A/N: A slightly longer chapter this week. Didn't want to break the 'hunt' arc up too much. Hope you all enjoy and I'll see you all next week. :)

Chapter 26

Seven days was a long time. At least it felt that way to Lambert. Unable to help, only watch, as a gang of witchers tried to hunt down his lover. It made him want to slaughter an entire kingdom of drowners. Hacking his way through the bodies until he felt in control again. Unfortunately, all he had to release his anger was the training dummies or his brothers; both of which he beat to within an inch of their life on multiple occasions. If he'd had it his way, he'd be constantly on patrol in the forest, keeping an eye on events, but Vesemir forbid it.

When he was allowed out, it was almost impossible to spy on them anyway. The witchers were scattered to maximise their chances of catching the demon girl, and Ellie herself, well she had all but vanished into thin air. He tried to track her a few times, searching for her scent, looking for tell-tale signs of movement through the wilderness surrounding Kaer Morhen but there was no trace of her. The only time he thought he might be close was when he got that familiar feeling of her soft blue eyes on his back as he walked between the trees.

To say Lambert felt like a wounded and cornered animal was an underestimate. With each passing day he became more agitated. Waiting for her to walk back through the gate once the seven days was up, or worse…not. The only sign that a hunt was actually going on was when Eskel had returned with news that he had seen one of the cat witchers camped about a mile out from the keep. He had been severely injured and there was a mark similar to the one Ellie had given to Gaetan, on his cheek.

'Must have tagged him out.' Geralt mused, an impressed look in his eye. 'Well done Ellie.'

'One down, five to go.' Lambert muttered, his mood no more improved by his brother's news.

'As far as we know.' Eskel replied, giving him a level look. Since their confrontation the air had been partially cleared between the two witchers. Lambert knew he could trust Eskel not to try and make a move on Ellie now he was with her, but his protective nature towards her had pissed him off. Now the scarred witcher had backed off from him completely, although there was still an air of wariness.

'And still no sign Gaetan or Letho.' Geralt said.

These were the two they were most concerned about. Gaetan for his single-minded tenacity when it came to Blue eyes, and Letho for his infamous reputation as an efficient assassin. The viper witchers were renowned for their willingness to take contracts on anything or anyone. In later years they were more valued for killing men than monsters. Geralt himself had worked with Letho, so had first-hand experience of the man's abilities.

'Ellie's clever, she'll be fine.' Merigold piped up from where she was sat across the room. Lambert's nose wrinkled but he didn't throw his usual abuse at the sorceress. Instead he gave her hard look before replying in a sombre voice.

'I hope you're right about that.'

The forest floor was cold and hard beneath the pads of her bare feet. The winter snows not completely thawed in the shade of the dense canopy. Ellie flitted through the trees, keeping to the deepest shadows. She only moved at night, knowing the witchers needed a special potion to see clearly in the dark, whereas her demon eyes were suited the inky blackness. During the day she would hide high up in the mountains, finding a cave or an alcove to settle in. The snows up there were still thick and she influenced the weather just enough to encourage a heavy snow storm or two, to obscure her tracks. These times were the worst for her. Huddled in the freezing cold, hugging her knees to her chest, only her memories of Lambert to warm her.

The creatures that occupied the valley were a good source of entertainment, and also helped alert her if something was getting too close. She would watch the harpies circling high above the lake, their feathered wings and clawed feet making them look like deformed birds from a distance. She had watched a forktail one morning wheeling high on the thermals above her, its lonely cries echoing off the unforgiving rock. Ellie felt a strange affinity to them all. Out of the keep and away from the others she felt the link with her human side weakening. Out here in the wilds, running from her hunters, she was as much a monster to them as the forktail.

At night, she ventured down. Not just to warm her bones from their frigid state but to track the ones hunting her and if given the opportunity, take them out of the game. She could potentially get through the process by just hiding, but she was certain her luck would run out at some point. Also, hiding wasn't really in her nature. She hated lurking in the mountains waiting for the sun to set, but when faced with superior numbers every advantage had to be used. That was what Solomon had told her lifetimes ago. This was a game of cat and mouse, and she absolutely refused to play the mouse.

The first one she caught on the second night. About a mile outside of Kaer Morhen. He was one of the cat witchers, older than Gaetan but that didn't mean anything when it came to their kind. She had followed him deep into the forests that skirted the lake. This was where the forktails, harpies and drowners usually congregated, but with Ellie's demonic presence the forest was eerily quiet. Still, he hadn't heard her coming, his anger palpable as she took him down quickly and easily. Before she left him, she made sure to mark him. Stopping him from pursuing her further.

The second and third had come in quick succession after that. Unlike the others, they had been working together. Both of them looked closer to Eskel and Geralt's age, they had been arguing about something which when Ellie got closer appeared to be a trap designed to catch her. She had stayed downwind and used it against them. Trapping both witchers in a nasty looking pit. They both survived, with marks branded onto them. Three down, three to go.

The fourth was a lot harder to find than the others, but find him she did. Waiting in a cave not far from the path to Kaer Morhen. She had lured him out just far enough so she could slip in behind him and ambush him in his lair. By this point it was the fifth day and Ellie found herself succumbing to her more primal side. She didn't need to sleep or eat, all her energy and time focused on the hunters on her trail. Occasionally she would see her witchers patrolling the forests, staying clear of their rivals. She would watch them from a high perch, keeping well out of their line of sight or smell. Identifying them from the way they walked, their amour, the barest hint of their scent on the air.

These were the hardest times, especially when it was Lambert – and nine times out of ten it was. It would take all of her will power not to rush to him, envelop him in her arms, breath his cinnamon smell deep into her lungs. Despite the torture she resisted the temptation and merely watched him as he did his small part in protecting her. However futile it was. She should have been comforted with his concern, instead it always left her feeling sour, the rift between her and the ones she had grown to care about in Kaer Morhen only widening.

On day six, after eliminating four of the six witchers out for her blood, Ellie would've been forgiven for believing her witchers were an exception among their kind. As much as the four cats had been challenging to take down, and had required care and caution on her part, they hadn't been anywhere as formidable as she had first assumed. Once she had surprised them, the ensuing fights had all been brief. Nothing like the sparring matches she had grown used to over the past few weeks. By the end of the week she saw why Geralt and his brothers were considered legends in this world, their power and skill outmatching other witchers tenfold. Then she found the one they'd called Letho and her assumptions were turned to ash.

Even from just looking at him Ellie should have known he'd be a challenge. His size and demeanour formidable. However, what she hadn't been expecting was his cunning and surprising stealth. In fact, it was closer to say he had found her, not the other way around.

Night had just fallen on the sixth day, and she was coming out of the hiding place she had kept to. A small crevice half way up a cliff face, no way to get to it unless you climbed or jumped. Impossible to see from the ground and hidden by brush and outcropping trees from above, untraceable…or so she thought. She was just getting her bearings in the dense forest below the cliff when she felt a presence behind her. It was only her superior reactions that manged to save her from the dagger as it whistled past her head, embedding itself in a tree right where she had been stood seconds before.

'Impressive.' A gravelly, disinterested voice said, the hulking, black shadow detaching from the dark. His eyes didn't have their characteristic glow, the pupils blown wide by the potion he had taken to see better. With his sunken sockets the jet-black eyes made his face look more like a skull. Ellie didn't respond as he strode nonchalantly towards her. Instead her lips pulled back over her teeth and she let out a warning growl before leaping into the canopy above him.

'I wouldn't bother trying to run. You won't get far.' He said, causally retrieving his dagger, pulling it from the tree with ease. Eager to get some distance between her and the witcher, Ellie made to jump from the tree she was in to a large birch not far away. As she pushed off from the branch she felt a featherlight touch brush against her ankle, then a high-pitched twang drew her attention down just in time to see the trip wire that had been placed in the tree break.

The explosion launched her forwards with no direction, her body somersaulting as she tried and failed to stop her mad descent. She landed on the ground with a hard thud, the air rushing from her but relatively unscathed. The bomb hadn't been meant to kill, or maim, merely throw her off guard. In that respect it had done its job marvellously, as before she could properly right herself a strong grip wrapped around her midriff, lifting her bodily from where she lay stunned.

'I did warn you.' Her captor said into her ear. His heavy scent of peat filling her nose, making her choke on its bitter taste. Ellie pushed against his vice like grip but his arms were like two immovable iron bands. Letho tightened his hold on her, she could feel her bones grating against one another from the force.

Panic began to set in, and Ellie automatically began to draw on the energy around her. The air grew hot and metallic as the atmosphere grew heavy with electricity. A deep chuckle shook through her.

'Gaetan told me about your little lightning trick. I made sure to take precautions.' Ellie frowned as she moved against his hold, it was then she noticed the wet sheen of something coating his skin and armour. Taking a tentative sniff, a growl of frustration bubbled up in her throat, it was oil. He had covered himself in oil. Apart from being a good lubricant for swords it was a fantastic insulator. The amount of energy she was able to gather wouldn't be very effective against this brute.

Switching tactics, Ellie absorbed the static energy instead, giving her a burst of explosive strength. With a defiant roar she pushed against Letho again, this time moving his arms out just enough to slip through them, with the added help of the oil. Tumbling to the ground, she used the last of the energy to make a dash for it. She only got a few steps before the towering form of Letho blocked her path. How was this guy so fast and so fucking huge?

The panic in her ramped up as she made to dodge around him, but he lashed out at her with both his daggers now. Cold fear washed over Ellie, this was familiar. Too familiar for her liking. His style of fighting and choice of weapon were eerily similar to her own, except she was unarmed and literally on the back foot as she staggered backwards trying to gain some purchase on the snow slick leaves underfoot. He came at her relentlessly, his blades only missing her by millimetres. Driving her back step by step, she got the impression that if he'd wanted to he could have landed anyone of his blows by now. She felt like she was being herded towards a specific spot.

Remembering the bomb he had placed in the trees, there were likely more around this spot, stopping her from escaping or gaining the high ground. This one was clever. She didn't have time to formulate an effective attack plan, what with Letho's unrelenting assault. All she could do was act on instinct, giving over to her demonic side completely, hoping it could find a way out.

She felt the wild fury of her power flood through her veins, her senses heightening with the darkening of her irises to an inky pitch black. The air immediately began to buzz again with the tang of electricity, only this time it wasn't the static in the air she was drawing but the clouds themselves. Pulling and moulding them above her, through the trees, the stars fading from view as the storm gathered.

Letho didn't seem to notice the change in his quarry. Continuing to drive her back, his mouth set in a snarl of concentration. Ellie danced between his blades, making sure to stay clear of them but also aware of where he was leading her. The path they were on was headed for a vicious drop down into the valley, off a sheer cliff which no doubt was rigged with more of Letho's bombs for good measure. It was a good plan; if he could blow her to Purgatory and back she would need time to recover. Enough time for him to restrain and capture her properly.

As she neared the edge Ellie gritted her teeth, her black eyes fixed on her attacker. Cold drips began to hit them from above as the clouds burst, the rain turning from a shower to a downpour in a matter of seconds. Letho didn't blink, his snarl twisting into a grin as he pushed her back the last few feet. Ellie narrowed her eyes and waited for him to take his final swing, watching for the moment he was most off balance, then she struck.

Lifting her hand, she drew down a bolt of lightning from the clouds above, pulling it towards the tree just behind Letho. The energy arced with a crackling hum, striking the trunk and splintering it in an impressive explosion of sparks and blue fire. The witcher turned reflexively towards the sound, his cat drugged eyes widening.

Using his temporary distraction Ellie whirled around searching among the undergrowth for her intended trap. Now she was aware of what she was looking for she spotted the trip wire easily, following the gossamer fine thread she reached the bomb it was rigged to and deftly retrieved it. Letho had recovered from the dramatic display of Ellie's power and was already wheeling back round to deal with her next. With a wide, wolfish grin Ellie took a leaf from Lambert's guide to fishing and threw the bomb high over the witcher's head before he could see it. It hit its target, lodging in the still smouldering branches of the tree. With a loud boom it went off, causing Letho to fall stunned to the ground, in much the same way she had before.

Before he could right himself Ellie pounced, pushing him face first into the dirt with all of her strength. 'Not so fun when someone does it to you, is it?' She crowed triumphantly, pressing her palm to the tensed muscle of his shoulder.

Letho let out a roar of pain and humiliation as she marked him out, the red hot brand glowing for a few second in the dark. Ellie was just about to release him and disappear into the night when the witcher began to chuckle darkly beneath her.

'Very good. Consider me beaten. Unfortunately, it's still game over demon. Gaetan will have you before the night is through.'

She snorted, the high from her recent victory still filling her with confidence. 'And how's that? He's got to find me first. Congrats on your tracking by the way, your attack was definitely the closest your group's come.'

The chuckled morphed into ominous laughter, one that sent a cold shiver up her spine. 'That wasn't an attack, it was a distraction. And he won't have to find you, you'll go to him.'

Her confidence turned to suspicion, into fear and then anger in a heartbeat. Her demon blood was strong in her veins and emotional control had become a loose concept to her. 'What are you talking about slayer?' She spat through gritted teeth. 'I'm not walking into another one of your ambushes, you think I'm an idiot?'

Letho turned his head so he could look up at her with one eye. The effects of the cat potion already wearing off, the familiar orange glow burning brightly up at her. 'Depends on the bait. I'm sure you'll bite if it's that traitor your fucking, hmm?' His eyes blazed gleefully as a growl ripped through her now very pronounced fangs.

'Where?' Was all she could manage. Letho laughed hard then, and Ellie couldn't stop her fist coming down on his face. 'Where!?' She screamed against the wind and rain, the storm matching her fury.

'The keep. He should be waiting for you now.'

She didn't wait to hear him gloat anymore. Giving him one more forceful shove into the dirt, she launched herself off of the witcher and raced into the forest, heading back down to Kaer Morhen. The shrieking wind picked up and carried her all the quicker, but it wasn't quick enough. Pushing her legs to go faster, she could feel the electricity building inside her. The power of the storm she'd summoned coalescing around her, until she was no longer running along the forest floor but flying. Flying through trees faster than the wind, coasting on the lightning itself. It arced through the clouds above the valley, and as the first booming roll of thunder echoed off the mountains she landed with a flash and crackling heat in front of the gates of Kaer Morhen.

'Lambert!?' She called out into the thunder, the storm howling back in response. The rain was now lashing her face and skin, the wind whipping back and forth as if angry at the keep and the forests surrounding it. It was angry, because she was angry. There was no one stood at the entrance, but the heavy oak gate was open. The gaping maw of Kaer Morhen appearing all the more threatening in its emptiness.

Where was he? How had he manged to get Lambert?

The questions buzzed around her head like agitated flies. Her blood pulsing with undiluted panic. This was it. It was happening again. Why had she let him talk her into confessing her feelings? Why had she let herself give in? Now he was in danger, and she felt world shifting beneath her feet as she strained to catch any sign of him.

Her deal with Gaetan meant she was unable to set foot in the keep until the seven days was up. There was no such stipulation on him however. Maybe it had been foolish to think he wouldn't try to enter the hostile witcher's home, or maybe she had trusted her companions too much. Regardless, she felt another frustrated roar escape her mouth, echoed by the thunderous boom of the storm raging above her.

'Calm down demon. No need to shout.'

Ellie whipped round, her eyes burning with a dark hatred at the sound of his voice. Staggering out onto the path came a wounded and grappled Lambert, his face set in a growl of anger, his chin rucked up by the arm wrapped around his throat. Gaetan's face leered over his shoulder, his eyes burning with a similar hatred to hers as he manoeuvred them both closer to her. He had his longsword out, gripped in his other hand. The blade of it pressed threateningly against Lambert's stomach which was already dark with blood. The scent of rust grated Ellie's senses making her recoil, her eyes zeroing in on a nasty gash on his side that was the source of the smell. She immediately scanned the rest of him for any further injuries, but apart from his paler than usually face he seemed stable. Her rage grew like a wave crashing towards the shore. The rain pummelled the men stood before her, their faces slick with her anger.

'Let him go!' She thundered. 'This wasn't part of the deal!'

Gaetan tightened his grip on Lambert's throat, until the wolf witcher was clawing uselessly against his arm with one of his hands. She noticed how the other hung limp and ineffective at his side, the same side that was dripping blood steadily onto the rain-washed dirt.

'The deal, was that these whoresons wouldn't help you, and yet I found this particular mongrel sniffing around one of my brothers. He was fair game as far as I could see, and a useful little lure for you.' His eyes narrowed. 'I guess this means you took out Letho. Thought that thug had more fight in him than that.'

'Let. Him. Go.' Ellie snarled, the panic she'd felt at first giving way to animalistic bloodlust now she could see him.

'You're a tricky fucking monster, I'll give you that. Taken out my entire team, whilst we've barely got a good look at you. My bet is, if you had to face us in a fair fight, no hiding or sneaking around, we'd have got you by now.' There was a bitter note to his voice, a whine of petulance that made her hackles rise even further.

'You want me to give? Is that what you want?' She hissed. The wet slap of running feet behind her made her tense, but there was a familiarity to the presences that had gathered in the entrance gate.

'What's going on? Lambert?' Vesemir's gruff bark brought her a moment of peace, until she saw another hulking mass approaching from the side of the path, accompanied by four other figures. Letho, who had managed to get here almost as quick as her, and the other cats stalked out of the shadows to stand behind Gaetan. Their eyes glowing like a row of torches. Behind her she could feel Vesemir, Geralt, and Eskel shift to form a similar semi-circle around her.

'You weren't allowed to harm any of us cat.' Eskel called out over the howling wind.

'Only if she won wolf. I'm still standing.'

'For now.' Ellie muttered darkly, her black eyes narrowing to slits. Gaetan sneered, a low chuckle escaping him.

'New deal demon. You fight me, one on one. A fair fight. Witcher against monster, as it should be.' Another growl ripped over the sound of the storm, but this time it came from Lambert.

'Fucking coward. She's not allowed weapons, you think that's a fair fight?' His voice sounded choked, a warble of pain to it that made Ellie's eyes widen in fear, her feet taking a step forward.

'Stay where you are!' Gaetan shouted, shaking his prisoner roughly. Jostling the open wound on his side. 'And you, traitor…fucking shut it! Your own fault for being caught unawares. Pathetic.'

Ellie could see the glaze of anger filter over Lambert's eyes, but there was also a hint of fear. Not for himself, but for her. Why? Did he not think she could face this guy head on? Regardless, she seemed to have little choice.

'Deal.' She said. Gaetan looked triumphant, then he released Lambert, his arm recoiling quickly as the brand she had placed there glowed a bright red again. 'You want a monster, I'll give you a monster.' She spat, lowering instantly into a crouch, the wind whipping her damp hair around her head like live snakes.

'Ellie, no.' Lambert said. He was knelt on the floor, his good hand clutching his side. Blood seeped between his fingers, and his face was pallid with pain even as he looked at her pleadingly. First things first, she'd pay him back for what he'd done to her witcher.

'Come and taste sliver demon.' Gaetan said pompously, holding his sword above his head, ready to strike.

She was vaguely aware of the makeshift amphitheatre their respective audiences had created around them. Aware of her friends watching on with horror and trepidation as she charged the other witcher. Aware of Lambert's pale moon like face following her as she darted under Gaetan's first attack and came up behind him. Aware of the opposing side glaring at her hatefully as she made to latch onto his back and strangle him like he'd done Lambert; but it was only Gaetan, who had her full attention. He was quicker than she remembered, ducking out from under her arms so she had to extend them to brace herself from landing face first on the ground. His body pirouetting artfully to face her, his sword still held high.

She spat a curse into the dirt before pushing herself to her feet and charging him once more. A more logical Ellie would know that barrelling head first at an enemy wasn't the wisest tactic, however most of her logic had been eaten away by the prolonged use of her power. Her demon side was now fully in control, and it was pissed. A thin veil of red had descended over her eyes so when Gaetan dodged to the side and swiped at her ankles with his sword she was too crazed to react to it.

There was no real pain, only the sensation of the ground rushing up to meet her. At the last moment she tucked herself into a roll, tumbling away from the witcher in a flurry of rain water and dark blood. A feral snarl ripped from between her teeth as she rounded on him once more. The haze of anger seeping into her very bones as she searched out his weak spots. She felt like a passenger in her enraged form, watching from the side-lines with the same horrified expression as Lambert as she threw herself at the witcher again. She saw in slow motion as his sword swung for her midriff, the sharp blade glinting wetly in the rain. She saw as it threw her off balance sending her stumbling to her knees for a second time, his stance already flowing around to attack her from above. The sword was held high above his head, and as she screamed a warning internally, some semblance of control came back to her in time to raise her arms over her head in defence.

The blade sliced cleanly into her crossed forearms. Biting into the flesh and spraying blood in a wide arc behind Gaetan as he flicked the sword away from her. She could feel the hot liquid flooding down her exposed arms, the bitter pulse of torn skin and nerves reverberating through her. Frozen in place, she wasn't sure what the damage to her arms was, but a sharp hiss of anger next to her made her glance over. Lambert was staring wild eyed at her, his pale face gaining a hint of colour as his shocked gaze slid to Gaetan, his amber eyes flaring with the promise of retribution.

'So, you do bleed demon. Good to know.' Gaetan sneered from somewhere above her.

Shakily she uncrossed her arms and brought them down by her sides. There was a flash of deep, jagged wounds, splitting her skin from wrist to elbow. He had certainly hit her hard. She could already feel the flesh knitting back together, the numb tingle of severed nerves reattaching allowing her to flex her fingers experimentally. The hit he'd landed had gone some way to clearing her head, although the buzz of power still lingered in her veins. Simmering below the surface.

Rising to her feet, she glared narrowed eyed at her opponent. Her animalistic frenzy subsiding, allowing the cooler part of her brain to take control. Gaetan sensed the change in her and quickly brought his sword up in a two-handed defensive position. Despite her tactical head being firmly back on her shoulders, she was still at a disadvantage without a weapon and hemmed in by people. She dodged his next few attacks with ease, but found herself being herded much like Letho had done to her. Going on the offensive was nearly impossible under these circumstances, and she felt her control being to slip again as she was backed furiously towards the keep with no plan.

The harsh sound of steel suddenly clattering against stone caught her attention from behind her. Glancing over her shoulder she watched as Vesemir kicked his sword which he had dropped in front of him, sending it skittering across the ground towards her.

'Oops, I'm so clumsy.' He said, with a sly smile.

'We agreed no weapons!' Gaetan shouted. Vesemir's smile turned into a furious scowl.

'You would mark a victory over an unarmed opponent as noble? You're no better than a common highway bandit if that's the case boy.' Gaetan snarled at the older witcher's condescending tone and launched himself towards Ellie.

'I don't give an ogre's ass about being noble.' He screamed, charging at her with a flurry of blows. She scrambled behind her, gripping the sword Vesemir had offered her. With a whistling swish she brought it up to parry Gaetan's, the loud bell like clang of metal on metal rang out over the storm, and she felt herself grinning as the playing field was finally levelled out.

'No rules against me using whatever's just lying around.' She taunted, as she pushed against his blade, deflecting his blow. He made a noise of frustration before renewing his attack on her, pirouetting and attempting to flank her. The unfamiliar weight of Vesemir's sword was hard to get used to, but in the heat of the moment she managed to match the witcher blow for blow. They parried and countered, first one of them pushing the other back and then vice versa.

Ellie was thankful for Vesemir's lessons, without them she wouldn't have been able to hold her own against Gaetan. Even with her years of training under Solomon, fighting a witcher one on one with a longsword was eons away from fighting rabid demons with dagger and pole. They weren't even close to similar. There was a desperate edge to Gaetan's attacks as they continued, both their clothes soaked by the rain.

She could feel her opponent's strength starting to wane. The relentless rain and wind still whipping around them sapping his energy. On her periphery she could see the others watching as she parried another blow from him, catching his hand with the flat of her blade as she did. Vesemir's face was set in an expression of fatherly pride, his arms folded across his chest as he observed her. Eskel was grinning and even Geralt looked mildly impressed with her performance.

As the pair of them whirled around she saw the opposing audience. The four cat witchers stared at her with unabashed hatred, their mouths set into sneers of contempt. Letho however, was watching her with a strange look of amusement. His eyebrow raised slightly at their display. As she glanced at him, his wide mouth quirked up and he appeared to smile at her. It was in that moment that Gaetan struck.

She wasn't entirely sure what happened next, all she caught was him waving his hand quickly in the air. His fingers moving in an unfamiliar pattern. Then there was a burst of white light and that insistent buzzing that signalled the use of magic, before Ellie's vision went blurry and her mind took on a fuzzy quality.

It felt like she was suspended between consciousness and oblivion. Her body was no longer hers and her soul was floating ten feet above her. Except she had no soul, so that was impossible. Dimly she heard people shouting in protest, she was certain one of them was Lambert. Then the weight of Vesemir's longsword was abruptly gone from her hands and she could hear it clattering to the ground again. She felt herself kneeling, although there had been no command from her to do so, and she knew Gaetan was stood over her although no matter how much she willed herself to move her arms and legs didn't respond. What had he done to her?

She pushed against the soft veil covering her senses. Fighting against the invisible strings that were inexplicably holding her in place. For a moment she thought it was over, then a dark voice whispered to her from the empty place where her heart had once been.

Let me out. Let me finish this.

Ellie folded in on herself, moving out of her inner demon's way. The rush of power felt exhilarating, and what had seconds ago been blurry and incoherent, now became pin sharp and hyper real. Gaetan was indeed stood before her, sword descending on a course for her head. Her onyx eyes snapped up to him, and in that moment she saw true fear etched on his face.

His sword landed in the mud, the spot where she had been, vacant. She was already behind him, her body moving of its own accord. She gathered the wind and pushed it towards his back with a fluid movement. If he could use cheap tricks so could she. The condensed gale hammered into Gaetan's back, sending him staggering forward. He remained upright but his position was thrown. She searched for the sword he had knocked from her grasp, but as she was scanning the ground, two light clinks drew her attention.

Letho was stood, arms folded, his mouth pulled into a full-blown smirk as he gestured with his head to the ground before him. Following his gaze, Ellie's eyes widened slightly as she saw his two daggers discarded before him. Before she could figure out his intent Gaetan was on her, screaming his defiance at her come back. She ducked and avoided his wildly swinging sword, grabbing the two daggers as she did. Now this was a weapon she was used to.

Staying low to the ground she swiped her leg out, catching the witcher's as he ran past her. He stumbled again, this time landing on his knees in the dirt. Gritting her teeth, images of the wound he had inflicted on Lambert flashing through her mind's eye, she gripped the daggers in a tight hold and aimed for the backs of his claves. With a shout of rage, she slammed the twin blades down through the muscle, scrapping past bone and finally imbedding them into the ground beneath him. Pinning him to the floor. Gaetan let out a blood curdling scream, collapsing forward. His hands slapping into the wet mud as he fought to keep himself upright.

Slowly, so slowly, Ellie retrieved Vesemir's discarded sword. The heavy thrumming of the rain and the rolling howl of the wind were the only sounds as his scream turned into grunts of pain. She could see a ring of stoic and shocked faces encircling them as she approached her prey from behind, the longsword held easily in one hand. Gripping Gaetan's chin she lifted his head up so he could look into her bottomless eyes, then her lip curled over her elongated fangs in a feral grin.

'Looks like the monster won. How does it feel, witcher?' She purred softly, lifting the blade to rest against his throat. Her eyes were caught by a livid mark, hidden just below the collar of his amour, but her focus flicked back to him as he licked his lips.

'Go on. Do it demon. Show them what you really are.' She narrowed her eyes and pressed the blade harder against his throat until a small trickle of blood beaded on the bright metal. Her demon side growled hungrily within her, but she was more than in control this time. Still, her chest clenched uncomfortable when she heard a desperate plea behind her.

'Ellie.'

Lambert was still knelt on the floor. His face as pale as ever, but all trace of anger lost from those eyes. Now there was only concern and the barest trace of fear as he looked at her. It was like a hammer blow to Ellie, and she instantly dropped the sword as if it were suddenly red hot. Taking a step back, she surveyed the fallen witcher before her.

'I won't kill you, but before I release you from our deal I have one more condition.' Gaetan looked over his shoulder, a frown furrowing his pain stretched brow.

'What do you fucking want now?'

Ignoring his disrespectful tone, Ellie reached forward and pulled the edge of his armour down harshly, exposing the join between his neck and shoulder to the gathered crowd.

'Tell me who put this mark on you, and we're even.'

Undiluted fear came over Gaetan's face, but before he could answer Geralt let out a harsh sound of horror. His eyes burning into the twisting, foreign looking mark on the other witcher's neck. So similar to her brand and yet alien in its design.

'Fuck.' The normally stoic White wolf cursed, his eyes filled with the same wild fear she had seen on her opponent's face. 'It's him.'