The Hunters Saga #3: The Hawthorn Pearl

Chapter 18: Ultimatum

A/N: Chapter 18, woo! Finally here ;) Happy Memorial Day ^_^ Hope everyone enjoys this chapter - or at least is satisfied :P Not much happens...okay, don't take my word for it XP Read on, and enjoy <3

Chapter 18: Ultimatum

   Time seemed to drag on in that cell. I had no way of knowing how long I had until the trial. I dreaded it. My eyes opened after a long period of darkness and silence, my head forward with my eyes downcast. My nostrils flared and I growled. The bloody rag was still on the floor, endlessly taunting me. The mere smell of it was pure torture, and half of me wanted to never see it again, but the blood lusting half of me wanted to find the owner of the blood and... My thoughts stopped when I realized what I was thinking.

   God, I was desperate.

   My fists clenched and relaxed. I had to get out of here... but how? I had no one I trusted on the outside that could help me out here. I was in this damn cell because of something I couldn't remember doing, thanks to Gabriel's mind-erasing.

   Damn it, I was so screwed!

   Something jogged my blurry memories, but it was Henri that I thought of. He probably still thought that I hated him. To be honest, I still had no idea how I truly felt about him. I'd told Ethan that I loved the vampire, but did I really? Not with my altered memory of my sire. I knew it wasn't true, but I still felt leery. And if what Kira had said about his upcoming execution was accurate, then I knew I had to do something. Fast.

   I let out a quiet sigh. No one – apart from Gabriel, of course – knew what had happened to me in that cemetery. Great. It would be doubtful if Kira or any of the others could locate me. If they did, then I hoped they'd at least be careful.

   The soft sound of feet shuffling broke me from my thoughts. Right, there was a guard just outside of my cell. A hunter, no doubt. My first instinct was to get blood from the nearest source, but the silver wrapped securely around my wrists mercilessly reminded me of my limitations.

   Damn it!

   Couldn't I compel the guard? No... It wouldn't work with merely my voice. I'd need eye contact, and that was impossible in this situation.

   Still...it was worth a try.

   Before I could speak out, however, there was a loud bang, then a strangled cry followed. Blood flowed, I could smell it. Damn it...

   I panted with effort as the cries turned to whimpers, then nothing. I grunted under the strain of my binding. What the Hell just happened?!

   Suddenly, the door to the cell creaked open, and power cascaded over me in overwhelming waves. Power... It suffocated me.

   Master vampires will do that to you...

   Oh, yes, that's right. My uncle stood in the dimly lit doorway, his pale face clearly triumphant.

   Shit.

   If he was here, that meant...

   Robert Drake gave me a gentle smile as I struggled to avoid his nearing touch. I still hadn't found my voice yet, it seemed. I didn't want him near me. Sharp hunger and pain caused my body to go limp. I couldn't decipher the look in my uncle's dark eyes, but it had to be bad.

   As I struggled to speak, I realized that Robert was quietly standing there, not making a move to help me. What, did he really expect me to thank him for coming to the rescue? According to the absolute pain in my wrists, I wasn't out of the water yet.