Anything For You
Chapter 153

**Let You Down (Instrumental) By NF**

The shallow breathing of Calista stopped the moment she whispered her last words to Leevon. Her face turned pale, and lips carried a tinge of purple. She was a vampire, and now... a dead vampire. Soon, her mortal body would either away in the wind. The night was retiring along with the moonlight and the moon that witnessed this epic love, betrayal, and hopes, marking the onset of the morning sun.

Leevon was still glued to his spot, staring at her face. No tears, no expressions were visible on his face anymore. He was like a statue, a corpse. She didn't die alone but took his soul with her. All he wanted to do was just wait... wait to meet his maker at the hands of King Faust or Prince Herbew; Calista's family.

His arms were still gripping her dead figure tightly, while her head rested in the crook of his neck. Wanting to feel her cold breaths, he was caressing her hairs softly, stroking her ears every now and then.

After a moment or two, Leevon started smiling faintly. His state of mind was puzzled. He felt like Calista was ticklish under his touches over her ears. The latter had always been her soft spot, and he discovered many others when they made love last night. But now, everything shattered in the blink of an eye.

Prince Herbew had been riding on the wind, in his vampire speed, while his guards were following him; some in vampire speeds and the others on their horses. He had a whole troop along with him to safeguard his sister.

"I wonder who would earn Prince Herbew's wrath today." One of the guards riding the horse in full pace expressed his concern for the one regarding whom they got a clue from lady Veronica.

"Leave all that. Just wish for Princess Calista's safety. It's all that matters now." The other rider whispered.

"Yes, may she be safe and healthy. I heard that prince Herbew had always doted on her. If anything happens to her, we all will be doomed too." The first rider confronted.

"Don't chit-chat. Keep moving fast. We can't lose Prince Herbew of our sight." The commander of this troop passed those riders and hurried them. All the others followed.

It was the early hours of dawn, and the sun could be up any of the moment. They must find Princess Calista before the sun. Most of the vampires were resistant to the sun, but all the soldiers weren't. They were the creatures of the night. Sunlight was death to them. If they didn't succeed to find Calista before sunrise, they would be wasting the whole day hiding from Sun, and this wasn't an option with Herbew leading those troops.

The troops set foot in the outer north-east section of that cliff, Veronica mentioned. Everyone was eager to find Calista; for she had been missing for more than six hours and the sun was just minutes away to bless this earth with its warmth, which most of the vampires undoubtedly couldn't afford to bask in.

Since Herbew was a prince, a royal blooded one to mention with, he had far enhanced skills and senses; even surpassing the ones that Calista had possessed. He was the first born son to King Faust. It was inevitable to pass away those powers that lingers with you since you first open your eyes.

Herbew's nostrils flared disgustingly. He smelled blood. They were still far away from Calista and Leevon, yet he could see blood. Menacing emotions surged through out his being. He only hoped for his sweet sister to be safe, but the smell of blood was reciting another tale; he wasn't ready to comprehend right now.

"This way..." Herbew ordered the vampire troop to follow his lead. He came prepared with several vampire soldiers, in case they unwillingly end up in a war with some enemy...some healers, some servants, and maids... all for Calista.

"But My Lord, this path leads to the end of this cliff. There are just flowers in that segment, and they bloom at rainy nights only." The commander of the troop suggested Herbew divert the path.

Herbew averted his eyes: filled with rage, fury, and murder. Sending a shiver and warning glare to the commander, he barked,

"If you wish to decide on your own, I may behead you before fetching my sister. If I said this way...(Pointing towards the path)... then, you... will... follow... me.

Am I clear?" His authoritative tone arose fear in the commander and he nodded in agreement, bowing down. Herbew withdrew his gaze, and looked at the path leading to that cliff's end mumbling, "I smell her blood."

Leevon was sticking to the same place with Calista in his arms held dearly. Her angelic face was now pale as if all the blood had been drained out of her. The wound of her heart was still drip-dropping periodically. He continued stroking her cheeks affectionately and was mumbling something inaudible.

Soon enough, his ears turned stiff hearing the noises of men- a huge number of men, and neighing horses. Those noises were confirmation of the fact that prince Herbew had arrived there looking for his sister-his dead sister by now.

The other side, Herbew had been having a hard time getting easy breaths. Moment by moment, he was nearing his sister, and the smell of royal vampire blood was indicating his nostrils way too hardly. By now, some of the vampire soldiers could also smell it. Everyone had pale and horrified faces.

The sounds of horses became too clear, and there stood a vast troop of vampire soldiers: all horrified, saddened and starting at the lying figure of their dear princess. While Herbew was standing glued to his spot, not being able to take a step forward. His sweet little sister, who was like a child to him, was no longer breathing, lying drenched in her pool of blood. The soldiers witnessed this scene. Herbew averted his gaze from Calista's dead body that was still wrapped in Leevon's arms in such a way that they weren't able to see her face, and landed on the mortified man.

Leevon was no better than a dead man. Initially, Herbew gave it a thought that he tried to save his sister, but then the fresh blood dripping from his hands, and a mark of dagger handle caught his sharp vampire sight. It took him no time to understand that Leevon was the one behind his sister's untimely death.

He marched forward like a wild beast tearing out his sword from it's sheath and yelled harder. The sword was just going to separate Leevon's head from his trunk, but was stopped at his neck. If only he could cry, he would have shed millions of tears for his loving sister.

"Why..?" Herbew asked softly; his words a mere whisper, making him look like a weakling, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to avenge his sister, who died in the hands of this human. He wanted to know how Leevon killed his sister, for he was sure that she couldn't be killed for being a royal blooded vampire.

Leevon stayed put, not uttering a single word. He sat like a corpse. People would have mistaken him a dead man, if his eyes didn't blink occasionally. His hug was still the right and warm to his dead love. He loathed himself for killing her.

"For her sake, why did you kill her? Whyyyy...?" Herbew had seen the love, the care, the affection, the longing and the pain in Leevon's eyes... all of these for his sister. If he wished to know the truth, this was his only way, and only chance. "Some things... are meant...to...be. She was hurting...since centuries...because of me. I freed...her soul. She is free... of me... of pain... of this hurt. I killed her... I killed her with my hands......" Lee on muttered in low audible tone, cursing himself. It was hard to understand the meaning hidden in his raspy and cracked words.

He looked at Herbew with his downcasted eyes and dropped expressions,

"Prince Herbew... I killed your sister...now...you have to...avenge her. Kill me... or people will mock you. I need to unite with her... kill me... kill me..." Leevon started yelling on top of his lungs and in doing so, he dropped Calista over the ground softly. ("Love me like you do" Instrumental playing in the background)

Approaching Herbew, he never let go off of the sword which rested on his neck earlier, but now he forcefully made it rest there. The sharp blade was now piercing his skin and little of blood started to quench the thirst of that sword. Herbew was heartbroken. His eyes were still tucked at his sister. He wanted to hold her for the last time. He was about to move away his sword from Leevon's hold when something unexpected happened.

Calista's body started to disappear with the wind, converting into ash. She was royal blooded vampire. Her body was intended to blend with nature. The hands, feet slowly turned into golden dust and started to mingle with the wind blowing slowly. "No.. No.. No....." Hebrew yelled on top of his lungs and was just about to stoop down to hug the last remaining parts of her body, but everything turned into golden ashes. Her whole body disappeared into the air, and the morning sun marked its presence. The golden ash of hers looked like floating gold particles under the shining sun over that cliff. Her jewels, and the gown that was earlier drenched in blood were the only things left behind.

The stain of blood over that gown started to ooze out of the gown and turned into drops, and floated in air. Uplifted to a particular spot and attaining a specific height from the cloth pieces, the red drops burned into fire, producing thousands of tiny little fire drops. One of them fell over the gown studded with jewels that hugged Calista's body earlier, and the cloth burned like a pile of sawdust, leaving nothing at all.

Every standing soldier bowed down in respect and mourned for the lost soul of their dear princess, but Herbew and Leevon were still glaring at those tiny fire drops disappearing into the surroundings.

Having left with nothing of his sister, Herbew yelled and yelled. Marching his sword once again at Leevon, he asked for the last time with red-lavatic eyes, "Why the hell did you kill my sister?"

But Leevon kept on staring at his love's ashes parting away from him slowly. The Mark on his neck burned and he hissed in pain. The excruciating pain was driving him insane and he fell on his knees with both of his hands tucked around his neck at the spot where Calista marked him.

Nobody was able to understand what just happened with Leevon. He was crying and whimpering in pain. The blood of his whole body started burning. He felt his interiors melting. But Herbew was not ready to but all these whimpers, and asked again, with his sword resting at Leevon's heart,

"It's the last time. Tell me. Tell me, she loved you, why did you kill her?"

"Because I loved her too. I had to do it. She was in pain for the last five lives, I had to relieve her of this pain." Leevon's eyes were drooping. He knew the meaning of this state. If he didn't kill himself right now, he would soon end up getting transformed into a vampire, because Calista not only marked him, but also left her blood in his system.

Having no other ways, Leevon acted in the speed of wind and grabbed the sword blade that was touching his heart. Giving it a light yank, he let the metal blade pierce his heart. Herbew was taken aback with Leevon's sudden movement, and he pulled back the sword.

But to his surprise, the blade ripped apart Leevon's heart from his chest, rendering the man lifeless over the ground. The organ was hemmed at the tip of blade, and was still beating.

It relieved Leevon of his pain, but in just a moment, Herbew lost both his sister and her killer. He dropped on the ground sitting helplessly, thinking what he would answer to his parents, and Veronica...!