Hey guys. The amazing Covenant Series is a beautiful series written by Jennifer Armentrout an extraordinary author whose characters from my story belong to her. I apologise in advance for any errors that I may have made while writing this but it was an idea that would not go away so I just had to be written. I hope you enjoy my little story in Aidan's POV
Aidan:
My Instincts were telling me that something was wrong. It was like an unshakeable feeling, one that just kept on returning to the forefront of my mind whenever I tried to shake it away.
Ignoring this uneasy feeling proved to be difficult. So instead I inserted myself in my training, punching and kicking my anxiousness away, it wasn't until the doors of the gym were swung wide opened to reveal a very frazzled and worried Seth, who if not the Apollyon and all that crap, I would of socked right there and then, I was seriously annoyed at this point.
"Is Alex with you?" he asked, his expression deepening when he realised that I was alone.
"Does it look like it" I deadpanned in reply.
The way that Seth looked made me question whether or not my feeling from before was something more than I allowed it to be.
"Well do you know where she is?" He was now frantic.
"No. I haven't seen her in a while" I was beginning to worry.
"I can't seem to find her anyw-"he was abruptly cut off by a flash of pain that erupted from deep within him. He crouched over on the ground, clutching his arm as though he had been shot.
I rushed over to him and crouched down beside him to inspect his arm only when he finally released it from his grasp, there was not even a mark or any other indication that he had been hurt.
"Seth, there is nothing wrong with your arm. Now what's this about Alex? Can no one find her?" I stood up again, helping Seth to his feet.
"No. no one… has seen her…. Since earlier…. And I'm not the one in pain…. It's her pain…. That I am channelling….. She …. Is in danger…. I can feel it". Seth was struggling to breathe, giving me the evidence needed to convince me of his theory about Alex.
"Have you checked the whole campus? Her room? The main island? Are you certain she is nowhere to be found and not hiding away somewhere that you haven't looked?" I was panicking, but refused to show it. I did not want to show my feelings for Alex to a man that she has some creepy connection too.
"I am quite certain" Seth returned, his breath restored.
"Right. Have you spoken to Marcus Yet?"
Seth shifted from one foot to the other clearly uncomfortable about having to tell Marcus that he had lost his niece.
"I was hoping she was with you first before I bothered him, but now I see no other option" He turned to leave the room.
I was quick to follow.
Seth said nothing but he evidently looked relieved to see me with him.
As we walked in silenced I questioned the truth about what is happening. Is Alex really gone or did Seth not look thoroughly enough. But his connection with Alex allows him to somehow know where she is at all times so he must be really sure of her disappearance. But why, that's the question I'm struggling to find an answer to. Did she go off the island willingly or was she forced to? No. Seth would have known if she was in danger long ago if that was the case. She must have gone off by herself, but why? Why would she? She would know first-hand what it's like to be by yourself with no protection and little training out in a world with daemons who have now determined how to create near invincible daemons with half-bloods. She wouldn't want to face that reality. Not again anyway since the death of her mother-.
It is then when it hits me suddenly.
Suddenly I'm running with fear as the longer we take the least chance we'll find Alex alive.
…
Marcus was not pleased with the news that we had delivered to him five minutes beforehand; rather it looked like he was going to have an aneurysm.
With his face red and the vein in his forehead throbbing, I told him my theory which only caused him to only go redder, though I thought it not possible.
Marcus went silent. Due to the amount of time I have spent with him since I became a trainer, I knew that he should not be disturbed as he was contemplating the situation before him, strategizing the next move and all the possibilities.
He paced, chewing his lower lip in the process. He made laps around his office for a few more minutes until he turned to face us.
"I see no other reasonable explanation for the disappearance of my niece other than to find her mother in order to deal with matter herself."
He turned around to look out the windows "If she is anything like her mother, Alexandra would see this situation as her burden to deal with. She is a brave yet foolish girl. I should have known she would do this. After what happened to Kain, she would have seen this as her fault".
Marcus was solemn as though he blamed himself for the decisions that Alex so rashly made.
"Sir, you cannot blame yourself for her actions. We should have kept a tighter leash on her." Referring to Seth and I.
My words just washed over him.
"Her mother was last seen in Georgia but I highly doubt she is still there. My sister was always a smart woman and I have no doubt that she has retained some knowledge especially as it appears as though she remembers Alexandra. She would be close by, somewhere in the state at least.
"Alex would of gone prepared, Aidan" he turns to me and without emotion asks me to go see if any equipment is missing.
He turns to Seth
"Open up your senses to Alexandra and see if you can get a location or at least a direction to head in. It would be better than nothing".
With that he returns to his desk no doubt to make phone calls and organise contingents to join in on the search party.
Seth and I leave and go to our respected locations.
As I arrive at the armoury/ storage where we keep our weapons I immediately notice that a sentinel uniform is missing from the rack.
So that's how she got off the island I thought to myself. The guards stationed there would not have allowed her off the island unless she was donning a uniform giving the indication of her rank and blood status, though it is a façade the guards would not have known the difference.
After a quick but thorough search I find a gun and several knives missing giving me some relief as she is not unarmed though that relief is short lived when I remember what she intends to use it on.
Returning to Marcus's office I find that Seth has already returned with a promising indication as to where she may be.
I report my findings and turn to leave so that I can equip myself for the journey when I hear Seth take a sharp intake of breath and a loud thump.
I turn and find him on the ground withering in pain, clutching the same arm as before but a little higher up, near his shoulder.
As the blood drains from my face I quickly realise what is happening and drop down next to Seth to stop his thrashing.
Once he is subdued and calmed down I again inspect his arm with the same results as earlier. His skin, though pale is not marked or stained with any redness.
With a quick glance to Marcus, I stand up quickly and walk out door while saying over my shoulder
"We need to go. NOW".
…
The car was silent, but not because of a lack of words to say to each other, but to ensure peace so that Seth can focus intently on the essence of Alex or something like that.
By now night has well and truly blanketed the sky dotting it with tiny stars, which under any different circumstances I would have found rather pretty and would have wished to stare at them longer. But now I find them distracting.
I find myself reflecting on what I could have done differently to prevent this situation. Not only is Alex missing and in pain, which is evident by Seth's random outbursts of pain, her friend Caleb is also registered as missing.
Please Alex just hold on. We are getting closer. Just keep hanging on.
I willed this thought to her with all my heart though I knew that she would not be able to hear it.
Suddenly Seth opens his eyes and barks out directions to Marcus who was driving.
We were getting closer.
The atmosphere in the car changed abruptly as strategies were laid down to ensure minimum casualties if it had to come down to fighting in order to retrieve Alex.
Outside the car, though encased in darkness appeared to be a dense forest with tall trees and lots of bushes, great for camouflage though it would not have mattered as daemons can sell our scent from miles away.
Screeching to a sudden halt, we emerge from the car only to hear a blood curling scream somewhere in the distance.
We all exchanged glances to each other, all knowing what the other was thinking.
Sending a quick prayer to the gods, hoping it was not Alex who's scream left goose bumps all over me. We run in the direction of the scream, straining to hear for any other noises which may indicate that we are getting closer. But the forest is eerily quiet. Not even the rustling of leaves emitted any sound, as though they know that something is happening within the forest.
Just as it appeared as though we had gone in the wrong direction we heard another scream to the right of us, the sound of it ricocheting off boulders and trees in the clearing that we had all stopped in.
Abandoning our plan for a surprise attack, everyone again runs in the direction of the scream calling out Alex and Caleb's name at the top of their lungs.
Finding myself alone, I run to the right just like the others but head more downhill while the others opted for uphill.
I ran as hard and as fast as I could, ignoring the twigs and stones that flung themselves at me. I run further down the hill only briefly acknowledging that the others had found Caleb which emitted a few cries of joy. But I did not care for I only wanted to find Alex. The real reason why I am here.
Thinking that I have gone too far, I turned to head back uphill but it was then that I notice movement out of the corner of my eye. Quickly turning to see the source of the movement, I find a small form lying on the forest floor.
Alex.
I run towards her and gather her in my arms, cautious to not jostle her in case she was injured. It was only when I looked down at her arms did I realised the horror that had been inflicted on her. Both her arms are encased in numerous bloody tags that run from her shoulder to her wrist.
She shifted in my arms giving me a splurge of hope
"Alex, look at me, please" I asked her gently hoping that she would open her eyes.
She did.
I hadn't been more relieved in all my life when I saw her bright eyes shining at me though it was clear that she was in pain.
"Hey" she says weakly.
"It's going to be okay" I told her and I was going to make damn sure that that was the case
She must have noticed my panicked expression as her eyes glanced to my face. Fear replacing the pain in her eyes.
"I need you to keep your eyes open and talk to me. Everything's going to be okay." I ensured her as I did not want her to slip under consciousness.
Quietly she asks me where Caleb was.
"He's okay. We have him- Alex stay with me. Talk to me" I answered her as I noticed that her body was becoming limper in my eyes and her breathing had slowed down.
She looks at me again. All expression wiped from her beautiful face.
"You were right" she finally said "She was relieved. I saw it"
And with that she closes her eyes and her body relaxes. Fearing that she was gone was quickly replaced with relief as I could still feel her breathing, though only just.
Gathering her deeper into my arms, I gently pick her up slowly and start to make my ascent uphill.
As I look down at her I smile to myself
"What a foolishly brave person you are" I said to her gently though I had no doubt that she could hear me.
As others come into view I take another glance at Alex. Though she had just suffered from a horrible ordeal she looked peaceful and susceptible. It wasn't until I saw that vulnerability in her face that I made myself a promise to never leave her unprotected again.
