Chapter 17

The knife came down, her hair pulled up painfully—and brushed against the sides of her neck, the rest of her long remaining strands of hair tumbled around her, curling up on the floor and in her lap. Mary-Lynnette's hair had been hacked away, her hair just pulling under her chin.

That had been a bit…anti-climatic. Mare's fingers came up, curling into her hair in shock. Why? Why this?

Hunter laughed at her puzzled expression and the fears inside her began to bubble up once more. The anticipation of the future events had already started to from knots in her stomach. "If this is what you find sinister my dear girl then there you have lived a very sheltered life. You hair was an obstacle, an inferior one I admit, but an obstacle nonetheless. Now Lily (Please forgive me I made a mistake and realized that her name was Lily, NOT Jade! I don't have my books with me for reference!) if you don't mind please go and summon Belladonna here. There are issues that need to be attended to, for example, where to place our new guest."

The vampire looked down disdainfully at her before heading her father's orders and sauntered off to another part of the house. Suddenly the human was all-alone, the other creatures of the nightworld had left. Leaving Mary-Lynnette alone with Hunter Redfern. She was almost wishing that the girl had stayed there, a strange and unfriendly comfort in this hostile new world.

With her fingers still in her hair she stared up at the luminous figure sitting before her. "Why?" was all that she could manage to say, the other words and fears that wanted to come out remained sealed in her throat, terrified of the consequences that laid wait if they said anything.

"As I had said before my dear one: There is more then one way to skin a cat and you hair had been a minor obstacle that frankly I don't want to have to bother with. " Redfern stood now edging closer to her.

Even in the most modern and developed society the human—the animal instinct for protection can rise itself to the occasion when the life is threatened. The primitive feelings had already started to take hold, her arms and feet pushing her back, further from the monster.

Hunter seemed to find this amusing. "Your already at a breaking point miss. Your body is already quivering with fear and your body isn't responding to the simple commands that you're trying to give you. You really are an amusing creature. Enough with these games though, I have a schedule that I must stick to and further delay will put me behind."

His speed was unmatched, the strength beyond anything that she had ever felt, in Ash's arms she felt safe and secure, not even a tornado could break his shield if he held her. But this felt like a prison, a stone cold prison that made her very mind weak and scared.

His hand stretched themselves over her neck and fingers, even his fingers push up against her neck forcing her head up and tilted to the side. Her eyes grew wide with fear and recognition. Mary-Lynnette nails clawed at his skin, this wasn't right. This wasn't right. Stale breath against her neck, a feeling as if there was death creeping at her. Her hair easily fell away and for a brief moment there was a spark of anger, her hair grown for years, braided by her birth mother at special occasions, Ash combing his fingers through her hair and the way Rowan had at one point built up. It had been hacked away because Hunter Redfern wanted a snack a nibble at something that gave life and breath.

"I'm sure that you've given life to that son of mine. This will be nothing like the connection you've had. Now let's see what information you have stored inside you."

Hunter Redfern bit her and Mary-Lynnette let out a scream that revealed the pain that felt like it was destroying her.

It was the shattering of glass that brought Timmy away from the contents he was reading out of a book he'd randomly picked up in the library. The noise irking him and the curiosity overwhelming him to put it down and investigate the cause of the noise. Whenever there was commotion in this house, he found out, meant that there was action that was about to take place, more or less the childish immature teenagers that romped around the mansion.

What he found instead was something he had never thought he would see, even from one of the people that he felt had betrayed such a superior race the most. Ash Redfern had been reduced to something resembling that of a wounded animal, his breath hissing in and out as if even a single breath was like a knife going through him. What could have caused this to happen?

Even the boy was alarmed by this, a powerful creature reduced to hands and knees, on hand pressed against his neck, knuckles turning white as the pain rippled over his skin. Timmy could only watch afraid to even step any closer to the animal before him. He would be of no help in a situation like this. Luckily though, he wasn't the only one to hear the crash as within moments of him entering the room the sound of running feet soon became louder as others came to investigate. The sight before them left them just as shaken.

Only two stepped away from the eyes that remained in the doorway, James Rasmussen and Quinn walked forward, carefully walking around the glass that remained shattered on the floor. Apparently Ash had fallen into one of the tables, shattering a glass vase and shredding the roses that had once called it their home. They didn't stare strangely at him when they helped him up or looked down on him as Ash leaned heavily on Quinn. They only sat him down at the nearest couch, Quinn calling out to Rashel who came rushing back with a pair of tweezers. No one said anything as she picked out the shards of glass in his hand, even now Ash would still suck in a sharp breath as a wave of pain struck him, the hand at his neck twitching with each new wave.

With in only a few moments James pushed everyone away from the doorway, shutting the door with a resounding slam and lock. Soon, one by one, they began to disperse. All of them except Timmy who stayed and listened by the door, the conversation had already started.

"I have to go. I have to go now!" Ash voice was sharp and seemed to bite at every word he said.

"Where will you go? You have no idea where she is. Even if you do, you don't know how to get her out of there. Wherever that is!" Quinn rationed.

The sounds of a scuffle suddenly shook everything, but then quieted down just as fast. A pause of silence, a choked voice, "She's in pain—I felt it, an unimaginable pain that was eating me—eating her! Killing her! Am I supposed to ignore it?" The last of his words were shouted out causing the door listening in to jump, startled by the amount of passion.

How could he possibly know if there was anything happening to that girl? But what confused Timmy more was this feeling of dread that was eating up inside him. Was it for Hunter Redfern, fearing that his own son was now out for his blood?

Or was it something else? Maybe for the kinder person that looked at him with such a sad smile. Not even his own sister—that vermin, would show him a smile.

"I don't care what happens! I just got to get her out of there! If your not going to help me I have no problem doing it on my own!"

His cousin, James, raised his voice even louder, " That's the problem! Your always doing things on your own without telling anyone or letting anyone help you! We didn't eve know where the two of you had gone otherwise—"

But his words were cut short, "So this is my fault!" Ash roared, " Mary-Lynnette's been kidnapped by the people we're fighting life and death with and you blame me for them taking her? I didn't hand her over, I didn't draw a freaking map and a time when they could come and pick her up! You Jack Ass!"

"That's not what he's saying!" The voice calmer and more soothing, Timmy recognized, belonged to Rashel, " You hadn't told anyone where you were going. If circle daybreak had known we would have put up simple precautions up in a nearby area. The same goes for anyone of the members here. It's not your fault, what he is saying is you refuse to let anyone in. Anyone at all! Let us help you, look at you now; you can barely stand on your own two feet. What happens if this happens while your trying to protect her? You'll help neither of you if this keeps up."

Her reasoning made sense but Ash would hear none of it. "This won't happen again. I'll make sure of it!"

"And how would you do that? " Quinn asked, "How can you be so sure?"

The strong anger that Ash had was already deflating, paining with difficulty he spoke, " Because it wasn't a physical pain or wound—I don't even know exactly what he was doing, but it felt like he was tearing at her, pulling at something—its like he'd taken that cord that connects us and trying to rip it apart."

I know that it was very short and I wanted to put more but then I thought that this was a perfect way to end the chapter. Don't worry I'm already working on the next one. It may even be out Tomorrow though I can't make any promises.

I hope that you like it and again R&R! I want to know what you guys like, what you don't like and maybe even things you would like to see or even a certain nightworld couple that you want me to check in on and write a quick little piece.

Til next time

~Triss