Ice Cold

Chapter Twenty-Two

          "Thank you," I said and started following a trail to the east.

          I followed many of the rogue's trails but many other rogue's trails past over his, making tracking the right trail difficult. It was three hours before sundown and I had turned up nothing but trails that led to old kills. "Connor, I have a message," Hayden said, barely a whisper. Hayden was too quiet for Parker or the others of my clan to hear him where he was. The only reason I caught his words were because I was listening for his voice.

          "Show me," I said and ran back to our meeting place.

          Hayden was there a second after I arrived. He pulled along a rogue with him. I raised an eyebrow at him and he shrugged. The rogue looked scared and I could tell she feared for her life, as she should.

          "My headmaster has told me to tell you that if you do not agree to his terms by sundown then they will kill the girl," she said.

          "What are his terms?" I asked.

          "That you give up this territory to him and either leave afterwards or be killed," she said.

          I flicked my fingers at her, "do with her what you please," I said.

          Hayden's eyes glowed a bright crimson red and he bit into her neck. Her scream was cut off as Hayden bit down. Rogue's weakness never ceased to disappoint me. It was three hours until sundown and I still haven't managed to find the right trail.

          "We'll start back from where Lex was taken and track his trail from there if we can," I said.

          "Why don't we just go searching through the woods for any houses that have people living in them?" Hayden asked.

          "This way is more effective," I said.

          "My way is quicker," Hayden said.

          "It may be, but the most efficient way is a sure way," I countered.

          "The only reason I'm even working with you right now is so we can find Lex and for our deal," Hayden said.

          I cut my eyes at him, "the only reason you are not dead right now is because of Lex and the deal only benefits me so that I have help with the rogues and help protecting Lex," I said. "I know you don't like me and neither do I you, but I know you only uphold your side of the deal for Lex and now, as do I," I finished.

          "You picked up on that?" Hayden asked sarcastically. "I know you care for Lex, just like I do, but I couldn't help it when I lost control and marked her," he said.

          "I am selfish when it comes to Lex, I hold her close to my heart, which is why your marking her doesn't settle well with me and, trust me, if it were up to me you would be dead, so if I were you I'd consider myself lucky," I clarified, giving him a warning glance.

         "In the end, it is Lex's decision, but I know both of us will stop at nothing to keep her safe," Hayden said.

         Hayden quit talking after that. We ran back to where Lex was taken and followed that trail. After coming to crossing points of the rogue's trails and other rogues, we went down different trails that we could tell were the trails of the rogue who took Lex until we found the most promising trail that lead in the direction we saw him run. Eventually we came to a house with lights illuminating it. It was an hour until sundown and I could sense more than ten rogues living in the old, two-story house.

          "Are we going in and fighting or are we going to sneak her out?" Hayden asked so quietly that I could barely hear him.

          "I hear that rogue's have feeding areas in the woods where they take their prey. If we wait long enough, then we can take her before they feed on her," I said with the same quietness.

          "What if we can't get to her in time? Or they don't take her to the feeding grounds and feed on her in the house?" Hayden asked.

          "That's why we get downwind and listen to what they're planning," I said and positioned myself downwind of the house in a blur. I was hidden behind a tree near the house but I could still hear the conversations going on inside. I saw a blur of motion and caught Hayden's scent before he appeared at the tree next to me.

          "They have an hour left, why aren't they here yet?" a male voice inside asked.

          "Give them time, they will come, she is too dear to them for them to just let her die. I figure that at least Hayden will come since she is marked by him, but Prince Connor seems intrigued by her as well so I guess that they will both be here in time," a calmer and older male voice replied.

I cast my glance at Hayden who glared at me. His vampire side of him claimed Lex as his territory and only his. I could see it in his eyes and in his body language. I looked back to the house and ignored Hayden's hostility.

          I heard someone inside start walking and then a creak of a door. As I trained my senses I smelled stiff, cold air come from the other side of the door. I then knew that there was an underground basement below the house. The smell of blood filled the air and panic filled my chest until I realized a second later that it wasn't the smell of Lex's blood.

          "You little─," a rogue's voice echoed from the other side of the door inside the house.

          "Let me go!" I heard Lex's voice say and I instantly felt at peace knowing she was alive with my own ears.

          I heard her struggling against the rogue. I was ready to kill every rogue in that house if they hurt her. I never smelled her blood as the struggles ended which was a good sign.

          "You have an hour before we get to end your pathetic life," the rogue said and I heard Lex grunt as he kicked her once before leaving.

          I was instantly infuriated and I gripped the tree under me so that I wouldn't lose control. I looked at Hayden, whose eyes were glowing a bright crimson red, and when he caught my glance I shook my head. If we were to get Lex out without getting her harmed, then we would have to keep our element of surprise.

          "Get cleaned up and prepare to move to the feeding grounds," the older male voice said as the rogue that just left the basement entered the room.