Author's Note: I don't normally do these in the beginning of a chapter but I wanted to apologize for the delay first and foremost.

Chapter 34

Melissa started to lead Mitch down the stairs to the first level of the house. Not being quiet at all.
"It's just you, me, Erin and Nathan here. He's in the basement, that's where he is keeping Rebeca, her parents... and yours. Be careful if you get close to him, his touch can cause auditory and visual hallucinations of his design and desire. I'm not sure exactly what he plans or why he is doing this but he wants you mad. He wants you in a blind rage for whatever reason," She explained to him on their way down stairs.
"What is the basement like?" Mitch asked, figuring it would be nice to kind of know the layout before getting there.
"Well... It's got low ceilings, fairly open, kinda big for a basement. On the far wall from the door is where the current prisoners are kept. Your parents will be in an adjoining room..." She trailed, instantly regretting her words.
"I'm sorry Mitch..." She trailed but he ignored it.
"It's fine. Does Nathan carry any weapons on him?" Mitch asked.
"Not that I know of," She replied.
"Do you have a plan?" Melissa asked him.
"He likes to hear himself talk right?" Mitch asked and Melissa nodded.
"Good. I'm gonna get him talking if he doesn't start. I need you to get between him and Rebeca and her parents. If everything goes as planned though, he will be incapacitated by me without getting close," Mitch said and Melissa nodded, understanding.
"If everything goes wrong though. Get Rebeca and her parents out of there while I distract Nathan. Here," He said and handed her Rosa's phone.
"Call the name Selena and tell her what has happened if I'm not there to do it," Mitch told her and Melissa nodded again.
"I'm trusting you with the only family I have left.." Mitch trailed.
"I just let you perform mind surgery on the only family I have left. I understand how important they are to you," She replied and Mitch nodded, she was right after all. Melissa continued to lead him through the nearly abandoned house, the only way he would've found his way is if he had tracked his mother's blood, but without Melissa's help, it would have taken a long time, but as it was they made good time though the house. They approached the apparent door to the basement and Mitch thought he heard something on the other side... Rebeca's voice... Crying. In a flash he was about to shatter the door with his foot at the sound of Rebeca in distress, bringing his anger to a boil. But Melissa stopped him, putting herself in front of the door, she wasn't nearly as fast as Mitch but she was closer to the door than him. She didn't say anything and just gave him a look. He looked down and clenched and unclenched his fists slowly but in a rytheme and calmed himself down before nodding to her and looking back up. She nodded and opened up the door to the basement.

Melissa went first, right in front of the door were a set of stairs leading down, Mitch followed behind her silently, the light down there was dim, the lights on the wall seemed to have been purposely dimmed but it looked like a normal, and fairly well lit to Mitch. After about 20 seconds they both made it to the bottom of the steps and they were in a small room, bare aside from the sound insulating rubber. Melissa put a finger to her lips and pointed to the door. Mitch nodded and stepped up to the door. Rebeca's sad sounds had stopped on their way down the stairs. Mitch put his hand on the door knob and was going to open the door when he stopped and he didn't know why, his body was frozen in place, it wasn't anything supernatural though. It was him, he was afraid, afraid for Rebeca, her parents, his parents, afraid his fear would freeze him at the wrong time, afraid his anger would leave him with questions unanswered or with regret for how things went. He closed his eyes and attempted to get a grip on his felt the confident feeling surge in his, power filling his limbs.
Fear is the enemy of control, just as anger is. Fear fuels your anger and vice versa. You are ready for this. You will save those you came to save. You will do all in your power to insure their safety. Mitch took another breath. Michel's words steadying him and he opened up the door.

It was as Melissa had described. Low ceilings, somewhat large room, mostly bare on his side and towards the middle. It was about as well lit as the stairwell had been and he had no trouble seeing at all, as before, given how close Mitch and Michel were at the moment, it was to be expected. Mitch saw Rebeca first,she was in the clothes he had seen her in earlier, she must have passed out for bed before changing or had gotten up before calling Mitch earlier. She was restrained against a stone pillar towards the rough middle of the room but further back from him. He hands were shackled above her head. Her appearance was disheveled, her hair covering her face,she didn't look up when he came in and resisted the urge to cry out to her. Next to her was Nathan, he was in a purple button up shirt and slacks, he was standing next to Rebeca with a hand on the top of her head. Mitch could only guess what visions he was giving to Rebeca, sure that's what he was doing, using his power to torture her, her body twitched every few seconds and groaned in pain every couple twitches. Nathan looked up shortly after they entered and smiled at them. Thomas and Anna were chained up against the far wall, they looked like Rebeca, faces down, appearing unconscious. He did not see his parents anywhere.

Nathan took his hand from Rebeca and walked a few steps closer to them.
"Ah! You finally made it! I knew you would find us eventually," Nathan said with a smile which brought Mitch's anger from simmering to a boil in a few moments.
"So much self control! It is really quite remarkable, but I bet the number one question you want to know is why?" Nathan said, enthusiastically. Melissa slowly started to leave his side as Nathan talked, sticking to the plan.
"Yes," Was all Mitch could say, which thankfully for Mitch, was all Nathan needed.
"Well... Let me tell you a story. Long time ago, there was a vampire with the power to foresee the future. This had never happened before or since. This vampire is no longer with us but before it's demise. It uttered a number of prophesies. One,of theses prophecy is especially relevant and I have dedicated most of my Kindred life to the pursuit of the individual this prophesy refers to. This is my reason for what I have done for a long time," Nathan started. Mitch had slowly started to step forward while Melissa had continued along the edge of the wall, about halfway between Mitch and Nathan at this point.
"The Pureblood Shall Rise a Slave," Nathan said with a theatrical voice. It caught Mitch's attention but didn't waiver him from the plan.
"His Fractured Soul Shall Mend and Become Greater." Nathan continued.
"He Shall Claim His Birthright and Will Heal His Kindred's Spirits As His Was Healed," Nathan said, Mitch had fully crossed half the room before stopping, about 10 steps from Nathan. Melissa was crossing into Nathan's blind sop on his right side.
"And In So Doing, Shall Free Them From Their Enslavement, Of Themselves and Their Masters," Nathan finished, he cocked his head to Mitch.
"That is the Prophecy of Liberation. Sound familiar because I think my search is over and I think You is who is referred to in this prophecy." Nathan said with a smile. That took Mitch by surprise a bit.
"And I also have done my part to directing you to your destiny," Nathan said and Mitch looked at him confused.
"What are you talking about?" Mitch asked, finding his voice.
"Look at how close you are to your Beast. If I look hard enough I could swear I see him just behind your eyes," He explained.
"So you did all this pain and suffering just so I would get closer to my Beast?" Mitch asked.
"No. I did all I have done in order to prepare you to fulfill your destiny and free my people, free them from themselves, from their self enslavement by Beast or Man and free them from their Pureblood Masters," Nathan explained in a frenzy.
A zealot Michel commented.
"I have done my part and care not what happens to me now," Nathan told Mitch.
"That's good..." Mitch trailed.
"Now kneel, do not move and do not speak!" Mitch cried, mustering more power than he was able to before and even Mitch felt is was over the room. Nathan did exactly as he was told and looked up at him, eyes wide in surprise. Mitch walked past him and over to Rebeca. Before he got to Rebeca though he turned to Melissa and commanded her not to do anything to Nathan, that Mitch would punish him. Mitch walked up to Rebeca and brushed the hair from her face. Her eyes were closed, red, puffy from crying and her cheeks were tear stained.
"Rebeca," Mitch whispered softly in her ear. When she did not wake up, he whispered again in her ear, but with the slightest hint of power, just to catch her attention and she opened her eyes.
"Mitch? Is that you?' She asked, her voice horse and nearly gone.
"I'm here, here to save you," Mitch tole her and released her from her restraints holding her arms above her head. She collapsed against him and he set her down gently on the ground before telling her he was going to release her parents. He went over to Thomas and Anna and woke them both and released them. They went over to their daughter and sat on either side of her and they all hugged together and Mitch could hear Rebeca crying softly. There was a door on the far side. Mitch knew what was on the other side. He could sense it. The blood trail he had been following before led him behind that door and Mitch gulped before walking up to it.

He opened the door and it confirmed what he knew in his soul, past the door was a tiny room, a closet really, and their laid a man in his early 40s and a woman of the same age. They both had on what they had on the last time Mitch had saw them. The woman was wearing a pink blouse and a long yellow skirt and the man was wearing a black long sleeve shirt and blue jeans, both had dark brown hair like Mitch's had been before he Changed. It was his parents, Rachel and Johnathan Teir. Mitch sunk to his knees, sadness and grief were at war with each other as to whom would overwhelm him and just as one was about to overcome him. Anger came, white hot intense anger unlike anything Mitch had ever felt washed over him and with a savage cry and lighting speed, Mitch was in front of a kneeling Nathan.

Mitch let out another cry and put both hands on the sides of his head and forced him to look at Mitch and he thrust himself into Nathan's mind. He heard a cry of pain as he rushed into Nathan's mind. Guided by his instincts entirely he found himself standing on a flat plane, blackness surrounding him, he was standing on nothing but it felt solid. All around him he saw pieces of glass but the glass did not hold a reflection, instead they held moving images like a video within them.
*In this place is all of Nathan's memories and his sense of self* Michel told him in his mind. His anger was still in him, still strong, unavoidable. Mitch walked up to one of the pieces of glass, things were going on that Mitch could not have even guessed without trying to find the first piece of glass and watching them in order. Mitch clenched his fist and ran it through the glass, shattering it into a couple hundred pieces, glass splinters cut into Mitch's hand but he didn't feel any pain, only his rage and before he knew it the sound of glass shattering filled his ears along with the sound of his own heart beat. His vision became a blur of motion and broken glass and he moved with supernatural speed and strength and shattered every single piece of glass, heedless of the damage to himself at the time which he would learn was considerable. When Mitch had finally recovered even just a little from his rage he found that not a single piece of glass was floating and Mitch started to feel the cuts all over his body, knowing instinctively that in destroying Nathan he had hurt himself. As he left Nathan's shattered mind he fell to his knees face pointing down to the ground. After a long while he looked up and saw Nathan looking at him with a vacant look, a souless husk staring at Mitch and the realization of what Mitch had done came crashing down on him. His anger, what was left was completely swept away with guilt and grief. Was this what he was now? Nathan suffered a fate worse than death, from now on Nathan would only merely exist, never truly living. A quote came unbidden to Mitch's mind "Be careful if you hunt monsters, least you become a monster. And when you stare into the Abyss the Abyss stares into you." A monster... Was that what Mitch was now?

Mitch was there for awhile before he finally got to his feet. Rebeca was still with her parents but they were looking at didn't know what he had done but he could sense they knew he had done something. Nathan was still kneeling, lost in what was around him. Melissa approached Mitch at his slight movement.
"Mitch?" She asked. Mitch took a deep breath and tried to compose himself.
"He will no longer be able to hurt anyone, ever again," Mitch told her.
"What did you do?" She asked, and he gulped.
"I... Destroyed his mind, beyond repair, I believe," Mitch told her and her eyes widen at his words and her breathing became unsteady.
"Can you move your brother?" I need to call someone about this and it would be best if you were not here when they arrived," Mitch explained, Melissa nodded.
"Ok. We don't have anywhere to go... But we will figure it out. If you need anything from either of us... Just call, you have my number and we owe you, both of us, probably beyond what we could repay," She said.
"I will call, I promise, if only to know you both are getting along," Mitch promised.
"Thank you Mitch, oh and here," Melissa walked up to him and handed him Rosa's phone and Melissa started making her way upstairs.
"Thank you for your help Melissa," Mitch said looking after her as she went upstairs. She looked back at him and smiled, genuinely.
"Of course your welcome. I do apologize for my part in this," She apologized before turning back and leaving the room.
Mitch swiped the phone's screen and called Selena.
"Hello?" He heard Selena's voice.
"It's Mitch, Rebeca, Thomas and Ana are alive, shaken, but alive and mostly not physically hurt. And the one responsible is alive but a shell of his former self. He will be a threat to no one anymore," Mitch told Selena.
"I am in your debt," She told him.
"I will be calling in that debt sooner rather than later but do you have any influence with the police. My parents are dead and I don't want to have to talk about all this," Mitch told Selena.
"Yes, we will deal with the police and insure everything goes smoothly for you. You have my condolences for your loss Mitch," Selena said.
"Thank you," Mitch responded.
"People will be at the address you text me in about half an hour. If you want you can take my family back to their home," She said before hanging up.

"Mitch?" He heard his name and turned and saw Rebeca standing near him. Her parents were still on the ground but no longer crying.
"Angel..." Mitch whispered and she walked over to him and hugged him tightly which caught him off guard, he had expected her to run or be at least hesitant after hearing what he had done to Nathan.
"You came for me..." She whispered, sadness tracing her voice.
"Of course I came for you," Mitch told her and hugged her back and she hugged tighter.
"I love you Mitch,"She said.
"I love you too Rebeca," Mitch responded. She looked up to him and he was happy to not see fear in her eyes.
"He... Can't hurt anyone ever again can he?" Rebeca asked and Mitch shook his head.
"No... No he can not," Mitch trailed slightly. Nathan was still staring off into space. Mitch felt Rebeca start to cry again, sadness filling Mitch through their link.
"It's going to be ok hun. Your safe, your parents are safe, everything is going to be ok," He assured her.
"But you... Your not ok... Not only are your parents gone but... YOU are not ok. I can feel it," She said putting a hand over his heart.
"Your angry, sad and feel guilty about what you did to Nathan. You understand that what you did was wrong, that you let your anger get the best of you and you feel terrible. I understand why you did it, why the anger overcame you and I don't think I could've done better than you. He deserved punishment for what he did, but we both know he did not deserve what happened to him. Despite all that though..." She trailed, putting a hand on his face to make him face her.
"You are not a monster. You are human, at least as human as I am, you feel stronger, anger, sadness, joy, love, we both feel it stronger than a normal person. You feel shame for losing control but and it was wrong to do what you did. It is not unexpected, despite your self control," She finished, hugging him tighter.
"I love you, more than anything. I accept you for all that you are right now," She told him. Mitch felt tears on his cheeks and Rebeca took her sleeve and wiped his tears away.
"Thank you..." Mitch trailed, she looked up at him and smiled. Her smile could brighten up his day no matter what and this day was no different in that respect, thankfully.
"Lets get you and your parents back home," Mitch told her and she nodded.

Author's Note: So... This chapter had me feeling a little bit like the end of Eclipse in the Twilight series. For those who don't know what I'm referencing. For about half or a quarter of the book the main protagonists and seeming antagonists were gearing up for a huge, massive fight and at the end... It never came and felt a little bit of a let down. I apologize for anyone who felt that way about this particular chapter, if you were waiting for Mitch and Nathan to go at it in a straight fight. I had seriously considered it and could've easily figured a way for Nathan to not be affected by his powers but this chapter is important. It highlights that while Mitch would like to believe himself good and does what he thinks is best and that his control is superior. It is not always the case and it is so easy to be the monster he desperately doesn't want to be. Another reason is I know someone might point out as to why Mitch didn't use his powers in the first place as that would've been the logical and smart thing to do without bloodshed, which Mitch would've realized since he is kind of a smart guy. So while I do apologize for letting you down if I did, but I hope the character and story development was worth it.

In the time between updates and not being able to publish this chapter I have been writing chapter 35 and it seems to have taken a turn and the story may go to chapter 37 or so. I know I'm getting close though and I don't want to drag this story on. It is almost over but as I've said before, this story may be over soon but I will be making this a series and I've got a bit of a plan for the next story.

As before, please leave a review if you have something to say. I really do appreciate it, I write because I enjoy it but enjoy it much more if I know others are interested in it. I apologize if it seems I'm begging but I wouldn't ever stop or slow the development of this story because I didn't get reviews. I know that some people enjoy the story and I don't know their stories. Maybe they wait for the next chapter to come out and want to read it when they see it's been posted, maybe they have to wait for life to catch up. Maybe their on the edge of continuing to not read the story for their own reasons. I don't judge but I understand. If your of the kind to Review, please do. If you want up to date, updates, please follow this story and if you have any questions please PM or make an account, leave a review with a question and I will PM you. Anyways, have a good day and I'll catch you on the next update.