Passion for Blood

Chapter 35:

Fitz:

Just as they open the gate to my cell, I hear her screams. Without wasting any time I turn and grab the first hunter, I sink my teeth into his neck and drink as fast as possible. Once his body falls to the floor I grab the second one and drink from him too, I feel my energy come back the more I drink. They don't taste that great, their blood isn't human anymore but that is the least of my worries as of now. Looking up I find Xavier at the staircase, holding the keys to my chains. "Madeleine told me everything, but I already knew what you were," he says from the stairs not making an effort to come to me. "It's expected from at least one of you." I walk closer to him, listening to his heartbeat it's steady, he isn't afraid of me. "I remember you from that night." "At the pub?" "No the other night," he says his voice becoming rugged. Holting I glare at him, where is he going with this conversation? "Now she doesn't know what happened that night, I hate you for it and shouldn't trust you but she does." He then moves to unlock my chains. I still glare at him as he does so, he was so young how does he remember what happened?

"When this is over promise me this, you will take care of her, it's the least you could do after you took her world away and mine." He then proceeds to walk upstairs and I follow too.

At the top, I see that it is night now. "Taking our time are we?" I hear Cole's voice. He walks towards us followed by Thea and and his pack members. "You sure as hell took your time," I reprimand to which he rolls his eyes. "Right, we have the hunters Xavier here will help us," Cole instructs. "What about your older brothers?" I ask him to which he sighs. "Nathaniel took Grace to safety and I won't count on Alexander." Coward. "Fitz we must hurry and help Madeleine." We soon split up and make our way to our respective places. I can hear her screams and her cries for help, it only fuels my anger even more but a sick part of me wants her to experience it to know what she did to that boy and how he felt. But it's only a small part.

We come to the entrance of the courtroom which is guarded by a hunter. Noticing us he growls. Another one? We can hear his bones shifting as he begins to transform into a wolf; his fur is black and his eyes are red. The wolf lunges at us, but Thea and I move quickly out of the way. "Thea, you must paralyse his body!" I yell, but she only shakes her head. "I can't, Fitz, there has to be another way to do this." she gets cut off as he swats his tail into her stomach throwing her into the wall. I place my palm on the ground and cast a sinkhole spell. "Thea!" As the wolf approaches, I yell for her assistance. She swiftly stands and rushes to me, and as we finish the spell, the floor opens in front of us, and the wolf falls into the hole. Thea recites the spell again, and the floor closes around its neck, causing it to suffocate to death. I straighten up and regain my composure, irritated that she is afraid. "Fitz-" "You need to move on, you are the only one who can help Madeleine so fix yourself now." she bows her head in shame. I understand that she is hurting still but, in moments like this, there is never place for emotions. Thea is strong but doubt and fear prevent her from her full potential. "I need you in there Thea no more doubts." I hold her face forcing her to look at me. She nods and wipes her nose.

I try and open the door but it's locked, I can hear her screaming behind the door. She is within reach. "Stand back." Turning I face Alexander who holds a gun. Moving to the sides he fires the gun which does the trick and the doors open. We all walk into a horrid site. She lies bare on the floor, there are markings all over her body. The symbol of the cross painted in black lies on her skin, her body looks drained and she's pale but still screaming strongly.

When I hear a growl behind us, I turn to see what was once Lucian. His eyes are black, and his fur is grey; he is not a typical wolf of any size or shape. He stands on his hind legs and is considerably larger than I anticipated. "Thea, please go help Madeleine," I say, and she rushes away. He charges at me, his feet heavy on the ground. He gets stopped midway by Alexander firing his gun at him but it's useless. Lucian swipes at Alexander who flies into the wall and remains unconscious. "Lucian, you are dying." I try and reach out to him but it's of no use, he's gone. I place my palm onto the ground and recite an earth spell, the floor instantly cracks open but he avoids falling in the crack. He manages to grab hold of my arm and lifts me off the ground, his claws slash across my chest causing me to scream in pain. Shit, it burns.

I grab a hold of his arm that is wrapped around mine, and using whatever power I have left I try and transfer the pain from me to him. I feel some of it easing away slowly, his grip around my neck loosens as he cries in pain. Dropping me, I take the opportunity to get out of arms reach. He holds his head as the pain worsens. Hearing choking I find Madeleine holding her throat, the sides of her mouth dripping with her own blood. I look for Thea only to find her holding Irene down on her knees, her hands hold Irene's head and her eyes are shut. She's doing something but I don't think it will save Madeleine in time.

I rush over to Madeleine only to be stopped by some force, trying again I can't get to her. Her eyes have rolled to the back of her head, I can hear her heart slowly pumping. "Thea!" I shout but she doesn't answer. Before I can act, Lucian pins me to the floor with his claws. I feel my skin pierce but ignore the pain. Madeleine's choking intensifies, and she begins to shake violently. I kick Lucian from under his feet and roll to the side, turning quickly I drive my hand straight into his chest and all the way through to the other end. Holding my arm, he pants the same way a dog would from exhaustion. Pulling out he falls to the ground.

"Fitz," Thea shouts. I make eye contact with and gesture to Madeleine. "On my mark, you need to pull her out." "I can't get in," I say as I approach him again. "Ready?" she asks to which I nod. "Now!" I move to touch her and this time nothing stops me. I grab ahold of her and wrap my arms around her shaking body. Looking up Irene on the floor her eyes open and lifeless. Thea rushes over to us. "You need to find the poison," she says as she checks her whole body. "What?" "She's been poisoned, you need to find out where so that I can heal her. Thea soon gets to the top of Madeleine's body and swoops her hair to the side only to find a bite. He bit her before I could reach her. Thea freezes as she stares at the bite mark on her shoulder.

"I told you I would have time to watch your world fall apart," I hear his voice. Turning behind me I face his human form, the hole in his chest is still there. But his human form won't be able to heal that. "How does it make you feel to know you won?" I hold her cold body closer to me as Thea recites another spell.

"Did you love her?" he asks dodging my question by asking another. "I loved her enough to not kill you all these years," I respond truthfully. I cared for Anastasia and loved her but not in the way a mate would. "It's a shame I won't be able to say good-" Lucian gets cut off by a gunshot. Turning around again I find Alexander panting while still holding the gun to Lucian's unrecognisable face. "Guns were never effective on you lot but on wolves, guns are your best friend." He drops the weapon and joins me and Thea on the floor. Thea presses her hands on Madeleine's bite causing her to scream again. "What is she doing to her?" "Saving her," I simply say as I watch her features.

"I can't Fitz, Lucian was an Alpha, his bite has taken its effect." She sighs sitting down. "So what now? We leave her?" Alexander asks worry evident in his voice. "That's all we can do for now."

Hours have gone by and Cole and his pack have joined us as we wait for Madeleine to wake up. Thea suggested keeping her body still as it might help the process. "It's nearly dawn, why isn't she awake?" Xavier asks for the millionth time. I haven't put down from my arms no matter how much everyone told me to. I can hear her heartbeat it's steady.

"Does she know about that night?" Alexander asks me as he crouches next to me. "No, she knows nothing of it," I say. "Was Lucian right in saying that she will hate you?" "Not for this, if she finds out the truth then she will. But having her alive and hating me is better than her dead." I say raising my brow at him to which he nods.

"Thea says she's changing, she can't be among us once the process is complete," he sighs. "You still see us below yourselves." I cannot help the irritated chuckle. "The council will kill her, she's my sister I can't let her die, none of us would forgive ourselves if we let that happen. We don't trust you for obvious reasons but she does which is why I want you to promise me this." I look at him waiting for his request. "You must keep her away from her at all costs and to never leave her side." He looks at me sternly but he has regret behind that wall.

"Fitz?" her soft voice rings in my ears, looking down I find her beautiful eyes. I can't help the relief in my chest knowing she's alright. "I'm here peach."

The End.