Love Kills Slowly

Rose was happy to see her brother again. She was glad to see that he was alright. But nothing had been the same ever since she left the Vampire Queen’s palace two weeks ago. She’s tried everything to get out of her funk. Partying, being with John, even slaying. Nothing worked. She missed Daryl, missed Vandala, hell she even missed Scarlet.

She wanted to go back.

“John?” Rose walked into the living room of her brother’s apartment. “John, do you think it’s possible if I could -” She froze. “Oh, my God.”

John looked up at her, his face stained with tears. In his arms he held the mangled body of Lizz. Rose dropped to her knees, placing a hand on Lizz’s forehead.

“What happened?”

“W-we went to the palace and -” he broke down into sobs.

“Vandala,” Rose snarled and stood. She left the room and straight to her own apartment. Pulling out a duffle bag and filling it with weapons. She locked up and climbed into her car, heading straight for the palace.

Rose cursed herself for her stupidity. She should have known Vandala was a fake. The instant Rose was out of that castle, she killed her brother’s fiance. The bitch was going to die.

Rosalyn slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the car, running up the steps and bursting into the castle. Two vampire guards were there, startled and didn’t have a chance to defend themselves. Rose slaughtered them instantly without a thought.

“VANDALA!” She screamed with rage, walking into another room and cutting down a vampire that didn’t even know she was there.

“VANDALA, you bitch!”

Rose continued on her way, killing two more vampires in another room. She entered what looked like a bedroom and killed two more that were mating. She entered another room and killed a sleeping woman. The Slayer swept through all the rooms until she reached the last one. Inside was Daryl.

He stood up, realizing it was her, but then saw the blood splattered on her clothes. His eyes widened. “Rose? What in God’s name are you doing?
”
“Where’s Vandala? I’m going to kill her!”

“...Why?”

“Why? Why?! She killed my brother’s fiance! Lizz is dead! And that bitch murdered her!”
Daryl seemed to go into a minor stage of shock. “The Queen wouldn’t do that. You’re missing details, Rose.”

“I’m not missing anything. Vandala killed Lizz, so I’m going to kill her.” And she ran, heading back down the hall to find the Queen.

“ROSE!” Daryl called after her.

She didn’t stop.

Daryl appeared in front of her, but she kicked him out of the way, running up the stairs. Somehow she knew where to go and she ended up in the room with all the weapons. There Vandala was sitting cross legged by a fireplace, her head down.

“Hello again, Rose.”

Rosalyn sneered and stalked forward, her grip tightening on the stake in her hand. She stopped, seeing the glint of another stake in the case. She looked at the silver weapon grinning at her, the one that had almost killed Vandala. Wouldn’t it be ironic if it killed her now?

The Slayer threw her stake into the glass and it shattered. Glass crunched beneath her boots and she snatched the stake, stalking towards the Queen and stopping merely inches from the vampiress.

“It’s so good to see you again, Rose.”

“Shut up, bitch.
”
“You know I had no choice, but to kill her.”

“You had a choice! You mangled her body, Vandala!”

“They attacked me first!” The Queen swept to her feet, her face contorted with rage. Her fangs glinted from the flames in the fireplace. “I had no intention to kill them until Lizz tackled me to the ground. Why would I do that to you intentionally, Rose?”

Rose’s eyes watered. “I’m sorry...,” she whispered and stepped forward. The Queen wrapped her arms around her and Rose caught her lips with hers. The tears leaked from her eyes as she raised her arm, stake in hand and brought it down on the Queen’s back, straight through her heart.

Vandala’s eyes snapped open and she gasped, crumbling to her knees. Smoke started to spiral from the wound where the silver touched Vandala’s skin. The Queen started to cry and choked out the words, “It’s alright, Rose.”

The Slayer had fallen to her knees beside her, sobbing. “I’m so sorry, Vandala. I’m so sorry.”

“It was meant to happen. This is our destiny.”

“You knew this would happen?” Rose said in exasperation. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Angela made a prophecy before she died. Saying that a slayer would be my star crossed lover and that she was my death. The moment I saw you, I knew.” Vandala laughed softly. “And to think that all I ever wanted was to have that true love. I never found it, even after a course of a thousand years.”

“You did find it, Vandala. I’m right here.”

Vandala smiled one last time and Rose bent down to kiss her. The Queen burst into dust just as their lips touched.

At that moment Daryl entered the room, his eyes widening at the sight of the Queen now a pile of dust. He looked at Rose, who was crying on the floor.

“You killed her,” he whispered.

And Rose started to sob.