When Night Falls

The Final Challenge - X-Ray Dog
It would be good if you would listen to this while reading this chapter. (: Thanks

-Christine's POV-

"I killed my Aunt."

It was funny the way those words left my mouth. The way the words seem to come out, even without me thinking about it. The way my mouth opened and closed, my throat parched with days of unuse, my lips forming the words, the way the air sounded and felt when I finally finished the sentence. The way the air seem to resonate with the words, and the way the air seem to solidify after that.

The way everything finally shattered into pieces the moment those words left my mouth.
It was never going to be the same again.

I thought about what happened, every single second. I could still feel the hot splatter of blood on my hands and my face, the rush of fear, the lost of hope...the screaming.

The screaming.
I pulled my arms away, leaning heavily against the wall before sliding down, landing on the ground. Ryan was standing above me, watching me, his face a mask. I didn't know why he was here, I didn't know what he was thinking.

And frankly, I didn't care.

"I'm a murderer."

I stared blankly at my hands. I could still feel the stickness of the hot blood, smell the copperish rusty smell on my hands.

"Murderess, I mean." I balled my hands into fists.

"Why am i caring about my language right now." I laughed softly, as Ryan sat next to me, his lightning blue eyes never leaving mine. He was so close.

"I killed my own Aunt. I was the cause of her death. And I'm still laughing right now. I'm cold-blooded aren't I... I..."

My eyes widened in shock as he pulled me towards him in one fluid movement. I fell against him, head against his muscled chest, and his arms formed a tight circle around me.

I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off even before I could say anything.

"Let it all out, Christine." He stared at me, his expression soft, his features illuminated by the glow of the moonlight. I could see the smooth contours of his face, the perfect straightness of his nose, the way his smooth lips curled, the way his porcelain skin radiated under the light.

I felt my heart clench in response to his words. I pressed myself against his chest as the grief and guilt engulfed me completely...

-Flashback-

"You really like him do you?" She said softly.

For a moment, I was taken aback and I stared uncomprehending at her.

"No. I don't. I just don't think that Ryan would kill, that's all."

"Ryan? Ryan BLACK?" She said sharply.

I nodded, a little confused by how she knew his name.

"But Christine! Black's..." She stopped in mid-sentence. She held a finger to her lips, shushing me as well.

At that exact moment, something was wrong.

Very very wrong.

The alleyway was suddenly very silent. The darkness of the alleyway seemed to grow as the silence engulfed us. The shadows seemed to move towards us. It was as though we had gone completely blind. We couldn't hear anything. We couldn't smell anything.

Something horrible was going to happen. My sixth sense...

"Hello, ladies."

I turned, alarmed, towards the source of the voice. It was seemingly magnified in the sudden silence.

There was no one there.
Confused, I stepped back and rammed into something hard.

"Looking for me?"

I gasped, jumping away from the enemy. He had pressed himself against me and whispered into my ear.

"Shit." Aunt Andrea pulled me towards her, cursing under her breathe. I had never heard her cuss like that before. We had had a few rough fights with a couple of vampires who had been pretty powerful, but she had never looked so worried before. I could hear her heartbeat accelerate as she pulled me closer, stepping protectively in front of me. This one must be tough.

He stepped out of the shadows, smiling, a coldness to his smile. There was a soft thump as he released the body he had been feeding on to the ground. I stared, horrified, at the crumpled body.

It was a woman, one in her mid-twenties, one who probably had a bright future ahead of her. One who had a family. She stared blankly at the skies ahead, her eyes glossed over, her head twisted at an awkward angle.

I growled softly, my anger starting to replace my terror. We had been too late to save an innocent life.

I winced as he delicately kicked the body to the side, clearing the pathway, cooly wiping off the blood smear on his leather gloves, his eyes never leaving us. His eyes. A bloodlusty red, like all vampires. But he had a glint of gold in his pupils. Something I had never seen before. Something that spelt power. He licked the blood away from his lips, slowly and delibrately, as though he was still savouring the aftertaste of his... meal.

"Now, Andrea. That's no way to greet your boyfriend."

I let out an audible gasp in shock.

Boyfriend?

He chuckled under his breath softly.

"Why, Andrea. You didn't tell your little niece about me? Why don't you introduce us?" His mocking tone didn't quite reach his eyes. He smirked, his eyes still cold.

"You're NOT my fucking boyfriend, Xavier." She hissed, backing me furthur away from him.

"Now, Andrea. That hurt."

He pouted, pressing his hands to his chest to where his heart was. He moved closer towards us.

"How have you been, Andrea? I missed you..." He grabbed her hand, holding it and pressing his lips against her hand, his red eyes piercing.

I watched, stunned, as she stared at him, her face expressionless. Then she pressed her lips against his as he wrapped his arms around her.

I could feel my jaw drop, literally. Without even thinking about it, I yanked at her arm, trying to pull them apart.

She pushed me away, without even looking at me, and I went flying against the wall. I screamed in surprise as I collided with the wall, and I felt a sharp intense pain on the back of my head. I slid down the wall, hot blood trickling down my forehead. I pressed my hand against the back of my head and groaned.

I watched, slightly dazed as Aunt Andrea suddenly shoved Xavier aside, slapping him hard across his face, the sound loud and amplified, echoing throughout the alleyway. He clutched his already reddening cheek with his hand, an amused look on his face.

"Don't fuck with my mind, Xavier." She snarled, spitting vehemently in his face.

She ran towards me, pulling me towards her, muttering her apologies as she examined my wound.

"He can control our minds." She muttered softly under her breath, as she helped me up. "Be careful."

"I see you've been training hard. You can actually hold me off now.. I must admit, I'm surprised." He leaned casually against a wall.

"But I must say, what surprises me more... Is the very fact you didn't mention me to your little niece over there."

I could feel Aunt Andrea stiffening beside me, glaring at Xavier.

"What's the matter, Andrea? Afraid to let your little niece know about us? About how you fell for a blood-sucking vampire? When your whole life was supposed to be about destroying them?" He straightened up, moving closer towards us, his voice low and seductive, mesmorising. I was unable to look away from him.

"Or were you afraid to tell her..." He stopped, and grabbed her by her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"...that you killed your father and brother for me?" He finished.

There was a stunned silence as I struggled to find sense in his words.

Grandpa? Uncle Frank? I... thought they died in a plane crash... I..

"LIAR." I finally choked out, surprised by the strength of my voice.

He merely laughed, releasing his grip. Aunt Andrea fell to the ground, burying her face in her hands in despair.

"He's lying, isn't he?" I looked hopefully at my Aunt. I crawled towards her, tugging her sleeve.

"Look at me! Tell me he's lying! Tell me they died in a plane crash!" I said desperately.

Xavier continued to laugh, his laughter bouncing off the walls of the alleyway, high and cold.

"Please..." I begged. She looked up at me, her eyes full of tears.

"It... It was a stupid mistake..." She pleaded.

"You!" I screamed, turning towards Xavier. I could feel my brain screaming at me at the danger, but I was burning with anger, uncontrollable anger that drove me beyond sensible thinking.

"You must have controlled her mind and forced her to do it!"

"My gifts are useful, I admit. But you'll be surprised... I didn't have to use them at all on your aunt. She loved me so much that she was willing to kill them for me..." Every single word felt like a knife, a betrayal of the worse sort.

"LIAR! YOU KILLED MY GRANDPA AND UNCLE!" I yelled, morphing into my wolf form, jumping for his throat.

I could see him smirking at me, and I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. I was so close now... I reached for his throat...

Then, he vanished.

I growled, surprised as I fell against thin air to the ground. He was so fast.

"Looking for me... again?"

I felt a pair of arms suddenly around my waist, and I roared in anger, desperately trying to twist my body away from his vice-like grip...

"NO!"
I was ripped away from his grasp. Then I felt the hot splatter of blood against my face... I stared, stunned, the blood burning on my face, dripping down my cheeks.

Aunt Andrea had taken the blow that I was supposed to receive.

He had punched her cleanly through the stomach.
She let out an ear-piercing scream, her scream echoing throughout the alleyway. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she screamed again as he pushed her forward, removing her from his arm. I watched, horrified, as she fell on the ground in a heap.

"No no no..." I turned back into my human form, rushing to her side, clutching her towards me. I pressed my hands against her wound, trying to stem the furious flow of blood. Already her clothes were soaked, drenched in blood.

"Hang on, Aunt Andrea... I'm so sorry... You'll be fine... Just hang on till the wound heals itself... You'll be fine... I'm so sorry..." I sobbed, pressing myself against her chest, praying for a miracle, praying for something, anything. I held her close as she struggled to breathe, and I pressed myself against her, wanting to, but unable to do more.

She smiled up at me, grimancing in pain. She reached up, brushing a stray lock of my hair from my face as I sobbed.

"Christine... I won't heal fast enough to recover. I'm losing too much blood." She coughed, more blood spewing out from her mouth.

"No no no... Don't say that... You said our injuries will heal by itself... Didn't you? You taught me that..."

She merely shook her head, as she stared up at me, her warm hands wiping my tears away.

"Take care of yourself and your mum, Christine. Stay safe... Leave quickly, as soon as you can... " Her voice was growing weaker, faltering.

"Don't leave me alone... I need you... I'm not good enough to do this alone... " I pulled her closer towards me, sobbing, clutching her tightly, as though I was trying to drag her away from the arms of death.

Whoever's up there... God, Please don't take her away from me.
"Promise me something, Christine."

"Anything, anything... Please... Stay with me..." I begged. Her eyes flickered, her expression was growing dazed.

"Never fall in love with Ryan Black." Her words echoed in my head, making no sense. I stared at her, my tears unable to hide my confusion.

"Promise me!" She tugged at my blouse, her eyes searching my own.

"I..." I stared back at her blankly.

She sighed heavily.

"I'm too late, am I?" She laughed softly. "Too late..."

I watched, stunned, as she released her grip on my blouse, falling back into my arms, her eyes fluttering shut.

Forever.
"Aunt Andrea?" I shook her. "Are you trying to pull a prank on me?" I laughed shakily, brushing the tears from my face.

Please let this be just a bad joke. Or a dream.
"It's not funny... Wake up!" I screamed, shaking her. She fell limply from side to side.

"No... Please... I promise you... Anything... Just wake up... Don't leave me... " Her wound was already starting to heal itself. Yet...

"NO!" I screamed. I pulled her closer towards me, sobbing hysterically. "NO NO NO!"

"Poor Andrea." Xavier cooed, as he stood over us.

"Poor little baby Christine. No one to look after you."

I glared up at him fiercly. I placed her body on the ground, gently, before I stood up, shaking violently with a mixture of anger and fright.

"You killed her." I clenched my hands into fists, my voice unnaturally calm despite my anger.

He merely laughed.

"I? It was you... If you had not been so reckless, would she have to give up her life... to save you?"

It felt like a slap to the face. My breath caught as I staggered backwards, my eyes prickling with fresh, hot tears.

He pulled me towards him.

"Who's the killer now?" He breathed. His cool breath on my face stung my cheeks as his red eyes stared into my own. He let out a low, haunting chuckle before he slowly vanished into the night.

I fell to my knees, sobbing...

-End of flashback-

She died trying to save me.

She died trying to save me.

I could hear his voice, mocking me, again and again...

Who's the killer now?