I knew I didn't just thank Jake for being there but for taking in all the really non–fully regulated strength punches to every inch of his body and for trying to kiss me too. After we pull apart feeling like never to stop hugging his warm hard but tender body, we walked back to Ruby's log house with a plan in hand. To have a really dazzling secret birthday party a well hidden village in a forbidden forest has to offer not to mention the fact that in a day like this every year, any celebration or as much as a loud chatter was strictly a taboo and punishable to the extreme but who am I to complain.
For his sustained pain and possible injuries I forced him to follow me back to the cabin, offer him a warm shower and clothes of Hunter's. I also had to fix him up, Ruby did that for me with the help of her herb bag while I take a bath myself. Somehow that historical day of horror got a little florescent gleam. Sitting in the bathtub my heart was still racing owing to the moment I was a breath away from a kiss—not any kiss but my first ever, offered by Jake Wyatt.
Whom I was starting to see as a really good looking man. This should have been the least of things I spend time thinking of seeing I was constantly in hiding and fear of being sniffed out, it's coming and I know it. They are just waiting for the least I expected them. But here I was thinking of Jake in a way I never had before, I used to find him unattractive although to be honest he was good looking but maybe it's because every one had their eyes on him. Unwilling there was a frozen thin line smile on my face that I can't seem to force back
I knew he would be waiting for me by now but I took my time after all he reminded me, it's my day and anything that happened in the past was nothing to take my caring atleast for today. After getting out of the tub wrapping myself in a fresh clean towel smelling like lime fresh, I proceeded forward to the slightly cracked toilet mirror casting my reflection in a non uniform manner, touching over it right in the center with the intend to get it a little more clearer something pulled me into another vision of bloodied scene of dark skies and it was surely not the night time, a ground of clearing looked like a stampede happened because it was covered in blood and bodies. The trees surrounding the area were sparse but thick and tall barely moving to the sound of the wind that was clear in my ears. Further was a hanging corpse from the neck which was also still but I could hear the tension on the rope too, I couldn't see the face of the victim like my head was forces down but the nealy kept black shoe was lined with blood trailing down to the side, dripping blood to my hands which were stretched out unconsciously collecting the drops in my palms.
It was suddenly over like it started, the plan to burden free by soul of worry for the night dissolved into the tears that were trailing down my cheeks also realizing that the mirror had further flaws now but some how it didn't scatter to the floor like it was glued to the wall one piece at a time. I retreated my touch carefully with only an inch triangular piece following my motion but gravity pulling it down into the sink hole, making little to no noise as my heavy breathing was.
It was bizarre, I felt the feeling of anger and sadness in that vision and now I was mostly frightened because I didn't know who that was or what it was. I wiped my tears telling myself that it might not happen, the vision I had of Ruby and the blood pool hasn't occured too and it has already been days.
I went out the door into my room and got myself into a new pair of jeans and an old cobalt blue patterned blouse I never forget to keep my necklace close to my heart in everyday like this, I was ready to have the day over with. Still after dressing up I took a minute to catch my breathe and my shaking hands, I couldn't get them to stop after the vision.
Going into the living room Ruby had already served Jake some medicinal broth that I immediately recognized and he's already had a bath also clothed but he was oddly glowing probably from something Ruby gave him.
"You have to take good care Jake, it's not just some bad soup. It will take care of internal bleeding of there is any. Brings back your strength too" he nodded towards her as she made her way to the kitchen.
"I'm sorry I might have got a little too hard with the punches" I apologized as he took a sip at the soup his face crunching up in distaste. I knew exactly what that is, it's the worst of all soups combined.
"A little?" he remarked "This soup is really bad" we both laugh
"It's better you have it all at once, it's definitely not as bad that way" he did as I suggested almost gagging up at the end. That was a war of victory and we quickly got on plans.
"Ruby, I might be back at dinner time and I promise not to get in trouble. I Know the rules around here" I promised raising a palm. She smiled hearty
"I will not deny you of your wish to celebrate with your friends but remember today holds a bad history for every one of us. Happy birthday my girl" she kissed me in the forehead giving me a light hug after that. Since we were already at the kitchen while Jake waited outside for me I immediately meet him there gazing at the skies
"So, where is this place?"
***
"I'm sorry today has to be like this, we can't help it think of all the bad things that happened all these years,"
"I get it," I said as we make our way to the designated area for my celebration since everyone else was basically in their homes mourning we had almost all the space for ourselves.
"That's the only comfort I feel in a day since when I first saw you, I knew you were different." he confessed stopping in his tracks.
"I used to love my birthday, always had my mom and dad with me but since after my dad died, I refused to celebrate it as he used to. But mom gets thesame cake anyways, it pained me to see her like that. Not letting go,"
"You never let go too," he said now completely facing me, I knew my eyes were welled up in tears so I quickly blink them away. I also found that I had clutched the necklace my dad gave me in my fist, I safely put in back under my blouse and quickly think of a way to change the topic
"I think the others might be waiting for us,"
"Oh, Maya can't make it" he said casually
"What? Why?" I asked a bit sad
"Because Kai couldn't come and so is Leo"
"I thought they were planning the surprise how could they bail?" I was really hurt,I turned my back on him to avoid possible tears rolling down my cheeks and him witnessing it.
"Because I planned a private surprise for you first" I felt my cheeks burn as a smile of gratitude curl the corner of my lips up
In that brief seconds I heard it the whistling in the air, deep down I knew they wouldn't just bail on me even if today was supposed to be a miserable stay in their homes. But then the whistling sound now got me alerted it was getting pitcher, then I was quick on guessing something was coming from behind me fast and it wasn't friendly. Using my superhuman speed, I snatched Jake and whilst him to the side but the object being so close than I realized stuck to his arm.
I was being targeted
I least expect an attack today although it was a day filled with grieving and loathing towards me but everyone was busy paying respects to their families and friends, violence hasn't been practiced on a day like this for centuries.
Jake was partially in shock, mostly from the arrow sticking in his flesh and that I got him out of the way in the nick of time.
"Keep down," he quickly got his composure upon realization, pulling me down with him against a large tree hiding us completely. Being on alert so was my super hearing, I could hear the lone footsteps approaching and the archers from quite a distance but I couldn't just wait for another arrow heading at us before Jake realized he was all alone and I got to the attacker grabbing them just a few feet away from us.
I wasn't really surprised to see it was him again finally back
"You've improved" he compliment with his hands crossed behind him while my hands were still on his shoulders.
"Gia," Jake called really loud coming from behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see he had pulled the arrow out of his arm but blood was still seeping out of his body. I listened on his elevated heart rate, he was probably poisoned but furthermore the anger plastered on his face which I had no doubt arose from the surprise visit of Cassuis.
"You poisoned him," I stated
"Get away from her!" I had never heard him yell that angry or loud. The next step he took result in him falling forward on a knee, I wasted no time in getting to his side.
"Jake I will be fine but you are not. I can handle this stay back"
"Yes, you better heed to her advise. Reserve your energy for something that's coming" Cassuis remarked evenly looking directly to my eyes instead of Jake's whom he was talking to, standing still not ever willing to get away from me
"If you wanted to put an arrow in me you should have aimed for my heart not from the back" I said rather very spiteful doing what I have been waiting for, punch him across the face swiftly so he wouldn't see it coming or register the aftermath of it, came another and another until his mouth bled. I stopped when I heard Jake groan really painfully clutching his stomach
"I believe that shot was not meant for you," he started while hunkered on a knee, he rose patting down his suit jacket and wiping the blood trailing down from the corner of his lips with his thumb observing the surrounding suspiciously looking for something that he knew would already be there.
Using his speed he zoomed out of sight but not out of my eavesdrop, I could hear the sharp disturbance in the air owing to his speed with it lots cracking sound and that of biting like into any overly ripe fruit with just a micro intervals between.
Meanwhile I tried getting Jake on his feet but he seemed not to want my help, he was very much angry I could feel it coming off him and that anger was dangerous it was limitless. It was though Cassuis never left my sight he was standing right where he left a second ago but this time with something different.
"A little something for you," He extended his hands forward with blood seeping out of the hearts.
"If I did want anything piercing through your heart love, it would be my fingers. I wouldn't miss the pleasure" he stated dropping both hearts he had in his fist to his feet subsequently reminding me of something similar but it was me holding it.
As soon Jake was up he pulled me behind him and stood tall like an iron gate between me and Cassuis. He was surely infected with something but it wasn't Wolfsbane which actually gave me a little ease.
"You made a mistake showing yourself today,"
"Jake stop!" I came at front again
"As much as you would want to kill him I understand but you can't right now" I tried to reason with him but I wasn't getting through. His heart rate was getting more and more elevated and his eyes were welled in rage and tears.
"There's not letting him go not after all the chances I lost to kill him" he launched at him but he got away in a blink standing behind me
"Jake stop!" I tried to reason with him but he wasn't stopping he came at me—well at Cassuis sanding behind me. I would have gladly move out of the way and hold Cassuis in place for Jake to destroy until all his rage was gone but Cassuis has some explanation to do. Instead I stood in-between and not intending to move away Jake's eyes weren't just filled with hatred and hunger for revenge but now in pain too, but that pain he'd to take for the mean time.
"He doesn't know" Cassuis said from behind I could feel the excitement in his words.
That was it, I had enough of him. I broke a 4 inch wide branch off the tree behind Jake as fast as none of them could see me doing it and staked it through Cassuis, not really reaching to kill him that moment so I aimed at his abdomen, sticking him to a tree tree inches off the ground. I had alot in-store for him.
Jake while noticing my motions he was only perplexed for a moment as his need for vengeance over shadowed every through and went for him again
"Jake please stop" I spoke low in tone trying to get through him but the aura coming from him was bubbling with a storming rage and it wasn't calming down anytime soon. The worst I expected came right after; Jake was trying to take his wolf form, I felt it ripping out of him. Suddenly falling on his knees, before going on his three; keeping one free his breathing got rapid. I had never seen a wolf shift, it was terrifying. My legs moved me three steps away from him as he crouch, groaning painfully while his mouth uncontrollably leaked of saliva as he breathes heavily through it.
"Get out of the way!" He motioned with his free hand for me to move, I know that was the last warning. In his wolf from he will have almost only half of his control or less not to mention he was already agitated. I only noticed that time that I had my hands stretched out sideways, protecting the last person I would think of.
"Jake, don't do this" I nearly shrieked myself when I heard a loud snap, my eyes went wide with horror as it was instantaneous to his own screams. His bones were being broken and rearranged to take his form. His shirt was ripped in some many places barely hanging on his form, as he continue to scream with every snap.
I couldn't watch anymore as my face was already wet with tears. I decided to go over to him before he'd fully take his wolf form. As soon as I was an arm's length away, Jake looked up to me with his red glowing eyes, nothing escaped him but a growl from his gritted lips; scrunched up in pain, partially turned face. For the safety of him and my secret, although I could handle him either way I backed away still with a hand stretched out but towards him.
"Leave!" he ordered again with a voice I don't recognize anymore, I hardly understood what he said under his growling and moaning
"I'm not leaving Jake, if you want to get to him you will have to go through me"
There another loud crack, not like the one I've heard before; louder and it looked very painful too judging from the pitch of his cry.
"You are causing him pain to save a creation your legion takes less of favourites," Cassuis spoke with so much joy in his voice. Considering his pain filled situation I didn't expect him to even blink.
"What do you mean?" I glanced at him only over my shoulder. He was pretty much still in the position I left him, bleeding out. He was holding in to the pain quiet well, like he's mastered through it or it was the unbeatable joy he gets seeing me in this kind of predicament.
"You do feel it, don't you?" he stated plainly. I didn't notice until he said it, there was something different inside; some biting strong energy running through my whole body but I could feel it most in my hands. It resembled a touch of naked wire. What was it? My brows furrowed, I looked over to Jake again whom was clearly confused too and in utter pain. I didn't realize what he meant until I saw the bones that were initially rearrange to carry his wolf body were forced back to his human body form. I didn't know much but that definitely wasn't normal, Jake should have changed by now. And the energy I was getting, it's charging me up, it's strong and wild like I'm channeling something.
There I realized it was Jake I was forcing down not to change back, soon enough after my realisation Jake started bleeding out from his nose and then coughed out blood. I shuffled back in fear of my yet again new found power in a dramatic climax thus breaking the link I made somehow, the energy flow stopped and so was the continuous pain for Jake and the bleeding too.
With that chance gotten, within a pumping circle of the heart Jake had broken all his bones and rearranged taking him wolf form immediately. It wasn't to be so hard transforming as he had been fighting back my barrier to his wolf side constantly breaking the bones while I reverse the process.
Jake was on all four his sharp teeth grated against one another while a scary low deep growl escaped him. He paused only for a while threading back and forth in a little line, constantly warning me to stay out of his fight with the vampire master. I knew Jake well enough, he would never hurt me even if that's the last time he would do to get peace.
"I know you want his death in the worse possible way history can write, I want it too. Jake now is in all ways a bad timing,"
Surprisingly Jake didn't mind coming at me, he felt that I would get away but I didn't instead I was fast on moving behind him and obstructing his cause. I felt disgusted and hurt in every single way to do that to the only person that's willing everything to keep me safe. From behind got a grip on Jake's rare end, his hip and toss him aside into a tree. The tree trunk broke in roughly two halves, rough sharp edges sticking out while the other part fell with a thud upsetting everything around it.
Jake almost instantaneously got up again as I turned to the direction I threw him at. He charged again with chunks of dirt splattering in all four directions while he did. He was fast but not enough to not let me get a grip on him again, I wasn't going to toss him in the air again cause I have already got a gab made between them both. This time I decide to get a grip on his head. I cupped his face, I felt that energy again but it was different this time with it was a low vibrating sound in my ears. Jake was instantly pulled out of his rage storm, I felt him instantly calming down. His rage filled eyes grew soft, I slowly not really wanting to break the new established link between us, connected my forehead to his closing my eyes as I did so. I inhaled deeply before speaking
"I need you to stop now. Please" there wasn't just a claiming sensation coming from him but a familiar pain that I had come to live in so well. He isn't fighting for his race, community or clan but for something; someone very personal. His love for me ever there for so long, I felt his broken heart too, his urge to get away from me. My eyes tore open as soon as I felt that, it's more like a voice of deep inside his consciousness. I was struck with pain too, knotting my heart. I pulled away just enough to look in his eyes, I might have forced him to stop although he was willing to go through me but I failed him by attacking head on
Jake pulled away and simply speed out into the forests. Farther away from this community and me
"You!" I turned towards Cassuis again
"It's better off this way for us to execute my plans" he stated satisfied of his effortless semi victory
"US!?"
No! I didn't forget he was there neither would I be able to forget what just happened with Jake. The amount of tolerance I was willing to put out there towards him crumbled into nothingness. I grabbed the free end of the stake and yank it out violently making him gurgle with pain, before he dropped to the floor I intercepted with my hand around his throat.
"You have taken enough"
I didn't know what I was doing or how I was doing it but in a second of harsh utterance from me, Cassuis made a sharp piercing roar—not just any kind of scream his eyes were completely taken over by fear and pain something I have never seen in him. Right from under my touch I didn't feel it but could see the spread of discoloration right after a red bubbling glow crossed inside ever vein from inside him as though my rage was boiling him from the inside out. His continuous scream and the realisation that for a second I was nearly as evil as Luther was, which was never like me snapped me out of my rage display. He was suddenly losing all color, it was like I was literally draining the life out of him which was, I could feel the energy drawing back into me.
Frightened of my own display again, I jerked back losing my grip thus him falling back gasping rapidly slowly regaining his color. I looked down at my hands, it might have taken me long to stare but this was not the first unexplainable showcase of power from me. I quickly got over it although my heart was pounding non-stop and air was partly strangling my air way.
I sighted him trying to get up but before he could, meeting with him in a crouch like posture, I non hesitantly snapped his neck with a little bit of more than necessary force needed mostly coming from my growing rage.
***
"Why would you bring him here? What where you thinking?" Ruby expressed her distaste and anger towards my plan yet again. After I knocked Cassuis out I had all the strength to bring him back with me to Ruby's cabin. It took me a while to get him there not that I wasn't capable of carrying him along but I had to sit out there and have my head cleared, thinking of what to do with him too. Mostly I sat against the broken tree and sobbed silently, I pondered about how Jake felt, how disappointed he felt. I felt in a moment I should just pull out Cassuis heart and his head too,find Jake to have it as a gift but yet again I couldn't. It would be pointless now and Cassuis has something I want.
Ever since I walked in dragging his hand from behind me Ruby has been paranoid. She closed all openings, drew all curtains, double check, triple check and checking again as she spoke.
She didn't even let me pass through the kitchen to my room to get him fully hidden away for any unsuspecting visitor. I wasn't really planning on keeping him for long just until I could get what I want. Upon entering I caught on Jake's scent, I knew he was in the living room part of me eased knowing he's getting treatment.
I haven't really said much all this time while she was freaking out, I simply got one of the table stool, broke it and held it in my hands staring down Cassuis. As soon as he moves the stake goes through him again.
"Gia,"
"He will be leaving soon. How is Jake?" I asked quickly
"He's resting. He will be fine but we wouldn't want anyone finding this here. I can't imagine what will possibly happen"
"I know. That's why he is not staying for long. I need to clarify some things and then he might be on his way" I couldn't stand to look at him anymore although pretty much unconscious, slumped against the kitchen wall with his head hanging down I wanted to do alot more than let him sit there. So awake or not I was putting that stake in to keep him in place but before I did, I grabbed some dried up Thurium throw it in some water and soak the stake in it for some while.
Thurium has been for a very long time and said to cause intense pain, inabilities on prolong use on vampire. It doesn't kill them but burns them from the inside causing extreme weakness, poisoning and some of their abilities numb.
Upon reaching him, he slightly moved showing from it he was already weak. I lifted his head, and drove the stake into his shoulder making sure it went all the way into the wall to keep him in place. Subsequently he cried a gut full scream due to the surprise attack and groaned all the way while driving and twisting it until I was done, keeping his deadly gaze firm on mine.
"Ruby, if he tries anything you know what to do" I turned to leave for the living room; for Jake when she gripped my upper arm making me halt unwillingly. She looked into my eyes deeply with concern
"You must control it, be careful!"