voice was heard clearly from the other side, but it didn't open.

Ez told me it took ten minutes for the defense system to close the doors, so it must take that same amount of time for them to open. My escape! How many minutes had passed since that door closed!? Three or four minimum, so I just had to hold for under seven minutes for them to open and the hunters could come and distract him. Just seven minutes.

"I'm sorry," he spoke with sincerity. An act?. . "You were the last person who I wanted to see me in such a. . ." he drifted off looking off into the distance. He looked truly sorry, but he didn't say he was sorry for what he did. Maybe I was just tired. "I can't change what I am. I thought you understood that when I told you what I was."

If he wanted to kill me, he could have done so a dozen times over when we were alone. So why so suddenly did I expect that of him. It was true, I had known what he was and stayed with him, excited by the whole idea. He had confided in me as a friend and turned against him. It hurt to know how much of a hypocrite I was.

Why did I feel so heavy and sleepy? How much time had passed.

"Typical humans, you'll stand by anything as long as it doesn't involve your money and your life. I had thought you were different." he bitterly admitted when I remained silent. A strong wind came by and I stumbled. Luckily it wasn't that strong of a breeze, easily I regained my footing.

"Not everyone is that way!" I protested once I was fully secure. "Not all of us care about money, and I know some of us are willing to die for a good enough reason." My voice sounded weak with fatigue. Leon looked up at me as if challenging my statement.

"Would you die for someone you loved?" he asked with severity. I never thought like that before. If I could, would I chose death in order to save Nikky. Would I take Alyssa's place?

"Stop distracting me!" I demanded to keep from myself from answering. I myself didn't know what he was distracting me from, I just had to say something. I had to keep him from doing anything.

"Distract you from what?" He seemed as baffled as I was. How many minutes were left till the doors opened. I had to keep talking!

"Did you try to kill Elle?!" I asked without answering his question. It's funny how unafraid of him I was now. Maybe it was his appearance from before that sacred me so much.

"No," he answered quickly without hesitation. "I jus-" He didn't try to kill her, that was a good thing. I guess I couldn't blame him, he was only going with his nature, as disturbing as it was. I didn't let him continue before I asked my next question.

"How many people have you killed?" I asked. If he had in fact killed people before then that would make his last statement meaningless. Anything more than one, would mean that he cloud kill someone effortlessly if he wanted.

He stiffened at my question. He didn't have to say anything. Just by his actions I could tell how guilty he really was. So he's killed people before, he could have killed Elle and he could kill me! If he wanted to.

"I don't know," he responded meekly. Leon looked at the ground shamefully, unable to meet my gaze. How many times do you do something before you lose count?

"That many," I said with bitterness that surprised me. I didn't want to see him as a killer, never again, but with this sudden revelation it made me think that way again.

"No! I just don't remember much," he said. An amnesiac vampire? Yeah right, more like a liar!

I'm so tired. . .

At that moment my knees gave away under my own weight. With the limited space on the concrete railing I couldn't get my footing right and I fell. I didn't mind though, sleep never felt so comforting. I welcomed the darkness, instead I felt pressure on my wrist. Looking up I saw Leon, holding tightly to my wrist to keep me from falling.

Slowly he began to pull me up. Why didn't I feel how tired I was? Was it because I was with him? I did feel, however, the speed of which my heart was beating. I think it was from my near death experience.

Leon smoothly pulled me over the side of the railing. Once over, I clumsily fell over again, my legs nearly worthless now. I leaned back against the railing, suddenly sleepy. I closed my eyes, I'll rest them for a little bit. He wouldn't kill me, I knew that, since he would have done so a long time ago so it was okay to let my guard down a bit. Leon, of course, still wanted to talk.

"Eli?" his melodic voice sound close. Half opening one eye, I found him extremely close to me. He was crouching down to meet my sitting position. I was too tired to act out any form of reaction.

Who was I kidding, I was too tired now to do anything. All the adrenaline from before was now gone. Did that mean I wasn't afraid of him anymore? Again, I closed my eyes, not caring at the moment of anything. If I slept now, would everything be fine when I woke up tomorrow? Would I even wake up at all?

It was then that I felt his hand brushing my cheek. Again my heart began to beat furiously, and my cheeks began to get warm. I didn't want to look at him because if I did, I knew my face would burn up. My stomach felt funny as though there were tiny bouncing ferrets happily jumping from place to place. At the moment I was so happy, but then it hit me.

Stiffly, I wrapped my hand around his wrist moving it away from me. I refused to let him make forget so easily. How can he, with one simple touch, make me forget and switch me from fear to contention in a matter of seconds. Still, I didn't want to look at him. If I did I'd be entrapped in those eyes.

"Eli!" That voice didn't belong to Leon. It had come off the distance, at the same time there was the sound of crunching gravel. It was Nathan and the hunters, at least what remained of them. Between them and me, however, stood Leon. He alone could fend his own against them. I found my eyes impossible to open, they were heavy with coming sleep.

Even as I drifted in and out of sleep, I could hear shouts and the crunching gravel. At some point I felt the sensation of being lifted, seemingly floating in the air, and carried away. It was here that I finally fell fast asleep, with the steady rise of his breathing chest and the pounding beat of his heart.