Diamonds Pale Like Vampire Skin

Genesis took me to the center tower, the one I thought only Zeke and I knew about. Instead of going up the staircase, he kicked open a dusty door that I had never noticed before. It went down into darkness, and before I knew it, Genesis was pushing me down the staircase as I stumbled, trying not to fall.

The flight down seemed to go on endlessly, but we eventually made it down, down to what looked like dungeons that had been forgotten for centuries. Old bricks that made up the dusty walls were slowly crumbling into dust and cobwebs hung like sick, elegant drapes. Genesis opened on of the few cells that was not broken and shoved me in.

I gasped as I fell on my hands and knees in the cell. It had been a while since I had been shoved to the ground, but it still reeked with the familiarity of Jerry. Pushing me to the floor had always been one of his favorite things to do. When I myself up, I walked back over to the iron barred gate that Genesis had closed and locked. I angrily shook the iron gate and looked over at Genesis.

He had his back to me and a razor-sharp gaze on the door. I stared at him for a few moments and then looked away. I paced through the cell and the hollow dungeons softly echoed my footsteps.

I snuck another look at Genesis. It was hard to believe. That was the kid that was Zeke's best friend until a year ago, I couldn't imagine happy-go-lucky Zeke being friends with the sullenly angry Genesis, but I guess Genesis wasn't always like this. I turned away again and took a deep breath. I coughed immediately and wondered how the dungeon could hold the scent of smoke and dead rats for so long.

I sighed and collapsed on a dusty straw bed. As adrenaline pumping as this was, I was still dirt tired.

I was half asleep when I heard footsteps echo from the stairwell. Genesis tensed up as the footsteps stopped and the door slowly creaked open.

Zeke stood in the doorway nervously staring Genesis down, he honestly looked like a little kid trying to be tough. Zeke glanced at me locked away in the cell and the hint of malice in his eye tripled in size.

The tension in the air was so sharp, the air felt like a thin pane of glass waiting to be broken into a million little shards. For the longest time, Genesis and Zeke just stared at each other, like the showdowns in a cowboy movie.

Finally Zeke broke the silence, "What do you want for her?"

"Why'd you do it Zeke?" Genesis asked, completely ignoring Zeke's question.

As Genesis began to pace a circle around Zeke, Zeke stared straight ahead. Genesis had become strangely calm and serene, while Zeke seemed to have taken up his tense position. Zeke didn't answer Genesis's question, just kept staring straight ahead.

"Why'd you abandon me?" Genesis shouted. Genesis's calm demeanor changed into the shaking anger of a five year old.

"I couldn't stay Genesis, McCormley said I could either stay and kill everyone I cared about or leave!" Zeke shouted back throwing his hands in the air. I noticed the death grip that my hands held the iron bars in. I loosened my grip and looked back up at Zeke and Genesis.

"Bah! That's ludicrous, you spent two weeks with only humans and god knows how long with that one!" Genesis shouted once more and pointed a sharp finger at me.

"What do you want for her?" Zeke sighed and repeated his original question.

"You know what I want." Genesis said coldly, holding out a vile of yellow liquid.

Zeke unwillingly took the vile from Genesis and held it in his hands. He uncapped it and took a sniff, immediately pulling away from the vile as his face contorted with disgust.

"Go on.. drink it", Genesis coaxed Zeke while I tried desperately to figure out what the liquid was, "Drink it for girlie."

Zeke began to bring the vile to his lips as I realized what it was.. garlic juice.

Zeke don't drink it! Please don't drink it!

I pleaded with my mind, but Zeke had already down the vile and was retching on the floor in pain. His screams echoed in the dungeons as he thrashed on the floor.

NO! Zeke..

Tears poured out of my eyes as I helplessly shook the iron gate. As Genesis laughed evilly, I tried everything I could to get the door open, I couldn't just stand by as I watch Zeke die.

"Say your goodbyes girlie, he only has about nine minutes left." Genesis snarled as he smiled wickedly.

I kicked the door.

Open you stupid door!

I tried shaking it desperately to no avail.

Please just open.. please

I give the door one last pitiful shake, and it clicked open. Genesis looked slightly amused, but did nothing as I ran over to Zeke. He had stopped thrashing and was lying on the floor in a still, cold sweat. I fell to my knees in front of Zeke.

"Alex", Zeke murmured as I stroked his head trying to think of something to do. I shushed him.

Genesis snarled in the corner like a mean cat, "Nothing can save him now girlie, garlic juice is poisonous to all vampires."

Genesis smiled and so did I. I had figured it out. I looked around quickly trying to save the time that kept running out like sand through my fingers. My hands searched for something sharp, and when they couldn't find anything, I reached for the viamond Zeke gave me. I felt the tip hoping it would work. It was definitely dull, but it would have to do.

I ripped the necklace from my neck and sliced the tip on my wrist until a thin line of crimson blood formed. I pressed my wrist to Zeke's mouth.

Drink Zeke.. drink

"It won't help Alex", he murmured from his dream like state.

"Less than a minute left", Genesis teased from his corner. How had I run out of time so fast?

Come on Zeke, you have to live. No dying on me.. please!

"Alex.. I-" Zeke's pale eyes began to roll up in his head as he was cut off.

"NO!" I screamed. I was shocked to hear my own voice escape from my lips, it had been so long. It was hard to believe that it was still the same after all these years.

"Zeke no.. don't die please! Pretty please, I love you, Zeke. I love you." I yelled and collapsed on the ground next to Zeke, crying my heart out.

My sadness felt suddenly replaced with anger, and I hefted myself up and ran to attack Genesis, who immediately fled like the coward he was.

The sadness returned, and I went back to Zeke. I sat on the floor next to him, hugging my knees to my chest and rocking back and forth.

"don't die Zeke.. don't die", I whispered through shell-shocked tears, "don't die."

"I won't" I heard Zeke's voice behind me and felt his strong arms wrap around me.

"Zeke!" I cried out and turned around to face him, he looked different, not as pale,"You're alive, you're no-"

Zeke's lips crushed against mine, and before I knew it, I was lost in the taste. Zeke pulled away.

"I've wanted to do that for way too long", Zeke said breathlessly, "And I love you too."

"Zeke..", I trailed off.

"It's so nice to hear your voice", Zeke smiled.

"How are you a-alive?" I asked. I wasn't really sure anymore, I thought the blood would help, but it didn't seem to work. Zeke looked taken aback.

"You mean you don't know?" he asked, and I shook my head.

"You saved me Alex" Zeke hugged me.

"How?" I murmured, I honestly had no clue.

"Alex, you changed me, I'm human." Zeke smiled and hugged me again.

"But-" It made sense and everything fell into place in my head. The blood sacrifice (even though I just thought blood could dilute the garlic) and wanting things to change so badly. I was still slightly confused, but it didn't really matter as Zeke smashed his lips against mine once more.

I just let go and went with it.