Bloodlines: Alexus Dracula

When the Lights Go Out

08 March 1939

Alexus:

It has been over a week and a half since Papa left, we have received one letter that explained he had reached Auckland and would be on the next flight to Australia before continuing to Canada and make his way down to America before meeting us at the coven.  Mama grew more and more anxious as the time without him grew longer.  She anxiously anticipated the arrival of our grandfather.  This morning we all woke up in bed together and had breakfast as normal but by this afternoon, mothers anxiety grew, her mannerism changes and she was on high alert but for some reason, she would not tell me anything.  Her acting like this made me feel uneasy like something bad was coming.  

As the sun started to set mother began cooking dinner and I got Rome ready for a bath before having a shower myself.  I had just finished dressing before Mama smashed through the bathroom door in a panic. "They are coming," she said to me in a panic.  "Take your brother, go out the back door and head to the spring.  I will hold them off as long as I can" she said.  Rome was crying, more like whaling, I remember it was loud and I could only just hear Mama over it and then nothing.  Mama had injected Rome with a sedative so that I could carry him quietly to the spring without being followed.  At this moment everything caught up to me and tears started streaming down my face.  I felt numb, I felt cold and all I wanted was my Papa.  Suddenly the lights went off in the house, Mama grabbed me close and enveloped me into a tight hug.  I loved Mamas hugs but this one was different, it was tighter and more urgent.  She then led me and Rome to the cellar.  

We had a tunnel that led out into the forest in the cellar, we stood at the entrance.  "You have to go now.  Take care of your brother for me" she said as she ran her fingers through his hair.  Again, the tears started flowing uncontrollably again.  "When you get to the other end of the tunnel, take this and detonate it," said Alexandra as she handed a detonator to Alexus.  "But what about you? How will you follow us down the tunnel? How will you come and meet us?" said Alexus searching her mother's eyes.  "There is no time to tell you how much I love you both but I won't be coming with you my darling. It is a mothers job to protect her children and I will make sure to kill them all before my last breath" said Alexandra as she pushed Alexus into the tunnel, closing the door behind her. Alexus tried to keep it together as she pushed down all of her emotions, shifted Rome so that she had a better hold on him before starting to run to the end of the tunnel.  Once she reached the end like her mother instructed she blew the tunnel.

Alexandra

Roman and I have both been preparing for this moment from the day we first welcomed our children into this world.  They are the next generation and will be faster and stronger than us both and humans are greedy always wanting what they don't have or wanting to weaponise everything.  I will not let them use either of my children as weapons.  This is was is best for both of them, I repeated in my head as I led Alexus and Rome down to the cellar.  We stood at the tunnel door and I knew I would have to remain strong for both of them.  After one final hug, I tore myself aware and push them into the tunnel before closing the door with my back against it I let the tears stream down my face.  I knew at this moment, that would be the last time I will ever see my children again. 

A few more minutes had passed and I heard footsteps at our front door, I slowly made my way back up to the house.  I went straight to my bedroom and pulled out a weapons case from under my bed.  In there were weapons I had laid down the moment I became pregnant, the moment I wanted to leave the warrior life and live a simple life.  I opened the case and the shine from the metal blinded me.  My swords and daggers were once extensions of my arms.  Running my fingers over them I accidentally cut myself, they were still sharp. I pulled out my thick, tight black jumpsuit and inserted daggers and swords into their resting places before sitting on the bed waiting for them to breach.  In the silence, they breached breaking down the front door and at that same moment I heard a sound I was waiting for the small explosion from the tunnel, they had made it out. I took one more deep breath, stretching my neck and arms ready for what was to follow.

As soldiers burst into the house through the front door, there was another breach to the rear of the house.  I stood and quickly started moving my way through the house taking out as many soldiers as I could.  I was determined and I was going to make sure I got them all before my last breath.  I could feel bullets enter my leg and waist but my adrenaline was so high that I kept moving.  I was down to the last few people when I noticed someone running out of the house.  I killed the two men who were in the living room with me before staggering outside.  I pulled out my last dagger and launched it at him as I collapsed and fell down the stairs onto the front lawn.  Everything was going black but I kept my eyes on my target until he suddenly dropped to the ground and I knew I had got them all.  I rolled over looking up into the sky, the dark sky with a million bright stars and remembered all the times we had sat under these stars as a family.  I whispered into the sky like Roman could hear me "I love you!" before closing my eyes and drifting off into a deep sleep.