Runaway Girl - The Secrets of Avelina Chronicles 1

Chapter 26

Damian was on his way back from campus that night when out of nowhere, Cameron ran toward him. He was looking over his shoulder in the other direction, sounding out of breath, and ran right into Damian before he could step out of the way. He couldn't help but laugh and was about to say something about it when Cameron looked at him with fear and panic in his eyes, alerting him that something was wrong. He was practically swaying on his feet. Damian caught him by the shoulders to steady him, when he noticed blood pouring out of a small wound on his arm. "What happened?" Damian asked, never expected the answer he got.

"You were right about war coming ... it's already here," Cameron admitted breathlessly, looking behind him to check that the coast was clear. Quickly, he led Damian behind a nearby fence. Everything happened in such a rush that he hadn't had any time to catch his breath. "I was on my way back to the clan when I saw Jeremy, you know, from the Charcot clan. I made the mistake of stopping to talk to him when three of his clan mates jumped me and I only just made it out alive," Cameron explained, frustrated. "I can't believe it! We've all been friends for the last few decades! This isn't normal."

They agreed with Emily that war was coming. She was right. And it was closer than they had expected.

"Go back to my clan. Tell them what's happened and that I sent you. Warn them that the war has started and to prepare for it," Damian ordered.

From the look of it, Cameron must have fought back. When Damian took a quick glance around the fence, Jeremy and his friends were coming after them. Cameron must have gotten in a few good licks from the look in their eyes.

"What about you? You're not coming with me?" Cameron asked hesitantly, still struggling to breathe. "Damian, come with me! Save the heroics for another day." But suddenly, he realized what he was up to. Damian was going to sacrifice himself to Jeremy and his clan members to save him, but he was the next potential leader of the united clans. He was the most important person to them all now. They couldn't risk him getting hurt before the clan meetings. That is, if they were still going ahead with it after the way Jeremy and his boys had acted. If he was sent by his clan elders or the master, then it meant they had no intention of attending the clan meetings. Obviously, they had other ideas on their agenda.

"You're wounded and need tended to. I'll be along soon," Damian lied.

Suddenly, the voices grew closer.

"Fan out!" Jeremy ordered. "Find him before he talks to anyone else! Don't let him tell his clan!"

Cameron hesitated, not wanting to go, until Damian pushed him forward. "Go!" Damian shouted.

It only took him a second, then he bolted in the opposite direction of the voices advancing on them, heading for the Croiset clan to warn them of what was coming ... but it was already there.

Meanwhile, Damian formed a plan as to how he was going to defend himself against the men. Before he'd truly made up his mind, he spotted one of Jeremy's clan members backing up against the fence on the opposite side. He was hugging it inconspicuously, trying to sneak up on Cameron.

Damian forced him out of his hiding place before anyone else could join in. Moving as quickly as he could, he rushed him and snapped his neck before he'd even noticed him coming. He cursed the bad timing when he saw Jeremy.

"Hey, Macs! Over here!" Jeremy called.

Within a second, the two of them were headed right for him.

He was hoping to give Cameron as much time to get to the clan house as he could, knowing that he would probably get attacked for trespassing. At least he would be taken directly to Lucius to be dealt with. As long as he got there, Damian didn't care how many vampires he had to take on, except that they were once friends of his, and the only way out was to kill them all before they killed him.