"Finn!" I screamed.
He's safe. He's safe. He's safe. My mind kept repeating that over and over. But was he?
"Hey, Santana." He grinned at me.
I thought he was a prisoner! Why is he acting all buddy-buddy with the hunters?
"What are you doing?" I asked still confused.
"What are you doing?" He raised an eyebrow. "You should have told us you were coming." He stated as if this was a social visit.
"Yes, you really should have, sweetheart." Dad put in. "But if she had none of this entertainment would have happened." He added with a smirk.
I just stared at them eyes wide, my brain refusing to understand what was happening right now. Had Finn joined the hunters? Is that what was happening? Was I being played right now? Anger was slowly rising in me as I gazed at dad's smug smirk and Finn's equally satisfied look.
Cedric's pained grunt reminded me that he was still there. But it also reminded Dad.
"Oh, get rid of that mess." He said waving his hand as if he could smell something foul. Did he mean kill??
Three hunters started threateningly towards him.
"No!" I screamed pushing my hands out in their direction and they flew back and fell to the ground. I didn't know I could do that!
I ran and knelt by his side. Black stuff was oozing from his wound to the ground and I could tell that he was loosing strength. He opened his eyes when I stroked his hair and he smiled weakly.
"Looks like someone has learnt a few impressive tricks." Lucas remarked. "But you know I can't keep the wolf here."
"Then let him go home!" My eyes implored the man who used to be my hero but had turned into a scary stranger.
"Are you out of your mind? You think I'll let him run to Master Gabriel?" He snapped at me.
"Are you out of your mind? He needs treatment! What did you do to him?" I asked .
"Wolf's bane, sweetheart. Poisons the ugly creatures." Dad said with a disgusted frown. "He doesn't have much time left. The dose they gave him will kill him."
I gasped at his nonchalant tone. Did he not care about killing another creature? When exactly had he become this heartless?
"So there's no point keeping him alive, honey. He's dying slowly but surely." He continued his tone persuasive as if he was trying to convince me to kill my friend.
I frowned at him. All thoughts of giving him the benefit of the doubt were gone. He was the enemy there was no doubt about it.
I watched him take a gun from his pocket.
"No!" I stood up from the ground. "You are not killing him." I stated firmly.
He laughed lightly. "Oh no, I'm not." I breathed lightly in relief which was short-lived because what he did next was more horrifying. "But he will." Dad turned to Finn and handed him the gun.
Noooo! At that moment I knew I hated my father and the was the last time I was ever going to call him father.
"You can't turn Finn into a killer!" I yelled angrily pointing at him.
"Watch me, darling. He's my son and he will do as I say." He said firmly.
"You are a monster." I bit out watching as Finn toyed with the gun in his hands.
Lucas smirked. "So I have been told. Do it." He commanded Finn.
Finn moved slowly into the circle towards us looking uncertain.
"Finn..." I said softly trying to meet his eyes. "This isn't you. You are not a murderer." I said to him adopting the same persuasive tone Lucas had once used on me.
"I'm going to kill Cedric." Finn said as if he was trying to convince himself.
"No you are not. He's your friend and you are not a killer, Finn. Just stop." I whispered as he came closer.
"Do it." Lucas started following Finn into the circle.
I shook my head at Finn as he came at a halt a few feet from where I stood shielding Cedric.
"I have to." Finn whispered.
"What are you waiting for? Do it!" Lucas yelled he was now standing right behind Finn.
"You will have to kill me first because I will deflect those bullets until my last breath!" I said holding out my hands in front of me preparing to fight my own brother.
Lucas said nothing to stop Finn who was slowly raising his hand and pointing the gun at Cedric. His eyes rose and met mine and held. On many levels Finn was my best friend and I was his but at this point none of it meant anything because my own father had turned against me. How far was Finn willing to go? Would he really pull the trigger? As our stare down lengthened, he seemed to strengthen his resolve and I saw his grip on the gun tighten.
I was ready to deflect.
But the bullet never came.
Finn sighed as he lowered the gun. "We can't kill, Santana." He said turning to Lucas.
Lucas in turn gave Finn a long stern stare then he finally nodded. "You are right. But what about the extra. He has to go."
"Why don't we just let the wolves bane finish it's job? He doesn't look like he could survive a full day." Finn said glancing back at Cedric.
"Fine! But if he's not dead by nightfall today, I'm killing you first." Lucas conceded.
I finally let out a sigh of relief. Even barely conscious Cedric groaned in relief.
"Everyone go back to your posts!" One of the hunters yelled after Lucas gave him a little wave.
Everyone started dispersing.
"What are you going to do with us?" I asked once again kneeling by Cedric.
"You broke into my home and caused alot of disruption and now I'm going to have to kill the two incompetent guards who you tranquilized." Lucas counted my 'crimes' as he paced slowly up and down. "I think you have earned a bit punishment."
"Do your worst, jerkface." I spat.
"Oh, you don't want that." He laughed evilly. "You are grounded though."
"What?"
"Take them to the tunnels and take everything they have." He waved at the four hunters who had remained behind.
"Tunnels?" I asked as I tried to shrug out of the big hunter's grip.
* * *
The tunnels as it turned out were underground old sewage pipes that had been turned into prison cells. They looked like they had been cleaned but the stench still lingered, I thought scratching my nose as soon as I was tossed in my cell. Cedric was half dragged half carried to the cell next to mine. Luckily the cells were only separated by bars. They roughly threw him on the dinghy mattress in the corner of him cell.
"Hey, be carefully with him! Precious cargo over there, buddy!" I snapped at the big hunter who smirked in response before he locked Cedric's cell and walked away.
All alone now, I plastered myself against the bars separating Ced and myself.
"Cedric." I called to him.
He didn't stir.
"Cedric!" I raised my voice and he groaned.
"D...do' m..ma...make so mush n...noise..." He stammered and panted between each syllable.
I felt tears sting my eyes. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm I...in such a black mood." He coughed.
He was trying to make jokes now? "Ced..."
"D...do' wor...ry I'm tryin' to cage it in." He made another feeble attempt at humor.
"Wow, does the wolves bane affect your sense of humor too?" I joked back even though that was the last thing I wanted to do. But I guess it was important to stay positive for Cedric's sake.
He tried to laugh but it came out as a cough. "Maybe it does." He whispered.
I smiled weakly. "I think we walked into a trap." I said sadly. It seemed obvious that Lucas knew we were coming and they had prepared a little entertainment for themselves.
"They knew we were coming..." Cedric coughed some more then sighed heavily. "S..Santana, Finn..."
I sighed feeling tears gathering in my eyes. "I know. I had not seen this coming. Do you think he's part of the hunters now?" I asked in a small voice.
"It sure looks like it." Cedric replied. "It seems like he's in training." He added.
I sniffed. I couldn't believe Finn had joined Da-Lucas, I quickly corrected myself. I didn't want to have any soft feeling towards that murderer. And now he was trying to turn Finn into a hunter. I'd be damned if I let him.
"I will fix it." I whispered. "We came here to get Finn and we are leaving here with Finn." I said firmly.
Cedric groaned in pain. "Ma...maybe it will just be th...the two of you. " he was panting.
"No, Cedric! You will be leaving with us. You are going to be fine." I told him wishing I was close to him. Honestly I wasn't sure he was going to make it because he had almost no strength left.
"Tell that to the poison spreading in my body." He whispered back then started going through series of pain spasms. He groaned and moaned crutching his side.
I watched helplessly as Cedric twisted and turned on the mattress in obvious pain. I was crying too, I couldn't bear to see him like this. How can I help?! I thought in frustration.
'Guardians are said to have healing hands...' I suddenly remembered Gabriel saying this to me after I had hurt my feet with weights during our first training. I glanced up at Cedric, he was too far away I couldn't reach him. What do I do?
"I'm a Guardian. I'm a Guardian. I can't let Cedric die on my watch." I muttered to myself under my breath.
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and I stretched my hands through the bars towards Cedric's mattress. Using all the concentration I could muster, I mind controlled the mattress up then opened my eyes to check if if it was up.
It wasn't. Instead it was shaking all over the floor. This was much harder because there was a person sleeping on it but I was determined.
I tried again keeping my eyes open this time.
Up. The mattress rose shakily from the ground then it started drifting slowly towards me. It was taking all my strength and concentration to keep it afloat. I was also trying to make sure it was comfortable for Cedric. After much effort it reached my outstretched arms and as I was withdrawing them into my own cell, the mattress became lined against the bars.
I let it drop to the floor and it landed with a thud. Cedric groaned.
As soon as the connection was broken I fell to the floor panting hard, sweating and my head was pounding but it didn't matter. I had done it! I brought him closer!
I scrambled over to him and put my hands through the bars and put my hand over his black bullet wound. How do I do this?
I had no idea.
I closed my eyes then I linked my mind with his and tried to get myself consumed by his senses. He was so troubled, I felt. He definitely thought this was going to be the end of his life. I could feel so much despair in-
A sudden excruciating pain hit me on every pore of my body and I screamed. Every single pore on my body was on fire that kept radiating in waves. I screamed again then I let go of Cedric and fell back into my cell. The pain stopped immediately.
I opened my eyes but all i could see was darkness and panic bellowed inside me. "Oh no no no..." I whispered as I lay there panting. "Don't panic. Don't panic." I kept saying over and over until the darkness started clearing and I could see again.
"Santana?" Cedric's concerned voice came up.
I scrambled to my knees ignoring the wave of dizziness. "Hey." I whispered putting my arms through the bars again. "Did it work?"
Ced was laying raised from the mattress by his elbows. He looked better. Not great but better.
"What happened?" He asked looking confused. "How did I...?" He frowned looking at the original position of his mattress.
"I pulled you here and I think I might have taken some of your pain? I'm not sure. How are you feeling?" I asked anxiously.
"I'm so much better. I can still feel the pain but its bearable." He said. "But I think the poison is still spreading."
"How can we stop it?" I asked.
"There's plenty of antidote back at our base. We just have to try get out of here." He gazed into my eyes. "Thank you."
Tears stung my eyes. "Im sorry I dragged you here, Ced."
"I invited myself, remember?" He smiled lightly. "We will get out of here."
"Let me tie something around your wound." I said slipping off my jacket then I tore off the sleeves. I then busied myself with making a sorta bandage for Cedric and tying it around him. My hands were all black when I was done so I wiped them on the remainder of my jacket.
"Thanks." Ced mumbled.
"Gabriel is going to kill me." I whispered sliding into a cross-legged position on the dirty floor. "I bet by now he knows what we did."
"Yeah, he knows but don't worry he won't kill you." Cedric said laying back on the mattress.
I was sure he would never want to see me again. I had promised him I wouldn't do this yet here I was in trouble. "Oh he will kill me but it will be worth it."
Cedric opened his mouth to say something but stopped when we heard footsteps. A buff hunter appeared at the entrance of my cell then unlocked it.
"Your father wants to see you." He announced.
"Tell him that he can suck it!" I spat and mind controlled the cell gate to shut in his face.
Cedric sniggered.
"He said you would say that but he allowed me to use force if I have to. I really don't want to use force so come quietly." The hunter said reopening the gate.
I slowly stood up and faced him. "Go and tell him that he should send down an antidote for my friend here then I'll come and talk to him." I stated boldly placing my hands on my hips.
The hunter sighed. "Miss Marino, Brute can keep you down here until you beg to see him. Before he withdraws his offer, I advice you to take it." He said to me walking slowly towards me.
I glanced at Cedric who stared back at me. Suddenly the hunter grabbed me by my legs and threw me over his shoulder.
I screamed. "Put me down you, jerk!" I struggled.
He only tightened his hold on me as he stalked out of the cell and headed up stairs. I didn't stop screaming and kicking and sketching as he carried me through the corridors. Noone even looked my direction as we passed doors and rooms. I guess this was a usual phenomenon.
We finally entered a large office and the big guy deposited me on the floor like a sack of potatoes. I grunted angrily and scrambled to my feet but by the time I got up, he was already out of the office locking the door behind him.
I looked around and I was completely alone to simmer in my anger.
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Hey!
I'm so excited coz there's just a few more chapters left! Can't wait to see how Santana gets out of her horrible father's grip.
Don't forget to vote and comment♥