These newfound abilities of mine were still a bit dizzying, but I was apparently adjusting quite well. I even seduced my first and managed not to kill him.
Score! I congratulated myself, not even trying to hide the proud smile on my face. I glanced over at Daniel, who just chuckled and rolled his eyes. Edie had her arm linked with mine as we strolled down the sidewalk, a tiny misfit army marching into battle.
I quickly realized we were crossing into the rougher side of town, but for the first time in my life, I wasn't frightened in the least. I felt stronger and more dangerous than anything slinking in the darkness of those rundown buildings and dangerous alleys. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw rats scurrying away from us as fast as their stubby legs could carry them. In the darkness of a certain yard, I saw a tabby cat shrink farther into the shadows, hissing and growling at us. The city's beasts seemed to cower and quiet themselves when we walked by. It gave me a sense of power I had never felt before.
"Now, I see why they love this so much." I said quietly, feeling that electricity travel over my skin. "It's damn near intoxicating."
I could feel the concern radiating off Daniel and Edith both. I looked to them both with a reassuring smile.
"Daniel, what did I promise you?"
"That you wouldn't let them break you." He smirked, looking more content.
Edith hugged my arm tightly. "Edie no lose Sylvie?"
I gave a loving pat to the top of her mess of hair. "They'll have to kill me first."
Much to my surprise, I noticed that Edie found that comforting. That girl was an odd one. I was about to say so, when the feel in the air changed drastically. Everything around us had gone still as the grave and ungodly tense. The sounds of scuffling from a nearby alleyway suddenly caught our attention. We eased inside and, sure enough, a small trail of bodies leading us to our quarry.
"Just like breadcrumbs." Daniel growled, stepping in front of Edith and me.
She gave a little whimper, taking a step back. I turned to her and smiled warmly. "Don't be scared, Edie." I reassured her. "You don't have to be afraid of them anymore."
"Doesn't she?" Nadine's voice, as sweet as it sounded, was like nails on a chalkboard inside my mind. Words could not express how much I would enjoy ripping her throat out.
The banes of our existence were stained with blood in various places, wearing it with pride. Nonchalantly, they stepped on the bodies of their victims on their way to us. The aroma of blood hit me like a freight train and hunger gnawed at me.
"It's always hardest for the young ones." Damien chuckled. It made me sick, the way this man could read me like a book.
"I'll learn to control it." I gritted my teeth against the murderous rage that was ready to boil over.
"Oh, stop it!" Nadine whined, rolling her eyes. "You two get on my nerves!" She looked to Damien with a childish pout. "Can we just kill them already and get it over with?"
"You don't want to keep her?" Damien frowned, speaking of me like I wasn't even there.
"She's too much like him!" She whined again. "She's a headache! Let's just kill them and get out of here. This city bores me anyway."
Before I could react, a blur of motion passed me and was on Nadine. Edith screeched and growled at her mother, hellbent on tearing her apart. Damien turned to pounce on her, but we moved in on him. He tried to fling me into the brick wall, but I wrestled from his grasp and rewarded him with a right hook to the jaw. He stumbled backwards, looking like I had just given him the shock of his life. Then he laughed and blurred towards me. His fist came so fast, I had no chance to block. It collided with my ribs and knocked me head over heels. I saw stars, and it hurt like hell, but only for a moment.
"You'll have to do better than that, sunshine." I huffed, charging back into the fray.
Nadine had Edith pinned to a wall, laughing at how her daughter struggled. As I charged, I grabbed her shoulders and trapped her underneath me on the concrete. I gripped her hair as tightly as I could and slammed her face into the ground as many times as I could before she grabbed my arm and twisted. I heard cracking and did my damnedest to ignore the pain. Broken or not, they weren't getting away. Nadine stood and faced me, looking like 30 shades of Hell and none too happy about the makeover I gave her. Her claw-like fingernails stretched out toward me as she charged.
"Leave Sylvie alone!" Edith screeched as she vaulted onto Nadine's back, her little nails adding to the damage I had already done.
A pained yell came from behind me and chill ran up my spine. I expected to see Damien with his hand in Daniel's chest again. Thankfully, I was wrong. Daniel looked rough, with cuts and scrapes here and there, but Damien looked much worse. He limped as they circled one another, a cracked bone exposed through his pantleg.
"What's the matter, Father?" Daniel sneered, looking every bit the predator. "You look a little surprised. Didn't think I had it in me?"
"You think you've won, you little shit?" Damien growled defiantly. "I've had worse from a kitten!"
I was more than ready to take another whack at him, but Daniel beat me to it. He came at Damien like a whirlwind, clawing, punching, and kicking him to his knees. I stood beside Daniel, both of us wearing that same triumphant fanged grin. Daniel wasted no time with final quips as his hand shot out, burying itself in Damien's chest. Before the man could blink, he was looking at his heart in Daniel's hand. The smile never wavered as Daniel watched the organ dry and crumble into ash. Damien followed suit, screams of pain and agony melting into silence.
"Damien!" Nadine screamed, flinging Edith away.
She came charging, but I was more than ready. Again, Daniel proved much quicker than a little fledgling like me and easily restrained her. I looked to him, ready to chew him out, when he gave me a wink.
"What was that about wanting to rip her throat out?" He reminded me.
That smile of mine returned and I leisurely strolled to her, chuckling at the threats she hurled my way. She had the demeanor of a spoiled child throwing a tantrum now, rather than that of a cold-blooded murderer. This made her situation even more amusing and made me wonder why we ever showed fear in the first place.
Cut the head off the serpent. I chuckled. Daniel just smiled and nodded in agreement.
"You think I'm scared of a little fledgling bitch like you?" She screeched. "I'll kill all of you for what you've done!"
I just shook my head. "If anything, I admire your tenacity, my dear." My voice was deadly calm. So much so, I could feel the slight chill go over Daniel's skin. "That voice, though." I sighed, feigning to be deep in thought. "We'll have to take care that."
I placed my good hand on one side of her throat and used whatever strength I had left to rake my nails to the other side. Her blood was a fountain as her screeching threats came to a halt. Daniel loosened his grasp and let her drop like a ragdoll. Ever defiant, even at her end, Nadine's eyes looked as if they were still spouting curses at me. Daniel opened his mouth to comment, when Edith shot her hand into Nadine's chest, replicating her brother's tactics. We were both shocked at this, our faces asking the question of why.
"Edie take no chances." The girl just shrugged, before going over to Damien's ash pile. She let out a tiny giggle as she kicked the ashes this way and that. When she was satisfied with her work, she started on Nadine's ashes.
I heard Daniel let out a sigh of relief as I pulled him close, careful not to injure my arm any further. He reached out to touch it, but stopped, searching my face for permission. I just gave him a tired smile and a nod, presenting it as best I could. He was gentle, gingerly examining my broken limb with his fingertips.
"Good news, not a compound." He smiled. "Those always take longer for us to heal."
"How long are we talking?" I arched a brow.
"Usually, a few days." He answered nonchalantly.
"That's it?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I mean, I know vampires healed fast, but a few days? A normal person would be out of commission for months! Then again, we were no longer "normal".
"Trust me, it feels like forever." He chuckled at his accidental joke. "This one? You should be fine by the time you wake tomorrow night."
I stroked his cheek, feeling so proud of our little family. It was centuries in the making, but they finally gained their freedom. In the process, I gained a new family, and all was right with the world once more. This time, it would stay that way. I stood on tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on his lips. Daniel wasn't satisfied with this and pulled me in for one that was much deeper and passionate.
"As soon as that arm is better, you are in so much trouble." His voice was low and husky as he nuzzled his nose against mine.
"Ugh!" Edith giggled as she joined us.
We walked out of the alleyway, not a soul in sight as before. The night didn't feel so tense anymore. The feeling in the air was as it was meant to be: Free. We were free to live our happily ever after together. And why not?
Every orphan deserves a family, right?