Author's Note: I'm sorry for the long wait. I hope I still have readers out there, and I'm really trying to not have these long waits between chapters; I'm trying to do better. Updates are supposed to be monthly, we'll see how that goes. Anyway, please enjoy :)
On a side note: If you guys are curious about the Sweep series/characters, you should read The Equestrian Writer's version of this story. It goes deeper with those characters in the beginning and she writes really well that you feel like you know the characters even if you haven't read the books. :) I'll post the link
s/7428357/1/When-Evil-Fights-Back
Disclaimer: I do not own the House of Night series, or its' characters. They belong to PC and Kristin Cast. I also do not own the Sweep series, or its' characters. They belong to Cate Tiernan. All I have is this story/plot line.
~ Chapter Six ~
Zoey
I have to get out of here. I know Stark is probably killing himself trying to find me, but I can't count that he'll be able to get pass Neferet alone. Neferet was already in here once to siphon off my powers and I know she'll come in here again. She started to come in before, but a man's voice called to her. I could only get a glimpse of the same hallway that I saw the last time, until she closed the door, leaving me in the empty darkness once again.
The Darkness binding me to the chair cut into my wrists, causing them to bleed which only made the Darkness hold on to me tighter. I've fought against the Darkness before, but I've never been held down by it before. I keep trying to connect to the elements, my magick, anything, but I kept coming up against a brick wall. I couldn't allow that to stop me, though. I've been through so much, I can get myself out this. I have to try.
I lifted my arms up off the chair, straining against the Darkness. "Spirit, strengthen me," I whispered, hoping that speaking aloud would work better. I pushed against the Darkness, trying to weaken it or stretch it so that maybe I could slip my hands through. The Darkness burned my skin the more I touched it. My wrists were raw and bleeding, and the Darkness just lapped up my blood like it was nothing. I couldn't help the small anguished cry that escaped my lips.
"Nyx, help me," I whispered again. "I need your help, I can't do this alone." I sent a prayer up to the goddess, knowing that she could hear me. Nyx would find a way to help me. I know that deep down in my soul. I just couldn't give up.
Having an idea, I closed my eyes and centered myself. I forced the pain to the back of my mind as I took a deep breath. Suddenly, a warmth of lavender swept around me and I heard the soft, whispery, familiar voice whispering to me in my mind.
I'm always with you, daughter.
I smiled, despite the situation. Time to get out of here. "Fire, come to me," I commanded, in a low voice. A minute or so passed and I didn't feel anything. Then, I felt just the smallest prick of heat; it was coming slowly, breaking through a magickal barrier. "Fire." I demanded with more force than before. The small flicker turned to a great flame.
It felt so good to have the elements responding to me again. But I wasn't done yet. "Fire, match the Darkness with heat of your own," I commanded again. "Burn these binds until they let me go."
Fire obliged happily as it always does. The heat intensified on my wrists and I could even begin to feel it on my ankles through the fabric of my jeans. I squeezed my eyes shut and bit my lip, still focusing on fire. It burned and burned, until I thought my skin was going to fall off. Finally, there was a break in the heat and, opening my eyes, I saw the Darkness uncurling from around me and slinking to the back corner.
I jumped out of my chair, reaching for the door. I put my hand on the cold handle of the door, not wasting any time. Who knows if the Darkness will grab me again. Knowing Neferet, she ordered it to keep a hold on me. I pushed the handle down, and, gently, slowly, pushed the door slightly ajar. That's when I heard footsteps coming closer.
I froze, holding my breath. Through the crack in the door, I could only make out more blackness, but also a slight flickering of a torch. I prayed it wasn't Neferet, because then my escape plan would be compromised. The footsteps were right outside my door now and I waited for Neferet to yank the door all the way open.
It didn't happen. Whoever it was outside my door turned around and started walking back the way they'd come. I let out the breath I was holding and eased the door open again. I peeked out into the hallway, finding the retreating outline of a figure. He didn't seem to have heard me. So I stepped fully out into the hall, and closed the door quietly behind me.
Keeping my eyes on the dark, even in the torchlight, figure, I moved cautiously to the left wall, my hands sliding forward along the wall. Suddenly, the figure whipped around, and, I realized too late, that it was a raven mocker. Its' wings unfurled partway and its' maw was wide open, a terrible scream escaping fro.
I lurched back against the wall in surprise, my mouth open in a silent scream. I started to run forward and that's when the raven mocker ran at me. There was little time to waste. I'm sure if Neferet was still inside somewhere, she would have heard the raven mocker and be on her way here right now.
"Spirit, take it down," I shouted, 'cause really stealth was out of the question now. I didn't know if it would work, but it was the only thing I could do. I couldn't really set a blaze in here while I still stood in here. A rush of spirit soared through me, and the raven mocker crashed against the wall. It lay on the floor, frozen in place, as if it was held there by an invisible force.
As soon as it was incapacitated, I took off down the hall. The hall kept on going straight, but there was also another passage coming up on the left. I didn't know which way to go and I only had split second to decide. Following a feeling in my gut, I turned down the left hall and came to an abrupt stop.
"Well, well, well, just as I expected. You're not that unpredictable, Zoey."
I had stumbled into a big open room with a long mahogany table in the center of this new room. Neferet sat at the head of the table, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed, holding a glass of wine. It was surely laced with blood. The way out of this room was all the way across the room. There was no way I could get there without Neferet stopping me. I was going to have to fight my way out.
"So you're just sitting out here waiting for me to try to escape," I said, trying to inch my way to the exit while never taking my eyes off Neferet. "What is you big plan anyway?"
Neferet placed her glass on the table and stood up. She was dressed a bit more casually today in black pants and a black blazer with what looked like nothing underneath. Her heels clicked on the floor as she came around the table to face me. "Why, Zoey, I've already told you that," she chided, "You've always had a problem listening to your High Priestess."
I ignored her latter comment; she was just trying to bait me. "Right, I forgot, you're stealing my powers," I snorted. "You're not in the service of Nyx anymore, you're no one's High Priestess."
The sound of something heavy hitting the floor in the hallway behind me reverberated through the air. Neferet's eyes flicked past my shoulder, and I inched another step toward the exit under her distraction. Her eyes rested back on me, freezing me in my tracks. "Don't I know it, but soon, I will be everyone's Goddess," Neferet smiled sadistically.
"Nyx would never let that happen," I threw at her, hoping she didn't see me take another small step. "And if she can't do anything, I will stop you." I could feel my power building through my words.
Neferet threw her head back and laughed. "Zoey, you haven't been a threat to me in a long time," she chortled, crossing her arms. "Only a small nuisance. And once I possess you incredible powers, you'll be nothing."
"My friends-" I started to say.
"-have all been detained at the moment," Neferet finished above me. "And soon they will be dead, too."
Suddenly, her eyes flicked to the spot behind me again. Her eyes narrowed, a small grin teasing at her lips. "Oh, please, join us, little witch. Your father is out preparing the ritual, but he'll be back soon," she called out, to the seemingly empty hallway.
My curiosity getting the better of me, I turned to see who she was referring to. From around the corner opposite the way my cell had been, came a girl my own age I instantly recognized. It was the same girl from my dream, the same long brown hair and hazel eyes. The sleeves of her sweater were pushed up slightly revealing that she had the same red marks on her wrists as me.
"What am I do to with you two now?" Neferet said, tapping her chin with her finger and pacing back and forth in front of us.
"What ritual? What are you going to do?" the other girl asked Neferet, stepping further into the room. "And how do we-" she gestured to herself and me. "-fit into it?"
"Haha, all in good time, Morgan dear, all in good time," Neferet replied, stopping between us. "Now," she snapped her fingers at her obedient companion, Darkness. The Darkness slithered up in the air next to her. "Do this for me now and you shall receive your payment later. Bind these two up harder and take them back to their cells."
Spirit, protect myself and Morgan, I thought, quickly. Spirit wrapped around me in its' soothing embrace and did the same to Morgan. I felt fire join us, but I didn't call it. I looked over at Morgan and saw that she wrapped in the same glow as Shaunee whenever fire was called to the circle. She was as determined as I was to not go back to the cells.
The darkness slunk closer. Fire suddenly exploded into being, blocking the Darkness' descent on us. I knew Morgan had done it. Almost immediately after that, I heard a voice in my head and it sounded just like Morgan. Can you send out your element, too. The more, the better, she said. I looked at Morgan for confirmation and she nodded toward the fire and the Darkness. I nodded back, Spirit, join fire in keeping the Darkness away. Spirit obeyed, flying out towards the Darkness, causing it to shrink back.
Suddenly, I heard heavy footsteps coming from the hallway on the other side of the room. Then the man who had first kidnapped me stepped through the doorway. "I leave for only a few hours and you let them both escape," he said to Neferet, taking in the scene inside the room.
"I have things well in hand, you can go back to your cauldron now," Neferet told him, I believe is name was Ciaran. She was staring Morgan and I down, and I saw the Darkness starting to creep over the top of the flames.
"We can't keep this up forever," I whispered to Morgan, keeping my eyes on Neferet.
"I know," Morgan whispered back, agreeing.
"Apparently, our definitions of handling it differs," Ciaran was saying. He started murmuring something I couldn't hear. Then my body went numb as I lost control and I dropped to my knees. I didn't know what Ciaran did, but I don't like this feeling or lack thereof. I glanced over at Morgan, she had fallen as well.
The flames died out and I knew spirit had left, too. As Morgan and I struggled on our hands and knees, Neferet and Ciaran moved closer to us. "And you prove yourself useful once again," Neferet replied. She turned to her pet. "Darkness, take them away."
We couldn't even scream as the Darkness wrapped around us once again.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The Warehouse
Rephaim grunted as the raven mocker dumped him onto the floor in front of where Kalona was sitting. His body still ached from the change, but he didn't let it show. Kalona barely even glanced at his son as he stroked Mary K's hair. The younger girl had her eyes squeezed shut, and Rephaim's heart went out to her. Out of the corner of his eye, Rephaim saw Stevie Rae start to move over to him, but Bree stopped her with a hand on her arm, for that Rephaim was glad. He didn't want Stevie Rae getting into trouble with Kalona or Selene.
Kalona watched as Selene eyed him as she paced the length and width of the room. He knew Selene mistrusted him, the feeling was mutual. "It's so nice when everyone is on their best behavior," Kalona said aloud. His words were met with a few discreet glares. He moved his hand down to the back of Mary K's neck. "What do you think everybody should get as a reward?" He turned his charming smile on her.
Mary K shrank into herself, hugging her legs tighter to her chest. She knew not answering him was out of the question. Alisa was stabbed just standing there; she didn't do anything. "You could let us go," Mary K managed to muster, her voice shaking. She turned her face into her shoulder.
"Well, that's just not possible," Selene spoke before Kalona could respond. She sighed, "I'm going to check in with the others. I trust you can handle things in here?" Kalona gave her a flirty smile and a tilt of his head. With a disgusted look, Selene walked out of the room, sliding her gun into the waistband of her jeans. Kalona nodded his head once more at two raven mockers, and the two creatures move to stand in the entrance to the room.
"It's okay, try not to be scared," Jack whispered to Mary K. He tried to put his arm around her shoulders, but she jerked at his touch. He dropped his arm, not a bit offended; he was virtually a stranger to her. "They won't pick on you if you're not that scared."
"I know, it's just that..." she whispered back. She looked around the room at her friends and fellow hostages. Mary K stared longer at the raven mockers and bloodthirsty red fledglings. "We're all going to die, aren't we?" she whimpered.
"Shhh, no," Jack told her. He caught Damien's eye across the room, then nodded at Mary K. Help her, he mouthed. Damien nodded, seeing the upset girl. Jack saw Damien concentrate, and then Mary K visibly relaxed slightly as air enveloped her in its' soft caresses. "Everything's going to be okay," Jack said, smiling a bit.
xXx
"I know you want to go to him right now," Bree was whispering to Stevie Rae, trying to reassure her. "I just think that's not a good idea right now." She glanced briefly at Kalona and then returned her gaze to Stevie Rae.
"I know," Stevie Rae sighed, tracing her finger around the side of her worn cowboy boot. "It's just that-I know what he went through alone and what it does to him. I can tell he's hurting, but he doesn't want me to know. Except, I do. I..." She drifted off, unable to finish. Stevie Rae looked up at Rephaim, who was watching her. Their eyes met and Stevie Rae's heart ached to be near him, for him to hold her close and tell her everything is going to be okay.
Bree found Robbie sitting across the room from her. She tried to catch his attention, bu he was whispering something to the blonde girl sitting next to him. Bree couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Robbie was her boyfriend, and he was forced to sit with some strange girl and comfort her.
Stevie Rae caught Bree's gaze at Erin and Robbie. She was throwing herself all over him. "Hey, Erin is a big flirt," Stevie Rae said to Bree. "She'll flirt with the next hot guy that walks by. And he looks really uncomfortable." She tried to reassure her.
Bree turned to look at Stevie Rae, with a half smile. "Thanks."
xXx
"How is she doing?" Shaunee asked Darius, in a whisper. She was leaning with her back against the wall and Alisa's head in her lap. She stroked the younger girl's dark hair, trying to keep her calm. Alisa was just barely conscious, drifting in and out.
Darius sat next to Alisa, keeping an eye on her wound and pulse. "She's doing as well as can be expected under these conditions," Darius explained. He rested his forearms on his knees.
"So, do we just wait and see if they let us go?" Shaunee said bitterly, with a toss of her head toward Kalona.
Darius nodded once. "Just wait, and hope infection doesn't set it," he added.
"That would be bad," Shaunee murmured. And then, before she could talk herself out of it or Selene comes back, she called on her element, the powerful fire. Fire, go to Alisa and burn away any chances of infection. Help her stay strong, like you do for me. Fire went willingly to the young injured witch, keeping her strong until help could come.
xXx
Aphrodite blew out a long breath and slid down the wall until she was seated on the floor next to Sky. Sky watched her, and discreetly pulled out her athame from her leather jacket. She sneaked a glance at Hunter, who was sitting in the opposite corner diagonal to her. He was watching, but she couldn't tell if the look he was giving her was one of approval or disapproval, maybe it was a little of both. Either way, she was doing this.
Whispering a silence spell, Sky started to draw a circle around her and Aphrodite, when Kalona wasn't looking. When she finished half the circle, Sky handed the dagger to Aphrodite, who had been looking at her with an unreadable expression.
"Can you finish the circle on your side?" Sky asked her. She slid the athame behind herself when Kalona glanced their way.
"And what is a drawing a damn circle on the floor going to do to help us?" Aphrodite asked back, when Kalona had turned away.
"Just do it, and I'll explain after," Sky whispered back, hastily. Aphrodite rolled her eyes, but took the athame anyway. She finished the circle and handed it back to Sky, raising her eyebrows waiting for an explanation.
"It's a protection circle," Sky explained in a whisper. She drew several protection sigils around the front edge of the circle. She also kept looking up to make sure no raven mockers or red fledglings were watching, she didn't trust that Aphrodite would tell her when someone was coming. "It's not much, but it's all I can do right now." Sky sat back when she was finished, sliding her athame back into her jacket. "As long as we stay in the circle, we'll be relatively safe."
Aphrodite and Sky sat back and looked out at the rest of the room. Aphrodite sighed, "Relatively safe is all we can ask for right now."
xXx
Erin sat next to Robbie in their corner of the room, her arm looped through his and her head resting on his shoulder. Robbie thought she was a nice girl, a little too forward and he would really like to have his arm back. When she lifted her head, he subtly pulled his arm free. He tried to catch Bree's gaze from where she sat across the room to express his apologies for this girl's behavior, but she wouldn't look at him. Robbie sighed.
Erin mistook that for frustration for their overral situation. "I know, I hope we can get out of here soon," Erin said. "When we do, maybe-"
Suddenly, they felt another presense kneel down next to him. "I'm sorry, princess, that's not going to happen." It was Dallas, the red vampyre with the lightning bolt marks.
"Go away, Dallas, nobody wants you over here," Erin retorted, barely sparing him a glance.
Dallas laughed, "You'll want it sooner or later." Erin gave him a disgusted look; Dallas winked at her. He turned to Robbie. "Keep her warm for me," he smirked.
Robbie was only able to glare at him before he was interrupted.
"Dallas!" Kalona exclaimed, not moving from his feet. "No fraternizing with the hostages. That's my job."
Dallas winked again and then he stood up, walking away. Erin shuddered, and slipped her arm through Robbie's again and laid her head down on his shoulder.
"It's going to be okay," Robbie said, to Erin, unsure of anything else to say, but wanting to assure her somehow. Robbie swallowed hard, wishing he believed his own words.
xXx
Hunter shifted the way he was sitting, stretching his legs out in front of him. He leaned his head back against the wall, thinking. He could draw a protection circle around himself and Damien, like Sky did, but, unlike Sky, he was sitting in the front of the room, completely visible to Kalona. Kalona would catch him before he could take his athame out of his pocket. Hunter sighed quietly, crossed his ankles and stuffed his hands inside the pockets of his leather jacket.
"Thank you," Hunter whispered to Damien. When the other guy turned to look at him, Hunter continued, "For what you did for Mary K. She's gone through so much in the past four months, she shouldn't even be in this position. But you put yourself at risk and if Selene had been in here, she probably would have killed you. I'd be more careful from now on."
"It was nothing, I don't like to see others upset," Damien nodded. "But you're right. We need to be more careful with our magick, especially your cousin over there. I'm not so sure that anyone saw her." He still sat cross-legged, and he leaned forward on his arms.
"Yeah, that's Sky," Hunter agreed. "She's too stubborn for her own good. When someone is in trouble, she doesn't hesitate to help regardless of what happens to herself." He started to say something else, but stopped when Selene breezed back into the room. "Oh, boy," Hunter muttered.
"I thought I told you to watch them?" Selene asked Kalona. It sounded like she was in an even worse mood than when she left.
"I did watch them," Kalona replied, his mood going down at her utter lack of faith in him. "They're sitting in their corners like good kids." He smiled at each hostage.
"Then why is this room pulsing with magick?" Selene demanded, standing in the middle of the room and looking at all the hostages. "I'll tell you why, it's because everybody has forgotten who is in charge here. So let me remind you all." She pulled out her gun. "Who should I shoot first? Air? Fire?" Selene pointed the gun first at Damien, and then Shaunee. Then, she turned abruptly and strode over to Sky. "Or Miss thinks-she-can-pull-a-fast-one-on-me?" She dismantled the protection circle around Sky and Aphrodite, and then fixed the gun on Sky.
A minute passed. Then, Kalona blew out a long, drawn out sigh. "Enough with the drama already," he dramatized. "If you're going to shoot her, just shoot her already." He waved his hand in the air dismissively.
Selene snapped her head around to glare at him, the gun still trained on Sky. "As least I'm doing something," She threw at him. "As opposed to you, sitting on your ass."
Kalona cocked his head, his amber eyes narrowing. "You want me to do something?" he questioned.
Selene quirked an eyebrow.
"Fine." Kalona stated. Before anyone could blink, he grabbed Mary K by her hair, stood up, and walked to the center of the room. Mary K whimpered, but she mostly stayed quiet. Kalona turned them in a slow circle, showing everybody, his hand still in her hair at the back of her neck. "Since you all seem so deliberate in breaking the rules, let's put a twist on it," Kalona announced, "If anyone steps out of line or misbehaves, this pretty young lady gets a demerit. Careful, if she gets ten-" He smiled at Mary K. "-we lose a friend."
"Give me the demerits instead!" Hunter volunteered, jumping up from the floor.
"No," Kalona said simply. "I've made my decision, no volunteers." He jerked Mary K's head to make her look at him. "And I'm sorry, my dear, you already have three demerits. Not a good start." Kalona tisked.
Selene lowered her weapon, and walked over to Kalona and Mary K. "Excellent idea, Kalona, that should keep them in line," Selene smiled cruelly. "But first, Dallas would you please search Miss Sky and confiscate any suspicious items she may be withholding."
"With pleasure," Dallas obeyed, his voice sickeningly sweet. He strolled over to Sky and knelt down before her. He grinned at her. "Hey there, princess, you want to give me what you have there?" He wasn't dumb; he knew she was holding something behind her back. He held his hand out.
Sky kept her gaze level with his, not backing down. If there was ever a time to do something, it was now. Her eyes flicked to Hunter still standing across the room. Hunter looked back at her and his own eyes widened. Sky turned her attention back to Dallas, smiling slyly. "You want it?"
Everything after that happened in a flash.
"Sky, no!" Hunter exclaimed, running toward her. Nicole, the dark-haired red fledgling grabbed him, holding him in place. He struggled against her.
Sky had whipped her athame out and pointed it at Dallas' neck. "Enough with these games," Sky addressed Kalona and Selene, but her gaze stayed locked on Dallas. He still had that stupid smirk on his face, like Sky didn't have a dagger to his throat. "Tell us what you want and let us go. Or I'll kill him right now."
"Unfortunately, I could care less if you killed him," Selene said, crossing her arms. "By all means, kill him. It will be one less bloodsucker in the world."
"Sky, don't," Hunter told his cousin, while struggling against Nicole. Sky had touched the athame to Dallas' neck, though she hadn't drawn blood. Yet.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Dallas finally spoke. His chin was raised from the blade almost pressing into his throat. "I could kill you before you can get this dagger all the way in."
"I think I'll take my chances," Sky seethed.
Then, another voice joined the fray. "He's right," Stevie Rae said, standing up. "His powers are really dangerous, lethal even." Another red fledgling grabbed her before she could move.
"Alright, no more heroics," Kalona replied, discouraging anybody else from standing up. "What are you going to do, witch?"
There was a tense silence, where the only sounds were Mary K's quiet sobs of terror. Sky connected with Hunter one more time. Hunter tried to beg her with his eyes to hand the athame over. Sky spoke, "Hunter, get everybody out."
"Noo!" Hunter yelled, lunging forward again. Nicole didn't let him go.
Just as Sky thrust the dagger forward, Dallas grabbed her wrist and sent an electric shock through her. Sky fell to the floor, dropping the dagger and grunting in pain. Hunter struggled more furiously to get to her, but Nicole twisted his arm behind his back and he gritted his teeth in pain.
Kalona sighed, feigning sympathy. "What a shame, but at least we were all entertained for a little while," Kalona said. He nodded toward Dallas. "Dallas, take her out of the room so that she can recuperate in private." Kalona smiled sardonically.
"You bastard," Hunter spat. He stopped struggling and stood still, glaring at Kalona. "You don't care about any of us. We're all just pawns in your game."
In a flash, Kalona grabbed Hunter by the neck and pinned him against the wall. Hunter gasped, trying to get more air to his lungs. "You're right I don't care if you leave this place in a bodybag or with a few less body parts." Kalona hissed. "So, I would curb your outbursts before I decide to kill every last soul in this room," His fingers pressed deeper into Hunter's neck.
Selene walked over to the pair. "That's enough," she snapped, speaking to Kalona. "Have you forgotten the plan? He stays alive."
Kalona didn't move for a moment and everybody was holding their breath, waiting to see what would happen. Finally, Kalona let go and Hunter collapsed to the floor, gasping. "Nicole, search him for anything suspicious," Kalona ordered, turning around and walking away.
Nicole searched Hunter almost too happily, until she came across his athame. She pulled it out, and Selene snatched it from her before she could keep it for herself. Selene also picked up Sky's fallen athame from the floor.
"Now, everybody sit down and behave, before I really begin to lose my temper," Selene ordered.
Kalona was back over with Mary K, who was still frozen in place, his hands on her shoulders. He lowered his head to look her in the eyes. "Sorry, darling," he mock consoled her. "You are up to six demerits now. I'd hope that your fellow hostages will behave to save your life if I were you." He smiled at her, then pushed her down to her spot next to Jack.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Stark
"C'mon, vamp, get up," Cal said, knocking on the tent where Stark had been sleeping. "The moon is shining, let's go!" When there was no answer, Cal unzipped the flap of the tent and stuck his head in. The red vampyre was just reaching for his bow and arrows, and glowered at Cal.
"I'm coming," Stark growled at him. "I was already up." He had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep without Zoey right next to him. It was an agonizing wait for the sun to go down.
Stark slung his arrows over his shoulder, and, holding on to his bow, shoved past Cal into the night air. He held his hands out. "What, no breakfast?" Stark asked, sarcastically.
Cal was finishing up getting his things together. "You've got the bow. Why don't you go find a deer to nibble on or do you prefer to drink from the vein?" Cal shot back, just as snarkily.
"Why, are you offering?" Stark asked him. "Though it's tempting to see you dead, blood from an asshole doesn't sound that appealing. So, I'll pass for now."
"Let's just get going, alright?" Cal said, when everything was packed. He shouldered his pack and looked at Stark.
"Fine by me," Stark replied gruffly. He turned and started walking through the woods. He called over his shoulder, "Keep up and stay out of my way!"
They trekked through the woods once again, staying mostly silent. They listened to their footsteps crunching on the leaves, and stayed alert to their surroundings. Stark knew he was going the right way; he could feel deep down in his soul. He was getting closer to Zoey. Cal's mind was elsewhere. He was thinking about Morgan and her possible reaction to seeing him again. He steeled himself for her overreacting in a bad way, but he couldn't help to wonder if she could be...happy to see him again.
Suddenly, there was a break in the trees a few yards away. Stark and Cal both stopped where they were, for different reasons. Stark turned in a slow circle, a distressed look on his face. "Something's happened," he announced, "I can barely feel her!"
Cal held up his hand, as if for silence. "Shhh," Cal said, taking a couple steps forward carefully. "There's magick around here." He continued past Stark, walking into the clearing. After a while, Cal spread his arms out wide in frustration. "This is impossible," he stated. "There's so much magick here, I can feel it, but yet...nothing." Cal turned on Stark. "Are you sure you know where you're going?"
Stark shot him a glare. "Of course I'm sure," Stark said, stepping into the clearing. "The bond's never steered me wrong before. It's just—I-something's happened to her. I know it."
"Must be hard," Cal replied, turning his back on Stark. "I would be sorry for you if I thought anything you've said was the truth. I'm starting to think you made all this warrior bond stuff up. And you're really just leading me into a trap."
That was it. Stark was tired of Cal and his comments. Slowly, Stark pulled out an arrow and knocked it to his bow. He didn't need any help, he could find Zoey by himself. Stark raised the bow. "Just one shot," he muttered to himself.
Cal was still chattering, his back turned, as Stark readied his aim. Then, suddenly, Cal's foot came down on a part of the ground that echoed an empty, hollow, clanging sound. Stark lowered his bow, his eyes narrowing in curiosity. Cal repeated his action in the same spot, each step getting louder and louder. He picked up his head and met Stark's gaze.
"There's something down there," Cal said what they were both thinking.
They both snapped into action. Cal sidestepped the area, and, together, they moved loose grass, dirt, and other foliage. Stark and Cal stepped back after they cleared everything, and had revealed something that wasn't part of nature.
A steel door.
A/N: Well, what do you think? Please review and tell me what you think. I love to hear from you all, and don't forget to check The Equestrian Writer's story (and review,too) :D