Once Connected

Chapter 15-Once a NightThief

"My friends, comrades, pack mates.... I wish you all the best of...." Alpha Jackson continues after speaking already for five minutes.

"The best of luck, because you are going to need it soon." A new voice laughs.

All heads instantly snap up to the ballroom balcony were a man in all black was standing, smirking. He had tussled brown hair and red eyes.

Some of the Alphas growl, "What are you doing here, NightRaider?"

I gasp. NightRaider was the only other villain that could compare to me. He was fast, strong, known, but most of all, never caught. He was better than me and was famous before me. He was said to be an elemental vampire that could never be stopped.

"Well, I'm here for another little thief. A thief that is pretty popular, not known well, but very well known." He purrs his eyes scanning the crowd. When his glimmering red eyes fall on me, he flashes his smile, showing his sharp two fangs.

"Ah, there is who I need. Tata my dear." NightRaider smirks before his expression turns dark. He points his finger at me and mumbles under this breath.

Time slows as the ball of light explodes from his fingers and aims at me.

"Noooo!" Esmeralda screams in slow motion, jumping in front of me. Right when the light hits her, speed returns to normal.

"Ezzie!" I scream, instantly by her side as she collapses. Her body was out dead, and her eyes twitching under her eye lids. She mumbles something, and her head rolls on my arm.

Everyone was too shocked to know what happened. My head snaps toward partially disappointed NightRaider, "Aw, I missed." He smirks and his eyes burn into mine as I bare my teeth.

Ryder roars out, flames bursting out of his hands and aimed toward NightRaider. NightRaider sighs, and shoots water out of his palms. Jackson gasps and so does Ryder.

Ryder tenses to shoot again, but with his dragon already fighting to come out, Esmerelda's pain, and my fear.... Our spirits would not last.

I stick my hand out to Ryder, "No..."

Ryder looks at me with worry and pain, but he does as he is told.

NightRaider grins, "Good girl, now come and get me." With that he zooms out of the balcony door. "Don't be late, Ms.Nightstrike."

Gasps come from the crowd as many heads turn toward me.

"Esmerelda!" Beta Jayden shouts, rushing over to her side. He takes her from my arms and cradles her head. He gently moves a strand of her hair from her face whispering to her as tears filled his eyes.

It was almost like he was her mate....

His eyes snap up to where NightRaider disappeared to. He bares his teeth, "I'm going to kill that bastard!" He screams, his eyes turning yellow.

"No." My cool voice rings out. "Stay with Esmerelda. Ryder, help him with anything."

"Yes Alpha," Ryder and Jayden say. I look to Jayden in confusion but he was concentrating on Esmerelda.

I look toward the curious but fearful crowd, "Everyone, please stay calm. Go into your rooms until morning. In the morning we will announce if it is safe to leave."

Everyone mumbles and agrees with me.

Alpha Jackson's mouth drops, "D-did you just use an Alpha command on ALPHAS?!?"

I shrug, my eyes still cold from hatred, "I don't care. Can you please help everyone to their rooms? I have a bitch to kill."

Alpha Jackson's eyes narrow, "He isn't a dog, he is a vampire. And I will let you boss me around this one time." With that he turns to the crowd and begins escorting everyone.

I rip off my mask. Bursting into vampire speed, I follow NightRaider's scent to the outside.

My eyes turn mythical and instantly the night is lit.

"Ah, you made it my dear NightStrike. I have heard so much about you. You are a younger, more inexperienced, and more hidden version of me. Aren't you?" NightRaider smirks, leaning against a tree completely relaxed. "Quite the gem of beauty too." His eyes travel up and down me.

"Not for you, NightRaider!" I hiss.

NightRaider sighs, standing up from the tree, "Syrina, love, call me Night. You and I are of one blood."

I purse my lips, "I do not know what you are talking about."

"Oh Syrina! Do not lie to me! I can read you like a book!" NightRaider snaps.

I grit my teeth, "I. Am. Not. Lying."

NightRaider tilts his head, "Wow, you really don't remember my dear cousin."

"Cousin? I'm not your cousin!" I snarl.

"Really little cousin? Dig in that big brain of yours of the memories before you became a thief. Dig and look." NightRaider muses, speeding up to me, and gently tracing my jaw line.

Darkness surrounds me and the voice of laughing children is heard in the distance.

---Flashback---

There was younger NightRaider laughing and playing with a little girl, no more than four years old. Ryan was shooting all sorts of elements at her. Fire, water, air, earth, magic. The girl however, easily deflected the beams. Every time one was shot at her, she absorbed the beam and shot one back.

NightRaider was laughing and shot a beam a little too hard. The girl stumbled and fell onto her bottom. Tears filled her eyes and instantly NightRaider, using vampire speed, was by her side looking worried.

"Now, now, now, little Sy.... Don't cry...." He gently traces her jawline and her crying diminishes, "That's a good girl. Now promise me, that when I am taken away for training that you will stay strong."

"I. P-p-promise." The little girl says, testing the word promise on her tongue. NightRaider smiles, "That's a good girl. Good bye my little cousin." He kisses her on her forehead and runs back to the mansion where the car was waiting.

--Flashback ends—

I gasp, stumbling away from NightRaider's touch. "Y-y-you...." I stammer in fear.

NightRaider's red eyes glow, almost the same color as mine, "Yes, my training was to make me become a thief. And a little after me, you followed."

I stumble back, "I-I-I....." I take a deep breath. "Why are you here?"

"To warn you my dear little cousin. You and I as opposites. We were supposed to meet in the thief world, come together, and rule the land! However, your little kind spirit decided to bond with others. Step-Mother always said you would be trouble. Mother must have given birth on the highway, because that is where most mistakes are made."

I hiss, my fire returning, "You must have been born in a pound, because you are a son of a bitch."

NightRaider grins, "Yes, mother was a bitch, but her sister, or your mother, was even more so. We were supposed to rule together!" He pauses. "However, that time has passed, we are now enemies. I have had a son, and my powers have transferred. In my son, the powers are stronger than before, while you just learned about being an Elemental Focus. War is coming as the thieves and rogue finally came together to rebel. Unlike most villains, I won't tell you the plan. Just be warned, you and your comrades better be ready."

He flashes a Cheshire Cat grin and winks. "Good luck cousin!" With that, he zooms away into the deep forest, leaving me frozen in shock.

Oh shit.

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