HOWL: UNCHAINED (rewritten)

14 - Incoming Message

-- No-one's Pov --

It had been a week since Billie disappeared. Xander could barely make out where she was, but there wasn't much to go on. Emilia had a panic attack when she learned that Ivan had Billie. The man she met, Quinn's father, was the Headmaster. Either Quinn didn't know or she was in on it. This whole fucking time. If that was the case... Emilia felt it was her fault Billie got taken. She let Quinn in, let her meet Billie, let Quinn drag her to Ivan's to meet him. For what, what was his purpose, his reasoning? Why was he so adamant about meeting her?

Emilia remained in her room for most of the week, not coming out to eat when dinner was called. She couldn't tell her mom what was happening, couldn't bring more worry and stress she already had. So Blake did, told Krista everything and asked her to look around and see just where Ivan might possibly be keeping Billie.

It was like the world was slowly coming to a stop. Everything around Emilia was in slow motion. She ignored Quinn, ignored every attempt the girl had of contacting her. She had to confront her sooner or later, but there were so many outcomes and possibilities. If Quinn had no fucking idea what was going on, if she was innocent in all of this, then telling her would drag her into this world. She would know everything.

She lets out a shaky sigh, covering her face with her hands, her mind still going to every worst possibility. She cries softly, the idea of Billie being tortured for God knows what, it sickened her. It made her wish it was her and not her sweet wolf. It made her realize just how much she still loves Billie, how much she wanted her to be safe.

They all worked hard, trying to track down Billie with just what Xander saw. However, when he tried again something blocked his sight. A warlock or witch cast a veil over his sight. He wasn't able to find her or see what was happening.

A few more days pass, still no luck. Emilia, Finneas and Claudia began to think the worst, trying to keep their own emotions in check as Maggie was close to a mental breakdown.

Hope was starting to fade.

-- Tara's Pov --

I slam the prostitute against the wall, my fangs bared as my grip on her throat tightens. Ezra and Finneas were with me. This was the woman Billie was with that night, not the one I sent her to.

"And just what do you fucking mean 'you don't know?'" I hissed. The woman chokes under my grip, her pulse beating hard against my fingers. "You tell us everything or I'll fucking kill you nice and slow."

"Okay-" She chokes out. "He paid me, said he wanted me to drug her, told me her name and handed me a vial. I didn't know who she was."

Finneas growls as he gets in her face, "What happened?" I loosen my grip just a bit, allowing her to breathe.

She coughs as she gasps for air. "He caught wind of that other prostitute she was supposed to meet, one of my friends on the street. He approached me, told me to offer and paid me. I did what he wanted. When she came to the room..." She trails off. I can hear the gears turning in her head, she was about to lie.

"It would be wise to not lie to a vampire." I say.

"I didn't know what he wanted with her. I thought she was a vampire, honest. But then she told me she was a lycan before we... you know. That shit, I didn't even know what it was. It was purple but it knocked her out. A guy came to get her, Cyrus I think his name was."

"Cyrus?" Finneas asks. "Where did they take her?"

"I don't know!"

I knew we weren't getting anything else out of her. I couldn't even hear her thoughts. She was telling the truth. I step away, cracking my knuckles as I shake my head. "Anything, miss. Give us anything. Did you hear him say anything at all?"