A/N: Hey, here's the next chapter to my story. Hope ya all like it!

Chapter 13: Danger Again

A second after those words left Butler's mouth, he had crossed the room quickly to Artemis and pulled out a knife. For an instant, Artemis felt fear and he knew Butler could sense it because he looked at him for a moment. Then it was gone and Artemis was his usual self, while Butler cut the ropes that bound him to the chair. The boy practically leapt from the chair and the four of them made their way towards the door. But before they could get there, the door was blasted off its hinges and it slammed into Holly, knocking her to the floor in a heap.

'Holly!' Artemis yelled and before he could stop himself, he had run over to her and fell by her side. He quickly shoved the remains of the door off her and checked her pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a steady pulse beneath his fingers but by the lack of movement, she was unconscious. Artemis could see blue sparks begin to leap from her skin and target the various cuts and bruises she had just sustained. She would be all right.

Unfortunately for the others, they weren't doing so well. Artemis glanced up just in time to see Althuna walk into the room, red sparks sizzling under and over every centimetre of her skin. He could only watch, helpless, as she sent a wave of sparks at Butler and Foaly. They didn't even have time to breathe as they both collapsed on the floor and moved no more. Panic forced its way into Artemis' mind, blocking out all thought. All his friends were unable to help him. Holly was unconscious and Butler and Foaly were most likely dead. There was no one to protect him, no one to stand between him and Althuna. The girl moved forwards, laughter erupting from her throat as she continued towards him, each step bringing him closer to his doom and for the second time in as many minutes, Artemis felt fear. Fear that he had only ever felt twice in his life. Those two times were when Butler had died before he was brought back and when Opal Koboi had locked himself and Holly in the eleven wonders of the world exhibit with hundreds of trolls. This time was different though. Those times, he knew he wasn't alone. Those two times he had help and a chance, however slim, that he would get out of it alive. This time though, there was no chance. To him he was already dead and he could do nothing.

While these thoughts plagued Artemis' mind, Althuna inched closer and closer until she was finally standing right in front of him, close enough to feel her jagged breath on his face. Artemis had frozen to the spot and couldn't move. If he was in any condition to use his brain, he would have moved but at that moment, fear held him like a vice and he was almost incapable of thoughts. Apart from the ones where he mused his own demise. Althuna on the other hand, was thinking clearly. Oh how I want to kill this mud boy in front of me, and I can. I will enjoy this, she thought. She reached out a hand and wrapped it around Artemis' throat, lifting him off the floor. His eyes bulged as she tightened her grip, squeezing the breath from his lungs. Suddenly, Artemis came back to his senses and the instinct of self-preservation. He began to claw at Althuna's hand around his throat while he kicked his legs out in an attempt to get her to loosen her grip but she only tightened it. His fingers raked at her skin, leaving deep scratches, which were instantly healed by her magic. Breath, I need to breath, Artemis thought, if not now then never. Althuna could hear the pathetic boy struggling for breath and she leered at him, her grin twisted in delight as Artemis' attempts to get her to drop him weakened and then stopped altogether as he fell limp.

Just in case he could still hear her, she whispered, 'Game over. I win,' and then she loosened her grip, ready to drop him. As she loosened though, Artemis opened his eyes and kicked out with all his might. His foot connected with her chest, hard and she instantly dropped him. If he had time, he probably would have stayed there all day, regaining his breath, but since he didn't, he made a beeline for the door as he clutched his throat and breathed in as much as he could. As he turned the corner, he got a glimpse of Althuna. She was on her feet and was heading for the door, chasing after him. Artemis quickened his pace and all out ran down the stairs towards the front door, planning to hide out in the garden. He made it to the front door and pushed it open, just as a hale of red sparks smashed into the door, just above his head. He ducked down and ran out into the garden, heading round to the back of the house. Before he did though, he quickly started the engine to the Bentley parked outside and set it to autopilot. The car set off, without him in it, towards the gates. The gates opened as the car approached, just as Althuna came running out of the house. She saw the car, driving up the road and quickly ran after it, believing that Artemis was inside it. Soon she made it to the gate and got into her own car and chased after the Bentley.

Meanwhile, Artemis was chuckling to himself. Well, trying to chuckle. All that came out was a long series of coughs and wheezes. He clutched his throat again and went round to the back of the house where he opened the back door and let himself into the house. He ran as fast as he could back up the stairs to his bedroom. As he entered he almost cried. Not out of sorrow but out of relief. Holly was conscious again and Butler and Foaly where both sitting up, letting Holly heal their wounds. They instantly looked up as Artemis entered and Butler practically ran over to him with Holly close behind him.

'Artemis, thank god. When we woke up we couldn't see you or Miss Thomson and we thought… we thought the worst,' Butler said as he hugged his young charge. Artemis started to cough again as Butler's mass pushed against his throat. Butler instantly let go as Artemis practically collapsed in his arms. 'Artemis? What is it, what's wrong?'

'Butler,' Holly said gently as the manservant laid Artemis on the floor. 'Look at his neck.'

The man obeyed and tilted Artemis' head up. What he saw almost made him collapse in shock. Artemis' white skin had a red and purple handprint around his throat where Althuna had had her hand. His skin was heavily bruised and there were tiny cuts where she had dug her fingers in. 'Dear god!'

Holly leaned forward but before she had a chance to heal the bruises, red sparks came from Artemis' skin and healed the wound. Holly and Butler could only watch in shock as the bruise and cuts faded and then disappeared altogether. They may have said something about it but at that moment, Artemis woke up at sat bolt upright, clutching his throat again as a spasm of coughs hit him. Tears rolled down his cheeks from the pain but soon the coughing stopped and Artemis looked up at the two concerned faces above him.

'What happened?' the boy asked.

'We were just about to ask you the same thing actually. Also, it appears you still have some of miss Thomson's magic left, it healed the bruise on your neck,' Holly said.

'Oh,' Artemis replied as he tried to sit up. Holly and Butler helped him to his feet. 'Well, after you lot got knocked out, Althuna came in and practically strangled me. That's how I got the bruise.'

'How did you get away?' the pretty elf next to him asked.

'I…' Artemis cleared his throat and tried again. 'I pretended that I was dead or at least unconscious and when she loosened her grip, I kicked her as hard as I could. Then she dropped me and I ran out of the house, set the Bentley to autopilot and let the car drive off. She followed it, thinking I was inside and then I came back up here.'

Butler smiled approvingly. 'Well done. If you hadn't have used your brain, we'd all be dead by now. But now, I think we all need to get some well deserved rest, don't you think?'

'Yes, I don't know about you two but I'm exhausted. Saving our lives is tiring.'

'Not to mention getting strangled,' Holly put in with a grim smile.

'Oh yes, lets make me almost dying funny. I particularly don't find it amusing in anyway,' he snapped.

'Sorry, I only meant that you did really well. Thank you,' she said, looking at the floor.

'It's OK Holly, I shouldn't have snapped. I'm just not feeling the best right now.'

'It's understandable. Now then, I'm going to sleep for an hour or two. I'll see you both later,' Holly said as she headed out of the room towards her bedroom.

'Yes, I agree with that. Oh and Butler, keep an eye out because miss Thomson will be back when she realises I wasn't in the Bentley.'

'OK, g'night.' Artemis waved his hand as a reply and headed to one of the guest bedrooms to go to sleep since his room was trashed.

A/N: There we go, that's chapter thirteen. Hope ya liked it. Please let me know by reviewing.