Chapter Forty

"Why are you doing this?" Alison asked, her voice weak. She was so tired of all of this. She stumbled into the villa - remembering the last time she was kidnapped. What a life she lived - constantly being kidnapped by vampires.

She glanced up above and sighed. She had asked for Abby to be returned home safely. She had asked for Rafe to find peace. It seemed her prayers would not be answered anytime soon. She silently asked again.

She wasn't at all afraid of Caleb. She was terrified that she would lose Rafe once he found out Caleb had dared to take her.

When Caleb didn't reply Alison continued to speak.

"You have to know that he won't stop until you're gone, Caleb. Not now. Not after this. He'll want you dead. " Alison couldn't even bring herself to really contemplate what this all meant. If she lost Rafe, especially now - she shook her head to rid the horrible image from her mind as she continued to demand "Why? What is so important that once again - you need to destroy my life?"

"Your life looks just fine from this angle sweetheart. Don't you worry." Caleb said bitterly.

"Does it? You think so?" Alison said - her voice sarcastic. "Then why don't you just let me live it - huh? Why do you and all your sharp tooth friends find it so amusing to give me a hard time? I hate what you do. I hate how you need to destroy all around you to feel powerful. I hate that Rafe can't rest because you won't let him. I hate you Caleb."

"Tell me how you really feel." Caleb chuckled.

"Watch it or I'll do just that. Right then? I was being polite." Alison swore.

She got a bit dizzy and staggered, sinking into the couch beside her.

"Alison?" Caleb moved towards her, his voice sounding almost concerned.

"Don't touch me." She snapped at him. "You've already done enough damage, Just leave me alone."

**************

"Alison??!" Rafe came crashing into the apartment.

"Alison??!" He asked again, his voice frantic.

He looked around and then he saw it. Her purse was lying on the nightstand,

"No." He said, softly. "Not again. Not now. No."

"No..no,.no…" He repeated, over and over, rage building inside him.

He saw an envelope lying on the ground next to the bed - it had his name on it. Picking it up, he closed his eyes and tried to picture where she was. It took a few moments, but then he saw it.

Caleb. His villa. Rafe placed the envelope in his pocket and ran out of the apartment. God help Caleb when he got his hands on him this time.

*************

Cameron raced towards the catacombs, moments too late. He charged in, only to find there was nothing but a pile of blankets. Abby was no where to be found.

"C'mon. You can't do this to me," he said to those above. "You can't send me here and not let me find her. Please. Show me. Show me where she is."

He was just about to give up and go back to find Rafe again when he saw it. Running as fast as he could, he sped off to save her.

**************

Abby was sleeping. Her head was ringing. She turned and realized she was on a mattress, not the cold stone floor of the cave.

The last person she remembered seeing was Livvie. She still wasn't home.

It didn't matter. As long as she was keeping them all safe she'd stay captive forever.

"Abby?" She heard a voice call out to her. It couldn't be. She fought to open her eyes.

"Alison?" Abby said, shocked. "What? How did you get here?"

"Caleb thought you could use some company,"

Abby's eyes filled with tears. "NO!" She cried. "NO! This wasn't supposed to happen. I was trying to stop him. I was trying to keep him from hurting you ."

Alison tried to console her "Shh. Abby. It's going to be fine."

"How? You can't know that." Abby said, her voice bitter.

It was insane that she was so calm. Am I actually getting used to being held captive? Alison asked herself as she walked over towards her sister and grabbed her hand. "But you can. Close your eyes Abby. What do you see?"

Abby did what Alison asked; Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. "Cameron - and Rafe. They're coming. They know where we are." Abby nearly sighed, feeling better than she had in days.

"So." Alison said, her voice just a bit shaky, wondering how it would all turn out. "Let's just sit tight then and wait, shall we?"