A billion mistakes probably I'm sorry!

Findlay - Your Sister

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"Give me strength," I murmured as the two vampires continued to bicker about my well being. Really, there was only so much they could argue about and they'd been doing it for twenty minutes. All I'd suggested was what I'd already told Michael weeks ago when we were discussing what would happen when Christian released Florence: that I would go with him.

How else would Florence come out from her little hiding spot?

She didn't know Christian was here anyway and she wouldn't exactly reveal herself to Mike or any of the others. So me, poor innocent human me, would wander out into the woods of Belclarra with Christian - he'd follow but within the shadows - and boom. Knowing her she'd already be following me anyway. Then again I haven't seen the women since before I went to Alaska.

Well that was the plan. But why were the two of them bickering you ask? Well, Michael of course, was arguing that I shouldn't go. And Christian was arguing that I should. Christian feels it would be best I do go because she wouldn't come out voluntarily for Mike or Nate. Michael feels my presence whilst it happens is unnecessary and Christian would be putting me in danger for no reason.

It was almost sundown two days after Christian arrived. My finals were in less than a week and I'd been spending this wonderful boiling hot Saturday inside studying with Michael.

We'd long since made up sort of.

"I know I'm impulsive," I'd started the morning after our little fight. "I know I don't think things through and I just... Do. I can't blame you for wanting me to be safe, wanting to keep me out of harms way because even I can admit some of the stupid things I get up to with Kate and the rest are, for lack of a better word, ridiculous. So... I'm sorry for being so hard on you last night. I jumped the gun before you could explain yourself... Why are you smiling?"

He was smirking throughout my whole speech. He crawled from his side of the bed and sat in front of me. "I'm smiling because I love you. And I'm sorry as well."

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you. Will you do me a favour and think before you act?"

My eyes narrowed.

"Alright let me reword that. Will you consider my opinion if I say something isn't safe?"

"Fine. I'll consider it." I'd smiled and allowed him to kiss me.

And in truth I have considered his opinion.

But right now, whilst I watched his face begin to pulse and his eyes darken I think it's safe to say his opinion is void. "You're over-thinking, Mike." I mumbled, drawing a random shape with my finger into John's kitchen counter. It was getting late, Kate and Micah had grown bored with the argument ages ago and Amy was carefully waddling about the kitchen with her headphones on fixing herself dinner.

Michael stopped his side of the argument and turned to me with black holes for eyes. The veins around his neck and his darkened eyes had me clenching my hands by my sides to stop myself from smacking the crap out of him.

"I'm over thinking? Think of the state of mind that woman will be in after he's released her?"

"I'll be with Christian." I stressed for the one hundredth time. "Look, we're taking a car up there. If you're that worried by all means join us. But she can't see you."

"Exactly." Katherine said at the archway. "She can't see you, Mike. Unfortunately, Florence is literally that unstable, there is no definite outcome of how this night will end. It'd be best to stick to how it's planned. I'll come with, I'll stay in the car with you and give you a play by play."

Micah stepped beside her with a clenching jaw and I rose a brow at the way Kate's shoulder's tensed.

Michael and Christian continued their quiet bickering but I listened to the two witches conversation instead.

"Are you sure you should go?" Micah said quietly. "Is it safe?"

Katherine's shrug seemed more forced than anything. Seeing her this jerky, this nervous around Micah was still odd to see. She lifted her chin and smiled toward him. He may not be able to see her but by the way his lip twitched, it was obvious he knew she was smiling "I've been in worst situations."

"So I've heard."

I was giddy and grinning from ear to ear when he lifted his hand and brushed his knuckles along her jaw. Although I did turn for a minute, feeling as if I were intruding in such an intimate moment. And when I turned back, Micah was walking back into the living room.

I removed myself from Mike and Christian and smirked at the glazed look in Kate's eyes. "You okay?"

She blinked and nodded her head. "I'm great. It's almost dark, we should get you ready."

I allowed her to pull me into my bedroom and didn't have much of a choice in the matter when she started rummaging through my wardrobe. "So... You and-"

"Not a word, not a single word." She interrupted me and I smiled wider. "Right, here's your hunting crossbow and ten bolts in the side quiver. It's just a precaution. You're practically a genius with it now, if you needed to kill any new vampires you could do it easily." Her eyes raked over my body. I rose a brow. "You staying in all black everything?"

I glanced down at my black sunflower summer dress and my black converse. "Well why not?"

"Nothing. Seems a bit skater-girl-ninja."

I rolled my eyes. "I've just been studying all day, I didn't need to dress up to study." I glared down the sights of my crossbow. "Besides if I'm going to be shedding blood tonight I'd rather not ruin anymore of my good jeans." I clicked off the safety and used the cocking aid to pull back the string to test it before loading it. I clicked the safety back on and slung it over my shoulders.

"Do you even realise how much more dangerous you are? I just watched you load a hunting crossbow in like seven seconds."

I smiled as I clicked the belted quiver around my waist. "It is odd to think. But Lewis is a good teacher. Even you've learnt a lot."

"Yeah well, that's expected." She chuckled, moving behind me to tie my hair into a tight large bun. "Alright hot stuff, you look like a modern Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

"If only," I sighed over dramatically and laughed with her. Was I nervous? Of course I was nervous. Kate said it herself, she's that unstable that it could go left or right. Seeing Christian could really screw her up let alone releasing her! I knew Mike was nervous. I knew Amy was a bit uneasy about it but I've barely seen her the past few days apart from earlier in the kitchen. She's been looking paler and frailer each day so she hasn't been moving that much. Celia thinks she only has another few weeks. Which mean she'll be early. But right now it wasn't at the top of my priority list. Releasing Florence was one, finishing finals was next and then it was Amy giving birth.

**

My mouth pressed over Michael's lips briefly before pecking his forehead and his cheeks. "Trust me."

"I do." His green eyes shone toward Christian standing a few feet behind me. "Look after her."

"You have my word."

The sun had almost disappeared now. But it was fine for vampires to come out at dusk. No sun, they won't burn. Katherine was fiddling with the radio stations in Michael's car

"Right, get in the car before she comes out and sees you." I smiled forcefully. "See you soon."

I sent Kate a small wave and started into the woods of Belclarra. Christian had disappeared to God only knew when but he was following somewhere. I took a smooth breath as I took the cross bow off my shoulder and clicked the safety off.

I'd never been to Belclarra before but I knew there were deer or elk scattering around. Thankfully it was still slightly light outside so I could see the difference between a running animal and a vampire. Despite it being summer, goosebumps pebbled my skin. I was nervous. I knew I could hear my heart beating slightly faster than usual. Thanks to Lewis, he'd taught me how to be light on my feet.

I hadn't been in the forest this... Vulnerable before. Well it's been a while at least.

But if I wanted to get Florence's attention, I needed to start getting cocky.

I stopped within the trees and listened for minute. Listened to the silence of the forest, the slight vibration of the ground; it felt like a gallop. An elk probably. I stared down the sights and grinned at a elk staring right back at me.

"If I were an actual hunter, you'd probably be dead now." I murmured. "But I'm going to save this bolt for a special someone. Named Florence." I shouted louder, spinning around. "Florence? Come out, come out wherever you are. It's been a good six weeks, Florence. I miss you. The last time I saw you was when you punched me in the face you bitc-"

"Someone's grown a pair."

I turned to my right and blinked at the woman before me. She looked... ill. She didn't look healthy that was for sure. Those group killings were working obviously. Obviously she still looked inhumanly beautiful but there was a sense of humanity creeping into her features.

"Wow," Florence said slowly approaching me. "Look at you. A crossbow? You look like a trained killer."

"Six weeks is a long time." I smirked. "I've learnt a hell of a lot."

Her eyes sparkled with excitement, the weirdo. "Have you? Again, wow. Obviously the day time isn't my best friend so I must have missed a lot. However," She sighed heavily. "You did disappear on me for a few days. Literally disappeared. And I have to obviously wonder... Where did sweet little Evie disappear to? Running away already?"

"I would never abandon my friends, Florence. Or my lover. Or betray them either. Which is, apparently, more than I can say for you."

A little bubble of triumph bloomed within my chest when I saw her steps falter slightly. I dropped my guard and started to circle her as she was about to do me.

"Excuse me?"

Ah, I've never heard that voice before. A little vulnerability.

"Oh no, don't mind me. I'm just saying, I don't think I have the ability to ever, I don't know, cheat on my soon-to-be-husband."

Her eyebrow twitched. "Soon to be what?"

"Husband." I repeated louder, circling closer with my hands gripping the crossbow. "But that's not the point here my darling Florence. The point here is that I'm not capable of cheating on the man I love. What about you? Ever had the urge to... Screw around? With... What was his name... Oh, Ronald. That was it."

She blinked a few times and jutted her chin upward. "I never cheated on Ron-"

"Wait no. No, not Ronald. You're pretty old, right. Were you in love before Ron? What's your story Ms. Huddleston." Her lip lifted as if she were about to say something else but stopped short. "I'm dying to know."

I was welcomed to silence. The first time I'd rendered her speechless. And I revelled in it. I actually revelled in this speechless moment of Florence Huddleston. I grew closer to her aware that I for once, was the predator in this situation.

"Your story Florence? Anything happen in the beautiful fifteenth century you feel like, I don't know shari-"

Her hand shot and gripped my neck.

Maybe not the predator then.

The grip I had on the crossbow loosened as she squeezed and lifted me off the ground. I could feel my air supply shortening; I was beginning to choke.

"What," She spat. "do you know, you witless human. What do you think you know, huh? Tell me or I will end your pitiful life now. I'll end everyone's lives."

I obviously couldn't reply, could I? I was too busy losing oxygen to my damn brain. I clawed slightly at her hands, my gaze turning black at the edges. I would lose consciousness soon. Where the hell was Christian?

"Oh, let her go."

I dropped to my hands and knees to floor and spluttered to inhale. I glanced up - I wasn't going to miss this for anything - and watched Christian emerge from a group of trees. My gaze widened at the way he vibrated anger. He was furious. I would be too. First time seeing her in almost three hundred years, I'd be furious too.

Florence stumbled backwards away from me. She looked like she'd seen a ghost. And he was a ghost in her eyes. Christian was her first love. The man she'd betrayed because she was a power hungry bitch.

"No... This isn't real..."

Christian approached me slowly and curled his hands around my upper arms to help me. I was still struggling to catch my breath so he kept his hand around my arms.

His eyes focused solely on the woman in front of him. The veins were pulsing around his eyes but he was keeping his anger under check. With great restraint, but it was under check. "Good evening Florence."

She sure as hell wasn't breathing now. Her eyes darted between us. I had to hide my smile at the confusion. She couldn't figure it out. She couldn't understand how we'd got him, her maker, to be here.

"You're here." She murmured still glancing between us. But the realisation finally hit her. "Wait Christian, you don't understand-"

"Understand?" His grip on my arm tightened but loosened when I grunted. "Okay, Florence enlighten me of this situation. Enlighten me on why you're trying to ruin this human's life for one of your protégés."

"Two." I croaked.

"Oh, yes. Two."

Once again, she was speechless. She truly looked scared. She looked like a lost child.

But I had no sympathy. And from the blank look in Christian's eyes neither did her. I lay a reassuring hand on his arm and slipped out of his grip to watch from the sideline.

"I have no words for you, Florence. I thought I would. I thought maybe I'd scream at you for the pain you'd caused me. Maybe even snap your neck, hurt you like you did me. What have you done to Vancouver? You've turned so many humans? The American government is involved for crying out loud..." He exhaled sharply. "I haven't spoken to my brother in two hundred years because of you."

Finally she snapped back into reality and rushed toward him, her hands curled around his arms, her face almost pleading... Was she crying? "Christian please, I-I'm so sorry. You don't understand, it was a mistake! I-I don't know what came over me, Fletcher seduced me and Jacqueline, she.. She didn't know! Please, Chris, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She sobbed into his chest.

The possibility of Christian betraying us all had been a factor in our plans. Well, not mine. I was giving him the benefit of the doubt. I hoped he wouldn't. I prayed he wouldn't. But there was still a possibility. I watched her grip the front of his t-shirt as she cried. His hands lifted and I withheld my gasp when he gripped her upper arms. He's doing it isn't he. He's forgiving her. After all that talk of never forgiving her, after everything he'd said to me about her.

Christian pulled her back and I cautiously watched the two of them stare at each other. I quietly backed away toward my crossbow prepared to shoot whoever came at me first. He couldn't do this.

Where was Michael? Katherine?

I started to slowly lift my crossbow. I needed to decide. Florence would be easier than Christian but they were both as strong as each other.

"Florence..." He started huskily, the veins on his face still pulsing.

Well, we tried.

I placed my finger on the trigger.

But then froze when he started: "I renounce the ties of our blood and my authority over you as my protege." He pulled her closer. "Florence Huddleston as your maker, I release you. You are no longer sired to me. You are no longer mine nor am I yours. You are dead to me."

If it were literally possible for someone's heart to be ripped from their chest, I'm certain that's how Florence was feeling. Her eyes were wide, her pupils minuscule. She looked statuesque.

But then, almost as if something snapped within her, she was gone. 

I blinked. It happened so fast, I could barely react.

Christian dropped his empty hands to his sides and approached me with nothing, not a single emotion on his face. "Come. We're going."

"But-" He placed his hands on my shoulders and spun me around. "Christian-"

"Let's leave the woods quickly. Her little vampires might be lurking." He murmured.

"But Christian-"

"Let me look at you." He turned me to face him and frowned. "You have bruise on your neck. Well, at least you're not bleeding. I'll hold this; quickly Evie."

I couldn't interject much as I followed him back to the car. Michael was already pacing the ground awaiting our arrival. Christian passed him without a second glance, throwing my crossbow into the back of the car. Mike's eyes zeroed in on my neck and he growled. "I told-"

"Not now. Did Katherine tell you everything?"

He shook his head. "She doesn't know how it ended. She told me about her strangling you. For goodness sake, Evie how cocky did you think you could get?"

I shrugged sheepishly. "I don't know. I'd never seen her like that. But I think we should go. And once we get back to the house, I need to speak with Christian. He's staying at John's tonight."

It was reluctant but Michael nodded his understanding and joined me in the back of the car.

An hour and a steaming hot shower later, it was almost nine and the house was quiet for once. Because Amy was at a fragile stage, I'd sent Mike and Katherine to Ana's to explain to everyone how tonight went. Mike still didn't know the full story, I'd only told him briefly how the rest went down.

I pressed the ice-pack more firmly to my neck as I wandered the living room. Christian was upstairs in the study and has been since we'd come in. I told myself I'd leave him alone but I was dying to talk to him. After how many years, she was finally cut from his life. Just like that. And it wasn't even on his own terms, so I couldn't begin to understand what he could be going through.

I turned my gaze toward the creak in the stairs and watched Christian slowly make his way into the living room. I hadn't seen him this... Defeated before.

Maybe it was a mistake, all of this; getting him involved.

"Hey," I mumbled.

"How's your neck?"

"Bruised, you were right. I've had way worse though."

His eyes darkened but they were sad.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"No, it's fine." He sighed taking a seat in front of the TV. "Sit with me. Distract me."

I settled beside him on the couch, observing the way he rolled his shoulders from left to right before leaning his head back. I had a few questions for him. A million more like. Like the one about his brother.

"Has it... Really been that long since you last talked to your brother?"

Christian's mouth twitched upward a little. "He hadn't made much of an effort to say sorry after the first hundred years so I could blame myself really."

"Oh." I cleared my throat. "How do you feel about this?"

"How do I feel?"

"Yeah. You releasing her is under circumstances not really under your control and I wanted to apologise for it."

"Under my control? Evie, I could have easily of said no. I didn't have to come here but I did. I needed to do this. It was closure."

"No, no Christian it really was unfair. I just watched and I worried you'd... I don't know forgive her. I knew you couldn't ever but there was a part of me..."

Christian smiled genuinely. "Yes, I saw. Thanks of trusting me, Evangeline." He nudged my arm.

"You're welcome." And I nudged right back. "Right, I'm exhausted, I'm in a little bit of pain and I need to study tomorrow. Hey, you were present during a lot of the stuff I study in history, you can help me tomorrow."

"Sure, why not." He stretched. "I'd be happy to help."

I stayed with Christian until he fell asleep. We talked for a few minutes but out of the both of us, he looked more drained than me. Michael returned around eleven just as I finished locking up the rest of the house. I was already on the verge of sleep by the time he'd come into the bedroom.

I vaguely remember seeing him changing but I was completely knocked out by the time he gathered me into his arms. Before drifting into deeper unconsciousness, I pressed a kiss to his bare chest and sighed.

It was odd, how quickly it happened. How... easy it was to release her.

It was the beginning of the end. She was going to go absolutely mad. I could feel it. I didn't know how she would do it, but I could see her doing something. She'll want her revenge on me somehow. I got the love of her life to release her.

It was a giant waiting game now. It always has been.

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2023 edit for rereaders: Florence is no longer frozen in place when they leave.