Chapter Twenty

Mitch walked right up to John as he stayed arms spread on that wall.."you really are nothing without your ring" Mitch grinned, John narrowed his eyes.."it took me quite a few hours to figure out what this ring meant to you, I fell silly though cause I should of known" he smiled..

"actually your gonna feel stupid when I have your head on a stick" John snapped at him..

"threats threats, do you really think I lived this long without an attempt on my life" Mitch smiled and then he got even closer to John.."you really dont learn do you John, even as angel you were still just as ignorant"

"so what are you gonna do, just keep me here all night" John gritted his teeth.."i thought you had more of an imagination than that"

"ah now that is the john I like, the one who thinks but I hate to break it to you John, you couldnt kill me if you tried" he smiled and then patted him on the chest.."now back to that sexy assest named Natalie, oh the things I could do with a slayer in my corner" Mitch walked away from him now..

"i wouldnt underestimate her, maybe she will be the one to have your head" John snapped at him as Mitch began to laugh and loud..

"i do love your sense of humor John" Mitch continued to laugh and then he looked at John.."actually I have something quite nice in mind for the slayer, its quite hard to fight me when your not yourself, so to speak"

John yelled and fought against his restraints.."Im gonna fucking kill you!"

"actually your gonna watch as your sweet natalie gets taken by one of mine, something I tried so long ago with our caitlyn but see this time I will get what I want and then, well then I will make you watch as I touch every inch of her body as she screams for more" he grinned..

John closed his eyes as he stayed forced on the wall and Mitch smiled.."are you going to cry, is that it?" mitch mocked him..."tears will be a bonus" mitch grinned as Victor came walking in the room, he was smiling from ear to ear..

"oh now this is even better than I imagined" Victor grinned as John kept his eyes closed tight.."let me kill him"

"settle down Victor, were about to sweeten the deal, get the girl" Mitch ordered him..

"but I want him" Victor snapped..

"and you owe me your life" Mitch snapped at him..:"get the girl now and maybe I will let you have some fun with him"

Victor breathed deep..."your gonna get it angel boy" he said and then he was leaving the room as Mitch walked back over to John who was now chanting something..

"what are you doing John" Mitch said as he neared him but John didnt open his eyes nor did he acknowledge him.."your games wont get you far here" Mitch snapped at him but John continued..

Natalie stayed on her knees as she begged and pleaded for Michael to hear her but nothing happened so she pleaded harder..

"Please for the love of god, help me, help us" she yelled out into the cell..

"didnt anyone tell you that god isnt here sweetheart" Victor laughed as she quickly got to her feet and backed up.."time to go"

"touch me and" she began to yell but then he was in front of her, his eyes blood red now..

"you were saying?" he smiled with huge fangs..

"stop your mindless babbling" Mitch snapped at John but he didnt listen to him because he was doing something he hadnt done in a hundred years, he was praying, he was begging for help not just for him, but for Natalie..He would gladly die if only she could be saved.."i said stop!" Mitch yelled at him as he grabbed at Johns neck and squeezed..

"stop it!' the sound of natalies voice yelling out made Johns eyes open now as he looked right at her, Victor had a tight grip on her...Mitch turned and looked at her and moved away from John..

"Oh good the gangs all here" Mitch smiled as he went up to natalie and she promply spit in his face.."Nasty manners you have dear" Mitch snapped as he back handed her and it nearly took the wind out of her..

John fought against his restraints more.."dont you touch her!" he yelled..

"is that all you got" natalie said quickly as she looked at Mitch who smiled at her..

"natalie dont" John yelled at her and she refused to look at him as she looked at Mitch..

"You may want to listen to your little boyfriend over there" Mitch grinned.."You can leave now" he said to a very shocked looking Victor..

"But you said I could have my fun" Victor lashed out..

"and you will, in due time, now leave" Mitch warned him as Victor let go of her and quickly left.."Please have a seat dear" he gestured to a chair..She looked at John now who was desperately trying to fight an invisible restraint and then she looked at Mitch..

"tell me what you want" Natalie said quickly and John could immediately see where this was going..

"dont do this natalie" John yelled..

"so eager to please" Mitch smiled as he ignored Johns yelling and he walked closer to her, within seconds he had a handful of her hair in his hands as she cried out.."do I look stupid" he snapped at her..

"You mother fucker!" John yelled out, he was completely helpless now..

"you cant play me Natalie" Mitch yanked her face close to his and then he was kissing her with a bruising force as she bit down on his tongue hard, until she tasted blood, he yelled out and promply tossed her across the room, making her hit the wall hard as she got knocked out..He spit out blood.."stupid girl" he groaned angrily and then looked at John.."I may just kill her now for that little stunt"

"dont...please ok, I will do whatever you want, just dont kill her" John said almost pleadingly as he glanced at her, there was a small pool of blood forming now on the floor by her head..Mitch looked at him now as he wiped the blood from his mouth.."Just name It, I will do it" John said quickly..

"you know I do believe your being honest" Mitch said with a bit of surprise..

"just let her go, let her go and I will do whatever you want" John said again as he looked at Mitch then Natalie..

"we may just have a deal then" Mitch grinned..

Natalie awoke to voice, concerned voices that were damn near yelling. Her head hurt something awful and she felt sick to her stomach..

"why isnt she waking up yet, she should be up" Rex said with concern as they all looked at Michael..

"its been traumatic for her, the leap alone" Michael said as he shook his head..

"well I want some god damn answers" Bo yelled angrily as natalie began to groan some and everyone got quiet..

"Nat, natty... its me, rex" he said as he leaned over her and her eyes blinked open some, she was completely disoriented and then reality hit her as she gasped and went to sit up, her body hurt, god it hurt bad and she cried out in pain.."Make it stop, she's in pain" rex said with a trembling voice as Michael laid his hand on her head as she went to cry out once more and then she was falling back onto the bed..

"she will sleep now" Michael said quietly..

"well you better get your ass in my office, angel or not" Bo barked at Michael who nodded his head ok and they left the room as Rex grabbed her hand and held onto it..

"Your gonna be ok Nat, I promise, your gonna be ok" he said to her with tears in his eyes..

One year later..

She had been hunting him for a year already and the anticipation and vengence she felt was almost unbearable.. Victor would get his pay day and she would love every minute of it.. She held onto her knife as she walked the cold deserted hall of the former manor of Victor. She had checked the place almost twice over and she had been so sure that he had gone back there, all signs pointed to it..

"were wasting our time nat, he aint here" rex said as she waved him off with her hand, she wasnt in the mood to hear that and then she saw what she had been waiting for, just a lone drop of blood on the ground., she knelt down and touched it with her hand, it was fresh..She showed it to Rex who blinked in surprise..

"Oh he's here" she said confidently..

The last time she had seen Victor was a year ago, back in Mitch's laire as he kept her prisoner, she tried not to think of that time, it hurt too much even now. She had almost died that night if it wasnt for Michael finally hearing her pleads and coming after her but it had been too late for John..

One year prior..

"i want to know where he is, where is john!" she yelled out at Michael, her body was finally starting to feel normal again unlike the feeling of being hit with a mac truck. She was back in the states now and she was pissed..

"he didnt make it sweetheart" Bo finally said softly as she looked between the two men..

"what? no...no your lying" she was absolutely beside herself as she looked between Michael and Bo.."why are you lying" she yelled as her breathing became labored..

"You need to rest more" michael said with concern..

"screw you" Natalie yelled angrily.."tell me where he is" she yelled once more..

"Bo is telling the truth Natalie, he is gone" Michael said low..

"No...no he's not, he cant be, I saw him" she began to tremble almost violently..

"Im so sorry Natalie, I know you cared about him" Bo said softly..

"just shut up, he's not gone, he cant even be killed" she began to yell as images of him on that wall began to haunt her, he couldnt be gone, he just couldnt.."tell him Michael, he cant be killed" she began to plead with the angel but Michael just looked at her, his eyes softening.."no...no I dont believe it, I dont" tears began to pool in her eyes, Bo went to touch her and she backed up.."dont touch me"

"he died to save you Natalie, I was just too late" Michael said softly..

"No...no...oh god no" she began to cry, this was absolutely inconceivable..

"its gonna be alright sweetheart, it is" Bo said softly but she just continued to cry, how could this be,how could he be dead?

Even now the thought was too much too bear but she didnt cry anymore, she had stopped that months ago, now all she had left was vengence and since Mitch was no more , well then Victor would have to do..

Michael had gotten to her that day alright and his account of what happened was fairly simple but still a bitter pill to swallow. Mitch and him had fought but not before Mitch had ended Johns life with a sword that Michael had carried, the only thing to kill an angel was that sword and Mitch had gotten his hands on it.. Michael had said everything had happened so fast and that he had tried to save John but in the end he was gone and Mitch too had met his fate.. Natalie hadnt wanted to believe it, she couldnt believe it, she had even gone as far as to head to Johns place in hopes of seeing him there but when she arrived it was empty..

"nat you coming" Rex snapped her from her thoughts as she quickly followed him down a dark corridor, the place was eerily quiet, it literally sent chills down her spine..

The days and months following Johns abrupt passing got easily with each turning leaf even though her heart ached with thoughts of him, it ached with things left unsaid and it ached with what he had left behind..

It had been almost a month after his passing when natalie leaned over the toilet, violently losing the contents of her stomach, at first she told herself that it was the fact that she barely ate, she barely slept but she knew the truth, god how she had known it..

"you ok?" Gigi said with concern as she stood in the doorway and natalie quickly flushed the toilet as she wiped her mouth and stood up..She proceeded in washing her hands at the sink.."are you gonna tell anyone Nat" Gigi said with concern and natalie absolutely hated that she had confided in Gigi to begin with, but she had been so weak, so vulnerable and so very scared at the realization now haunting her..

"No and you promised" Natalie said as she looked at her friend.."you promised me Gigi" she said again..

"I know and I wouldnt go back on that its just.. I mean Nat, soon people are gonna be able to tell" Gigi glanced at natalie's still flat stomach and natalie followed her eyes and then quickly looked up..

"not if there is nothing to see" natalie said bitterly as she walked past Gigi.. Natalie had never wanted kids, hell she saw the way this world was and even though they werent bracing for an apocolypse, well evil still ran through the streets and that damned book was still out there, somewhere.. She wasnt mother material, hell she could barely even stand to be around children, let alone have one and to make matters worse it was Johns child. How could she possibly keep a child that would be a constant reminder of him, no she couldnt, she just couldnt bear it..

"so then you have made up your mind" Gigi tried to stay unbiased but Natalie knew the truth, Gigi loved children and she thought that getting rid of one was an abomination even though she didnt dare say it to natalie..

"yes actually" Natalie said firmly even though a part of her was scared to death that when it was all said and done that she couldnt do it, she wouldnt be able to..And then what, she would raise a child in this shitty world and hope to god that her child didnt end up with the same fate as she did..

Gigi didnt speak for a moment as natalie put on some music, she needed something to calm her nerves.."Ok" she finally said softly as she looked at Natalie..

"Listen I know you dont agree" Natalie began..

"i didnt say " Gigi said quickly..

Natalie sighed heavily.."i dont want to be you know, responsible for another person ok, hell I can barely seem to keep myself out of trouble" she said dryly..

"You still have time though, you know, before you make a decision" Gigi said softly..

Natalie continued to walk with Rex, her mind heavy on thoughts. She had almost gotten rid of Victoria, god she had come so close and just like that she couldnt do it, she had cried herself to sleep for many nights after that moment but then one day, well it was like her life was anew, Victoria had kicked and even though natalie didnt know if she was a girl or a boy at the time, well she couldnt stop thinking about her. She had this precious life growing inside of her, too precious for words and from that moment on she was convinced that this was her fate, she would be a mother..

She had hid the pregnancy for quite sometime too, Gigi stayed true to her word and never spoke of it unless the girls were alone and sometimes Gigi seemed even more thrilled than natalie was.. But the way everyone had found out was when natalie was on a hunt for some random demon. She had felt more compelled than ever to rid the world of evil, if she was going to raise a child she was going to make damn sure that it was a safe place to live but one day while out on a hunt she had nearly been killed, not only her life but the life of her unborn child flashed before her eyes and before she even knew what she was saying, she had spoke the words that she never spoke to anyone except Gigi, 'Im pregnant'..

To say her friends and family were shocked was an understatement and it didnt take long to put two and two together..Needless to say her scare with death was short lived and after a two day hospital stay she was released and thats when the questions began.. She hadnt wanted to discuss it with anyone, and definitely not her brother or uncle..But life did go on and after the shock of it all, it seemed as though everyone calmed down and even began to help her, this wouldnt only be her child but a child living in the house full of slayers, it was odd to say the least..

By the time Victoria was born, they all welcomed her with open arms.. She had Natalie's fiery red hair, even as an infant and the brightest blue eyes, it reminded her of John though she refused to talk about him and no one else did for that matter..

Victoria was now three months old and even though they all waited with bated breath to see if she would sprout wings or have some super strength, well she ended up being a very normal, very healthy happy baby and for that natalie was thankful. They kept Victoria a secret from outsiders though, they definitely didnt need the evil having any leverage so beside the house members, no one else out in the world even knew Victoria exsisted..

Bo did a lot of the caring for her when natalie began to go back out on hunts and she started right back up after the birth, she had to, there was just too much evil out there. Her public enemy number one had become Victor, she had such a vengence to him, he was the last ultimate tie she had to John and the whole ordeal from over a year ago. She wanted his head on a platter and she wouldnt stop until she had it..

So when she got word that he had been seen roaming around his old estate she didnt hesitate to go there, of course Rex had to go along as well as Cris.. But now it was looking more and more like a bust after all..

"I dont know you guys, I dont think he is here and honestly id rather go home and have a beer" Cris said as they both looked at him..

"shut up" they said in unison as they all kept walking but then a sound was heard, a soft one but a sound now less and it was only a few doors away, they all stopped and looked at one another, Cris rolled his eyes as he shook his head..

Natalie pointed to the door and then looked at the guys, she held her knife tightly in her hand as they crept towards the sound that happened once more..The door was open some as they got to it and Natalie mouthed a 'one, two, three' as she pushed on the door hard, making it fly open and very much to the surprise of all of them a stray kitten took off running..

"fuck, I told you guys, I hate these places" Cris huffed and then a chill filled the room as they all spun around and right there stood none other than Victor himself..

"wow and to think I wasnt looking forward to guests" he grinned and then within seconds he lifted his hand as they all went flying across the room..Natalie scrambled to her feet first.."i knew this day would come, you just couldnt stay away could you sweetheart" he grinned at her and she didnt think twice as she flung her knife at him, it was aiming right at his heart but inches before it would of plunged into his black heart it dropped as he grinned..

"Nat get down" Rex yelled as he too threw a knife but it had no effect at all on Victor who just looked at them all amusing, he looked to Cris..

"are you next?" he smirked as Cris backed up some but natalie was just getting started and with a surprising move she ran at Victor as she pulled out her gun, maybe it wouldnt kill him but damn it, it would leave a mark.."Now im insulted" Victor rolled his eyes as he got right in front of her and immediately spun her around as he then held the gun to her temple..

"ok...ok.." rex said quickly as he put his hands up and so did Cris..

"oh you lucky son of a bitch" Natalie snapped as Victor held her..

"and your still trying to fight me, seriously natalie I thought you would of learned by now" he laughed as he held onto her..

"i did it once I could do it again" Natalie seethed at him as she tried to fight against him but it was fruitless..

"do you want to die, is that it" he said as he cocked back her gun and she sucked in a deep breath, normally she would of challenged such a remark but its surprising what being a mother does to a person..She stopped fighting as she huffed angrily..

"Listen we'll go ok, we'll just go" Cris began to say..

"you dont really think you will make it out alive, do you" Victor raised an eyebrow..

Natalie inched her fingers to the side of her jeans, she had another knife there and she used the oppourtunity to work her hand towards it as Victor messed with the guys..

"You came here to kill me and you think I will just let you go" Victor laughed..

"Just take me instead" Rex yelled out as Victor rolled his eyes..

"i think maybe I will just take all of you, if thats ok little bro" Victor smiled big..

"How about you take this" Natalie yelled as she loosened the knife and plunged it right into Victors leg as he yelled out, it had been soaked prior in holy water. He immediately loosened his grip, just enough for her to spin and nearly get him in his heart with it but he moved some and it crashed into his ribs as he yelled out..

"shit...you've been practicing" Victor said in shock as she brought the knife to his neck.."Ok ok... you got me" he said quickly..

"Oh trust me, I know" she smiled as she went to cut him and Rex and Cris ran over..

"wait wait wait, you cant kill me" Victor yelled out, he actually looked afraid and she loved it and so she humored him..

"actually I can, so kiss your ass goodbye" she smiled..

"You wont ever be able to find him" Victor yelled out surprisingly as she stopped for a moment, the knife just knicking him under his neck causing a small amount of blood to form..."you wont, I know where he is"

"Nat just do it, kill the bastard" Rex yelled and Cris joined along..

"he's not dead natalie, he's not and I can prove it" his words brought a chill to her spine as she stood there staring at him..

"Nat do it!" rex yelled..

"come on Nat, kill him" Cris yelled..

Something in her made her stop as she looked at him but still kept the knife on his throat.."You know who I am talking about, I can see it in your eyes, he's alive natalie, John is very much alive"