"We should leave now; the sooner, the better, as we don't have much food left anyway."

"The food is not the issue; the concern is the route. Do you know the quickest way there? What happens if it takes too long and we run out of fuel?"

Now, this guy knows what he's doing. Nodding along as the humans discuss the plan Jen, Kaitlyn, Sam, Liam, the triplites, and I stay off to the side as Bella joins the discussion. By the looks of it, we're the last teens and kids left.

FUCKING HELL.

I want to slash something, kick something, do anything but stand here. My jaw aches teeth clenched till they crack. Flicking my teeth with my tongue I push off the tree I was resting against walking away from the group.

"Kain where are you going?" Jen asks.

Not looking back I push against the snow restricting my movements as I walk away from the beaten path. "I'm going for some air," I call back, they don't question me nor do they come after me which I'm grateful for.

Far enough away from the group, they won't be able to see nor hear me, I pull my grey winter jacket closer, its colour helping me blend into the snow. The cold air bites at my cheeks, but it does nothing to cool the fire simmering inside. Clicking my tongue, I build a dense wall of air around the group of trees in front of me. 

Cracking my neck, I take a deep breath, feeling the tension coil in my muscles. My leg shoots out, slamming into the trunk of one of the trees.     

The clap is non-existent, the dense air surrounding the trees absorbing any sound inside. Silently, the tree falls, a cloud of white powder puffing up as it hits the ground. Before the snow settles, my fist splits the middle of the next tree. I don't wait for this one to fall with its brother before I swing my leg at the next tree. The bark scrapes against my legs and arms, the wounds healing instantly, leaving no trace of the physical pain. It's a cruel irony - my undead body mends itself effortlessly, denying me even the fleeting comfort of pain. Yet, the deeper wounds - the ones left unseen - remain raw.

I repeat this process till a clearing of short stumps surrounds me in a small circle. Breathing hard, I collapse to the ground, clasping at my chest as salty tears run down my cheeks. Gasping, I rip off my jacket and sweater, scratching at my arms, neck, chest - anywhere.

Curling into a ball, all the sounds fade around me as dark black blood begins to stain the pure white snow. I want to scream, but I can't. My throat is closed, no sound, no oxygen, nothing can pass through. Gasping silently, hands tear at my throat. Skin sticks under my nails as black blood drips down my arms. The world blurs, the snow and trees fading into the background.

Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, WHY? Why did they die? How could I have let that happen? It was my job, my only job. To make sure they stayed safe, I promised.

I curl up tighter, my nails digging into my skin, drawing more black blood. The snow around me is stained, a stark contrast to its pristine whiteness. My breaths come in ragged gasps, clouds of mist prickling at my skin freezing as it touches the darkened snow.

Images of Jordan flash through my mind - his smile, his reassuring voice, the way he could calm Bella with just a touch. My parents, my sister - their open arms as they welcomed me home even though I could kill them at any second. They welcomed me, they trusted me. And I broke that trust, to keep them safe. And I failed.

"And you broke that promise."

No, shut up.

"Why? You know I am right, you are too weak, too soft. How many times have I helped you? How many people died when I did? If you let me out and allowed yourself to be what you are none of this would have happened, and your family would still be alive. Your friend would still be alive."

"SHUT UP," I scream, gasping, fingers cut into my scalp, blood dripping down the sides of my face.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA."

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH," my head shoots up at the sound of a scream. Standing up, I grab my sweater and jacket, running full tilt toward the scream, a child's scream.

"Don't ignore me, Kaindra."

"Shut up," I say, my voice trembling.

"Don't you ignore me now," The voice taunts. Ignoring it, I continue, slowing down as I get closer. "Kaindra, stop. What can you do? Kill the child. Leave them. They are better off alone."

Pushing the voice away, I flinch as it scratches at me before falling silent. Slowing to not cause alarm, I drop my sweater and jacket in the snow as I clear the trees. A girl, maybe nine or ten, in sweats and a sweater, crawls through the knee-deep snow, waist-deep for her, away from a bright red-eyed zombie barging through the trees, barely slowed down by the snow.

The voice in my head rings barely a whisper "You can't save her. You're too weak."

I grit my teeth, pushing the voice further back. The girl's terrified eyes meet mine.

Running forward, I brush past the girl, forming an ice blade. With a swift motion, I swing slicing the zombie's neck. It collapses in the snow head beside it. Melting the blade, I turn to the wide-eyed child. Raising my hands, palms in full view, I slowly move toward her. "It's okay," I whisper, trying to sound reassuring despite the chaos inside me. "I won't hurt you, I promise," I say softly.

She watches me, eyes wide and shaking. I flinch as a large scream and scratch ring in my head, closing my eyes, I breathe to ease the pain putting an extra lock on the voice. Opening my eyes, I drop my hands launching forward. Grabbing the girl and wrapping her in my arms, I push her head down as I block the zombie launching from the trees.

I clench my teeth as the zombie bites between my shoulder and neck. Leaning forward with the child in my arms, I kick back, forcing the zombie away from me, grunting as my skin rips, a chunk of flesh away. Keeping the child pressed into my chest, I glance at the wound, grimacing as the skin begins to knit back together.

Looking at the zombie, I stop as it stands. Red eyes, similar to, yet different than a normal zombie. Not just bloodshot like the veins in the eyes popped, making them red. But red...like that of a vampire...like my own. The zombie growls, running at us - not stumbling in a fast walk, but running. Child secure in my arms, I flick my head, condensing the air into a blade, cutting through the zombie's neck.

I watch as the zombie falls...silence. The child begins to shake in my arms. Running to my jacket and sweater, I gently put her down on a dry log, wrapping my jacket around her. She shivers, looking at me with wide, fearful eyes. "Shhh...shhh, it's okay I won't hurt you," I say, reaching forward.

She flinches away from my hand, pulling my jacket closer to herself. Gazing into her hazel eyes rimmed with gold, I look at my reflection. Streaks of black blood frozen and dried, bright red eyes. Glancing at my hands and arms, I rub my neck, my hands coming back sticky.

Shit.

Backing up, I conjure some water, rubbing it against my skin. Black washes off onto the snow below. Sighing, I turn back to the girl still sitting on the log, shivering. Conjuring a ball of fire, warmth wraps around my hand. Letting it go, it floats in the air toward the girl. Her eyes widen, watching the flame float through the air. Warmth encompasses her, slowing her shivering, but her teeth continue to chatter.

Slowly moving back to kneel in front of her, I smile, watching her eyes glimmer as she watches the fire float beside her. Colour begins to return to her skin, giving her white skin a pink sheen. Observing her, a light shimmer catches my eye. Glancing at her dark brown hair, I see gold shimmering gently over her shoulders.

A witch.

"Child, what's your name?" I say softly, catching her attention.

She flinches, noticing how close I am to her. Not moving, I wait as she observes me. My eyes back to their usual brown colour, and my blood no longer coating my skin. I smile gently at her, waiting silently for her response. "En-Enya...my name is Enya," she says, her voice quivering, eyes on the snow.

I nod "Enya, what a lovely name. Means fire, if I'm not mistaken?" She nods, fiddling with the zipper of my jacket, her fingers shaking. "My name is Kaindra. If you're okay with me asking, why're you out here?"

She glances at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears "I live nearby."

"Where are your parents?"

She looks away, sniffling "Gone"

Staying silent for a minute, I whisper "Mine too."

She looks at me, her eyes filled with sorrow "How?" She asks, her voice barely a whisper.

Taking a shaky breath, I smile sadly "Killed...demon. We got attacked a few days ago then ran here," I leave it at that, a kid doesn't need to hear more.

"Mine too...a witch with a group of vampires and demons attacked my house. I'm the only one left." She cries, falling into my chest, her small body trembling.

A witch...is it the same group that attacked us? There's no way to know for sure. Plus, I glance down at the crying child, cradling her in my arms. She doesn't need to relive the memories again. Holding her as she cries, I gently rock her back and forth, letting her calm down.

She sniffles, glancing up at me "What are you?"

Freezing for a second, I laugh, patting her head "What do you mean?" I ask, trying to keep my tone light.

She pouts, sitting up "I'm not dumb. I'm ten years old, and my mom taught me the difference between each of the species. I saw your eyes. I know that you're a vampire, but how did you do that earlier? Vampires can't do that. No hybrid can either." She says, hands on her hips, her small frame exuding defiance even as she shivers.

Laughing, I pat her head "Oh, little fire, are you talking about this?" She pouts when I call her little fire but stops as I make another fireball.

Her eyes glimmer as she watches me release the fireball into the air to gently float around. "Yes, that. You never said a spell, so how did you do it?" She asks, her curiosity overcoming her fear and the cold.

Grinning, I tap her nose "How do you know I never said an incantation?" I ask, trying to deflect the question.

She frowns, her eyes narrowing "Because I didn't hear you say anything. You just did it." She crosses her arms "You just opened your hand and poof there it was. How did you do it?"

Grinning, I wave her closer, putting my hand between us, hand closed. I could erase her memory, but for some reason that feels too...cruel. Especially with her looking this excited.

Opening my hand, I do what I have done so many times before with my friends, having all of my powers floating in the middle of my hand. Enya's eyes widen at the sight. Chuckling at her speechless face, I close my hand "I'm not a witch, you're right, little fire. I'm what you call a caster, an ancient species long lost in time."

"So you are a hybrid," Enya says.

I nod "Yep, I am. Don't tell anyone" I whisper.

She giggles, a faint smile spreading across her face "I won't. Mom told me not to tell anyone what I was or that there are supernatural people."

"Your mom was very smart," I say, my tone softening.

She smiles sadly, sniffling as tears glisten in her eyes "She was."

I pull her into another hug, feeling her small body relax slightly against mine. She cries again clutching my shirt in her hands. Minutes later she calms down. "Why is your blood black?" She asks, her voice curious yet gentle.

I jolt "What do you mean black? It's not" I say, looking away from her curious eyes.

"Liar, it's black. I can see it," she pouts, a hint of playful defiance in her tone.

Scratching my head, I shrug "How can you see it? I'm not bleeding anywhere."

She humphs, pointing to my neck "Yes, you are. I thought vampires heal quickly?"

Grasping my neck, my hand comes back black from my blood "What? This should be healed." Tapping my neck, I flinch as I touch the sensitive skin. Making as reflective of a surface as I can with water and shadows, I look at my neck. "What's going on?" I say, watching as the skin does heal but three times slower than normal.

Grabbing my sweater and ripping a strip off of it, I wrap it around my throat in a temporary bandage. The bleeding has slowed down, but I can't show up with a large open wound in front of a bunch of humans. The pain, numbed from a year's worth of being inflicted with many wounds, is bearable. I clean the blood that went down my arm and chest as well as my hand.

Enya watches me, her eyes wide with concern "Are you okay?" she asks, her voice trembling.

I nod, forcing a smile "I'll be fine, little fire. Just a bit slower to heal this time."

Enya sits, arms crossed, waiting patiently. Sighing, I give in "I don't know; it just happened after I turned."

"After you turned? When did you turn? You look young?"

"I turned a year ago."

Her eyes widen "So you are just a vampling," she gasps.

Chuckling, I nod "Yes, I am still just a vampling."

She giggles, clapping her hands "Vampling! You are a vampling, young like me."

Laughing, I stop her jittering "Okay, okay, I get it, little fire. I'm still young, I know."

She pouts "Stop calling me that."

I grin "What, little fire."

She scowls "Yes, I'm not that little. I'm ten."

Chuckling, I pinch her nose, standing up "Okay, little fire."

Her pout deepens at my words before vanishing as she watches me walk around. "What are you doing?"

Glancing back at her, I push at the weird zombie corpse "Just checking something before I go."

"Go?" She asks, walking towards me, her voice small.

"Mhm, I have to get back to my group. I've been gone too long."

She quiets down as I move the dead zombie around, inspecting it. This must be the zombie the people on the radio were talking about, faster and stronger than the others.

Glancing at Enya, I brush my hands off, bending down to her level "Do you want to come with me?" Her eyes look at me for a second before looking away, and she nods. Ruffling her hair, I pick up my sweater, dusting off the loose snow "Let's go."

Her face brightens, and she rushes towards me as fast as she can in the deep snow. Chuckling, I pick her up, putting her on my shoulders. "Hold on tight," I say, taking off at a run back to where my group is. Enya holds my head, her legs locked under my armpits securely, grinning widely.

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