A/N: Just another chapter :) I hope you all enjoy and as always comments, reviews and ideas are cherished and welcomed. Now read on.

Chapter Nineteen: Twisted Games & Power Plays

Eli's P.O.V

It's all some sick and twisted game to them.
A power play between hunter and predator.
And I'm the bait.

Lucky was never really one to share much about her past, but Hunter had told me enough before I'd gotten to the apartment to know that these people were no good. They knew Lucky had found the Drakes and they knew that if she came looking for me the Drakes wouldn't be too far behind.

I had to warn her, beg her to stay away.
Even if I could contact her, I was in no state to talk. I could still taste the blood in my mouth and the throbbing seemed to only worsen. One of my eyes was swollen shut and if I hadn't have known any better I could have sworn half of my skull had been crushed in.

And this was them being 'gentle'.
Their definition of gentle was a lot different to mine. Of course the beating I took was nothing compared to what they did to Lucky, they tortured her.

All the scars I saw on her arms were from them. Just thinking about it infuriated me. These people were monsters, the scum of the earth. We had to do a report on underground blood slavery and in all honesty I was surprised to find that these guys were still running, the Helios Ra organized a big bust on this particular network a couple of years ago. They thought they'd shut the whole thing down.

Apparently not.

From what I knew the Helios Ra spent a year digging dirt and intel on this group where they went, who they bartered with; what kind of guests they entertained for. The whole shebang.

There were personal files on every single person, vampire and human who were involved.
Creepy but useful.

There was this one chick Moira Gretchen Sawyer, she had a blonde pony tail and a pants suit in her picture. She seemed to be the ring leader, the main organizer. She was the one planning events, finding and approving blood slaves, and overseeing trading.

Moira was never found, but rumour has it there was someone else. Someone even Moira had to answer to, someone who actually called the shots. According to the files Lucky put an end to the rumour, nobody knows how and those who do are too frightened to say. All we knew was that the leaders and the fully fledged hunters stopped the raid, stopped the search and it was never brought up in conversation.

These people were clearly slavers; the way they kept their slaves in the main hall standing at attention was a cruel power play, a display of ownership.

Chains encased their ankles, binding them together in one long, sick food chain. The healthiest, fresher faced people are at the front; their eyes wide with fear. Some are staring at me in shock; others keep their eyes on the floor. Some of these people could easily have been someone's grandparent and some were younger than me.

The hall has been silent for the past hour, it seems like anyone that needs to breathe is too scared to. Nobody moves, the hall is a room of statues portraying an unfortunate scene from a horror story and right now I feel like the character you just know isn't going to walk back out the door.

Lucky's P.O.V

I needed to get out, to get away.

What was I thinking?

On the beach I'd been weak; I'd fallen into the routine of a past life.

A past me.

Getting close to Nicholas was a mistake; all the emotions I'd shown the Drakes only weakened me. I needed to leave this place, to find Eli and return him to the Academy. What was Eli doing with us, with me? he was just a kid; he was still doing reports and learning the ropes. Eli didn't belong on the streets, not yet. I'm sure he's learnt his lesson.

I wish he'd answer his goddamn phone; this empty droning dial tone is beginning to get on my nerves.

Getting ready to leave yet another voicemail, I almost dropped my phone when I heard a rough voice with a thick Russian accent on the other end.

'Who is this' I ask, not being one to enjoy chit chat.

'Who are you' I was not in the mood to get into this, we weren't in middle school.

'Look buster you are on my friends' phone and as far as I'm aware he doesn't know any Russians, so I'm going to ask again politely. And bear in mind I only do polite once. Who am I speaking to?'

When I get a reply it's no longer a Russian man speaking to me, but a woman whose silky voice grates on ear drums and sends my pulse into a frenzied overdrive.

'I'm sure you know who I am Lucky, I know who you are or should I say what you are.'

I hated her; I hated her stupid blonde ponytail, her stupid smug smirk, and her stupid pants suit.

I hated her with a passion that'd been burning ever since that moment in the dark. I'd vowed to drive a stake through her heart one day, and I'll stand by that vow whether it kills me or not.

'Listen to me Gretchen and listen well. You might have the Drakes, hell the whole freaking vampire community fooled but you don't fool me. Now I'm going to make this very clear, if you hurt one hair on Eli's head or even dare try that shit you pulled on me you will be in a world of hurt. '

I wanted so very badly to climb through the phone, to watch the surprise on her face as I jumped out and staked her right where it counts.

'Lucky listen to me, as much as I've always enjoyed the sinister tinge to every threat you made I need to make something very clear for you. This boy, well he's training to be a hunter. Now I've never really approved of the treaty between The Helios Ra and The Courts, especially after that incident we had a few years ago. And as I see it some changes need to be instigated and who better than the Vampire queens second in command? I do hope you don't take this too personally because I'm saving all the personal stuff for when I can get my hands around your throat. I haven't forgotten, I can still see the blood bathing your skin. And I will bleed you.'

Gretchen chuckled before clearing her throat and as I could imagine she would have adjusted her coat whilst flicking her pony tail back. Even for a sadistic vampire she still held herself as a business woman.

I was fuming, the blood had rushed to my cheeks and my breathing had become ragged, I wanted to scream at her to leave Eli alone, that she was an egotistical maniac. But she'd beaten me to the punch.

'I believe I have someone who would like to talk to you, Say hello Eli'

It was faint but I could hear a raspy voice. He was speaking so quickly, saying what sounded like pleas to stay away, to forget about him.

'It's a trap' he manages to find his voice barely 'Lucky it's a trap, don't fall for it. They're evil'

I wanted to cry, kick, and scream. What had they done to him, how badly was he hurt?

This was all my fault I shouldn't have asked him to come along; I shouldn't have roped him into my hair brained scheme.

'Lucky please...'

Click

The phone goes dead.

Sinking to my knees, I barely register the cold chill spreading through my legs as water rushes past me.

What had I done?

What was Eli going to say?

Where could he...

'Lucky?' Quinn stood behind. It was only now that I could register his shadow surpassing me in the wet sand.

How long had he been standing there?

'Lucky who's Eli?'