Love is nothing.

"You wouldn't shoot her in broad daylight. Cameras, drivers passing by, witnesses walking down the street, there's no way you can't be seen." Darren seems to think he can reason with her. She smiles coldly as she walks over to me and puts the gun to my forehead. I feel numb. The world goes in slow motion. Darren grabs the barrel of the gun just as she fires, and the bullet whizzes past my face, grazing my cheek.
"You didn't think that I was just going to stand by and let you kill her, did you?"
"I wanted to save you for last." She says, almost pouting as Darren yanks the gun out of her hand.
"When will you people get it? No matter how hard you try, the protagonist will always win." Darren sighs, looking at me. She takes his face in her hands and stares deeply into his eyes, trying to burn holes in them. Darren's jaw goes slack, as he stares at her with the same look Dimitri gave her.
"Darren, be a dear and kill Karen?"
How does she know my name? she hands Darren the pistol and he just looks at her blankly.
"Go on." He looks like a confused little kid, as he turns around and points it at me, his hands shaking. His lower lip trembles and his eyes fill with tears. Darren has never cried. Never. I stare at him, frozen like a deer in headlights. All thoughts of running were gone. It has to be him, him that ends me I think, as I watch the pistol waver unsteadily. He couldn't do it. He'd miss, if he did. His eyes travel to my cheek. I touch where the bullet grazed and wince. I can feel the blood, hot and sticky on my skin, plus it hurts like hell. A tear rolls down my cheek as I try to combat the pain and rising feelings in me as Darren stands with the gun pointed at my head. It seems as though we stand there for an eternity, Darren, I, and the wobbly gun.
"I can't do it." He whispers, putting his head in his hands, dropping the gun in the process.
"Why does nothing go as planned?" The woman groans as she picks up the gun.
"I'll do it myself." She huffs.
I don't want to die a second time.
The other part of me doesn't respond.
What do we do?
Nothing

My ears ring as the shot is fired. I hear a scream. But it wasn't mine. My vision blurs as Dimitri collapses in front of me. The woman blinks and smiles one of the most sadistic smiles ever to cross a supposed human being's face as she walks over to us.
"Dimitri?"
There's a small crater sprouting rivulets of blood where his nose used to be. I fall onto my knees beside him.
"Stupid, stupid boy." I choke, tears constricting my voice.
"Dimitri...it doesn't...it isn't...no one is supposed to die...not...not like this..." The woman's odd spell on him has vanished, and all thoughts of composure were forgotten as tears slide Darren's face.
"Your fate." The woman smirks as she twirls her gun into the back of my head. But I don't care, not anymore.
"Broad daylight...how..." Darren looks out at the street, to nothingness. Everything is gone but Dimitri. His eyes huge and vacant stare back. I look away as I pull his eyes closed gently. Why did we stick around? How could I let his happen? How could this happen-
"You stayed because you didn't think anyone would get hurt." The woman supplies. I look up at her, feeling the purest of black hatred—and then my eyes meet hers.

 

*down

 

Her eyes are cold, freezing, something indescribably dark. I pull away as I feel her try to consume me with her dark, soulless eyes.

We all knew what should've happened. Darren was the one who was supposed to be my knight and shining armor. I stare at Dimitri, my feelings manifesting into a mixture of thanks and grief.

There is no sign of any sort of morning. The birds sing continually, the sky is abnormally colorful, and I think I'm about to vomit. My mind has soothed itself into a dull lull as I try to process this. It doesn't seem right, some how. Dimitri was a Pureblood, that had to count for something? Nope. His death was fast and painful. He stares upwards, blood trickling into the sockets. I stop bloody from getting into his eyes and close them.
"Dimitri." I whisper, my voice hoarse from tears unshed. Darren just stares. The woman's phone rings as she points the gun at Darren. She curses under her breath.
"Oh bother. I must be going." She says as she drags his corpse away from view, and comes back with a Dimitri-sized trash bag and throws him in.
"We'll get you soon enough." She promises as she drives away.
"What the fuck?"
"I...I don't know."

 

Darren and I stand there, for about an hour, until I coax him into Dimitri's car. The drive home is tense and all together strange.
"We didn't do anything for him. We could've, but we didn't." I murmur, guilt seeping into my mind.
"I know."
"It feels...wrong. It shouldn't have happened."
"No, no it shouldn't have." He echoes hollowly, eyes infinitesimally sad and guilt ridden.
"It's almost...it's almost like a dream."
"I guess..." Darren trails off as he dissipates.


I wake up with a start. My psyche is playing tricks on me again. I look around wildly, for the crash, an indication to whatever the hell just happened...and find none.

"Was it a dream?" I touch my cheek. The skin is smooth, and unmarked. I sigh, relieved. Dimitri remains alive. I stretch in the morning light, knowing its my turn on patrol duty.

There is a list of tasks to be done, food to be made, money to be made, territory to protect, cleaning always a constant need. Hunters like Darren have it easy; no responsibility whatsoever. The Regulars like me and Edward are left to do menial tasks. Brewers have no responsibility other to stock the potions constantly. There are the lucky few who get to go out and do business, have jobs, to pay for food.