A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry for the late update, I bought Doomsday (for those who don't know, it stars Rhona Mitra, the actress who plays Sonja) and I've been watching it non stop. Seriously, I've been like 'OMG SONJA LIVES AND SHE'S... BEING BEATEN TO A PULP!' Oh, and then I invited my best friend over and forced her to watch Underworld Rise of the Lycans. -cue flashback of my crying like a little girl and her patting me awkwardly on the back- Ahem. Moving on! Enjoy the chapter!
Lucian waited until around midday before attempting his escape. It took a lot of self control and reasoning not to take all the Lycans with him. It would save a lot of time, but it would also make his already difficult escape that much harder. Besides, he told himself, if Nazar's plan worked then the Lycans would be free before the end of the month. He sat in his workshop pretending to sleep, though he was really studying the rounds of the patrolling guards. From what he had observed, there were eight guards on a constant loop, walking in the shadows in pairs. This left little time for Lucian to escape, however he noticed that every second loop one pair would, while the other pairs were inside the castle, descend to the Lycan cells. This left about two minutes with not one guard in sight. Difficult, but the only plan Lucian could make. And so he waited for the last of the three pairs to head into the castle, and then watched the fourth disappear underground and he made a break for it. He kept hidden in the shadows, jogging silently to the wall. He found himself wondering why he'd ever thought it was hard to get out as he swung himself over the wall, his knees sinking into the impact smoothly.
He crossed the field easily and stopped once he was in the cover of the forest. He didn't proceed any further, not sure what direction he should go when a mildly familiar voice purred seductively.
"You kept me waiting, Lucian,"
Lucian turned to meet her eyes, "Sorry, Anya. I needed some time to work out a plan. Turns out escaping is a lot easier than it looks if you just stand back and watch for a second,"
Anya smiled and flicked a wisp of fiery hair out of her face, "We should get going, Nazar is waiting with the rest of the tribe,"
Lucian followed Anya easily, the woman walked slower than Nazar had, and her bright hair was almost a beacon in the darkness.
"Everyone is very excited," Anya explained as she wove in between trees, "We feel change coming on, and you are a large part of that,"
"I wish my kind would see that," Lucian muttered, more to himself, though Anya chuckled.
"They will see, when you free them. You are destined for great things, your brothers will understand soon," Anya said, almost offhandedly like she were discussing the weather.
Lucian frowned, curious, "What do you mean by destined for great things?"
Anya stopped and turned around, a almost mocking look of disbelief on her face, "Lucian, you are the first of your kind, the first Lycan. Surely you knew you were meant for more than just making swords and building things?"
Lucian gaped, unsure of what to say. Anya laughed again and beckoned him on. They made the rest of the trip in silence after that.
"Ah, Lucian, I'm glad you got away," Nazar smiled broadly and strolled over regally, "How was it?"
"Easy enough once I did some observing," Lucian shrugged, "The guards have all been distracted, I don't think they would have noticed me even if I shouted that I was leaving,"
Nazar nodded, "Yes, I've done my best to instil some fear on the fighters. Ultimately, I'd like all the vampires in the one place so we can hit them with the smoke all at once."
"And what about the Lycans?" Lucian asked as Nazar lead him to a circle of log seats around a little charred spot that was a fire in the night.
"I would like your brethren to be in the courtyard. Block off the doors to the castle, fight those who try to escape. The smoke works fast, they'll be significantly weakened after a minute, guaranteed dead before five. An easy enough fight," Nazar explained.
Anya took the seat next to Lucian, throwing him a coy glance. He returned her small smile politely, though his mind warned him against her. Though she'd done nothing against him, Anya hadn't shown Lucian she was trustworthy, either.
"But where will you be?" Lucian turned his attention back to Nazar, ignoring Anya's stare, "Won't the gas be fatal to you as well?"
"Ah, that's where you come in. I need you and Anya to come with me to finish off the elders. Markus and Amelia will be easy to dispose of, but Viktor will be harder. Something our experiments showed was that the smoke works quicker on younger vampires. For example, I am around half Viktor's age and it took something around three minutes for me to black out. I suspect it will take over five minutes to even weaken him. Given may also have the council with him, I need some good fighters to help keep them busy while the smoke takes effect. Those good fighters are you and Anya,"
Lucian looked over to Anya again, and she grinned mischievously.
"Good fighter?" she said, mock haughtily, "I'm a great fighter. Better than this one, at least,"
Lucian narrowed his eyes as she gestured at him, "I don't think so,"
"Oh really?" Anya met his determined glare.
"Alright, that's enough. Save all that spirit for the real fight. Or at least go and practise to burn off some energy," Nazar suggested, amused.
Lucian opened his mouth to decline, figuring Nazar would want to talk strategies further, but Anya was already on her feet and her enthusiasm was catching.
Anya led Lucian deeper into the forest to a smaller, quieter area. It was really quite beautiful, soft grass under his feet and the smell of the woods fresh from the canopy above. But Lucian barely had a second to take it all in before he was forced back, skidding across the ground and falling onto a tree trunk. He looked up in surprise at Anya's haughty face and grinned, letting out a playful growl. He righted himself in time to counter her next lunge. They fought playfully, but rough, each trying to outdo the other whilst still remaining light hearted. She was obviously a very good fighter, and something in her face told Lucian she was struggling not to go all out and attack him properly. Something else in her face told Lucian he was glad she had self control.
As they fought, neither quite gaining the upper hand, Lucian grew curious. When word had spread of the new race, rumours came with it of a violent, pure evil race. He found it hard to believe he was currently playing around, laughing and wrestling with something everyone feared so much. Wrapped up in his own thoughts, it wasn't until Anya's laughing ceased that he realised where they were. Her legs were wrapped tightly around his waist, her back against a tree trunk. They'd obviously gotten there through the fight, but now all traces of humour were gone from Anya's eyes, to be replaced by sheer lust. Lucian didn't let his thoughts go any further. Because at that moment each one of them aligned to Sonja. The way he and Sonja had battled. The way Sonja's eyes had glazed over with lust. And Sonja's disappearing back as she was exiled from her home and her family. He gently pulled Anya's legs off of him and set her down, not meeting her disappointed and bewildered face.
"What-" she started, but Lucian shook his head.
"I'm sorry," he said, forcing his voice to sound nothing but monotonously polite, "But I think we should go,"
He turned to return to the tribe, but Anya's sad tone stopped him.
"It's because of her, isn't it?" she said quietly, "That vampire girl Nazar was talking about,"Lucian turned around, confusion clear on his face. Nazar had mentioned Sonja?
"He was talking about you to the tribe, he talked about some girl being a complication. That you might be unwilling to help us because of her, and if she was holding you back he might have to do something about it,"
Lucian froze, dread washing through his body like a sickness. Maybe Nazar had other motives in sending Sonja away, after all. His fists clenched tight at the thought.
"Did I say too much?" Anya said, though something in her startling green eyes hinted that she had planned on it.
"Did Nazar really say that, Anya?" Lucian asked firmly.
Anya nodded, "Lucian, I don't think you should trust Nazar so much. He says things to us that he doesn't say to you. And from what he's told us, the story he gives you isn't quite accurate."
She fixed him with a meaningful look before disappearing into the forest. Lucian followed after a moment of silence.
So? So? You know the drill! I wish I could hug all my reviewers and give them their own Lucian!
