Prey.

37.

Not the end.

"I'm never coming back, Ryan." Neela spoke meekly as she hid behind Sean. "No. You're staying with me. I'm the only one who can protect you. We can all fight this," Ryan reaches out to his mate with his gloved hand.

"Stop," she whispered and took a few steps back. "The police already know. It'll be easier if I just get 'found'." Neela made the air quotes with her fingers as her eyes were still fixated onto the ground.

"Yes. Do that. And the second you're old enough to move, y-you're already 17, you can come back to me!" Ryan spoke cheerfully, but Neela still shook her head. "I fought so many years for you, for us. And you're just gonna let police break that up?" Neela wanted to say something, but everyone knew Ryan was right. "If we just go back to our world, then it'll be fine. We have more family, the rulers won't try to get you then."

"It's already too dangerous." Neela finally let her eyes meet with Ryan's and both of their eyes were full of hurt. Ryan was losing the love of his life. And despite there being bad things, Neela sorta enjoyed her time with the boys. "What if the swat comes and I get shot from one of you trying to protect me or something? Going back to the demon world is still risky. Even you told me that the most common people are against this." Neela made a back and forth motion with her hands in between she and Ryan.

"Baby," Neela froze in her spot, that was the first time she's ever heard that pet name come from Ryan. "I'm going to fight until I'm dead for you. All because I love you," that was even the first time Ryan's said that little phrase.

"Please, Ryan," Neela slowly picked up the bag that was filled with nutrition bars, water, and blankets and backed up to the door. It was filled like a survival kit because she and Sean both agreed to have it look like she was just left for dead with no traces. Only a thumbprint they still cannot identify.

"Neela, if you go back to your dad then I won't be able to protect you anymore. Hell, I don't even know if I'd be able to see you." With pursed lips, Neela quickly gave a quick head nod as Sean looked to his brother.

"Sleep."

~~~~

Once Ryan knew she was all along, he quickly went up to Neela's front door and harshly pounded on it. Thump, thump, thump; it was a sound he hadn't heard for awhile, but made him feel exhilarated.

Once the door was opened, before she could even react, Ryan wrapped his hand around Neela's wrist which tended at the contact. "Please don't hurt me, I'll do anything." She begged and begun to cry once she saw his face.

Ryan took his free hand and dug around in his back pocket. He pulled out his car keys and teasingly wiggled the jangling metals in her face. "Let's get in the car. We're going for a ride." Neela slowly shook her head and slid her right foot back, knowing she wouldn't be able to go far. "Neela—we're either going to do this the easy way or my way. My way, you won't like very much. The easy way is you being obedient and holding my hand the whole way to the car until I buckle you in. My way is you screaming bloody murder and me killing everyone on this block, including anyone you try to call over," Ryan warned. "And I haven't eaten since you left. So you know I just have a hankering for blood right now."

With her head down in shame, Neela stepped on the porch and shut the door behind her. "Such a good girl," Ryan cooed as he lead the walk to the car. "Oh—gotta look both ways. Wouldn't want anyone hurt," he waved to the oncoming car with the brightest smile on his face, which yielded the car to let them cross.

"I'll let you open the door all by yourself, since you're doing super good right now," he spoke to Neela in a tone of voice that was demeaning, made her feel small and puny. As Neela's flight or fight response kicked in, her depth perception got all confused which made her hit her wrist off the car handle. "Aww, baby," Ryan quickly held up Neela's wrist to his lips and gave it a kiss. "All better now."

During their drive, Neela begun to cry silently, not wanting any of his attention. Neela sniffled as Ryan pulled out of a clearing in the woods. Ryan looked over at Neela with disgust that went unnoticed by her, "stop fucking crying." Ryan demanded while speeding down the backroads. "I should've tortured you years ago. Maybe should've made the dreams real, huh?"

Neela choked on her tears from fear and from her heart breaking. He was supposed to care about her! "I said stop crying!" Ryan roared and slammed both of his feet on the breaks, which resulted in Neela's lurching forward; hitting her head off the dashboard.

Ryan grabbed a nice fistful of Neela's long locks, pulled her head up and pounded it off the dashboard once again. "Fucking listen to me when I tell you something," Ryan yelled over Neela's cries of pleas and pain. "You wouldn't be fucking hurting now if you had just listened!"

Neela cried out loudly as blood leaked from her nose, mouth, and forehead. "I-I-I-I'm suh-suh-sorry!" Ryan slammed Neela's head right back on the dash again. This time, chipping off her two front teeth and penetrating her lip. "What did I just say? What the fuck did I just say?"

"I'm sorry," Neela was now choking on her blood, she spat some onto the dashboard, which dripped down onto the car floor.

Ryan dropped Neela's hair and just let her lay there face down, "fucking die there," Ryan spat venom in his words while pressing the gas pedal once again.

~~

This time, it wasn't Neela lurching forward in bed. It was Ryan. Before he could even fathom what his mind just made him witness, he ran to the bathroom and spilled out all of the contents from his stomach, to the toilet.