Chapter 26

"There it is" Faolan said in a hushed voice as they stared at the abandoned building that seemed bustling with life at this time of night. Aghony watched, his hair soaked to his face from the rain that had down poured on them earlier after they finished looking at the security tapes. It had taken Aghony less than ten seconds to break into the store. He had reviewed the recordings of that night and saw a lesser hit Ruby over the head in the street and drag her off to a nearby van.

Aghony rubbed his eyes and checked his gun once more, thinking about the way Ruby had looked in that video. She had stared at the corner of the street, her eyes blazing down at the curb, and you could just tell she was struggling with something. And then...for a moment...she seemed happy...

"What do you smell?" Quinn said behind Faolan, his eyes looking ready to dish out some hell.

"She's at the top floor I can tell you that" Faolan said, his eyes narrowing "But I can barely smell her there are so many of them."

"She's alive" Aghony said, his voice dark "That's all that matters."

"Barely" Xhex said her head shaking "We better move quick."

"Then let's do it." Zsadist said to his nephew "At your word Aggie." Aghony looked back to the Brothers that had been able to come. Faolan, his right hand man stood by his side as Qhuinn, Xhex, John and Zsadist stood ready for battle. Lowell hung behind in a car just in case back-up was needed along with Blaylock who was ready on the phone with Butch for clean up.

"Thank you" Aghony said looking at each and every one of them. They all nodded in return, knowing what it was like to lose your mate at one point.

"Don't forget about me" Lassiter said from behind all of them. Aghony watched as the angel came ahead of the group and looked straight at Aghony.

"You are going to need me if she's hurt" he said wiggling his fingers.

"Got it" Aghony said "Let's move."

Ruby stood up slowly, her arms shaking from the loss of control for so long, but at least she could move. Hot tears sprang from her eyes instantly, like they had been holding back all this time. She hadn't slept, her eyelids refused to close all night and all day, so she was running on empty. She stood up, wobbling just a bit before catching herself against the wall of the tiny room.

Her eyes darted around, trying to find some source of light, trying to find a way out.

God she missed Aghony...

More tears started to spring up. If she lived through this...if that thing didn't take her...she would tell Aghony what she felt as soon as she saw him.

"If I see him" she whispered to herself.

Images of that robed figure plagued her mind. When he entered her she felt...whole. Like she was a glass that was filling up with water. It had felt strange and familiar and...good.

She shivered, not wanting to feel that way about such an evil creature. She had to get out before it tried to take her again..

Slowly she moved around the room, her hands feeling around the darkness as she tried to be as quiet as possible. The door was metal, she could feel that much, and sounds of people moving around suggested they were right outside the door. Her hands moved to the opposite and trailed upward. She felt something odd, like paper taped against something, and quickly her fingers teared at whatever it was.

Slivers of light started to pour in as Ruby tore open a small window that had been taped up. A small street light provided just enough light for Ruby to see outside in the rain. She was high up at what looked like a apartment building. Another roof was just below her, it's shingles looked broken and wasted, but still reachable.

She tested the durability of the window and felt it creak beneath her.

If she could get out, she could get help.

"Please" she prayed to whatever as she looked back to the door.

And then, Ruby opened the window just as she heard shouting below.

Aghony's team ran up to the building, weapons drawn, ready for anything. He motioned to Faolan and quickly kicked down the door.

Instantly, his trigger finger shot three lessers, knocking them to the ground flat as Faolan and the others moved in.

"Upstairs! Upstairs!" Xhex shouted as her and Faolan started ripping apart lessers one by one.

Quickly Aghony ran up the broken staircase, his feet avoiding the holes and cracks in the rotten wood. Gun shots were firing all around him and the tell tale roar of Zsadist was heard as he flung lessers left and right around the area.

More of the pale creatures were coming down the stairs but Aghony was ready. His blood was pumping fire as he dished out heel kicks and right hooks all around the place, his daggers slicing and dicing at the right moment, his clothes getting soaked in the oily blood of lessers. But none of that was on his mind, he had one mission and one mission only. Save Ruby.

He had made it to the last staircase, a pile of bodies behind him as he faced off with more lessers waiting for him at the top. His arms swung, the daggers making contact as oily blood splattered everywhere and bodies fell around him.

He saw the door, smelling her scent that faded by the seconds. Aghony walked, his eyes focused on one thing as he took two lessers out without even blinking. Walking steadily, the violence and screams dulling around him, his hand swiftly swung, the black dagger slicing the chains that held the door shut into pieces.

His hands were almost trembling, his mind preparing him for the worst sight he could imagine. Hoping and praying he wasn't too late.

As the door swung open, it felt like centuries passed as he stood there, the door swinging open slowly to reveal only a dark room with a small window open to the night air.

Aghony felt the air getting sucked out of his lungs, her scent disappearing with the open door.

"Ruby" he whispered.

Ruby had jumped out the window, her body landing hard on the lower roof of the next building. Adrenaline kicked in and she was up and running, her body nearly swinging off the fire escape as she trailed down, her body bare except for the dirty underwear that covered her butt. A lone window was open and she instantly went in, quiet as the sleeping occupants were snoozing on the couch. She saw a jacket hanging on a coat rack and swiped it up, covering her battered body so she didn't get arrested on the spot when she made it outside.

Quietly she exited, hoping her intrusion would go unnoticed. She walked steadily down the hallway and down the stairs of the building till she made it out into the fresh air.

"Wow" she whispered looking around. She was in a really bad part of town. She looked up and down the street for a payphone and realized she didn't have any chance even if she found one.

"Shit" she whispered and heard loud gun fire coming from the building next door. She started running, not caring which direction she went just as long as she was far away from that horrible place.

Her bare feet carried her street by street until she was at the entrance to a park she knew. Slowly she walked, her body shaking from the lack of food and sleep as she planned to phone from a convenience store that was just across the park.

God she hoped Aghony would forgive her, and that Jay would finally get what was coming to him. But right now, all she wanted was just to see Aghony..

Just once...

"Where the hell is she?" Xhex said looking around as her hands felt the walls for any sign of an invisible barrier that she had been put inside in a similar situation.

"She's not in here" Aghony said shaking his head. Faolan sniffed around and confirmed that it was true.

"Where would they have taken her?" Qhuinn asked as he looked around. Butch was in the background with Vishous, cleaning up lessers left and right.

Aghony just shook his head and walked quickly out of the room. John tried to stop him but the young male pushed past and stormed outside into the night air.

"Where are you?" he asked the night sky, hoping it would give him a sign. Suddenly a shooting star flashed above him, and he felt a chill roll through his spine.

"Okay" he said quietly. He started jogging in the direction the star had shot towards, his feet pounding down streets, eyes looking above as he watched stars start shooting all around the sky the more he moved towards where they were going.

His eyes looked down for only a moment, realizing he was at the edge of a park. Quickly he entered it, knowing he was close, feeling the pulse in his chest grow the more and more his feet moved.

Ruby had been looking up at the sky on a small bridge that went over a creek, her eyes watching in wonder as stars shot all around above her, despite the city lights wanting to drown them out.

She smiled, holding the jacket tighter to her, thinking that if only she could spend this moment with Aghony...

And then, like magic, he was there, standing at the foot of the bridge, his eyes cast wide looking up at her as his chest heaved up and down.

"Aghony" she whispered, thinking she was hallucinating.

He smiled up at her, and ran forward.

Ruby collapsed into his arms, her own wrapping tightly around his neck as he nearly lifted her off the ground. His arms squeezed tight around her, as if she would disappear the moment he let go. She moved her head so it was right against his, her eyes meeting his with a smile.

"Found you" she whispered.

"And I found you" he said, his eyes full of nothing but love.

And then, Ruby kissed him, her mouth doing all the talking for them, telling him how much she missed him, how much she wanted him. His arms gripped her even tighter, taking her all in, her past, her future, her heart.

And when they broke, her eyes still closed to his she whispered "I love you."

And when she opened them, he smiled at her.

Aghony kissed her once more, their lips doing nothing but saying words of love without ever speaking them.

And there they stood under the stars, an immovable object and an unstoppable force .

Together at last.