It was like I stopped breathing for a moment.

My eyes were just empty looking through the row of collapsed trees, innumerable holes in the ground and black smoke, which was proudly rising from the fire that was greedily swallowing the dense vegetation underneath.

Everything was completely destroyed, or at least, as much as I could see.

It's too late.

The world is already destroyed.

I betrayed the humanity.

I helplessly sat on a dusty ground and bent into a tiny, vulnerable ball, while the million feelings and thoughts crept in my head like ants in the anthill.

They were stepping on each other, spinning in the circle and looked completely lost just like I did now.

While I was cursing and blaming myself, the ground suddenly started to shake and it was definitely the strongest earthquake I ever felt in my life.

I was waiting for the moment when the earth will swallow me whole and pull me in its darkness forever, but nothing happened.

At least, nothing bad.

"Kristal? You have to see this." I lifted the head out of my lap and looked around myself completely lost.

The escaping smoke was returning to the bright red fire, which was slowly retreating, leaving the green meadows behind. Like it spat them out.

The trees then began to rapidly grow from the burned foundations like they're sprouting again, creating a living Siberian forest consisting of dark green pines.

Everything was like a rewound tape.

The sky was overwhelmed by somber clouds, while the cold wind was making my body shiver under its touch.

I rubbed my bare arms that were protected only by a thin, once white, blouse, now soiled with traces of dried blood and mud.

I got up on my feet looking at everything coming back to normal and wiping out any traces of any destruction.

Everything came back as it was in the beginning.

"You did it." My heart warmed up when his angelic voice made its way towards my ears.

I turned to look in his brown eyes that were warmly watching me along with the most beautiful smile the world had ever seen.

"I did it." I smiled slightly, and the tears of joy came out of my tired eyes. A few drops slid down my face, leaving the painful and cold lines that the wind had immediately blown away.

"I did it." I repeated one more time watching the tall trees swinging in the rhythm.

Everything was so peaceful and calm, only my heart was beating like crazy while the adrenaline was unstoppably flowing through my veins.

Suddenly, a cold palm touched my skin, intertwining its long fingers with mine.

He turned his tall body towards me, twisting the piece of my hair with his left hand.

"Kristal." He grabbed my chin, bringing my face closer to his lips and then left a small kiss on the top of my head. 

"They should have called you the Sun, because your aura is shining so bright it could be compared to all the stars in the night sky without any shame." He was gently caressing my face like it was made out of the thin glass that would burst at the slightest touch. I was trembling with his hand around my waist, while he was tightly holding me pressed against his chest.

"What have you done to me?" I looked into his dark eyes.

"You changed me." Like I suddenly became mute. My lips didn't say a word even though my mind wanted to.

"I knew I wanted to get to know you better the day I first touched your hair. It smelled like a red orange and this might sound strange, but the electricity that I felt at that moment, woke me up from the cold dream I was in for centuries."

"I knew you would change me, but I didn't want you to. I wanted to stay arrogant and cold hearted bastard that vampirism made me like, so forgive me for everything I did to you. I didn't want to let your love melt the  centennial ice around my heart." Tears were already flowing down my cheeks and chin, all the way to his t-shirt that was partly wet. But in spite of all, I simply couldn't move out of his warm embrace that he was giving me, along with the undescribable safeness which I craved for so much.  

I don't know what touched me more, the fact he remembers how my hair smelled that day or how he already felt something when I was sure that his only goal is to get rid of me as soon as possible.

"But now I know what I really feel about you, Kristal Johnson."

He placed his big palm beneath my chin and got so close that there were just a few millimeters left between us.

His lips looked so soft and were luring me to taste them just as gravity lures meteors, which then fill the night sky with their luminous trace. And then they suddenly crashed on mine without any warning.

They were moving in the rhythm, in the greedy fight for dominance in which he was winning without any doubt.

"I love you and I will love you forever. Because only vampires can love forever." He whispered to my ear, making the small smile appear on my rosy lips.

And then he slowly moved away, still holding me around the upper arms.

"But, we should leave this between us where it was, under ground." But, always that damn but. I opened my lips in shock and looked into his eyes, thinking I would see what was actually on his mind.

"Maybe you've partly changed me, but I'm still that cold-blooded and bloody creature. I'm still dangerous for you and you will never be able to change that. Forgive me, but this is better for both of us."

He completely let me out of his arms, leaving me to unmerciful forces of wind.

"Gabriel? No, you can't leave me!" My empty words didn't have any effect on him at this moment.

"It's better like this, believe me." My feet felt like they were glued to the ground, making sure I won't move even for a millimeter. The thoughts woke up and were shouting at me calling me so stupid and naive, but I was deaf.

"No! It can't be better! I can't be without you." I was desperately trying to stop him, but his silhouette, despite my persuasions, was slowly moving away and disappearing behind the thick vegetation of pine forest.

"We'll meet again!" He glanced at me for the last time before he disappeared behind the leaves of the fern that was growing next to the trees.

"When? Gabriel!" I shouted and kicked the small rock when he didn't answer me. I should have known. I should have prepared myself for all this, but what's the worst, I did.

I was preparing for death that will come after me as soon as I get him out of that hell. But that was just a preparation for physical death, and the worse was only mentally one. It will chase me through life as long as my heart beats, even in pieces.

"I love you." I whispered, falling on the painful knees in the moment a glittering lightning sprang up on the sky.

"Don't leave me." I whimpered along with the gray sky whose tears were dripping on me in the form of white snowflakes, wandering around every trace of any kind of love.

It really remained under ground.

✧ ✧ ✧

After a couple of worthlessly said words, Kristal wiped out the new tears and stood on her feet, firmly stepping in the meadow from which you could have seen the part of the civilization. It was her only salvation in that moment, and the world will finally be calm thanks to her.

And she couldn't wait to finally run into the genuine embrace of a family who prayed all this time and begged God to keep their loved one safe...

Even though she was closer to the devil at that time, He never left her alone. He kept her safe in good and evil, and He will certainly take her back to them.

While her tiny body was moving away from that place, the flaming gray eyes were watching her from the safety of darkness. They were burning with hatred and desire for revenge that they will get soon, they just have to wait a little bit more...

Author's note

Well here comes the end! 

First of all, I would like to thank everyone who read, voted and commented this whole time. It kept me going and thank you so much for that! ❤

It's not the end of the whole story, just first part so you can put your weapons down. I'm not ready to die yet. I'm still writing the second part so it might take some time, but I'm trying my best and I hope you will continue to follow the characters on the new journey that is ahead of them. I will let you know when the second part is up but 'till then, I hope you enjoyed reading.

Let me know your opinions about the story, what you liked the most, what you didn't like and do you relate to some of the characters? 

What do you think about Gabriel's decision? Did you see it coming?

Just don't kill me, I love you all and thank you again!❤