CHAPTER 14 - AN OLD FRIEND

"Who are you?" Fred yells. I put my hand around his arm to restrain him. "No, Maia. Stay behind me."

"Fred, I know her." He looks slightly towards me but doesn't turn his back on her. His brow creases. "How?"

I step in front of him, despite his noises of protest. I hold up one hand to him. "It's ok."

She steps forward from the shadow of the doorway. I see that her expression reflects mine almost exactly. We are as surprised as each other. I can feel that from her too. "Maia?" Her voice is exactly the same as I remember; slightly high-pitched and sort of melodic. I nod reassuringly. She seems wary.

"Victoria."

Her face changes as soon as I say her name. Her eyes turn cold. Her expression hardens and a menacing grin forms on her lips. "Well, this is slightly awkward, Maia. We may be old friends, but if you are an acquaintance of this young man, well.... I'm afraid I may have to kill you..." Victoria lets out a harsh laugh, almost like a bark.

I feel Fred's body stiffen behind me. I growl a warning at him, to ensure he doesn't attack. "Fred, it's fine. I can handle this"

"Who is she, Maia?"

"An old friend, or so I thought," I shoot Victoria a look. She simply smiles. "I met her in London many years ago." I'm vague with the details. Victoria scoffs at this but says nothing. I feel Fred's confusion growing.

I turn back to Victoria. "Why does my knowing him mean you have to kill me?" Her smile becomes brilliant. "Well you see, Maia, technically you're little boyfriend here belongs to me." An icy chill runs through me. "What do you mean?" I demand. Fred's hand clasps my shoulder. "I don't even know you," He says. "How can I belong to you?"

"Diego and little whatshername said exactly the same thing! Funny, really. Technically, I'm your sort of mother. Does that explain things?"

Fred gasps. "It's you. You're her. Riley never said your name." His voice hardens. "Where are Bree and Diego?"

"Bree! That was her name. Like the cheese," Victoria cackles.

"Victoria, this is not a game. You were never like this before. What happened to you?"

"People change, Maia," She takes a step towards me. "People change."

Fred's grip on my shoulder tightens and the glow I saw before envelops us. Victoria coils back, gagging. "What is this?" She chokes.

Fred laughs in a way I've never heard before. He sounds so menacing and almost evil. "You stay away from us. I can do things, beyond anything you can imagine. I can end you in a second. If you want to live, give us our friends and leave here. I'm sure you'll get what's coming to you eventually."

For the first time, I sense fear in Victoria. Throughout all the time I spent with her, she was always so courageous. Fred has frightened her. She doesn't know everything about vampires, especially not Fred. He may be lying, but she doesn't know that. I'm so proud of him. He's not only protecting me, but he's protecting Bree and Diego. I'm filled with a feeling of deep love and compassion. He's the one. He's my one.

"Fine," Victoria snaps. "Have your friends back. It's not like I haven't got a hundred more back in Seattle." She disappears for a second, then returns, something draped over her shoulder. She drops Bree's body on the floor and then disappears again. I'm about to rush forward, but Fred stops me. "Wait until she's gone. I can't protect you if you're outside my circle." I nod and return to his side.

Victoria comes back, this time with Diego. She puts him next to Bree. Diego is clearly conscious. He reaches his arm out and drapes it over Bree.

"There," Victoria says. "Happy now? Can I leave?"

"Wait," There was something that had been bothering me for a while and now I figured out what it was. If it was possible, my blood would have turned cold. I couldn't hear a single heartbeat in the house.

Victoria rolls her eyes. Her tone is heavy with sarcasm. "I apologise. I was thirsty. If you would leave to perfectly good werewolves asleep upstairs. I'll be going now. It was lovely to catch up, Maia. We should do this more often."

I fall to my knees. The room spins around me and everything turns fuzzy. I shut my eyes tight. Fred drops down beside me. I don't care that Victoria is gone. I'm too devastated to move. If I could cry, I would, no question. Fred wraps both arms around me and I let my body go limp. I'm empty inside. The guilt is overwhelming. Two innocent lives are gone because of me. I brought this danger to them.

Fred draws lines on my back with his fingers. It's comforting. He makes me feel safe. I can hear Diego talking softly to Bree. I don't know what happened to her, but at least I know she's safe now. I couldn't stand it if another life was lost.

My head is spinning. Where do we go now? How can we survive in a world filled with dangers that I didn't even know existed? Are there more vampires out there who want to kill us? Of course, there are.

We need a safe place; a place where we're protected; a place where we are looked after and fed.

I know what I have to do, but I don't know exactly how to do it.

I need to find my brother.

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