A/N: If this is the first 'chapter 49' you clicked on, I highly HIGHLY recommend that you go back and read this from Xander's POV first.

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Doe's POV:

The second that I could get my body to budge, I took a step back.

Raw fear wasted no time flowing down my body and gathering as a tight lump in my throat.

Every reaction she had no trouble getting from me appeared as if on command at her very presence.

I didn't have time. I didn't have any time to prepare for this!

That showed even more as the tips of my fingers began to tremble, one question popping out the most out of the countless running through my brain.

Why did she still have access to this room?

How could he have fed her such a huge lie and yet not done even that?!

The thought of it didn't even occur to me, I just assumed that he took her out of the system.

Why... Why didn't he!?

I guess though these days where she was out of my life, I'd somehow let myself be convinced that she was out of his as well.

No... I knew that, I guess I was just ignoring it.

For my own sake, I ignored how badly he pined for her in exchange for a chance at relaxation.

That thoughts that he may have been slipping away from her were just hopes and nothing more.

The fact that her access was still in the door only proved that further.

I should have known better.

I chewed on my bottom lip, refusing to look away from her as if she would strike the second I looked away.

The sight of her here causing the worst case of internal whiplash that I've ever experienced.

When just seconds ago I was mindlessly enjoying myself.

I couldn't remember what we were just talking about.

It felt like I couldn't breathe.

With my body instantly preparing for her to have me stirring messily together with the anxiety I was failing to suppress as I normally did, I didn't have time to.

"Ah Layla," Xander began.

His words didn't have the same cheery, boyish excitement they usually did whenever she'd stop by.

"It's...been a minute."

He was nervous, given that his lie just got blown into pieces.

What the hell was he going to try to come up with now?

Was he going to try to save this? Or just admit defeat?

I allowed myself a quick look at him to try to figure it out myself but got almost nothing to help me.

Figuring him out in a time like this was difficult.

Especially when my step back made it so that I couldn't see the looks on his face through his hair.

I couldn't tell what was an act or what was really him.

Layla kept her gaze on him, and I could feel the agitation rolling off of her.

"It has," her aggravation was crystal clear through her voice, "The reason for that being because you told me it was dead!"

I flinched at the word, mind racing with a hundred different outcomes that could come from this.

I wasn't at all confident on where he stood. On whether or not my protection still mattered to him now that the jig was up.

"She was! Or at least I thought she was," He settled with.

He was still trying to play this off.

His laughter caught me by surprise, especially when it was followed by his tense stance releasing.

"Apparently she was just deeply unconscious because they brought her back to me later that night."

Right... okay he could work with that.

Regardless of how foolish I believed it was, he was my only hope right now.

My already limited breathing got stuck in my lungs as her gaze turned to me again, looking me over as if double-checking his statement.

Luckily, it didn't last long before she focused back on Xander.

"So then you just decided not to tell me?! You just kept it around!" She shouted.

"T-That's not it!" the stammer in his words gave him away. To me at least, "I figured that she wouldn't be much use to you then since she needed to recover."

Wait what?

A small part of me shattered.

No... No, he had to be lying. This was just part of his ploy.

It had to be.

After everything, the new jacket, the guitar...

He hurried to keep talking.

"My plan was actually to tell you after the ball. To return her to you as a celebration of sorts for hosting a successful one."

I shook my head, blinking hard and repeating my previous thoughts.

He had to be lying but where was he expecting to go with this?

At this point, all he was doing was covering his own ass.

Covering his lie.

"That's not the point Alex," She spoke lowly, " Why the hell would I want expired goods? I already told you this and yet you brought her back! At that point, you should've just gotten rid of it yourself!"

I felt myself take another step as I recoiled from that single word.

Except this one was to the side, closer to Xander.

He straightened at her words, repeating the very word that has been haunting me since the first time I heard it.

"Expired?" His voice was weak.

Which caused my panic to skyrocket.

She wasted no time explaining.

"Pets aren't designed to last a year, let alone two," Her slow steps matched perfectly with the ones that echoed in my last nightmare," Their blood begins to thin. They start to lose their potency. Their value."

I couldn't swallow through the lump in my throat as she looked to me again, glaring like I was the source of all her life's problems.

I could feel the sweat forming on my forehead.

I've seen this nightmare so many times.

"They start to get cocky. They start to get confident and forget their place."

The last time she fed from me...

That's why I was considered expired?!

Xanders stance just noticeable faltered as she just got closer and closer.

Xander, please... Please come on and do something!

There wasn't a single scenario I could think of that lead to the conclusion of her explanation ending any other way.

And try as I may, I know I was powerless to keep her from what she wanted to do with me.

I always was, but she was set on my death this time, and I no longer had Nico to rely on.

As daunting as that realization was to me, Xander was the only one capable of affecting this.

If these last few days meant anything to him then maybe...

He's been enamored by her for years, but maybe, just maybe.

I cursed myself for having a hope that seemed so unfathomable, but with each step she took closer, I was quickly running out of options other than giving up completely.

The inside skin of my lip that I still had between my teeth began to tremble, breaths becoming more shallow by the second.

She released a troubled, yet decided breath, "Although, I guess I should take some responsibility, You did get it for me after all. It wouldn't be fair to make you discard of it."

I felt like I was going to throw up.

The muscles in my body were tightening in anticipation as if trying anything against a vampire would work in my favor.

"W-what?"

The hint of fear in his voice stirred something in me.

If the thought of her killing me caused fear in him, then, he'd have to want to stop it, right?

But he still didn't make a move.

"Step aside please, Alex," She ordered "I'll try not to make too much of a mess."

I didn't hesitate a single second after hearing that.

Not when she was already lowering herself to put her plan into action.

Closing the remaining space between him and me, I grabbed tightly with both hands onto his hand and wrist.

Hoping, pleading for him to do something.

He was all I had at this moment.

Even just to be a barrier between her and me, anything just-

He yanked his hand away.

Nearly the second after I grabbed him he tore away from me like I burned.

His response was so innate as if touching me in front of her was unthinkably appalling.

My world crashed the moment I processed it, a sharp, unrelenting pain, slicing through my chest.

Oh my god...

His gaze finally found me as the result of his crucial decision solidified in me.

He didn't care.

That he was willing to let me die to her hands if it meant that she'd forgive him.

That every stupid joke or dumb argument we shared was worth nothing compared to what he wanted from her.

That every worry that had been haunting me since the day this all began was valid.

The hopes that I kept locked away were for good reason because the feeling of each one dwindling into nothing was agonizing in a way I had never experienced before.

And above it, all, deep heartwrenching anguish ached within me.

A sadness that for some reason cut deeper than my anger at his decision, that finally being the realization that made tears sting my dry eyes.

At the fact that I so childishly fabricated a different reality despite what he was showing me right now.

He hadn't changed at all.

My feet moved backward away from him, almost as if disgusted in myself for trying to rely on him in the first place.

I should know by now that I cant.

I've never been able to in nearly two years... Why would this be any different?

I saw this coming.

I felt myself slowly nod as I put all of this together.

Like I once said, I've never been wrong.

My body relaxed in pitiful acceptance.

There was nothing left for me to do, nothing left to hope for.

I was born destined to be killed like this, and if now was the time, I'd do it in the way I've always planned to.

I blinked back my tears.

I wouldn't go out like a coward.

"Good enough," Layla decided.

I just shut my eyes tight, the high ringing in my ears blocking out everything else.

Then it hit me.

She hit me.

Cold. All I felt was cold skin on my arms, freezing me down down to the bone.

Despite my prior dedication, A shard scream ripped itself from my lungs at the feeling of her fangs tearing into my skin before the blunt force of my back hitting the ground could reach me.

Her hold on me was different this time. It held purpose, and gave a clear message to the rest of my body of her intent.

Not even a single second passed before I felt my survival instincts, and the sensation of her skin on mine send my brain into hysteria.

No... wait!

It was useless.

Every action I could possibly come up with would be futile, and I knew that.

Yet my brain kept wanting me to do something.

I didn't have time. I didn't have any warning of her arrival and so I couldn't force all the fear behind a wall.

I didn't have time to put up the act that this didn't bother me, that I was stronger than I actually was

All I could do was just lay there, eyes wide open and staring at the ceiling as terror dug itself deeper and deeper with every gulp she took of my blood.

Everything in my body shook with adrenaline that was of no more use than the arms she kept pinned at my sides.

Yet I didn't make a sound.

I only grit my teeth and arched my back as she whipped her head back, shredding her fangs through my skin.

Both of which got followed out by a trail of blood that fell into my hair beside me.

My next breaths sounded more like hisses as I bore through the pain, doing everything with my limited power not to scream.

I refused to give her the satisfaction.

Yet satisfaction was all that her exhale showed, her red eyes catching mine

No matter how many times I saw that red, I always despised the gold more than anything.

"Yeah, I'm going to miss the taste of this," she made a show of licking my blood from her fangs, her hold on my right arm fading before the sight of her claws sent a feeling so much worse down my spine, "Maybe in the next life you'll learn how to respect those above you."

The sight of her claws tore a specific fear from me.

God please no...

I've already lived this so many times!

My body acted on its own the second she began her swipe, forcing myself to take the ice that was her skin into my hands just before her claws could find my neck.

My eye went around, shocked at the fact that I stopped her.

How?

I stopped her, but she was still fighting against my hold.

Her snarl pierced my eardrums, my triceps burning as I somehow continued to hold off a vampire.

I didn't want to die like this.

I didn't want my dreams to be right all along.

"You little bitch!" she hissed, "And to think I was planning on making this quick."

She rose her opposite hand from my sleeve, the claws there sharpening fully.

I stopped one of her hands.

I knew I couldn't keep both of them away

Dammit!

I forced the anger to remain on my face, despite the feverish pattern of complete panic showing in how I breathed.

This was it.

God, if anything, despite what she said just please let this be quick!

I deserve that if anything.

I shut my eyes tight and prepared for the stinging slice that would take my life.

"Nico agreed to take you to the ball!"

The words rang out from behind her.

No...

Layla froze, her fight against my hold stopping with her.

He was still doing this? Still trying the same pattern!?

I peaked my eyes open, seeing that she was now facing Xander.

She didn't look convinced.

"Really?"

I let myself look at him, catching his desperate nod as he warily came closer.

"Yes. He agreed to be your partner." he lied.

Lies. More and more lies!

More lies that he cant keep up with, more that are going to fall through!

Why does he keep doing this to me!?

Why does he keep stopping her just for this whole thing to repeat itself again?

I let myself release the tension I had prepared, and fall fully against the floor, breathing hard through the sudden exhaustion and the agony radiating from my shoulder.

Xander continued to approach, yet I wasn't looking.

Looking at him brought back every feeling that showed when he pulled away from me.

He pulled away and yet he was attempting in delaying this once again.

"In exchange for that, he wanted you to allow the pets and slaves to attend, Specifically min- ours and his for a... for a last hurrah, I guess."

I cant... I can't keep doing this.

Please I'd rather she just kill me here than make me live a repeat of this.

Again.

Layla pulled her hand from mine, leaning back away from me.

"He requested her to be there?" She wanted clarification.

No. Please just say no.

I was so tired of this.

Tired of gaining hopes and trust just for them to be thrown away again.

To be taken from me.

Just like I had always feared.

For letting myself let my guard down... for letting myself step outside of the bubble this society put me in, just to get kicked back in harder than ever.

I didn't have it in me anymore to live like that again.

I didn't want to live like that again.

Like this.

"He did," I felt her body leave from where it hovered over mine "So maybe just put a raincheck in this? I'd hate to disappoint my brother. You know how he gets."

No...

My chest tightened so hard that I couldn't breathe.

The thought alone that this was what was happening choking me.

"I guess such specific and detailed requests are only to be expected by a future lord." she surrendered.

My eyes opened as I heard their footsteps walk away from me, gauging their distance before using the side of my body that wasn't injured to push myself up.

I didn't want to be just laying here, or maybe the sight of my quick recovery might make Layla angry again.

She can come finish the job.

I couldn't imagine facing Xander after this.

After he so blatantly tossed me to the side the second I decided to believe in him.

What the hell could be his reasoning for keeping me alive now?

I didn't want to know, and part of me couldn't even find it in me to care.

"I agree, he likes things done a certain way, and I just hope you can fulfill his wishes." The door opened.

I didn't watch to make sure she was leaving, instead, I winced as I cupped the gashes on my shoulder, applying as much pressure as I could possibly handle.

My head lowered as I dealt with the pain, warm blood seeping through my fingers.

"I guess I don't really have a choice. If that's what he wants, then I'll agree."

"Great! I'll let him know and see you then."

My stomach twisted as the door shut, my previous anger at him returning within a split second.

Before I could even look up, he was kneeling beside me, causing me to flinch back.

His eyes quickly looked me over, brows pinched in worry.

No.

I wasn't falling for this again.

I'll never let myself fall for that again.

My body tightened the second I saw him raise his hand, "Let me-"

He barely got the words out before I slapped it away as hard as I could muster in this state.

"Don't touch me," I grit, the anger and frustration boiling over inside me.

He pulled back immediately, head lifting to look at me.

I despised how quickly the sigh of those wide green eyes revived the sadness that prevailed when he pulled away from me.

Why?

Why of all things was that one the most prominent?

I should be angry, hell, I was angry, but I couldn't even try to convince myself of the other emotions there.

Every part of me ached in mourning as I recalled his action.

It felt like I had lost a part of me that I didn't know was there to begin with.

Why did this hurt so bad?!

Why was I feeling miserable instead of pissed at this vampire?

The one who's only ever succeeded in pushing back my inevitable fate.

Who keeps getting me into these situations just to stop them and save them for a later date.

First almost getting choked to death and now this. What's next?

What am I going to have to go through the next time his stupid plan falls through?!

He already said after the ball, so what'll happen then?! Another lie that'll fall through?!

Another near-death for me to experience before he somehow manages to get that one pushed back aswell?!

Even he looked to be scrambling for words, but I didn't want to hear a single one.

I finally confirmed today that his words never meant much.

But he tried regardless.

"Doe I-"

"Don't!"  I cut off the gentle quietness of his voice, tears building in my eyes all over again.

I hated the genuineness I could feel in just those two words.

Hated how body I wanted to trust them, but that's a mistake I can only make so many times.

I couldn't go through this again.

"Just shut up." Please, "Just shut the fuck up!"

I nearly screamed the words to cover the fact that everything in me felt like it was breaking.

My head turned.

Just looking at him was making this worse.

I needed to get out of here. I just needed to hide for a bit.

I can handle this wound the old-fashioned-way.

Not giving it any further thought, I managed to get my feet under me and pushed hard through every pain hitting me as I stood.

I nearly snapped the second I see his hand raise again, but he stopped himself before I could.

"Please just let me heal you," He pleaded, the worry from before spilling out even harder.

He didn't have a right to worry.

I gave him a chance to, and he blew it.

The one time I beg for his help, and he shoves me away.

Just another thing that I'll never let happen again.

"I don't want your help," was my curt reply before my legs moved "You never offer it when it matters."

He didn't say anything else, and I nearly let myself be grateful for it.

I wiped the tears that threatened to fall as soon as the door was shut behind me.