NOTE: this is the last chapter of Midnight Darkness. And...um...I haven't written it all yet. I feel really guilty, and I will start writing again on the 1/1/08. Okie dokie? Thanks for being with Landon

Until

the

very

end.

OTHER NOTE: I am capitalizing all of the Werewolves because I don't know why I haven't...and why I have been capitalizing all of the Vampires. So, yeah.

__________

Chapter Fourteen: My Rival

Oh my freaking gosh! What the heck was going on? I couldn’t move. Celeste couldn’t either. Her eyes were glued to mine, just as mine were. I was breathless. How could she be alive? She freaking died the night that I transformed! What was going on?

I continued to stare at her, thoughts flying throughout my brain. My legs started to tremble, and then I finally got a grasp on what was going on. My sister, Celeste, was alive. How was she alive? Why was she alive? And why was she here?

Celeste slowly walked up to me. Her voice quivered as she said, “Landon, is that you?” Her eyes were bulging out of their sockets.

I nodded. How did she know that I was me? I mean, I was a werewolf! She had surely never seen me as this form! Many unanswered questions exploded in my head, and I growled. Too much to think about…

“Landon? Oh, my…oh, my…” her voice trailed off, and then she suddenly screamed, “Landon! It’s you!” Celeste jumped through the air, and flung her arms out. I stepped back.

What the…

Celeste ran up to me put her arms around my figure. I barked, and she backed away.

“What?” she asked, alarmed. I also took a few steps back, trying to decide what to do. This was impossible…how could she still be alive?

Before I knew it, I started transforming. I needed to talk to her…now! She gasped, and stepped back further.

“What are you doing?” she asked, utterly amazed. Suddenly, there was a huge bang, and both of us jumped. Celeste turned around and then tripped over her own feet. She caught herself, and then scrambled back up. The fight between the Vampires and Werewolves were growing more intense. They were now using every weapon that they could possibly get their hands, including rocks and pebbles. The Vampires seemed to be winning.

I could see some of the Werewolves gnashing their teeth and getting their claws on anything that they could rip apart. The Vampires had been smart and brought a sort of red armor. The metal was solid and shiny which made the red uniforms really stand out. Some of the Werewolves had red X’s on their fur, and I wondered what it meant. Probably some kind of a symbol or something.

That was when I felt the draft, and looked down. I had transformed back into my self. My naked self, that is to say. I blushed, not wanting my sister to see some things. I ran around the corner of the Entrance Hall, seeking a way to get some clothes. There were always those chef clothes. Yes…that was what I would do.

I hurled myself towards the shower room, with the magnificent waterfall. I could hear the war still raging on behind me. Shaking my head, I flew into the shower room and grabbed my clothes that were laying on the ground. Stuffing my body in it, I jumped as my annoying voice started to talk.

Kill the Witches. Do it fast. This stupid war needs to end. At least take some of my advice. Kill Celeste.

My blood froze. What? Kill Celeste? Why?

She is a Witch. She is a problem child. Celeste needs to die.

No. I will never kill my sister. You have persuaded me to do way too much stuff. Now I just need you to shut up. I need to figure out what is going on.

“Landon?” I jumped and turned around. Celeste was at the door, her blonde hair becoming all frizzled. She wasn’t in the best shape that she had ever been in. Celeste used to be perfect and preppy. Now, though, it seemed like she was normal. She was…she was my sister. I loved her more that anything. And I had missed her. Now she was here. Now she was here with me. Why?

She is the prophecy child, isn’t she? Yes…I felt as much.

Can’t you just give me a clean, plain answer? What the heck is this prophecy?

Wolfgang believed that you were the child...but it was Celeste…why didn’t I think of this long ago?

What the heck is going on? What is this prophecy?

It says, “A Child of a Human’s Nature, will Join Forces with the Vampires, Together they will rule the world, Of Vampires and Werewolves.” Wolfgang believed that you were the ‘Child of a Human’s Nature.’

Oh…I looked at Celeste. She smiled and ran towards me, saying, “Landon! I’ve missed you so much!” After she spoke those words, she embraced me, and I hugged back. The tears were now choking up my throat. I coughed, trying to conceal my immense happiness.

“Celeste…how the heck did you get here? Why are you here? Why aren’t you dead?” I asked, totally amazed. My voice was trying to interrupt me, but I ignored it.

“Landon! Oh, Landon…I got home from my date and the police were there…the house was burned down! Landon, everyone was dead!” Celeste was now speaking through her tears, which were streaming down her face.

Now is your chance. Kill her. All it would take is one bite. So simple.

“You were on a date?” I asked, deliberately ignoring my idiotic voice. Celeste pulled back from her hug, and nodded, staring into my eyes.

“Yeah, I had a date with a guy named Bradley. He took me to the movies, and we didn’t get home until really late. And then…and then I got home and he left me. You were all dead…” Celeste told me, and I nodded, trying to understand what the heck was going on.

“After the police came, they questioned me, but I didn’t know anything. They let me go and find everything that belonged to me that wasn’t burned down. So I went in and I found…oh, it was so freaky! I found a Vampire! She was hiding in the attic!”

“What? Who was it?” I asked, knowing the answer. I just needed to confirm it.

“Her name was Ronda. She was waiting for me, she said. And she was a complete mess. She was bleeding everywhere, and I wouldn’t go with her at first, but then she told me that you were alive. So, I pretty much had to go with her. Landon…I couldn’t believe what I had learned. She was a freaking Vampire!” Celeste blurted out, talking rather fast, which would usually annoy me, but not now.

“Then what happened?” I asked, staring into her eyes. I could faintly here the fighting down the hall, but ignored it. We would escape from this fort and go live with each other…yes! With Payton and Sarah!

You will not get out of here alive. I swear to you that you will not escape from here alive.

“Ronda and I traveled up here into Canada. We went to a place that she called the Vampire Headquarters, and Landon, this is so strange…everything that we had read about, and seen about in the movies were real! Vampires and Werewolves…it was so strange! Now, tell me what happened to you!”

“I-” I started, but there was a sudden bang, and we both looked over at the shower room door. There were five Vampires; I could tell that they were indeed Vampire because of their distinct armor.

“Kill him, Celeste. That is what you came here to do, now do it all ready!” one of the Vampires ordered, and I slowly turned to my sister.

“What?” I asked sharply. Celeste sighed and looked at me. I could tell that in her eyes she really meant to do it.

“Celeste…you wouldn’t!” I cried, stepping back.

I told you that you wouldn’t escape here alive.

“Landon, I am in a prophecy. I have to kill you, because it is my duty to help the Vampires kill every Werewolf. It’s part of my job.”

I shook my head, refusing to believe any of it. My sister couldn’t turn on me! I wouldn’t let her!

“I’m sorry, Landon. I’m so sorry,” her voice trailed off, and she turned to one of the Vampires. “May I see the dagger?” The Vampire smiled and proudly handed her a long, silver dagger.

Not one of those things again, I thought.

“Celeste, please don’t. We can get out of here! I promise! You won’t have to kill anyone ever again,” my words were useless. There was no stopping her. Celeste glared at me, and shook her head. The dagger in her right hand was being held with a tight grip.

“I’m sorry, but I have to. If you just stand still, this won’t be nearly as painful,” she said, and I backed away.

Help me, annoying voice!

Why should I? You never listen to anything I have to say!

I will this time! I promise!

Then kill her.

No way!

Why do I even bother answering you?

Celeste started advancing towards me, and her glare turned frightening. Without warning, I started to transform again, feeling my rabies kick in. I won’t kill her, I told myself. I will just pin her to the ground. Not that hard…right?

Suddenly, my sixteen-year-old sister jumped through the air with the dagger in her hand. She belted out a roar and threw the dagger – right into my leg. I grimaced; the pain shot through my femur and I clutched it. Gasping in pain, I held onto it until the pain subsided a little, and then yanked it out.

Yes…let your hatred overcome your pain. Once your hatred fills your heart, you will not feel pain.

I nodded and roared, now fully transformed. Celeste quickly grabbed the dagger and ran back around. She threw it again, and I dodged it. Once the silver dagger flew past me, I jumped through the air and landed on her, pinning her to the ground. Fear gleamed in her eyes as my legs pushed down on her arms.

“Please…Landon, don’t!” she muttered. What useless cries. She was such an idiot. How could I ever have liked her? I hate her!

Good. Now finish her off! Kill her!

It would be my pleasure…

_______

“Now, Sarah, you have to go! Go and find Landon!” Payton cried, and Sarah nodded. She fled off to the north entrance of Fort Wolfgang, while Payton entered through the Entrance Hall. He frowned as he saw the intense war raging between the two enemies.

The battle was taking place in the whole Entrance Hall, which was quite long. There used to be paintings and sculptures, but the Vampires had done their duty to tear them down. The carpet was torn to shreds, and there were puddles of blood almost everywhere. One would have to take giant steps to not get their foot drenched in the blood.

Payton started to slip out of his clothes, and then transform. The snow had the instant affect of the wave of chilly air, but as soon as his fur grew into place, he was warm. He bared his fangs and went in for the kill.

Throwing himself on top of an unsuspecting Vampire, he dove his teeth into the blood-sucking monster’s neck. Tearing the ligaments apart, Payton grinned. That was just the Werewolf way to kill their victims. Slow, yet to the point.

The Vampire hollered out in pain, and then fell to the ground, never to move again. Payton repeated this process, tearing down as many as he could. Most of them couldn’t fight back because they were too surprised to.

Sarah was panting for oxygen by the time that she reached the north entrance. She put her hand on the wall of the fort, and bent down, gasping for breath. After a few moments, she decided that she needed to loose a few extra of those pounds hanging off of her belly.

Once she could breathe properly, she regained her posture. Quietly, she opened the door and peeked inside. There was no one in sight, but she could here the battle over on the other side of the fort. She slipped through the door, and quickly shut it, creating a small draft. Sarah looked behind her and remembered Payton’s words.

“Find Landon and get him away from the fight.”

“Now, where is he?” Sarah asked herself, and walked further into the fort.

__________

I bared my fangs at my idiot sister.

Kill her all ready!

I nodded and slowly went down for the kill. When my fangs touched her chest, Celeste squirmed, and the Vampires rushed to her defense.

Kill the Vampires and then kill Celeste!

Nodding again, I jumped up through the air, letting go of Celeste. She gasped and rolled out from under me, and I pounced on one of the Vampires. I dove in for his neck, my favorite part of any human. Ripping out his vocal chords, I felt the familiar feeling of the blood oozing down my chin. Yum.

After I repeated the same process with another two Vampires. Soon, all that remained were two more of the idiotic breed. One of them yelled out, “Go! Leave her here! She can die!”

The one that shouted that ran, and tripped over his feet. He was sent tumbling to the ground, and I barked as loud as I could. The last Vampire scampered across the room, calling for back-ups.

Now it’s only Celeste and you. Only you and your rival.

Grinning madly, I stepped up to her, my eyes glaring. I licked my blood-red lips and bared my fangs. Celeste uttered out a cry, and then felt water being sprayed on her. Quickly, she glanced around and noticed that she was standing in front of the waterfall. She snapped her head back to me, who was advancing on her.

Kill her, you idiot! Why does it take so long?

Because I want her to know that she is going to die. I want her to feel frightened. I want to torture her first.

I heard my voice laugh. Celeste stepped up to the waterfall, her backside now getting sprayed with the water. She shivered, but didn’t do anything else. The dagger was just next to one of the dead Vampires. Maybe, just maybe, she could reach it in time –

Suddenly, I leaped up and knocked her off of her feet, and she flew into the waterfall, screaming for help. Her hand gripped my tail, and I winced in pain. The hairs were being pulled on with a tremendous force!

I started sliding back, into the waterfall. Celeste was holding onto my tail! Glaring and grunting, I tried to bite her hand, but I couldn’t reach it. She was pulling me down!

“Landon!”

I jerked my head over to the door to the shower room, and I saw Sarah. No! I don’t need her right now! I need Celeste to be dead!

“Landon, come on! We have to get out of here!” Sarah cried, and she came running towards me. My feet were now on the wet railing that the waterfall had created. My foot slipped, and I gasped. In one swift motion, I tumbled through the waterfall hole, and into pure darkness with Celeste still grasping onto my tail.

“Landon!” Sarah cried again as he fell down through the waterfall. She rushed over to the scene, and peered down but she couldn’t see anything but the water. He was gone…she had failed!

“No!” she yelled, and hesitantly stuck her head through the waterfall. She knew that it was a stupid idea because the water pounded on her head, making her fall to the ground. Sarah quickly pulled herself out, and uttered a small cry. She had failed Payton…he had given her one small task, and now he was gone!

That was when she felt it. The floor started shaking, and she could hear cheering from the other end of the fort. The battle must have been over, she thought. But who won? She didn’t really care anymore, because she had failed. Would Payton still accept her?

She placed her hands on her face and cried, still feeling the ground shaking. The waterfall was now splashing water everywhere, and the walls seemed to reverberate the ground. Sarah gasped and stood up, but fell back down due to the tossing of the ground.

“Burn down this stupid fort!” she heard a voice cry. Wait…wouldn’t that mean that the Vampires had won? She gasped again; Payton had been fighting! Was he dead?

She heard footsteps running, and Sarah stood up. She couldn’t stand the anticipation anymore. Quickly, she ran towards the door and looked out. What she saw horrified her.

There were Vampires everywhere! They all had some sort of a torch and were lighting the fort on fire! Sarah gasped and pulled herself back into the shower room. Now everything was becoming very hot; she started to sweat. Although, she couldn’t tell if it was because she was nervous, or if she was hot.

She saw flames started to creep out from the door and gasped. What could Sarah do now? She would be trapped in this shower room, only to be burnt alive! Was there another exit?

She looked around the entire room, staying clear of the fire that had now spread into the room. It was engulfing the entire wall that the door was built into. Sarah stopped searching when she got to the waterfall. If Landon had fallen through it, couldn’t she? But where did it lead?

There was no other choice…she had jump through it. There wasn’t another exit.

Without another thought, Sarah jumped into the waterfall, and fell into the deep darkness, screaming the entire way down.

_______-

“Uh,” I moaned, my head killing me. There was a small rustle beside me, and I knew that it was Celeste. She too had survived the fall. My anger was gone. I couldn’t really feel anything at the moment.

Everything had been such a blur when I had fallen through. I remembered falling for what seemed like hours, but it was only a matter of seconds. After that I had hit my head on something and completely blacked out. Then I had woken up here…where was here?

I squinted into the light, and opened my eyes. It was nighttime, and the snow was frozen and hard. Trees were littered around the area, and I could faintly hear screaming and laughing. Was the fight still going on?

“Celeste?” I asked quietly. I heard more rustling and then got a reply.

“I’m sorry,” she said, and then paused. Those two simple words seemed to mean the world to me. It was my fault that I had tried to kill her. How could I have let my greed get in the way?

Can you never do a decent job?

Could you assign me to do an easier job? One that doesn’t involve killing my family?! I grunted, and then thought, just go away. I don’t ever want to talk to you again.

Good. I have always hated being with you. I hope that you are happy that you have chosen this life. Love is such a weak thing. Power, money and greed are what are going to get you through life. Just remember that.

And just like that, my voice was gone for forever.