Thank you for all the people who read this story! I just started writing this on a whim and I'm surprised that I'm getting such positive feedback. I should've said this in the first chapter but the person I have picked to be portrayed as Annalise is Elizabeth Gillies. I think she is the perfect fit but if you don't, then just imagine someone else. Again, thank you to all the people who have read this and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think!
Groaning, I rolled on my side and cursed myself for not closing the curtains. Flicking my wrist, the curtains flew shut and darkness took over the room again. There were some perks to having magic. I just hoped that Davina couldn't sense my magic since it wasn't linked to the ancestors. With as much power I felt radiating off that girl she had to be able to sense magic around her as well. I would have to do a little experiment and see if she could. If not, then this would make being here a lot easier.
Looking over to the floor, I saw the dead bodies laying there, the mess from last night that I hadn't bothered to clean up. Thankfully they hadn't started to smell yet. Oh how I loathed the smell of rotting flesh. Which is kinda ironic since I'm technically dead myself. I remembered why I don't feed on the living now. Ugh. One of the bodies had slumped over and was now getting blood on the coffee table I just bought. Feeding is so messy and I can't control it. It's what caused my black out from last night. I remember bits and pieces, but the only thing I can really recall is the bloodlust and the faint sounds of screams. When it hits me, it's all consuming.
Rolling out of bed, I padded across the mahogany hardwood floor and checked the damage. Sadly, I'd have to get rid of the rug they were staining, but it wasn't that great to begin with, so it was of no matter to me. Feeding in my own home did have the perk of making me go shopping for new things for my apartment flat.
After cleaning up my mess, I got ready for the day.
Well, I should say night, as the sun was already starting to set. After putting on my dark blue jeans and a plain back shirt, I wenr wandering around the French Quarter when I noticed a hoard of vampires all heading to one place. It was funny how I could sense who was a vampire and who wasn't. One of the perks Dahlias spell gave me.
This could be interesting. Following the crowd, they all gathered in the house that the gala was held. Looking around, I saw Marcel come through a set of doors and was standing on a balcony overlooking all the vampires, or should I say all his vampires. He was much too cocky to be a King. It was clear he had sired most of these men and women, if not all.
"Ladies, and gentlemen!" He announced, causing all eyes to go to him. You could tell he was enjoying the spotlight being centered on him by the way his smile reached his eyes. "Welcome to fight night!"
All the vampires cheered loudly and I just shook my head. What was the purpose of all this? "And the first rule of fight night is, the vampire left standing at the end of the night is one step closer to the inner circle and one of these." He held up his hand to show off his daylight ring. It was a gaudy looking piece of jewelry if you asked me. "A daylight ring. If you can impress me with a little ultra violence, you too can enjoy the warmth of the sun on your face. All you gotta do, is kick a little ass."
Again the crowd erupted in cheers and this whole ordeal was starting to bore me. However, it could be useful to see how these vampires handle themselves. What's the saying, 'know thy enemy' or whatever. Getting a better view, I found a staircase and perched myself on the railing where I was just out of Marcel's sight, but I could see everything perfectly.
"Here we go!" Marcel announced and the crowd immediately moved to make a circle in the middle. "Our first two contenders! Felicia! And Otto!"
The two vampires emerged and without any hesitation, startedfighting. The whole thing didn't last long and it ended with the woman snapping the man's neck.
"Damn, girl!" Marcel was obviously impressed. "Not bad!"
The girl did a slight curtesy, pleased with herself, but it was cut short by her getting her neck snapped by the vampire from the gala. Just as her body began to crumple to the floor a group of people obstructed my view. Dammit. Who the hell snapped that girls neck like a tooth pick?
"Good evening!"A mans voice echoed through the building. His voice sent a wave of emotions through me that I couldn't even place. Who was he? "I'd like a word." He spoke, his accent sending my heart into a frenzy.
"What do you think you're doing?" The whole crowd was quiet and Marcel looked angrier than ever. I stood on my tip toes to try and get a better vantage point but to no avail.
"It appears that we've interrupted a collection of filthy amateurs." I recognized that voice to be Elijah and I was right. He walked through the crowd, though not in a suit he still looked very out of place. "We're here for the girl. Give her to us or we kill everyone here. Starting with you."
"You two got a lot of nerve coming into my home and making demands." Marcel was trying to keep his dominance even though he was clearly out matched.
"Your home is it?" The first voice asked, the one with the slight British accent. Anytime he spoke it was like fire was shooting through me. If I could just see his face...
"The girl!" Elijah demanded. "I will not ask again."
"I assume you're talking about Hayley, yay high, dark hair, bitchy attitude. Who is she, anyway?" Marcel was taunting them now.
"She's an old friend. You know how sentimental I am about old friends." The voice said in a nonchalant tone but you could tell she was important to him.
"Well, I ain't got her, and before you start whining, I did pay her a little visit last night. I was feeling I took a trip out to the plantation where I used to be a slave, and imagine my surprise when I realized that the Original family of vampires had taken up residence. Your girl Hayley answered the door. We exchanged hellos. That was it. You don't believe me, look around. Hell, I'll even help you find her, but the question I'd ask is, if Hayley isn't here, then where is she?" Marcel was smarter than I gave him credit for.
If he did kidnap the girl, he was smart not to hide her here. However, he did pose a good question. Where was this girl? They might not know but I was sure as hell going to find out. In a second, I moved from my spot on the railing and was outside. Tuning out everything, I called upon my magic and focused on this mystery girl. I knew her name and I was guessing she wasn't in the quarter so it made trying to locate her much easier.
I got flashes of back roads, swamps, and what looked like a house in the middle of nowhere. Opening my eyes, I made a plan. If Elijah knew who I was and they wanted her back so badly, I would just get to her first and use her as leverage to figure out what exactly the knew about me.
I didn't know what Hayley's sent was but one definitely caught my attention. Werewolf. This place really is a supernatural hotspot. Following the scent deep into the woods, I recognized the house far ahead of me from the one in my spell. This had to be the place she was taken to. Moving at human speed, I made sure to keep an eye out for any werewolves waiting for intruders, but surprisingly there weren't any. The old backwater shack was unguarded.
I heard a scream and a neck snapping and darted quickly to the house. I could smell Hayley now, she had a distinct scent, and the werewolf smell that lead me here was in there as well. There was one other scent but I was assuming that was the dead person since I could hear Hayley and her kidnapper inside talking. By the sound of their voice, it seemed like they knew each other.
They were talking about hybrids now, and by the sound of it, the didn't mean my type of hybrid. There was another type? Listening carefully, they were talking about a werewolf vampire hybrid that could kill other vampires but still have all the perks. Was it possible to create these without magic? Dahlia had created me but she hadn't tried to do it with anyone else, nor did it seem like she wanted to. So why was this guy trying to make more of these hybrids?
Suddenly, a man tumbled out of the door and I hid around the side of the house. Watching, I saw that he had changed. He was a hybrid. The guy I found out was named Tyler asked if he was okay and he responded but I was watching his eyes. They looked different than any vampire's eyes I've seen before.
Tyler went back in the house but the new hybrid followed him, and I was right behind him. Watching carefully, I saw as the newly formed hybrid was being protective of Hayley. Quickly, I ran to Hayley's side and freed her. She had a stake in her hand but she didn't use it against me, which shocked me. Moving at the unnatural speed I had, I ran us far away from the house and her attackers.
"Are you alright?" I asked her, checking over her wounds.
"Why did you save me? Who are you?" Hayley asked, out of breath and terrified.
"Where are my manners. I'm Annalise and I saved you, well I was originally going to use you as leverage. I heard you talking to that guy, Tyler, though and it seems like you and I are the same. People who don't have anywhere they belong. Plus, you're with child. I'm not a complete monster."
"Well, thank you." Hayley was holding her neck, blood running down her hand.
"Here." I offered, moving her hand and putting mine on her bite. I closed my eyes, concentrating, and felt the familiar warmth radiate from my hand that was healing her.
"What the..." Hayley whispered, feeling where the bite was only to find smooth skin. "How did you do that?!"
"That's what I was trying to tell you, we both don't have a place we belong. Come on. Maybe I'll tell you more later." I winked at Hayley and grabbed her hand as we made our way back to the road.
We had only traveled a few steps when I heard someone coming. I held my arm out to stop Hayley, my eyes darting around for any sign of a threat.
"And here I thought you needed to be rescued." I heard Elijah's voice say from in front of us. "I guess I was wrong."
"Elijah!" Hayley brushed past me and threw her arms around him as I watched suspiciously.
"Annalise." Elijah greeted.
"Elijah." I said with a nod of my head. "Wonderful to see you again."
"Wait, you two know each other?" Hayley asked, looking between Elijah and I. "How is that possible?"
"My question exactly." I raised my eyebrow at Elijah, trying to figure him out. "I had planned on using Hayley as leverage against you to try and get information about how you know me but, we're more similar than I had thought. Also, she is pregnant and I'm not that much of a monster."
"Well thank you for saving her." Elijah stepped forward and this time, I didn't step back. I didn't want to show weakness. "If you want to know the truth, we live in an apple plantation, the only one around. Come by and you can ask all the questions you want. I've missed you."
The last comment made me gasp and my eyes widen. Were we that close? Unsure of what else to do, I ran. I ran as fast as I could back to the comfort of my apartment. Shutting the door, I leaned against it and fell down to the floor. What was happening to me?