Chapter 15

I do it because I can, I can because I want to, I want to because you said... I couldn't.

-- Anonymous

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I couldn't believe he would go this far, taking an alpha's daughter, a witch that had been trained by his grandmother, and a human that had stolen my heart from me, Three people that I cared about, If there was any thought on taking him without harm... that was gone now, he was going to wish he had just killed me while I was there. Lucas wasn't taking the moment well, apparently John had been at his home, believing he had done something with his daughter, Now John had threaten lucas with his life, Lucas didn't care about dying, he believed without Lena the world wasn't worth living, He was so shaken up that I had to intervene

Lucas my god mann, get ahold of yourself... This won't help find her okay, we'll find them, all of them.

L: How, you said it yourself, we need Keith to find Travis, that moron got himself captured along with the others.

I pushed Lucas against the wall, there was no need to go and insult people.

You will do right by shutting your damn mouth, Keith is stronger than anyone I know... If he was captured... then that means Travis is getting stronger. Lucas, I don't want you going anywhere near Travis, he seems to be keeping me alive but I wouldn't say the same for you.

I let him go.

L: Your telling me to back down and leave Lena's life in your hands? Not gonna happen Slade, she's my girlfriend, I am to protect her.

Seems to be the other way around Lucas, She's the only reason why you haven't been killed by the wolves. You have the tendency to piss them off.

I needed Lucas to stay back, if Travis gets ahold of him, then he won't hesitate to kill Lena, he doesn't believe I can save her, but he needs to.

Just hear me out ok? Keith has some old spell books, maybe you can use them to track them, while you do that I'll go around and look for them, just stay here.

L: Dammit Slade I'm not going to sit back while you do all the work.

Ok your just aggravating me now, understand this Lucas... If Travis gets ahold of you, there's no telling what he will do with the others, I'm looking out for them, ok?

He still was having none of it, But he must have gotten in enough fights with Lena to figure the wolf always wins.

L: You keep in contact with me the entire time, once you find them... you wait until I get there, and we do this together ok? I'll look through some spells and find them, but I don't want you doing this alone.

Fine.

L: No, not good enough. Swear you won't go on ahead or so help me... I'll kill you.

An empty threat at most, but I needed to get going.

I swear on my father's name that I will not go on unless something is to happen, that good enough for you.

L: Good enough for now.

I showed him all of keiths things and made way to my bedroom, I entered my closet and grabbed Hatred's bite and black beauty then headed out, wolves were prowling the town, looking for any signs of Lena, got to hand it John, when he wants something done... it gets done. I kept driving around town looking for any clues and waiting for a call from Lucas, If he found them and didn't tell me.. There was no words to describe what I would do. I had been driving around town for a good two hours when Lucas finally gave me a call.

L: I think I got something, Keith's notes mentioned of a blood ritual between the two of you, do you remember it?

Happened years ago but yes, I remember it.. What's that have to do with anything?

L: Well It says he can track you, I mean you should know that.

Yes and it's rather annoying... what's your point?

L: Spell says it can be reversed, where you can track him. The spell won't take much, except I need a vial of you blood as well as his.

Keith has a good few cases of our blood in his room, just look for the black box, you should find it in there.

L: Ya I see it.

Now don't go drinking it now, keith won't be happy with that.

L: Shut up asshole.

I could hear him setting up the spell, he mutter a few phrases and my vision went fuzzy for about five seconds then went back to normal... ish.

L: Slade? Anything happen?

I'm guessing so, ya I can sense him, seems he at the old dutch mine just out of town, I'll head that way now.

L: Same.. I'll see you there.

Yep...

I hung up and gave John a call, he needed to know we had a lead to the location of his daughter, it took three calls but he finally answer

J: What!

John it's Slade, I Have word on the location of Lena...

He let out a sigh of relief, he had probably been busting everyone else's ass's trying to find his daughter and he just got the call of his life

J: Oh thank god, Where is she?

... The situations not good John... There was a problem back in sioux falls, and it seems to want to hurt everyone I care about, it's Travis, John... He's back.

J: Travis? Why on earth would he do this? What happened back in Sioux falls.

I told John everything, the point where Travis had broke, the death of my mother and grandmother... everything.

J: .... So he believes you betrayed him, and now is going to hurt everyone you love... where is she Slade, I can't lose her...

She's at the old dutch mine, I'm about five minutes out... just get there as soon as possible, you will more than likely run into Lucas on the way here.

J: Alright, I'm heading out now.. Save my daughter Slade... I don't trust anyone more than you.

I had reached the old mine, closed off for years. I parked the car and waited for a bit... I promised Lucas I wouldn't go in without him unless something was to come up, I couldn't break that promise, but time wasn't on our hands.

Dammit Lucas where are you.

At that moment I heard a scream... It was Lena, and it wasn't a scream of help, but of agony. I rushed in, knocking down the doors in my way until I reached the main fraction of the mine where all the machinery had been held, there I found Travis hunched over lena who had a metal bar sticking through her arm, she looked over to me, a wave of relief washing over her face, next to her laid the unconscious bodies of Kerry and Keith, I started towards them but was stop by a wave of pain.

T: Hurts doesn't it Slade, I found that stash of blood in keiths rooms, I took advantage of the moment and decided to use some of your blood, it won't keep you at baye forever, but just enough to kill them without your interference.

I pushed forward, the pain coursing through my body with every step but I didn't stop, Travis noticed this and let on another wave of pain.

T: Stop pushing through Slade, I've dwelt in this magic for three years, and like all Jackson's, it doesn't take long to learn.

I fell to my knees, the pain was worse than anything I had endured before.

Stop this now Brother, you still have a chance to be saved.

T: Even after grandmother's death... I think not, besides... I've bargained with a good few witches that want John to pay for allowing the suffering the doctor had caused here, once they know John is grieving for his daughter, they'll come and kill off the pack, with a broken leader... the pack won't last.

Brother... this is your family, we grew up knowing them that way.

T: YOU! Grew up knowing them, they left me out of everything, at the time I thought it was because I wasn't strong like you brother, now... I know the truth, a witch is not seen as an equal among wolves. There used as slaves among the Sioux pack, here.. They are just a waste of space left to fend for themselves or slaughtered, they are not my family, they are yours.

He pushed the bar deeper into Lena's arm who screamed in pain, tears flowing from her eyes begging for Travis to stop... but he didn't

T: You know, this isn't the first time I've done something like this, back when I was a mere student to our mother, I torchered a college student by the name of Tracy, she died the third day, but I wasn't finished... Mother kept most of her magic spells away from me, but I got to them one day, Black magic galore. That's when I found it, the spell to create a vampire, the same one she used on you. With that spell, I turned Tracy's corpse into a vampire.

Travis looked to me, smiling at the look of disdain on my face, My brother had tortured someone, and then turned them into a vampire.

T: She was a perfect specimen in every way, except one... Like you, she can be killed very easily. I had done everything right, I didn't know what went wrong until the end of it. She was a had been a corpse before, to be a perfect original... the spell had to be done correctly on a "Living specimen"... So she died, but not before ruining your life.

I didn't understand the last thing he had said, how did she ruin my life... That's when it became clear to me.

Tracy... She was the vampire that I was sent to kill, the one who had killed Drake.

He smiled...

T: And bingo was his name-o

My anger swelled to the maximum, with all my strength I fought the pain and moved over to him, He knew he was losing the battle with me and instead of increasing the power, he stopped it entirely and pushed me back.

T: If that spell doesn't want to work, then it seems it's about time to bring my friends into the equation.

Before I had a chance, Travis was on me in seconds stealing my wolfs power. I wasn't about to let him do anything so I kicked him which sent him flying. He grew agitated but I didn't care enough after he drained my wolf power. I went in trying to rush him, but I stop in my tracks when I noticed what Travis was doing, he used his blood magic to summon a daeva that looked exactly like... Tracy. I hesitated... the same damn problem I had had the first time, she attacked me with full force.

Tracy: So who's the next miserable waste of space I'm going to kill? It's your pick.

I couldn't advance with the constant attacks she kept throwing at me, she got in a few more punches and I noticed the difference between the original Tracy and this one, she wasn't much except a miserable pile of blood magic. I attack swiftly punching her in the gut making her double over. I went for a kick sending her flying into a conveyor belt, I then rush in and with my wolf strength crushing the skull of this daeva turning it to dust. I turned to face Travis and was shocked at what I seen.

He was looking miserable, he seemed to have became a semi dried up raisin with how much blood magic he used. But he wasn't backing down so I decided to rush him. As he entered punching range he uses his dark magic to throw me back, as I stood back up to regain my footing it gave him enough time to summon another fucking daeva, but instead of Tracy... this one looked like Lilly. She rushed in faster knocking me into the closest tree. She went in for another punch but before she could I jumped out of the way and tackled her to the ground.

L: Slade? Why are you hurting me? All I wanted to do was help, and I did, all that vampire power, locked away as well as the witch that was growing in you, I made you pure Slade. You are a wolf at heart and I made sure that had control.

She was quick about trying to get me off but I wasn't about to let her go so I threw a punch for her head, it connected... but she wasn't happy about it, She tossed me off and shot a blazing fireball right at me, I knocked it away but that hadn't been the smartest move, It hit my hand and knocked the ring that hid my burns off, that ring also gave me extra lives so now I had to be careful, I was able to recover to run and stomp on her chest caving in the ribs and making the bitch disappear. I ran at Travis again with my rage beginning to overwhelm me. Travis used his damn dark magic once again to send my flying but I didn't lose to much distance, Travis was killing himself through the blood magic... but it didn't seem to stop him because he summoned seven daevas, three were Lily, three of them were Tracy, and the last was... me. It was like staring into a mirror, the only difference were the eyes, they were pitch black. I couldn't let them get in my head though or I won't be able to fight. I knew if I let them get to me, I would lose... it was time to use my weapons, starting with hatred's bite, I advance on the three Tracy's who barraged me with insults.

I felt the rage surge through me making me rush towards them and try to cut them open. As one attacked I turned to catch her in mid air and quickly slit open her throat, before I could react another attacked me sending me a few feet back, but that did stop me. I threw a punch to stagger the on coming Tracy but she was able to block my punch, as she came in for a punch of her own I lodge hatred's bite into her ribs making her cough blood then with much force ripped open her rib cage.

With the final Tracy scared she wasn't smart or fast enough as I threw hatred's bite at her lodging it into her skull. I then grabbed black beauty as the three Lily's were coming to attack. They pinned me as they attacked and all I could do was block or dodge but I needed to survive this onslaught of attacks if I really was planning on making it to Travis.

I was able to cut one of them causing complete and agonizing pain in her as she was squirming I crush her skull under my foot. I then cut the next but she was dependent on keeping my pinned so she grabbed my arm to keep me from attacking so I quickly lodged it into her chest but she held tightly disarming me.

I then threw punches at the third lily hoping to put her down in one punch, she dodge my fist but let herself open for one of my kicks, I kicked her in the stomach sending her up enough for me to drill my punch hard into the base of her throat taking a chunk of flesh while going threw. I was left to deal with the daeva Slade, Travis seemed very weak so I couldn't let this thing take my chance to end this fight once and for all.

T: I had always known you feared yourself Brother, you fear what you have become, an unstoppable monster, Lets see if you can fight your inner demons.

I let myself turn into my lycan form and as I did the clone copied but obviously it can't copy everything so we ran at each other. With every punch or kick out punches collided, neither taking much power so using full force I threw a punch which went colliding with the clone's fist causing it to combust into a dust, the clone looked at the stump and looked stunned but it didn't last.

With outstanding recovery the daeva attacked but with my lycan reflexes allowed me to catch the punch and with much force punched into the skull of the daeva. The daeva dropped lifeless allowing me access to Travis. He collapsed to his knees in exhaustion. I then grabbed him by the throat and lifted him.

T: Go ahead, kill me... it's the better choice.

I stood there holding him in disbelief... I couldn't kill him, my own brother... my blood. I let my Lycan form dissolve and went back to my original form.

Don't say that Travis, I can't... I won't...

He coughed up some blood and smiled with a bloody smile.

T: I won't stop Slade... If you don't kill me now, I will return, and the next time... I won't fail.

Tears fell from my eyes, he was telling me to do the most unmistakable thing, but I couldn't allow him to hurt them again.

Brother... please... don't make me do this, I can't lose you as well...

He knew I would choose them over him, I could see it in his eyes.

T: These people... will only hurt you Slade, the hunter, will burn you... the witch will betray you. But the girl, she will hurt you most of all. I want to help you Slade, But they will need to die.

I didn't Believe a word he said, I wouldn't.

Brother... Please.

He looked away for a moment, then back at me.

T: Choose me... And they will die.

I chose, and with the heaviest heart, I closed my hand around his throat... crushing his windpipe, he gurgle on his blood for a few seconds before finally dying, the warmth leaving his eyes, all that was left was the cold of death. I placed his body on the ground and fell in front of him. I killed him, my own brother... I sat there motionless... expressionless for what fell like hours when I felt an arm on my shoulder. I looked to see her it was and there stood Lena, a bandage over her wound. I looked back to where she had been and saw Lucas and John help Keith and Kerry to there feet, they look to me giving me a small smile showing me there were fine. But I didn't return it, I couldn't. They were lead out of the mine by John and a few of his wolves, Lucas headed towards us, putting an arm around Lena.

L: I told you to wait for me Slade, if I had been here maybe it could've gone differentially.

I had him by the throat in a matter of seconds, he had gone to far.

Are you saying this is my fault? that this 'Motioning towards my brothers corpse' is my fault!

I squeezed his neck, remembering the feeling of my brothers windpipe breaking under my grasp, I was ready to do it again.

My brothers death didn't need to happen if you would've stop him back in Sioux falls.

L: your .. ugh ... broth..er

The blood sucker never knew of my relation with Travis was, he just went on this battle blindly, he was now turning blue and Lena tried pulling me off him but I wasn't letting go, not without setting him straight.

I killed my brother, my own flesh and blood, to save them.

I couldn't take it anymore... I burst into tears dropping Lucas in the process, I fell to the ground once more and reached toward Travis.

MY OWN BROTHER, REMOVED FROM THIS WORLD BY MY HANDS!

I was a disaster, I wept for my brother in front of Lucas and Lena... Lucas had gotten up and making his way to the exit rubbing his neck.

L: I'm sorry Slade.

After that he left, I didn't want his sympathy, I just wanted my brother back, but that wasn't going to happen. Lena got down on her knees next to me, see reached her hand over Travis faced and closed his eyes, she left without a word after that leaving me to mourn for my brother alone.