Chapter 16

"El, what have you done?"

I look to Ty with annoyance, "I'm going by Ava now."

"Who was that full-blood?" Collins asked as he stared me down.

"A comrade," I said bluntly.

Chris growled in my direction, "we have been sitting here, worried to death about you, and you're flirting with another full-blood?!"

I stared him down as my eyes shimmered gold for just a moment, "that's my business, not yours."

Luther came over to me and checked my wrist. He then took my other hand in his, "I can tell by your movements that you are suffering. I hope that you will rest or you will regret it later."

I nodded as I looked at all the men, "we should all get some rest. It has been a long day and it will take a while to get used to the new daylight hours. Tomorrow, we need to begin planning and I need you to aid me in the hunt. I have almost no energy left and will soon be unable to continue if I do not find food soon."

I watched as Luther forced Ty and Cade outside of the room. He gave me a smile as they left to show me that he planned to aid me in getting some rest. As I lay down on the bed closest to the wall, I was surprised when Chris turned out the lights and shut the drapes. The room became pitch black and I could barely see in front of me.

I was further surprised when Collin came and sat up in the bed beside me. He gestured for me to lay on his lap. With the amount of pain I was in, I knew he was just trying to help. I moved myself closer to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. "I'm sorry," I whispered as he stroked my hair and began humming a song we had sung as human children. I was lulled to sleep quickly in his arms.

I awoke when I heard a knock at the door that was barely noticeable. I got up as I noticed Collin and Chris were deeply sleeping on the beds. I made my way to the door and quietly opened to see Ivan smiling at me. "It's past 9 and I worried that maybe you had been caught."

I shook my head, "I'm beyond injured, as I'm sure you can figure out."

He gave me a sad look before nodding, "I imagine so. I can tell that there is a half-blood in the room across from you. Is he one of yours?" I nodded, "And the full-blood also in that room. He is the one that follows you?"

I nodded again, "why do you ask?"

"I have something the 3 of you should see." I walked over to their room across the hall and knocked lightly. Cade came to the door and his eyes widened as he saw Ivan standing near me.

"I need you and Ty to come with me. Try not to wake Luther other than to inform him that we will be back in a while."

He nodded before shutting the door as I looked back to Ivan. "I'm sure my familiars will want to know."

"Of course."

I went back into my room and shook Chris before shaking Collin. They both woke up groggy, "what's wrong?" Chris asked with a yawn.

"My comrade has come to get me for something important. Ty and Cade are coming with me. I want you two to stay here and guard Luther."

They both nodded, although they did not want to agree. I put on some new clothes and shoes before leaving the room. I came out to see Cade and Ty, barely awake, but walking out of their room. I gestured towards Ivan, "this is a fellow comrade, a fellow traveler that has offered to assist us."

"Why would he want to do that?" Ty looked at him as his eyes flickered with gold, "what are your intentions?"

"Ava and I share a purpose that makes it so I want to aid her in her mission. Come with me as we do not have much time."

We followed Ivan outside to see a car. We all filed in as I sat in the passenger seat and Cade and Ty sat behind us. Ivan drove us down the road and stopped the car in front of the shop I had been in yesterday.

"What are you planning?"

Ivan smiled to me, "it's a surprise."

We all followed him inside and I saw that Angie was not there. I followed him with curiosity to the back of the store and to a back room I had not been in or seen before. I was surprised as I walked in to see 5 half-bloods and 3 humans.

The humans were tied to chairs and seemed incoherent.

"I could tell how weak you were, so I thought we could provide you with some treats."

Angie bounced her way to me and hugged me tightly. "You're back!" She cheered, "and with friends."

I nodded, "this is Ty and Cade."

She looked to Cade closely. "You already found a half-blood to aid in hunting?"

I shook my head, "he followed me."

"My, my! What a dedicated young man!"

Ivan watched me as Angie went back to the humans. "Are you strong enough to access your food?"

I smiled as I shook my head, "I am alright, you two go ahead."

Ivan smiled towards Ty, "you are a young one." He stated as Ty glared at him.

"Who are you in the pack?"

He smiled, "I am a second, the 73rd. But any friend of Ava's is a friend of mine." He gestured towards the humans, "feel free to dig in."

I turned and looked to Ty, "you don't have a companion for after feeding. What are you going to do? Do you want me to try?"

He smirked, "I love you, but could never do that. I have found my person, so I have trained myself to wait until we are together."

I shook my head, "Luther has you on a leash!" I joked as I gestured for him to begin.

Cade came to my side and Ivan went to the humans. I focused on him instead of the slaughter.

"I can do it," Cade offered as I shook my head. "Go get your fill, I will manage."

He stared me down, "if you do not eat, neither will I."

I smirked, "you will give out before I will."

He chuckled, "is that a challenge?"

I rolled my eyes, but turned as my senses were overtaken by hunger. I turned to see Ivan holding a heart towards me as it still was beating. I was shocked to see golden eyes and a smile on the same face.

"I can't have my partner in crime dying off on me, now, can I?"

I put my hands out to him and was still overtaken by shock as he passed it to me. My eyes turned as I was taken over by primal instincts. I could focus on nothing other than feeding. I consumed it as quickly as I could. As I finished, I collapsed to the ground, shaking uncontrollably.

My instincts begged me to scream his name as I did the only thing I could think of. I bit down on my arm as I whailed in pain. Ty got to me first as others followed as I continued to fight back the word. It only came out in cries.

"What the hell is going on?!" He demanded as I grabbed his hand. With my finger I wrote the word over and over as I cried. He suddenly grabbed my hand and turned to Ivan, "do you have another room that can be locked?"

He nodded, "across the hall."

He looked to Cade, "do what we talked about."

I looked to them with confusion but could not do anything but cry and bite harder. I was surprised when Ty picked me up.

Ivan grabbed him, "what are you doing? She's clearly in pain!"

Ty's eyes turned gold, "you know nothing of us! Don't interfere!"

I watched as Cade rushed in front of Ty and went across the hallway. We went into the room and Ty set me down.

He leaned down to me, "this is our only shot to stop you from calling him. Trust him, El."

He left and locked the door from the outside. Cade leaned down and tried to pull my arm off of my face. I shook my head violently as I shoved him away. He grabbed my arm as he came close to me.

"I can help you, El. Trust me and do as I tell you." I watched him in confusion before nodding. "Close your eyes." I did so with some hesitation. "On the count of three, release your mouth and leave the rest to me. Don't struggle or it won't work." I nodded as I listened to him. "I, 2, 3!" I quickly pulled my arm away as I opened my mouth.

"Pa...!" Was all I got out before I felt Cade's lips against mine. His tongue entered my mouth as I felt his hands go into my shirt.

My body burned with desire but also with pain. He lightly caressed my chest and avoided touching anywhere I was scarred and bruised. He took off my shirt but his lips only left mine lone enough for me to take a breath before they returned. He gently aided me to my knees before sliding down my pants and underwear. He began pleasuring me in a way no one had done in a very long time, gently caressing me. This was the first time he or any other had taken things so slowly and pleasurable.

I began gasping, but he followed me with every movement so that our lips did not separate.

I began to feel the sensation of release and whispered, "no more," through quick breaths as we kissed.

He covered my mouth with his hand as I opened my eyes, "bite my shoulder when I let go. Don't worry about it hurting me, focus on the feeling." I nodded and he gave me a lovesick look, "right now is about you. You can go ahead."

As he uncovered my mouth, I clamped down on his collar bone. I got a rush from the blood, even though it was not much as I did not want to hurt him badly. I shook as the sensation finally came and, from the amount of energy exerted recently, I collapsed to the floor as I took my teeth out. I was trying to catch my breath and tried to tell Cade how tired I was, "pa...".