Lucy
I felt like I had been hit by a double decker bus….repeatedly! My mind was a haze of jumbled images and words, which upon further inspection had me groaning at the hammer that was repetitively tapping away at the inside of my head. I lay still assessing where I was. It was cold and I was lying on a dirtied floor, my back was against a brick wall, I could feel all the cracks and dents as if they became a permanent mark on my back. I was defiantly not at home or the drakes unfortunately.
Suddenly the events that led up to my present predicament flashed through my mind like a tornado. Meeting Sol; oak tree; late; midnight; vampire; fangs; male; phone; blackness!
"Shit!" I exclaimed unsure if it was mental or verbal. I felt like I had been doused in freezing cold water. I sat up quickly, a little too quickly I felt myself falling forward, as my mind caught up with my movements. I would have fallen on my face if not for my arm being yanked back in place.
OWWWW! My arm felt like it had been dislocated. I prayed to anyone in the sky that that was not the case. It was my good throwing arm after all. Looking towards the wall I realised why….the bastard had chained me up. There was a rusted metal chain connecting my arm to the cold brick wall. My wrist looked red raw, damn it looks like it's gonna bruise.
Looking quickly around the room I assessed the situation. My subconscious thought about how proud Hunter would be that I actually paid attention to one of her vampire hunter soliloquys. There was a little window that brought in little light. Well that's just great, I couldn't even tell how long I had been out. I hoped it wasn't long.
Whichever idiot did this was going to pay. I assessed myself for injuries. I felt slight relief that all my limbs where still attached, if not cut and bruised. There was a loud banging coming from through the metal door. My heart leaped so much I feared I was having a heart attack. Seconds ticked by without another sound. I was safe. For now. As I calmed down I realised how bad I must have looked. I was covered nearly head to toe in blood.
Now I was starting to get pissed. Whichever idiot had done this had also wrecked my favourite top. Great and I was gonna wear this for my date with Nic. If I made it, out of here.
"Wait, can't think like that. Keep it together Lucy!" I chanted to myself as I moved into a sitting position. My ribs protested to the movement. Great, if I wasn't in enough trouble, my ribs has also fallen out with me.
"Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness, my dear." A deep masculine voice said through the metal door.
My head whipped up so fast I was sure I could add whip lash to the ever increasing list of injuries. "What? Who are you?" I shouted. Or attempted to, it came out more like a croak.
"All in good time my dear" he spoke chuckling between words.
This angered me greatly. "Coming from the bastard too scared to even show his face!" I spat back. I secretly hoped he would rise to the bait; I needed to know the face I was going to punch continuously. Maybe kick a little. Mum was right about my anger. I tried not to think of my family or the drakes, getting sad wouldn't help me.
"Lucy you really do live up to reputation" he chuckled.
"You also live up to being a first class stalker. When the Drakes find you, you will be dead….and sorry!" I spoke softly, but my voice came out threatening none the less. I felt proud at that. Being at the receiving end of many glares and threats I hoped I had got that look and voice down perfectly.
"But Lucy, that's what I want." He said a glint in his voice
"Stay away from them, I am warning you…" I spoke before I could think. I know that vampire beats human, but that don't mean that I wasn't going to try my hardest. I wasn't exactly known to be quite and obedient.
My only reply was the echo of footsteps as they moved further and further away.
"Come back, don't you dare walk away from me, do you hear me?" my attempts at getting his attention deemed fruitless. Now it was just me, on my own, in a dark prison cell. I bought my legs closer towards my body. i hoped they would come soon, there is only so much of this I could take.
Nicholas
I felt helpless. I had vampire senses, but for what? I couldn't even protect my girlfriend. I would give anything for the roles to be reversed. I knew that Lucy was strong, but she has never had to deal with this.
A knocking on my bedroom door halted my thoughts.
"Come in" I spoke dully. I lay back across my bed and put a hand over my eyes. I didn't need my sight to tell that it was Solange who had just entered. "What do you want?"
"Cut the bull. We all want her back, but moping around isn't going to solve any of our problems" she spoke boldly. I didn't reply. I jerked up when I felt a hand whack my head." That is not going to bring Lucy back any quicker" she added putting a scowl on her face that bore an uncanny resemblance to mum. Yikes, another mum was a scary thought.
"Nicholas I heard that." Can a piercing feminine voice from downstairs. It was mum.
Great I had said that out loud "I love you mum." I shouted back. I really needed to get it together.
"Come on Sol lets head downstairs." I walked downstairs, knowing full well she would be I reached the kitchen I saw mum, dad and Seb drinking blood from a glass. They glanced at me with looks of sorrow and pity. I hated pity.
"Stop with the stares." I grumbled out reaching for the jug and filling myself a muscles itched to be out there looking, doing something. Anything. I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see my mum.
"We will get her back. Don't worry" My mum spoke in a voice that you couldn't help but believe her. I truly wanted them words to be right.
Bruno coming in through the door interrupted the moment. One look on his face let me know that whatever he had to say was important.
"We might have a lead. I found this." He pushed forward a box that was plain silver, with our name scrawled across the top.
"Where did you find it?" Dad enquired not taking his eyes off the box.
Bruno Scottish voice filled the room "it was found by the oak tree. Where Lucy's earing was found." With that Bruno bid his farewell and went back out to patrol.
Many of my brothers had come down stairs and placed themselves around the kitchen, while Bruno was speaking. If our assumptions were right, then this could be a clue about Lucy. I didn't want to get my hopes up, but the evidence left little gaps.
Solange reached out to open the box. Logan slapped her hand away "don't be stupid, you don't know what is in it!" Logan exclaimed. I couldn't wait any longer I grabbed the box and lifted the lid gingerly in my hands.
There was an anticipated silence. The tension in the room was suffocating. While I was opening it I hoped that this would lead me to Lucy. The lid was light and easy to lift. Underneath the lid was velvet. Rich, red velvet. I looked down into the box. Everyone held their breath. Not that we needed to breath.
In the box lay a single piece of parchment folded. I carefully lifted it out the box delicately. The parchment was thick old paper. Before I could open it my mum took it from my hands and opened it. I bit back a growl I wanted to know first.
My mum opened it and growled many of us read over her shoulder.
Dear Drakes
It is a please to finally talk to you, a shame it's not face to face,
But don't worry we will meet soon,
I must apologise for my rude entrance to your life, it just had to be done,
I hope we can be friends,
Don't worry about your angel young Nicholas, she is ok for now,
I know you want to see her again so please do follow what I say,
Please don't push me or play me I can be nice, but there is only so much nice someone can be,
Here are my demands,
I want a meeting, face to face; I have always wanted to see you all.
The oak tree, tomorrow I am sure you know the place,
11:00 don't be late and don't try and catch me,
You have too much at stake if you don't follow,
Lucy is on a very thin line, life and death are such mysterious and beautiful things,
I hope she survives I really do, but as the saying goes,
Her life is in your hands,
Have a pleasant evening,
From S.R.B
Deafening silence. I felt relief and anger build up but I quenched it down. I knew we had no choice, we had to go along with his demands. A sharp intake of breath from dad made me focus on the letter.
I growled. I threw my glass against the wall. Red met white in a splatter of furry. The letter was written in red ink. The red ink was Lucy's Blood!