Chapter 17

UNEDITED- Real

"Then stop worrying.. we'll get through this." Elizabeth spoke.

Lucille nodded, Ellie hugged her again for a brief moment before they covertly left the toilets. Two girls coming out at once wasn't an unusual sight for the rest of the girls, almost everyone of them had dragged their friend to the toilet at some point in time. Lucille had hid the bloody equipment in the bin, shaking it up and covering everything with more tissues so it wouldn't be found.

The two of them sat back down beside Phoebe, Ellie in the middle.. She had walked without help and seemed to be feeling a little stronger. "Everything alright?" Phoebe asked.

"Yes.." Ellie sighed. "I think so."

"Oh I just remembered.." Lucille pulled the multivitamins out of her pocket. "I picked these up for you."

Ellie looked at her suspiciously.. "Picked them up from where?"

"Does it matter? Just take them.. but not infront of the nurses."

"You stole them from a nurse?" Phoebe butted in.

"Care to shout it any louder?" Lucille asked sitting forward to see Phoebe, she shook her head no in response.

Ellie took the multivitamins from Lucilles hand and quickly put them into her pocket.. "Thank you Lucille, you didn't have to do that."

Lucille looked to her for a moment.. "You kept me alive.."

"I'm the reason you almost died."

"No that was because of what I did.. I'm sorry." Ellie could tell that Lucille was genuinly sorry.. it made her feel even more guilty.

"Don't be.. please. Whatever happened happened. All I know is that without you I wouldn't be here."

"Me too." Lucille sighed.

"Hey remember the mountain lion?"

"How could I forget?" Lucille answered unenthusiastically.

"Can someone fill me in?" Pheobe asked.

Ellie looked to Lucille.. "You can tell her if you want." Lucille answered.

Ellie started the story from the beginning in a hushed voice, checking every few words to make sure no-one was earwigging. Lucille tuned the story out as she doesn't need to hear it.. she lived it. Instead she just sat with her eyes closed, leant back, letting the sounds of everybody's chattering merge together. When she opened her eyes again it was dark.. she smelt a sweet fragrance on her pillow, her eyes quickly adjusted and she realised she was laying down with a cover over her. She scanned the room, she was still sat in the same bunk.

Lucille stood up and checked the bunk above her, finding Phoebe fast asleep. Upon checking her own bunk she found Ellie there, snuggled up in the blankets. Lucille smiled.. then it dropped and she sighed, leaving the building to sit on the steps out the front. The morning sun was barely visible on the horizon, Lu sat contemplating her life.. what she wants from it.. what she's even capable of achieving while being stuck like this. She could never actually have a life with Ellie.. or anyone human. She didn't want to be the evil that could corrupt Ellie, after all what if one day she flips out and bites her?.. the chances are low but Lucille couldn't say there were none.

After a few hours the door behind Lucille burst open, she quickly stood up and saw Ellie stood there in her pjamas.. a frantic look on her face. "You're here?" She asked.

"Yes?" Lucille answered not really knowing what was going on. Ellie just came to her and hugged her tight. "What happened?"

"..I thought you left." Ellie answered in a weak tone, still hugging Lu.

"No, not yet." Lucille slowly hugged Ellie back. She casually stopped the hug and took a step back.. "Elizabeth.. I don't understand how you can move on so quickly. Have you even thought about him?"

"Of course I have.. but that doesn't stop me from worrying about you." Ellie frowned, still with puffy eyes from having just woken up.. she yawned and then shivered in the morning breeze. Lucille just watched her.. "Should I be worried?"

Lucille shrugged "..I don't think so."

"Your lack of enthusiasm is concerning." Ellie searched Lucille's eyes for an answer as one wasn't coming out of her mouth. Ellie reached out and gently took Lu's hand. "Just promise you won't leave me yet.."

"This doesn't have to end with us hurting.."

"Why does it have to end?"

Lucille glanced around and then spoke quietly.. "Because I could hurt you.."

"But you won't.."

"What if I did, what if I accidently turn you into.. this?" Lucille gestured to herself with her free hand.

"Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing.." Ellie replied casually.

Lucille dropped Ellies hand and moved back like she had been offended. "You're joking? Please tell me your joking?"

Ellie held out her hands as if asking what she did.. "I'm not saying right now.. but at least then you can't hurt me."

"I'm telling you never." Lucille furrowed her eyebrows.

"..Okay." Ellie spoke calmly.

"No.. it's not okay." Lucille angrily walked back inside, she changed her demeanor as soon as she reached the doors, now being slow and quiet as not to wake anyone up. She made it to her own bed and lied down kicking her shoes off. There was that sweet aroma again.. now how could she not think of Ellie when everything smells like her. Lucille tossed and turned and couldn't get back to sleep. Two hours later they were up and ready to be picked up.. They were being sent home since Sam was still missing. Lucille was successful in avoiding Ellie.

Phoebe and Ellie sat together while Lucille sat next to someone she didn't know. The ride was filled with chattering of students on the bus, some of them began singing a song.. Lucille just stared out of the window, thinking of what her life would be like if she were still human. Finally they made it back to the school and eventually back home..

Lucille and Phoebe had both been questioned by their mother about what had happened, she was just glad they were okay. That night Lucille went out hunting and came across several human predators to feed from, now she was completely healed. The next day Lucille paced in her room contemplating what to do.. what she should say to Elizabeth. Should she explain all the reasons why it's a bad thing?.. Maybe write a list and give it to her? Or just stay away from her all together? Lucille decided to try the first option. She told her mother she needed to pick up some new items for school. Her mother offered to drive but Lucille insisted on making her own way. She waved as she left and ordered a taxi, not wanting to be seen running in the daylight.

She knocked on the door and Ellie answered while she was on the phone.. "Lucille?" She asked clearly surprised.

"Is it her? Is she there?" The woman on the other end of the phone asked.

Ellie went white as a ghost and quickly hung up the phone. "What are you going here?"

Lu eyed her suspiciously for a few seconds. "Who was that?"

"Oh.. n.. no one." Ellie's nerves kicked in..

"What did you tell them about me?" Lucille asked..

"I didn't tell them anything." Ellie responded a bit more cooler under the pressure.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Straight after Lucille spoke Ellies phone chimed indicating a text. Lucille sped to her and quickly snatched the phone out of her hand.. Ellie took a few steps back at the force.

Lucille glanced down and saw a text on Ellie's front screen from an unknown number. 'Don't push her too hard, this won't work unless she makes the choice herself.'

Lucille is confused.. "What's this about?"

"Probably just nothing.." Ellie shrugged.

"You're a shit liar."

"I'm not-"

"..Who is it? I'm giving you a chance to be honest with me.. If you don't take it I'll never talk to you again. Tell me who it is Elizabeth.. what are they talking about?" Lucille almost begged. Lu could see that Ellie was having an internal battle.. "It's about me isn't it?" After Lu spoke Ellie hesitantly nodded, guilty was written across her face. Lucille sensed that there was something deeper going on here.. "Tell me what they're talking about."

"..I can't." Ellie now had tears in her eyes.

Lu took a deep breath.. "Fine." She huffed as she shifted her attention to the phone and unlocked it..

"Wait. What are you doing?" Ellie looked deathly scared.. "Please tell me what you're doing Lucille.."

Lu ignored Ellie and found the messages.. she wrote a message in the chat box 'Call me back.' .. "Tell me who it is or I'll find out for myself."

"I can't fucking say! It was never supposed to be this hard."

Lucille pressed send.. Almost immedietly the phone rang. "Hello? It is about Lucille?" Someone in the background piped up.. "Is she any closer to her goal?" .. "She's not saying anything.. maybe it's a bad connection." .. "We never had these problems with paper and ink. Pigeons were much more reliable." A different voice replied.. The phone hung up.

Lucille was unsure what to think of anything. She walked two steps closer to Ellie... "Please tell me what the fuck is going on?"

"I want to. I wish I could." Ellie spoke like she was truly torn. Lucille shook her head disappointed, sad and at a loss. She just started heading for the open door with Ellies phone, she'll read through the messages if she has too.. A gust of wind flew past her and flung the door closed. Lu slowly turned around to just see Ellie there with a hurt look on her face. "I'll talk." She spoke calmly.. Lucille turned back to her and waited. "Can we sit down?"

"No." Lu answered firmly.

"I don't want you to hate me.."

"I can't imagine you could do anything to make me hate you.."

"I wouldn't be so sure.." Ellie replied timidly.

"Just spit it out will you?!"

"..I.. I belong to a group of people that believe in an ancient prophecy.. they believe, that the prophecy, is about you."

Lucille pointed her finger at Ellie.. "Now I want the fucking truth."

"I just gave it to you."

"Bullshit!" Lu turned away for a moment.

"It's true.. they told me to stay close to Phoebe incase you returned. They told me what they thought you liked, how I could get you to like me."

Lu looked disgusted.. "This is just my luck.. how much of you is fake? You know what don't answer that, I'd rather not know."

"Lucille I'm telling you this because I care about you, you're in danger. This prophecy says you'll lead them into a new age or you'll be their downfall. They won't let you be the second one."

"So this whole time you've been spying on me? Trying to get me to be the villain? Putting me into situations where I hurt people?"

"You shouldn't care about the humans, they are the evil in this world, all they do is destroy, take, maim and pillage." Ellie argued.

"I know humans that aren't capable of those things.. you talk about humans like you aren't one."

Ellie glanced down.. "I'm a witch.. I want to be a vampire."

"How could you possibly want that?" Lu furrowed her eyebrows, still trying to figure out if she's being played for a fool.

"It took the humans barely two minutes to kill my parents. If they'd had super strength, or speed, or healing.. they'd be alive today."

"So now you want to join the side that feeds on humans? You want to become the monster that they fear? I wonder how many orphans will hate you for taking their parents. Do you not see the irony?"

"All I see is a species that shits on the good guy. It doesn't matter how kind you are or how much you want to change the world.. All that matters is how much power you have, how much money, how much influence.. the nice guy never wins so I joined the other team."

Lucille shook her head.. this is not at all who she thought Elizabeth was. "Do you have any honour? Any conviction? A fucking moral obligation?"

"No, I don't."

"Well, you've wasted your time.. now I know you're either a delusional cunt, or an evil one. Talking about prophecies like this is Narnia.. What even made you think it was about me?"

"It says our champion will be born to a family of powerful vampire hunters.. Hair drained of colour, violet eyes and a thirst for the blood of her kind.. she will either lift us up or bury us for good."

"My family do not hunt vampires.. Yes my hair is white, my eyes are purple... but I've only ever drank human blood.."

Ellie didn't really know how to respond.. "Whether you believe in the prophecy or not, they do." ..Ellie's phone started ringing.

Lucille grabbed Ellie's hand and placed the phone into it.. "You better get that.." Lucille raised her eyebrow ever so slightly.. Ellie looked helpless.. it rang four more times and she answered. "Elizabeth?.."

"I'm here."

"Why did you want a call? Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong."

"Are things back on track?.." Ellie glanced to Lucilles eyes and quickly looked away from them, the look of disappointment on Lucilles face was palpable, she didn't exactly look upset, more like she found all this distasteful.

"Everything is fine."

"Good.. let us know if anything changes."

"I will." Ellie spoke and then hung up.

"Wait.. was that our history teacher?"

"I told you Lucille, they've got their eye on you.."

"Then why you?" ...

"I'm the only witch they have, I can shape-shift.. they thought if you had feelings for me, I'd be able to help convince you to join them. They said the only way I could become one of them is if you make me one."

Lucille laughed as though she'd just heard a good joke.. "Wow.. this just gets better.. you're a fucking good actress Elizabeth. For a minute there I thought you were a genuinly nice person. Too bad you're just a plant.. so is that even your real face?" Now that the truth was out there Lucille no longer felt the need to conceal her anger and it showed.

"..No, it's not." Ellie looked to the floor clearly ashamed.

"Deceitful." Lucille shook her head slowly.. "I still can't believe you would do this.. Your whole reason for existing is to make me a monster.. whilst trying to convince me I'm not one. You think because a group of humans hurt your family, that you have the right to end them all? To use me?" Lucille furrowed her eyebrows.. "-Shame on you to think you're that important." Lucille turned and went to open the door again but Ellie closed it with a gust of wind, not ready for Lucille to be done with her. "-What do you want from me now? Is there another boyfriend out there that you want me to murder?" ...

"No Lucille, I never thought that was going to happen." ..

"But it did! ..You turned yourself into the victim, so that I'd protect you.. because that's who I am! You used the good in me to bring out the bad.. You Elizabeth, are a different kind of evil." Lucille felt more hurt than anything, she did her best to only show her anger.

"I'm sorry." ...

"Shove your sorry up your arse. Tell your little cult, if they don't leave me alone, I 'will' be their fucking downfall. And stay away from my family." ... Ellie looked over Lucille's face.. "-Will you let me leave now?" .. Lucille went for the door again but it was flung shut. "-Do that one more time I'll break the damn door down."

"I'm good at what I do but it's not who I am.. I told you everything you wanted to know." Ellie sounded as though she was almost in tears.

"You expect me to believe a single word that comes out of your serpent mouth? What are you hoping to accomplish now?" ...

"I just want you to know that no matter what happens, I really do care about you. I know I've done, unforgivable things. And you're right, you have no reason to believe me.. but we aren't living in the same world. In my world, you do what they say or you die."

"You want to know what it's like in my world? I get shit on by my parents, abandoned by my sister, slandered by the media, I have to seperate myself from everyone that I love to keep them safe and now you, and this shit.. a group of freaks who are likely going to try an kill me because I don't want to be their bringer of death." ... Ellie had tears in her eyes.. "-Don't do that shit Audrey Hepburn.." Ellie turned and headed for the stairs. "-So I can leave now?" Lucille called out .. Ellie didn't look back, she just kept going, trying to hold in her crying with quiet little sniffles. Lucille watched as Ellie continued to her room. 'Ellie is a snake and can't be trusted'. Lucille left, when she was out the front she looked back and saw Ellie watching her through the window.. She looked surprised, as though she hadn't expected Lu to look back. Lucille could clearly see that there were tears running down her cheeks, but she earned them.

Upon arriving home Lucille had a sudden urge to investigate.. she climbed up to the long forgotten attic and began to rummage through old things.. A few boxes in she came across a chest of books. She picked one up and opened a few pages, the writing was done by hand in a foreign language, all she could tell was that it was dated a hundred years ago. She put it down and picked up another. This one was English, her grandfathers name was on the front page.. She read a couple of entries. They were detailed encounters of his slaying of vampires. So Ellie was telling the truth about that.. it doesn't mean she can be trusted.

After a day or two of reading what she could of the journals it was time to back to school. Lucille dreaded seeing Ellie there, she knew she'd have to see her eventually.. Lu needed to know everything about the cult that would inevitably be after her. Lucille was careful at school, making an effort to hide or find other things to do during history. She couldn't know how many people were watching her so Lucille carefully watched her surroundings, on guard every second. Phoebe noticed and asked her about it a few times, telling her to chill out. Pheebs also brought up Ellie.. her absence.

A few days of school with no Ellie left Lucille pacing in her room.. wondering if something had happened to Elizabeth. What if they found out she'd warned Lucille? "Maybe she just wants me to be worried." Lucille thought out loud. "Fuck." Lucille sighed before leaving her room, she grabbed her coat and walked out the door without an explanation. She got a taxi and arrived at her destination not long after. Lucille knocked on Ellie's front door and Connor answered.

"Hey Lu. How's it going?" He smiled kindly.

"Not too bad thanks, you?" Lucille made a brief smile.

"Yeah I'm good.. are you here for something?"

"Oh, I'm actually here to talk to Elizabeth if that's alright? We have a project together and she hasn't been at school."

"She's not been feeling too good, I think she caught a bug on that camping thing. You can go up to her room but she might be asleep."

"Thanks." Lucille nodded and smiled as she walked inside, then straight up to Ellie's room, she knocked on the door then opened it.. Ellie was laid there wrapped in a quilt, sniffling away with watery eyes. Lucille glanced to the TV and saw a depressing black and white movie playing.. "Why are you crying? You like this movie. Jeez Elizabeth, it fucking stinks in here, crack a window or something.." Lucille held her nose and wafted the air. Ellie chuckled tiredly.. "-I'm not joking, you need a shower."

"..I know." Ellie sighed not moving from where she laid with the cover still over her head so that only her face was showing. "-Why are you here?" Ellie asked.

"I have more questions.."

"I thought you didn't believe me?"

Lucille took a deep breath "..You lied to me about alot of things.. and you're still wearing someone else's face, but some of what you said was true."

"If I didn't look like this they would know you know something, and then my jig would really be up.."

"So where does Connor fit into all this?"

"Connor really is my idiot brother.. they just hypnotised him."

"Doesn't that make you angry?"

Ellie shook her head.. "No.. this is my way of protecting him."

"Well aren't you a Saint."

Ellie furrowed her eyebrows.. "You asked."

Lu frowned and walked to the window, she threw the curtains back and put the window on the latch "-What are you doing?" Ellie covered her stinging eyes. Lucille ignored Ellies question and walked back over to her, she lifted the bed and Ellie rolled out, a thud was heard as her body hit the floor. "-What the fuck?!" Ellie got to her feet with a frown on her face.. Her hair was all over, she was wearing just a baggy off-white t-shirt and a pair of underwear, her eyes had bags under them.. Lucille stood looking at her for a moment.

"Is everything alright up there?!" Connor shouted.

"Yeah it's fine!" Ellie called back unenthusiastically.

"Why haven't you been eating?"

"..I haven't been hungry."

Lucille couldn't stop her questioning thoughts.. ".. ..Show me your real face."

"Why?" Ellie looked away a little embarrassed..

"Because I want to see it." .. Ellie's eyes landed on Lucille then the floor, contemplating what to do. Slowly her hair turned a much darker shade and slightly longer, then her whole image began to change shape.. her heart shaped face became squarer, her jaw more chisled, her eyebrows darker and thicker but still perfectly shaped, her lips were round and fuller, her light pinkish skin turned a darker olive tone and she was now almost the same height as Lucille. She looked up with piercing Hazel eyes. Lucille's breath got caught in her throat, she'd never imagined Elizabeth was this beautiful. Even not having washed for days see could still see her natural beauty.

"If only the outside matched the inside.." ...Ellie had nothing to say in response, even though what Lu said really hurt her. "-They really don't know me at all.."

"Most of what they told me about you wasn't true." Ellie seemed to have a bit of an accent now...

"Like what?"

"Like most of the things that people assume about you.."

"So how much have you told them?"

"..They know about your relationship with your family, and about what happened with Sam.." ..Somehow her accent was getting stronger..

"I still can't believe it had to be you.. and to think, you were so close to having me wrapped around your finger."

"I was?" Ellie seemed surprised.

"Like I said, you're a good actress. Now go shower so we can finish this conversation." Ellie frowned.. but she didn't argue.. she went through her drawers, pulled out some items of clothing then walked off to the shower. Whilst she was in there Lucille filled the time with changing Ellies sheets to the clean ones that Lu found on top of her dresser. After fifteen minutes Ellie returned wearing a long flowy, dark flowery dress that had a low v-neck and a split up the side.. Her dark golden brown hair was wavy and wet, she looked effortlessly beautiful. "-Please go change into something else."

"What why?" Ellie asked looking over what she had on.

Lucille looked away and back again.. "Because I can't tell if you are still trying to seduce me or not."

"This is me Lucille.. I'm not acting."

"What accent is that?"

"It's French.."

"Why doesn't Connor have one?"

"Because we are supposed to be from here.. a French accent might throw the whole thing off." ... Lucille found herself staring while Ellie looked to the bed. "-You changed my sheets?" ..

"Showering doesn't help if you get back into a festering pit." .. Ellie laughed, it sounded like a sweet melody and Lucille couldn't take her eyes away. Until Ellie looked back to her, then she looked to the side. "-Did you tell them how I changed?"

"..No."

"Have you spoken to them recently?"

"Just to tell them I'm sick.. why are you asking?"

"I'm trying to understand where you're at with this.."

"I'm not anywhere.. I just want to sleep."

"Do you still want to become a monster?"

"I just wanted to be strong enough to protect myself, and my family.."

".. 'wanted'... So you don't want it anymore?"

"I'm not sure if it matters anymore."

"What changed?"

"Nothing changed. To them me proving myself is convincing you to change me."

"That makes no sense, I'd sooner change someone I don't care about."

"I know, but they figured you wouldn't want to loose someone you love. Eventually you'd figure I'd grow old.."

"I won't drag anyone down to hell with me just for the company."

"I guess that's where you and I are different-" Ellie had a guilty look on her face.. "-For what its worth.. I wish I wasn't already rotten on the inside.. I could've been what you needed."

"For a minute there, I thought that's what you were."

"..Fuck, Lucille you have to go. You have to leave now!" There was a sudden urgency in Elizabeth, a fear in her eyes, she tried to push Lu towards the door but obviously Lucille still had questions..

"Why? What's wrong?"

"They're coming here for you."

"You called them?" Lucille looked angered and hurt.

"If I'm not with them then I'm against them.. I thought maybe I could still save me and Connor.." Tears began falling from Ellie's eyes.. "-You have to go now Lucille." She sniffled.

"What will they do if they find you here without me?"

"I deserve everything that's coming.. but you don't." Ellie tried again to push Lucille to the door, being very much unable to.

"That's not what I asked.."

"It doesn't matter just please go.. I did this to myself."

"You're going to regret saving me you know.." Lucille heard a car engine.. she walked to the window and looked out, seeing two black SUV's in the driveway. Ten people dressed mostly in black and leather and sunglasses began to exit their cars, they all began walking up to the front door. Lucille walked to Ellie's bedroom door as the doorbell rang through the house. Ellie ran and jumped over her bed to get to Lucille, she stood between Lu and the door with her hands out.

"Lucille stop please, what are you doing?"

"I'm fulfilling the stupid prophecy.."

"I can't let you get hurt.." Ellie stood now with her back against the door and her hands out infront.

Lucille stepped forwards so that Ellie's hands her on her chest.. She held Ellie's biceps and almost lifted her up to move her to the side. "This is no longer in your hands." The doorbell rang again.. Ellie began practically hanging off Lucille's arm, digging her heels in, trying desperately to stop Lu from moving. There was Connor on the landing, about to start walking down the stairs.. "-Hey Connor, your sister needs you.. I'll get the door." ... Ellie reluctantly let go of Lucilles arm and walked backwards into the room so Connor wouldn't see her straight away..

"Okay.. thanks Lu." Connor smiled.. Lucille walked past him and heard.. "-You're not my sister." But Lucille didn't have time to deal with that.. She carried on down the stairs and to the front door.

She opened it and saw a huge bald dark skinned man with black shades on, everyone else stood behind him. He tilted his head.. Lucille walked backwards giving them space to enter. He ducked through the doorframe followed by the rest of the group.. "So you're the one? You're tiny.. just a little girl."

Lucille smiled, without a moments notice she slashed across the mans thighs with her long talons, severing the muscles. He dropped to his knees as she thrust her talons into his throat, instinct took over and she bit into the side of his neck.

______

NOTES-

This chapter is 250 words off 5000, not sure how it came to be so long but hopefully you don't mind.

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