You know what? Just cos you guys are amazing readers, commenters and voters, I'll give you an update any way! Plus I left you on quite the cliffhanger...
Here ya go!!
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We dashed through the corridors, dodging other people running in the opposite direction, guards, servants and knights. After a while, the guard leading me threw his helmet to the ground, flicking his hair of the sweat that was drenching his head. He turned his head to look behind us for a second, allowing me to see who my tight-lipped 'saviour' was.
Bjorn?
"Why aren't you helping with the war?" I called to him, over the shouts of the panicked people rushing past us,
"I was told to stay back here and watch you whilst His Majesty is away. Something about him thinking I was 'trustworthy'."
"You wouldn't protect me if your life depended on it." I scoffed,
"I care about you more than you realise. I'll always protect you." He muttered, making it difficult for me to hear, but I just about understood him.
His vice-like grip was turning my wrist red and raw as he yanked me around winding corners as he poked his head into different rooms as we passed, checking to see which ones were safe or empty. I kept stumbling as his speed kept increasing everytime another guard rushed past, each time with a different weapon. Some held swords, others nets, others restraining demonic dogs, snarling and snapping with glowing red eyes and curved elongated teeth.
We quickly ran down the stairs in the foyer, now crawling with guards and dogs alike, all looking in all the doors along the walls. I was deafened by the noise of howling and growling dogs, as well as the masculine shouts of the Dark Angels after checking each room for the boys. I was pulled around a corner at the bottom of the stairs, and thrown into what looked like a store cupboard. Lovely.
"Stay here until one of us comes to get you. And if you leave, I can't guarantee you won't be mistaken as one of them." He warned, closing the door violently, blocking out the cachophony of noise coming from outside it.
Well I know one thing for certain. I'm not staying in here. The only thing I need to figure out now is how to get out undetected, find the boys and not get killed by them, and get out. Should be fun. It can't be that difficult to avoid everyone though, since most of Erebus' forces should be away fighting the vampires. However, there are still enough to fill the castle.
I waited until the hallway outside was seemingly quiet, before opening it a crack to have a look for anyone around. The muffled sound I heard in the distance implied that all the action had moved over to the west wing, meaning I, in the east wing, was safe.
I hastily opened the door the rest of the way before rushing down the corridor in the opposite direction to where I heard the same shouts and barks of the search parties.
As I ran down the vacant hallways, looking behind me for any sign of danger, I ran into someone. Fearing the worst, I screamed and tried to scramble away quickly before a soft, but shaky voice spoke,
"It's okay, madam! It's only me!"
I looked up to find Miss Mason holding a hand out to me, looking around worriedly. I took her hand and stood up, brushing myself off as she began to speak,
"You shouldn't be here!" She warned, holding me at arms length, "Those vampires'll tear you to pieces if they find you!"
"I know. I have to find a way to get them back to normal, before we escape." I told her, making her features become even more concerned.
"You can't escape!" She tightened her grip on my shoulders, "Especially not now, with guards and vampires out to get you!"
"I'd rather die trying to escape than live here as a slave." I spoke solemnly,
"I can't persuade you otherwise can I?" She sighed as she released me, her arms dropping to her sides,
I shook my head, before taking one of her hands and looking into her eyes,
"I'm sorry, but I need to go." I said, before smiling as much as could, "Get somewhere safe, I'll come back for you when I can."
"No need for that, madam." She spoke quietly, "My place is here, and I wish to stay here."
I thought I could try and convince her to come with us, but then realised that this conversation is just going to go around in circles, and that's not going to help either of us. I simply smiled reassuringly, before hugging her.
"Good luck." I whispered as I backed away, before waving goodbye and continuing past her.
---
I carefully moved around the castle, avoiding where the wardons were patrolling the halls. Unfortunately, I had also seemingly managed to avoid where Harry was, missing any sign of him if there even was any.
The constant rumbling of the shouts of the search parties suddenly stopped, making me wonder if they had found them. My heart dropped as I desperately listening out for any sign that they were still searching, that Harry was safe. When I heard nothing, I dropped to my knees in defeat, burying my face in my shaking hands as my mind clouded with nothing but fear, and utter sadness.
It was then that had entirely given up. My body seemed to shut down as I let out a long, shaky breath. I sat quietly, seemingly too sad to even make any kind of sound. I didn't know that a broken heart was a physical feeling until that moment, when it felt as if my heart was literally being crushed.
My head shot up again when I heard a guttural roar thundering down the corridor, followed by the sound of metal crashing together, desperate whines of pained dogs, and choked shouts of angels being crushed under some great weight. Soon all was silent again. I took a few deep breaths and wiped my face of my tears, before staggering to my feet. I straightened out my clothes, beginning to walk towards where the fighting was happening.
I walked as carefully and quietly as I could, trying to avoid the wrong kind of attention. As I approached a corner, I heard something of the other side. I stopped harshly, leaning against the wall and waiting for whatever it was to reveal itself. I stopped my breathing so I could listen to the rough breaths of the creature, stalking the shadows nearby. I tensed when I heard it taking a deep breath in, sniffing the air deeply before letting out a malevolent chuckle. The distinct shuffling of shoes moving across carpet echoed down to me, joined with the harsh exhalation of the predator.
I made the decision to run. A horrible decision really.
As I made my frantic getaway, I heard a devilish snarl and the same frightening rush of footsteps as it made chase. No matter how many corners I turned, I couldn't evade the imminent danger growing ever closer. I rounded a corner to find the room the same room I had been shut in a while ago, as I watched Erebus and his armies crawl over the horizon.
I rushed in before swinging around to close the door swiftly behind me. It became eerily silent as I waited for something to try to break it, and when it didn't come, it made me panic more than if it had. I backed away from the door, still facing the door as I mentally prayed for it to hold firm.
My heart stopped when I felt hot breath running down my neck, and a grating growl that rung in my ears. I flicked around, looking into those soulless, hungry eyes.
His jeans were covered in patches of blood, occasional tears were situated around the material. His nails were elongated into claws, with blood underneath them, as well as all over his hands. Gashes spread across his arms, drying as they quickly sealed up to leave his skin whole once again. His shirt had a large, smooth rip down the middle, the fissures edge being covered in blood. The tear was in such a shape that it looked as though it had been produced by a knife of some description. There was a pulsating vein in his neck, that led up to his jaw. My eyes moved up to his face.
His face wore a devilish smirk, showing off four extended canines, two protruding from the top, two from the bottom. He ran his tongue over his top row of teeth, as my gaze moved to his eyes. They showed the same desire for a meal as they had the time I saw him in the dungeon, the same threatening glow of the hunter I had met all that time ago, when he had followed me to my house.
I shrunk back towards the wall, cowering in fear as he moved towards me. I turned around desperately for any sign of an escape when my back hit the wall. He stood directly in front of me, hands either side of my head, deeply inhaling my scent as he dug his face into my neck. I felt a piercing pain in my neck before the life force began to drain from me, leaving my legs to shake.
I gasped as he was ripped from me, a black blur standing in front of me in a threatening stance. Harry let out an infuriated roar, as he lunged for the figure in front of me. I couldn't see much of what was happening since my head was spinning from the blood loss. I heard a crunch, and when I looked up I found my vision had been restored to a level where I could make out his face. Bjorn, sorrowful and worried, turned to me, blood seeping down from his forehead. He tried to say something, before he was cut short.
He winced and groaned in pain as Harry lunged for his throat, digging his fangs deep into his neck and ripping a large chunk out, blood pouring out. He fell to his knees as his wings moved with difficultly, struggling to retain any power he had left. The colour drained from his face as he looked up one last time.
"Told you I'd always protect you." He laughed dryly, before he slumped to the ground, lifeless.
I still regret that decision I made to run from the danger I found in the corridor.
After all, I didn't know it was going to end in the death of a friend.
~*~