Chapter 8

AVERY'S POV

The ripper I barely even recognize kept his fangs close to Henry's neck threatening to tear it open if I even took a step.

"Damian help." I sent.

The man's eyes glowed cherry red, peculiar to rippers. I wondered how many lived he had taken.

"I know you want me."I acknowledged trying to at least distract him.

"Uhmmm!" The man moaned.

"Maybe." He said." But I just want a snack." He grimaced, running a finger down Henry's neckline.

"Why?" I queried.

"Because you seemed attached to him. I just want to break you before I take you to Victor."

"But you don't have the dagger," I revealed hoping to discourage him or even anger him. Thanks, man didn't even seem to care.

"I'll think again if I were you." He said, flashing one of his frightening fangs.

Then it occurred to me that Damian wasn't answering my call for help. Had they taken him? Or was he dead? The slight thought of that made me growl. The anger was building and it was just what I needed.

"What did you do to Damian?" I demanded. My fangs extending.

"If we killed him, there would be nothing you would do. You are too weak for a pureblood." He said to spite me.

Arghh! I lunged for his neck, sinking my claw-like fingernails to rip whatever he used to speak. He quickly freed Henry from his grip and held his throat to cope with the pain. The bleeding stopped and I could tell he had healed. I ran for him again hoping I would rip into his heart. I was confident he could not kill me because he was bonded to me and my death meant his. He dodged my attacks and pushed me back before rushing to grab Henry.

"If you want him. You know where to find us." He said. A huge gust followed and he was gone.

"No!" I yelled. I could still sense Henry through the mind link but I dared not follow. The blood moon was close approaching and sincerely I was more worried about Damian.

"Damian" I called out hoping he would at least give me a weak reply but there was none. Something bad had happened and I had to know what.

DAMIAN'S POV

I felt weak coupled with the pain I had received from the clawing and kicking. The vampires had gone which meant they had taken the bloody dagger. I wondered how long I had died. Luckily, I wasn't impaled or maybe they wanted it that way. I trembled to stand up. My dead cells still regenerating. I went to the briefcase where I had kept the dagger. Three deep slash had torn it open and it was relatively empty.

Fuck! I cursed.

Victor was close than ever and with the blood moon approaching in two days' time. We needed to abscond Athenrim but Victor had supporters everywhere who would not hesitate to sell us out. There was only a way out of this. We needed a witch to teleport us out of Athenrim. The witches despised any that was not their kind including vampires so it would be quite difficult to get their help but I had to try.

"Damian!" I heard Avery yell. Judging my tone, something terrible had happened and it filled me with dread.

"I'm in my room," I said.

I felt her tension disappear and it calmed my nerves.

Maybe she was just worried about me, I thought.

Avery appeared at the doorway, looking disturbed.

"They took Henry. Victor wants me to come to them." She revealed in a rush, panicking.

Thank goodness, it was just a human boy.

Avery squinted her eyes when she read my thought. She seemed disappointed in me but sincerely I was only worried about her.

"Don't worry. As long as you don't come up, he's safe." I said trying to pacify her.

It did not work, however. She was still agitated.

"They threatened to feed on him if I did not show up before the blood moon." She revealed.

I wondered how she knew but I shrugged it off.

"Avery, if we can escape Victor. He'll free the human."

"Henry!" Avery corrected.

"And if they don't?" Avery inquired, refusing to believe a word I uttered.

"The faebloods will hunt him down," I said. She finally calmed down and sat on my bed brushing her hair back with her fingers.

"Damian, will I ever leave a normal life?" Avery asked, her eyes watery.

She needed me more than ever. I sat next to her and gently put my hands on hers to reassure her she was not alone.

"You will," I said as I had always said but this was a promise I was willing to keep.

HENRY'S POV

The rogue vampires brought me to a cabin in the woods. The surrounding was cleared up making me wonder who still chopped woods here. The cabin door opened and I was flung in. I did not bother to struggle. This was the bloodthirsty vampire who wanted to drink me dry and would seize any opportunity to do so.

"Don't play any games." The bulky vampire sneered before shutting the door. I walked up to the door and tried to pry it open. It was locked. I thought of escaping but that was a dumb idea. I barely knew where I was and God knows how many vampires were threading the woods. I had to play a dummy for some time. I had time to observe my prison. The room was relatively empty apart from the presence of a wooden table and a chair. The entire cabin wall was marked with a symbol that looked like an encircled trident. It almost resembled the tattoo my father had before he died.

Shut up stupid! I cautioned myself. I was probably afraid so my mind was trying to picture things that reminded me of home. My mother's state if she knew what happened to me scared me and I wondered if Avery and her Father would come to my rescue.

"Avery?" I clumsily sent through the mind link.

I wondered if it could be faulty like telephone signals. I got my answer. It was weak and almost sounded like a whisper but I was sure it was Avery.

"I'm coming."

I was safe after all.

KALIM'S POV

Henry hadn't shown up in school and it bothered me that he didn't even pick up his phone calls. I would have gone to check on him but I was overwhelmed with the task I had to fulfill to prove to my Dad I needed this world, No matter what he thought. I went into the already opened house and it alerted me that my father was around. I really hoped he was in his room so I could sneak out without being noticed.

My room's door was wide open. Someone must have gone in. Panic gripped me as I thought of NY's father discovering what I had been up to.

Speak of the devil!

My father was right on my study table. The sword was lying on the table along with the scroll.

My father turned to acknowledge my presence.

"A little bird said I bought a Slashmaster 200 and accepted a bounty to hunt down a mad sidhe. What were you thinking?" My father scolded.

"I'm sorry..." I tried to say but my father cut me off.

"I know. Just promise me you'll do Whatever it takes to stay out of this."

I would have none of it. If he wasn't ready to give me a valid reason then I would never comply.

"Why?" I retorted.

"What? Did you hear me, boy." My father raised his tone to imply I should watch my tongue. I was however defiant.

"If you won't tell me why I should keep away from this world then I'm sorry father but I won't." I answered planning on keeping my word.

"Do you know who you were sent to hunt?"

I refused to answer knowing he would tell me more either way.

"A former faeblood who killed even his own kind. Victor is more dangerous than even the most evil dark witch and just because you got lucky."

"That's not why you don't want me to be who I was meant to be. Just tell me and I will do anything you say." I said, hoping I could finally get the truth from him. He seemed to consider it then his expression changed.

"If you don't want to listen to me, then take it." He spat, reaching out to the sword that sent a warm green glow across the room at touch.

All I wanted was the truth and now my father was pushing me out. He might have scared me with Victor's tale but I was not backing down.

"I will."

I took the sword from his grasp and grabbed the scroll before walking out on him.

Almost outside the house, I could hear him scream and blame himself for what just transpired between us. It made me wonder if the reason my father tried to keep me from being a faeblood was even bigger than him than all of us.