Silently Hunted

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Anya could feel an uncomfortable trill, sweep through the room, sat within the large dining room, with gold and light almost blinding. Having moved her only moments before. There was something building, and she knew from the emotions that bombarded her, it was not something that she would want to be a part of at all.

It was coming…

And it was coming soon…

The whispers whipped around her…

The part of her that had been silent for so long was rolling in the information, proud to be free at last. Hungry for something to latch on to. And the only thing that she could possibly do was to direct it towards the portal in her mind. Surely Nathaniel could find some use for it. She could feel him, a constant in her mind. Knowing that he was plotting and re-plotting to try and find a way out of the torture chamber he was kept within.

Trying to keep up with the bubble of pleasant conversation that swirled around and around her. None of the beautiful, pure voices that surrounded her had the ability to send chills through her and goose bumps along her visible flesh. She could not allow that to be seen, it would not bode well for her a weakness was caught by those around. It could and would be used against her.

A loud clanking filled her mind, jolting her, but as she looked around for the source, all she found were angels giving her odd looks. That was the moment she realised that the door in her mind, whilst still open, was not in transmitting Nathaniel’s thoughts and actions as it had seconds before. It left her feeling strangely bereft and alone, her courage shrinking under this new knowledge. While she had not known this connection before today, it was still uncomfortable when she lost the openness it had been since it opened.

Taking a deep breath, trying to regain her centre, she turned at the clinking of a tall crystal glass. Raphael had stood to speak, the entire hall falling silent, as the tinkling of silver against was looked like light formed into the shape of a chalice. It was mesmerising, her mind swirling. Already off balance, her power took that moment to surge forward. Her mind blanking, she was unaware of the world around her. What she did, what she said, and how she survived she could only know from what others would tell her later. For at that moment the world went black, and the power took her form to portray itself fully before the angels present.

Angel and Archangel alike would tremble before her. The power unseen in their kind for millennia. While her grandmother may hold the power of the truth. Anya held the blood of both races in her veins. It was something the races had outlawed but nature itself had something different to tell those who had hunted her down. Like an animal waiting to fall beneath their claws. This time, the prey had become the predator. But she was not aware of any of that, for the power did not want to alarm her, so it made her forget, for the moment. It would have to show her eventually the truth behind her birth. But for now the power was content in helping its host to survive.

****

Her mind was agony. Blinding pain. Limbs heavy. Eyelids burning. A low moan leaving her throat, her head rebelling against the sound but it would not stop. She could not move. Unaware of what was around her, and uncaring. She did not want to awaken if the pain was all she could feel. She could be surrounded by those who wished her dead, but could not bring herself to move and see if she was safe or not.

Her mind wandered for a time. She was unsure how long it had been. How long she had lain there. Her mind finally became aware of little sounds around her. A light breath. The beating of her heart. A second beat, another heart, another breath, another body, the heat beating against her. They were near. Her muscles tensed. She feared for the first time since she had lost herself once more. She needed to find a way out…but unsure how.

Cracking her eyelids. Looking cautiously out. Her heart stuttered.

Where was she?

The bed beneath her was plain, but comfortable. The small bathroom visible through the door opposite her was in simple, but clean, and she could smell the faint scent of disinfectant in the air.

Moving her head, in tiny movements, towards her companion, her breath paused until she could fully see who was lying beside her. Unsure for a moment, before her mind came fully alive once more. Neurons firing back to life, and sensations rushed into her that were not hers. Her brow furrowed, as with the light from the small bedside lamp, she realised Nathaniel was beside her.

Confusion.

It was all she felt.

Her mind could not comprehend.

There was nothing she could think of that would put the two of them together.

Her mind had gone black with the surge of her power. She had no idea how long she had been out. Had it been hours? Days? Weeks? A quick glance over them both told her any injuries had been healed, if they had been there in the first place. Nathaniel was in a pair of sweats and pale grey t-shirt. She did not expect to see him so casual. Her mind shocked for a moment before finally moving forward once more, realising that the beautiful creation she had been wearing upon the last time she had been conscious had been replaced. By whom she did not know, but instead she wore a similar outfit to Nathaniel only in her size, and fitted to all of her curves.

A quick glance behind her shoulder, had a gasp escaping. Her wings were no longer out. How was that possible? She had not consciously recalled them? She could still feel them, knew they would explode in a feathery colour show if she wished it so, but while she had not been in control she had allowed them to withdraw from sight for an unknown reason.

Turning her head back towards the vampire beside her, she was caught in his dark gaze. Unable to move. At the slight quirk to his mouth, euphoria surged through her, he was here alive. No longer chained in the dungeons of the angels. Looking as if he had never spent time there at all.

His hand reached out to cup her cheek. His smile expanding. “That is all down to you.” At the quiet statement, it took a moment before she realised that she had not spoken aloud, he had taken the thoughts from her mind. Her eyes widened as his thumb stroked over her cheekbone. “Do not look so alarmed, you are the one who opened the connection, and I can find no way to close it.” A serious expression overtook him. His head moving closer to hers. “And as of this moment I do not want it to close. Not after what happened.”

She licked her dry lips. Her voice hoarse as she managed to croak out, “what did happen?”

His gaze darted away before finally coming back to her. “That is a tale for another time. Right now I can feel your need to feed. All you need to know at this moment is that you are safe here. No one here is against either of us. I will explain I promise. But I need to see to your welfare first.”

In the blink of an eye, before her brain had even processed what had happened and what he had said. She was in his arms as he headed towards the small bathroom. And for the first time in a very, very long time. She felt as if she could finally let her guard down. If just for a moment.