The Hunters

Part 37

37.

Rowan

     “Ya look like you’ve just seen a ghost darlin’.” Darlin’, just the sound of his thick cockney accent gives me the creeps. It holds memories of needles longer than my arm, of being woken up with a gun in the back, of Tyler dying. Darlin’, one word and it’s pure evil. Very fitting for Harry then.

    “You’re scarier,” I tell him. What’s the point in lying? We both know he has the upper hand, I’ve been training for Terrigenas – extinguishing fires and evaporating water. None of that’s any good against a gun; even I’m not faster than a speeding bullet.

    “I aint goin’ to hurt you Rowan.” he says sincerely.

     I scoff, “Yeah, heard that one before.” Harry laughs, it’s ugly.

     “I think you misunderstand me darlin’,” rugged hands grab me from behind. Crap. “I aint goin’ to hurt you because you’re goin’ to come with us without a struggle.”

     “Don’t see how you’re going to manage that one because there is no way in hell I’ll willingly come with you.”

    He steps right up close which I don’t like at all. Struggling to get free doesn’t work thanks to all-brawn-no-brain-super-strong-thug here, not that I really thought it would. “Now, now Rowan, who said anything about willingly?”

     Time for steroid-pumped-thug number two to step into the action. Fun. In his bear-sized paws is a syringe, one of Harry’s I presume. Drug me once, shame on you. Drug me twice, shame on me. Drug me three times, not gonna happen.

    Still jumped up on Tyler’s energy, I focus on the power surging inside of me. Inhaling, I steady the power before releasing it all with a spine shattering scream. The wind breaks, air shivers and the shockwaves are nearly visible. The syringe explodes in thug two’s hand as the trio drop to their knees. Sadly, thug one doesn’t ease up on his grip. Blood dribbles out of Two’s ears – burst ear drum is my guess – but that doesn’t help me any.

    I stop screaming and hone all of the haywire power into myself. Heat. It starts in my hands, fire seeping through every pore in my skin. Gradually I push it upwards: forearms, elbows, biceps and shoulders – my whole upper body burns with the intense heat of an open flame. Far stronger than I expected, the power flares and a wall of fire blazes a trail along my back and spills over the floor. The tyres on a nearby car ooze onto the melting tarmac and thug Two, bloody and blistered, cries out. Thug one doesn’t release me. I’d say it’s like he doesn’t feel the fire at all…

     Over the tormented shrieks of Two, Harry’s laughter echoes. “Tut tut little Rowan, didn’t think I’d expect that? After Tyler’s scorch session I thought bringin’ an Ignis was wise don’t you?” There’s a prick in my arm followed by blinding, searing pain. “Thought I’d bring extra syringes too,” he smirks.

     In the words of Tyler… Shit.  

Tyler 

    She runs. It looks bad, I know it does. I’m caught between knowing I should be angry and trying to feel the emotion – any damn emotion - because right now I’m high on cloud nine waiting for gravity to bring me down. This is certainly not the way I felt after any other draining. After I usually feel like crap and I’ve definitely never been healed before. My arm? What did she do to it? But still, she was feeding off me.

     Angry or not I know I need to go after her. Rowan’s like sand, always slipping through my fingers. Not this time. Right now I need to fist my hand and clutch her tight - for the solstice and for myself.

    Unsteady on my feet, I stagger out of the bed. On instinct I call out her name even though I know it won’t work. She’s freaked beyond all measure; she’ll need more than just a name to bring her back. Hell I’m freaked too, since when does she drain people?

     The front door opens and that’s my cue to move faster. She knows this town better than I do, if she gets too far I’ll never catch up. Practically leaping the full flight of stairs, I bolt to the door… where I’m stopped dead in my tracks.

    “Always in a hurry, that’s your problem Tyler.” Blocking my exit is Faye, Beth and two other burly men I’d assume to be Terrigena’s. I have my gun, but then again so does Faye. Only difference is that hers is aimed at point blank range, whereas mine’s still shoved in the waistband of my jeans. She could kill me before I even have the chance to draw it.

    “Get out of my way Faye.” Menacing doesn’t work too well with a gun pointed at you but it’s worth a try.

     “Arm’s healed well, one of the girls little tricks?” Draping her free arm over my neck, she steps closer and digs the gun further into my chest. “Should I be jealous?” she breathes huskily. Fist in my hair so that I can’t move, she presses her lips to mine.

    I tear myself away, “Screw you Faye.”

    “Oops, too late. You already have.” Giggling vexingly she takes her place back beside Beth. “Oh and don’t worry about your new girlfriend, we’ll take good care of her.”

    If I weren’t so cautious I’d have charged right then but I’m not stupid – getting killed right now won’t help Rowan.

    Beth’s turn to pipe up, “Did you really think we’d be stupid enough not to keep track of you?” she sneers. Actually, I was counting on exactly that. “We’ve been smart about it though, biding our time. You see we figured if we barged in right away, that would leave plenty of time for you to plan an escape – this way there’s no time. Dies Mortis will come; we’ll make sure of that.” 

     “No, I’ll stop it. I’ll-“

     “-Just give it up Tyler,” Faye interrupts. “I know you’re rocking the whole Last Hunter crap but it’s just pathetic. Know the winning team for once and join us, final chance.” Her eyes plead with me. Before me I don’t see Faye the traitor, I still see the lonely girl who lost her parents; my friend.

    “You’re right, it really is pathetic.” She smiles, warm and bright and so strange against the deathly pale footmen at her back.

    “I told you,” she announces proudly to Beth, “he just needed a bit of time and-“

I cut her off, “-It’s pathetic that you helped slaughter the people who raised you. Pathetic that you betray your family to the monsters who murdered your parents – who ruined your life. Pathetic Faye, and just damn sad.”

    Her whole face drops, crestfallen. “Fine, I hope you get what’s coming to you.” With that spiteful wish she pushes past Silent and Deadly who are in her way and exits.

    As if on cue both Terrigenas turn to me – not so idle anymore. They’re holding water bottles with pop-off lids, efficient. I withdraw my gun and pull the trigger. Bullet to the head has him dropping to the floor before the first of them even has a chance to move.

    Having seen his buddy bite the dust, the second looks pissed. He lunges right at me, water at the ready. Unfortunately for him all I have to do is tense the muscles in my finger and he only makes it about a foot before my bullet takes him in the stomach.

     Revelling in my small victory for a moment has me forgetting all about Terrigena number three, Beth. I find out the hard way she hasn’t forgotten about me. A sharp pain stabs between my shoulder blades and I whip around to see the tiny girl with a syringe in her hands. All I can hear as my head hits the ground is the sound of her bell-like laughter, lulling me into unconsciousness. 

Sorry for the extremely short chapter - this should actualy be tagged onto the end of part 36 but i didn't know that untill I worte it, oh well. What did you think??

Paige.XOXO