Ancient Darkness (On HOLD)

Chapter Nine - Immortals

Owen stood in the second floor parlour where his second, Sean, usually conducted his business, and looked around at his eight closest companions with a sigh.

He was once again questioning his own actions in seeking out the Miss Sorenson and the madness which had followed.

From the moment that she had fainted in the dining room at the accommodation house, he had been both wary of her purpose and protective of her fragile state. One touch from him and she had been rendered unconscious beneath the onslaught of memories far too violent and alien for her to comprehend.

As North had pointed out when he had landed from the sky with her in his arms, he should have just rendered the threat irrelevant by killing her but one glance at her face and the strength that he had sensed from within her had ensured that he stayed his hand.

Even the mere thought of himself or one of his brothers touching her in anger sent a rage so blinding through him that he was worried of what might occur.

A creature such as he in that type of state would see blood flow from any source stupid and unlucky enough to be caught nearby.

He caught Dakota's eye and saw that he was still withholding judgement, trusting his leader to know the best actions in this situation. It both humbled him that a warrior so fierce would stand beside him with staunch support, and made his unchecked heart tremble with the knowledge that one wrong move in this could see the downfall of his species.

Was anyone, a stranger, a human no less, worth risking so much?

He would die for any one of his brothers, had planned to seek the dawn's embrace just so that none of them were left to deal with him as his mind fell completely into darkness. If he were to lose himself to despair and bloodlust the remainder of his reign would be coated by terror and tyranny. He would utterly destroy everything that they as a group had been working so hard for.

"I cannot begin to explain it to you but this human, this mere woman was able to reach into me in a way that no other has ever before her. I agree that she may prove to be a threat in the future which will mean her death but until then, I am not willing to make such a creature suffer just for our fears. She is something that I have never encountered before in all of my years and I will not be denied the opportunity to unlock her secrets." His voice was impassioned, more sure and steady then it had been for the past centuries and his brother's sensed a deep resolve within him, one they had failed to see for the longest of times.

They all felt the sudden disturbance within their home and recognised it for the awakening of the creature that Owen had gently placed downstairs in the shared office. None of them could deny that she had an ethereal beauty to her but millennia of fighting and witnessing the most horrific depravities of the world had hardened their hearts to such fleeting joys. They would not be swayed in their duty nor would they allow for any ploy of seduction to fell their steadfast leader.

She may be unique as Owen called her since none of them had ever heard of such a thing before either, an Immortal left defenceless to the mind touch of a slip of a girl. No mortal before her had ever presented with such a gift and none were quite willing to believe that she did truly exist as she claimed.

There were other beings, powerful creatures, which were known to play tricks with friends and foes alike but it also smacked of the hybrids. Those filth -Lycan and Immortal crossbreeds- were not above playing with the fabric that made humans.

Their argument turned silent as Sean, their oldest and wisest healer, questioned his most beloved friend on the path that he had chosen and North blithely disregarded their leader's obvious attachment to the woman by suggesting that they tear apart her seemingly fragile mind in the hope that they might gain the knowledge needed to defend themselves against any unexpected attack.

Some, like Nathan, agreed with the large and dark warrior, while others kept a wary eye on Owen as his contenance changed to one of utter wrath. His roar echoed through each of their minds and they fought not recoil as he blasted them with only a touch of his power.

He was their leader for a reason; not only was he the oldest of the group, he was also the most powerful. None had stood before him and triumphed.

Even they, legends amongst their kind, did not expect to live through a hostile encounter with him. None of them would want to since it would mean that they had turned on their brother and friend.

"The girl," Victor interrupted suddenly, his baritone voice beautiful in the outward quiet of the night, "She seeks escape from this place."

Nine gazes dropped to the rustic floor as if they could see through it. Sounds from below them revealed that she had indeed arisen from her place on the lounge.

Owen tilted his head as his mind began to focus on the quiet of hers, she had managed to block him momentarily but as he slipped gently into the pathway that would lead him to her he discovered that she was blinded by panic.

She somehow knew that there were nine of them on the floor above her, judging her and her life. She fully understood that she was dealing with things that were outside of her reality and he saw no subterfuge within.

Maybe he was blinded by her gentle spirit but when he pushed to the deepest parts of her, he could not even begin to fathom her being sent in as a distraction or a weapon.

She was wrapped in a purity that was hard to mimic, impossible to fake.

He wanted to share his thoughts with his brothers but he finally caught onto her most present plan - she was going to try and run.

He and the others looked to the nearest window and saw the frost in the air; it had snowed earlier in the evening and the sky looked set to continue. They all knew that no mortal would survive a journey through such weather even if she successfully managed her way through the wolves that still ringed the property.

Eight of them blinked, wondering to her sanity and curious if this was another plot to draw them into sheltering her as she worked her wiles on their leader, while one set of grey eyes narrowed in prickled fury.

How dare she try to run from him when he had only just managed to find her!

He sent one thought, three words that he knew would rub her nerves raw, "Don't you dare..."

Her answer was silence and he snapped his suddenly elongated teeth as he felt her move further from him into the frosted ring of trees.

The stupid human could not die!

They were all of one thought as Owen forced his way onto the balcony, the air puffing around him as he growled persistently. He could see the marks her small footprints had made in the snow and he felt his brothers gather around him to watch with their enhanced eyesight as she sluggishly pushed onward through the dangerous forest.

"Bring her back," he ordered, as he himself took to the skies, eight others shadowing him as they heard the first bales of a wolf on the hunt.