Orange Roses - REVAMPED

Chapter Twenty-One: The Bald Headed Beauty

"I don't want to hurt her," the woman said to Drake. "I really don't." 

"You're pointing a weapon at her head and you hurt a companion of mine. Excuse me if I don't believe you," Drake said. 

"She'd be dead before you can save her." The woman said behind me. 

"And then you'll be dead." I looked to see Oracle glaring hard at the woman behind me. Something in his face contorted and I felt a cold shiver go up my spine. 

"Don't!" Ari yelped. He slammed his mouth shut. The panic and fear twisted the muscles in his face. What was going on? 

"I only want one thing. I want you to let Ari go," the woman said behind me. Her voice sounded like she drowned in pain. I almost felt for her, but she held a gun to my head so that squashed my sympathy. 

I recognized the voice. Where though? 

Oracle shook his head. "I'm not holding him hostage. I wish you understood that." 

"Liar!" She said. Her hand jerked and I felt the cold metal of the gun. Oh. Great. 

"You don't want her," Drake said. "She's nothing, but a useless girl. You have her confused for someone." 

I've never been so happy for Drake's insults. 

"You really don't know what he is." The woman said. She laughed. I took this moment to elbow her in the face. I turned around and lifted my left leg, popped it to hit her gut. She fell back and stumbled. She was about to get a hold of herself when she suddenly disappeared. 

Ari got a grip over himself suddenly and flung forward, trying to grab at the air. 

"Antonio, get back here!" Ari roared. 

I saw a figure in the shadows. 

"Antonio?" I asked. I saw him, holding onto the woman by grabbing her shoulders. The way he held his hands made it look like she might be able to runaway, but his vampiric power kept her in place. Even in the shadow I saw his dark grin. "What's going on?"

"A rescue!" The woman said. I looked at her now. Really looked at her. She stood slightly taller than me. She was black and kept her hair shaved. I didn't see any scars on her. She wiggled against Antonio, trying to claw her way out of his grip. 

She was the woman from Ari's memories. 

"Naomi," Antonio said through gritted teeth.

She'd cut all of her dreadlocks.  

"What's going on?" I asked. 

"Matty!" Aine screamed at the top of her lungs. I looked back to see Orisin growing pale. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. Drake got up with Orisin in his arms. He nodded his head at me.

"That's a lot of blood," Antonio said. His voice sounded tight. I ran toward Drake. 

Oracle came over with me. "May I?" 

"We need to get him to Keeva," Drake said, pulling away from Oracle immediately. 

"Will you have enough time?" Antonio said. 

I turned to glare at the vampire, but stopped to see the look on his face. What was going on? I wanted to reach out and hit him. I wanted him to tell me what was going on. What did he know? Why was he here? And why wouldn't he tell me? 

"Matty!" Aine screamed again. This time, I heard tears in her voice and I knew we needed to leave. 

I pulled out my phone.