Group Z

Chapter 19

I'm barely aware of moving as I run over to Sapphire catching her before her body hits the ground. Her blood seeps through her shirt covering my hands with slippery blood, the scent of it filling the air.

'Saph, Saph!' I shout frantically shaking her, she flops about limply and just manages to open her eyes to slits, their vibrant colours barely visible.

I press my hand against the wound on her stomach then, when blood keeps pouring out, let go for just a second to strip off my jacket given to me by Sapphire herself and press it to her wound. I also take a moment to look at it. With a rush of intense relief I see that it isn't as bad as I had previously thought. It won't kill her, but the bleeding needs to be stopped or that might. One of her hands moves and finds mine clasping it tightly, I hold onto it and raise it to my lips kissing it. I sense another weight besides me and see Damon staring at his sister. I look around further and see Group Z closing rank on the Master whilst Zeus backs slowly towards the trees unnoticed by anyone. The only thought I can make whilst holding Sapphire's cool hand in mine is, he did this.

'Damon, keep pressure on this.' I say through gritted teeth keeping my eyes on Zeus.

When I feel his hands on the jacket and Sapphires hand slips out of mine, I get up slowly and instead of walking straight to Zeus I melt into the trees and move so I'm behind him. Once again, I'm on the hunt.

My hands clench into fists and blood squeezes out the cracks, every muscle in my body is as taught as a bow string. I've moved around the edge of the clearing and emerge from the trees just behind Zeus. But I don't want this to be fast. I deliberately crack a twig beneath my feet and see him through the blood rushing in my head spin around looking terrified.

I step out and see his fear fade a little, as if he thinks I'm not a threat. But with my face twisted in rage and Sapphires blood drenching me I let him see the part of me that no one has ever lived to see. I'm in hunt mode. The only way I could ever shut out the horrible things I did was to create a separate persona, someone who could deal with those things. It is her Zeus sees now and he knows it as he holds out his hands before him, the knife pointed towards me.

I run for him and jump, wrapping my legs around his waist as my weight causes him to fall to the ground, his knife has cut into my arm, but I don't let the pain bother me, I wrestle the knife out of his hands and throw it to the side. I want this to be with my bare hands. First one, then the other of my fists smash into his face with a repetitive forceful motion. I don't stop, I don't give up even when my arms are shaking from the exertion and the blood spatters all over my hair and face, I don't stop.

Eventually I begin to use both fists at the same time arching my back and bringing them down with as much force as I can master, Zeus stops struggling beneath me, my fists keep pounding, I'm unaware of anything else, the only thing I see is Sapphire's blood, her pale face and I scream a scream of pain and rage, a scream that is practically inhuman.

Eventually I feel hands under my arms pulling me off the mangled mess now beneath me, I fight them frantically trying to get in one more hit. They let go briefly but before I can do anything are back with more force than before, this time rather than pull me they drag me off the body locking my arms in a grip by looping through them then connecting their hands at the back of my neck. As I'm pulled off, I get a few kicks in before I'm pulled too far away. I'm pulled into the trees before I even attempt to regain my composure. Panting heavily it's several minutes before I remember that I'm not just a killer. Then like a switch I leave hunt mode and am back to my regular self.

I stop fighting the arms and say as calmly as I'm able. 'Let me go, I won't go back.'

The hands release their lock on my neck, but one remains latched around my forearm. I turn to face them and see Lizzie standing looking at me in a dazed way, she has scratches all down the side of her face that I realise must have come from my nails.