17

26. Caged

LYSANDER

***

I don't know where I am. I don't know what's happening. I don't know where they are taking me. I can't see anything. I can't move. I can't shift. Every part of my body is burning and weakening yet every bone is aching and every drop of blood is boiling to kill every single person in this vehicle. I need my mate. I need her. I need my mate. I need Andromeda. Where is she. I need to find her. I need my mate. Andromeda.

"Everett. Switch spots with me." I hear a hunter's nervous breathing next to me.

"What? Why?"

"This one looks like he's about to explode."

My hands clenched to hit someone. Every one. I need to get out of here. I need to find my mate.

Once I get out, I'm going to make sure every single one of these hunters pay for even breathing next to her. I'm going to break every single bone in their body and feed them to the vampires. I'm sure they would be more than happy. I'm going to find Andromeda and take her away from these humans.

"Are you sure he can't shift?"

"Don't be such a coward, Daniel. It's just a dog." The unpleasant, familiar voice made my skin crawl.

"Easy for you to say. You're a damn vampire and you don't die."

"Oh, he can die." I laughed coldly, clenching my jaw as I faced the direction where the vampire's voice had came from. "I've killed many vampires before. I don't need a silver or wooden stake. I can do it with my hands. Werewolf or not." There was a long moment of silence that lingered in the flying transportation. I could feel the fear among the hunters around me and even a hint of it from the teenage vampire.

If I wasn't so reckless, none of this would not have happened. If I hadn't followed this asshole and fell for his trap, my mate and Rami wouldn't have needed to save me. We wouldn't have to run away from West Grove. We could have lived a happy life, my mate and I.

"It's such a shame. Werewolves are so weak that they did not outlive humans." The irritating voice said mockingly, but I remain unfazed of his taunting words. I already want to rip him apart and it's not because of what he says. It's just his mere presence. "Of course, there is one more but it's not too long until he dies, too. He will no longer be a werewolf, but a weapon. An object. For humans to use. The same being that killed his own."

Nothing else can be heard other than the thrumming of the helicopter's rotor blade and the growls from my throat that surpassed it.

"Is that what happened to you?" I asked as calmly as my voice could sound, though I am anything but. "You are being used by humans. Hunters. They are using you as an object. They kill supernatural beings, such as vampires. They kill your own kind and yet you're helping them. All because you don't want to die. You are nothing but a coward who betrayed his own kind to save his own ass."

"You don't know anything, dog." He hissed. "Anyway, nothing you say matter. I am still free to be myself. I am still me. You, on the other hand, will not be. It's unfortunate for that girl. What's her name? Andromeda?"

My breathing became unsteady as her name came out of his dirty mouth.

"Where. Is. My. Mate."

"Mate. That's what she is, isn't she? Your mate. A clever little human. A beauty. Perhaps, I'll keep her for myself. She's got quite a mouth on her. I wonder if it's good in the bedroom. Maybe I'll give her a visit tonight. That is, if she's alive."

I jolted my body forward and slammed my upper body against the boy. I didn't need to be let loose of the chains to charge. As I did, I felt the vampire's body slip from wherever he was sitting, and the entire vehicle shook briefly.

Someone from the front of the helicopter spoke up with annoyance. The same hunter who had tortured me for information in The Citadel. "Uriel. The last thing I want is for this damn chopper to crash in the middle of the desert and be stuck in one with you, these men and especially an angry werewolf who wants to eat everyone. I'll let you go first, if that happens. Now leave him alone and shut the hell up."

I sat back in my seat with rage still flashing all over my body, though I couldn't help but be amused at the fact that these humans think I'm going to consume such a filthy thing such as themselves. There is only one human that I'd ever want to put my mouth on and she is not here. I need to find her. I need to save her. Once I do, everything else be damned.

***

"Is that it?"

"Yes."

"I was expecting something a little more frightening."

I let out a menacing growl at the voice that had just greeted us at the landing of the transportation. I am still blindfolded, but I am hearing a lot of machine hums, footsteps and voices, but I am picturing that I am in a secluded place away from cities.

"Bring him in. Follow me."

I was once again dragged along like a dog with chains as a leash. By now, the effect of wolfsbane had worn out but the silver binding my body is too strong. As I walked to an unknown location, I was hit by familiar scents of strong chemical odors. It's the same scent I've grown to hate in Silverstein. However, I am sure I'm not in Silverstein. This place feels much bigger and more private. Not a science laboratory, but something else.

I was hauled for a long time until I was suddenly pushed inside something. I heard metals ringing around me. The chains around my body had been removed and I crashed against a wall. I heard a locking noise and the metals in front of me, giving me a good idea of what I was inside in.

"This is what you've asked."

"Good."

I froze at the voice.

"Where's the money?"

"Here." I never thought I would hear that irksome voice again.

After footsteps faded away, I heard the sound of a door sliding and locking, and a pair of footsteps making their way back towards me. I then removed the blindfold and confirmed everything that I had suspected.

I am in a cage in a room full of weapons, sharp objects and scientific equipment. Right in front of me is none other than the white haired, wrinkled man they call Tarver. Doctor Tarver, grinning down at me as he always did back in Silverstein. I always knew he was scheming something against me.

My hands clutched around the metal bars that burned my skin immediately. Silver bars. I expected nothing less.

"17. Missed me?"

Despite the silver bars, I tried to break free of the cage, wanting no more than to wipe that sly smile on his face.

"You've tried." He put hands on his back as he stands straight, watching me with his malicious blue eyes. "You've escaped. But in the end, you're still here. Right where I want you to be. It's sad, really. It could have been easy. You could have just come with me in the beginning and no one would have gotten hurt. You didn't have to drag that poor girl with you. What's her name? Andromeda? It's a shame. A brilliant mind put to waste. Maybe, if she survives, she'll work with me and we'll see what that brain of hers can do."

My eyes widened at his words. Fear grew within me as my mind pictured my mate in the hands of hunters.

"If she survives?" My chest tightened. "What are they going to do?

He chuckled humorlessly. "Well, I heard they are planning on doing an experiment on her as well. Look at that, you two have so much in common." I could feel my wolf wanting to come out. I can't restrain him for too long. "It appears that she knows too much about the supernatural world and they do not want to be exposed. So, I've heard they planned on erasing her memories. Soon, she won't remember you. But hey, that's good news!" He exclaims, leaning close to the cage but not enough for me to grab him and rip him apart. "Because you aren't going to be the same, either. You are about to become the monster you were born to be."