A Vampire's Heart

CH 10 A Memory

Anthony’s POV

*flashback starts*

The memory unfolding before me brought me to a house that was on fire, there was a little girl looking up at an upstairs window screaming. I turned to see another child who looked to be trapped in the upstairs room, I could hear the child’s screams which soon turned to coughs as she disappeared into the smoke that filled the room. 

I couldn’t just stand there and watch as the innocent child died in a house fire. There wasn’t time for me to stand and think, without hesitation I jumped to the windowsill and broke the glass. I could simply erase the children’s memory of what is happening. I looked around in the dark smoke, I could hear a faint heartbeat. 

I tried to step down but a barrier was blocking me, I could feel the pressure being pushed against my chest,  I hadn't been invited inside. There was something different about this barrier, it was strong and I could feel the barrier attacking my mind. Then it clicked in my head, a witch family lived here. Frustration roared inside, I called out to the child to see where they were. 

I could hear the crackle of the fire gaining closer, I tried using my ability to gain control of the fire, but I couldn’t, for some reason the fire was fighting me back. It has to be because of the barrier, a protection spell added to keep unwanted outsiders from harming them. 

“Hello!” I yelled louder.

“Help me.” A voice rang in my ears, it was so faint, almost like a whisper from a distance. I looked around and I could see a small girl laying on the floor, her chest barely rising.

“I’m sorry! I can’t get to you until I’m invited inside! Let me in please!” I could hear urgency in my voice.

“Come in.” the little girl said as she dozed off into unconsciousness. The moment the words were said, I could feel the pressure lift against my body, my mind being released of the boundary it was put in. I immediately stepped down and could feel the fire raise in my body, fire has a heartbeat and this was a strong one. 

I walked towards the little girl, raising my hand to disperse the smoke around her. She was still breathing, I picked her up and turned to the window but the ceiling collapsed before me. I quickly ran out of the room, trying to find another way out, within seconds the fire was growing. I closed my eyes and breathed, focused my mind on where I needed to go. When I opened my eyes, a path appeared before me through the fire. 

It was hard to believe, I had never fully understood my ability, to know what I truly was capable of, I am still learning. I followed the path which led me down the stairs to what looked like a living room. I walked towards the door and kicked it open, the fresh air hitting my face. 

The little girl who was standing outside screaming looked at me in shock with tears rolling down her face. I quickly ran to her side causing her to jump at me suddenly appearing before her. 

*flashback ends*

As my eyes opened, trying to process what I had just seen. I was looking into the eyes of the woman who stood before me with concern written all over her face.

“Why did you show me that?” I was confused as to what happened a few years ago had to do with her.

“Do you really not remember?” I was going to reply back with ‘no’ but she didn’t give me the chance.

“The memory you just saw was of you saving my sister from a burning house.” her voice sounded wobbly, I could see her eyes well up as she looked down to regain her posture and start over.

“Wait, you’re the little girl that was standing outside screaming? Your sister is the one I saved? Okay, well why are we talking about this?” I said unsure of what this has to do with Lyla being in the hospital.  Was wasting my time out here with them when I could be back inside with Lyla.

“You don’t know?” she question be with shock in her eyes.

“Know what?” I said, she turned to look at her husband and then back at me.

“The day you saved my sister, our parents were out healing a werewolf family. You didn’t stick around long enough to know how the fire started.” she began, I was still confused and I guess she could tell.

“Long story short, the fire was started by my sister. She had gone into a sleep walk and didn’t know what she was doing, the fire was an accident. Or so we thought.” she paused as she gestured we sit and then she continued. “You see, my sister had an ability, she could see the future. When Lyla was born, my sister had a confession to tell me, it turned out the fire that night wasn’t an accident. She told me she had a vision that a fire had to ignite. Then she said the moment her hand touched you, another vision was sent to her.” she was staring at me, as if she was waiting for a reaction from me.

“Okay, what’s this vision?” I felt impatient.

“It’s a prophecy. It’s said that ‘a lily will bond with a cross to become the strength to defeat the evil’.” she said it so plainly and I was just trying to make all sense.

“Okay.” it was all I managed to get out. My mind was trying to wrap around this prophecy.

“Confusing, I know. It makes sense now since you’re here with her.” my head snapped to meet her eyes.

“What? How does Lyla and me have anything to do with this prophecy your sister received?” I could tell she new I was getting frustrated.

“Your last name is ‘Cross’.” 

“And?” where exactly was this going?

“Her middle name is ‘Lily’, ‘Lyla Lily Alonso’. I know you two are mates, my sister foretold it to me before she disappeared.” 

Oh s**t.