PLEASE bear with me. It is very hard to find time to write with a on the move infant. However, I have just had another surgery and am on bed rest so writing here I come. I am in the process of trying to also read the Bloodlines series which I have not had a chance to read all the way. Please do not spoil it! However, I am glad to reveal that this story is almost to an end. I hope to have this story done by either mid-February or March. There are about 4 or 5 more chapters left and then I will be revealing the sequels title and a sneak peak.

Chapter 24: The Definition of Fear

Carly POV

I had done a lot of stupid stuff in my life. There was that time I had burned off all my eyebrows accidently. But none compared to the mistakes I had done within the last year. So much that I knew Mila would never forgive me. Because I was the reason we were here.

We sat against the wall in wooden chairs each tied up. We were down in the basement which had been Ivan's girlfriend's little dungeon.

Mila sat against the wall opposite of me next to another girl she had made the travel with. The boy she had come along with was on the other side of the unknown girl. Ivan was against the wall from across from the door and his girlfriend was next to me.

It had all been fast. Master had grabbed me and dragged me back inside the house. I was pretty sure Melissa and Heidi had been there too since the rest of us had been brought in pretty fast. No one had seemed to make an escape attempt. Mila had stayed quiet which for my younger sister was a hard task. But I could see the fumes steaming off of her. She was livid at me and it was apparent in her stone cold rock hard stare she was sending my way. We were alone and the silence was killing me.

"Mila, what are you doing here?" I asked trying to keep my voice low.

She glared at me harder, "No, the question is where you have been for the last few months?"

Ivan interrupted me before I could answer, "Could someone please clear this all up for me? Why are you three here? Where are the other guardians?"

The girl next to Mila spoke up, "We are…well were your rescue team. Which seemed to fail."

No one got a chance to reply before the cell door creaked and all of our eyes turned to Master. His eyes landed on me first and while fear was racing threw my veins I held my head strong and never let my gaze leave his eyes.

He walked straight to me and bent down until we were face to face. Before I knew it he kissed my forehead. His arms reached behind my chair and all of a sudden the rope around my wrist popped.

I was speechless. He had released me.

He stood and once again started walking for the door.

"Come on Sugar. We will find a suitable punishment for you later on."

My guardian instincts kicked in and all I could think was that he was my enemy and I had to win. I leaped aiming to land on his back but he sensed my movement and next thing I knew I was being thrown against the wall with him pushed against me. It was nothing like the times we had had sex this way. While that had always been rough in a passionate way this time it was nothing like that roughness. I was weak due to all the blood I had lost since I had become a constant 'snack' to him. His teeth were at my neck and he paused. His blood scented breath filled my face as he spoke.

"How many times have I told you what would happen to you if you did something foolish Carly?"

His hands were on my neck making it impossible to speak let alone breath.

He lifted his head from my neck but his hands stayed firm.

"My resources tell me that this girl is your sister." He looked right at Mila and I could see her hand clench a bit. His hand let up a bit on my neck just enough to let me speak.

"Let her be. Whatever you do just leave her alone." I said making my voice loud and strong. At least I hoped.

His gaze returned to me, "You never mentioned a sister. All the times we were intimate and not once did you mention your past life. For a minute he looked saddened but it was just a glimpse before his blood red eyes became hard and cold once more.

I cringed as he mentioned our intimacy. I was ashamed and it wasn't something I wanted Mila to know. She hated me enough. She didn't need to know I had a sexual relationship with a monster.

But it was too late. Mila had always been brave and even while we were sitting faced with danger she was still that way. Her voice broke across the room and I internally felt my heart melt. She should have stayed quiet.

"You screwed a dead guy!" Mila exclaimed and Masters Eyes returned to her. She didn't back down but there a sense of fear in her eyes.

Master spoke, "Why yes she did Little Lady." He turned to me, "Come on Sugar. Let's give them a show."

He went for my thigh but I whipped out and shoved him. He didn't budge one bit and before I knew it he had me by the arm and was shoving me once more against the wall. I remember saying no. I remember refusing. But what came next surprised even me.

His teeth dug into my neck and before I could fight back a wave of the endorphins from the bite filled me. I could feel him strip away my clothes. I tried to manage to speak. I screamed and continued to refuse. Soon I was so doped up from the bite I couldn't register if I was even speaking. I tasted salt in my mouth but was unsure whether it was blood or it was tears. I knew he was raping me in front of everyone. He had never done something like this. It wasn't long before I was completely and utterly out of it. I passed out into a wave of misery.

Rose POV

After our little encounter Dimitri and I had gathered our clothes and dressed quickly. Alana was in the house. I had mixed feelings about what had just happened but I could finally say that I forgave Dimitri. At least to the best of my ability.

As I pulled my hair into a tie, I felt Dimitris hand sweep over my shoulder as he kissed the crease in my neck.

We didn't offer words and it was okay. The silence between was peaceful for once. I sighed and turned around. His eyes were glowing and I was trying hard to keep my heart a tiny bit sheltered.

"I should really wake Alana up." I said. He nodded his head and smiled.

"Sure. Then maybe I can take you both out for lunch."

There must have been hesitation in my eyes since he quickly seemed to register my face and back track.

"Unless that's too much for you." He said, his voice sounding slightly sad.

I quickly recovered, "No, lunch sounds great. I just don't want Alana to know about us right now. I mean not until we fully know what is happening between us."

He nodded his head in agreement, "I understand Rose. Her feelings come first. We can take this slow. For all three of us."

I smiled and felt my heart get warm as I turned and walked out of kitchen to the foyer. As I was walking up the stairs, I couldn't help but feel a weight being lifted from my shoulders. So many years of hiding my own feelings and for once I felt genially happy. Like this is what my life was meant for.

However, that happiness didn't last long as I opened the door to my fifteen year olds room to find it empty. Her sheets hadn't even been slept in. Like a bullet, I was racing downstairs and into the kitchen so fast, that Dimitri seemed shocked as I burst through the kitchen door.

My face must have held an array of emotions as he quickly was on high alert as he spoke, "What's wrong?"

I clenched my jaw, "Alana is gone. Her bed is empty and it doesn't look like she even went to bed last night."

And then all the pieces fell together. Nora was missing. Ivan was missing. Alana had been dead set on the fact that she believed we were not doing our all-time best effort to retrieve the two. I wheel in my head clicked and vein in my heart burst as the realization hit me.

"She went after them." I said and my voice felt dry. My world was about to crumble.

Dimitri didn't need to hear anymore. He knew what was going on in the instant of one second.

Just like my high school days, Alana had once again followed in my footsteps. She had run away to find her lost friends. She had run into the face of danger.

Dimitri grabbed my arm firm. Not in a mean way but as to grasp my attention.

"Come on. We need to prepare."

And with those words, we were out the door racing across campus to save out daughter.

Together.

Alana POV

I could not fathom what was happening. Hours had passed since we had been captured. It had been horrible to watch him rape and beat and feed off of Mila's sister. He came in almost every hour to repeat the process. Mila's poor sister was knocked out from all the bites he had left scattered across her naked body. She lay on a heap on the floor not tied up. She was no longer a threat now that she was such a mess. Each time the strigoi came in and repeated the scene I could feel my whole body go numb. I was scared. I would never admit it but I knew Asher knew. Our hands were tied behind us but we were close enough that Asher was able to graze the tips of my fingers with his. I knew he was trying to comfort me but I just couldn't believe the trouble we were in. We hadn't spoken since we now seemed to have a guard. Melissa was her name from what I could hear. Mila's eyes never left her sister and I knew deep down that even though she was angry at her she was pained to watch her sister in such agony. Nora had been quiet and had not once made eye contact with me. However, she seemed sad too as she looked between Mila and Ivan. Ivan had kept his eyes on Mila.

It seemed like forever until we could hear scuffling on the other side of the door and voices. Melissa seemed to be walking away leaving us unguarded once more. Asher jumped on the moment.

"We need to get out of here." He stated fast and quietly.

"How?" I asked and all eyes seemed to turn to Asher. Asher paused for a second before he continued.

"I have a knife in my boot. If I can get it off we might be able to cut the ropes and fight our way out. There are three of them and five of…"

He was cut off quickly by Mila, "There are six of us."

Asher hesitated before speaking again, "We can't take her with us. How are we going to carry her out and fight our way out? She can't help us and she can't fight. I know she is your sister Mila, but we can't."

Mila's eyes snapped at Asher, "Would you leave your sister to die? No you wouldn't. That's why we are on this crazy mission anyways. She comes with us or I stay with her."

Ivan cut in, "I'll carry her. But in order to take her with us someone needs to clear a path in front of us and someone else an eye behind us."

Nora jumped in, "I'll clear a path. Mila can watch from behind. If Alana and Asher flank each side we can make a protective circle around you and the girl. I know the house. They didn't blindfold me when they moved me so I know how to get the front door. As for when we are outside Asher and Alana should be able to lead us to safety."

We all nodded. It was a good idea. Our only idea.

Asher continued, "We have to be quick. No turning back for anything. If someone gets hurt…we have to leave them. We can't risk losing all of us over one. It will be hard but we are guardians. Which means it will always be hard."

I nodded in agreement. Before I knew it, Asher was twisting his leg behind the chair leg and turning the chair towards the wall.

"Alana, I'm going to lift my foot. Grab my boot and try to get the knife."

I felt my hand graze the boot. I stretched my fingers until finally it was completely in my grasp. The knife was easy to locate but I was slightly curious as to how Asher could walk with a knife in his boot. A trick he would have to teach me. I dropped the boot and began twisting my hands in order to cut the rope. With little struggle, I was finally free. I cut the ropes off of Mila and Asher, who then took the nice to free Nora and Ivan.

"We need stakes." I said firmly. I glanced around the room. The only thing that would do us any justice was the wood pieces on the back of the chairs. Asher and I thought alike because he quickly moved and pulled the chair apart, handing us each a piece. It wasn't a stake (not that I knew how one felt anyways) but it would have to do. Asher shredded his sweater and walked over to cover Charlotte. Looking at her poor tortured body lying motionless on the floor was like a nightmare.

And it was then, standing on the edge of death, that I realized the true definition of fear was staring me right in the face.

Adrian POV

A knock had me stirring out of bed. The sun was just setting which meant it was nearly morning in our world. I groaned and ruffled my messy hair as I pulled on a robe and headed to the door half awake.

I was jolted awake as the air was pushed out of me and Leila was in my arms sobbing.

"I don't know what I have done Adrian." She sobbed into my chest.

It seemed that I had become an expert at handling crying girls. I had had a lifetime of experience from Rose.

I patted her golden hair hoping to soothe her. I let spirit overcome me and glanced at her aura. It was bright gold with flecks of black. The aftereffects of spirit.

"Calm down." I cooed into her ear.

When she seemed to be as calm as she would get, I led her into the main room and quickly fetched a glass of cold water. She chugged the water down fast before cradling the empty cup into her stark white hands.

"I'm a monster Adrian." She said looking down the floor on the verge of tears again.

She looked so pitiful. I sat down next to her and patted her arm, "You are not a monster Leila. What happened? Is it your mother?"

It wouldn't surprise me if Veronica Voda had gotten her slimy hands on Leila again.

Leila shook her head before gazing up at me, tears welling in her eyes, "I hurt someone. But I didn't mean to I swear. I was angry and yeah I was going to slap her but before I knew it, it was like I couldn't breathe and then this ray of light came shooting out of me hand. She flew several feet away Adrian."

I squinted my eyes, "What do you mean a ray of light shot out of your hand?" I was seriously thinking the girl had gone bonkers. Which was a scary thought when you were a spirit user.

"I don't know Adrian. All I know is spirit overcame me and I way have killed someone because I don't know how to control it. There are things we don't know about this…magic."

I didn't get a chance to respond before Leila gasped and her hand shot out and grabbed my knee tightly. I winced in pain, but quickly recovered taking in her state. She was staring off into nowhere and beads of sweat coated her brow. Before I knew it she was falling to the floor. I caught her just in time as her eyes fluttered and she back staring at me with a fear I had never seen before.

She jumped up and was breathing heavily.

"What did you see?" I asked taking in her frenzied look.

"I think I just saw death." She said before collapsing onto the couch. In mere seconds I was grabbing the phone and dialing the only person I could think to call. Lissa answered rather quickly.

"Lissa? We have a problem."

Lissa POV

I was not in the mood for all of this. My office had turned into some kind of headquarters in a matter of twenty minutes. Adrian sat on the couch holding an unconscious Leila. Eric was pacing the floor waiting for me to handle a school fight of some sorts that had ended in injury. Rose, Dimitri, Eddie, Mia, and Tasha were all frantic about their missing kids and I was suffering from a major case of morning sickness.

They all kept talking over each other and I had finally had it.

"ENOUGH!" I bellowed out causing everyone to stop their banter. I stood, demanding all of their attention.

Rose of course was the one to jump in, "Lissa we have to do something. That's my daughter out there!"

I sighed and looked at my best friend's pain stricken face, "I am aware Rose but we have no idea where they could have gone. Until Leila wakes up, I can't let you do or go anywhere."

Rose was about to argue but Dimitri gently grabbed her wrist. Rose sunk back into the corner with him, worry all over her face.

I was surprised by their encounter but it was not something I was going to worry about right then and there.

I looked at Eric, "Now what happened? Who was injured?"

Eric cleared his throat before speaking, "James Zecklos brought an unconscious Julia Drozdov to the infirmary. Witnesses say that Leila attacked Julia. Julia has a broken nose, a sprained wrist and a slight concussion but otherwise is fine."

Adrian piped up then, "Leila told me she had no control. That spirit overcame her and caused her to lash out at the Drozdov girl."

I put my hands up to silence them, "Eric, please make sure that Julia has no visitors in the infirmary. We will have to deal with that fiasco when we handle the bigger problem here."

Eric nodded and was gone in seconds. Just as Leila began waking up. Her eyes were bloodshot and she looked like a truck had hit her.

"What's going on?" She mumbled taking us all in.

I took a deep breath, "Leila…Sweetie I don't know how to tell you this but Alana, Mila and Asher disappeared last night. We are pretty sure they went to go find Ivan and Nora. Is there anything you told them that would have made them leave?"

Leila winced and looked down, "I kept seeing an address. I told Alana but she thought nothing of it."

Leila repeated the address and Rose and Dimitri pulled out a map. I walked over to the couch leaving my voice low as I kneeled down to Leila.

"Leila, what did you see right now?"

She gulped before taking a deep breath, "I saw someone die. It started a war."

She looked down not meeting my eyes.

"Who did you see die?" I asked.

She fiddled with her hands before gazing at me, "You."