Chapter Three

I didn't even bother cleaning up my mess. Rummaging through the room, a backpack was in my sight. Grabbing it, I filled it with what shortened variety of clothes I could find and packed essentials for a long trip. Knowing there were more items I hid in the woods; I would be searching for them later. Suddenly, I heard a car pull into the driveway. Frantically, I made my escape through the sliding glass door and jumped the fence that entrapped me from leaving this purgatory and running for the canyon. It was only a matter of time before Isaac made assumptions about what happened. Whether he was an awoken Tzula or not I couldn't take that risk. I felt as if my heart was being pulled apart piece by piece with each step, I took but when I heard him cry out in distress, it destroyed me.

I forced myself to continue running despite my aching need to return to Isaac. I kept telling myself he was dangerous and that I couldn't be near him, he was a killer or a potential killer. It was only a matter of time before he hurt me like his kind did. It was an inevitable situation, the longer I played house dog, the more he could've dove further into his potential. Why was I still so naive? I didn't understand why I allowed myself to put trust in people, no one in this world deserved it. In this world, it is yourself against everyone. I ran as fast and far as I could before ending up at the edge of a creek bed. Looking at my human reflection, I stared at the girl who was looking back at me. I hardly recognized my reflection.

I lost myself for hours while looking at the creek's flowing stream until something caught my attention, my emerald eyes stared into the tree line ahead of me, and I heard the crunching leaves with many footsteps rushing to the right of me. Someone was running and they were certainly in a hurry. I cowered down behind some rocks and observed the figure. Birds had flown away from the area in a panic as many animals retreated in fear. Something was scaring all the animals away and I hadn't known what, but I had a feeling I was going to find out. My heart began to pound in my chest as fear began to fill my body. My nose had picked up the stench of my worst enemy. The Tzula's were here. Without thinking, I ran again, I wasn't careful with the amount of noise I made.

I was a fool for thinking I could make a stealthy escape when I had felt an explosion of pain in my brain. I stopped running and screamed in pain, covering my ears, I fell to my knees and collapsed onto the canyon floor. My vision began to go black before I felt a sharp prick in my neck, and I lost all consciousness. It was over and I had no escape. This was it; this was the end. I wasn't going to survive this like I did with that arrow in my leg and there was no one coming to rescue me. I was on my own and my heart ached for Isaac. Just one touch from his gentle hands would've given me the strength to get up and fight the tranquilizer that ran through my veins, but he wasn't coming.

I slowly began to wake up from being sedated and groaned softly. I tried to pull my hands free, but I was bound to something cold and made of titanium and rosewood. My vision was impaired as everything was still black. I felt a thick piece of fabric on my face before hearing footsteps approaching me and a familiar voice rang out.

"You were a tricky one to find, Holland. You know no matter where you run, we will always find you"

My head dangled as my kidnapper spoke, I felt utterly weak and knew I couldn't fight back no matter how much I wanted to. My blindfold was finally removed, I looked around and winced as my eyes adjusted to the bright artificial lights.

"Aww, poor little coyote. You have no clue what's about to happen do you, my dear?"

My kidnapper said menacingly, knowing I couldn't speak. I found the strength to meet his gaze and glared. It was Adrian. He had the same sickening smirk on his face as he did when he murdered my loved ones. He approached a body on the floor before forcing the unconscious person to sit up. I struggled, even more, to get free of my restraints when I realized it was Hayes. My eldest brother, locked in chains unconscious. He had a strong scent of blood on his body and when I saw the large stain of blood on his white shirt, I knew it was his and he was hurt. He hadn't activated his curse so he couldn't heal himself like I could. He was one of the good ones, innocent and pure. The only purity in this cruel world. I whimpered softly and found the strength to call out for him.

"Get up Hayes. Wake up!"

Adrian laughed and shook his head before punching Hayes in the face. He woke up gasping and grunting in pain. He hadn't realized what was happening to him. "Looks like a little family reunion doesn't it, Holly.'' he snarled at me. My hatred burns through my heart more than ever.

"Don't fucking touch him, Adrian! He's human! He's innocent and has nothing to do with this." I screamed in anger. Venom seething through my teeth as he began to approach me with an emotionless expression on his face.

"You don't get to make demands, mutt. You get to sit there, shut up, and listen to what I have to say, or your pathetic brother gets it." Knowing I truly had no other option, I sat there, bound to my fate with a shut mouth.

He had brought Collier out and shoved him down before he was sitting right next to Hayes. He was bound in the same shackles as I was. I guess he was in just as much trouble as I was, but I had thought he was on their team. I didn't care, I just wanted my brothers safe. Adrian held the cards, and we were merely players being forced to endure the game.

"Now, here is the deal. I'm aware there is another Tzula in town that has yet to find out his lineage and I'm also aware you know who it is. Don't you?"

My heart sank into my chest, I knew exactly who he was speaking about, but I didn't say a word. Adrian despised my silence and raised his fist which collided with my face, I spat out blood before glaring up at him.

"Speak, runt. You know who I am talking about, now we can do this the easy way or the hard way. I ask the questions and you give me the answers, or I can repeat history and force you to watch as Hayes gets to understand what it feels like to begin bleeding out."

I kept quiet before Adrian walked to Hayes and grabbed his hair before putting a knife on his neck. My eyes widened before I spoke.

"No! Okay, I do! I know who it is. Please don't touch him, Adrian." Tears escaped my eyes; I was hopeless and helpless. Our captor approached me again before kneeling in front of me.

"That's good, complying will make this so much easier for you." Placing his hand on the upper part of my leg, I felt disgusted.

"Now who is it, mutt? Who is the next Tzula?"

Looking at Hayes and Collier, Hayes shook his head, and his facial expression begged me not to do this, but I had no choice, my brothers needed to live. Collier deserved to live despite betraying me. The worst that could happen if I told Adrian that Isaac was next in line was that Isaac would lose his innocence and become as evil as Adrian but at least he would be alive. I took a deep breath and exhaled before I finally let go.

"It's Isaac, Isaac De Angelo is the next Tzula." Adrian's face flushed with blood as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Did you say, De Angelo? As in Cameron De Angelo, the king of Tzula's?" I didn't understand why there was fear in his voice, but I played along. I wasn't going to fight fire with fire. It would only lead to a blazing inferno.

"What about it? I thought Cameron De Angelo was dead, why does it matter? I thought you'd be happy your people would get the next heir." My voice was emotionless, and I would have cared less. My brother's safety was my priority.

"Okay, here is the deal. You are going to get close to Isaac and kill him. You can't let him fulfill his destiny and become a Tzula." He avoided my question, and his demand was utterly inconceivable.

"I'm not going to be your little puppet and kill him. He doesn't know about any of this so why does it matter?"

I defended him. Although he had Tzula blood running through his veins, he didn't deserve to die. Adrian paced and rubbed his temple in frustration before charging toward me and grabbing my chin roughly.

"Because mutt, although he doesn't know about his lineage, he is still a danger. The Tzula's don't want another De Angelo on the throne. We want the power for ourselves, and I am to be the next leader." He growled, anger seething through his words.

"So, either you kill him, or we kill both of your brothers and then you'll finally be alone, nowhere to run, no one to turn to and you'll be done for." He was serious. I had no choice. My heart was torn but I needed to do what it took. Hayes and Collier didn't deserve this, but I did.

"Fine. I'll do it, just let my brothers go. They have nothing to do with this." I pleaded. Adrian laughed bitterly and stood tall before looking down at me.

"No, they will stay until he's dead. Failure to complete the mission will result in their death and their blood will be on your hands. Just so it'll be very motivating for you to complete your job." Anger ran through my body as I huffed. There was no reasoning with him.

"They will not be touched nor harmed. You have a month to finish this and two weeks before we start torturing these two which leaves you two weeks after that to finish the job or these two will experience a very painful death, do as you're told and there won't be a problem, do we have a deal, Hael?"

Adrian said. As long as they'll be safe, and alive I'll do what it takes. I didn't take another second to think, my decision was made. It was my brothers or Isaac, and I will always choose my brothers. They protected me and they're my last anchors before I snapped and what little purity, I had left meant more to me than anything. It was their safety and nothing else.

"Deal." I had no fight or energy to say it any louder.

"What was that, runt?" Adrian grabbed my chin roughly again with a sickening smirk on his face.

"I said, you have yourself a deal." I had a mission to do for the sake of my brother's life. Isaac will be dead and there won't be any questions.