Hunted

Chapter Twenty Five

"Hello Ariralana." Those two words were all it took to send shivers down my spine. "Nicolae. Are you happy? You've ruined yet another part of my life." The grin that spread across his face made everything hit hard. His was the last face I would ever see. If this is how it would end that was fine with me.

"See I didn't ruin anything in your life. You did that all your self by caring about that human filth." My head sunk low. "Caleb." I whispered. "What?" My head snapped up. Rage filled my eyes that were glowing when I was filled with this rage. "Caleb. His name is Caleb. He is more of a man then you will ever be. Now let's settle this like adults."

I rushed right at him and punched him right in the jaw. His laugh was cold and cruel. "I see my lessons taught you well Ariralana." This time it was my lips that curled into a grin. "That was all my father's teaching." Nicolae started running at me. When he got close I jumped up and kicked his chest doing a back flip on the way down. I landed with the grace of a cat.

I couldn't see Nicolae but I was on the look out. That's when my face met the forest floor. He pulled my head my my hair and lifted me and slammed my head against a tree. "Did you really think you were stronger then me? That boy made you cocky Ariralana."

"He made me see things the way they really are. He taught me the most valuable lesson. One I should have learned many years ago." My hand reached up and twisted Nicolae's arm behind his back. A move he so often did to me. I twisted his arm a bit more and he groaned. "And what is that?"

"That the greatest thing you'll ever learn is to love, and to be loved in return." I used the arm hold I had to flip him straight on his back. He laughed a bit. "That Moulin Rouge crap?" He popped up and hit my stomach. I bent over and he brought his knee up to my face.

I spat out blood as I stood up. My strength was starting to wain. "Good shot. If only that hurt as much as you wanted to." I ran at him but he grabbed my leg as I tried to kick him and flipped me on my back. His hand kept me pinned to the ground. Every time I tried to get up he just pushed me back down. "You see Ariralana, it's about time you learned your place in the world."

"If by my place you mean being your slave then you are all kinds of shades of wrong." His laughter could be heard at the other end of the woods. "Oh no no no Ariralana. You have it all wrong! You wouldn't be my slave. More like my  pet who does what I say." It was like I could picture it. "I would rather die."

"See Ariralana the thing I love about you is your ability to care." He picked me up by my hair and that's when I saw him. He was chained to the tree, his shirt ripped, and blood all over his face. I could tell he was short of breath and had a few broken limbs. "It just makes ultimatums so much fun!"

The air was pushed out of my lungs. I did everything to make sure Caleb was safe. "No!" I started kicking and screaming but Nicolae grabbed me up around my waist. My animalistic side took over as I kicked and screamed to get away from him. I focused all of my energy on making my skin burning hot. Nicolae dropped me and I used my powers to burn his accomplices.

No one had ever seen me like this. This was the part of me that I keep buried. This was the part of me that wanted to hurt people. Nicolae came at me again. I knew fire had little effect on him so I blasted ice at him. He was frozen where he stood. "Oh Ariralana! Good game." What he did to Caleb was un-thinkable. He only stayed frozen for a minuet but that minuet was enough.

High over my head storm clouds were forming. They weren't storm clouds though. It was magic in its darkest form. "Don't do it Ali! You won't be able to fight it if you do." Caleb's words barley registered in my head for Nicolae looked like an animal getting ready for the kill. "We both know you don't have the nerve to use that kind of magic you never have."

"Watch me." I threw my head up to the sky and closed my eyes with my arms thrown out. A tornado of pure blackness surrounded me. I could hear Caleb's shouts. "Ali!" I could hear Nicolae's disbelief. He wasn't making a move. All the while I felt the dark magic surging through me.

And it felt great!

It felt like I was breathing new life. The rush that came from this magic felt so good. The only time this power could be accessed was during the lunar eclipse. Thankfully this night was one. The magic was coursing through my veins. Every nerve was being consumed by this magic. Not every witch or warlock can hold this much of this magic.

Only one other witch has been able to and she lived over 5,000 years ago. Once the black mist disappeared around me Nicolae was right before me in disbelief. My eyes were glowing such a bright blue that it would burn a human. "No! Not you! There is no way you're her!" I only had to lift a finger to throw Nicolae right against a tree. I pined him there. "I should have killed you that first time you beat me. I should have killed you when you murdered Luma's fiancée."

I reached my hand into his chest. His heart beat was speed up but strong. "See, all I have to do is apply just a little pressure," I pressed against a spot on his heart and he was in great pain, "here. Within seconds you would collapse dead to the ground." With a smile I pressed harder. "You will never hurt the one I love again Nicolae."

I let him go and he fought to catch his breath. I lifted a finger and un-did Caleb's chains. The power surge felt great. I turned back to Nicolae and launched him twenty feet into the air. "For centuries I've lived in fear of you Nicolae. Now it's your turn to be afraid of me." His bones started snapping as he screamed. That scream was music to my ears.

Warm arms engulfed me from behind. "Let go of me!" The hold got tighter and I was spun around. Deep emerald eyes greeted mine. "Let it go Ali. It's over. Just let go of the power." How could I let go of it? I wanted revenge for what Nicolae put me through. Caleb's eyes were staring right trough mine. I knew that it's what he wanted. When you love someone you need to make sacrifices. So I let the power go.

It was painful. Taking in the power felt like life, but giving it away felt like death. Caleb's arms were the only thing keeping me together as I screamed. I chose to focus on him. The power  slowly exited my body but eventually I fell limp.

I have no idea how long it took me to wake up. Maybe a few hours based on the soreness of my muscles. Caleb's eyes were staring right at mine when I woke up. I smiled and reached for his face. For a moment I was at peace. That peace went away the second I saw the sword go through my lovers heart.