by Yana Guleva
“Not much of a choice you’re giving me.” I said.
“Now why would I give the last watcher a choice she would like.” He said wisely. “The sad part is, you’re called one, but you’re not one.” He added with a smirk. “Because if you were one, well, you wouldn’t be sitting in a cage bird.” He added laughing harder now, and before he walked away, I got to my feet, and spit in his face. The son of a bitch.
“A little of a smart ass huh.” He said wiping the spit off his face. “It’s okay, you might come in handy as a hunter.” He said, walking away. How could he be so evil. Why couldn’t he just leave me alone. I never did a thing to him, or did I? Kierce now ran over to me.
“Amabel, I have to go now. He will be looking for me. Trust me my love, I will get you out before anything bad happens. You can depend my life on it.” He said with such emotion it almost hurt, and left the room. Sitting here uncomfortably wasn’t the best thing in the world, but it beat laying here dead.
I wonder how I can get a hold of Kierce. I haven’t fully learned how to do that yet. Shit, I haven’t learned a damn thing! As angry as I was, I needed to try. Tae, where are you. I need you, Luthius had me. Tae please hear me! I waited a few seconds. Nothing. Tae come on! I know I said don’t invade my privacy but now would be the perfect time to! Still no answer. I knew he wouldn’t break my will of privacy. For all he knew, I escaped somewhere to be alone so no one would bother me. He must be worried soon though. I know he’ll give in. Especially that it’s probably past midnight now, and I still wasn’t home. If anything, my mother would make him contact me first. I was now getting way too exhausted, and sleep over took me.
It felt like it hasn’t even been an hour since I fell asleep, but got woken up to someone talking. I never knew I was such a light sleeper. I guess in a situation like this, anyone would be.
“I don’t know if I really wish to kill her…. she might come in use..” It was Luthius talking to Argem. I got a better glimpse of Argem this time. He was tall and skinny with pitch white hair. He looks even more beautiful than when I have seen him before. Their voices were so soft, I could barely hear them talking. Still trying to pretend I was sleeping, I tried to listen more carefully now. “…she will come in use if danger arises after changing the last watcher… we can’t be completely sure whose actually watching sure…. All we know, there may be thousands..” Luthius said. Thousands of who? All I knew was that Tae watched over me. If all of the watchers are killed, how could anyone be watching over me? Plus, even if I was turned, I surely wouldn’t kill anyone who was watching me beforehand.
I feel them both staring me, and now someone walks away. But I hear footsteps of one person, not two.
“My beautiful Amabel.” This wasn’t Luthius for sure. It was Argem left here with me. Not only was I in a cold cage and don’t have a clue what I’m going to do, but now Argem seemed like he wanted to interrogate me. “You will be with me once you change into a hunter.” He said smiling. I now looked up at him since he already knows I was awake.
“Don’t you think you’re a little too old for me.” I said.
“Not at all actually. The age difference we can go up to is fifteen years, and it seems like I’m a lucky guy. Because we just make it.” He said smiling. You have to be joking me.
“Since you will be my wife one day, I feel a little bad for you now. You seem cold and hungry. Let me bring you something.” He said and left the room. This was just great. Not only did Luthius decide that I will be changed into a hunter soon, but I will have to fight the ones who want to protect me. Oh and marry Argem at only eighteen years old. This just added to put top ten things. He now walked back in with a piece of toast and a blanket.
“We don’t have much food, but here’s something.” He said giving me what he brought. “You will now wait Luthius’s to take action tomorrow. Of course he can’t do much without the higher up’s decisions.” He said, looking a little nervous that he just said the last thing.
“Whose even more higher than Luthius?” I asked. Knowing there’s no point of hiding that now.
“His father.” He said, blowing me a kiss and left the room. I couldn’t believe all this. I definitely didn’t want to be a hunter, not to mention Argem’s wife. I didn’t love him, or was planning on it. Oh how I wished Tae would hear me. I missed his voice so much. I need him to contact me because I knew even with all the concentration I had left, I would fail to contact him first. Why am I even here to start with for god’s sake. Whoever this higher up is, I hope whoever it is doesn’t come to make any decisions until I’m far out of here. I don’t want to be a hunter. I’m the last watcher, and need to start being one.
The exhaustion once again over took me, and fell asleep laying on the comfortable blanket.
Chapter Eight – Escape
It has been a few days now since I’ve heard from anyone. Not Luthius, Argem or even Kierce. I kept trying to reach tae, but had no luck. Some old lady kept bringing me food once a day, and a portable toilet. Which was extremely weird and gross. Good thing I haven’t really eaten any real food. I was no getting extremely lonely and missed my parents as well as Tae and Kierce. It has felt like it’s been months instead of days. I tried to sleep as much as possible to have the time go by, and that’s what I did.
In the middle of one night, I wake up to Kierce trying to get my attention.
“Kierce! Oh Kierce I’m going crazy here! I can’t do anything to contact Tae! Where have you been?” I started screaming more than talking now.
“Hey, you need to be quiet. I can’t be caught in here or my father will know something is up. I can’t let that happen until I get you out first.” He said.
“That means your father will know it’s you? He’ll never trust you again. No, you can’t do that. You must have tae get me out so it will seem like you had nothing to do with this.” I said. Worried now more than before.
“Listen, I’m not worried about what my father will think after,, as long as now he has no idea.”
“Well, if you don’t want your father finding out, how come you’re here now?”
“I have someone an idea. But first let me tell you what I overheard my father saying.”
“Okay Kierce, but please don’t let yourself get into anything. I don’t want you hurt. I know your father can’t fully control what his father decides.” I said. Knowing Luthius’s father is old, and probably not all there. I mean, how many old people are.
“That’s not funny. My grandfather wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. even if I have done the worst thing possibly done. Anyways, I overheard my father saying that Samuele, my grandfather, has gotten ill, and has put off any decisions until he’s well again.”
“You mean, he’s really ill?” I asked. How could this be.
“Yes Amabel, what do you mean really?”
“A few days ago I was hoping that the higher up, well, Samuele, wouldn’t come. Well, not at least until I was gone.”
“You’re telling me that you wished this upon him?” He looked a little frightened now.
“No, I couldn’t possibly. I can’t do such things since I never learned anything yet. Tae hasn’t taught me yet, remember?”
“Yes, but you may have done it without knowing it. You need to reverse this! You cannot hurt my grandfather!”
“But he can hurt me? Thanks Kierce. I can’t hurt your family, but they can hurt me. This is wonderful. What love you have more me!”
“It’s not like that Amabel.” He said with a different reaction now. He looks like he realized what he has said.
“I don’t care Kierce. I honestly don’t. I didn’t hurt your grandfather, and if I have, it wasn’t on purpose. I just want to get out of here. You’re out there doing whatever you please, while I’m here stuck in a dark room, in a fucking cage. Just leave!” I yelled. Once I did, I heard someone coming, as well as Kierce since he looked the same way. He quickly hid in the same place as before. It was Argem, not the person I want to see.
“You’re sarcasm isn’t all that great you know.” I said.
“Who was making jokes?”
“What do you want from me? What does anyone want from me?”
“Sweetie, all I want is you. Everyone else, wants you a hunter. It’s not so bad you know.”
“It may not be too bad, but that’s not who I am. I’ll never be that. I am the last watcher, and you will all soon regret for keeping me here without my will.” I said determined, thinking I will gain my abilities soon.
“Don’t get too excited. Luthius has ways from stopping that. Shit.” He said. Apparently, not meaning to say that. Not to me anyways.
“It’s okay. I’ll make sure to tell Luthius everything.” I said kind of smirking. This has been the busiest day for me with visitors, and I wanted to take advantage of it. For some reason, I cannot bear being alone.
“Very funny. So, have you decided to love me yet?” He asked.
“You’re kidding me right? Why would I love you?” I asked.
“Because I could give you what no one can.”
“And what exactly is that?”
“You’ll just have to see and find out.” He said, once again laughing as he walked out. I don’t care what it takes, but I will not love him or marry him. So let’s hope he gets that out of his head soon. Now that Argem left, I remembered Kierce was still in here. He came out from hiding, looked at me disappointed and left. I guess he knows I have no choice on anything as long as I’m here.
A few hours passed since anyone has visited me. all I’ve been trying to do was contact Tae, yet still no luck. As I was about to fall asleep again to have the time pass. I heard someone. Amabel, can you hear me? This wasn’t anyone that came in here. It was Tae! Oh Tae, I miss you so much. It’s horrible here! I said, hoping he’s bringing good news. Amabel, my love, I’ve missed you too so much. I have been trying to get in your head for so long now, but couldn’t. You must have turned it off when you got upset at me before. He was right. I couldn’t control any of my abilities so I wouldn’t doubt that I did that. Tate, I have being trying so hard to talk to you but I couldn’t. I couldn’t use any abilities. I still can’t. The only thing Kierce thinks I did is make his grandfather sick so he wouldn’t come and make any decisions about me yet. I told him. I tried telling him as much as I could before all of this stop without my knowing it. Amabel my love, I have been trying to feel where you are and have had no luck. You have turned off every connection I have with you. Luckily, whatever you have just done, worked. I will come for you. Be prepared. When I come for you though, it may not be as quiet as I hope. So please, try to turn on any abilities you may feel. Use them without doubting yourself, It might help me get you out. I was loving hearing all this. Finally able to get out of this shithole. Tae, has Kierce contacted you? He knows I’m here. He visited me a few times and said he’d try to get me out, but he hasn’t yet. I told him. Hopefully this will help. Kierce knows your there? That son of a bitch didn’t tell me a thing! His father better have him locked up there good, because there was no reason not telling me, unless he tried to act like a hero for you. Just wait until I get my hands on him! Great, I just added to the tension. Tae, no, please don’t be angry at him. I told him he couldn’t do anything to make his father think he wants to get me out. Luthius trusting him will go a long way. I told Tae. I knew I was right. Well, I guess you’re right. I will get you Amabel. I know he will. I also know if I didn’t turn off our connection, he would have been here sooner. Tae, not to say anything useless right now, but Argem, who is Luthius’s friend I believe, well, he told me when I change into a hunter, he will marry me. I told him hoping he’ll also do anything to prevent that. Amabel, no hunter will marry you. Not on my watch. I knew he meant it. And I knew he meant it towards Kierce as well. I love you Tae McCulley. I told him truthfully, for the first time. I love you too Amabel, my love. I will see you soon. He said. That was the end of our conversation. I didn’t know whether he stopped talking to me, or I turned it off again. Now it was just a matter of time before I get out of here.
It has been a couple of hours now, and no sign of Tae. I couldn’t possibly expect him to get here so quick though. He needed to follow his feelings toward me. I was kind of glad I was connected with Tae in every way. I knew I loved him very much. I also knew it was especially wrong of me for loving Kierce too. A simple heart could not love two at once, and if so, there is always one to love more. I did not have the answers to that though. My feelings are mixed up with everyone’s, that all I feel is a jumbled mess. I tried not to think about it too much, but couldn’t help it. I didn’t want to see Tae or Kierce hurt, but if it comes down to their safety. Both of them might end up with a broken heart. I can’t risk everyone’s lives. Not my mothers, fathers, or theirs. It was just not an option in my mind.
A few more hours passed, and I have lost track of time completely. I was trying to practice my abilities, but had nothing. I didn’t know what I was capable off, not to mention what I was not. It was almost like looking for a boat with no signal in the middle of the open ocean. It could be any direction, at any coordinate. I knew one thing though. There was definitely something I could do to any hunter, and that’s make them ill, or maybe make them feel pain. I didn’t know exactly, but I knew now that Kierce’s grandfather, Samuele, wasn’t sick of a flu.
A few more hours passed by before I could really hear any commotion outside the room. I heard walking but not any extreme noise. I wasn’t sure if Tae was coming to bring war here or just simply quiet. I was hoping it was the second one. There was no way we would get out of here alive with two against a hunter army. I hear the door screech, and someone walked in. It was Tae. How did he just walk right in? It looks like he just came in the front door with no problem.
“Amabel, I’m here. We need to move quickly.” Tae said. He was in human form, how was he going to get me out of here? These idiots didn’t think anyone would find you.” He said, coming closer with the keys.
“You got the keys? Unreal, this is way too easy.” I said.
“Don’t get your hopes up yet. Not until we leave here in one piece.” He said, now trying to open the gate. He succeeded.
“Let’s go, but be quiet.” He added, and we left the room. It was so nice to finally get out of that cage. I was sick of seeing everything through bars, not like there was anything to see in there anyways. We walked through the hallway, and through the doors of the room. Past there, it looked like an old factory. This wasn’t anyone’s home, just a random abandoned factory. There wasn’t much to it, and no sign of movement anywhere. Hopefully no one will even know.
“These bastards hid you good. No one has been to this factory in decades. I don’t think the owner of it is even alive.” Tae said. Surprisingly, I wasn’t surprised. This place was a total shithole. As we walked through the factory, I noticed there were no windows. We must be on the bottom floor, which explained the cold cement I was on. We reached a set of stairs, and Tae hesitated to go towards them, but he did, and I followed. We reached the top, and he slowly looked around the corner before proceeding.
“Shit, they’re here.” He whispered. “There wasn’t anyone here when I came. Just some hunter that was playing with his phone. I easily sneaked by him, but now Luthius is here with some other white haired hunter.” He added.
“It’s probably Argem. The one who wants to marry me, remember.” I said.
“Yeah, I remember.” He scowled. I knew he was pissed at that thought, so hopefully it’ll be easier to get out now. He wouldn’t want to come across them. “We’re going to have to wait until they leave. I don’t think they’ll visit you right now. They look too worried and busy talking.” He said.
“I guess that’s good. So how long do you think before we get out?”
“I don’t know Amabel, I honestly don’t know.” He said. We waited for about an hour back down at the main floor
of the factory. No one has come down here, so Tae decided to go check back upstairs. “Let’s go, now. This is our chance.” He said. I was happy to hear that. I didn’t want to leave fighting. I didn’t have strength for that, and I doubt he had either. We walked up the stairs, and slowly headed towards the nearest exit.
“Now, now. Where do you think you’re going.” Shit, it was Argem.
“Listen hunter, back off. We’re leaving, and you’re not stopping us.” Tae told him.
“Now why would I just let you walk out of here without doing anything at all? What do you think this is, lycan.”
“You will back off, now.” Tae was now getting more and more defensive. I could see his veins popping out more and more. If I knew any better, he will soon change.
“Lycan, you are no threat to me. You are nothing. I feel pity for you that you are such a thing. Stand back, and hand her over.”
“I will not stand and watch you take her away! I will not step aside for you to ruin her life. Now watch me turn into the creature you think I am. I will do nothing but rip your face off!” Tae was no screaming. With every word that he spoke, he turned more and more into the lycan. His hands were now fur with claws spread apart. His body got filled with the black and white fur. He is getting bigger by the second, and his clothes is now ripping. With seconds left, I knew he was no longer the Tae I was used to. Standing on his two, now changed into a lycan, he attacks Argem.
“You fool. Do you think I can’t fight a lycan? I was made for that.” Argem told him, laughing through his teeth. He was now paler than before, with daggers for teeth, fighting back Tae. They both went at each other. Argem seemed quick, but Tae seemed a lot stronger. I couldn’t bear to watch Tae get hurt, and that’s what it was leading to.