***IMPORTANT***: IF YOU HAVE NOT READ PART I, THEN THIS WILL NOT MAKE A LICK OF SENSE! IF YOU HAVE READ PART I, WELCOME! GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN!
Chapter One- Pursuit
The Next Morning:
Thea woke to a mood completely opposite than the freezing terror of the night before.
She was warm and rested and somewhere in the night the sleep that had started off rocky and filled with nightmares had turned comfortable and deep. There was a pair of arms around her, she knew, that should definitely not be there. But she couldn't bring herself to move.
She burrowed in deeper and tried to sink back into unconsciousness- but alas, it wasn't happening. Thea finally resigned to opening her eyes, and when she did, she saw that Eric was awake as well. He starred down at her with those big, green eyes and a small smile on his face.
Thea debated whether or not she should bolt up and act ashamed at being at rest in a man's arms. She couldn't. She wanted to stay there forever, no matter how improper the notion was.
Eric pulled her closer and a small smile pulled at her lips. She settled back into his arms and sighed. She was loath to break the comfortable silence, at the risk of being forced out of Eric's embrace, but Thea knew she had to get it over with. "I…" Thea bit her lip. "I don't know where to start."
"The beginning?" Eric suggested.
Thea shook her head. "There are several."
"Well, then, just explain what happened last night." Eric said, grapping her hand and holding it with the arm that wasn't wrapped around her.
"I heard snoring, and at first I thought it was David," Eric smiled at that and looked across the room at the still sleeping stable boy, "But then I realized it was off beat. So I turned to you, only it wasn't you either. So I listed more closely and realized it was coming from deeper within the cave. I followed it until I felt a slight breeze, and thought that I had reached the other side of the rock wall. Only…" Thea trailed off. "It wasn't breeze, it was breath. Eric, something gigantic is back there, and the feeling… it was so evil." Thea shook her head. "And… I think I woke it up."
-0-
The cart ceased to rattle around the time the sun began to rise.
Gillian's blindfold was still tied tightly around her eyes, so she couldn't see anything, but the sound of waves resounded in her ears.
Gillian winced as hands pushed her forward. She stumbled in the darkness, not knowing what kind of ground her feet might meet.
"Is this all of them? Only three?" An unfamiliar voice inquired.
"Yep." The man that had scolded Mare answered.
"Where's Lily?" The first voice asked.
"Don't know. We lost her about a day back." The man answered, a slight quiver invading his voice. "I assume she's taking a different route."
"Hmm," The first voice said after a minute. "Well, load them up."
Gillian was herded into a second cart and whimpered when a shard of wood impaled her arm.
"Don't worry," The unfamiliar voice said from the door of the cart. "Only a day till we reach the port, and after we get to the island, no more wood."
-0-
His lips moved against hers, their hearts beating in unison.
"Please," Galen broke the kiss, breathing heavily, to plead. "Keller, please. I'm begging you."
Keller pulled his lips down to hers for one last, chaste kiss before they continued their argument. She sighed and stepped away. "I can't, you know that."
"You can," Galen insisted, knowing it was futile. "They have things under control-"
"And they need all the help they can get to make sure it stays that way." Keller touched his cheek gently. "We'll meet again, I promise. But right now we have to separate. The shifters need you somewhere safe, and I need to be here. I'm a security guard, Galen, I have to do my job- now especially."
"I can get a new security guard, I can get a hundred new ones to take your place," Galen stepped forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, gripping her. "Just, please. Come with me. You belong with me."
"I do, but…" Keller trailed off, searching for the right words. "Remember when you wanted to go to Bunny's memorial, and when I said no, you asked me if I served you why I would not consent to your wishes?"
"You told me that sometimes what I wished and what was best for me sometimes conflicted." Galen said quietly.
"Exactly," Keller said and leaned into him, breathing in his scent.
"But being apart isn't what's best for me." Galen locked his arms around his soulmate.
"No, maybe not for you, but it is best for the hundreds of confused, homeless people I have sworn to protect." Keller's head burrowed into the crook of Galen's neck, so her words were muffled. "I wish we could think about us, I wish we came first, but we don't. I can't come with you."
Galen said nothing.
Keller tried to push away but found Galen's arms were impossible to break out of- so she settled. "We still have until your parents show up," Keller reminded him.
"And then I'm off to some secluded, depressing location devoid of anyone with a personality." Galen shook his head. "And no doubt, it will be someplace where 'incidentally' a suitable girl will be staying."
"You won't be thrust into the paths of pretty court princesses for the rest of your life. I will be your queen, someday, Galen." Keller sighed. "But today cannot be that day."
-0-
"For the last time, I'm not letting you go back there again." Eric held tight to Thea's hand.
"I have to, Eric," Thea pulled, only hurting her wrist.
"Eric's right," David put in. "If there really is some big, evil beast back there, then it's too dangerous."
"I woke it up," Thea cried. "Whatever harm it does will rest on my shoulders. You know I can't live with that kind of guilt," Thea looked pleadingly at Eric.
He shook his head. "And if you get hurt, I couldn't live with knowing I let you go back there to face that thing."
"If it's awake, then it's most likely long gone," Thea reasoned. "All I want is to go back there and find out what we're dealing with. We can argue with how to proceed from there."
"And what if it hasn't left?" David asked. "What then? We aren't prepared or equipped to kill this thing, if it really is as bad as you say."
"Thea, listen to me," Eric brought her hand to his cheek. "We can go back to the academy, and get help there."
"Who," Thea demanded. "The fire likely wiped out half the students and staff- they will have no one to spare- especially for a quest such as this. A giant monster? They won't take us seriously. They will call us delusional and confused and in shock from the recent events." Thea pulled at her hand again, and this time Eric let it go. "This is my problem. I have to fix it."
Eric closed his eyes. "If we can't stop you, then we will accompany you." Thea grinned. "But I go first," Eric ordered.
Thea, her gratefulness unhindered by his request, stepped forward to peck him on the cheek. Then, throwing her arms around him, said, "Thank you. You do not know how relieved I am to not be going into this alone."
Eric simply nodded and turned his head into Thea's hair. He knew it was inappropriate, he was not even courting her, but he couldn't help himself.
David cleared his throat and Thea backed away. Eric sent a glare at the other boy.
"David," Thea said, "I would not commend you if you wished go back to Hawthorne. I know you worry about Gillian."
David hesitated, and then said. "We stick together."
Thea smiled. "Thank you."
Eric peered down the tunnel that led to the beast's lair. "Come on, then, the sooner we start, the sooner it will be over."
-0-
Rashel's descent into madness began the moment she agreed to Ash's proposal.
"Honestly," She hissed as they pushed through the thick foliage of the forest. "For a creature of the night, you're surprisingly noisy."
"Well, excuse me if I'm tired." Ash said sarcastically, the stress of the day had almost snapped him in half.
"We're both tired," Rashel turned to face him. "But fatigue does not excuse us from bumbling about like drunkards. We must stay as silent as possible, who knows what creatures may have made their home in these woods."
"If you would just let me rest-" Ash began.
Rashel cut him off. "We cannot afford to waste time, nor can we set up camp in this part of the forest."
"Tell me why we decided to go this way again," Ash moaned and pushed a sharp branch out of his path.
"The road is to risky- who knows what sort of people will be headed toward Hawthorne. After the fire, I'm almost certain there will be more than a few priests, wishing to consecrate the place, perhaps a few curious night people. We can't chance being recognized." She sent a cold look back at him. "But I understand if this is too much-"
"No," Ash protested angrily. "I will do whatever it takes to get Mary- Lynnette back. Even if it means I have to team up with a vicious psycho killer who has a strong aversion to good humor."
Rashel, instead of shooting back a fiery retort, quickened her pace (much to Ash's dismay.)
-0-
Mare's throat itched it was so dry. She shifted from her back to her side then to her back again, never finding a comfortable position. Her wrists were bleeding due to the tight ropes that bound her hands, and her cheeks were tearstained.
But none of that was why she was now so deep in despair.
She couldn't feel Ash.
He was gone.
No matter how hard she pushed and reached, the chord that attached their minds was all but gone and never to be found again. The hope she'd felt just the day before, the hope and near certainty Ash would find her, was now fading away.
She opened her eyes and looked around. In the time she'd been imprisoned she'd at least managed to get the blindfold far enough down that she could see over the top of the cloth.
Hannah stirred in the corner. "Hannah!" Mare whispered under her breath.
"Mare?" Hannah replied groggily. "What time is it?"
"How am I supposed to know," Mare grumbled under her breath. "I'm guessing the sun's still up, as the birds have not yet stopped chirping."
Hannah frowned and cocked her head.
"Noisy, aren't they?" Mare rolled her eyes. "They've been at it for a while now. They just keep going- all together."
A small smile split Hannah's otherwise grim face. "Those are frogs, Mary- Lynnette."
"Oh," Mary- Lynnette said. If she were in any other situation, she would have been embarrassed, but right now she just couldn't bring herself to care.
Hannah rubbed her head against the cart, working the blindfold up until she could see properly. "How's Gill?"
"Asleep," Mare replied, casting an anxious glance at the smaller girl. "She seems to be taking this well." She said slowly.
Hannah nodded. "As well as you can take a situation like this."
Mare sent a searching look around the cart, then leaned forward. "Listen, Hannah, the people who took us, I think they're employees of Lily Redfern's, and I don't think Lily…" Mare bit her lip, trying to decide how she should phrase her thought.
It turned out, she wouldn't have to. "You don't think Lily is human?" Hannah guessed. "Because those are my sediments exactly."
"I think she's a vampire." I know she's a vampire, Mare thought.
Hannah nodded, taking Mary- Lynnette's assumption in stride. Then it clicked.
"You knew? You know?" Mare asked, disbelievingly. "How? Who told you?"
Hannah sighed. "It's a very long story- and one that I don't have, at the moment, the strength to tell." She shifted. "I'm assuming Ash told you?"
"Yes," Mary- Lynnette confirmed Hannah's suspicion. "How did you know?"
Hannah grinned. "It makes the most sense, apart from maybe Jeremy. Ash spent hours upon hours wooing you- and although he played it off as nothing special, I know what he really felt for you. What he really feels for you. You can't keep these kinds of secrets from someone you care so deeply about."
Mare sighed and closed her eyes. "Was it really that obvious?"
Hannah gave a soft laugh. "No, you two did a pretty good job hiding it, although you did have several fatal slip ups."
"And those were…?" Mare prompted. She liked hearing about Hannah talk about her relationship with Ash. Well, relationship was a rather loose term, and Mare wasn't quite sure what she had with Ash, but whatever it was, Hannah gave the whole ordeal a sense of solidity and finality that had only ever existed in her heart before.
"When Ash warned you to stay away from Jeremy. I know you were too furious to see it, but he was genuinely worried, which was a major tip off as Ash never worries about anyone but himself."
Mare found herself thinking back to that night. She had been furious; she'd been enraged beyond reckoning that Ash- selfish, crude Ash Redfern- would dare accuse the saintly Jeremy Lovett of something so vile as torture then murder- and of his own sweetheart no less.
But he had been right.
She remembered how she'd felt as it all crashed down on her. Bunny's death and Jeremy's betrayal. And on top of that- confusion as to why Ash was helping her.
And guilt. The inescapable feeling that she was in fact the cause of Gretel's death. That Jeremy- sweet, forgiving Jeremy- would for always blame her.
Hannah continued, oblivious to Mare's dark thoughts. "And all those times we caught him starring at you, and all those times he helped you- whether you knew it was him or not."
Mare thought back to when he'd saved her from the wrath of Ms. Ordello, then paused. "'Whether I knew it was him or not'? When…?"
Hannah grinned. "You have no idea how many times he's rescued you from scrubbing chamber pots, though he tried very hard to be inconspicuous about it."
Mare then realized then that she had been excused from that duty a suspicious amount of times, and that the several times she did undertake the task, it cut into her break time.
And so the ride went, Hannah reaccounting stories and Mare realizing just how skewered her view of Ash had been.
-0-
Maggie didn't know what to say. But an I forgive you was definitely not in order.
"Maggie," Delos gripped her shoulder. "Please, talk to me. Say something."
She yanked away from him, shooting a scowl in his direction. She stayed silent.
"Maggie," Delos pleaded, "I had to. It would have been foolish and brash to try and save anyone. That blaze… it burned even stone. It would have burned you, and anyone else who was caught in its path."
"So you hold me prisoner in a cart and withhold information about my brother." Maggie's eyes met his. "Yes, Delos, you are a real hero. You saved me from the fire. Congratulations."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Delos demanded.
"You got me away, but how many did you leave to die. It wouldn't have cost us to have stopped and rescued just a couple more people." Maggie's voice cracked. "You think I didn't hear them crying out as we passed them?"
"I take care of myself and my own," Delos said harshly. "I can't afford to think beyond that."
"You just had to give them a ride-"
"Enough!" Delos snapped. "I will not be talked to in this way."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Maggie said in a mocking tone, "your highness."
Delos raised his hand as if to hit her. His face was twisted with rage and the light of the low fire of the small room they'd rented in an Inn flickered across it in a way that made it seem all the more fearsome. Then he sighed, closed his eyes, and lowered his arm.
"Go to sleep, we'll start early in the morning, and I want you well rested." Delos ordered.
"What, we won't be traveling with a royal caravan?" Maggie muttered under her breath, knowing she shouldn't provoke him so soon after his furry had subsided, but unable to stop the comment from slipping out.
"No," Delos said. "We'll be making this journey alone. I could use some time to myself."
"Well, unless you plan on setting me free, you won't be completely alone," Maggie lay down in front of the hearth.
"What are you doing?" Delos asked.
"Going to sleep, like you told me to." Maggie replied.
He shook his head. "I wouldn't bed in the same room as you. Your chamber is down the hall."
"My… chamber…" After all that time spent bunking with four other girls, the concept of having a room to herself was odd- even though she'd been raised by wealthy parents. "My own chamber." The words felt foreign on her tongue.
"Yes, now leave." Delos opened the door. "I want my rest as much as you want yours."
Maggie stood and scurried out the door, sparing Delos the briefest of nods.
-0-
Jez stooped over the boy, Hugh, and brushed her fingers over the bump on his head. It would hurt when he finally woke up, but it wouldn't be fatal.
Jez looked over at the vampire on the other side of the camp fire. Her eyes were closed but Jez knew she was not asleep. Lily Redfern wouldn't be so stupid as to fall asleep while one of her guards was gone. She would wait until he was back with the firewood, sitting next to the other hunk of muscle, and only then would she allow herself to rest.
Claire had woken up a few minutes prior to the second guard leaving, but hadn't said anything. If she was scared, it didn't show. No emotions played across her stoic face. She was absolutely still.
In some ways, this Claire worried Jez more than the terrified, screaming Claire Morgead had once preyed on.
Jez looked around her. The woods were completely unfamiliar, as they'd crossed the Hawthorne property line some time ago. Now, they were camping out on the grounds of one of the nearby estates. Soon, they would be too far from the academy to track, and she would never be found.
Unless she escaped, she would be a prisoner of Lily Redfern's forever.
Jez leaned back and closed her eyes. She could try and scan for Morgead, try and reach him, if it weren't for the fact she didn't drink blood anymore.
Jez froze. If Jez was hungry, starving even, Lily would have to let her eat or she would die. So, steeling her resolve, knowing she would have to go back to her vampire ways just for a night to reach Morgead, she said, "I need to feed."
Lily opened her eyes. "Back at the academy you said you weren't a vampire."
"You bought that?" Jez raised her eyebrows and did her best to look amused.
Lily narrowed her eyes. "No, why did you even try?"
Jez shrugged. "Half- hearted attempt at foolery. Stupid."
Lily nodded. "It was."
"So," Jez prompted her. "Are you going to let me hunt or what."
Lily rolled her eyes. "You look fine to me, I'm sure you can live without blood for just tonight."
"I need blood." Jez said confidently, almost an order.
Lily sighed. "Of course you do." She looked over at the humans next to Jez. "Well, take your pick."
Jez looked over and realized the thought of feeding off of either one of them sickened Jez so much, she could hardly bear it. She surveyed the two- Hugh unconscious and Claire unresponsive.
Jez made her way over to Hugh. He would never have to know this happened.
-8-
Morgead's mind engulfed hers the moment she put out her feelers.
It surprised her. She'd forgotten how strong telepathy could be when both minds were welcome to finding the other.
Jez? Jez! Morgead cried.
Morgead, listen to me. I don't know how much time I have before Lily catches on. Jez replied with urgency.
Lily? Lily Redfern? Morgead asked, confusion clouding his consciousness.
Yes, Jez answered. We are just beyond the western property line. Can you reach us before daylight?
Maybe. Why? Morgead asked.
She's keeping me and a few humans captive. Jez explained as quickly as she could. She has guards, more than I can take on by myself, but if I had you, we might stand a chance. Please, Morgead, I know I haven't been the best to you, but… I need you.
If I rescue you, will you promise to tell me what's been bothering you? Morgead requested.
Jez gritted her mental teeth. Yes.
I'm on my way.
There you have it!
Should I continue or did I loose your interest? Hello…? Anyone…?