One second, he was staring around in awe at just how many monsters Oliver had allowed to wander free at the 'dinner party' as the witch Carmen had jokingly called it the next Theo was doubled over as pain worse than he'd ever felt in either his human or his new existence as a vampire overwhelmed him.
Oliver was at his side a half beat later as Theo's knees buckled under him his fisted hand clawing madly at the front of his shirt. Clawing at his heart.
"W-what's-" the newer vampire tried to ask of the elder kneeling beside him. A hand resting at his back and nothing but honest worry clouding his eyes as they meet Theo's own until the pain grew to a point Theo could no longer keep his head from bowing with the weight of it as he fell onto his side curling as tightly into himself as he could under the ache.
"What's wrong with hi….." Carmen starts to question already seeing the surprised murmuring among the others watching the scene unfolding.
"Not him." Oliver answers as he rises slowly from the groaning new vampire on the ground his phone already in hand pressing the number, he needed on his speed dial. "Come on, kiddo pick up." He murmured as the line hummed against his ear. Not that he expected his little sister to actually answer given just how strongly her progeny was hurting. "Come on Julesy." He whispered in a plea at another of Theo's whimpers. "Pick up, pick up, come on."
Then just as suddenly as the pain had gripped him Theo was on his feet a new wave of blood-mingled tears still sliding from his eyes as they cast around wildly.
"Go." Oliver coaxes pushing a set of keys into the boy's hand.
Carmen behind him heard the unspoken "We'll be right behind you." As the newer vampire rushes back towards the house. Why neither knew but it couldn't have been good news.
"Any of you wreck our home while we're gone Car and I will gladly hand you to the hunters to finish off after we've taken payment ourselves." Oliver threatens before he and a puzzled but amused Carmen followed the already-leaving motorcycle hurtling down the roadway.
Despite her fear Juliette doesn't fight when the ones she knew just by looking at them passed the broken glass of her smashed car window to be hunters and started pulling her limp body from the wreckage of the overturned car. For once she didn't care how they'd found her as she feels the digging sting of the broken glass against her skin before she was dragged up to her feet.
'You're a special kind of monster' Cal's words ring in her head as she forces herself to remain limp in the hunter's grip. It wasn't like she had any reason to fight back. Nothing any of them tried could come close to the pain ripping at her heart. Her smashed phone continues its muffled ringing from the smoking remains of her overturned car but none of the gathering hunters bother to paw through the wrecked car to fish it out and answer it.
From somewhere in the direction, she'd been attempting to flee a shrill scream cuts the night air as the heartbroken legacy allows the literal mob-worthy gathering of hunters to usher her into their waiting car. Her head bowed and tears still slid freely down her cheeks.
then the rumbling of a motorcycle drowns the sounds as the thing itself fishtails around the turn up the road.
Again, Juliette doesn't look up. She already knew who it was.
"Don't." she pleads before he could even climb from the machine. "just let them have me." She can tell he was fighting her maker's bond quietly willing him to obey.
"This isn't right." He manages through gritted teeth the same moment her brother's car pulls up beside the mangled remains of the one Juliette had been driving.
"Oliver, don't." Juliette tries again when as she'd expected her elder brother exits the car fangs bared and ready for a fight.
The two hunters keep a tight hold of her arms as if they expected more of a fight whilst the others among them spread out each reaching for some silver-tipped weapon they were carrying.
"This isn't right." Theo repeats climbing from the motorcycle to stand beside his newly christened vampire brother.
"Stay out of this boy." One of the elder hunters barked. Apparently, the news that Theo had been turned hadn't spread as far as Juliette would have thought given how angered Cal's father had been over her not-so-difficult choice however unintentional it had been to turn him instead of giving him a more peaceful death than the one her sister had attempted to dish out.
"She saved my life," Theo argued
"She's still a monster." Another of his hunter elders reminded making the legacy wince at the word. Bitter words replaying in her mind from a not-so-short time ago. "Just like all the rest of them." He spat bitterly.
You're a very special kind of monster
"You're not taking her." Oliver says his tone far more civilized than his bared fangs or the angered look in his eyes would have betrayed.
"If I go with you, no fighting back no nothing, will you leave them alone?" Juliette questions meeting the hardened gaze of who she guessed to be the leader of this smaller hunting party.
"Jules n…." Theo started to argue only for Carmen to put a warning hand against the newly turned vampire's arm when he started towards his maker of his sister's heartbroken ex.
"You can take me, just leave them alone." Juliette bargains once more when it seemed she'd gained the elder hunter's interest in the offered trade.
"What is this some trick?" he demands his hand resting on the hilt of what Juliette can only guess to be a sliver dagger clipped to his belt.
The legacy shakes her head in denial. "No tricks. Just let them go." She begs fresh tears sliding down her cheeks as she glances however briefly in her elder brother's direction.
"You're not…."
"Tell mom and dad I love them." Juliette cuts in gritting her teeth against the burning sting of the sliver handcuffs being shackled to her wrists. "and tell Cal…" she hesitates taking a shaking breath after the name. "tell her I'm sorry. For everything." The younger legacy sniffs more tears sliding down her cheeks as she climbs on weak legs into the hunter's waiting van.
"Juliette."
Cal's out-of-breath voice calls the same second the hunter-filled van makes the last turn up the block from the overturned SUV.
Oliver's hand closes tightly around the already out-of-breath hunter's throat. "This is all your fault hunter girl." He blames as he lifts her off her feet in his anger "You broke her heart now she's making herself into some kind of sacrificial lamb."
"Oliver stop." Theo steps in pushing hard into the legacies chest only for Carmen to drag him back like he was nothing more than a puppet on a string to her. "He's going to kill her." Theo yells struggling as much as he was able against the witches' hold.
"and your hunters are going to kill my little sister." Oliver reminded "your maker." He adds glaring at Theo. "A sister for a sister seems like a fair trade to me."
"Oliver."
Ever before had any of them heard such authority in Sebastian Fairmont's voice as he climbed out of the car newly parked beside his son's own. "Let her go, Oliver" He orders as Cal's fingers continue their weak clawing at the vampire's iron grip on her throat. "Let. Her. Go." Juliette's father orders seconds before Cal drops in a gasp onto the chilly glass stunned roadway.
Theo and Margot hurry to her side as she gratefully pulls in several gasped lung-fulls of air as father and son galre one another down.
"She doesn't even know." Cal sobs once she'd regain enough breath for a rasped attempt at speech.
"Doesn't know what sweetheart?" Margot questioned as the hunter girl leans steadily against her brother's shoulder.
"That I take it all back." Cal coughed looking with glazed eyes at the place the sleek back van had made that final speeding turn out of sight. "She doesn't know I still love her."