Chapter Six Hunter and Hunted

Chapter Six

Hunter and Hunted

 

 

Aly

 

I was startled awake late that night by the sound of a phone ringing. I slipped silently out of bed and walked out to the other room where Mark and Michael were. the other bed had been moved into the bedroom so that Kat and I could have the bedroom and they guys would sleep in the other room.

Mark looked up as I entered. “Sorry,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s fine,” I answered. “I wasn’t really asleep anyway. I’m just curious why a cell phone was going off at three in the morning and in the middle of nowhere.”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “My phone’s pretty much dead, I couldn’t even answer it. It never even finished ringing.”

“Hm.” I looked at his phone and smiled, it was the same as mine. “I have the charger for mine. My phone is exactly like yours.” I hurried back to the bedroom and grabbed the charger off the nightstand. I’d use it myself, but I lost my phone somewhere along the way. I didn’t figure I was ever going to see it again.

“Here,” I said as I re-entered the other room. “I don’t have a use for it anymore anyway.”

“Why not?”

“I lost my…” I trailed off, realizing that I had my parent’s numbers and my home phone number on my cell. I also had Mark’s home and cell numbers on that phone. If anyone found it… My parents were in serious trouble! And so were we.

“You what?” Mark demanded, suddenly looking anxious.

“I lost my phone somewhere along the way,” I said, my eyes filling with tears.

Michael sat bolt upright, scaring me. “You lost it?!” he shouted at me. “You realize everyone you ever talked to on that phone is in danger now, right?” He was so angry, it only made me feel so much worse about it. The tears started to run down my face as I stood there. I could have just signed the death warrants of everyone I ever cared about. I probably had.

“Michael, calm down. We’ll figure this out. She’s upset enough as it is,” Mark said quickly, trying to prevent a fight.

“Who’s numbers do you have on there?” Michael demanded.

I struggled to think through the panic. To figure out whose numbers I even had. “Um, my mom’s, my dad’s, a couple of friends from New York… I don’t think I have anyone else listed… wait, only my mom and dad. My friends changed their numbers and I haven’t had the chance to add the new numbers. And I have Mark’s number. Home and cell.”

Mark nodded. “That’s not too bad,” he said calmly.

“Not too bad?!” I shrieked. “They’re my parents! How can you say it’s not too bad?”

He reached toward me.

“No!” I jerked back from him.

“Aly, please, calm down. I didn’t mean it that way. I only meant that we don’t have to warn as many people, it could have thirty-odd people, instead it’s only four. Your parents and mine.”

I glared at him through the stupid tears that wouldn’t quit coming. “So it’s not too bad because it’s not going to take a lot of work on your part?” I demanded angrily.

Mark groaned and Michael looked amused, though the concern and anger remained in his eyes.

“That’s not what I said.”

“I never said that’s what you said!”

“It’s not what I meant either. I’m just relieved not very many people are in danger, it would suck if a lot were in danger. The more people we have to warn, the longer it will take and the more likely someone is to die.”

“Sure,” I said mockingly.

“Please, Aly,” Mark said in exasperation. “I’m not lying to you.” He held the phone toward me. “Call anyone you’re worried about, tell them to get out of town now.”

I snatched the phone out of his hand and started dialing my mother’s number instantly.

“Hello?” I heard an unfamiliar voice answer.

“Hello, I’m looking for Whitney Donovan, please,” I said politely. Who the heck had my moms phone?

“She’s here,” the man answered. “Locked up, like all the filthy mutts oughtta be.”

“What?” I gasped. He couldn’t be serious. My mother couldn’t be locked up. They’d captured her and it was my fault.

“Yep, trial’s in a couple of days. No doubt she’ll die. Anyone gets accused of somethin’ like this is convicted.”

I wanted to throw the phone at the wall and scream and cry.

“Aly, what is it? What’s wrong?” Mark asked anxiously.

I shook my head at him. “What’s she on trial for?”

“For being a filthy mutt, of course.”

My knees buckled and I collapsed, the tears running freely down my cheeks.

“Her husband’s been caught too,” the man continued. “Their stupid daughter is the only one left and we’ll catch her in no time.”

I hung up, hating what I had done to my family. The phone fell from my hand and clattered to the floor.

Ignoring the phone completely, Mark moved swiftly to my side. “Aly?” he asked quickly. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“My parents!” I cried. “I’ve killed them!”

“They’re dead?”

I shook my head forcefully, tears splattering around me. “They’re going to be put on trial in a couple of days.”

“They’ve been captured, then?”

I nodded.

“I’m so sorry. We’ll find a way to save them. I promise.”

I looked up at him, “What about your parents?” I asked, fearful that I had caused them to be captured as well. “Are they ok?”

He snatched the phone off the floor and started dialing a number. I could see by the look on his face that his parents had been captured as well.

He shook his head and dropped the phone.

“We’ll save them, too. Promise,” I said, reaching toward him.

He jerked away from me. “This is your fault!” he yelled.

A sob escaped my lips. Only seconds ago he’d been comforting me, now, he was accusing me. “How did I cause your parents to get kidnapped?” I knew it was my fault and I knew what I’d done, but I needed to hear it from him.

“You’re the reason they started the raids. Things were fine before you came along. You couldn’t have stayed in New York, could you? You had to come, to try and take from me what is rightfully mine and put my family in danger.”

“My family is in just as much danger!” I exclaimed. His accusations hurt more than my own. They struck so close to the truth. “Do you really think I would sacrifice my family to become alpha?”

“Yes. You would do whatever it takes to get what you want.”

I wanted to hit him. I wanted to scream, to throw something. Instead I just ran back to the bedroom. “I would never do that!” I cried, slamming the door behind me.

I threw myself facedown on the bed, sobbing. How could he even think that I would do something like that? That I would willingly have my family killed, just so I could be alpha? I hated him! I never wanted to see him again. I had to get out of here. I needed a plan of escape.

 

Mark

 

How could she have done that? He’d really thought she was a good person. She’d blown that to bits. She was evil. Darkness incarnate. He should never have saved her. He should have let her die that day at the school. No. He should have killed her himself as soon as she showed up in town. It wouldn’t have even looked at all suspicious, just ordinary, every day, Jasper. He couldn’t believe anyone could be so evil. To sacrifice even her own family, she had to be Darkness incarnate. It hadn’t honestly been that big a shock to him that she’d sacrificed his family, they weren’t important to her. But he had thought her own family would have meant more to her than this. Apparently the only thing that mattered to her was becoming alpha. She had to leave. Now. There was no other option. Unless he could provoke her, make her attack him, then he’d have a legitimate reason to kill her. No. He told himself. I’m not evil. I hate her, but I won’t throw her out there to be slaughtered. If she leaves, it will be of her own free will, and not before sunrise. And I won’t try to provoke her, I can’t do that. My family would never forgive me. This decision made him feel better. At least he could feel like he wasn’t as evil as she was.

“How could she?” he asked, desperately fighting the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes. She had hurt him worse than he’d realized at first.

Michael knelt beside him. “Maybe she’s telling the truth. Maybe she didn’t hurt anyone.”

“She didn’t do it herself. She just let them be taken. Worse even than that, she caused them to be taken. They’ll be killed for sure. I hate her! I should never have let her come here. I should have left her at the school. I should have let her die.

“No, you shouldn’t. If you’re honest with yourself, you’re glad you didn’t.”

“She has to go. I want her gone,” Mark insisted.

“So tell her that.”

“No, it has to be of her own free will. She has to want to leave.” He thought for a moment. “It shouldn’t be difficult to make her want to leave.”

“You’re cruel,” Michael said, shaking his head.

“I’m cruel? What about her? She was even willing to sacrifice her family to get what she wanted. They didn’t even mean as much to her as being alpha did. What kind of person is that evil?”

“I don’t know, Mark. I don’t really think she’s evil. I don’t think this is her fault. Not at all. And trying to make her want to leave seems a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

“How could it not be her fault? She’s the only reason they decided to look so closely at us. I’m going to sleep, you’re turn for guard duty.”

Michael remained silent and let Mark go to bed.

Mark lay there for hours, thinking of how much he hated Aly. He’d even started to think he might be falling for her. But not now. Not anymore. He didn’t want to fall in love with her. Not now. Not ever. He didn’t understand anymore what he had ever seen in her. He couldn’t see any trace of goodness left in her. She’d thrown whatever humanity she’d had away the instant she found out what she was. She only wanted power. Nothing meant more to her than the power she could have and that tore his heart apart. To think he’d honestly thought he could love that monster. In all likelihood, she herself was incapable of love.

He lay there, thinking and letting the silent tears fall for a while before deciding to let it go for now and go to sleep.

 

Aly

 

I had to wait until Mark was standing guard. I knew he wouldn’t argue with my leaving. He would want me gone. It would be simple to get him to let me go. All I would have to do is tell him I wanted to go and I would be gone. He might even tell me to go. That might make this all easier for me.

I glanced out the door. Dang it! Michael was standing guard. He’d never let me past. I had to get out before Kat awoke. I didn’t want to have to say goodbye to the only person who still had faith in me. But, of course, she didn’t know what I’d been accused of. She would probably hate me as much as Mark did if she knew.

An hour later I peered out again. Mark was standing guard this time. Good, I could get away. I snatched the only money I had, fifty dollars, off the nightstand and started out the door.

“Where are you going?” Mark demanded.

“Away from here. I’m not coming back. You don’t want me here, I don’t want to be here, my leaving would solve everything.”

“It wouldn’t solve everything. My parents are still in danger.”

“I’m going to save them, and my parents,” I told him. “You don’t have to believe me, but it’s true.”

“I don’t trust you. Especially not with my parents lives.”

“Fine, don’t. Just let me leave.”

“No. Not now.”

“What? You think I’m gonna go kill them myself?” I demanded.

“You can’t leave until morning. It’s too dangerous. You could be killed.”

“And you’d care how much?”

“I’m not going to let you get slaughtered because you left in the middle of the night. That would be my fault, and I won’t let it happen.”

“I want to be out of here before Kat wakes up. I want to be gone before she finds out what happened.”

“Fine, it’ll be light before that. Then you can go. Can you make it on your own?”

“Of course. I’m not helpless.”

“I meant as far as money.”

“I’ll be fine,” I shrugged. No need to let him know how little I had.

“How much do you have?” he asked.

Perfect! He’d asked a direct question. Oh well, I had to answer now.

“Fifty dollars.”

He frowned. “That won’t get you far.”

I shrugged.

“At least let me give you a better shot. I may hate you, but I don’t want to see you get killed because of me either.”

I glared at him. I needed money, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to accept charity from him.

“Please,” he said. “Just let me do that much.”

“Fine,” I said icily.

He handed me three hundred dollars. “That’s all I can give you, but it should be a start anyway.”

“Thank you.” I turned and walked back to the bedroom to await first light. I knew that four lives were endangered because of me and that made it difficult to sleep.

 

 

Chris

 

This girl, He’d discovered her name was Cassie, was incredibly powerful. He couldn’t believe how powerful she was.

She looked back at him from her place ten feet in front of him. He had fallen behind.

“Are you ok?” Cassie asked worriedly.

“Yeah, just a little weak,” Chris answered. He was actually very weak.

 “Maybe we should rest for a while. And eat,” she suggested, stopping where she was and waiting for him to catch up.

“No, I’m fine.”

“Liar. We’re stopping.” She opened her backpack and pulled out some chicken sandwiches. He had to admit, he was pretty hungry.

“All right,” he agreed, sitting down.

They ate lunch and took turns napping while the other kept watch.

Two and a half hours later they finally got going again.

“We’re nearly there,” Chris said after they’d been walking about two hours.

“Good.”

“About a hundred yards and you’ll be able to see a worn down cottage, that’s the place.”

She smiled. “I can already see it. My vision is a bit better than yours.”

“Right,” Chris frowned. Can you tell, is anyone there?”

“I can’t tell right now. In a few minutes, maybe.”

“I hope they’re ok.” He was so worried about his friends, most of all, Kat. She had to be ok.

It was just getting light as they finally came within sight of the cottage. He could see someone leaving it as they approached.

“Who is that?” He asked. He was afraid someone had found them. What if they’d been hurt, or worse, killed? What would he ever do then?

“I don’t know. I don’t recognize her. She’s wearing a red dress that looks like it was torn, so it’s just above her knees.”

“Aly!” he exclaimed.

They saw her head whip around. “Chris?” she called softly.

He grinned and sped up, anxious to get there now. Cassie followed behind him at her own pace.

“Chris!” Aly shouted. She turned toward the cottage. “Mark! Kat! Michael! Hurry up!”

Who the heck was Michael? Chris wondered.

“Michael?” Cassie asked, shock coloring her tone. “He’s here?”

Chris shrugged. “I have no idea who she’s talking about.”

“My boyfriend,” Cassie said, beaming with excitement.

Seconds later three figures emerged. Mark, Kat, and some guy he didn’t know. He had huge, awesome wings.

“Michael!” Cassie shouted. “What are you doing here?”

“Cassie!” the guy, Michael, called back.

They met up right outside the cottage. Chris pulled Kat tightly into his arms. He never wanted to let her go.

“I thought you were dead,” Kat cried.

“So did I,” he whispered.

“What happened?” she demanded.

“Cassie found and saved me. She’s half Phoenix. Her tears healed me.”

Kat’s eyes widened. “Seriously? That’s awesome! Thank you so much, Cassie, for saving him. I can never repay you.”

“Actually, you can.”

“How?”

Chris smiled, he knew how simple it would be. Cassie only wanted a place to stay, someplace safe. They’d all be willing to let her stay. He knew they would.

“I just want a safe place to stay,” Cassie answered simply. “That in itself would be payment enough.”

“Of course!” Kat answered instantly.

“Don’t worry about it,” Mark smiled. “You’re welcome to stay.”

“Michael smiled. “Now there will be five of us. A bit crowded, but manageable.”

“Four,” Aly corrected. What could she mean? She wasn’t leaving?

“What?” Kat asked. “Why?”

“I’m leaving.” Aly answered sadly.

Kat turned furiously to Mark. “This is your fault!” she said angrily. “Did you tell her to go?”

“No, of course not. I wouldn’t tell anyone to go, though I’m glad she is.”

Chris frowned. What had happened to cause this?

“It isn’t his fault,” Aly interrupted. “It’s my choice.”

“Why do you want to go?” Kat asked, tears in her eyes.

“It’s just time for me to go, I guess. I have to save my family.” She glanced at Mark. “And Mark’s.”

“We’ll help you.”

“No! You can’t. I mean, I don’t want you to. Any of you. I can do this on my own.”

Mark shrugged.

“Mark, what happened?” Chris demanded. “You don’t even seem to care if she dies.”

“I’m not going to stop her from leaving if she wants to. I don’t want to see her get killed, but it wouldn’t hurt my feelings much,” Mark answered.

“Both of our parents were captured,” Aly explained. “They’re going up for trial in a few days. Mark blames me for it. He says that if I’d never come here, things would still be ok. They wouldn’t have decided to look so closely. He’s right.”

“That’s stupid,” Chris argued. “You wouldn’t sacrifice your own family.”

“No, I wouldn’t,” she agreed. “Mark disagrees, though, he thinks I would.”

The others turned to glare at Mark.

“It doesn’t matter,” Aly said quickly. “I’m going now. I won’t be a problem.”

 

 

Aly

 

I was just glad to know that Chris was ok. I had been able to see him again before I left. Unfortunately, that meant Kat was awake. I would have to say goodbye to her.

I wasn’t pleased when they all glared at Mark, I didn’t blame him for what he thought and felt. It did seem like it was my fault. Maybe it was. Maybe his family wouldn’t have been captured if it weren’t for me. Maybe someone had seen him helping me and knew who he was, who his parents were. Or maybe they had found Mark’s family because of my phone. If either one was the case, it really was my fault. I was so confused and hurt. Nothing in my life had ever hurt as much as hearing the words “I’m not going to stop her from leaving, if she wants to. I don’t want to see her get killed, but it wouldn’t hurt my feelings much,” come out of is mouth. I just wanted to cry. He wouldn’t even be sorry if I died. The first person I had ever thought really cared about me at all, and I had ruined it. I couldn’t seem to let people get close to me. It hurt so much. I had to get out of there. Immediately. There was no other option.

“It doesn’t matter, I’m going now. I won’t be a problem,” I hastened to assure them, though the words were mostly directed at Mark.

“Aly, please don’t go,” Kat pleaded. The pain in her eyes was nearly too much.

Chris looked sad.

Cassie was angry with Mark, that was clear.

Michael looked like he was angry with me.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my eyes filled with unshed tears. “I have to. I hope to see you all again after this mess is cleared up.” I turned to go. It hurt to leave the people I thought of as my group. My group of people that cared. I knew I would never have that again. Not with anybody. I wouldn’t even try, it hurt too much.

I walked away from them, letting the tears I wouldn’t let them see flow freely as I walked toward certain death.