It was getting late. Sapphira could feel the panic building up inside her. She felt like pacing the room, but knew she must look unconcerned. If the others guessed at her fear and panic then they might lose hope. That was completely out of the question. Under no circumstances could Hunter be allowed to break them. Even if they died, they must die without repentance for joining Circle Daybreak. There was no way they could allow Hunter to win. If that happened then everything might be lost for the other Daybreakers!
     Cassie lay huddled up on her bed. She looked wild. Her golden hair was rumpled and her eyes were red with crying. John wasn't much better; he was pacing the room endlessly. They all knew that Samhain was tonight and that they might not live to see the sun rise the following day. Sapphira knew she had to get them smartened up. They looked broken and dejected. This had to stop, if Hunter pulled them up in front of the entire Night World Council like this then it would seem that he had succeeded in breaking the Circle. Whatever else occurred that night, she could not allow the circle to be broken.
     "You two, come on we have to smarten ourselves up. I still believe that Ebony will rescue us, but even if he doesn't, we have to show Circle Daybreak as more than a bunch of scruffy losers. Look at yourselves! Hunter will be thrilled to see what he has reduced us to! Even if we have no showers or baths. We can at least wash our hands and faces and make sure we look as strong as we should be. If I must die tonight, then at least I'll know I died for a cause! Hunter says we can't die martyrs, what does he know? If we can make a stand for Circle Daybreak then our deaths might have the opposite effect to the one Hunter desires! Please, we must try!"
     "Sapphira's right! We cannot give up now! My parents died for their love! We are Circle Daybreak, and although none of us wants to die, if we have to then at least we can do something positive with our deaths!" It was Cassie who spoke. Her young, delicate face shown with a fresh determination. She smiled at Sapphira looking more like a lion now than she had before, there was no way she was giving into Hunter's schemes!
     "I don't want to die. I love my soulmate and she will be heart broken, but if my death can mean anything then I want it to be that way!" John looked very fierce as he spoke. Sapphira looked at them, she was half-surprised by their reactions. They were going to stand together no matter what!
     "I know your soulmate would be very proud of you John, and that your parents would be proud of you, Cassie. Let's show Hunter Redfern what Daybreakers are made of shall we!"

     It was late as Ebony, Quinn, Rashel and Ash made their way to where Hunter was holding Sapphira and the others. Quinn had only just finished threatening to do all kinds of nasty things to various parts of Ebony's anatomy if he had betrayed them.
     The four of them walked together, three Vampires who had been the amongst the most notorious in the Night World (apart from Hunter of course), and the most notorious Vampire killer there had ever been. The old Rashel would have been quite to stake all three of them without blinking twice. The new one, although still a Vampire killer, had a Vampire soulmate Quinn, and was quite happy to be creeping around with them in the dark. She too had threatened Ebony. She had been giving him a graphic portrait of what she would do to him with a stake if he had betrayed Circle Daybreak. All this from two people who should have been enemies, and neither of which were supposed to like Circle Daybreak at all!
     No one stopped them entering the building. One werewolf had tried, but Rashel and Quinn, working as a perfect team, had easily knocked him out and dragged him into another room. They reached the cell easily after that. Ebony told the others to wait while he went into the cell. He would mentally call them when he needed them.
     Ebony walked up to the guards. One was a Shapeshifter, a tiger by the look of him; the other was a Vampire. They stood at either side of the door. There was a Werewolf standing near to them. Ebony walked over, trying to look as casual as possible. "Hunter said I could come and see the condemned. It's always a good idea to see that they are suitably prepared."
     "I'm sorry, Ebony. Hunter sent me here to make sure no one got inside the cell, until he came." It was the werewolf who had spoken, the same one Hunter had sent earlier.
     "I hadn't realised he had changed his mind. Oh well, It doesn't really matter. I will wait for Hunter and explain it to him." Ebony shrugged and started to walk away. A part of him expected the guard to call him back, that always happened to the hero in all the movies he had ever seen. There was no call back and Ebony silently cursed under his breath. This was going to have to be a fight. He had hoped to get Sapphira and the others out with the least amount of pain, but there was no alternative except to watch them die.
     Quinn stood with his arms crossed as Ebony made his way back to them. "We are going to have to fight the guards. Hunter doesn't trust me anymore, no one is allowed to see his prisoners. There is one Vampire, one Shapeshifter who looks as if he is a tiger and one Werewolf. Any volunteers about who does what?"
     Rashel smiled and lifted a wooden stake from her jacket. All three Vampires moved away from her in horror. "It's a good job I brought a friend with me, isn't it?" Quinn looked at her horrified, "Hey, it isn't as though I would stake you, dear heart! I was hoping I'd get to use it on Hunter himself!" Rashel countered with a smile across her face.
     The four of them went together to the cell. The fight that ensued was not a pretty sight. Rashel ended up staking the Vampire, while Quinn, Ash and Ebony incapacitated the other two guards. None of them came away unhurt. The Werewolf had scratched Ash and Ebony quite badly, Quinn had pulled his shoulder muscle, and Rashel had various cuts and bruises all over. No one had sustained a dangerous injury, and the three Vampires were already healing fast.
     Ebony led the way to the cell. They had taken the keys off the dead Vampire, before dragging his body into a nearby cupboard with the other two guards. Rashel had locked the door, after finding which key fitted it. As the door opened, Sapphira flung herself into Ebony's arms with a wild abandon. Quinn and Rashel exchanged amused glances. There was no doubt in their minds now that Ebony had been telling the truth.
     After they had finished hugging, Sapphira and Ebony drew apart, but kept hold of each other's hands, almost as if they were afraid to let go. "Who are these?" Sapphira asked pointing to the other three beside Ebony.
     Ebony smiled, "This is Quinn, Rashel and Ash." He gestured to each of the others in turn. Sapphira's eyes widened and she seemed a lot younger than her seventeen years.
     "I'm pleased to meet you at last. Thank you for coming, we were getting ready to be martyrs for Circle Daybreak. I was not considering it as a nice idea, despite the fact that I would die for something that I so strongly believe in! It's a relief not to have to do it." She smiled to take away the seriousness of the situation she had been in. "I would like to introduce you to Cassie Thrushton and John Redwing." She gestured to the other occupants of the cell, who were now smiling, the relief was obvious in their faces.
     "Ash, I want you to take these three back to Thierry's mansion. Quinn, Rashel, we have something else to take care of." Ebony turned towards his soulmate as he finished speaking. "Don't worry, I will come back."
     Sapphira smiled at him, "You don't need to say that, I'm coming with you. You'll need more help to locate and destroy Hunter's files!"
     "How did you know what I was planning to do?"
     "Soulmates, remember!"
     "Guys, I hate to break up the party, but we have a lot of work to do before Hunter comes back." It was Quinn who spoke. He was smiling, but there had been a tone of urgency in his voice.
     "Okay folks, let's move!"

     Hunter Redfern smiled as he walked back to his hideout. Tonight was going to be his greatest triumph. He stopped smiling as he entered the door to his place. He could smell vermin. A human had been here, a human whom he knew the smell of, Rashel! A bitter smile lit up his face, it was payback time for that human annoyance and her renegade Vampire 'soulmate'! First, he had to check that his 'guests' were okay and well prepared for the evening ahead of them.
     He knew there was something wrong before he reached the cell. His body went instantly into battle mode, whatever was waiting wouldn't take him by surprise! The cell door closed but there were no guards at it. There were signs of a struggle and Hunter knew that they had been helped to escape by members of Circle Daybreak and... Ebony. It was the only explanation of how they knew where his prisoners were! Well, that young man would pay for his betrayal, with his life!

to be continued!!

Part 6

Stories Inspired by

My Fan Fiction

Index