Let her go

Her sister's ear-piercing scream immediately stopped her from taking a step further. A lone tear dropped from her eye and ran down her cheek.

She turned around and began to run toward the spot where she left Alexa. When she got to the place, a small pool of blood on the snow greeted her sight, but the one she came for was not there.

Alita's heart was beating so fast, it felt like it would jump out of her chest anytime. A small glimmer of hope appeared in her mind at the thought that Alexa could have succeeded in hiding from their attackers. But doubt quickly crept in when she remembered the scream and now the blood.

"Alexa?" She called in an almost whisper, but there was no response. She quickly scanned the surrounding areas to see if Alexa was hiding nearby, but she couldn't see much as it was dark. Refusing to give up just like that, she strained her ears to hear anything that could indicate that Alexa was somewhere around, but it yielded no positive results.

Maybe it was better to go get help. With more people, it will be easier to find her sister in the vast forest, she thought. Turning back to look at the spot she had previously left Alexa, her heart almost stopped.

A man who she already recognized as a vampire stood there looking at her. How she knew what he was, she didn't understand. Perhaps, the stuff Alexa made her drink was already working. There was a satisfied smile on his face, and a phone was pressed to his ear with one hand. Alita's gaze traveled to his other hand and even though the hand seem to be lying idly by his side, she could see his claw-like nails protruding.

"I found the second one." He said to the person on the phone and his words jolted Alita from the present shock she was experiencing.

Without a second thought, she bolted from there, running as fast as her legs could take her because her life depended on it. But the vampire was faster and he easily caught up with her. He grabbed her hair from behind and yanked her backward. She let out a sharp cry, shutting her eyes because of the pain she felt on her scalp.

The tight pull on her scalp didn't lessen one bit despite the fact that the man already had her in his grasp. She clenched her jaw and hot tears flowed from her eyes. At this rate, she was sure that her hair will begin to pull out of her scalp until there was no one strand left.

"You are not supposed to exist, freak." The vampire spat out. He spoke very close to her ear so she heard every single word he said. She couldn't ponder on what he said because two other vampires appeared before them and the grip on her hair loosened a little.

Although her scalp hurt less than it did a few seconds back, she could not breathe out in relief. There were now three vampires around her, one behind and two in front. Every hope she had of escaping withered away that instant, but something didn't feel right with the men in front of her.

They both wore black jackets with hoods covering their faces. She could tell that they were both vampires, but the one standing directly opposite her gave off a stronger aura mixed with something else she didn't understand.

Alita saw the strange vampire turn his head towards the other one who came with him, and that one disappeared from there immediately. He didn't literally disappear. He just moved so fast that it looked as if he did. Or did he?

"Your high–" The man behind her started to speak, but the strange man didn't let him finish.

"Let. The. Girl. Go." The strange man ordered, stressing each word. He spoke slowly with a low, steady voice that demanded absolute obedience. Alita became confused. Was he not here to kill her? Why was he demanding her release? Maybe he wants to do it himself or capture her because why else would he save her?

"I'm Sorry, your High–" The man started again. Before he could complete the sentence, the strange man who was standing three steps away from her was already standing right before her. The next moment, the hand holding her hair released her as the man behind her let out an agonizing scream.

The strange man pulled her away from her captor and in one swift move, he killed him by separating his head from his body.

"Stupid dogs, just as stupid as their master." He commented with disdain as he stared at the headless vampire.

Alita snapped out of her stupefied state when she heard the strange man's voice. She didn't know why he saved her, but she didn't want to find out either.

Backing away as stealthily as she could, she sprinted from there when she was already a fair distance away from the man. The man watched as she bolted away like a scared little bunny. He saw the fear in her eyes and wasn't pleased with it. While he enjoys instilling fear in people, he hates taking advantage of the weak and vulnerable.

He was still looking in the direction she ran when the second hooded man returned to his side.

"All dead. It seems someone got to them before I did." He reported to the strange man who only nodded his head before the other man spoke again.

"Two humans dead. My guess is they are the girl's parents. What is your father up to this time?" He asked and the strange man replied, "Let's go find out." After he said that, they both left the forest.

***

Alita finally reached her uncle's house after hours of walking and running through the forest path. She decided against standing by the road or taking anyone's help for fear of meeting another vampire.

All her years, she thought vampires were not real. That they were only a myth born out of someone's imagination for the sole purpose of entertainment. She didn't know there were living breathing ones existing around them, and she had to find out in the harshest way possible.

After three knocks on the metal door, her uncle opened the door. Shock registered on his face when he saw the condition the girl was in. He pulled her into the house and shut the door.

"What happened to you, Alita?" Uncle Ben asked and the dam she had been holding in, broke. Her tears flowed uncontrollably and her body began to tremble.

"V-vampires." She stuttered, and her uncle clenched his jaw. Immediately he heard that word, he already knew what happened.

"They... They killed father and Aunt Cici, and I couldn't find Alexa." Alita continued amidst tears.

Uncle Ben pulled her into his arms and held her in a tight comforting hug. This only made her cry more and he didn't stop her.

"I'm so sorry Alita." He whispered to her hearing as one of his hands soothingly rubbed her back.

"We need to find Alexa?" Alita said when her cries were reduced to light sobs. Reality was finally sinking in and the pain was too much for her fifteen-year-old mind to bear.

"I will do everything I can to find her." Uncle Ben assured her. They had only one month left to achieve their goal. Why did this have to happen now?