"Revealed"

Alex stared at her phone for what seemed to be forever. In all reality it had only been an hour. Xander stared at his twin sister. He knew she was thinking about something, but what exactly? Before he could even come up with a plan in his head the phone rang. Alex picked it up on the first ring.

“Damian.” She said coldly.

“Aww my love, now that sounded like you weren’t happy to hear back from me.” He teased.

“Considering the circumstances of the situation, no I don’t want to hear from you, but since you have John I had to change the game plan.”

“Aww, how sweet. I just might vomit. The time is ticking for your little boy toy and you want to make snarky remarks. Bad move on your part, love.” Damian laughed. Alex balled her hands into a tight fist. Her knuckles were turning almost stone white. She was holding herself back from destroying everything Damian stood for.

“Let me talk to John.” Alex demanded.

“I’m the one calling the shots here darling. You’ll talk to him in due time.”

“NOW DAMIAN!” Alex yelled. Damian always knew how to push her buttons and telling her no was one of them.

“Alex?” a shaky voice asked. She shivered at the sound of his voice.

“John are you ok?”She asked frantically.

“I’m fine. I just don’t know where I am. Who is Damian?”

“He’s nobody. Don’t worry; I’m coming to get you. I-“ She was cut off when she heard John grunt and a punch land.

“John!” she heard herself scream.

“Now if you want to see him alive, you’ll do as I say, understand?”

“Yes.” Alex replied weakly. She hated Damian having the upper hand in any situation. The worst part was that it involved John’s life, so she had no choice but to sit back and cooperate.

“That’s a good girl. Now my sweet, if you wish to “save” your little human boy toy, come to the old abandoned Calvin Klein warehouse in the Garment District in an hour.” Damian commanded. He hung up the phone and Alex stood up. She looked at Xander and then her cell phone. She stood up with her head hung low. Her hair covered her face. Damian had John. Damian hit John. Damian was playing games and using John to get to her. She was a pawn in his sick, twisted game of chess, and that pissed her off. Alex balled her fists tight again and began to breathe heavily. As her back rose and fell as she stood slumped over, Xander heard her growl. He ran over to his sister to check and see if she was alright, afraid that she may have turned into her more than slightly evil and twisted counter persona.

“Lex, are you okay?” Xander asked. Alex said nothing. She just stood there breathing heavily and growling. She was statuesque in her stance. She looked like the little girl from “The Ring” just all grown up and brown skinned.

“Lex?” Xander asked again. Alex twitched her head to the right. She heard him call her name and something within her stirred. “Lex, are you ok?” Xander asked once more. He was getting more concerned with every passing minute. Alex twitched her head to the right. “Lex!” Now he was very worried.

“The name’s Lexa!” a voice said. It sounded smoother and a little deeper than Alex’s voice. Who was this? This was Alex’s body that that was standing in front of him wasn’t it? Who’s Lexa?

“Lexa?” he asked with a small amount of fear in his voice. Alex was powerful, Alexandria was more powerful, and now Lexa? He didn’t know who she was. Alex lifted her head; a thin layer of hair still covered her face. She quickly opened her eyes. Xander saw something that he never wanted to see, one crimson red eye. Xander shook in fear and reached for the gun that he stashed in his belt, and cocked it. Alex flipped her head back, causing the remaining hair to fall into place. She hung her head slightly and moved her eyes upward to look at Xander.

“Lex?” he asked again. She slowly raised her head and looked into his eyes and smiled an evil smile. Xander let out a gasp and a small shiver went up his spine. He couldn’t believe the eyes that looked back at him. Her left eye was red and the other was a deep honey brown.

“Lex?” he asked with more confusion in his voice. Alex shook her head slowly with an evil smile on her face. “Lexa?” he asked. This time Alex nodded her head. Xander looked at his sister up and down. She looked like her, but this wasn’t Alex, nor was it Alexandria. He was so entranced at the new person standing in front of him that when she spoke he shook.

“I’m the best of both worlds before you ask.” Lexa said.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’m what happens when Alexandria and Alex come together. All the bitch and bite without the murderous attitude.” She smiled. She’s a hybrid mix of the two of them. That’s why her eyes are two different colors. I wonder what brought this along. Xander thought to himself.

“I was brought here out of necessity. I’m what happens when they both stop fighting each other and decide to work together. Now let’s go, we have work to do. First I have to change.” Lexa walked up the stairs to the bedroom. She went into the closet and grabbed a black tank top, some black jeans with a chain that clipped onto her belt loop, a pair of fingerless leather studded driving gloves, and some black, knee high lace up boots. Lexa changed into the clothes she picked out and headed downstairs. Xander looked at her and smiled a smug smile.

“What are you going to do to Damian in 5 inch heels?” he snickered.

“More than you know. You wanna try me?” she asked slickly. Xander’s smiled disappeared. Lexa was like Catwoman, a woman on a mission, and right now that mission was 6’4” with a country accent and a cute smile. She straightened her spine and looked at Xander.

“Come on, we need something to roll out in.” she told him. Xander headed towards the front door. He felt Lexa’s hand around his wrist pulling him in the opposite direction.

“I thought you said you were leaving.” Xander stated.

“I did. I didn’t say anything about taking the car.” She smiled at him. Xander looked at her with a look of confusion.

“Then how are we going to get there?” he asked. He was just short of saying “Duh dummy!” but he was unsure of Lexa’s amount of humor. Lexa laughed. Her laughed sounded like exactly just what she was, a mix of Alex and Alexandria.

“Hmm I guess you don’t know everything. Follow me.” She smiled and led Xander into the garage.

“I didn’t even know she had a garage. I never cared to look.” Lexa looked at him and shook her head. She walked over to the side and pressed a button. When she pressed it the floor in the center of the garage separated and a platform started to rise from the bottom. When the platform was completely raised, there were two motorcycles. They were both Suzuki GSXR 750s. One was red and black and the other was black, silver, and blue. Xander was in absolute awe as he looked the bikes over. Lexa walked over to the wall and pressed another button. A panel in the wall turned to show two motorcycle jackets with matching helmets. She grabbed the red and black jacket and put it on. When Xander turned to look at what she was doing she threw the jacket at him.

“Here, you’re going to need this too.” She told him as she threw the helmet at him.

“Thanks.” He said. “How did you know about all this and I didn’t?” Lexa didn’t speak she put the helmet visor down and pointed to her head. She then climbed on the bike, Xander followed suit. She opened the garage and started the bike.

“Let’s roll.” She said and peeled out of the garage with Xander right behind her. Before she merged onto the highway she popped a wheelie and rode into the night with Xander behind her to get what belonged to her.

They rode up to the old warehouse and parked. Lxa got off of he bi and took off her helmet. She looked the building up and down. The building looked old and run down. The windows were boarded up and the door was open. He must have left it open for them. Lexa looked over at Xander and motioned for them to walk in. As they walked in Lexa looked around, her night vision was better that Xander’s and Alex’s had always been better than Damian’s. She heard a board creak behind her and turned around quickly.

“Hello my love.” Damian greeted sweetly. He looked into Lexa’s eyes and his widened. “Who are you? You are not my Alexandria!” he growled.

“Aww what is it Damian? Scared that your little plan didn’t work?” Lexa taunted with a slick smile. She loved that Damian was thrown off. “So you thought you could make Alex remember her past, bring Alexandria out of her and wreak havoc on the world without Alex having a backup plan?” she laughed. Damian glared at her and growled and headed towards a light switch. He angrily flipped it and illuminated the empty room. It was very big and there were some tables scattered around. It must have been the main sewing room. In the middle of the room was John. He was tied to a chair and his head hung down lifelessly, bloody and bruised.. Lexa gasped as she looked at John and fell to her knees. She started to breathe heavily. She rested her body on her hands and shook. Once her body stopped shaking she spoke.

“You said you wouldn’t hurt him.” She said weakly. She sounded like Alex again. Damian smiled an evil smile.

“There you are, ‘Alex’.” Alex looked up at Damian. He stared deeply into her honey brown eyes. He could sense what was going on within her. He was always able to do that and it made her sick. “So you thought you could create a new persona to come and face me? Silly girl. Nice attempt though, I was almost upset. By the way, I said I wouldn’t kill him. I just roughed him up a bit. Clearly he’s still alive Alex” He laughed. John weakly raised his head.

“Alex? Why are you here?” he asked in a weak and raspy voice. Alex couldn’t bear to look at his face. His eye was blackened, his lip busted and bloody, his cheek bruised, he looked so defeated and it was all her fault. Their eyes met and her heart squeezed. This was all because of her, because she didn’t listen.

“I’m here to save you.” She told him weakly as she looked down at the ground.

“Alex he says he’s a vampire! How r u going to beat him? Run while you can!” he yelled weakly. Damian laughed evilly and loudly.

“Tell him!” he yelled.

“No!” she whispered. She looked up at Damian and repeated herself.”No!” she said louder this time. She narrowed her eyes and Damian punched John in the face.

“Tell him!” he screamed again. Alex hesitated.

“No!” she yelled again. Damian smiled and hit John again. Alex jumped when she heard the impact of Damian’s fist against John’s jaw.

“Tell him what you are! Tell him!”

“No!”

“So you want him to die? Tell him or I kill him!” Damian threatened. He smiled a slick smile as he walked slowly behind John. He leaned over him and opened his mouth only inches from his neck. His fangs gleamed in the light and he smiled an evil smile as he leaned in closer. He sniffed John’s neck and saw John shiver.

“Tell him or I kill him, and he smells delicious!” he laughed.

“Tell me what, Alex!” John yelled shakily. Her heart squeezed again as she saw the fear and pain in his eyes. Damian inched closer to his neck. Alex could smell and hear John’s pulse racing. She looked over at Xander, who was too scared to move because he thought if he did Damian might kill John.

“Fine!” she yelled. “Fine.” she repeated in a defeated whisper as her head hung low. Damian laughed.

“Tell him what you are.” He said in a cruel calm voice with his fangs just barely touching his neck.

“John.” She whispered. “I’m-I’m a—”

“Tell him or he dies!” he yelled again.

“I’m a vampire!” she rushed. Damian let out a laugh.

“Now was that so hard?” he taunted.

John looked at Alex, who was now on her knees sobbing. “Is it true?” he asked her weakly. Alex couldn’t do anything but nod her head as her body shook violently. Damian laughed and cut the ropes that bound John to the chair and slid his weak body over to her she pulled him into her arms. He walked over to her and kneeled down near her ear.

“I will see you again my love.” He whispered. A loud whoosh went past her ear. She didn’t have to turn around; she knew Damian had gone, leaving nothing but chaos and destruction in his wake. She looked at John who was lying in her lap looking up at her, too weak to move. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He tried again to speak and he slipped into unconsciousness. Alex pulled him closer to her and whispered “I’m sorry” in his ear. Xander ran over to her and pulled at her arm.

“I called an ambulance, but we have to go, NOW!” he said as he tried to pull Alex from John. She gently placed his body on the floor and rushed out of the building and hopped on her bike and reluctantly sped off.

They rode the back way to the hospital and stopped in the back parking lot. Alex stood next to her bike and looked up at the back of the hospital she could smell exactly where John was. She stared blankly into the window that belonged to his room while Xander rambled on about Damian.

“What does he gain from outing you to John? Lex? Lex!” Alex snapped out of her trance and looked at Xander.

“Easy, he gets me alone and vulnerable for me to hate humans again, just like before.” She said solemnly.

“How is outing you to John going to do that?”

“He planned on John hating me for lying to him and fearing me because of what I am. That alone would cause him to alienate and hate me, and in turn leaving me heartbroken once again and cause me to hate humanity.” Xander looked at his sister and his heart wanted to break for her. He was helpless in relieving the pain that he was feeling through the connection that they shared. She really cared for John and if she lost him, the whole world might be in trouble.

“I have to see him, even if it’s for one last time.” She told him as she stood against her bike looking up towards the sky. Alex dropped her head and looked at John’s window.

“Well how do you plan to do-” his sentence was interrupted by a whoosh and he saw Alex running towards the building and disappeared into the tree that reached John’s window. Xander saw a shadow enter his window and he sighed.

The room was dimly lit. She looked at John laying there all bloodied and bruised as he was hooked up to an IV drip. This is entirely your fault. This would never have happened if you left him alone! She thought. She looked at John again, her heart felt as if it was shattered into a million pieces. The sound of the heart monitor reassured her that he wasn’t dead, and that made her feel a little better, until she realized that it was her fault he was there. She stood still in the corner by the window and just watched him.

Alex didn’t say a single word, didn’t move a single muscle. She stood there watching him as he slept. He looked so peaceful, with the exception of his many injuries, including a broken rib, a fractured arm, and the numerous cuts and bruises. Alex stood there for two whole hours before she saw John start to stir in his bed. He slowly opened his eyes and groaned. He looked around the room and his blurry vision landed on Alex. He gasped and tried to back away from her.

“Get away from me! What are you!” he yelled weakly. His heart monitor started beeping rapidly. Alex’s heart broke. She should have expected this.

“John calm down.” She said softly. John took a deep breath and calmed down as he heard her voice and his vision became clearer.

“Alex?” he asked. Alex nodded. “What are you? Are you really a-”

“Vampire? Yeah I am.” She interrupted. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.” She said sadly.

“Who was that Damian guy?” he asked.

“Damian is my ex-boyfriend from a long time ago.”

“How long is a ‘long time ago’?”

“About 120 years.”

“How old are you?” Alex cringed at the question. She decided to answer anyway.

“I’m 333 years old, and before you judge me I don’t feed on humans like Damian, so don’t worry you’re safe.” She said guiltily. John gave a slight chuckle.

“Come sit with me.” He requested. Alex pulled up the chair next to his bed and sat down. Alex looked at John, confusion filled her face.

“You’re not afraid of me?” she asked. John shook his head and tried to sit himself up. He winced in pain as he tried. He looked up at Alex and his eyes smiled.

“No, I’m not afraid of you. If you wanted to hurt me you would’ve done so by now. I just want to know why you didn’t tell me sooner.” He asked.

“Yeah right, I can just say ‘Hey John can I borrow your class notes and by the way I’m a vampire’. That doesn’t sound like something that you discuss in the hallway before class.” She was serious and John laughed.

“You’re right, but can I ask you a few questions?” Alex nodded and John started to ask her questions to sort the things that were reality and fantasy.

John and Alex played “Vampire facts 101” for over an hour dispelling common misconceptions of vampires or confirming things they’ve heard. After the last question John looked at Alex with a look that was mixed with anger, fear, and concern. She didn’t know how to read him.

“Why did you lie to me?” he asked. His voice sounded like he was hurt and his face said the same.

“I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell you at all. You never asked me if I was a vampire.” She smiled sheepishly.

“True, but why didn’t you think you could trust me enough to tell me?” Alex gazed over John’s beaten body. He looked at his bandaged torso and nodded.

“Oh, that. Good point, but still you’re my girl; I think you’d have to share that eventually.” Just as soon as he finished his sentence, he had an epiphany. “Is it because of what you are that you didn’t go out with me the first time I asked you last year?” Alex nodded.

“I liked you, man did I like you, I just couldn’t put you in danger.” She looked at John’s body again and hung her head in shame. “Look what good that did me.” John grabbed her hand and moved over. He tugged Alex’s arm, and she climbed into the open space he just left next to him. She snuggled close to him, glad that he still wanted her around, and smiled as she breathed his scent deeply into her lungs.

“John?” she asked gently. John tuned his head to look at her.

“Yeah?”

“Why aren’t you running away and pushing me out of your life?”

“Easy, you’re still the same Alex that you were when I met you, just with fangs, red eyes, and superhuman powers.” He laughed at how ridiculous he sounded. “Alex? Do you remember anything from your past?” he asked seriously. Alex’s body stiffened ad she nodded slowly.

“I need you to tell me everything, now. I want to know it all from the beginning to the present. Don’t leave anything out, or things between us might change.” Alex’s body gave a slight shiver and she sighed.

“Ok, but you’re not going to like a good chunk of it. Promise me that no matter what, your opinion of me isn’t going to change.” Her voice shook as she waited for his answer. John looked deeply into her eyes and smiled.

“I promise.” John pulled Alex closer to him and kissed her on the forehead. Alex looked at John and her eyes started water. He didn’t judge her, or shun her for who she was. He didn’t run away or hate her; he just wanted her closer to him. This was something new to her. Maybe this could work out. She smiled to herself and looked at him.

“I guess I should start from the very beginning.”