The Rise of the Darkness

11

"Oh if it is not one it is another!" Morgead exclaimed. This got him a few dirty looks and a hard elbow in the ribs off Rashel.

"What do you mean she's not here?" Hannah asked gently as she got to her feet and went over to Thierry, who was now shaking.

"I went into her room to check on her and she wasn't there." Thierry was trying to keep his voice steady and calm but most in the room that he wasn't going to keep his usual disposition for long.

"Looks like search parties again." Ash sighed as he flopped into a chair.

"But we can't split up in-case we get ambushed." James said solemnly.

"The Darkness is stirring. Even the humans have started to feel that something is going to happen." Thea commented. Blaise gave her a back up nod.

Thierry placed his head in his hands.

"It looks like we will have to do a location spell." Winnie's eyes lit up.

"But what about poor Lizzy? Remember she is still out there!" Jade piped up.

"Oh I don't think she will come to much bother." Delos said calmly.

"What you talking about?" Kestrel asked him.

"I think the reason she was taken is that one of them is her soulmate."

Worried looks circulated the room.

"Location spell it is." Thierry spoke at last rising to his feet. "All non-witches leave, and let them get on with it. I want her found as quickly as possible."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"OH the stupid girl!" Ciara exclaimed.

Bonita had pulled her outside the room to tell her what was going on.

"I know." Bonita Sighed. "Ciara…"

"Yes Bonita?" Ciara asked hearing the tone of her voice replied cautiously.

"Why are you looking after Ben? I mean after all he has done and put us through… why are you helping him?"

Ciara looked at the older girl for a long moment "Because it felt right. I think he has a bigger part to play in this yet. And even if he is a complete arsehole, he didn't deserve to die."

"I could argue that…" Bonita scorned.

The two girls looked at each other then burst out laughing.

"Well I better get back to Sasha." Bonita said giving Ciara a hug.

"Yeah, and I better get back to my patient. Make sure he is settled before I go back to Damon."

Bonita giggled then fled down the stairs.

Ciara took a deep breath then re-entered the room.

"What did Bonita want?" Ben asked her weakly. He was recovering well and all he needed was a good nights rest.

"I can't tell you." Ciara told him plainly.

"Please. Is it about her and Him?" He spat the 'him' out.

"No."

"Was it about Fleta?"

Ciara didn't answer him.

"Oh god. What has happened to her?" Ben asked trying to sit up.

"Lie back down." Ciara told him sharply convenient

Ben reached out for her. "Please tell me." He said softly.

Ciara sighed. She started to use the cold compress and cool down his brow. "Fleta has run away."

"WHAT?!" Ben sat up but Ciara pushed him back down gently.

"Don't fuss." She told him.

"Oh god." He whispered closing his eyes.

Ciara carried on with nursing him.

Ben looked at her. She was sitting on the edge of the bed. One hand held a bowl of water, the other bore a cold compress and was currently using it. He placed his hand on hers that held the bowl. She twitched slightly.

"Thank you." He said quietly, making eye contact with her.

"Don't mention it."

Ben leaned forward to kiss her.

"You best get some rest." Ciara said quickly getting to her feet. She place the bowl to the side, tucked him in then turned and fled to find Damon as fast as she could.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fleta was standing at the edge of a forest.

"We have to go through; however, I must blindfold you. As the place I am taking you too can't be rediscovered.

Before she had time to respond, Maria was tying a scarf around her head, covering her eyes.

As soon as blackness took over her sight the rest of her senses kicked in. all the smells, sounds and awareness was incredible.

Maria took her hand and the plunged into the forest. It was alive with mystical sounds and there was a magical sense about the place.

"The locals don't come anywhere near this place as there have always been rumours about it being enchanted. They don't know how right they are."

Fleta kept silent and kept walking, letting her senses guild her as well as Maria.

"Where here." Maria said cheery. She placed Fleta and took off the blindfold.

Fleta opened her eyes and gasped. She was standing in a clearing surrounded by the trees. Directly in front of her was a silvery waterfall, and pool. There were two large stones standing like guards on either side. Maria and she were in the middle of the clearing and she was so taken by the water that she didn't see the lights in the trees.

Fleta turned her head and saw that the lights were travelling towards them. There were twelve of them and they were encircling her, and she couldn't run backwards as the falls were behind her.

"Don't be frightened." Maria said calmly. "They are whom we have come to see." She said trying to sound reassuring.

They emerged from the trees. They were twelve very different women, all inhumanly beautiful, bearing torches and all cloaked in an array of colours.

The one directly in front of her spoke. "How may we be of service?" Her voice was silky and light. It reminded Fleta of soft falling snow. This was quite ironic as she was wearing a snow white cloak.

"We have come to ask if you could tell us a few things." Maria asked.

"Yes. It was what you thought." The one in cherry red spoke up.

"What?" Fleta asked. She was a little freaked out.

"Child, you are not well. You must bathe in the pool." Said the one in ginger orange.

"Please, what is wrong with me?" Fleta pleaded.

"My dear, you have a very rare disease." Commented the one in buttercup yellow.

"You're mother was one of the chosen ones." Spoke the one in holly green.

"A witch by birth" came the voice of midnight blue.

"Changed in a vampire" told azure indigo.

"Fell in love with a human." Inputted violet purple.

"Whom was then changed into a wolf shifter." Came the small voice of blossom pink.

"Then into a vampire when he fell ill." Said baby blue.

"She then came to us when she fell pregnant with you." Said the one in mint green.

"And somehow you have still managed to get the disease even though u are a vampire and not supposed to fall ill." Came the haunting voice of smoky grey.

"Is there anything I can do?" Fleta whispered in silent shock.

"All we can offer you is this amulet." Said the snow white one handing her a silver chain with a crystal attached. It seemed to be a milky rose quartz, but after further inspection she realised it contained more colours.

"Thank you." Fleta said softly and with that Maria re-blindfolded her and they left.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elizabeth slowly opened her eyes; she glanced over at the small, barred window and saw that it was still dark. She could feel Julian next to her in the small bed which they both miraculously managed to fit into.

She was sure she could hear someone or something sneaking around outside the room, whatever it was, it was big, smelly and evil. From what she could tell, it wanted to get to her inside there. She shuddered and moved closer to Julian.

He stirred, "Are you alright?" he murmured, snuggling up to her. He had never felt like this about anyone else apart from her, Jenny.

"There is something outside." She whispered.

Julian kissed her lovingly. Then he got up off the bed just in time.

The door flew open and Bash came storming in.

"How dare you." Julian hissed.

"Look 'sir', its not fair how you get to watch her. I want to have my turn. I captured her so I should be able to have her." He had a horrible, heinous and hungry look in his eye that made Elizabeth cower back.

Julian looked at him in utter disgust. "She maybe a hostage but that doesn't mean we act like the slim on this planet and take advantage."

"If you are feeling like that you know where to take yourself." He moved in front of the bed blocking Bash's view of Elizabeth.

"I know where to go and she is right behind you. Now get out of my way." Bash lunged forward and Elizabeth automatically turned and shut her eyes. She heard a loud thump. She braced herself but when nothing happened near her she opened her eyes.

Julian was still standing at the foot of the bed. She peered around him and saw that Bash was outside of the door slowly getting up off his back. He rubbed his head and gradually glanced up at Julian.

"Now get out of my sight." Julian said in a low and menacing voice.

Bash didn't argue. He got up and scuttled off.

Julian shut the door then turned around and looked at Elizabeth. There were tears in her eyes and as the first one fell silently, he rushed forward and scooped her up in his arms letting her hold on to him and weep into him. And it felt weird to Julian as he never thought these feelings he gave would ever be returned.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Well there we go, please tell me what you think and I apologise for taking so long but a lot has been going on. But now that I'm back to school I should be more focused. Thank you. Xx Jez xx