Fireflies.

"Why?" I breathed, my voice holding little to no strength as I regarded my mother from hell. My eyes raking over her perfect frame as I remain propped up by a wall, sitting in my own blood.

"Because you'll take everything." She practically sang as she twirled a poker in between her hands, the end glowing by the drum of fire that stood glowing and proud beside her. I was just happy for the warmth it offered.

I shook my head, allowing it to hang as I spoke. "I don't want any of it."

"That’s right. Your Estelle. You've done nothing but bitch and moan about your impending Immortality. It’s a gift and you wish to be human?" It was obvious from her tone she couldn't quite wrap her pretty blonde head around it.

I said nothing for a moment as I let the chains support my weight. I had no more strength left to give.

"Your my daughter. My daughter wouldn't walk away from the power that’s being offered to you. You'd take it all, rip it all out from under me."

"I'm not your daughter." I half spat.

"Oh but you are. And you won't be able to help yourself. You already took my king."

"He's not yours. He never was yours. You had a king and you killed him. " I slowly lifted my chin as I spoke, fixing her with my unwavering gaze.

"Yes because he begged me too. He saw immortality as a curse. He wasn't strong enough to handle it." Her voice oddly void of emotion. "And because he had a prophecy of his own to fulfil."

"So what were all bound to a future prophecy?"

"No. But those who are given one it is unavoidable that they will come true. Trying to avoid them only makes them come true." Her words again in that odd eerie tone.

"Right. So what was his prophecy?"

"That his immortal daughter would bare his stone and be the one to rule us all. She would unite us. And find a way for our children to be free of the curse placed upon them." Her grey eyes locked onto mine.

"That’s insane." I breathed, my voice coming out nothing but a tone on the wind.

"Is it?"

"Yes!'' I said with as much emotion as I could. "I don't want any of it. Why don't you get that? And Aren’t you going to kill me anyway?" The conversation to exhausting I let my head fall forward again as I took shallow breaths.

"I'm not going to kill you sweetheart." She said in that singsong voice once more. "And I will make sure it will never come true." She came to stand right in front of me. Her finger lifting up my chin so I could look into those insane, evil eyes.

"How are you going to do that without killing me-e" I broke off. "No. No you can't do that." No she couldn't do that. I tried to wretch my jaw out of her hands but her grip was like iron. I couldn't become the damned. I couldn't. Fear pulsed through me.

"Yes. I can actually and that’s what I intend to do sweet pea. " She rose to her feet. Her lips holding a cold amused smile as she rose the poker and buried its glowing tip into my shoulder.

I screamed and tried to turn away from her. But I was held in place, completely at her mercy as she kept it in place until it grew almost cool. My breathing haggard as I bit my lip against another scream as she withdrew it slowly. Blood pooled on my tongue.

"I fucking hate you." I spat.

"Awww but I love you so much my darling daughter." She sang as she stuck the poker back in the drum.

"Fuck you." I breathed as I sagged against the chains. My shoulder was on fire, it pulsed in an angry rhythm.

"Now I must go and sort a few things." The way she said it made me lift my head.

Fixing her with my gaze, "what things."

"I must convince my king that I don't have my pathetic daughter."

"Eric." I breathed. "I'll fucking kill you." I found strength from somewhere as I thrashed up against the chains, lashing out at her. However futile it was.

"Yes Eric." She said with a bored sigh, unaffected by my threat and movements. "Don't worry Jeremy here will take over for me. I need you nice and weak and soon." She blew a kiss and faded into the darkness.

Jeremy stepped forward, picking up the poker he fixed me with his blue eyes. "Isn't she just stunning." He said breathless.

I sighed. "If you mean stunningly insane then yes. " My words nothing more than a breath once more. "You know if you let me go I won't kill you when I'm free."

He chuckled as his eyes sparkled in the low lighting. "Your so sure of yourself hunter." He paused as he placed the poker just an inch away from my other shoulder. "And besides this is just too much fun"

And with that he plunged the glowing poker into my shoulder. A scream ripped up my throat once more as I finally began to realise the depth of the whole situation.

I couldn't become the damned. So the next time he lined up his poker I would make sure I moved just in time. Ensuring I got the poker through the heart. I would die before I ever became a Vampire. The thought settled over me in a soft calm that I sank into.

So tonight. I would die I would make sure of it.