Hunter walked along the beach for miles. His mind wandered back over the past few hours. Someone, somewhere probably thought this was a joke. He looked up at the early afternnoon sky. Perhaps Maeve was finally having her revenge and he hoped she was enjoying herself now that her spell had worked and he still didn't have Sarah . . . Beth. . . his soulmate. Surely the hell he'd been through over the past three hundred years would have made her happy.
"The things women pick to cause problems." He muttered.
Now that he'd really had time to think about it, maybe he should have just left Edward with a broken neck Truthfully, he didn't really have to dismember his body one joint at a time. But by god, that was the most satisfied he had ever been. Finally seeing that tyrant afraid instead of terrorizing and torturing Sarah. Hunter's temper flared just thinking about it.
The sun finally started working its magic on him, draining his energy. Hunter slipped into a small abandoned cabin and sat in the darkest corner he could find and allowed himself the rest he'd been robbed of over the last few weeks.
***
Petra leapt thru Beth's bedroom window. Shattering glass sprayed all over the room
Beth didn't move. Exhaustion from losing blood and the shock of Hunter's appearance having overwhelmed her.
"This is too easy." Petra said to Lyrhae as they stood at each side of the bed studying the girl sleeping in it. She sniffed the air, "No vampires around, just another sleeping human in the next room.
Mary Lynette sat up at the sound of shattering glass. She eased herself onto the carpeted floor listening to voices in Beth's room. She didn't recognize the voices. Grabbing a can of mace from her purse she sneaked down the hall, drew a deep breath and burst into Beth's room. Two werewolves, in half form, stared at each other then at her.
"Well, well, it ain't sleeping beauty." Lyrhae said.
"Cute, dog breath." Mary Lynette snapped, glancing around the room. Not a bit of silver to be found. She backed out of the room slowly as Petra advanced on her step for step.
"Nice doggie. You wouldn't want to play fetch would you?"
"Only if you're the stick." Petra growled.
Where were those huge candlesticks? Mary Lynnette asked herself arming her can of mace. She sprayed Petra and spun around while Petra howled in pain and shook her head. There! A long heavy silver candlestick sat on the table in the hall. Mary Lynette grabbed it and waved it in Petra's furry face..
"Ohh, look the doggy didn't like the Pepper mace. She really won't like this." She jabbed at Petra with the candlestick, "It's silver and I'll knock your brain out if you come near me."
"I really don't like humans." Petar said changing into a black werewolf with silver tipped fur. She bared her teeth and lunged. Mary Lynette swung the candlestick like a ball bat sending her rolling down the stairs.
Petra rolled to her feet, laughing. "Some other time human." she snarled, running out the door.
Mary Lynnette ran into the room where Beth had been. Her bed was empty and the curtains were flapping outside the window.
"Beth!" She screamed out the window. The two werewolves fled carrying their prize. Mary Lynnette sank to the floor, shaking uncontrollably. Tears slipped down her cheeks. Why was it that everytime Ash disappeared she got attacked by a werewolf.,she wondered?
Kestrel appeared a minute later to find a hysterical Mary Lynnette cowering in a corner with the silver candlestick.
"What's going on?" She hugged Mary Lynnette trying to calm her down.
"Two black werewolves, they, they took Beth." Tears poured down Mary Lynnette's cheeks. "I fought with another werewolf." She said into Kestrel's shoulder.
"Oh shit, it's the council."
Kestrel summoned Jade and Rowan who seemed to materialize out of thin air.They heard a car door slam.
"Mark's back." Jade said with a bright smile on her face.
"Not right now Jade, we got two wolves to catch. My bet is on Petra and Lyrhae. She said they're black."
"That means the council is on to her," Rowan said as she followed her sisters out the window. "But how?"
After what seemed like an eternity the sisters returned empty handed.
"I'll call Thierry." Kestrel said.
"Looks like we're going to Vegas," Jade said to Mark "Mare is in big trouble because she saw the werewolves take Beth."
Mary Lynette frowned. She was really beginning to hate werewolves.
***
Her head hurt. Beth pressed the heel of her palms into her temples. She didn't remember having a headache after Hunter bit her before.
"Oh God." She moaned. What had she done? "Stupid, so stupid." Hunter had left after she freaked over seeing him kill Edward. How many times head she dreamed about that? She knew why he did it. She knew how he did it. But why did it send her into hysterics every time?
She opened her eyes. "What on earth?" She sat up. This was not her room nor her house. Something warned her not to call for Hunter.
You'll give him away. A voice whispered in her head.
"Hey boss! She's awake!" Someone called.
Beth leapt to her feet. There were no windows, just a skylight overhead and a door with a plexiglass window. A plain cot with a blanket stood in the corner. Nothing to use for a weapon. Instinctively she pressed her back against the wall when the door swung open. A tall hooded, cloaked figure seemed to float in.
"Sarah Quinn?" A scratchy female voice questioned.
"Beth Quinland."
"Ahh an old soul. Mother's spell worked." The woman pushed the hood back. She had fine feminine features, huge violet eyes, pale skin and tiny nose, and perfect elongated fangs indented her lips. But what really caught Beth's attention was the thick head of bloodred hair.
"Roseclear?" The name came out of her mouth without a thought. It was just there immediately.
"You are Sarah." Roseclear said with absolute conviction. She actually looked overjoyed.
"Why kidnap me?"
"Because you know about the nightworld and by our law you must die. You see there is a reward for those of us who bring humans to the council."
"Hunter will never let you get away with this."
"Oh, but he will." Roseclear leaned into Beth's face and grasped her chin with cold fingers, forcing Beth to look into her eyes, "because my father is dead."
***
In the deserted cabin Hunter's eyes snapped open. "Beth!"
Even as Hunter ran to the cottage, he knew Beth wasn't there. The last time he was too late to help her flashed in his mind. He couldn't live without her this time. He just couldn't face life without her. Hunter rounded the corner of the cottage and almost ran into Mary Lynette who was still carrying the candlestick.
"Where have you been?" Mary Lynette asked shaking the candlestick at Hunter. "Two werewolves took off with Beth half an hour ago and where were you? Shopping at McBlood's are us?"
Rowan, Kestrel, and Jade stood with their mouths hanging open. They had never heard anyone talk to Hunter like the scum he was but Mary Lynette didn't seem to care. She tossed her candlestick into the open van door and rummaged around until she found a wooden ball bat. She had originally planned to beat Ash's head in with it, however, Hunter would suffice.
It was hard to tell what Hunter was thinking when she turned around ball bat in hand. Then he shocked them all by smiling, he actually chuckled. The sisters exchanged stunned glances, fearing he had gone mad.
"Vermin, no one in my world ever speaks to me with such insolence." Hunter said while leaning down so that she could see the shifting colors of his eyes. "I'll let you live if you can remember who I am and how to speak to me."
"Oohh, I'm really scared. So why don't you kill me now?" Mary Lynette challenged. "I've killed one werewolf and nearly knocked the brain out of the one attacking Beth. Surely a big headed vampire full of himself isn't much different."
Jade gasped and started for Mary Lynette but Rowan stopped her.
Hunter sighed, more amused than irritated. Ash's soulmate certainly had nerve, like Beth "I need to feed and you look more and more like dinner with every word that comes out of your mouth."
"Mare," Rowan warned, "Back off." She tugged on Mary Lynette's shoulder. "Hunter, we're going to Thierry's home in Vegas. You may join us, but no feeding on these two humans." Rowan motioned to Mark and Mary Lynette. "We're no match for you but we will protect them with our lives."
"Are you sure you want to make that kind of commitment to that particular vermin?" He pointed at Mary Lynette, his golden eyes turning a funny silvery color for a brief second before he looked up at the broken window . Petra's handiwork. She liked to make grand entrances. He cast an appraising glance at Mary Lynette. He couldn't remember any human surviving one of Petra's attacks. He wondered too why Petra had taken Beth instead of killing her. Maybe it wasn't Petra.
"The werewolf you brained have black silver tipped fur and blue eyes?"
Mary Lynette nodded. Hunter pursed his lips. If Petra had harmed Beth in any way she would literally be a dead dog..
"Then the council elders found out about her somehow." Hunter flopped into the front passenger seat of the van feeling every bit as tired as he looked. "Is Thierry's jet waiting for us?"
Kestrel frowned, "Yes."
"Good, airports are a good place to feed."
Mary Lynette rolled her eyes and climbed into the driver's seat; ball bat at her side.
***
A black limousine waited at the airport. Tinted windows concealed its occupants as it whisked them to Thierry's mansion. Hunter hid a smile. He had never set foot on DesCoudres' estate and had to admit it was impressive. His own home paled by comparison.
Nilsson opened the door. "He wants Mr. Redfern to come to his office immediately."
***
Hunter strode across the thick plush carpet to the desk where Thierry was working.
"Beth is being held in the waiting chambers outside the main council room." Thierry said without even looking up. "Her trial is at midnight." He pushed back from the desk and stood. "Normally, I do not interfere in these cases, however, I have been invited to sit in on this particular trial and that makes me uncomfortable because of who I am and my relationship to Circle DayBreak."
"I understand and I would like to help, but understand that I am not affiliating myself with your cause permanently. I am my own cause."
Thierry nodded. "I expected as much so you'll understand when I say, make one wrong move that jeopardizes DayBreak and you will be killed right there on the council floor."
"The same for your people."
Thierry nodded in agreement. "Now we need a plan."
***
Beth frowned at Roseclear as she continued with her tirade. "You caused my mother to die of a broken heart."
"She married Hunter as part of a business deal. What ever happened to her wasn't my fault."
"Oh, but it is your fault. Your very existence is reason enough." Roseclear shoved Beth. "I watched my father weep over your dead body and I was thankful you were dead. I thought my mother and father would stop arguing until she told me she had cast a spell to bring you back. She died a few months later of a broken heart." Roseclear advanced on Beth who pressed her back into the wall. "Father didn't cry over her. He merely buried her. He and Quinn teamed up and went on their merry way. He forgot about his daughters. He only had eyes for his 'son'. Your son." She lifted Beth by her throat and threw her against the cot, toppling it. The corner of the cot jabbed into her cheek bone. "I hated you, but I hate Quinn even worse. If I hadn't already turned you in to the Council, I'd kill you myself and take pride in knowing I hurt Quinn as well."
Beth pressed her fingertips to her throbbing cheek. "I hope you get a great reward for your commitment to the NightWorld."
"I will, believe me, watching you die a horrible death will be reward enough."
The door slammed behind Roseclear. Beth quelled the urge to call Hunter. She couldn't jeopardize his life. Beth looked over the room again. There had to be something to use as a weapon. She sat on the cot and shot back to her feet. A wooden cot. She turned the cot over. Surely she could fashion some kind of weapon out of an inconspicuous part of it. After a few moments, Beth had taken the screws out of one end of the cot using her acrylic fingernails as a screwdriver. She managed to balance the cot against the wall and drape the single sheet over it to disguise the fact that it no longer had a leg. She swung the wooden leg into the wall, breaking it off into a jagged sharp point.
"Buffy eat your heart out." She concealed the makeshift stake in her shirt. "A vampire didn't design this holding cell." She said looking at the precariously propped cot. "Or there would have been a metal bed." She might be about to die, but she'd be damned if she wasn't going to take a certain red haired vampire with her.
The door opened again, "It's time." A black cloaked figure told her.
"You're not going to handcuff me or something?"
The cloaked figure shrugged, "Escape attempts have never been successful. So why bother?" The female voice asked.
Beth's heart plunged, her hopes momentarily dashed. Then raising a defiant chin and squaring her shoulders she followed the woman into a dark hall. She wasn't going to give the council the satisfaction of a human grovelling and begging for her own life. She was going to show them the defiance and determination of her own race and face her death without a sound. They would not have the pleasure of seeing her cry or hearing her pleas for mercy.
They paused outside the main council room. The woman pushed her hood back and gave Beth a reassuring smile.
"Help is coming." Beth gaped at Rowan's familiar face as she pulled the hood back over her head to conceal her identity.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
