From Cradle to the Grave

Chapter 36

"Chris? When did you come back?"

"Just now. Tell me what's wrong." I pleaded. "Where's Jasmine?"

At the mention of her name, Andrew's eyes filled with tears. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I had never seen him cry.

That's when I knew nothing was right.

Nothing was right with my girl.

"He took her Chris. I'm so so sorry. He took her. We couldn't save her. I couldn't save her. I'm so so so very sorry. He took her." Andrew babbled in between sobs.

I knew who he meant but I had to hear it. I had to hear it to fuel the anger running through my veins. I had to hear it to fire my blood for the war I was sure was upcoming. I wasn't going to let this one go so easily.

"Who took her?" I asked in a calm voice. Too calm. Andrew knew what was going through my head and he knew I needed to hear the name right now.

I needed to hear it to plan the upcoming bloodshed that was sure to happen.

"Hunter. Hunter took her."

That was all it took for me to roar out in anger. I threw a flower pot from the porch in anger. I would've destroyed everything in my way if it wasn't for Jasmine's father's voice.

"Chris. Son."

I turned my gaze towards him. He had always been a handsome man, even at this age. But somehow at that moment, his face had aged drastically. Worry lines adorned his face and his eyes were tired.

"Sir."

He pulled me into a hug. "I failed her. I failed her as a father. I should've been here to save her. But I....I wasn't." He choked up.

I squeezed my eyes shut. My heart was aching. Hell, I wasn't here when she needed me. And that was exactly what I told him to console him.

"It's nobody's fault. That bastard knew she was alone and striked. But he will pay. We'll find her and he will pay." I gritted my teeth.

Jasmine's Dad nodded his head. "I believe you. And I trust you. I know you'll not leave any stone unturned in finding her."

I nodded in determination. I was ready to kill to get her back. God knows how he must be treating her right now.

A police officer approached us. "You all can go inside now."

I was the first one to rush into the house. As I entered, the first thing I noticed nearly brought out my last meal up my throat.

Blood.

There was blood on the floor.

I gulped as I felt my ears ringing. The blood looked like it got imprinted on the rugged carpet when someone was dragged over it. I felt fear enter my heart as I imagined my sweet Jasmine been dragged by her hair. I shuddered at the image.

I followed the trail of blood up the stairs. From the periphery of my vision, I could see the wreckage in the living room. I didn't pay it much attention as I anticipated the one I would most definitely see upstairs. I prepared myself for it.

However, nothing could've prepared me for the wreckage I saw inside her room. Her door was broken and hanging from the hinges. There was blood on the floor and everything was misplaced. Her bedsheets were half lying on the floor, soaking up the blood. There was crack on the mirror and blood adorned the place where the crack started. I felt my blood boiling when I realised that bastard might've smashed her head on the mirror.

I rushed out of her room and down the stairs. On the way I called the one person I had decided I would never take help from for obvious reasons. But right now, I needed him. Jasmine needed him.

"Hello?" The gruff voice spoke from the other end.

"Daniel Valentino. I need your help to get my girl back."

Jasmine's POV

A sharp pain ran through my head as I felt myself coming back to senses. My ears were ringing and the back of my head felt heavy. I tried to open my eyes but the light streaming in made it difficult. Slowly I fluttered my eyes open and groaned. My whole body was in pain. I tried to bring my hands to my head when I felt the cold metal on my wrist. I looked at my hands and noticed they were handcuffed to a post on a bed.

That's when I really came back to my senses.

Hunter.

Hunter came back.

He took me.

I looked around myself slowly, careful of the pounding in my head. I was in some sort of basement. It didn't actually looked like something they would show in the movies. The room was fairly clean and decent looking, like any normal basement of a two storey house. The lighting was bright though and it was hurting my eyes. I searched for any signs of escape, as the first instinct of any human in imprisonment. But of course, there were none.

I felt tears brimming up my eyes and a sob racked through my body. Hunter finally got what he wanted. He stripped me off everything I had build up in the last 2 years after he had gone. But now he was back. And he destroyed me. Again.

I cried silently as I realised how stupid and naive I was. How the hell could I have not recognised him? Yeah, he was in disguise but I should've remembered his eyes.

Wait. Even his eyes are different.

Sobs after sobs racked through my body. I was missing my parents. I was missing Violet. Jasper. Andrew.

But most importantly, I was missing Chris.

His face emerged in my mind and I cried harder. I wanted to crawl back into his arms. I wanted him to kiss me and tell me that everything was going to be fine.

But I knew nothing was going to be fine again. At least, not for a long time. Knowing Hunter, he definitely has some tricks up his sleeves which would guarantee my imprisonment for a long time.

Slowly growing tired of crying, I looked around to locate anything to detect the time. There were no clocks. But there was a window and I could see the first rays of sunlight streaming in. At least, that was what I could make up from the position I was on the bed.

How long was I out for?

I heard sudden movements and grew still. There was a distinct sound of keys entering the keyhole, and then the click of a door. I stilled my breath and tried to calm down my racing heart and the ringing in my ears. I had to be prepared for the confrontation I knew was coming.

Heavy footsteps descended down the stairs and a figure turned the corner.

And then my hazel eyes clashed with icy blue ones of the monster responsible for ever misery in my life.

"Hello babydoll."