Tainted Blood [3]

Chapter 33

I groaned as I rolled over, snuggling into my comforter. I opened my eys, shooting up, half dazed looking around the room as images come flashing past my eyes. Vicky, Casey, Stefan, Archer, I gasped and let out a sob as I pictured Archer's body covered in blood, I looked around to see where I was.

"What the hell ?" I was in my bedroom, as in the one in my parents house, I threw the blankets off to see I was in my pj's, I jumped out of bed, falling over the sheets on my way to the mirror, I looked the same as I always had, my brown hair framed my face, reaching the middle of my back, my green eyes are bright as ever, where the hell was everyone ?

"Hey Avabear, you okay ?" I spun around to see Tyler standing in the door way smiling. "Why aren't you dressed ? We have school in five minutes..."

"What are you talking about ? We dropped out ages ago," I shook my head. "Where is everyone ? And why are we here ?"

"Because you live here ? Have been for a good eighteen years..." My eyes widened.

"No, no, no, I moved out, we've been living with Dayton, Hunter and," I choked back a sob. "And Archer."

"Who are they ? Av are you feeling okay ?" He stepped forward as I stepped back. "What's wrong ?"

"How don't you remember them ? You were in love with Dayton! I was taken by Stefan, Casey was alive, Nadia, Raine, Max! Chloe was killed, so was Lizze ! How do you not know this ?!" He raised a brow.

"Avalon, I think you have dreamt all this up," Tyler tried to step closer to me but I stepped back again.

"It was real, it was so real," I felt the tears well up in my eyes.

"Tyler! Stop teasing the poor girl!" Dayton walked in and slapped Tyler on the arm.

"TYLER!" I started to punch at his chest. "Why would you do that you stupid idiot!" I cried into his chest before his arms engulfed me.

"Shhh," he rocked me back and forth before kissing me on the top of the head. "It's okay."

"Ty I saw him, I saw Archer-" I broke down in sobs as Tyler held me.

"Av, come with me," Dayton took a hold of my hand before pulling me downstairs, when we walked into the living room to see everyone sitting around and talking, Hunter stood near the fireplace talking to someone with their back to me, but they looked very familiar.

"Archer ?" Dayton let go of my hand and stood back with Tyler as he turned around.

"Hey Snow," I smiled before running and jumping on his, wrapping my legs around him and pulling his lips to mine, after a few seconds I pulled back and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I thought I told you nothing stupid that could get you killed," I murmured into his neck, tightening my hold on his neck.

"I remember telling you the same thing," Archer chuckled. "You scared the hell out of me snow."

"Same here," I pulled back to look him in the eye. "No more almost getting killed by leeches."

"Agreed," Archer smiled before giving me a peck on the lips and letting me go. I jumped down onto the floor.

"But I still don't understand how you're alive, I saw Stefan stab you," I tilted my head.

"He just missed my heart, couple more inches and I would have been dead, gotta be thankful for hellhound healing," He smirked, but it was a more accusing smirk. "But you know all about that don't you ?"

"Well..." I smiled before turning to where Pops stood with Bruce and Red head. "I can't thank you enough for helping us," I gave Pops a hug before moving onto Bruce. "It means a lot."

"Anytime princess," Bruce smiled.

"I have to ask," I looked over at Red, he straightened his back. "Why'd you come back ? You seemed dead set on not helping a teen who got on the wrong side of a vamp," he looked down, scratching the back of his neck embarrassed.

"You told us you weren't going to force us to fight, I realised almost too late, running would make me a coward, you showed your strength, I thought the least I could do was fight along side you."

"Thank you, I really appreciate it," I gave him a hug before being pulled back to Archer's chest.

"Your welcome, anytime you need anything, don't hesitate to call," I nodded as he left with Bruce.

"Goodbye princess, I'll talk to you soon," he gave me a final hug before leaving.

"Good to have you back Av," Nadia smiled from the fireplace, where she stood wrapped up in Hunter, Max and Raine were on the sofa cuddled up while Dayton and Tyler where leaning against the wall by the doorway.

"Good to be back," I got ahold of Archer's hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'm not going anywhere ever again."

"Pass me the bottle," Archer gave me the bottle of Jack Daniels so I took a swig. Once the sun had gone down we had set up a fire out the back, pulled out some blankets, alcohol and the photo albums, we all sat in our couples under a blanket with bottles of drink.

"It's time," I looked up and shared a look with Tyler I nodded as everyone got their pictures ready.

"To Damien," Max held up one of the pictures of Max and Damien at the club, we'd agreed we would have copies of all our photos to burn, as our final farewell to our friends. "We will always miss you."

"To Chloe," Raine gulped as she threw in a picture of Chloe laughing covered in flour. "You will forever be in our hearts."

"To Skye and Pandora," Nadia threw in a cross necklace, one which had been Pandora's. "You will always have been the first friends I'd ever had."

"To Lincoln," Tyler put a picture of him and Lincoln as kids. "You were always the one to save me from being the only guy."

"To Vicky," Dayton threw in a picture of Vicky, it was taken from my birthday party, just before Chloe's death. "I will miss you like hell, and defiantly miss your laugh around the house."

"To Mr and Mrs Greene," Archer threw in a picture of Mom and Dad. "I promised I'd to take care of your daughter, you didn't deserve to die in the way you did," he pulled me closer and kissed the top of my temple.

"To Casey," Everyone froze as I picked up the picture of her and I, no one expected me to say goodbye to her, hell even I surprised myself, I threw it into the fire. "I'm sorry I turned you into the monster you became."

"Av..." Nadia gave me a pitied look while I picked up the next picture.

"To Lizze," I threw in her picture into the flames. "I wish I had had a better goodbye for you, but I can't think of anything," I looked down, I had changed back into the clothes I had worn yesterday, I thought of Stefan as I stared at my shirt before pulling it off, thankfully I had a vest on underneath. I threw the shirt into the fire. "And to Stefan, I'm sorry, I just wish you weren't so power crazy."

"Goodbye," Archer whispered as the flames ate up everything we threw in, as they slowly became ash.