“Stop!” She screamed.
“Not so fast traitor,” Yancy grabbed her by the shoulders and stopped her dead in her tracks.
Joan’s eyes got wide as they reflected the horrific scene of Lyssa nailed to a cross, a fire quickly engulfing her.
“No! Lyssa!” Joan cried out.
“Joan, you shame me.” Her uncle shook his head.
“Get her out of here,” Yancy threw Joan on the ground.
Many slayers surrounded her. Joan quickly got to her feet and ripped the sword off the necklace she wore, she hadn’t taken it off since Bex’s death, unless she was at work or around Bex. She was careful now. But when she was alone, she found comfort in it and kept it close.
The sword extended out and Joan faced off against the people she once called her family.
Rooney eyed the scene from a distance and knew they were going to need back-up so she called Aron. The only one of the friends’ group that could actually be of some help. He answered half asleep.
“Hello?”
“Get your ass to the church, now! It’s an emergency.”
“When isn’t an emergency?” He grumbled as he sat up.
“Now!”
“Alright, I’m coming, yeesh.” He hung up.
Rooney then ran in to help Joan.
Joan’s heart raced as she knew they were on a ticking clock. If she didn’t get Lyssa down soon there would be nothing left to get down. She ran full speed ahead towards the fire, but the slayers quickly jumped in her way. Joan swung her sword at them causing them to jump back.
Someone came up behind Joan and grabbed her. Rooney was there to help, she quickly roundhouse kicked him and got back to back with Joan.
“Rooney we aren’t going to make it.” Joan cried.
“I got you, go!” She said.
Joan ran ahead, as people jumped in her path Rooney was there to kick them away. Yancy grabbed a shovel and whacked Joan with it. Joan used her sword to deflect. The two clashed weapons once, twice, three times before Joan’s uncle came up behind her and knocked her in the head with a large chunk of wood.
Joan fell on the ground and dropped the sword. Her glasses falling off her face.
“What is wrong with you people, what did she ever do to you!?” Joan cried as she struggled to get up.
“She exists!” Yancy whacked her back down.
“Let go of me!” Rooney shouted as three slayers held her back.
“She’s not the bad guy! She’s not like the others. Not all vampires are the same!” Joan shouted.
“She’s brainwashed you. Get a hold of yourself.” Her uncle said.
Joan eyed the sword, it was too far away from her to get it. But she had a direct line to the fire. She got up and ran for it. Yancy tried to pull her back but he wasn’t fast enough. Soon Joan was also engulfed in flames.
“Joan, no!” Rooney cried out.
Everyone got silent as Joan grabbed hold of Lyssa’s body and pulled with all her might.
“Come on you stupid vampire!” Joan cried out as the fire began to burn her legs and hands.
Everyone got silent as they watched Joan struggle in vain.
Joan’s skin sizzled and her blood quickly dripped into the fire.
“Joan! Stop it! Joan!” Rooney cried out.
“I’m not losing any more friends!” Joan pulled Lyssa harder.
“Not even you! You- Stupid- Vampire!” Joan got one of Lyssa’s hands free.
“Joan! Enough, get out of there!” Her uncle called.
Joan coughed as her clothes quickly caught fire, her pants burning her legs as they shrunk in the fire. Joan’s shirt was burning her back and even her hair had caught fire.
The slayers let Rooney go as they backed up.
“Hey, someone get her out of there!” Someone shouted.
“Put out the fire!” Another screamed.
“Joan!” Rooney ran over to her, she had to jump back as the pile of flaming logs and branches rolled away from Joan stepping on them.
The fire quickly spread to a wider zone, blocking Rooney from getting to her.
“Joan stop it! Please,” Rooney begged as tears ran down her face.
Joan ignored everyone, getting Lyssa’s other arm free. Then with nothing but pure adrenaline and her own brute strength, Joan snapped the rope on Lyssa’s neck with one harsh tug. Her and Lyssa went falling backward into the fire.
Joan struggled to get up but Rooney quickly ran to her. She helped Joan up, and the two of them dragged Lyssa to safety. Joan fell on the ground and rolled around in pain. Rooney quickly took off her shirt and began to pat the fire out on Lyssa.
Everyone was deathly silent.
Joan coughed and got to her knees; her clothes reduced to nothing but scraps. Her pants looked like shorts, and her shirt was mostly gone, just her sleeves still intact and the ring around her neck. She crawled over to Lyssa and held her bleeding hands over the vampire’s mouth.
Lyssa’s fangs were missing.
“Joan stop,” Rooney tried.
Joan jerked away and squeezed her palm hard until blood dripped into Lyssa’s mouth.
Joan’s vision was coming in and out and she knew she was on the verge of passing out.
“Come on, drink damn it.” Joan pushed more blood into Lyssa’s mouth.
Rooney pulled a knife out of her boot and cut open her own hand before holding it over Lyssa’s mouth. Joan looked up at her.
“Let me do it, you’re hurt,” Rooney said.
Joan moved Lyssa’s head so that her neck was properly aligned with her body. She held it as still as she could, her blood staining Lyssa’s cheeks. All around them Slayers quickly left, wanting nothing to do with what just happened.
“Enough is enough!” Yancy walked over to Joan, holding her own sword.
Joan struggled to her feet, blood dripping off her legs, her arms, her back, and her hands. She was badly burned all over. Her hair was halfway gone.
“Joan stop,” Rooney was about to move when Joan held out a hand as if to say stop.
Then she outstretched her arms and was the only thing standing between Lyssa and Yancy.
“If you want to kill her then you have to kill me too.” She spat.
“The hell is wrong with you?” Yancy spat.
“The hell is wrong with you!? When did you become the very thing you were fighting against! You swore to protect people from monsters but you’re the monster! Lyssa may be a vampire but she’s more human than you’ll ever be.”
“You little bitch!” He raised the sword in the air.
“Do it! Kill me!”
“Joan stop!”
Yancy swung the sword and Joan stayed unflinching,
“Protect!” Aron called as he slammed his staff into the ground.
The sword hit a force field around Joan and sent Yancy flying back into the fire. He screamed in agony, dropping the sword and running off. Joan locked eyes with her uncle who also backed away before running off. Leaving the once crowded field, empty.
With that Joan’s eyes rolled back and she collapsed on to the ground.
“Joan!”
“Holy hell, this is not what I thought you meant!” Aron ran over to them.
Lyssa’s eyes shot open and she clamped down on Rooney’s hand. Rooney yelped in surprise but Lyssa didn’t have any fangs so it didn’t hurt so bad.
“Crap, she’s hurt bad.” Aron rolled Joan over to her back.
“Tell me something I don’t know, help us!”
Aron sighed before looking at Rooney.
“I know a restoration spell, but it’s going to cost you.”
“Just do it.” she snapped.
“We’ll have to spilt the pain. We are going to feel what they felt, it’s going to hurt like hell.” He said.
“I’m ready, hurry up.”
He closed his eyes and called his power to him. Blue swirls of magic circled around them creating a vortex. He began to speak in another language, his eyes glowing blue, his staff lighting up as well.
Rooney began to scream as she felt like she was on fire. Joan’s body slowly began to heal up back to normal. Aron’s staff began to float up on its own and his chants continued despite the fact that he’s mouth wasn’t moving anymore.
He began to scream in pain as he felt like his teeth were being pulled out. Like fire was burning his legs.
Lyssa’s fangs slowly grew back until she was biting down hard on Rooney’s hand, sucking as much blood as she could. Rooney and Aron quickly passed out as the magic began to fade. Lyssa looked down at her hands where the holes healed up. She glanced over to Joan whose skin quickly healed up, leaving behind only mildly sunburned pink skin.
Slowly the chants faded away and the blue swirls vanished.
Lyssa rubbed the back of her neck and looked down at her singed clothes. She crawled over to Joan and shook her.
“Joan,” Lyssa called.
Joan’s eyes fluttered open.
“Joan, get up,” Lyssa said.
Joan gasped and coughed out, smoke coming out of her lungs.
“Lyssa?” She sat up.
“You saved my life…” Lyssa said in amazement.
“I guess I did.” Joan smiled at her.
Lyssa engulfed her in a hug and squeezed her tightly.
“Ow, hey, still hurt here,” Joan complained.
“I will never be able to repay you for this. Thank you, thank you times a thousand. Anything you ever need, you tell me. I will make it happen. That is my eternal promise to you.” Lyssa pulled back.
“Just don’t die on me okay. I can’t…” Joan looked away from Lyssa as her eyes watered over, “I can’t lose anyone else.” She finished.
“I take back any horrible thing I ever said about you.” Lyssa hugged her again.
Joan sniffled and hugged lyssa back, closing her eyes and sighing in relief.
When they pulled back they locked eyes and smiled.
“We okay?” Lyssa asked.
Joan nodded.
“I guess you live up to your name then,” Lyssa said.
“Huh?”
“Joan of arc?”
“Who?”
Lyssa sighed and shook her head.
They turned their attention to a very passed out Rooney and Aron.
“Come on, we need to get them out of here.” Lyssa struggled to her feet.
“Where’s Rebecca?” Joan asked.
“I don’t know, I was ambushed. Let’s go to my house, she might be there.” Lyssa picked up Aron in her arms.
Joan tried to stand but quickly collapsed again.
“Wait here,” Lyssa said before vanishing and reappearing again to grab Rooney then vanishing again.
When she came back a third time she helped Joan to her feet. As they walked off the field Joan grabbed the sword and put it back on her necklace, then grabbed her glasses and put them back on.
“This doesn’t mean I like you by the way,” Joan said.
“Give it a rest slayer, it’s too late, your secret is out. You not only like me, but we are officially friends.” Lyssa helped her to Rooney’s car.
“Ugh, damn it, you’re right.” Joan groaned.
Lyssa laughed.
“Do you think you can drive?” Lyssa asked Joan.
“Yeah, I’ll take Rooney’s car, you drive Aron’s truck. Meet at your house?”
“Sounds good.” Lyssa helped Joan into the car.
Joan started the car and sat there for a moment, Rooney in the passage seat, Aron laying down in the back. She closed her eyes to rest as the ac blew cold air on her.
Lyssa eyed her for a moment,
“I’m good, go. I’ll meet you there.” Joan opened her eyes to look at her.
Lyssa nodded and walked to Aron’s car, using his keys to start it up.
They drove to Lyssa’s house where Lyssa helped Rooney and Aron inside. Laying Rooney in the guest room and Aron in the room next to that one.
Then Lyssa ran downstairs to check for Bex.
When she opened the secret room she found it empty.
Fear quickly ran through her but she closed her eyes and concentrated. In seconds she knew exactly where Rebecca was, but it didn’t make her feel any better.
“Damn it,” Lyssa cursed.
“What is it?” Joan called down from the doorway.
“Rebecca is gone, they took her.” Lyssa was by Joan’s side in a flash.
“Who took her!? Where? Let’s go!” Joan quickly turned around to head towards the door.
“Easy, I know where she is. She is safe for now, but we need to rest. Take a shower, put on some new clothes. I will do the same.” Lyssa said.
“But—”
“Joan, one fire at a time.” Lyssa put a hand on her shoulder.
Joan sighed and relented.
“You can use the guest bathroom down here; I’ll order some food,” Lyssa said.
“Does she… does she remember anything yet?” Joan asked as Lyssa turned to head upstairs.
“She does, she remembers some things about me and about our trails together when we were in a relationship.”
“What about me?”
“No, not yet, but she will. Just give it time.” Lyssa assured her.
Joan looked to the ground and clenched her fist.
“Go and relax, you need it. We are going to have to be in tip-top shape if we want a chance at getting Rebecca back.”
“Where is she?”
“She is with my pack, my old pack. I am to assume they have captured her and are holding her captive. We will have to sneak in and get her back before anyone notices. We’ll think of a plan, but for now, rest. Take a bath, I’ll find you something to wear.” Lyssa began to walk upstairs.
Joan sighed and walked towards the guest's bathroom.
“Don’t worry, we aren’t going to lose her. Not again.” Lyssa called down to her.
Joan nodded to herself. Lyssa was right. Her resolve was stronger than ever. No more people were dying on her watch, not if she had anything to say about it. She’d take the fall if she had to, but Joan made up her mind then and there.
If it ever came down to her life over anyone else, she’d gladly sacrifice herself to save them. It was better than having to lose anyone else ever again. These people were her family now, her friends.
Her pack.
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