Authors: Tatiana Jones
“I am hungry!” they said simultaneously. They laughed at each other and finally got out of bed. They headed for the kitchen and Anthony began preparing food for the both of them. Jacinta grew impatient and hungry by the minute and decided to help him prepare the meal. They both had that glow and the room was filled with laughter. They seemed to understand each other so much that they didn’t even get into each other’s way. Not only were their bodies in synch in the bedroom but even outside they seemed to have their own unique rhythm for doing things together. Their diets however, differed. She preferred to eat like a regular human and he needed something to truly quench his thirsts.
They were currently preparing a meal for her first because her nourishments required a bit more care and attention. She began to cut up the onions and bell peppers for the omelet while he began to crack the eggs. He may not be able to eat the food but he was still an excellent chef and she was reminded of this with every bite. Not only did he seem to put in love while they were making love but he seemed to put a lot of care and attention into every meal. She was fortunate to have found someone who can cook because she was a horrible cook and the only thing she seemed competent in making by herself was toast. It was a good thing Anthony did not need to eat food.
Anthony was about to flip the omelet when he heard something strange. He froze for a minute and then regained his senses.
Jacinta was concerned. “Baby, what’s wrong?” she asked him.
“Something seems wrong.” He finished placing the omelet on a plate and began washing the dishes in an eerie silence and shock.
The silence was beginning to aggravate her. She was getting scared.
“What’s going on, Anthony?”
She quickly ate the omelet and Anthony had some blood stored in the fridge. They eat and then immediately headed to her house. Anthony was still silent. Jacinta could not even hear his thoughts. He then broke his silence, “I think I have located Isabella.”
Chapter 29
Location Location Location
They finally arrived at her house. Anthony knew exactly where in the forest she was. He told her parents immediately. Declan jumped at the news and already headed out the door.
“Declan, wait! You can’t just spring out of here without a plan.” Anthony’s words caused Declan to turn on his heels and to listen with great intent. “You need to listen to the plan or instead of Isabella returning, you can go and get yourself killed. We need more people to rescue her because the stakes are a lot higher now mate.”
“He’s right, Declan,” Jacinta’s father overhead the conversation and entered the room, “we have an idea as to what we are up against but we won’t know the full extent until we get here. A part of the plan requires quick thinking and agility. It means being ten steps ahead of the opponent at all times and anticipating every possible course of action. It would, therefore be best if we remain cool and calm and in control of the situation.”
His words made sense to Declan. He knew that what he said was true. Still, he needed to find her and to bring her home. The thought of not having her was driving him insane. He needed her and was scared that he currently could not protect her. He tried to calm himself down and began to listen to the plan.
“Alright, I have decided that it’s best that we don’t split up. There is strength in numbers and we will need our strength if we should encounter them in the forest.”
Declan was enraged, “What?” He walked up to Jacinta’s father and picked him up. Her father’s feet were dangling on the floor. “You almost made it sound like she is one of them.” Everyone looked at him. They were surprised by what he was currently doing. Jacinta stepped forward and tried to calm him down.
“Declan, please put him back on the floor. He is only trying to help.” Declan’s fangs were out. He could not stand the thought of anyone disrespecting Isabella. Jacinta’s father was terrified of him. His face was masked with his fear. His pulse quickened and his blood was swiftly rushing through his veins. Declan could smell this fear and he wanted to drink it all in. He was close to biting him. He was this close to ending him.
“Declan, stop! We need to find Isabella but we have to do this together!” shouted Anthony. Declan looked at her father for another minute then retracted his fangs and put him down. Her father gasped for air. His heart was still racing. Declan came to senses and slowly walked away from the situation. He calmly waited to hear the rest of the plans.
“So we are still attacking at night but we need to stick together and we need to remain calm and vigilant. Only then can we bring Isabella home.” They then ended the meeting and prepared themselves to go out into the forest.
It was a full moon and Jacinta and her parents began to change. Hands and feet were replaced with paws and they were now four-legged creatures. Fur covered their faces and they felt that connection with the moon. They all howled at the moon simultaneously and then met up with Declan and Anthony. Jacinta rubbed up against Anthony and panted. Anthony began to pet her and he smiled. They then entered the forest and began their search for Isabella. Jacinta and her family began sniffing around, following Anthony’s trail. He drew closer and closer to where he heard the sound. Anthony could feel Declan’s energy and he knew that he was very eager to find Isabella. He could also sense that he was still angry but managed to contain his anger as he knew that the emotion would do more harm instead of help. He kept his ears sharp and tuned into the frequency of her voice.
“I think we are getting closer,” said Anthony. He too was tuned into the frequency of her voice. He could hear her getting louder and louder. He then heard the scream. Declan rushed towards the sound of the scream. He madly dashed, enraged and compelled by the need to protect her. He then approached the sound and saw to his utter dismay that no one was there. He was confused. He looked around him and was shocked. He then heard a snap and was hoisted into the air. He tried to use his fangs to get out but found that his efforts were in vain. He kept trying but only managed to tire himself out. When the rest of the group caught up with him, they were greatly displeased. They looked up and saw him in a net hanging from the tree. Anthony changed into a bat and tried to free him but was repelled by the net.
Suddenly, there was laughter in the background. A familiar figure approached them. His cheers were maniacal and his steps were slow and eerie. He crept closer and closer and his laughter grew louder. The group awaited his presence. He then turned and faced them.
“Oh, look at this. Jacinta and her parents are here!” he looked up at the net and gasped, “And they brought guests too!” he smiled and laughed even more. He had anticipated Declan’s lack of rationality. He had anticipated his rage and passion and now he was right where Johnny wanted him. Declan still struggled to break free until Johnny interrupted him.
“It’s no use trying to break free. The material is meant to ensnare vampires and prevent him from breaking free. Only I have the tool that can free him.” They all looked at him with utter disdain.
“I should have let the council kill you when we had the chance,” said Jacinta’s father mentally. Everyone could hear his thoughts. Jacinta and her mother agreed and began to growl at Johnny. They began to bark and snap at him. Johnny wasn’t even afraid. In fact, the more they barked at him, the calmer he seemed to get. He laughed even louder and sighed.
“What a cute family! You know how they say that family should stick together?” he smiled. They knew that he had done something, “well ‘family’ I made sure to bring you to this specific location in order to make sure that it’s possible! Now you guys are stuck here permanently. Oh! And that also includes the pretty boy! Since you know you and Jacinta got engaged.” Anthony’s fangs popped up. He hissed at him.
“Now, you might all be wondering how I was able to pull off such a feat.” He brought his hands together. His fingertips were touching, creating the shape of a pyramid with his hands. He then brought his hands to his face and smiled. He then made a light chuckle.
“I did this with the help of the creature. You know, that same creature that you have been hunting? He used to be a supernatural hunter. Although his command of the English language has diminished, he still seems to remember a lot about his former self. He taught me a few things. I could actually kill Declan right now if I wanted to,” he paused hoping that it would elicit fear into the hearts and minds of his audience. He then continued, “But I won’t. I need him for something.” His smile grew wider and he kept pacing. He didn’t sense fear from them but anger. He’d take it.
“You see I need him to convince Isabella to change back my friend into the human that he once was. I have…plans for the future.”
“What do you want with Isabella?” Asked Declan. He was still trying to break free from the net. He would not give up until he got out and was able to find his love.
“She is fine, ‘mate’. I will return her soon enough.”
Jacinta and her parents looked at him. They could not believe what they were hearing. Why would he do such a thing?
“You are insane! You are psychopath!” said her mother mentally.
“Ah well, they do say that genius borders insanity so, I will take it as a compliment.”
“But why would you do such a thing?” asked Jacinta.
He paused, “Oh Jacinta! My sweet beautiful and naïve Jacinta, isn’t it obvious why I want to do this?”
They then figured it out. He wanted to be their new alpha and leader! Once Isabella freed him then he could kill and attack them and become the new ruler!
She growled at him and began to approach him. He hit her nose and sent her flying. Her parents were amazed by his strength. Anthony, remaining in his bat form, lugged at him and was close to sinking his teeth into Johnny when Johnny just brushed him away. Her parents then lunged towards him and began attacking him but he just brushed them off. He then laughed.
“It is absolutely adorable that you just think that you can defeat me. As I have told you before, I have help on my side and he knows more about both of your types of super naturals. I can easily defeat you with my fingertip.” He smiled.
“And now I think it’s time that I brought out the leading lady for our festivities.”
The forest was silent until sounds of struggling could be heard in the distance. She then appeared and was accompanied by the creature. Her hands were tied and her mouth was covered. She looked ok and she seemed to be under a lot of pressure mentally. Declan saw her and began to freak out. He tried even harder to break free from the net.
“Isabella! Isabella!” he cried out. He needed to get free and to kill the man who did this to both of them. He is so naïve, Johnny thought. He kept watching him struggle. He enjoyed this. He loved having all of the power. He finally had the upper hand. He thought of every possible move and knew that there was no way around it. He had finally defeated them.
“Remove, the tape from her mouth, please.” The creature removed the tape around her mouth first. She began to cry out.
“Leave Declan out of this please! You wanted me and now you have me. Let Declan go please.” She tried to break free from the bondages but was stuck. The creature had tied her tightly. “Please, I’ll do what you have asked but let him go.”
“No! Isabella! Don’t do it! I’ll find another way to break free,” Declan said as he still struggled within the net. He knew that it was no use but he refused to give up. He kept gnawing and biting at the interwoven strings but he was getting nowhere.
“Please Johnny, let him free and I will do whatever you want.”
“Hmm…so that’s your decision?” he asked her. He liked what he was hearing.
“Yes, that is my decision. I will change him into a human if you free him, Johnny.”
He was about to free him when his common sense prevailed, “You know, on second thought, maybe I should let you change my friend back into a human first before I release him.”
She looked at him. Although she had acquired unlimited power, in this moment she felt powerless. She felt like there was no hope now and that she had no choice but to free him from his beast-like cage. She sighed mentally. She knew the spell but did not want to go through with it. She dreaded the thought that she would be the one to put their lives in danger. She hoped for a moment that some miracle would happen and that they would make it out of this alive. The creature nudged her and she knew that she had no choice but to transform him. The creature freed her hands and grunted at her. She faced the creature and raised her hands. She muttered some words which sounded like Latin and German mixed together. She then lowered her hands and stared at the creature. It seemed like it didn’t work at all. Then suddenly, the creature shrank in size.
“Oh, no!” Jacinta muttered under her breath. She was still on the floor writhing in pain. She was terrified. She didn’t know which one would be scarier: him as a beast or him as a human. She braced herself for the worst. She looked around her. Her parents were still down and Anthony seemed to be unconscious. She didn’t know what to do and she felt all alone. She sighed and accepted her fate.
The creature kept transforming slowly. He was now 6 feet and was becoming less furry by the second. His paws were slowly shrinking into hands and skin began to emerge. Johnny smiled and looked on. He was pleased by what he was seeing, “Because I am a man of my word, I will free Declan once the transformation has been completed.” He watched and waited for the transformation to be complete. He grew excited by the minute. The creature no longer had a hairy chest but had a torso. A neck emerged. The group grew terrified with each and every second. Anthony regained consciousness and looked like a human once more. He looked around him trying to make sense of the situation.
“Isabella, what did you do?” He then was fully aware of what was going on.
“Isabella, how could you do this? How could you listen to scum like this?”
Johnny cleared his throat and looked in Anthony’s general direction.
“Excuse me, ‘lad’ but this scum is about to become very powerful. And because I will be acquiring this power very shortly, I would appreciate your respect please and thanks.”
The creature had almost finished transforming. He was now mostly human with the exception of excessive fur which still covered the majority of his face and body. He looked very handsome and rugged and shockingly enough, he almost looked like Hugh Jackman. He cried out. The transformation was very painful and his bones had reformed and were now setting in. The pain was so unbearable that he staggered to the floor in agony. His cries grew louder. He then remained on the floor for five minutes.
“Alright, since you kept your part of the deal, I will keep mine.” He began to fly and pulled out a special knife. He then cut the ropes of the trap and managed to free Declan. Declan was slowly falling to the ground when he transformed in mid –air. He lunged towards Johnny and began to attack him. Johnny was able to get rid of him with a mere flick. Declan did not put up much of a fight. Not only was he tired of trying to free himself but somehow Johnny’s power increased.
“Oh right, I forgot to explain the powers thing, like I said, my buddy Mark here knows things and he made a special potion that grants me extreme powers. I have super strength and can fly,” he levitated in order to demonstrate his point. They were impressed and terrified by his new powers. He then came down and began to move around. He noticed that Jacinta’s parents were still unconscious and that they were nowhere close to getting up. He seemed to enjoy this fact. Jacinta was still on the ground and tried to pick herself up now. She glared at him.