Hunted

Chapter Ten :: Athina

*** A/N. Hey all!!! OMG I'm so so sorry I have taken FOREVER to write this chapter! It's been a culmination of writers block, work and life lol But hey here it is! It's only a shorty but I though something was better than nothing. I hope you like it, like the last one it was a bit rushed I'm strapped for time at the minute. Happy reading and please please vote guys! I've had nearly 1100 reads which is amazing BUT not many votes and comments it only take a few moments so please please just let me know how I'm doing. Merry Christmas! See you on the flip side...***

** Madison POV **

“She was with the Vampire, the Vladimirescu hunter. She seems to have some attachment to him and him to her. The way he looked at her with...affection, love maybe.”

“We can not let this happen Alexander. For Madison to fall in love with a Vampire would put an end to our centuries of work. She is the chosen one, she must fight with us for our cause. She is the key that can end this, that can finally rid the world of the bloodsucking abominations.”

“It is too late Altair, she loves him. He will come for her. He knows we are in Athina, it is only a matter of time before he hunts us down, he is after all the best of his kind.”

“Then we must do our best to make her understand her destiny and that it lies with us. Without her, we fail. We have walked this earth since the dawn of time Alexander. I am tired, tired of searching for a answer. We were created to defeat these demons and the irony of it all is that we can not defeat them, our magic is useless against them. The Gods mock us Alexander. She is the one, the only one who can help us. Her blood is the key. The combination of Damphyr and Elder blood that courses through her veins is the key. Alexander this is her destiny.”

“She is a child Altair...”

I began to stir at the sound of voices. I recognised one voice as Alexander's but had never heard the other man's voice before. My head hurt and I struggled to open my eyes.

“Madison?” Alex's voice was closer this time. I peeled my eyes open slowly, focusing on my surroundings. “It's ok Madison, you're safe now.” I felt his hand stroke my hair.

“Don't touch me.” I lifted my heavy arm up and swatted his hand away. I looked across at him sat on the edge of the bed next to me. He truly was beautiful. “Where the hell am I?” I snapped out of my distracted trance, his beauty was mesmerising. “Where am I Alex?” My voice grew louder as realisation sunk in.

“Madison...please, calm down.” Alex stood up and backed away.

“Where am I Alex?” I repeated myself for the third time, forcing myself to calm down.

“Athina...” He replied, backing away further, his face clearly nervous of what my reaction may be.

“What? Take me back, take me back now!” I was screaming now, tears streaming down my face. I had not noticed the other man in the room until he spoke. He stood impossibly still like a statue on the other side of the bed.

“Madison, my name is Altair, I am an Elder like Alexander. We are here to protect you, to explain everything to you about your heritage and your destiny.” The other man, Altair was a stern man, he didn't have a kind face and I didn't like him. He was shorter than Alex and did not possess his beauty. He had dark hair and appeared to be in his forties although I knew that meant nothing as Elder's were immortal. Alex's voice snapped me out of my critical review of the other Elder, Altair.

“Madison, come, eat. I have taken the liberty of arranging some clothing for you and the bathroom is through here.” He gestured towards a white door in front of the bed. “Take a shower and eat some breakfast and then I will explain everything to you...I promise.” Alex's face was warm and kind and he had a calming effect on my now simmering anger. I stood up from the bed and stretched, taking in my surroundings. The bedroom was beautiful, the floor was white marble and the walls also white. Dark oak furniture was thoughtfully placed around the room and the four poster bed I had slept in was adorned with cerulean blue, silk bed sheets. I walked towards the only window which was draped with white voile. The view was breathtaking. My room looked onto gardens surrounded by a high brick wall, a greek style water feature took pride of place in the middle of the grassy garden and a stone path led around the outside with benches stragetically placed in places of interest, a rose garden, the water feature and a statue of a greek god I could not name. I stood for some time, staring out onto the gardens below. Alex and Altair stood deathly still behind me, not uttering a word.

“Fine. I will wash and I will eat but afterwards you will take me back to the parking lot you took me from Alex.” I turned to face Alex and silenced him with my hand before he could protest. “You will take me back Alexander, otherwise I will take myself. Twice I have been kidnapped. Twice, in less than a week. I have been taken from my home, dragged across half of Europe, nearly killed and told that everything I once knew is a lie. Enough is enough. You take me back Alex I mean it.” I stalked off towards the bathroom and closed the door behind me without looking back. I was going to take control of this situation, I was sick of being told what to do and where to go. I missed Nic, my heart tugged as I thought of him and I forced myself to shake off the empty feeling inside me as I turned on the shower. I had to remain strong. I had decided whilst I was stood at the window in the bedroom, staring down into the garden that I must get to the bottom of this mess. Something told me that Nicholai was the one, he was the one who could help me, he was the only one who could help me find the answers, I had to get back to him. A great need rose up inside me as I stepped into the steaming hot shower. I felt a strong urge towards Nicholai, like a magnetic pull that was impossible to ignore. I shrugged it off and tried to wash away the past few days, enjoying the feeling of the water and vanilla scented soap wash over my body. The pull became stronger despite my best efforts to ignore it, I was sure it was just because I missed him, why I don't know, he had kidnapped me then abandoned me after all. My body began to tingle and the magnetic pull became so intense I could no longer stand. I slumped against the wall of the shower and slid to the floor. I suddenly became extremely cold and I no longer felt the water on my skin, I looked up and instead of the ceiling of the bathroom I saw the blue sky. I looked around and saw cars and tarmac and trees and buildings, I was back in the parking lot...

** Nicholai **

She disappeared into the night... I called her name in desperation, looking to the sky in hope that she would reappear. Losing her like that made me come to the realisation that I loved her. I had left her in that hotel room and within minutes of being reunited with her she was gone. My dead heart broke in two. I stood against the side of the hotel, frozen in my thoughts until the sun rose above the trees. I took a walk around the lot, planning my next move. I knew the Elder would of taken her to Athina, that is where I would go. I had to find her, not because I had been ordered to take her to Romania but because I couldn't bear the thought of not seeing her again, of holding her, of kissing her. I paced the car park for sometime, my head was plotting what I would do next and my heart was yearning for Madison. I turned toward the hotel and continued my pacing when I spotted something with my predator like vision. I snapped my head to the place where the movement came from and noticed a young girl crouched on the floor against the hotel wall. The girl was naked. Her eyes peered through her wet hair and I instantly knew... “Madison?” I rushed to her side, tugging off my coat and wrapping it around her before scooping her up off of the floor. “What happened?” I asked, concern furrowing my brow.

“C...cold.” She shivered under my ice cold touch. I ghosted to the back of the hotel with her in my arms, sneaking in past the staff entrance and into a bathroom. I placed her gently on the floor and ghosted away to the reception to arrange another room for us to stay in. Once we were safely in the hotel room I wrapped her up in the bed covers and held her body close to mine, she did not speak but rested her head against my chest and closed her eyes.

“Madison?” I spoke softly, not knowing what she had endured, she did not respond. “Blue?” I asked again, this time using her new nickname, I knew she would respond to this, perhaps not in the way I would of liked but any reaction would be a good one. She sighed against my chest and a smile crept across her beautiful face.

“I love you Nic...”

*** A/N. Hey again! Well I hope you liked it I know it's only short and a bit rushed but things step up a gear again in the next chapter! So it may be a long one. I will try and upload again within the next week thank you for sticking by me and reading. Much love <3 Toodles! ***