We all went downstairs to the dining hall, well mostly just us Cassuis was attending to something and that he would actually his presence wasn't needed for dinner. Meat, fruits and greens were laid out half the length of the table while over us stood uniformed human servants. They all had that distant look in their eyes as though they were fixed there as statues. We took our seats across each other to the middle of the long table, triple the size of our little group.
"I guess we eat now" We all started eating together quietly, Leo cleared his throat and suddenly the girl standing next to him grabbed a knife that was set on the table to cut the stake and slit through her wrist, letting her hand fall beside her. It dripped to the floor with a sound similar to a half closed tap, it played very slow in my ears making my stomach cringe.
"Why did she do that?" Leo exclaimed getting up from his seat, I rushed to her side with a napkin and wrap it around her wrist and put pressure on it
"Are you ok?" I asked but there was no answer, she fixed to her spot not even minding me by her side. Gaze still up ahead and unmoving she refused to talk
"She's meant to be fed on and forced to only one movement, she will not answer" Jake stated continuing to bite into his meal. I knew that fact but it was hard to watch,
"Yes that's right" Cassuis said as he entered through the door
"This isn't needed for us"
"Yes but it's our way for the guest" he came around and took her hand out of mine and unwrap the tablecloth and reached for a glass. He placed her opened wrist under the glass and let it flowI felt my face twitch at the audacity in his face, draining her of blood and making me watch. I decided to go back to my seat before another energy blast burst out of meAfter taking a glass he walked over to the last chair to the farthest end of the room and have his glass quietly
"I think I am done" I stood to my feet really agitated by Cassuis's presence
"Three of my trusted kindred will be joining this cause"
"We'll be on the road by dawn" I heard that quite clear after I exited the dining hall for my room. I wasn't really tired by I knew I needed some sleep to replenish my power, Ruby asked me to always find time to mediate and cultivate energy for my powers to grow. I immediately went to bed but didn't fall asleep up until when kai and Maya came in the room totally forgetting I was there, I heard them rumble around in the room knocking something off before they exited again. I eased my nerves as they exited; relieved that I weren't going to be a third ride in another intimate moment, I shivered at the thought. Again silence washed into the room although there were subtle activities around the castle as if it were deliberate not to disturb their guests for the night. After a while probably twenty minutes, the door opened again, the glow from outside seeping in for just a second before it finally closed silently. Maya must have thought I was asleep; the footsteps were so light that If I didn't have super hearing I wouldn't have noticed but yet again I noticed something else, the scent coming from this body was very strong and different from that of Maya and her pack but I knew just who's owned to. I sat up quickly and flick on the bedside lamp to my side
"Hunter?" he stood right in front of me, I haven't seen him in a while. I lunged at him wrapping my hands around him, it felt like I had just seen my dad; James. He hugged back lightly pulling me off him after a while of it
"We have to get you out of here now" he whispered grabbing at my wrist, I stopped him by not moving from my spot
"No, Hunter you will have to listen to me first" I pleaded
"We don't have time, you are resented around here and further in danger"
"You know?" I was staggered myself, that was why there was a constant look of pain and utter concern for me in his eyes since he came in
"Yes Ruby told me everything; I can take care of you. We can go far away from here, where no one can find us" he urged me desperately I could see his will to rectify for the lost years, I simply pulled my wrist away from his grip and sat on the edge of the bed again
"They are going to find us, no matter how far we choose to go"
"Then we always be on the move" he went on his knees quickly in front of m cupping my cheeks, we locked eyes and I could see his grew glossier by the second
"I cannot lose you like I did before," I felt a huge knot form in my chest after he confessed that with so much guilt in his voice. I understood his need but I cannot go back after all that had happened
"I cannot keep running forever, I must face this someday" now hunter is not calm anymore, he stood on his feet again as the urgency in him peeked with the guilt shielding his thinking
"You don't understand yet, there is no anyway of reconciliation to this but a war worse than the one before. Everything will fall in ruin" I slowly come to stand as he was obviously desperate to take me away from here but I don't think I can change my mind. I need this over with as soon as I can, after a while of silence he added
"You cannot face them now, you are still too young and you are yet to master your powers. I cannot let you do this" Now he sounded like any father would try to protect his daughter from harm's way.
"Aren't I supposed to be the most powerful person on this planet?" I asked as I came closer to him, now he's had his back towards me. It was visible he was hiding his tears from me, I placed my hand on his shoulder carefully squeezing it lightly
"I can do this, I just need your support and I will find a way to prevent this war. I need you to trust me" I was suddenly starting to feel dissolved by everything again, my eyes welled to tears as he placed a hand over mine before turning to face me
"I will not lose you like I lost your mother. I will not fail you like I did with her"
"I know you won't" He promised not letting go off my hand until this was over, indeed my mother was lucky to have a mate like Hunter. Tonight it felt like I needed family love more than I ever did, Elisabeth and James could not be with me at the moment but Hunter was just as important to me now. Being in this castle walls reminds me of everything that happened, that was why I was constantly feeling the agitation rise in me but now snuggled against Hunter's warmth like how dad would sit up against the headboard while both I and Elisabeth use him as a pillow and a comforter from either side of him.
That had always lulled me to sleep but this time I was missing an addition of one pair of hand either caressing through my hair or my hand until next morning. Although I missed her presence but Hunter made sure I was comfortable too, he had one of his hands hugging me against him while the other hand rested on my arm around his torso.
My eyelids could finally close together as I dwelled in a new found peace but never to forget the others I rolled over only to find that Hunter was missing in the bed, he must have been up already. I rested on my back again with a delighted sigh before I quickly remembered that we were supposed to set out by dawn Did Hunter convince the rest leave me behind?I shuffle out of bed got my boots on and freshened up in the bathroom before hurriedly ran downstairs
"We thought you'd never woke" I heard Cassuis exclaim casually from behind me
"You haven't left yet?" I actually sounded relieved to see either of them
"Should we have left without you?" he asked coming towards me
"I must have overslept, where are the others?"
"Here" Maya and the others came in through the entrance
"We should be going then," There were two cars outside already waiting for us, Cassuis was to drive one and the other Hunter. I obviously had to go with Hunter because he wasn't going to let me out of his sight. I had to convince Jake to go forth with Cassuis because I needed him there. So in the car I was going were; two of the vampires, Leo and Hunter while kai was supposed to join us he refused to let his mate be alone with a vampire even though Jake was there. We drove behind them through a lot of dirt covered road; it took around thirty minutes before we came to a stop.
"Why did he stop here?"
"I don't know," I assured looking towards him but he looked anxious about stopping in the middle of nowhere
"Don't worry. I will go check it out"
"I'll be coming" Hunter got out as I did but just as I was about to close the door Leo called out
"Oh don't worry; I will just stay in the car" As we approach their car Cassuis came out and so did Jake
"We will have to walk from here" as he mentioned I observed that the trees now were in clusters, even a motorbike would find it hard to navigate in them. We left the bags behind in the car and set out carefully as Cassuis warned that we were already around the royal mansion and it's heavily guarded. Just as we were at least a meter away, he had to stop again
"I cannot let you proceed with her alone" Jake roared towards Cassuis. The debate had been going on for minutes
"We will just be in there before you guys, it was part of the plan" I tried to reason with them all
"It doesn't settle with me too" Maya stated nervously. I exhaled deeply not really knowing how to convince all of them to stay behind. Cassuis's point was right; we cannot all go forth and barge into the castle. We are heavily outnumbered and no one of them is going to survive this even if I get to. But if he goes in with me as he's restrained me and got me there then they can attack when they least accepted it
"I get your concerns but this is the best shot we've got at this. I will tell you what; you can follow after 180 seconds after we are in. Please" I begged
"Three minutes' is too long of a time in there" Hunter disagreed
"It's the minimum time to get us in there. I all get your worry but you will have to do this for all our sakes"
Cassuis had been silent all along but then in a blink Cassuis came around me from behind and cuffed my wrists together.
"It's time" he declared and grip my neck from behind thus putting me forward of him. Jake was unpleased with the way Cassuis was handling me, it showed all over on his face.
"I will be fine" I assured
We walked a short while before the appearance of the mansion came forth. The frontal of the mansion looked magnificent but ancient. It had three men at the railing gates, unarmed but fully aware as soon as we approached they recognized the man holding me from behind
"Master Cassuis of the Westlake coterie, it's a matter of significance as you can see" Yes states in his usual attitude
"Yes" they quickly got the gates opened and let us through the magnificently green courtyard to the heavy looking double doors facing us
"You really think cuffing me was necessary?" I whispered
"We will have to make him believe what he sees; he's not a man to be fooled easily. Make it real"