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Ace and Luffy had been through so much in their short lives. Although, to be fair most things in these parts had led, interesting and somewhat difficult tales.
But Sabo didn't care about everyone, he cared about his family. No matter how small and patchwork they might be. He wanted to help them. It was what he always wanted.
But he was doing a horrible job of it.
They were going to kill Luffy.
Well- the hunters were going to kill all of them. But Luffy first. Sabo could hear them talking through the walls of the disgusting room they had trapped him in. They had given Luffy a head injury, admits other things, and he was no longer talking much sense, which meant they no longer had much of a use for him, even as a distraction. Plus, it sounded like the hunters were nervous with his reappearance that everything they had done while Luffy was growing up would get back to Dragon. Last that Sabo heard they were digging a grave for him.
He assumed the hunters had plans for him and Ace, or at least a plan to interrogate them. Other than that, he assumed their deaths wouldn't be that far behind.
Sabo paced across the tiny cell, unable to sit still for longer than a moment. He could tell the hunters were ill-equipped to deal with a vampire, otherwise, they wouldn't have thrown him into a cell clearly meant to hold wolves. It was just his bad luck that one of the hunters happened to have an ankle cuff coated in silver. He wouldn't be able to break it, which meant that without the key Sabo wasn't going anywhere other than three feet in either direction from the wall he was tethered to.
He sighed in annoyance again. The consistent rattling of the chain was grating on him, as was the situation. This had probably been a bad idea, getting caught on purpose, but at the time it was all he could think of to stop them from shooting Ace. Now he had done it alright. Stuck here in this stupid room that reeked of wolf blood, deep in hunter territory, with no idea what they had done with Ace and Luffy. A couple of hours ago he had heard Ace growling, but that had long since been silenced.
How long did it take humans to dig a grave? How long did he have to get to Luffy before they did? Why had Ace gone silent? Was he still okay? Were any of them?
This was counterproductive. Sabo didn't have a lot of time left to save them. Was this what Luffy had tried to warn him about? He thought about it for a second before dismissing it. No, this was not that, at least not yet. But time didn't work like that. Just because he had foreseen something, didn't mean they were necessarily guaranteed to live long enough for it to come to fruition.
"You guys have the worst luck," Sabo muttered to the empty room. Out of the frying pan, just to make into the next. Well, whatever. It was usually how their lives went. The question was what was he going to do about it?
First things first Sabo needed out, and fast. That meant he needed the hunters to open the door and unlock him from the wall. The cell door wouldn't be too tricky, hunters were stupid. But he had no idea who held the keys to the chain and that would be a problem. Not to mention he was still erring on the side of starving. He probably had enough energy for a very small feat of magic, thanks to the blood Luffy had given him last week, but even that would be pushing his limits, and the last thing they needed was him passing out in the middle of this mess.
It would be fine, Sabo would make it fine. He had to – for them. The alternative was… too dark and scary to think about.
He worked quickly, turning his teeth onto his arm, spilling his own blood. He was careful to spread it over himself and across the floor trying to make a little look like a lot. Once Sabo was satisfied with the mess he had made he screamed. Not an ordinary scream, but rather a terrified and haunting sound, like someone who was verging on death. He made sure to put all of his anger and fear into the sound, making it echo all that more strangely off the walls until he was sure there was no way the hunters hadn't heard him.
His prevailing feeling of wrongness only grew as silence answered him, not even a muffled barking reply from Ace.
Ace was alright, Sabo thought as he lay down on the cold ground between the blood splatters. He was probably just busy or…
His thoughts were cut off at the sound of footsteps in the hallway. He closed his eyes, listening as they grew louder. One of the hunters was talking on his radio outside, stopping in front of the cell door to peer inside as light flooded the dark space.
"What the hell-?"
Sabo pushed himself up suddenly, his eyes locking with the man from across the small space. The moment their gaze met he saw the man stiffen in terror.
"Come here!" He growled, putting everything he had left into the command.
The hunter took a step back, clearly terrified. "What?" He began as Sabo felt the connection falter as he started to fail.
"COME HERE!" He commanded again, even as the hunter tried to pull away. This had to work. They were out of time.
Ignoring the painful throbbing in his head and the trickle of blood from his nose he pressed harder, almost collapsing in relief as he felt the man freeze in his retreat, then take a tentative step towards the door. He waited a moment before there was a click as the cell door opened. The hunter paused again at the threshold, but Sabo pushed past the man's own hesitation drawing him into the room. When he got close enough Sabo grabbed him, and he began to tremble.
"Don't!"
"This is gross for both of us," Sabo promised as he sunk his teeth into the man's wrist. His reluctance to drink blood from unwilling participants ended when it came to assholes, especially when they were trying to kill his family. There was an old saying, that the blood of a hunter tasted the best. But Sabo disagreed. Blood usually digested him for what it represented. But that went doubly when it was from someone he detested with all of his heart. He liked to think of it as being given a sandwich by your worst enemy. Gross.
He made a face as it hit his stomach wrong. Fishy. Extra gross. But it would get the job done.
Sabo felt the familiar surge of power run through his veins as his stomach was once again filled. He would have no problem controlling this weak-willed human now. He looked the man in the eye satisfied he was no longer fighting it.
"Take care of your arm, then bring me the key for this. Don't let anyone see you?"
"Understood." the hunter nodded his head turning back to the door as he covered the bloody gash on his arm with his jacket sleeve.
Sabo watched him go as the door was once again closed and he was left alone in the darkness. Damn hunters were stupid. He figured it was because they were good at taking orders without question. Sometimes he really hated humans. But he guessed not all of them were bad. Lately, the younger ones from the village seemed like they might actually be alright. Maybe if that's what the future generations were like, there was hope for their species after all. Maybe there was hope for all of them.
Sabo sat in the darkness, trying not to think about how silent it was outside. His brothers were anything but silent. He knew Luffy was down for the count, and he guessed Ace must be the same right now. Which meant everything was up to him. Sabo was no stranger to saving his brothers. Especially when they were younger. There were a few years back when they were kids, in which their relationship consisted of him continuously dragging the wolf back from the ledge every time he got in over his head, which used to be a daily occurrence for Ace.
"No room for error," he reminded himself. If he wanted to keep them safe, then there could be no mistakes or missteps. He would have to be perfect, just like his mother always wanted. That meant no more messing up and passing out like he had when he squared off against law during the town invasion. He couldn't let the vampires turn him against himself again- after all, he had almost killed Luffy. All because he couldn't keep it together long enough to get away.
"I'll do better," Sabo told the empty cell. "I'll save them." And if he couldn't manage that, then he may as well let the vampires have his soul. He would have little use of it at that point.
The hunter returned a few moments later, out of breath but with the key. He unlocked SAbo without complaint and switched places with him readily, giving over his now blood-stained hunter jacket when he asked.
"Stay," Sabo told him, turning his eyes to the hallway beyond his cell. "And be quiet."
"Roger that boss."
Really, what an idiot. Sabo put the jacket on, rolling up the sleeves as it was much too large for him. He locked the cell door behind him, listening intently for any sign of trouble. He had been blindfolded the entire way here, so he had no idea where they were, or how big the cabin was.
He sniffed for blood, catching the slight trail of two familiar scents. That wasn't surprising, the hunters were always rough with their prey. And they called them monsters.
The scent grew stronger the further he went, as did the overwhelming stink of hunters. Sabo's parents and most of the vampires had always warned the younglings against situations like these. Trapped in a nest of monsters, they would say. It was probably the most legitimate parenting advice they had ever given him.
He froze again as the thudding of heavy feet came nearer. Sabo had to be careful, but he was also running out of time to save them. The fear decided for him, and he tucked away, against the wall, waiting until the footsteps nearly trampled past.
The hunter didn't see him until it was too late. The man only had time to raise his weapon a couple of inches and pointed vaguely in his direction before the vampire was on him. He yanked the weapon away, whirling around to kick the man in the legs and hitting his sternum to knock him off balance.
Sabo pointed the gun at the now downed man, watching as the hunter's face drained of color as he realized the predicament, he now found himself in. He licked his lips, staring anxiously up at Sabo. "Look kid," he tried, the bravo in his voice failing him at last.
"I'm not a kid," Sabo reminded him. He knew how the hunters thought, and age was irrelevant when it came to the non-human.
The hunter tried to make a lunge for the gun but Sabo kicked him back down. "Don't," he warned.
"I have a family," the man tried, and Sabo rolled his eyes. Using the sympathy card on a monster. Either Hunter's belief in vampires lacking empathy was shakier than he thought, or they were idiots.
"Yeah, well so do I," Sabo told him. "So just tell me where they are, and you can go see yours."
"Where who is?"
"The black wolf, and the human, short, red hoodie. Last I heard you guys were digging him a grave to bury him in."
"Oh." The man's face paled a little. "We weren't- it wasn't my idea. Look it was the boss's orders. We don't kill human kids."
"Right," Sabo said. "Not unless they tell you to, right?"
"No! I- He… the boss ordered it," the man said pathetically.
"I don't care!" He could keep his moral superiority if it was that important for him. "Where are they?"
"Kids with the boss I think." The man pointed down the hallway. "Big Oak door, second one on the left. You better hurry, I think he's going to… going to… you know."
"Kill him."
The hunter nodded, looking down at the floor. "The wolfs in the holding cell in the back, down the hallway, stay right. Can't miss it." He looked up at the gun and whimpered.
"If you're lying."
"I'm not," he pleaded. "Please! I have kids."
"They must be so proud." Sabo shifted a bit, giving the man space to scamper up which he did, shifting uncertainly as he looked over his shoulder.
"Listen," Sabo warned. "I let you go, you go home and see your family. Hug your kids. You do not tell anyone, or sound the alarm got it! Cause if you do your not going to make it back." The hunter swallowed thickly.
"Got it!"
"Got it!" He promised, taking a step back, and then another. Sabo gestured for him to run and he didn't need to be told twice. He sprinted down the hallway, nearly tripping over himself to get away. That had been a stupid thing to do. But Sabo wasn't a murderer, at least not when he could help it.
He followed the man's orders, heading further down the hallway and trying to ignore the 'hunting trophies and pelts' that decorated the walls of the cabin. This place made his skin crawl.
He spotted the oak door, just as the man had described, but before he could even begin to form a plan of takedown everything slammed into chaos.
A shrieking howl shook the base, as the lights started to blare. -The alarm- The hunter had tripped it after all. Lair. He probably figured out that Sabo's threats were empty ones.
Sabo cussed, all thoughts of a plan left his mind as he grabbed the door handle, wrenching it open. It was empty. Blood drops stained the floor. Luffy had been here.
No! It was fine, he could still track him. He wasn't too late- not yet.
No longer caring who saw him Sabo ran back down the hallway, picking up on the familiar scent of fresh blood. Somehow, with how twisted today was turning out to be, that was a good thing. He swore again as a bullet crashed into the wall next o his face, and he put up his arm to cover himself. They wouldn't kill him, but they sure did hurt.
Two more hunters were around the corner, Luffy on the floor between them. Before Sabo had crashed into the scene they had been in the process of dragging him outside to bury him. What was wrong with humans?
Although annoying, Sabo could take two humans with his eyes closed. It was the wrath of the entire hunting cabin that worried him. And from the looks of it, Lu was not going to be able to help him. His little brother was completely out of it. His face was bloody and there was a painful-looking gash on his temple.
Sabo raised his own gun, all too aware of his limits at the moment. "Let him go!"
The hunter turned to look at Luffy's collapsed form. "What's a vamp want with a human?"
"What's it matter to you? Let him go or I shoot- Ugh. He grunted as a bullet hit his shoulder. Fine- this then. Both men cried as he retaliated, shooting them in the legs as they tumbled back, crying bloody murder.
Sabo walked over to them, feeling his annoyance peak as he kicked their weapons away. He knelt down beside his brother shaking his shoulder. "Lu?" Luffy groaned but didn't wake up. Sabo gently probed the blood covering his temple with his fingers, frowning as he did. It probably hurt but it wasn't life-threatening. "Luffy, wake up."
His brother's dark eyes met his, blinking slowly and out of focus. "It's okay," Sabo promised. "I'm getting you out of here."
Holding the gun in one hand, he grabbed Luffy around the arms, pulling him partway up. Half dragging him Sabo pushed backward, using the gun as the first line of defense as more hunters arrived. While he was more irritated by the gunfire than anything, Luffy wasn't as gifted in that department. Sabo needed to get him out of here now before he got him shot. But that was proving difficult with the alarms, and the now slowly congregating hunters. He needed to find Ace, and come up with a plan that wasn't a hallway shootout.
He followed the hunter's directions, taking them back down the hallway towards the back of the cabin. "You have the worst luck," he muttered to Luffy as he ducked around the corner.
"Where does he think he is going," one of the hunters laughed. "He's cornered."
"Stupid animal."
They really did not want to go there right now. Sabo gritted his teeth as he adjusted his grip on Luffy. It seemed like the hunters weren't in a rush to kill him. They seemed to be enjoying the chase. They probably thought he was acting like a cornered animal, and in fairness he was.
There was a single hunter guarding the wolf holding cells, but one look from Sabo and the blood drained from his face. He all but handed over the keys, fleeing in the other direction when the blond growled.
"I see why you hate them," Sabo told Luffy as he laid him back on the floor, fiddling with the keys on the ring until he found the right one.
"Freeze!"
"Shit!" Grabbing Luffy, Sabo threw the cell door open, pulling both of them inside the dark cell. He felt the second wave of bullets hit the door as he slammed it shut, locking it behind him as he threw the key ring across the cell.
"Idiot," one of the hunters seethed. "It trapped itself."
"Get me the keys!"
"Well, sir… those were the keys."
"The SPARE! Get Me the Spares!"
"We don't know where they… I'll go look."
One of the hunter's faces pressed against the window, fixing Sabo with a look. "Listen, creature, I don't know what your game is, but it ends now. You are trapped and outnumbered."
Sabo was outnumbered. His chances of escaping alone were pretty good. He knew how to handle hunters. But he couldn't carry the two of them and fight off an entire base.
Ignoring the taunts he turned to the cage in the corner, dropping to his knees to open it he pulled the wolf out from it.
"ACE!" He shook his brother's shoulder, his concern growing when Ace didn't so much as stir. Like Luffy his face and snout were bloody, as were patches of fur. They had probably tranqed him… again.
"Okay," Sabo muttered to himself, tangling his fingers into Ace's fur. "It's okay- It's okay. I can…" Could what? What was he going to do?
He pulled Luffy closer to him as well as the door rattled. The scraping of metal within metal was impossibly loud. They had found the keys.
He tugged both of his brothers a little closer to him like he could somehow protect them from the storm that was coming as the door flew open.
As the first hunter entered, his gun raised, he locked eyes with Sabo and smirked. "Cornered now ain't you?"
"Shoot them," Sabo told him. He watched confusion cross the man's face as his order took hold. "Do it!"
With somewhat stilted movements the man turned, raising his weapon to the others. There was a cry of alarm as the hunters outside scattered in the chaos that followed.
Sabo rested his cheek on Luffy's head, feeling exhaustion creep in on him at the effort of control. That would keep them occupied for a little. But they were truly trapped.
"This is such a lame way to go," Sabo told the two of them. "These guys are idiots." He was never going to live down the embarrassment. Not that it would be an issue for much longer.
Gradually the sounds of the scuffle outside died down, and Sabo hugged them closer.
"Stand Down!" A gruff voice echoed through the halls and everything went dead silent.
Sabo risked looking up at the cell door.
"What the hell is going on here?" The voice continued when no one spoke up.
"Sir," The hunters sounded properly schooled now, almost timid. "You see it was a-," the voice died away.
"An absolute disaster." The voice barked. "Not to mention an unsanctioned one. Who gave you the orders to detain prisoners?"
"The squad captain," Another voice broke in."
"And who ordered him to do that without first reporting it to base?"
The hallway was silent once more, and Sabo straightened, trying to see what was happening.
"No one can explain this to me then. I could have your jobs for this." His thudding footsteps drew closer, as the cell door was once again thrown open.
"Sir don't! The vamp, it will…"
The man disregarded the warning, standing in the doorway, an impressive six or seven feet. He met Sabo's eyes head-on with no trace of fear. His gaze searched the vampire's face, then turned down to look at Ace and Luffy in his arms.
Sabo had had every intention of charming the newcomer as he had the other hunter. But there was something so familiar about the sleepy chocolate eyes. Sabo was caught off guard. The man huffed, taking in the sight of the three of them before barking back into the hallway.
"Clean this mess up."
"But sir, the monsters."
"Shut it! He snapped in annoyance. I'll handle them. If you want to keep your jobs, and this between us, then I suggest you grab a mop and start cleaning. Oh, and someone take this idiot to the hospital."
"Are you going to report us?"
"Not if you keep your mouths shut. All of yeh."
"We can kill them," one of the hunters continued, trying to quell the old timers' anger. "Then no one has to know."
"I said I would take care of it," he replied grumpily. "Do I need to repeat myself or can you guys handle that."
There was a slurry of voices, eager to agree.
"You ever pull this shit again, fail to report so much as a papercut, and you are off the force and out of my town. Understood."
"Understood… sir! We understand."
"Good, now get out of here!"
He turned again, meeting Sabo's confused eyes with his own scowl. "Idiots, he said again as he stalked over towards them."
Remembering himself Sabo growled.
The man let out a barking laugh. "Keep those teeth to yourself son. Trust me I've fought more vamps than you can count. And they were a lot scarier than a scrawny fledging like yourself."
Sabo believed him. But that didn't stop him from snapping at the man when he reached for Luffy.
"Woah," the old man said taking his fingers back. "Interesting. But listen, I know you have had it with us today. But I'm your best shot of getting out of here. You don't want to try your luck with these guys."
"Who are you?" Sabo asked, searching the man's face again. Something about the tan skin, the laugh lines, his toothy grin, it was familiar.
The man gestured down to Luffy in Sabo's arm. "That one's grandfather. The green-haired punk told me what happened."
"Luffy's grandfather," Sabo repeated feeling his stomach sink. Luffy had mentioned him from time to time.
"Yeah well, I'm all you got right now, kid." He roughly pushed Sabo's arm aside to grab Luffy despite the blond's protests. "Quit whining," the man said as he picked Luffy up, surprisingly strong for his age. He turned to the cell door.
"You coming or what? Oh, and grab Ace will ya."
XXX
Chapter courtesy of the overnight flight to Vancouver from the much more pacific island I live on now (find me internet stalkers. I dare you).
Ya girl is finally graduating from university. Which, in fairness I did a year ago. But Covid messed a lot of things up for everyone, and I wasn't going to pass up an excuse to see my wonderful maple leaf friends. So, while I am stuck at the airport, all night, (and off work for the week), I plan on doing some writing.
The plan is to write chapter 37, and Tail of The Sea, and Defenders if time allows.
So hopefully you guys will just have to wait another few days for the next update.
And as always, please tell me what you thought.
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Sophia Mendez: Wow, congratulations! That is very exciting. I'm glad you like the story! Collage can be very stressful, having to restart your life and everything. But as of yesterday I am back in the house I used to live in during uni, and I found myself missing it with all my heart and the wonderful roommates that I shared the experience with. So, I really think you will love college, even with its ups and downs! I know I did : ) Hang in there, it gets a little rough but it's always worth it.
I wish you the best as well, and thank you for your words- you are very kind. Have a great time!
Chicken nuggs: Why thank you. I am glad you like it enough to reread it.
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