-Previously in DiT-
"Why not?" Jon chuckled. "She is very understanding, you know. She is not one of those clingy girlfriends who can't bear the sight of their boyfriend with his girl best friend. She basically adores you."
"Who doesn't?" I joked, smiling.
Jon smiled too.
"Karen, no matter what happens; I'll always be here with you." He looked at me intently. "Let's do it together. After all it's a mission to reunite the lovers, right?
I nodded.
I could count on only one person.
And it was Jon.
***
"For me, I always wonder what's worse: an emotional betrayal or a physical betrayal. That's a really tough call."- Hilarie Burton
Chapter-27 (Part 2)
-Karen-
"Did he agree to make a time portal?" I asked Nate.
Jon stood by my side, glaring at Victor with all his strength. I was afraid his eyes would roll out of the sockets. While Victor casually leaned on a tree trunk, staring at me while keeping his face as brooding as he could. Even if he looked really nice standing there, I wasn't planning on talking to him. I would rather go to hell.
He raised his eyebrows and started unzipping his biker jacket slowly. A dark smile played on his lips. He thought I was checking him out. What the hell! He was never ever going to learn. Even if the world was ending he wouldn't change.
I turned away.
"Yes, he did." Nate nodded.
It took me a second to register what Nate was saying.
"Good for him," I replied when I remembered. "I want this to end as soon as it can."
Nate smiled. It felt good to see him smile again. Most of the times he looked stressed and worn out. Whenever Victor was around, I had rarely seen him smile at all.
"Thank you, Karen." He took my hand in his. His cold hands didn't surprise me. "Thank you for everything."
I looked at our entwined hands. Was Victor watching us? Would he feel jealous?
I had to stop thinking about him. He had deceived us. He just wanted to be the king. He didn't feel anything. It was all a game to him which he just wanted to win. He had lied to me and...why the hell was I still thinking about him?
How was it possible to think to not think about something?
Did I just create a lame tongue twister?
"Why are you thanking me?" I asked.
"You've been a good friend," Nate smiled again. "I couldn't have reached here or convinced Victor to do this for me. Yes, I'm glad you are not like others who give up easily."
"And I'm glad you're going to be happy now. The guilt you have been carrying around for decades will be lifted off your shoulders," I smiled back. "You deserve a happy life, Nate."
"I can't wait any longer for Kaitlin to remember me," He said coyly. His eyes softened and he ran his hand through his hair. "I owe you so much."
Then I realized why he was thanking me. My mood changed drastically.
"You think it's me because of whom Victor is convinced?" I asked. Nate didn't say a word; so I took it for a yes. I sighed. "You're wrong. He is probably doing this because he is scared that we will gang up on him after he revealed his master plan. You've no idea how bad Jon wants to kill him."
Jon nudged at my elbow. Nate chuckled, looking at Jon.
"Really? You want to kill him?" He asked. Something in his tone made me think if he was sort of challenging him.
Maybe I was thinking too much. I needed to stop.
"What?" Jon shrugged. "I'm not afraid of him."
"I know you're not." Nate shook his head. "I just can't allow you to kill him until he gets back safely with Kaitlin."
"Some brother you are," Jon rolled his eyes.
"He isn't my real brother, you know." Nate's lips formed a thin line. "If he was my real brother, he wouldn't have chosen the throne instead of his loved ones."
"Oh, you never know when power changes you," Jon smirked. "It creeps in silently, contaminating your heart and brain. Isn't that what happens to the best of us?"
I looked at Jon with curiosity. Whose side was he on? I knew he hated Victor and Nate from the very beginning. He never liked them messing with our lives, but he had a special hatred towards Victor because he considered him the bad brother.
And now when I heard him talk, I couldn't help but wonder who he was really siding with.
"Are you implying I'mâ" Nate trailed off. His jaw worked.
I knew what he was trying to say. Feeling the tension hanging between us, I shot Jon a quick glare.
"Nate is not Victor," I defended.
"I didn't say he is Victor," Jon replied. "But we don't have any reason to have trust in him either."
A cool breeze made my hair fall on my cheek. I turned my head sideways while tucking the strand of hair behind my ear and met with the intent gaze of gray eyes. He was standing right next to me. Victor was eavesdropping on us.
Well, not exactly.
Had Victor moved swiftly to stand next to me? I was so indulged in the conversation with Jon and Nate that I had totally forgotten of his presence.
"I heard my name being mentioned several times," He said to us. "Do you have anything to say to me?"
I turned my head away, choosing to stare at the big tree in front of me.
"Don't act like you didn't hear us," Jon made a face. "I know your vampire senses allow you to listen from a great distance and you were standing where, ten steps away from us?"
"You did a heck of a research on us," Victor mocked. I could feel his eyes on me. "Can I talk to you alone?"
I pretended to not hear him. I knew he was talking to me.
"Karen," He urged.
"I won't leave her alone with you," Jon said in a determined voice. That's what made me turn to look at both of them. They were glaring at each other, ready to start a fight. "You better stay away from her."
"Let her take her own decisions, boy." Victor bared his teeth.
I sighed. These two were imbecile.
"Jon, it's okay. You and Nate are here, right? And I can pretty much defend myself if he tries something." I nodded at him.
"You make me sound like some criminal," Victor retorted.
His remark made me uneasy and sad. Something moved in me. Even though I was angry with him, I possibly was not ready to forget how our relationship had been in past months. Arguing with him was always pointless.
"You've got one minute to say whatever you want to," I tapped my feet on the ground.
"Come with me," He extended his hand towards me. "We need to walk."
"I'll be right back," I assured Jon with a smile. He didn't look too happy. I saw Nate giving me a little nod. At least he wasn't fully opposing the idea of a little talk with Victor.
We left Nate and Jon behind as we walked idly further into the woods. It wasn't night, so I wasn't actually scared. Not that I was afraid of any...night creature. I could handle them. But the boyâman who walked beside me was too much for me to handle.
"Can I ask you something?" Victor whispered.
I avoided looking at him. I wanted to hate him so bad; still I was missing the hate part. Now, that certainly sounded wrong. What was up with me?
"You already did," I said in a fake annoyed voice. Why was I even talking to him?
"Before I go into that portal, I want you to know that I'm doing this for you." He said simply. My stomach did a very unbalanced cartwheel. "There is no other person in this world that could have changed me or my intentions. Karen, I know you don't trust me anymoreâ"
"Is this what you wanted to talk about?" I asked bored.
"You know my past, you know what I have been and who I am," He said. "Just because one portion of history I didn't share with you makes me a bad guy. Think about it once. Have I ever tried to hurt you?"
No, he hadn't. I hated to admit it to myself but I mostly felt safe when he was around me. I couldn't have saved Jon from the werewolves if Victor hadn't been there with me. Though his plan was bit dangerous, it had worked. He was right.
He never hurt me.
"You know I would never hurt you," He said as if reading my thoughts. "I was a different person back then. I was conspiring, laying traps and making plans. I wanted to destroy Nathan, be the vampire king and suddenly it all felt so stupid."
I looked at him closely, trying to decipher him. His jaw was clenched. He was tense. Why?
"You can call me a bastard, I wouldn't mind it," He chuckled softly. "Let me ask you a sole question, Karen."
Every damn time he took my name, it made me think about my choices. I had to keep chanting to make myself steady.
Don't trust him.
"What is that?" I asked eventually.
"Will you ever trust me again?"
Don't trust him. Don't trust him. Don't trust him.
He was the only reason I was starting to have trust issues with nearly everybody.
"Your time is over," I said. "We need to go back before Jon comes running with a wooden stake."
I turned around, feeling the sadness hover above my heart like a dark cloud. I was trying my best to hate him. He was making it harder for me. I wanted to leave him, get him out of my life for good but it seemed impossible.
Ugh, he was worse than drugs.
His icy hand coiled around my elbow, pulling me to face him.
"What the hell are you doing, Victor?" I asked.
"You have to answer me," His face was so close to mine. I could see the iris of his eyes clearer than ever. "You're not leaving without giving me one."
"I'm not interested," I shrugged. "Let me go."
"Heck, I don't know why I'm asking you this. I know you are never going to trust meâ"
"And nothing can change that," I interjected. The hate laced in my voice surprised me. "You did what you wanted to and now I'm doing what I want to."
"Do you want this?" He tugged me closer, if that were any possible. "Wouldn't you prefer to be a queen instead of living without any purpose?"
That made me smile bitterly. Anger transcended the sadness that I had been feeling. It felt better now.
"You know what, you haven't changed at all. You are disguising as a guilty person but in actuality, you are still the rotten undead vampire who will never understand what friendship or love means," I snapped, making efforts to free my elbow. "You are hopeless, Victor. I know what's going in the brain of yours. You want Nate out of your way."
"Yes, I want him out of my way," He said. His eyes turned dark. "But it's not the same you understand it. Try to see beyond what's in front of your eyes."
I stopped struggling with his discomforting hold. Silence engulfed us. We just stood there for seconds, minutes...god knows for how much time. For a wild second I wanted to pull him close, hug him. Maybe even kiss him. I mentally kicked myself several times, reminding myself I hated him.
I needed to get a grip on reality, not slip away. I needed to think rationally in his case. This was pure stupidity. How could you hate and like the same person at the very same time? I was probably losing my mind.
Then he let go of me.
"It's time for me to go to the other dimension," He avoided looking into my eyes. Was he...was he crying? "I don't want Nathan to wait any longer."
I bit the inside on my cheek.
Jon and Nate were waiting for us when we came back to them after having the small 'talk'. Jon glanced at Victor and then raised an eyebrow at me. I just shrugged.
"I was coming to get you," He said to me. "Are you okay?"
I was going to reply when Victor spoke.
"I'm creating the portal," He said.
"How much time it will take for you to return?" Nate asked. "Can I come with you?"
"I told you, I can handle this. Let me do this," Victor touched the locket in his neck. "I won't take long."
"But if you won't come back in ten minutes, we're coming for you," Jon said determinedly.
Victor ignored him and closed his eyes. His lips moved, chanting silent words. The portal opened before us, throwing the green light on our concerned faces. I watched Victor open his eyes, and he clenched his jaw tightly.
He turned around and a brief eye contact made my skin warm.
"I'll be back," He said to us.
He stepped into the portal while we watched it disappear, swallowing him.
"Now, we have to wait." Jon muttered. Then he threw Nate a strange look. "How do you know he isn't just running away or something?"
"I'll hunt him down if he does," Nate said in a scary tone.
"He won't try that." I said.
So, we waited. Even though it wasn't hot in the woods, I was sweating like a pig. With each minute that passed, it became tougher for me to breathe. My own thoughts were making me uncomfortable, choking me.
Five minutes passed.
Jon took out his phone to play some game.
Ten minutes.
Nate was walking to and fro.
Twenty minutes.
"He said he would use a time portal. If he has used a time portal, it means he should have been here ten minutes ago," Nate spoke finally. "What's taking him so long?"
"I never understood how this time portal thing works. Doesn't it kind of turn back time?" Jon asked. "Or does it just send you in the past?"
"The concept of a time portal is not easy to grasp. But in easy in words; it sends you in the past." Nate said. I could see him growing impatient. "So, for the person who is using the time portal, it may seem like the time has been turned back. You can decide how much time you want to turn back."
"Which means he should have come here really early," Jon blurted out. "I have a feeling this is not good."
No, shit Sherlock.
"Should we go to the dimension?" I asked Nate.
"You are right," He replied immediately.
"Let's go then,"
"Wait, you're not coming," Nate held me by shoulders. "I can't risk your life anymore. I'll make the portal, go into it and sort the matter."
"It's too dangerous for you to go alone," I said, shaking my head in disagreement.
"It is dangerous. That's why I don't want you to come."
"What if heâ"
"Kills me?"
I was about to answer when the green light washed over us. It was so bright this time that I had to shield my eyes from the light. It had never been so bright ever. Nate was a vampire, so it was hard for him to stand the light. He moved few steps back, raising his hand in front of his eyes to protect them.
"What the heck!" I heard Jon let out a groan.
When I opened my eyes, my heart nearly stopped beating.
Victor was standing there with a girl in his arms. But that wasn't what made me frightened; it was the blood that was dripping from his mouth. His T-shirt was cover in blood, and he wasn't wearing his jacket any longer. I shifted my gaze to the dark haired girl who was definitely Kaitlin. The girl's dress was drenched in blood. I saw her wounded neck. She showed no sign of life.
Victor had bitten her.
I didn't know how to react as Victor gave me a vicious smile before dropping the girl's body to the ground. My mind was blank. My body was paralyzed.
He stepped ahead slowly.
"You traitor," I heard Nate scream before he practically flew to throw himself on Victor.
I had seen two vampires fight earlier but this was different. There was too much hatred and pain. Nate dragged Victor as far as he could from the body. He flung numerous punches on his face. He bared his fangs, trying to reach for Victor's neck.
Victor looked unfazed; he blocked some of his punches, threw some of his own and the smile never left his face. They brawled like two crazy animals, aiming to tear apart each other.
"Karen, are you listening?" Jon's panicked voice rang in my ears. "We need to see if she is alive."
I looked down at the body. Her blue eyes were wide open as if she was staring at the sky. Her face was white as a sheet in the contrast to the red blood that stained her entirely. There was enough blood to make me feel sick.
We walked over her body while the two vampires fought their heart out. I kneeled down.
I tried to reach for her wrist but my hands trembled uncontrollably.
"Let me check her pulse," Jon said, taking her wrist in his hand. "F.uck! There is too much blood."
I could hear my heart thumping in my ears. My chest was ready to burst. I had never felt so weak and afraid in my whole life.
"You can't fight me," I heard Victor growl.
I looked up.
Victor grasped Nate by his neck and hurled him into the air, crushing him into a tree. He moved swiftly to hold Nate again and punched him in his gut. I saw him jump above the ground to catch hold of a half-broken pointy branch of the tree. He broke it easily with his strength and plunged it straight into Nate's stomach. Nate let out a cry of pain.
I started to get up but Jon's hand came around my arm, pulling me down.
"Karen, I can't feel her pulse." Jon said. His voice was small. "Her heart isn't beating at all. She is dead."
Kaitlin was dead. Oh god, what had Victor done. My head started spinning.
"See who is mourning over a death," Victor spoke in a sinister tone when he moved in our direction. "She was struggling a lot when I fedâugh." The torture was visible on his face as his hand flew over his back.
Nate was standing behind him. Victor turned around slowly, and I saw the wood sticking deep in his lower back. He tried to remove it with his quivering hands but Nate moved fast and pushed it farther into his skin.
Victor screamed in agony, slowly stepping away from him. His hands went to his locket and a new portal opened. Before Nate could catch him, he turned around quickly and delivered a roundhouse kick to his stomach, making Nate move away several steps back.
Victor's bewildered eyes landed on me. "I'll come back for you." He said gruffly before running into the portal.
Nate ran too, trying to reach him but the portal closed right in front of him. He stood there motionless as if he was expecting it to open again. He looked down at the ground, hands clenching into a tight fist.
He lifted his eyes and looked at me, and then his eyes went to Kaitlin's body. I gulped, waiting for his reaction.
I waited for him to scream and cry but to my surprise he didn't say anything.
"Nate, I'm so sorry," I began. "She is dead."
His eyes narrowed.
I passed Jon a worried look.
"What's wrong?" Jon asked him.
"This is not her," He replied darkly.
"Nate..."
"This is not Kaitlin."
"Then who is she?" I was confused.
He opened his mouth to reply but didn't utter a word. Suddenly, he fell on his knees.
"I don't know. I don't know."
A/N Gah! It's really hard to be original in a vampire romance story.
Is Dark Choices too cliché?
I know, I know I updated after a lot of days but this was an important chapter because this is the last one. This is the longest chapter ever written in Dark Choices until now. Hahaha.
An epilogue is remaining. Maybe I'll give you a Halloween update. Who knows...
Please Vote and leave a comment. (Please don't comment 'Update'. It irritates me.) :/
Take care.
M_m