HUNTED

Aila frowned at the story Gabriel had told them so far. There was so much to his, Cassius and Amelia's past. But the latest bit of information didn't make sense. She looked at the vampire king who sat, dressed in all black; his waistcoat, shirt, tie, and trousers fit him snugly against his lean muscular body. He was looking at his fingers nonchalantly as he told them about the events leading up to Amelia's death.

"Hold up.." Aila interrupted him before he could continue. She glanced around sheepishly; the group looked at her with mild annoyance as though they wanted to hear the rest of the story. Aila rolled her eyes; maybe they should get some popcorn while they wait! This could technically be classed as an intermission, after all. Gabriel smirked while he continued to assess his most fascinating fingers.

"Why didn't you kill her?" She continued. Gabriel looked at her, baffled. "You had many chances, even after feeding. Her neck was in your hands, and you just.. left.."

Gabriel looked surprised momentarily by her comment, but he became impassive once more as he stared directly at her. "Because I made a deal with the Alpha King. I would kill her in front of him," He replied crisply.

"That's another thing.. Why did he agree to that? Like.. That's bizarre!?" Aila exclaimed, waving her hands out before dropping them and feeling self-conscious of everyone watching her.

"What is this? Twenty questions!?" Ajax huffed, crossing his arms, and shrunk away from Damon, who glared at him. He also dramatically reached out to Gamma Chiara, "Save me!" He whisper-shouted, and his mouth fell open when she shook her head at him with a raised brow.

"It was an execution. Matthias would be the one to kill her otherwise," Gabriel replied dismissively before continuing with the rest of his story.

Where was I.. 1579.. Amelia.. Ah yes..

Two days later, Gabriel sat in his carriage with Cassius sitting across from him. Neither spoke, and the tension between them hung thickly in the air. Amelia was unconscious on the seat next to Gabriel, her head resting against the side of the carriage. Luther helped knock her out using this herb they discovered many years ago that weakened a vampire.

He said Amelia took one sip of the tea mixed with the herb and screamed in pain. But it seemed to do the trick as she was weak against Luther, who usually wouldn't be stronger than her. Luther quickly wrapped the herbs around her wrists, ankles and neck, wearing his brown leather gloves to not be affected by it. He then punched her in the face, ultimately knocking her unconscious.

"I do not like this plan, Gabriel.. It seems too risky," Cassius muttered. Gabriel told his brother that Matthias sent a letter asking for Amelia sooner and to bring her new lover. And so, Gabriel 'created a new plan' to help save them both. He told Cassius that he would kill the Alpha King, and Amelia could remain in the pack as their Luna.

He told Cassius that he read Matthias' mind and found out that the pack were unaware of Amelia's infidelity, so it was possible to safely return Amelia to the pack and leave the blame on a rogue like Matthias planned on doing. 

"When have I ever let you down?" Gabriel replied dryly. His heart constricted tightly as Gabriel looked at Cassius with no emotion on his face. Cassius stared back at him, and his eyes darkened at Gabriel's words. He glanced at Amelia as though he figured out that Gabriel had different plans to what he was telling him.

He brought this on himself.

The thing about the twins was, even if they felt panicked, it would not show on their faces. Instead, they would quietly suss everything out and work out a way to save themselves. Gabriel had only been in a few situations where this was the case, but he was never truly panicked. Again, it was probably his arrogance helping him think clearly. Cassius was the same, and so Gabriel stayed alert, wondering if his brother was scheming under that stoic expression of his.

"Your turn, Cassius," Gabriel held the lethal plant out, and his brother hesitantly raised his hands. Gabriel started to wrap them with the plant and kept them tight on his wrists. "It's only temporary until I kill the king."

Cassius' nose twitched slightly, the only indication on his face that the plant was stinging his wrists. "Good?" Gabriel asked, and he nodded his head in return.

They arrived at the mansion in Silver Thorn past sundown; Gabriel kept to the story that he too was weak to the sun like normal vampires. The guards opened the gates to the long path leading up to the mansion. Once they stopped outside, Luther opened the carriage door and threw Amelia over him like a sack of potatoes. His right-hand man had been following on horseback and raced ahead of them the closer they were to the mansion so he could take his horse to the stables.

Gabriel pretended to throw Cassius out of the carriage, and he staggered on his feet before his brother held him by the arm. They were quickly ushered inside by a servant. The mansion seemed eerily quiet, and Gabriel couldn't sense the pack in the house.

It was evening time, so the wolves must have been in their houses. The next thing the vampires knew, they were met with Matthias in the library, and Amelia's finger was pricked at a bookcase that swung open after drawing her blood. They then followed Matthias down the winding, gloomy hallway leading to a secret underground basement.

The werewolf had been carrying Amelia while Gabriel read his thoughts, looking to see if there would be an ambush or a change in plans. But there was not. When they arrived in the dark, cold, open-spaced room full of weapons, Gabriel was distracted momentarily by everything. But he halted as soon as he found himself in a crypt with a tomb ready and waiting with Amelia's name on it.

Cassius tensed next to him but did nothing more. Gabriel searched the room and was relieved to see there were only two other werewolves. But they bowed and left to stand guard outside; Gabriel nodded at Luther, who followed behind them. Gabriel threw Cassius on the ground and drew his sword to hold at the back of his neck.

"I was surprised you kept your word, Gabriel. What is even more surprising is that my mate's lover is your brother.. You must be as ruthless as the rumours say.. to kill your own brother.." Matthias said as he looked between the twins, one knelt on the ground and the other behind him, his weapon pointing at him.

"Well, we've never been that close," Gabriel murmured before looking at Matthias, who already had his attention on Amelia. "Do you wish to say farewell to her? Or should I finish this quickly?"

Matthias' back was to the twins, and Cassius glanced up at Gabriel. He could see his brother already setting himself loose from the binds. His suspicions were up now; he knew Gabriel would have killed Matthias the moment his guards had left him. Cassius began to stand, and without hesitation, Gabriel stabbed him through the back of his neck with his sword.

"Ah," Cassius sputtered as blood trickled from his mouth.