The Eternal Shadows

Chapter 7

Silently getting into the car Amelia was lost in thought, fear drumming within her, her head was throbbing with pain. She leaned against the window and closed her eyes, feeling her getting lost in her own nightmares.

Zaiden was driving slowly. He's been watching Amy's reactions, he could easily smell the fear vibrating off her body, she was trembling a little. Something about that man made him cautious as well, he remembered her words before, "This man, he's armed Zaiden, he knows who we are." He wondered to himself is Amy's fear linked to her past, linked to how she was created? This problem of her identity is getting more and more conflicted. And his feelings for her are growing simultaneously. The man knew something about her as well, when he spoke with Amy, he noticed how she froze with fear and was trembling at whatever he told her.

He wanted to ask her but pushing her too much might lose her trust in him so he remained silent the rest of the journey home. Once they arrived home Amelia disappeared to her room and he left to his as well. Once he was in his room, he decided to let out all the tension growing inside him and have a cold shower. Soon the whole house was asleep, he too went to sleep. He fell into a deep sleep the minute his head touched the pillow. And then the nightmares welcomed him, this time he heard screams, there was blood everywhere. He couldn't breathe like something was crushing him, then he felt gentle fingers grab him, shaking him, "please wake up Zaiden, I don't know what to do!" he woke up gasping, searching for the voice. That's when he realized that his dream was true, he was stuck where the cement had fallen on him. Using his strength, he pushed off the wall and from him getting up he realized that their house was completely destroyed. He rushed out of his destroyed room, grabbing a sword from his cupboard, the house was torn apart. His first instinct was to rush into Amelia's room, the minute he entered he was glad he had done so, Amelia was struggling in her bed, healed captive by the wood that had fallen on her.

Amelia woke up feeling something very heavy on her, it was so heavy that she could hardly breath, she tried to push it away even with her vampire strength she couldn't save herself. Fear bubbled within her, she couldn't take it anymore. How many times is she going to have tragic encounters with death? Then suddenly all the weight was lifted off her, a soft sob escaped her lips as she saw her saviour, a bloody looking Zaiden. He gently bent down over her and carried her out of the room to the corridor. His eyes were filled with terror, she realized how worried he was about her.

When they were in the corridor, she realized all the damage that had happened to the house, it was completely destroyed. They were both hurt but was quickly healing, "we have to find the others." They walked softly through the rubble of their house, soon they heard voices, all she wanted to know was that everyone she cared about was safe, "hello!" a soft voice echoed through the ashes and smoke. Zaiden's eyes immediately lit up and rushed towards the voice. The dust was choking them making their eyes teary and filled with agony, yet they refused to back down. Zaiden reached out to take Amelia's hand, "we'll be okay keep moving" he whispered to her, the dust coating his throat making it hard to speak.  

Finally, they came to a part of the house that was neatly making a cage sealing their family members inside it. Esme, sighed with relief holding her beloved son close to her, "oh Zaiden, baby, when we couldn't get out, I thought we would never see you again." Together they broke open the rubble and pulled everyone safely out. Clary hugged her sister tightly, unable to let go of her, hot tears of pain and fear coated her pink cheeks as they trailed down them. "It's okay, we're safe now." She whispered, holding her tightly against her.

But their relief was short lived as they heard someone or something moving through the rubble straight towards them. Clary's heart was pounding in fear of what's in store for them, she already went through enough pain. Don't they deserve a break? It was moving close to them, then before anyone could react a very familiar figure metalized in front of them from the shadows. "Mr. Collins?" Zaiden whispered in shock, so Amy was correct all this time, he wasn't a good person to trust, if he managed to do all this destruction, who knew what more he was capable of doing?

"Yes, my boy, it is I, no one more, no one less." He let out a humour less chuckle, then his eyes took in each and every one of them silently. When his dark gaze fell on Amelia, he watched her like a starving cat who has been seeing a mouse for a long time. He focused back on the young prince, "and you seemed to have something that belongs to me." Knowing the subject, he is referring to Zaiden placing a protective arm around Amelia, who was trembling with fear. He made a silent promise to himself that she would not be harmed as long as he could fight. "leave her alone, she does not belong to you!" fury was bubbling inside him. "Hmm, you seemed to have grown attached to this little beast, it seems." He chuckled with amusement, then his expression shifted. He brought his hand up clenching his fist, dark tendrils of flame curled around his family making them choke with the lack of air.  

A horrified gasp escaped Amy's lips, as she watched them struggle in pain, tears ran down her cheeks, "no please, don't hurt them!" ripping herself from Zaiden she rushed towards the heartless man in front of them , only to find herself trapped as he grabbed her by her arm and threw her across the rubble, pain shot through her and she sensed the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. Her head was throbbing with pain and her half-healed wounds from being stuck inside the rubble were opened up again. She knew she had to get up, but she had no strength to move even a muscle. Suddenly she was lifted up by her arm, the movement sending shock waves of pain through her. Mr. Collins glared at her, his eyes seeming to burn through her soul refusing to let her go.

He twisted her arms to the back, locking her movements in place and turning her, making her face her friends. Zaiden was struggling choosing between whom to help, her or his family. Their eyes met, he was pleading her to forgive him, that he could not help her, those deep emerald eyes were filled with pain telling her how much she meant for him but how difficult his options were at the moment. "Say goodbye to your beloved," he chuckled at Zaiden at the same moment she felt something sharp insert into the soft skin between her neck and her shoulder blades. Zaiden gasped as the syringe of yellow liquid entered her vein inserting the contents within it into her system.  

Amelia felt dizzy and sick, the vision was blurring as she started losing her consciousness. Zaiden rushed to catch her as she fell but her captor pulled out a gun and pressed it on her skull. Her mind was calculating every possibility she had to escape, but her chances weren't good, even with her fast reflexes. She was helpless for the first time after she awoke, her memory clouded with her parents screams, making her ears ring. And she was pulled back into the depths of darkness.

Zaiden felt terrible as he watched whatever that creep injected into Amy work its magic, her strength weakened before his eyes. And she lost consciousness, he'd never felt this helpless before, but here he was conflicted between protecting his family and saving the girl who made his heart beat increase rapidly. "remember, you had your chance, what happens next will be all it's your fault." With those last words the man who pretended to be his dad's friend disappeared along with Amelia who was carried off like a ragged doll.