Bitten Wings 26

Light poured through my thin lids, making them flicker. I groaned, then wished I didn't. The effort of making a sound sent me coughing, blood coming up with the air I hacked out. My senses were slow to come to me, fuzzy with my eyes closed, though I was afraid of what I'd see if I opened my eyes. But slowly, I braved it. Where the hell was I!? Then I remembered. I was in a castle. I was laying out, sprawled out across the bed.
"Oh my God.." a voice whispered. "She's awake! She's awake! Oh, sis..I was so worried."
I stared at the blurry figure to my left, sitting in some chair. The image cleared and I saw a girl, teenager...possibly about my age. She had long black hair the fell around her shoulders, her icy-blue eyes locked on mine. She smiled, fangs flashing.
I flinched.
She raised an eyebrow, her lip curling back over her fangs. "Did you-"
"Who are you?" I spat out first, before falling back into a coughing fit. She waited till I had finished, then spoke up, "Chloe. Don't you remember?"
"Chloe?"
"Yes, Angel, your sister."
"Sister? I don't have a sister."
She paused, her eyes flashing, "What..." she breathed.
I nodded cautiously, "Yeah..I don't have a sister..you must be confused..I'm sorry..where am I exactly?"
"Your castle, Angel..Angel, you don't remember your own sister?"
"I don't have a sister..I'm sorry, but you are confused.."

Chloe's eyes grew pained, touching my hand. I recoiled away, the touch was fake kindness. The last few months bashed into me suddenly, sending my sitting up, bent over, spewing blood as I coughed. By the time I finished, I realized what Addere meant when he told me everything I saw was I lie. I'd been fed a lie. I've been turned into a vamp because of a lie. I've been eating a lie fed to me by my so called, 'sister'. Damn.
"Chloe.." I moaned, trying to act as if I still thought she was my sister. 'Remembering' her. Her face lit up, "Yes..yes Angel?"
"What happened?"
"The humans," she growled, shaking her head. "I wish they would stop fighting us, sis."
I coughed, hiding my scowl. "Sis," I breathed, "I need some fresh air."
Suspicion flashed in her eyes, but she helped me up, allowing me to lean on her heavily. Damn..no way I could fly in this condition. Not good..so damn not good. I moaned, "What was I hit with?"
"Some kind of poison. It's the first stages of the cure you're experiencing."
"Then it isn't a poison."
She nodded cautiously, "Right.."
"Then you should get shot..I mean-that's not how I meant it to sound-"
She laughed, nodding, "I know. I'm not sure..it sounds..-"
"Painful."
She grinned, nodding. "Right."

We stepped out of the castle, in the back, facing away from the wall of the humans. Just like she undoubtedly meant, to lead me away from the humans, make it harder for me. All of a sudden I felt like crying. What else should I feel? My sister wasn't my sister. She was a vamp. And what of the memories I had? How did they-
"Kill her!" a voice roared, an arrow lodging itself into my shoulder. I screamed, pulling it out quickly. The wound healed quickly. Chloe stepped away from me, allowing me to fall, not able to stand on my own. Addere strode out, gripping my neck and pulling me up till my toes left the ground. The air started to slip away from my lungs.
"So, love. You remembered? Broke through the lies?"
I opened my mouth but decided I couldn't waste what breath I had left. I could just as easily die sooner if I did. I swung my foot and caught him on the ribs. The force of the kick sent him against the wall, dropping me. But it also left me gasping. I didn't have time to stop, relaxed and catch my breath. Matter of life and death here, so I really couldn't stay and chat. I threw open my wings and pushed off the ground quickly, the air pressing down on Chloe (was that even her name?) and Addere.

"I want a divorce!" I roared above the wind, gripping a wing and throwing it down at him. As arrows started to fly and pushed out, rushing over the castle, hit by plenty of arrows, but forcing myself to keep going. My heart pounded against my chest, my breath icy cool. For the first time in years, I knew what was going on. I knew what I had to do. Problem was, I was still a vamp. They would shoot me down in an instant when I entered the city. I shook my head, I would have to deal with that when I got there. Right now, I had to remind myself to breathe. Shouts sounded behind me, bats screeching. I winced, glancing back, soaring over trees. My mouth fell open, it looked like the entire castle coming after me. "Damn!" I hissed, diving into the trees, making swift movements to try to lose them. Hoots of owls came to my rescue, diving in and picking off a few of the vamps. They shifted, landing and running after them. An owl came to my side, nodding at me. I cocked an eyebrow. And to my surprise, it had a voice.
"Your Majesty, the owls know of who and what you are. We have watched you. We pledge an alliance to you."
I grinned, "Thank you! Oh God thank-" I coughed, blood trailing from my lips.
"We will fend them off so that you may escape. There is a boy who is willing to shelter you."
"What? Who?"
"I believe his name is Drake."
I smiled, nodding, "Where?"
"He will meet you at the border. A scout has already sent for him."
"Thank you, Captain. I am forever in your debt."
He beamed, "Never, Angel. Never." Then he turned, an enormous flock of owls, strangely larger than any owl I had seen before-more like hawks-dived upon the advancing vamps, bitting, tearing, clawing. The vamps healed, but could never get a clear aim to swat, or cut the wings or chests of the flying beasts.
"Thank God," I whispered, then turned and headed toward the border. The vamps were too busy to notice.