Aerodale

“I’m sorry,” I whisper as I drive the silver stake through his heart. Tears are streaming down my face as I watch the grey tinge of death slowly work its way up his face. His eyes are wide, staring at me in disbelief. He didn’t think I was capable. Didn’t think I’d follow through. I feel his body go limp in my arms and I run my hands over his eyes, closing them in the process.

“Rest now,” I say as I place a soft kiss on his lips one last time. Resting my forehead on his, I allow myself a few minutes to grieve. What started out as slow tears have now become a full on sob. I scream out in anguish and pull his body closer to mine, savouring my last moment with him before burning his body. 

His body.

How quickly one goes from a name to just a body. But I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t have a choice, right? The Fallen are so rotten, so against the very nature of who and what they are that when they turn a human, there’s no hope for that human. The only saving grace a fallen human has, is death. And I did the right thing. I know Alec would have wanted me to do it. 

“Alec,” I say his name, my voice hoarse from all the crying. His name sounds foreign on my lips now that he is gone. Alec is gone. More tears threaten to spill out but I take a deep breath and will myself to calm down. I don’t have time for this. I need to keep moving. By the time King Andrion realises what has happened, he’ll double his efforts and send more of The Fallen after me.

The older the fae are when they are turned, the stronger they are when they are reborn as vampires. And the last group of Fallen that King Andrion sent after us were extraordinarily strong. It’s the only reason why they were able to overpower Alec. 

I look at the carnage surrounding us. I’m not entirely sure what happened. When I realised what was happening to Alec, I felt this power build up within me. It’s nothing that I have ever experienced before and I knew I wouldn’t be able to contain it. It felt like this big blast of energy that burst out of me and then I saw every member of The Fallen drop. One by one, the bodies fell to the ground, lifeless. That’s when Alec lunged for me.  

I manage to pick myself up and walk over to inspect one of their bodies. I see blood oozing from their orifices. It looks as if their insides exploded and is seeping out of any and every hole it can find. I expect to feel sympathy. Afterall, they were all fae at some point. But I don’t. They decided this. They decided to turn, to become a member of The Fallen.

I shake myself off and start moving quickly, collecting wood to make a pyre. It’s difficult to watch as Alec’s body burns but I will myself to see it happen. I need to be sure he is gone.

Tears fall silently as I remember one of our last happy moments together.

Alec is trailing soft kisses along my collarbone,

igniting a fire deep in my core.

“Hi,” he whispers, coming up to look at me.

“Hello,” I whisper back, shyly. 

“So last night was..” 

I pull the sheet up over my head, hiding my face as

I feel my ears burn and cheeks turn red. He waits

for me to emerge from my hiding place before he

continues. I lower the sheet just enough for my eyes

to peek out. He looks at me, one eyebrow raised, an

amused expression on his face.

“.. amazing,” he finishes. 

It was the first night we spent together and it was…

something. I’ve had other lovers before Alec but nothing

compared. And it’s because I love him. I love Alec. The

realization makes me giddy.

“It was magical,” I say, still whispering. Alec rests his

forehead against mine and lets out a huge sigh. As if

he was holding his breath and hearing me say how great

it was, was a huge relief to him. 

He looks at me, eyes turning serious, “I’ve never wished

to be anything but human but right now I wish I had

some fae magic. I’d pause time and live in this moment 

with you for as long as I possibly could.”

I close my eyes tightly. If only I could wish our problems

away. The Fallen won’t stop until they have me. King

Andrion won’t let them. So we have to keep running. 

I feel my throat burn as tears threaten to spill out.

I haven’t allowed myself to feel pity but right now, in

this moment, I do. I pity my dead mother who allowed

herself to fall in love with the King. The married King.

For having to spend her life in hiding so that she could

have the King’s bastard child. I pity myself for being the

bastard child. For being the one destined to end his rule.

To end his dictatorship. 

I give myself a mental shake and bring myself back to

the moment with Alec. 

“I love you,” I say emphatically. Alec’s face lights up

even more.

“I love you too,” he says with a bright smile before

kissing me again. We get lost in one another. Temporarily

forgetting the world. Forgetting that we’re being 

hunted. 

I walk over to the dying fire, Alec’s body nothing but ash. I clutch the pendant hanging by my throat; a crescent moon with a rainbow moonstone nestled in the curve. A gift from Alec. He used to call me his guiding light. Just like the moon. 

I take one last look at what used to be his body, engraving the image in my head. I pick up Alec’s weapons and place it on my person. Instead of running, I start walking in the opposite direction I was heading. Towards the castle. Towards the place I was running from. King Andrion will pay for what he has done.