Chapter 19

Hello amazing people! I't has been a month and I'm sorry it took so long but here's the new chapter. I've been getting better...I think. A little tad better than before. Though I'm still in the process in getting completely better and I thank every each one of you for your patience and support. It really means a lot to me. I have to do a system for this semester, thus, another reason why this is so late. Uni is taking a lot of my time to be honest. Anyway, I'm back for the weekends and decided to upload this.

Once again, thank you for the immense patience and support. I love every each one of you.

P.S : Apologies for the grammar mistakes and errors. Did not edit this properly. Sorry bout that. And huge shocker at the end...I think. (for me it is). It's going to be one heck of a ride. Thank you everyone.

Dedicated to EternalZephyr. Because I love her story, Skittles and Science. such great combination and such an awesome story. Go check it out. and of course, to every one of you for your amazing patience.

Thanks :)

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"Ela." She heard someone calling her and a hand gently shaking her shoulder.

She had fallen asleep after their crazy moment, singing to the song on the radio. Their destination was further away and she felt sleep invaded her.

She opened her eyes slowly, rubbing them with her fingers in the process before meeting with those gorgeous brown eyes.

"Hey." She greeted with a smile.

Somehow, in her heart, she had a longing feeling. A feeling to see his face every time she wakes up. She felt as if it is one of the most amazing things in the world- waking up to see the face of your loved ones. Certainly, she longed for it.

Blake gave her a soft smile, his hand still intact with her shoulder. "Hey omorfi. We're here."

Elektra realized that she still hadn't known where they were going. Curiosity got her. She straightened her body and looked out the window.

Her heart soared when she drank in the view. The sky looked like it was on fire. The sun shone beautifully. The clouds looked like soft cotton up above in the flaming sky. The pulchritudinous ocean sparkled, mirroring the colour of the sky and the sun. The sandy white beach looked warm and comforting. It made Elektra's toes tingled, craving to sink her feet in them.

It was beautiful. Truly breathtaking.

With a wide smile and an awed look on her face, she turned her head to face Blake. He was looking at her with his eyes sparkling with happiness. The light from the sunset made her gorgeous brown eyes shown even more bewitchingly. She couldn't take her eyes off them.

"You brought me to the beach." She said softly.

He gave her a small nod and smiled. "And just about time to catch the sunset."

Elektra could not contain her amazed and grateful feeling she had for him. Catching him in surprise, she leaped towards him and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you. It's amazing." She said, burying her head into the crook of his neck.

She felt his arms wrap around her, holding her tightly, closing the distance between them. She felt incredibly safe and loved.

"You are absolutely welcome." He replied before he pulled away with a soft smile on his face. "Come on. Let's get those feet of yours in the sand."

Elektra beamed. She unlocked her seatbelt and got out of the car excitedly. She took off her sandals and ran towards the beach like a little child. Bliss hit her when she felt the warm sand caress her feet and the cool breeze kiss her face.

She felt Blake's eyes on her and she turned to see him looking at her with an expression she could not decipher. However, there was a soft smile on his face and his eyes were beautifully staring at her.

She could not help herself but to beam a smile at him. She saw how his smile widened handsomely, making her heart flutter like butterflies.

He made his way to her, standing right next to her with a huge grin on his face. She was the first to make a move as she grabbed his hand and entwined their fingers together. He smiled softly at her and Elektra turned her head back to the incredible view in front of her. She was awed by the gaze that it startled her when she felt warm fingers caress her cheek, pulling a stray of hair away from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear.

"Thank you. This is just...amazing." She said, smiling widely at him.

The side of his mouth twitched up in a smile. "You're welcome. I'm glad you like it. I wanted to bring you here since you haven't been to a beach since your dad died."

Her face softened as she looked at him in awe. "You remembered."

"Yeah...and besides, I have been wanting to do this." He said.

He surprised her when he wrapped her arms around her and tossed her over his shoulder.

"What the actual fudge?! Let me down!" She yelped as she hit his back with her fists.

She heard him chuckle in response and the next thing she knew, she was dropped into the ocean. The salt water stung her eyes and the salty taste filled her mouth. She reached out for air and wiped the water from her face. She opened her eyes to find him standing in front of her, laughing loudly.

"Your face was priceless!" He chortled.

She glared at him. She put an end to his laughter when he took his arm and pulled him down with her, his face meeting the salt water first.

It was her turn to laugh at him and his to glare at her.

"You little sh-"

"Nope. No bad words." She teased him playfully, wagging her finger at him as she stood up.

"Oh, you're so going to get it." He grinned before launching himself off the ground and started running after her.

She screamed and ran, her feet kicking the warm water. She felt two hands caught her waist. She yelped when he lifted her and slammed her into the water. She gasped and glared at him before grabbing a hand full of muddy sand and threw it at his face.

She chuckled when it landed on him. His eyebrows furrowed together and his mouth open in shock. "You threw freaking sand at me."

"Surprise." She smirked.

"This is war!" He yelled. She got up and started to run again. She felt wet muddy sand hit the back of her head and she bent down, scooping sand in her hands and threw it at him before running again.

Her heart was beating rapidly, his laughter was heard behind her. It was wonderful. Everytime she was with him, she felt at absolute happiness. It was something she could not just easily forget or something she could simply throw away. Being with him makes her feel loved, normal and wanted.

She felt two hands caught her waist. She stumbled with him and he turned her around so that she landed on top of him.

She chuckled and so did he as they stared at each other with bright smiles on their faces and sand in their hair.

One of his hands left her waist and wiped the muddy sand off her eyebrow. At his touch, Elektra noticed how close they were. Their noses were barely touching and her body was on top of his. She could feel his warm breath on her face and his cold hand on her cheek. Needless to say, her heart went crazy.

She saw how his brown eyes got darker as he stared at her. Her body shivered involuntarily. She got off him immediately and saw a flash of disappointment in his eyes that got her wondering.

She gave him a weak smile, held her hand out for him, and pulled him up as he stood.

"Come on. Let's get out of the water. It's almost nightfall." She said.

Blake seemed as if he wanted to say something but he didn't. Instead, he gave her a small smile and walked to their car with his hand in hers.

They took out towels from their bags and sat on the beach in silence as they watched the sky turn purple and the sun setting.

Turning away from the beautiful sky, she looked at Blake who was staring at the setting sun. She stared at him and drank in his view. His hair was wet and messy. A few strands of his raven hair fell over his eyebrows. His brown eyes were darker since the sunlight was no longer shining on them. She then noticed the small piercing on his left eyebrow and before she knew it, she cupped the side of his face and ran her thumb over the piercing.

He turned to her with surprise and curiosity etched on his face. She felt her lips turning into a soft smile as she caressed his eyebrow.

"You never told me the story about this." She spoke, referring to his eyebrow piercing.

Blake smiled softly and let her ran her thumb over the piercing. "I got it when I was fourteen. I just feel like getting it...." He chuckled as he grabbed her other hand. "...or I was probably trying to piss my dad off...and boy, did it work. He was so angry. He told me to take them off or he would kick me out of the house...thank god Gray-"

He stopped abruptly. His face changed, darkened and his lips pressed into a thin line. Concern and curiosity filled her.

"What's wrong?" She asked, gently squeezing his hand that was in hers as she turned her body to him. She searched his eyes and sadness filled her when she saw how sad those brown eyes was. He looked so broken.

"Blake?" She called. Her thumb left his eyebrow and went to his cheek, caressing it gently. "What's wrong?" She asked again.

Blake let out a sigh as he turned to her and rested his forehead on her shoulder. Even though she was surprised, she let his hand stroke the back of his head, sinking her fingers into his dark hair.

They did not say anything. He kept quiet on her shoulder and she kept stroking her hair in silence. She patiently waited for him to explain and even if he did not, she would just hold him tightly.

"I had this bodyguard once." Blake said, breaking the silence between them. "His name was Grayson. He was my bodyguard since...well, ever since I was born really." He added.

Elektra kept on stroking his hair, sending a sense of calmness into him. She squeezed his hand in hers, telling him to continue and that she was listening.

"Dad has a lot of enemies. People tend to get really envy on his wealth and his cruelness tends to make people hold a huge grudge on him. He thought I should have one since I could be a target." He paused, taking in a deep breath before continuing.

"Grayson...he was huge and tall. He had that golden hair that shines in the sun and his green eyes were filled with kindness even though his face was serious all the time. He was like a father to me since my real one doesn't even act like one. "

"He was there when I need a father figure. He was there when I cried after dad scolded me. He was there at my first baseball game, when my own father wasn't. He knew about my love for drawing. He was there when I got into my first fight. He left the other guys basically running for their lives. He was there when my dad almost kicked me out of the house when I got my eyebrow piercing. He knew everything about me and he had always been there."

She could hear the love he had for Grayson in his voice. His eyes shone in depth of care and affection he had for this man that Elektra wondered what happened to him and why Blake had never mentioned him.

She felt him snuggle closer to her and she rubbed his back and ran her fingers in his hair, knowing that it would soothe his pain.

"When I was fifteen, school ended and Grayson told me that he would be a little late and asked me to stay inside. He will get me when he arrived." His voice was ragged. Elektra instantly knew that he was getting to a part where it was hard for him to speak of. She instantly held him tighter.

"Being the stupid teenager I was, I didn't listen to him. I didn't want to be babysat by him. So, I took off and decided to walk home."

"It all happened in a rush. A cloth covered my mouth, I felt dizzy and the next thing I knew I was in the warehouse, tied up and bruised up, with four huge guys towering over me."

She couldn't help but to feel worried for him. She could sense that he remembered it in details and it was affecting him.

"It's okay, Blake. You don't have to tell me." She whispered to him.

He shook his head, his head still resting on her shoulder. "No, it's fine. I want to tell you." He said before continuing.

"Grayson managed to track them and he came just in time before they started to move me to another place. He brought two men with him and they managed to catch the kidnapper in surprise." He spoke, his voice wavering.

"Two guys were down and Grayson was fighting with one of them while the others tried to catch the leader who was running away. I managed to untie the rope around my hand and legs. I got off the floor and I didn't notice that there was a gun aiming at me. The next thing I knew, there was a gunshot and Grayson was in front of me, his arms around my waist."

"Back up only came that second. I could still remember the smell of blood, how his shirt was covered with it and how his eyes never left mine, fearful but never filled with regrets...and how he managed to give me a small smile before life leaves his eyes."

Blake choked on his last words and Elektra stroked his hair gently as she rubbed his back. She could feel his tears on her shirt as he shivered silently. He had never looked so vulnerable until now and how she wished she could make it better for him.

"He was Owen's dad, you know? I could still hear Owen's cry when they were informed that he's dead in my head. It haunts me every time. I shouldn't have acted stupidly. I should have waited for him. Owen lost his father because of me." He whispered.

Disbelieve filled her. How could he blame himself for this? Her arms tightened around him, her fingers gently sinking into his hair as she caressed them.

" Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault. The person who shot him was the one to blame, not you." She whispered.

"And as you say...there were no regrets in Grayson's eyes before he died. He did it to protect you and he died in honour doing it. As for Owen, he had never blamed you. If he did, he wouldn't be your friend or your bodyguard. He cares for you and looks at you as if you were his own brother. He knew his dad loved you like a second son and he did it to protect you. So, don't blame yourself. Sometimes things happen and we can't prevent it from happening...but it's never your fault. Remember that."

She pulled away to look at him with a soft smile on her face. Seeing him with eyes covered in tears, looking so sorrowful and vulnerable, it brought her to love him more.

Her thumbs made their way to his cheeks as she dried his tears away. Holding his head with her hands at either side of his face, she stared at him as she rested her forehead on his.

"Thank you for telling me." She said softly.

She knew how hard it was for him to talk about it, but he did and she appreciated it. It meant a lot to her that he was able to share his pain with her and for him to show her the real him. She was able to see right through him. Not Blake Conard, the son of a millionaire. Just Blake Conrad. A normal teenager with a charming smile and a wonderful heart, who goes to school and hangs out with his friends.

Chuckling, Blake closed his eyes as he enjoyed the closeness between them. "You must think I'm a wuss after seeing me like this."

Elektra chuckled at his statement, patting his cheek gently. "On the contrary, I think it's really brave of you to show these emotions."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Not many men would do that. They would not want to lose their composure and act cool all day long...but you did. You were brave enough to let lose those tears and show yourself to me at your weakest moment. It fudging brave I tell you." She smiled, wiping dry tears from his cheek.

"Besides, I like men who are not afraid to show his emotions. I think it's hot." She said with a smirk before getting off the sand and started walking towards the car, leaving a speechless, blushing Blake behind.

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"What do you call a rock that smokes weed?" Blake asked.

Elektra rolled her eyes as she answered him. "What?"

"Stoned." Blake grinned as he laughed. "Get it?"

Elektra had to roll her eyes again. Leave it to Blake to tell her stupid jokes. However, she just couldn't keep herself from smiling.

They were in Blake's car, driving their way back home. Blake decided to tell stupid jokes to pass time. Some of them really did make her laugh, some of them were just plain stupid and doesn't make sense but it was a good way to pass some time as Blake would say it.

"That's horrible. Just horrible." She said as she looked out the window.

She came into view of their town. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was almost midnight by now. Henry and Angela must have gone patrolling by now.

"Come on. You have to say that one is kinda good." He chuckled.

"Nope. It was plain horrible."

Blake raised his hands in surrender for a moment before returning them to the steering wheel. "Okay, okay. I have another one...and I think this one is really good."

Letting out a sigh with a smile plastered on her face, she rolled her eyes at him. "Shoot."

Blake grinned as he cleared his throat. "Why did the ghost cross the road?"

"Why?" She answered.

"To get to the other side." He beamed. "Baddum tss." He made the sound effect. "Get it? Afterlife...other side?"

Elektra did not want to admit it but that it was somewhat good but still, it was just plainly horrible.

"Oh god...that's just bad..." She laughed.

Blake chuckled again and they fell into a comfortable silence. They drove into their neighborhood and bright red flashing lights struck her eyes. Uneasiness started to invade her body. As they drove nearer, she noticed the familiar house and her heart was pounding rapidly.

"Stop the car." She ordered.

Before she knew it and before Blake could stop her, she had unbuckled her seatbelt and barged out of the car, running towards the scene that was filled with men in blue and white uniforms.

"Miss, hold-"

She pushed her way through the police officers, her ears blocking their protest and warnings. There was only one thing one her mind and she hoped for it not to be true.

Her feet came to a stop in front of the dead body that was carried by the paramedics, and before they could hold her back, she pulled the black covers away to see who was resting below it.

Her heart stopped and everything in her froze. She couldn't breathe. She felt like the oxygen in her lungs had disappeared and as if someone was clenching her esophagus when her eyes met those lifeless eyes that were once filled with so much life and joy. Those familiar eyes of a person that she adored. A person that she knew for so long and loved so much.

"Danny..." A shaky voice that sounded so soft managed to escape her mouth as she called him like she used to when Daniel used to comfort her. Her lips quivered, her hands literally shaking. She choked on a sob that wanting to escape her mouth. She wanted to cry but no tears left her eyes as she was still in shock.

She felt numb. Completely numb.

She didn't even pay attention to the two policemen who were pulling her away from the body. Her eyes didn't leave Daniel's dead body as they pulled her away.

Something caught her attention when she managed to gaze at Daniel's neck before the paramedic covered the body once more; a large bloodied bite mark.

A vampire's bite mark.

The pounding of her heart reached her ears, deafening her surroundings. Her mind flashed the words on the note she found in her locker after school.

Ashes,

Ashes,

They all fall down.

Those words rang in her mind repeatedly. This was not just a random vampire hunt. This was intended.

She felt her hands curled into fists and her breath came out raggedly. Her eyes flaming with anger and her body started shaking in indescribable rage. Right then, deep inside her, she felt something snapped and all she saw was red.

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*hides behind a tree*

I know, I know. Sorry bout that but that has to happen. I love Danny really....but I have to stick to the plan I guess. Really, I did not want to kill him but that just had to happen. Sorry.

Thank you for your patience once again. I appreciate every each of your support.

I don't know when I am able to upload again. I haven't written the next chapter yet actually. So, it might takes time, plus with the system and me getting better. So, I truly appreciate your patience and support. You guys are the best and truly are wonderful...but don't worry. I won't leave it hanging so long....maybe few weeks...not months...

Anyway, thank you.

Really. THANK YOU

I LOVE YOU

YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME.

SERIOUSLY.

THANK YOU.

P.s : happy fasting for the muslims and people in Egypt, stay safe alright? I see you guys soon. Bye!