Chapter 2

HENRY'S POV

My mind could not explain the phenomenon I had just witnessed. Did Avery just push away a tree like it was nothing.

"Ouch!" Avery screamed holding her hand in pain, perhaps to fool me but it was a lost cause. I subconsciously walked to the tree on the ground. This did not make sense, I thought. The tree was heavy, I tried carrying it thrice. A question popped in my head and even though it was funny, I had to ask.

"What are you?"

An embarrassing silence followed. Avery refused to talk. Her eyes were swollen.

"Are you human?" I continued to ask.

Avery finally broke the silence.

"No, I'm not human." She said.

My mind was in a great dilemma. Apart of me wanted to believe what I saw was a lie but I just witnessed something that had no scientific explanation. Was this a prank?, I had to reason.

Avery continued talking.

"You'll forget this anyway but I'm a vampire."

This was madness! Why was I even believing this sh*t.

"Yes, a vampire. Soon you'll tell me werewolves are real." I mocked.

Her expression was unreadable for some time then it changed to amusement.

"You needed to have seen your face." She said bursting into laughter.

This confused me. Was this truly a prank. But the tree... A cold hand suddenly grabbed me. I traced the hand upwards to its owner. It was Damian and his eyes were bright blue.

"What the hell!"I exclaimed trying to break from his incredible grip. He held me firm and refused to let me go. There was something about his eyes. Even though I was afraid, I could not resist looking at them. They were hypnotizing. In fact, I was lost in them.

"Forget the tree falling and leave."

Damian's voice was soft and soothing. I had to obey. My mind erased the memory of the fallen tree and I began to walk away as he ordered.

DAMIAN'S POV

I could not believe the ignorance and outright stupidity of Avery.

"Telling him everything." I spat unable to control my rage." what else would you tell him?"

"You were going to compel him anyway so I thought..."

"No!" I cut in." since we arrived in Athenrim, you've been attracted to him. You knew the rules yet you broke them."

Through our telepathic mind link, I could feel Avery become angry.

"Yes!" She retorted." I'm tired of running. I just and I've always wanted an average life where you're not being hunted by a psychotic sidhe."

Avery had really let her heart out. I knew how it felt. Even I had felt it. I was her protector after all. I had to soften my tone to pacify her.

"It's alright," I said offering her a hug. She rejected my hug and went to the car, sitting sulkily at the backseat.

"Are you driving or what?" She said to me." There's a lot to pack."

Pack? Did Avery think we were leaving? I took my place at the driver's seat and watched her through the rearview mirror. It was a very sad look.

"Avery, I understand you're tired of this routine but what choice do we have?"

Avery's face held nothing but displeasure and although she didn't want to talk to me, her emotions got the better of her.

"We are running from just one person, a supernatural that..."

"Siphons magic." I completed it for her.

"Yeah." she continued, "why don't we just end him. After all, he's alone."

"He's not alone." I thought and immediately regretted my actions.

"He's not working alone," Avery said.

"It's not important, Avery," I said trying to keep a calm composure.

"You're hiding things Damian and it's not going to be good when I found out.

I hit the brakes when we arrived at the house. Avery left for her room refusing to talk to me. I lazily went to my room. Looking at the bloodstone dagger that lay on my working desk, the one thing that endangered Avery before her full transition. I remembered the promise I made to her father. I initially agreed because my lifeline was linked to her. Now, Now I just wanted to protect her if only the damn dagger could be destroyed.

I examined the dagger for the millionth time. It was ancient, old. Its hilt had an embedded stone in it that I could still not name. What fascinated me about the dagger was how the ancient writings glowed when I touched it. Who created it? Why? I was lost in my thoughts for a brief while before someone knocked on my door. Avery! I opened the door halfway to prevent her from seeing the dagger on my bed.

"Ve, I know you don't love this life but..."

"I'm sorry." Avery blurted out."you've been protecting me for as long as I remember. I'm sorry for being awful."

This was comforting. Maybe, she wouldn't try to come in, I thought.

"Are you hiding something, Damian?" Avery questioned me. An unsure expression plastered on her face.

"Avery, maybe later," I said adding an exaggerated yawn to ensure she left me alone. She understood and began to go. "Also, stop reading me." I finished closing the door and locking it shut.

"I can't stop," Avery yelled from across the room.

I took the dagger and put it in my briefcase. With the coming blood moon, Victor would be desperately searching for them. I needed to find the hidden lines before then.

VICTOR'S POV

I watched the young girl that was just brought in front of me cower in fear. It was a very interesting sight to watch. She had blatantly refused to aid in my search for Avery not until I leveraged her. Lucius stared at her like a wolf would to its food. He bared his fangs and showed off his luminescent blue eyes, all for good cause. I approach the girl and tried the most soothing voice I could muster.

"I just want the location. Tell me and I'll let you leave." As if on cue, Lucius growled.

"I don't know." The girl retorted.

"Then why can't you be compelled? You've taken vervain."

The girl could only cry. It was a great act but under the facade, I knew she was lying.

"What's your name girl?" I asked.

"Lucy."

"Lucy, great name," I said. "You see Lucy, I am descended from a long line of protectors. We were saviors of mankind hunting and killing monsters that threatened humanity. Now, vampires were the most difficult to kill. They just kept on growing and growing. The people I worked with planned to create a truck with those savages. I killed one of my own for that. I became sidhe, a dark faeblood. Until I killed the very last, I will not stop. I just need your help then I'll let you go."

" But Vampires were cursed by Faes." The girl blurted out. A very foolish move. It assured me she knew Avery.

"Just tell me the place and I'll let you go," I assured.

"Why Avery?" She cried.

"One takes all. Avery is the last surviving pureblood. If she dies, Every sired vampires die along with her."

"Then why are they helping you?" The girl said pointing to Lucius who snarled in return.

"Smart girl." I said."These vampires saw that I would win and joined me. In return, I'll give them the secret to break their telepathic link with dear Avery."

"Athenrim." The girl whispered.

"Athenrim." I was shocked. Going back to Athenrim would be my doom. But I had to do it. Perhaps it was this hole in my heart or the hunger for power, Avery's power.

"When will you let me go." The girl questioned.

She was so annoying. I turned to Lucius,

"You know what to do." The latter nodded and lunged for Lucy.

"Sorry." I said to Lucy as Lucius fed on her"I leave no loose ends."

The girl screamed and begged for life. As a compassionate man, I forced Lucius off her.

"I said, Turn her. Not kill her."

The girl stared at me in horror at the realization of what had been done. She was transitioning.

"Hello, fledgling," I said before leaving. Avery and her protector was in for a big shock.

AVERYS POV

What was Damian hiding? He talked about a dagger and the blood moon. He was hiding something and a voice in me told me it was big. If there was a dagger that could harm me then it was in its room. I planned to take it when he left for his nightshift. The suspicion was killing me. Time seemed to move slowly as I waited for Damian to leave. At 10:00 pm, I was already dozing off when Damian came to check on me.

"Are you sleeping?" He asked.

"No, just wasted," I replied.

He smiled and told me when he would be returning. None of which interested me as I anticipated his leave. Finally, he kissed my forehead and disappeared into the night. Yes! Now I could search his room. He usually left his spare key under the rug so it was easy to find. I opened the door and examined his surprisingly tidy room. I searched for anything out the ordinary. There was nothing. While I was frustrated, an idea hit me. Damian mentioned something about the dagger glowing. I shifted to my vampire form. Perhaps better eyesight was what I needed. I searched around and suddenly saw a blinding red glow in one of Damian's briefcases. I opened it. The dagger laid there, glowing. Somehow I regretted my actions. Me finding the dagger assured me that Damian was indeed hiding something. Salty waters poured from my eyelids. I knew he was protecting me but from what. There was a knock on the door. Could it be Damian? Maybe he forgot something? but one thing was sure, I planned to confront him with the dagger. I held it in my palms and headed for the door. The person didn't smell like Damian. He smelt funny. I hid the dagger before reaching for the door then I opened it. A boy looked at me before asking,

"Are you Avery?" He asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"Have you seen Henry? I haven't seen him since school, this afternoon and he hasn't returned home. His mother is worried sick."

This was not good. Vampires like Damian had the power to compel but sometimes it brought different results. There was a slight possibility Henry had forgotten everything about himself. He would need my blood if that be the case.

"Hello!?" The boy said crashing by train of thought.

"I think I know where he is," I said. " Sit here, I'm coming."

I raced to the room to wear something road-worthy. I was quick and raced back downstairs.

"Let's go."

The boy threw something into his backpack and followed suit. I was worried sick for Henry and although I did not know where he was, I could sniff him out.