by Jones, L. A.
"I am pretty sure I do," said Aradia with a bitter smile.
Melina tried to argue further, but Aradia cut her off. "Look, there is no time to argue I need you to hide like now!"
Nevertheless, Melina shook her head once again. Aradia then exhaled a breath and with no further warning she, head butted Melina, knocking her out completely. She then dragged Melina behind a pile of oil rags. She also grabbed an armful of the rags and threw it over Melina, covering her completely!
At that very moment, a gang of werewolves stormed through the previously barricaded door. They turned slowly to look at Aradia, all of them smiling evilly.
Aradia forced a nervous smile before saying, "So who wants to dance with me first?"
The werewolf that was the first to storm the shop rushed towards her, still in his human form, but with his claws extended long and sharp.
Aradia quickly sidestepped, narrowly avoiding him, and said, "You huh? Well in that case let's mambo!"
Chuckling dryly, the werewolf raced towards her but once again, she avoided him. She was tempted to use fire in order to make them back off permanently. However, since this was a mechanics shop there was gasoline everywhere so Aradia deduced that one spark of fire could make this whole place explode with her and Melina in it. I am going have to use brute strength to solve this one, Aradia thought to herself with sarcastic smile. She then kicked the werewolf right into the pole, which helped keep a blue car up in the air. At least, it had until he hit it and caused the pole to bend so far that in a mere second the blue car fell on top of him!
For a few tense seconds the rest of them stood looking at the car awkwardly until Aradia chuckled and said, "My bad."
Snapping out of the stunned silence, another werewolf lunged towards Aradia whom threw a roundhouse kick that sent him flying!
Aradia chuckled. "Let's hear it for women's lower body strength!"
However, it was while she was chuckling that two werewolves lunged forward at the same time and grabbed hold of both of Aradia's arms.
"Oh crap!" She muttered as she struggled, trying to free herself.
"Careful with her boys," Another werewolf chuckled as he walked towards her. "We don't want to take damaged goods to our client!"
"Hell Dude! By the time, I am done with you! You won't even be able to take me to the prom!" Ironically, using the two guys who held her as suspension Aradia raised her right leg to kick him from below his chin and then her left to get him away. He fell several feet away flat on his back, groaning softly in pain.
Aradia laughed, but her victory was very short lived. She had been so busy fighting that she did not notice that one of the werewolves had snuck up from behind her with a pipe. He hit her with a loud clang, making Aradia slump forwards.
"Jesus! Don't tell me you killed her!" the werewolf holding her left arm shouted as he laid her down.
The one on the right quickly felt her pulse and then sighed, "No. She's okay. Just out!"
"Thank God!" The last one exclaimed who stood in front of them, and was looking down at Aradia. "The last thing we want to do is kill our next paycheck."
"What were the rest of our instructions from our client?" the one on the left asked while scooping Aradia into his arms.
The last one dug into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.
After looking at it for a few seconds, he said, "We take her to this address and then we get paid."
"That's all?" asked the one on the right.
"Hey," The one with the pipe interjected, "Do you really want there to be more? I mean look what she did to Bjorn."
Using the pipe like a pointer, he gestured towards where the blue car had crashed.
"Is he still alive?" The one on the right asked.
The last one shook his head sadly and said, "If he was he would have let us know by now."
An awkward silence now filled the room.
It lasted until the one on the left said, "It's a shame really. He was a cool guy."
"Yeah well," The last one exclaimed, "More money for us!"
The reaction to his statement was surprising.
The others either laughed softly or murmured, "Oh yeah," under their breath.
The left one now said, "Hey guys I don't mean to be rude but do you mind if we hurry up and get out of here."
"What's your hurry?"
The left one shrugged and said, "It's just I got plans tonight."
"That's all?"
"Well there is that," he added, "And I really don't like holding onto this chick longer than I have to. She smells really weird and she is kind of heavy."
He gave a small grunt to illustrate his reasoning.
The others all laughed before agreeing. One at a time, they shuffled out of the shop not noticing the unconscious African American girl lying underneath the oily rags.
Chapter Fifteen
How long have I been out? Melina thought as she rubbed her head. She then tried to sit up, but doing so made her head throb with even more pain. It was as she instinctively placed her hand on the sore spot of her head that she remembered what had happened.
She had followed Aradia, they had talked, they had been attacked, and then...
Melina's head shot up as she started to yell. "Aradia. Aradia!"
Jumping up from the oil rags, she dashed around the shop calling out Aradia's name.
When she received no response, she realized what had happened: Aradia had been kidnapped!
As if in a trance of shock, Melina ran out of the shop, and into the icy cold winter wind. As she raced down the empty dark streets, she started yelling for help, "Help! Help! Help me someone! It's Aradia! They got her! They got Aradia!"
Aradia knew that by now, she should get used to it, but still she could not help but wish whenever she was kidnapped she would not wake up with a splitting headache! Rubbing her head all over, she slowly tried to stand up only to realize she was in a cage.
"Well this is new," She muttered.
"Actually, I think it's kind of appropriate," said a voice from behind her.
Aradia turned around to face him, already knowing who it was going to be. "Holden."
They were located in something that looked a lot like a bar or club where Holden lounged on a stool, smiling at her.
"Wassup sugar?" he greeted her.
"You mean besides your inflated ego? No idea," Aradia muttered.
Holden threw his head back and laughed.
"No wonder so many guys are after you. You are so cute."
"No offense," said Aradia more clearly. "But that's not much of a compliment coming from an abusive tyrannical husband who made his ex-wife miscarry his own child!"
Holden suddenly stopped laughing and smiling. Slowly and in a tense silence, he pulled out a cigarette, a lighter, and lit it up. Flicking the lighter closed and after taking one long puff, he looked up at Aradia.
"You don't know anything," was all he finally said.
Aradia laughed and said, "I know you don't force someone into marrying you when you know they don't love you. Most of all, I know a real husband let alone a real man would not beat his wife!"
Holden muttered bitterly, "I don't have to justify my actions to you."
"Good," Aradia snapped, "Because I don't think there is justification in them."
Holden opened his mouth to say something, but Aradia cut him off. "But enough about your character flaws dude! Let's talk about what the hell I am doing here and what do you want?"
Holden chuckled murmuring, "You are something I tell you what."
"Like I said," Aradia snapped, "What the hell am I doing here and what do you want?"
He chuckled again. "Are you familiar with the concept of prisoner exchange?"
"Not really. Why?" Aradia asked.
Shocked at the sudden bluntness of her answer, Holden nevertheless replied, "The idea is I take someone prisoner and ask to trade my prisoner for theirs."
"But we don't have a prisoner!" Aradia proteste
d.
"No, but you do have my wife," Holden said smirking.
Finally realizing where he was going with this, Aradia scowled. "You are sick."
"Yeah well at least I am not the one in the cage," Holden smirked.
"Open this door and you will be!" snapped Aradia.
"Which is why it's staying closed," He chuckled before shoving himself off the stool, and stretching his arms behind his head.
He then turned to leave.
Aradia scowled, longing to say something to his retreating back.
However, just as soon as Holden almost turned the corner, he turned back to look at her. He then leaned against the door, still staring at her.
For a while, Aradia put up with his scrutiny until finally she snapped at him rudely, "What?"
"It's a shame," Holden said softly in a seductive tone. "Having to trade you for Brenna..."
"Don't you want Brenna?" Aradia asked confused.
"I do," he snapped, "What I mean is it's a shame that I have to trade you for her because in all honesty you are both pretty hot. It's a shame I can't keep you both but ah well what you are going to do?"
Aradia didn't know why, but there was something in his tone that warned her the 'prisoner exchange' concept was going to end up being a lot more complicated than it was intended to be.
Melina did not know how long she had been running and screaming; ignoring the bitter cold and icy mud that splattered all over her clothes. All she did know was ever since she had left the shop she had continued to run into the streets of Salem. Her first thought had been to use her cell phone, and call 911 but then she had remembered that she had left it at home! She knew she should have run home to get it, but there was no guarantee that Aradia's parents would even be there and if they were not there Melina could not get into the house! But most of all, Melina argued with herself, even if I did call 911 who the hell would believe me when I tell them that a group of werewolves have kidnapped my sister?
Melina was too scared to notice that for the first time she had thought of Aradia as her sister. However, that did not distract her from continuing her running into the streets of Salem silently praying to God that not only would she find help soon but also Aradia would be okay in the mean time. So far, she had seen and found no one who would help her and her arms and legs began to go numb from the cold!
She grumbled to herself, "If I live through this night I swear to God I will never wear a mini skirt in the winter again!"
Although ever since the 'incident' Roy had not spoken to Melina he could still recognize her scent anywhere so even though it was bitter cold, windy and frosty, and he was busy washing dishes Roy could smell Melina running towards the diner. Without a second thought, Roy dropped the dishes he was currently washing, dashed over the counter, and ran into the street. Sure enough, there was Melina running towards him her eyes wide like a hunted deer, and her legs looking frozen from the cold.
"Melina!" Roy cried out, "What's wrong? What happened to you?"
Too tired from running and too cold to explain, Melina collapsed into Roy's arms. Quickly, he swept her up and dashed back into the diner. Grabbing the nearest coat, he threw it around Melina, and began to rub it all over her like a towel.
"Melina, Melina!" Roy cried out again, "Melina! What is it? What's wrong?"
After heaving huge gulps of air, Melina finally managed to gasp, "Aradia! Aradia! They got Aradia!" before she passed out in Roy's arms.
"It must be Holden! Only he would do such a thing!" Brenna cried out while slamming her fist into her palm.
Shortly after finding Melina, Roy had called the others to meet at the diner rather than the club. He knew how cold she was, and did not want to move her. At the same time, he wanted to get help for Aradia so he had compromised and in a few short seconds Dax, Xan, Ginevra, Domitilla, Lamont, and Tristan showed up. Al and D were already there and waiting.
They both nodded agreeing with Brenna while Roy asked, "So what do we do?"
To this, however, no one had anything to say not even Dax who was staring at the ground. Although he gave no sign of it, Dax was extremely worried about Aradia. It had been bad enough when Henry had kidnapped her, but for it to happen yet again with Holden. It made Dax feel like breaking down in front of everyone and crying. Ironically, it was while he was lamenting over this familiar situation that Dax thought about Tristan's arguments for Aradia choosing a consort. He began to see the logic in it. If she had a consort from a certain hidden race, she would undoubtedly have people who would be willing to protect her at any cost. No one would then dare to kidnap her.
Although Dax's heart said, otherwise he knew that there was no guarantee that Aradia would choose him. Worst of all, there was no guarantee that he could protect her either. After all, he argued with himself, I could not protect my mother so what makes me think I can protect the love of my life?
He didn't have time to dwell on this though because Tristan started calling out, "Hey Dax! Earth to Dax! Come in Dax!"
"What?" he said abruptly.
Everyone stared at him and trying to disguise their looks of disgust but Tristan continued with his questions. "Look man you figured out where Aradia was last time. How about doing the same thing twice?"
Dax sighed heavily.
There was a stunned silence in the room before Tristan snapped after Dax's explanation, "What do you mean some strange vampire told you where she was before?"
"Did I stutter mate?" Dax grumbled.
Tristan groaned before raking his hand through his hair and muttering, "So what are we going to do?"
No one said anything for a while.
Thankfully, Al proposed a plan. "Well chances are Holden is still in Salem. He couldn't get that far with Aradia without anyone recognizing or smelling her."
"That helps us how?" Tristan asked sneeringly.
Al groaned and said, "It helps us in figuring out where to look. Aradia is probably still in Salem and all we have to do is spread out and look for her!"
A few awkward silent moments passed before everyone agreed with Al's plan.
"Wait!" Brenna interrupted, "One of should stick around and wait to see if Holden contacts us!"
"Why don't you do that?" Tristan pointed out.
No one argued and so everyone shuffled out of the diner intent on going through with Al's plans.
"Aren't you coming Roy?" Al asked his brother who was still hovering over a sleeping Melina.
Like the time when Aradia had caught him dancing with Melina, Roy looked unbearably uncomfortable. His gaze swept a couple of times from the door where his brother stood and the sleeping woman still wrapped up in the jacket.
Finally, Roy sighed heavily. "I will drop off Melina at her house first and then I will join you guys."
He then picked Melina up, and made his way to the parking lot. Al sighed heavily as he followed Roy out. Soon the only people who remained in the diner were Brenna and Xan.
However, Brenna was not aware that was Xan was still here.
At least not until he said, "Don't think I don't know what you are up to baby."
Brenna spun around, startled. "What do you mean Xan?"
Xan sighed and explained, "The reason you volunteered to stay behind is you plan to go find Holden and hand yourself over in exchange for Aradia."
Brenna tried to brush away such a suggestion with a laugh and shrug, but Xan kept staring at her until finally she reluctantly admitted his accuracy in predicting her actions.
"It's for the best Xan," Brenna argued, "Aradia is the last witch. We can't afford to lose her."
"Not because of her political status I mean," Brenna added quickly to counter Xan's disdainful expression. "But because...I mean look at all the good she has done for Salem. Hell if it wasn't for Aradia we ever would have even met!"
Xan raised his eyebrows in surprise while Brenna smiled and added, "So in a way Xan it was Aradia who brought us together. We owe our love to her!"
Xan did not
say anything but he did sigh before asking, "Do you know where Holden is?"
Reluctantly, Brenna nodded. "He called me an hour ago, and told me to meet him at this address in an hour."
She fished into her pocket, pulled out a white slip of paper, and brandished in front of Xan.
Xan sighed before closing the distance between them, and taking Brenna in his arms.
"It's funny," Xan whispered into Brenna's hair. "I have lived for over one hundred and fifty years and yet no woman has ever enchanted me before as you have."
"One hundred and fifty years?" Brenna repeated, "Man I always knew I had a thing for older guys but..."
They both chuckled while holding each other a bit longer.
"I am so glad you are not trying to talk me out of doing this Xan," Brenna mumbled while burying her face into his shoulder.
"I would never do that," Xan said smiling.
Brenna raised her head to smile up at him. Suddenly, she jerked forward and collapsed into Xan's arms that swiftly scooped her up and laid her down on one of the club's many couches.
As he straightened up, he put his stun gun back in his pocket.
"Stun you, take the piece of paper, confront your ex, and kill him, in order to save Aradia and to protect you," he muttered. "Now that's something I would definitely do!"
Carefully, he pried open Brenna's hand and yanked the paper out.
He took one glance at it and shoved it into the pocket of his jeans. "And it is exactly what am I going to do!"
Chapter Sixteen
Aradia gazed around, trying to figure out what to do. She promptly decided to use all her strength to try to bend the bars of the cage, but it was as her hands wrapped around them when she immediately leapt back howling in pain. Instinctively, she looked at her hands and gasped aloud seeing burn marks in the shapes of runes on her hands.
"What the hell..." She started to say.
"It's funny," said Holden suddenly appearing and leaning against the doorway. "For all the power and importance you have as the last witch you still have many weaknesses. For example, the witch runes like the symbols inscribed on the bars of your cage if they are used on any surface then any hidden witch is unable to touch anything. At least, not without having the flesh roasted right off of you!"
