“She hit her head pretty hard when she fell.”
“The drugs should be out of her system soon.”
“Leave the water on the table, and we'll probably need to get some pain killers.”
The muffle of voices kept breaking through the darkness intermittently. At least I think it was, I had no sense of time and where I remember feeling light enough to float, I had never been so aware of how much of my body weighed. Movement was impossible, my muscles didn’t hold the strength to lift my limbs, my eyelids were made of lead and barely fluttering them open, I was only met by further darkness.
“What the hell did you do?”
I’d know that voice anywhere, yet it was as if my jaw had been strapped shut and it refused to open as I begged my mouth to obey. Jordan; he was here.
Where was here?
“We had a few complications.” Zane.
“Complications that what, made you put her into a coma?” Jordan snaps.
“Settle down Jord, it was a simple tranquilizer. Three times she gave us the slip so we had to make sure she wouldn’t get away again!” Chris defended.
Three times? I had a feeling we were being watched, but I was expecting Selene’s dogs not my own kind. If Jordan was behind this, why didn’t they just tell me? I would have gone with them willingly and saved on all the drama. Being kidnapped wasn’t exactly the best idea they’ve ever had and what about Logan? Was he ok or was he behind it too? If this was all an act to take me to Jordan, they better start running.
Lost in thought, the voices had disappeared and now when I fought to open my eyes, I could. All I am greeted with now is what could easily be the worst hangover I’ve ever had in my life. The room is empty of visitors and it takes me a few attempts to be able to sit up, which is another choice I regret as my head still feels like it is made of stone and about to break my neck. Holding my head up in a bid to stop the room from spinning, I reach out around me and find the bottle of water on the nightstand. I decide against drinking any, not trusting them not to have put anything else in it and attempt to stand. It isn’t as hard as sitting up was and after swaying for a few moments, begin to regain my focus and try to locate the door, which of course is locked.
The next thing I find it the light switch and flicking it on, my suspicions of no window is confirmed and the only furniture is an old bed and simple nightstand. The room is otherwise bare and poorly decorated with grey carpet and white walls. Turning the light off, I move into a corner behind the door and try to think up a plan.
I know Jordan had been here and now I just had to get to him. I slap my cheeks in a bid to wake up and giving in, open the sealed bottle of water and splash some over my face and dare to take a swig, which turns into a gulp and I’ve soon finished the bottle.
“Smart move Ellie,” I mumble, throwing the container to the floor.
Going back to the door, I use my full strength and thankfully the cheap lock is able to be snapped off. Pausing to see if anyone noticed the noise, I slowly open it and peak out. It’s almost like the hotel corridor where Logan had taken me only worse. Paint is peeling off the walls and to my left there are two other doors before a corner. To my right, is a fire escape.
Common sense tells me to go right, but if Jordan was here – somewhere, I had to see him and find out what was going on. Rubbing my shoulder, something moves in my bra and remembering my phone I duck back into the room to pull it out.
The screen doesn’t light up as I touch it as it must have gone flat. Groaning I’m about to put it away again, when I remember turning it off when we left the theatre, paranoid it had been helping everyone to find me. Pressing the button, the startup screen comes to life and after a few horrible minutes it’s on. I quickly flick it to silent as messages from my parents and Logan come pouring in and going into the settings, I hit allow for the GPS location services.
Then I phone Logan.
“Hello?” He asks cautiously.
“Logan, it’s me.”
“Fuck, where are you? Are you alright?”
“Um, yeah. Hungry though and I turned that GPS thing back on. Logan, Jordan was here!”
He pauses and instantly anger takes over. Did he know Jordan was here, was he part of this?
“I don’t think he was Ellie, why would your brother well, why would he kidnap you?” The doubt in his voice calms me down, and I guess I could I have imagined his visit. Sure I was out of it, but it had seemed so real.
“I swear it was him, can you let my parents know I’m ok? I haven’t got much battery left.”
“And you called me? I’m flattered Bunny!” He flirts shamelessly and I want to punch him.
“Please, it’s only because I know you have your stalking gadgets and trying to tell Dad about GPS would take too much time.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” I can hear the smile in his voice and rolling my eyes, I kind of smile too.
“Whatever.”
He makes a kissing sound and I hang up shaking my head, tucking my phone back in its hiding place. Going back out into the hall, it’s still empty of life and cautiously I go left. Spying the air conditioner shaft in the roof, decide to take my chances and go back to the small wooden nightstand. Using that to move the cover, I throw it back into the bedroom and close the door.
My stomach is aching with need for food and as I look up into the darkness of the roof, I have to close my eyes as dizziness washes over me again. “Come on Bunting, you can do this!”
The pep talk doesn’t help, but reaching up I jump and grab the corner – groaning as I managed to pull myself up. I take a moment to lay there, fighting a new wave of exhaustion and slowly start to crawl through the small metal passage. Resisting the urge to cough, the dust is thick and doesn’t help how light headed I already feel. The cover is put back into place and I carry on. Pulling out my phone, I use the light to guide me and soon give up on that idea as it only shows me what I am actually crawling through.
I hate cobwebs.
I hate spiders.
I miss Alfie.
Finding another opening, it looks down onto more old stained red carpet and after going down a dip, I randomly turn right. Closing my eyes I try and feel for something, for anyone or… thing, but I feel completely alone. Needing some fresh air, the next duct has me staring down onto what looks like a dining table and after waiting a few moments, I’m positive it’s free of life. Sliding it open, I jump down with more agility than I thought I would be able to manage at this point in time and looking around, it looks like it could have once been a meeting room.
Going to the window, all I can see is car park and I’m on the ground floor. Well, that’s better than being twenty stories high and going to the door I finally catch the sounds of hushed voices. The bang of a door closing makes me jump and the murmurs turn into words.
“Think we did something wrong if she hasn’t woken up yet?” Chris actually sounded worried and the urge to jump out and punch him grew stronger as he got closer. It was Zane who answered him and closing my eyes, I didn’t sense any other presence with them.
“No, it was a double dose so what do you expect?”
The thuds of their footsteps went by the door and stopped a few seconds after they passed me. instinctively I held my breath.
“Feel that?” Zane spoke softly, and the footsteps approached the door again. “I think someone is awake.”
Shit!
“Come on, let’s go check!” Chris snapped, and they took off at a run.
Waiting a few seconds, I opened the door and looked around before I headed the way they had just come from. There was nothing to give away what I was actually in. I had thought an abandoned hotel, yet leaving the corridor the room opened in old office cubicles. Cheap paneling fell over desks and judging by the dust layered all over the surfaces, it had been this way for a while. Across the room a light flickered, a sign the globe was due to burst soon and spying the door behind it figured that was where they had just come in from. My legs felt like jelly as I ran down the aisle towards the door, and as the shadow appeared on the other side of the frosted glass I froze, nearly tripping over a broken chair.
The door swung open and I fell to my knees, crawling under a table as the feminine voice called out. “CJ! Get your ass out here, I can’t carry all of this!”
The smell of food took seconds to hit my senses and if she didn’t hear my stomach growling it would be a miracle. I hugged my knees up tightly against my chest, hoping the chair blocked me from view and that no one would walk by.
“Jodie, forget the food! She’s gone!” Chris’s voice echoed down the corridor and the sound of paper bags rustling followed with a thud and footsteps, told me Jodie knew what that meant.
“How? It’s all locked up apart from the front door!”
I mentally thanked Jodie for sharing that tiny piece of information and the building seemed to shake as the doors were all being broken open.
“I knew I sensed something in here, look at that! She must be in the roof!” Zane growled.
“Elise, we know you’re out here – just come down now and we can talk!” Chris called out.
How stupid does he think I am?
“I’m smallest, want me to go up?” Jodie offered and all their voices lowered so I struggled to hear.
Taking that as my sign to go, I crept out and keeping low stopped by the food. Boxes of Chinese takeaway greeted me and grabbing one, I didn’t care what was in it. Spying the keys by the tray, I picked them up too. Slowly I opened the front door, barely enough to slip through and held it as it closed to avoid any additional noise. Looking around outside, more abandoned looking buildings lined the street and I didn’t recognize anything that surrounded me. The black hummer they had arrived at Logan’s in sat alone in front of the door.
Bingo.
Twirling the keys around my finger, I went to the driver’s door and quickly climbed in. The problem with that was, the car key didn’t fit. Groaning I rested my head on the steering wheel and when I sat back up, Zane stood in the doorway glaring at me.
“Oh come on!” I scream, locking the door as he walked around towards me. Looking around, there was nothing apart from empty Coke bottles and rubbish.
“Get out!” He called through the glass.
“Fuck off!”
Zane walked back to the front door, opening it he called for Chris and Jodie who soon appeared. All three stood in front of the car, talking amongst themselves and as Chris pulled out the keys I needed and as the car unlocked, I quickly pushed the lock button back down and kept my finger on it. Every time he tried to press it the electronics groaned, the strange hum sound telling me I had bought myself a few minutes. Popping open the box, I used my free hand to shove noodles into my mouth while my eyes didn’t leave the trio. From what I was observing, Jodie didn’t seem to like Zane much either and I think she was with Chris. She was also a Tracker, so I had the pleasure of dealing with a complete set.
My finger started to ache and the second of relief on the button had the locks popping open. I quickly pressed it back down and Chris came over to slap his against the window. “Come on Ellie, I’m sorry about the whole knocking you out thing!”
“Hey CJ, guess what?”
“What?” He asked cautiously.
I stuck up my middle finger at him and shoved another mouthful of food in.
“Still classy Ellie?”
I only smile, making sure to keep the food visible as I chew and once I’ve swallowed it down, point to the keys in his hand. “I need those.”
“Come get ‘em then!”
“If I do, your girlfriend is going to be missing a certain part of you.”
He only laughs and spying the metal tip under the passenger’s seat, reach over and pull out a crow bar. This time when he unlocks the door, I let it open and holding the handle, wait as he cautiously goes to open it and I keep the rod at my side. “Can we call a truce Elle?”
I only glare, turning in the seat slightly as the click of the door opening sounds and grabbing the groove of the door and handle, let him open it slightly before pulling it shut. As soon as he goes to open it again, I shove it open, hitting his face with the window and he lets go, stumbling backwards. Grabbing the pole, I kick the door open and stand beside it with my only weapon raised.
Chris is rubbing his nose, a river of curse words erupting from him as Zane and Jodie leave their place to come over.
“Give me the keys.” I demand.
“We’re trying to help you!” Jodie screams, going to Chris’s side she checks over his face.
“I can tell.”
“Easy or hard way Hunter?” Zane growls, pushing the duo out of the way as he squares up in front of me.
“Don’t mean the cheats way or the…” I don’t get to finish as he charges in a bid to tackle me down. I swing the bar like a baseball bat and while he manages to defend his head, he grunts as his arm takes the brunt of the hit – and I wasn’t holding back. Swinging again, I get him under the ribs and with a kick manage to make him stumble backwards. This guy is like a tank and backing off, he rolls his neck and cracks his knuckles.
“Hard way then?” He mocks, and before I know it, I feel like I am literally fighting for my life. Somehow I keep hold of the bar and I’m positive killing vampires is easier than going against this guy. Chris joins in and with two, no three against one I don’t like my odds. I am trying to keep my moves guarded, focusing more on defense than attack now. The Chinese is only giving me heartburn and dizziness keeps me from being able to carry on. Jodie manages to get hold of the crowbar and throws it across the car park and Zane finally gets his chance to knock me down.
“I think that was more the cheats way again – three against one? You’re fucking weak and pathetic.” I throw at him while gasping for air. My head is pounding and all I can hear is the blood racing through my system thanks to my frantic heartbeat.
“You could’ve just got out of the car!” Chris helps me up, pushing Zane away. The second I’m standing I manage to throw one final punch and his nose is suddenly acting as a fountain for blood. “Fuck! Come on Elise!”
Zane grabs my arms and roughly pulls them behind my back. Unwillingly my knees buckle and as I fall, he manages to hold me up. “Oh so chivalry isn’t dead then?”
“Shut up! Can we gag her?” Zane almost begs Chris who only shakes his head and pinching the bridge of his nose, he walks back inside with head titled backwards and Jodie hurries after him.
“So they’re together and you’re the hired muscle?” I stop struggling against him and instead turn dead weight, forcing him to half drag half carry me in behind them.
“That’s my sister and he’s her boyfriend.” He growls, not one for conversation.
“But you’re…”
“I know.”
“How?” She is a Tracker, he is a Slayer. That doesn’t make any sense.
“Half-sister.”
I’ve found a sore spot and keep poking.
“Oh so was it Mummy or Daddy who…” He yanks my arms further back and I can’t stop from my crying out as pain tears across my chest and into my shoulder blades. “Asshole!”
“Shut up or I’ll make you.” He growls into my ear and as we get inside, he throws me roughly to the table where the food still sits uneaten. “No wonder your brother fucked off!”
“Jordan, was he here?”
He smirks, knowing he found my own sensitve subject and locks the door before walking back to where the meeting room is.
“Hey asshole, I’m talking to you!” I go to chase after him, but the dizziness finally wins and I half faint, half stumble and either way end up face planting into the dirty old carpet.
“Sorry, can’t hear you!” He calls out and I can hear him mumbling to Jodie. She doesn’t keep as quiet as him, but stays low enough that I can’t hear her.
Looking back at the food, I get up and opening up all the boxes, help myself. Seeing more water, I gulp down some of those and the packet of painkillers in the other bag is my next victim.
“Hungry?” Chris walks back over and looks over the half eaten boxes with a frown. His nose has stopped bleeding and a purple bruise is slowly starting to appear under his eyes.
“CJ, why are you doing this?”
"To keep you safe until we can work out what is going on," he shrugged, "Look, I ran into Jordan last month. He had a feeling something big was going down, but hadn't worked it out yet. I was asked to go and speak to your Dad. He knew you guys had moved to where he had last been and wanted you all to leave. Instead I got stuck dealing with a bunch of really fucked up ancient demons and when i did find you guys, well I found you in a bar fight at that place near Huntingtons."
"Did Jordan come here? Like since you've had me?" My heart started to pound against my chest in anticipation for his answer while a part of me felt like it was breaking.
"Yes."
I covered my mouth, trying to hold back my sob as my tears couldn't be stopped finally managing to speak again. The look of pity from Chris helped to sober me up. "Why did he go?"
"He said being together was a bad idea. It's better people think you are missing since the last place he was at got raided and he just managed to escape, do you have any idea about whats going on?"
Chris moved closer, reaching to try and hug me only I shoved him away. Zane and Jodie finally rejoined the group and I wasn't in the mood to share anything. I didn't trust him or them.
"She does, you can see it all over her face. Just like her fear." Zane taunted as he reached over to get some of the now cold food. Seeing a few bruises on his bare arms and cheek made me feel better and seeing me looking at what damage i caused, he only glared in response.
"As if I am going to tell you!" I snap.
"Come on Ellie, work with us here. We want to help!" Chris begged, trying again to reach out to me. Jodie only nodded, going to his side and Chris instantly put his arm over her shoulders. Zane only rolled his eyes at the affection making me smile.
"Then you should have told me that from the start!" I answer coldly and grabbing another bottle of water, I walk back towards the room I had tried to escape from. To my horror it's Zane who follows me.
"Look, I don't really like you..." He starts.
"Cause our little rumble in the carpark was just for kicks and giggles?"
"I really don't like you, but I got a call from a friend of mine. Something you said got him thinking so when he disappeared and well, died - I thought I'd look into it a little more. Instead I end up saving CJ's ass in a demon fight and reconnecting with my sister, which then all leads to you."
"Are we bonding right now? Because I don't like you either and this is going swell!" I roll my eyes and keep walking.
"Why do I have a feeling you know what did happen to Reece?" He calls out and as I stop and turn back to him, he smirks knowingly. "Enough games Bunting, tell us what you know!"
"I know your pal Reece is in hospital fighting to stay alive after the vamps who took him, beat the shit out of him, killed that chick Yanti and then pumped him full of vamp blood, which led to him being dumped in my front yard!" Pointing my finger at him I keep going, not hesitating in raising my voice so everyone can hear. "What I know is my brother didnt even have the decency to wait for me to wake up after i've spent the last month looking for him and getting more involved in this shit than I ever wanted to be. What I know is I don't like or trust you and I sure as hell don't trust CJ or Jodie - who may I add, no one has actually introduced me to! So fuck your games, fuck you and fuck all this bullshit!"
For a second, he is speechless and as I storm off I realise i have no idea where 'my room' actually is. Did I turn or right or left and just how far did I crawl?
Zane comes running after me, and it takes him seconds to realise I am lost. "I dont really like your brother either, but I guess he has his reasons. Tell us what you know... please. I don't particullarly like risking my ass for some little bitchy princess who apparently has all the potential to be one of the greatest Hunters on record, more so than her name suggests."
"You're being nice, too nice and it doesn't suit you. Haven't you heard? I'm the Hunter who doesn't give a damn about all of this. I couldn't care less what happens!" I snap back, unimpressed at his brown nosing attempt.
"That's not what I've heard at all and just like me - if you didn't care, you wouldn't be here. End of the corridor, turn left and I'm sure you'll find it because someone broke the door handle." He turns and goes back to the others, leaving me standing there fuming.
"I'm here because you idiots made me!" Yet the worst part about what he just said is he is right; I do care.
"Wait!"
Running around the corner, he is standing there expectantly and Jodie and Chris appear at the end of the hall. I wait for them to get closer before speaking.
"The werewolves are wanting to bring back some Lord Alpha thing and to do that they need Alistairs descendants as we're the ones who killed him." I blurt out quickly.
"Thats why Jordan said it's best if everyone thinks you really have disappeared. Even if they get him and your Dad - it wont work because you're still alive." Chris rubs the back of his neck thoughtfully and Jodie nods.
"And why he didn't stay. Just because he got away, doesn't mean they still aren't following him!" She ads to the discussion.
"So? We've been thinking he's been killed and he couldn't even give me five minutes to see he was ok?" I argue, feeling more and more betrayed by my brother.
"No he couldn't. The same thing applies. If he is MIA and you're captured with your Dad - he is what will stop them from doing it!" Chris thinks he is on a roll, but really he is just stating the obvious.
It's then my bra starts ringing. In the fight, the volume control must've been moved and the trio all look at me as if I have three heads. "Hold that thought!"
I pull out my phone to see Logan's name flashing up and cringing I go to answer, when instead Zane knocks my phone from my hands and smashes it with the heel of his boot.
"HEY!" I rush to stop him only to have Chris intercept me.
"No phones!" He argues, and all he gets in response is my knee against his groin with the same kind of force Zane just applied to my phone. He topples over in seconds and Zane only shakes his head.
"I really don't know what Reece saw in you," He mutters, and now I want to know what he knows about Reece and I and what information Reece had been feeding him.
"You have anger issues!" Jodie hisses at me, tending to her boyfriend.
"Please, we grew up together - he can handle it can't you CJ?" I ask sweetly, smiling over at him innocently. He says nothing and once again I'm alone in the corridor with the sad remains of my phone. WIth a frustrated sigh, I go to 'my room' and regret not bringing Alfie. He would have had them all sorted within seconds and getting comfortable on the bed, what remains of the drugs in my system has me back asleep before I fully close my eyes
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Hey guys, i'm going to leave it here. I'm going away for a few days and won't be able to do anymore until next week. Thanks for reading/commenting/voting - ER xx