Kidnapped By A Vampire

Chapter 57

ARABELLA

We swap cars after a couple hours since Adrian saw this one. Theo hasn't said much to me so the ride is as awkward as ever. How did this become so bad? Everything was going so well and now we're fighting. He should know better than me that I can't want someone else. We're bonded. I couldn't even if I wanted to. I look up as we pull into a small driveway that we follow for a couple miles. At the end is a small cottage. It's been here so long vines and moss are taking over the outside. Theo has to cut some of the vines just to get inside.

"We're gonna scout the area, see you in a bit." Joey says and him and Alexander are gone. I look around but Theo has already walked inside. I follow him in. The light that does shine through the mostly covered windows illuminates the dust in the air. Theo's busying himself with taking sheets off the furniture. What is this place? It's just one room almost like a studio apartment. My eyes land on some pictures hanging on the walls. They're black and white but Theo is easy to spot even in strange clothing. It looks straight out of the renaissance. He's smiling, a smile I don't see on him very often. Two people stand beside him, a woman and a man.

"Theo, where are we?" He doesn't look at me when he answers.

"Just a place I used to live a long time ago." Judging by how much nature has been consuming the cottage I'd say it was a really long time ago. I sigh and wrap my arms around him from behind. I can't stand this. I only just got him back and he wants nothing to do with me. I bury my face in his back and he tenses.

"I  can't tell you why I care about him because I don't even know. But it's nothing like what I feel for you. Maybe I have spent too much time with him, but he feels like my family. Like Joey or Alexander." 

"He hurt you, starved you. He made you think I was dead. I don't understand." He turns around to face me. 

"I don't either...if...when it comes down to it, promise you'll let me be the one to do it." I can't stand the thought of someone else killing him. 

"Can you even do it?" I nod. I think so. He hugs me to him. "I'm sorry. When it comes to you I do and say things I normally wouldn't. "

---

THEO

I hadn't planned for anyone else to be here with us. The only time we're alone is when we hunt together. I sit against a tree while Bella sits between my legs. Being back here was harder than I thought it would be. This forest used to be a small town. It was where I really befriended some humans. Back then vampires weren't romanticized like they are now. When they saw I wasn't aging they completely rejected me. They were afraid of me. I couldn't leave them though and I stayed here watching them grow old and die. People didn't live as long as they do now. They both died before they were forty. I stayed even after that and watched the town die as a plague swept through. My eyes focus on Bella.

She wants to ask what's bothering me. She's trying to remember what she knows about me and it isn't much. I guess I really haven't been as open to her as I should have. It just seems silly compared to what's going on. Let me tell her my favorite color while we kill our way through hunters. When this is over I'll make sure she gets the bonding ceremony she deserves. All her friends will be there and I'll even invite my family as much as I'd hate to see them.

She runs her hands under my shirt. She wants to finish what we started in the car. She wants to distract me. Without a word she kisses me biting my lip and tugging on it. Her fangs draw blood and I lose myself in her.

---

I take one last look at the cottage as we drive away. Vlad has asked our assistance with a hive of hunters he's located and it only takes us half the day to get to them. As soon as we arrive Vlad is briefing us on what we're looking at. The hunters will be moving soon, that's when we'll attack.

"When we get there stay close to me okay?" She takes my hand and nods. I don't know how I feel going into battle with her. I'm worried she will be too big of a distraction, but I won't let her out of my sight again. I think as we approach the hunters den. The others don't waste time in attacking. Vlad said there would be a lot of them. I can't believe so many of them survived the purge. Have they been making more? They claim to hate us but they don't hesitate to make more like them.

Bella follows close behind me but so many of them are trying to separate us. They know who she is and they're doing everything they can to take her. Two more come between us, but I can't do anything as three more some at me. I look around hoping to find someone close by but we're surrounded by a sea of black. The moment they knew she was here they gathered around us.

"Bella!" The sword grazes her side. She barely dodged that. I need to get to her. I focus my attention on getting around the hunters instead of killing them. I'm almost to her when a guy steps in front of me. He's not a hunter. He must be one of the vampires they're controlling. He slashes at me with a knife but I easily catch his arm. It's like he wasn't even trying. Searing pain shoots through me and my knees buckle. What is he doing to me? When he releases me I can't stand. He pulls me up by my hair and I can hear someone shouting my name.

ARABELLA

No, no, no. I watch as the vampire drags Theo away from me. I kill hunter after hunter but it doesn't get me any closer to him. I look around, but I can't see any familiar faces.

"Joey! Alexander!" A hunter is sent flying knocking the hunters to my right down like bowling pins. I catch a glimpse of blonde before he's covered by black again. I can't get to Theo alone so I fight my way to Alexander. I can't stop the hunters from taking shots at me. For every one I cut down another catches me. I cringe as another knife slashes my arm open. Finally I make it to him. We're back to back as the hunters slowly enclose on us. "Theo, they did something to him. We need to get to him."

"Joey!" He shouts. To our left someone barrels their way through. Joey appears next to us breathing heavily.

"They went towards the house." With them by my side we easily cut our way through the hunters. Running into a couple others along the way. Adrian is waiting for me when we make it inside. He's got Theo tied up at his feet. He's still alive because he's sitting on his knees with his hands tied behind his back.

"Glad you could join us. I was hoping I'd see you soon." He kicks Theo in the back sending him sprawling on the floor face first. Theo grunts and awkwardly picks himself up. "I've finally found a way to rid the world of vampires once and for all." 

"Bella just go." Theo says looking up at me. I'm met with gray eyes. My heart jumps in my throat. He's human.