Chasing Ghosts

Broken Hearts

Erin had felt out of sorts since before they left and the feeling hadn’t abated him yet, he simply felt slightly less bad. It was like something was slowly leeching him of his will and drive, but he was keeping on a braver face than he cared to admit. He could care less, however, about the pain his body was receiving, knowing that the root came from anguish that Jade had to have been going through. He had given nods and shrugged off the concerns that everyone had shown him, but he figured that his attempts were pretty transparent. He was happy that they got Val back without losing anyone, although the stipulations of her release were less than desirable. The man who wanted Lycan blood was going to come for his payment in a week. Erin snarled as he thought about bleeding Ulric dry and giving the man a barrel of it, along with that Lycan’s head. He prayed that his daughter was well and safe, knowing that her mother would die before she let anything happen to her, but he still worried like any father would. As soon as he got his family back, there was going to be hell to pay. The old man who took Val, he was going to die; Ulric, for forcing him to be apart from his family, he was going to die; Everyone who stood between him and reaching that goal, they would all have to die. 
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Val was clinging to Shane as if he might disappear if she were to let go, she almost couldn’t believe that she was out of there. She knew that the others were going to come for her, but she had no idea if she’d still be alive or end up the way Malcom did. Tears were still rolling down her face and her body was still trembling. She caught most of what Shane was saying, but her mind was still trying to relay to her that she was safe. That old man had been running his experiments ever since she had been there, and the nightmares he seemed to give her were still playing out in her head. She would spasm every now and again through bout of shaking, but she nodded as Shane spoke so that he would know that she was hearing him. Apparently, a lot had gone down while she was away and there was still a lot to come. However, she did know that giving that old bastard what he asked for was a big issue, and when she pulled herself together, she’d be the first one to tell the other to rip that old man apart if he dare show up. 
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Ulric and the others were making good time, in his eyes, as this is the most information he had about his sister’s location. He didn’t mind the travel nor the fact that they had to stop every now and again because of Jade. He was more than willing to give the young lady a rest, if need be, given the rough positions she had been in not too long ago. He was sure that he got the job done right, seeing how Jade was reacting, it put a bit of pep in his step, and made him feel very much alive. He knew that his offspring, the Blackwood lineage, would live on. All he could hope for now is that it was a boy. 

He stopped after they had picked up the pace for the sixth time, carrying Jade in his arms while Marius held Lynn. He stopped and stared around for a bit, an unfamiliar scent making him cautious of his surroundings. He was sure that they had entered witch territory a while ago, but the hairs on the back of his neck were telling him that he should go no further. “Stop here,” he said to Marius and his daughter, as they caught up to him, “It seems we’re close enough.” He sniffed the air, trying to ascertain some sort of direction, but all he could sense was that any further was imminent danger. “I know you’re near! You have something I want, and I’ve come to get it!” he shouted as he panned left and right. 

A few silent moments passed before a dazzling ebony woman seemed to appear from nowhere. “Your threats are quite hollow here, Ulric, son of Blackwood. I advise you to tread lightly, this is my territory you’ve invaded, and as the Mother to Black Lake Coven, I’d appreciate some respect. Otherwise...,” she rose a hand, and the sound of snapping and twisting tree limbs could be heard all around the forest, however, she stayed her hand as she looked upon the rest of the group. She noticed Jade first, as she was in Ulric’s arms, and seemed to be breathing in a labored manner. She could sense an energy, two separate ones in fact, coming from the wolf. Looking to the vampire and the young one with him, she could tell that the young one was the child of the wolf Ulric held. To top it all off, they all held a similarity to the one that of Gabriella, assuring her that these were her daughter and granddaughter. The witch lowered her hand, dispelling the illusion spell, bringing to vision the mansion and other buildings and structures that lay in the woods behind her. Exposing Gabriella, who stood only a few yards behind Esmerelda.