Diedrek

I watch the woman that I love more than anything as she sleeps peacefully. I want her to keep that feeling for the rest of her life. The only way to do that is by leaving here now and taking on my father and brothers alone. If I can do what I have to, taking them down then she can live on in this world.

I bend down to kiss her forehead once more, my lips lingering against her skin. It's pure torture pulling away from her at this moment. I don't want to leave her, but I also do not want her to take on the evil of this world. If I can make it so that doesn't happen, I'll die knowing it was for someone I love.

With a tear in my eye, I stand from the makeshift bed and walk out of the tent. I lean my head back, taking a deep breath. Trying to convince my feet to move away from where my mate is asleep. I know this is the right thing to do, but it doesn't make me feel any better.

Cracking my neck from side to side, I am determined to be the hard ass vampire my father has always trained me to be. I have to be in the headset of a monster if I want to take on the true monsters. Once I feel I'm ready, I open my eyes, and walk away from this place. As far away as I can.

I make it a few feet away from the sleeping bodies before a familiar voice catches my attention. "So, you have plans to take on the big bad all by yourself huh?" Rolling my eyes, with a sigh I turn to face my best friend. There stands Darius. His back against a tree, one foot behind him leaning casually on the trunk.

As he looks down at his hand, feigning a laid-back composure. When he looks directly at me the color of his eyes gives him away. They are as red as mine at the moment. He's pissed that I would try and do this alone, but I was doing what I thought was best. I tell him so.

"She needs one of us here if she will survive this world without me. You are her brother. I need to know you'll be here looking out for her once I'm gone." I say quietly as an explanation. I hear a slight growl come from the man I have known all my life. The guy who has been my brother since birth.

He pushes his body from the tree, walking closer to me. I can see his hands at his side, folded into tight fists. I know if I were anyone else, he would attack me right now with how high his emotions are. Instead of cowering, I stand straighter, sticking my chin out. My eyes dare him to do it.

To my surprise he stands toe to toe with me, his nostrils moving with each heavy breath he takes. "You don't get to decide shit for me. If you had even thought of coming to get me, we would both have a better chance of returning to her." A big part of me knows what he's saying is true. I would look down in grievance, but I'm not that kind of vampire. What do I do instead? Fold my arms over my chest, staring him down.

He doesn't budge an inch. Instead, he walks even closer to me, so our noses practically touch. "I'm going with you, no matter if you agree or not." I open my mouth to tell him otherwise when he holds up his hand, silently telling me to be quiet. "That woman of yours needs you. I will not, I mean not watch her live in this world without the vampire she is mated to. It'll cause her too much pain and heartache."

He pauses a moment to study me. "Is that what you want? Her to possibly give up in this world because it hurts too much for her to continue on?" For the first time in these last few minutes, I see a vulnerability held deep in his eyes. He's worried about his younger sister.

With a huff, knowing how right he is, I find myself giving in. "Fine you can come with me to do this." He smiles only aggravating me that much more. Grabbing his shirt in my hands, I lift his body up so he's standing on his tiptoes. "If anything, bad goes down. Something big happens and we begin to lose, I want your word you will leave without me, and come to her for comfort."

His eyes move back and forth between mine. As he tries to read my thoughts that not even, he can truly read. "I don't know if I can do that." I shove him away at his words. Turning away from him, I look out at the dark forest before me, wondering if I can sniff out the monsters of the night. Running away so fast I could lose him behind me.

"I'll follow you. This you know to be true." His grave voice causes that thought to clear from my head. Looking down at the ground, my teeth grind together in annoyance. "Why the fuck do you have to be so stubborn?" I whisper more to myself than him.

He simply laughs, as I feel his hand land on top of my shoulder. "You'll get over it." I see him shrug from the corner of my eye as he drops his hand from my body and walks further ahead of me. "So, how close do you think they are?" His hands are on his hips now, as he looks at the trees like they are a nuisance. His nose scrunched up in thought.

"Honestly, I would guess they know we went further into the forest and are hidden away." I feel his eyes on me as I continue on. "If I had to guess though they probably are trying to figure out a dark spell to find us as fast as they can." I look at him, before turning my head to look back at the tent I know she's sleeping in.

"They won't get their dirty hands upon her." He growls out, his voice firm in his statement. Looking back at him, I give him a sad smile. "Lets hope you are correct in your assumption because if they do there is no telling what they will do to her."

We begin walking further into the darkness, leaving behind the most important people in our lives. I have to force my body to continue on, as all I want to do is turn around and run back to the tent. Holding her in my arms, encompassing her in my scent, and never letting her go. The only thing keeping me from doing that, is the thought of what will happen to Kyla if my father and brothers get their hands on her.