Advik took the nearly dying Sama in his arms. He had rushed to the spot the moment she had called him informing about a fresh attempt of kidnapping Pia. He could think of no words which would do justice to Sama's courage, but at the same time he was anguished seeing her like this. He knew he was too late. He would not be able to save Sama now. Even vampires healing powers have limitations and Sama's wounds and blood loss was beyond his powers now. He did not want her to die. He had been heartless ever since the day he was attacked by a thirsty vampire who had then left him alone to die. Only he had ended up becoming a vampire instead and left alone to fend for himself, he had become completely heartless and devoid of any emotions. He had never felt anything for anyone. But he didn't know what it was about Sama which always attracted him to her and made him concerned for her. He had repeatedly told himself that she was just a pawn in this game, but seeing her dying like this, he could no longer fool himself. Sama had come to mean much more to him through her childish innocence which had captured his dead heart. He didn't know what it was to love, but he knew that he cared for Sama enough to be shaken by her present condition. He just did not want to loose her. He asked her in anguish: "Why Sama, why did you do this? I asked you not to attempt any fight on your own, then why?" "I could not just stand and watch them taking my best friend away Advik. I said I had lay my life for her and I meant it. I don't regret what I did Advik. I just hope Abhay manages to save her. Please go and help him Advik." Sama replied in a faltering voice.
"He can handle it all alone Sama. I cannot leave you like this. I should have never asked you to look after Pia. I am the one responsible for all this." Advik almost broke down, if it was possible for vampires to do so. Sama tried calming him, "Don't blame yourself Advik. You did the right thing Advik. Pia is indeed in danger. I guess my time was this much only. I am not scared of dying, but before dying, I just want to tell you that I loved you Advik. I know that you probably did not feel this way, but just as my last wish, can you please say that you love me too." "I love you Sama," Advik said without thinking, but it did not feel fake even to himself. As this realization dawned on him, he knew that unknowingly and unintentionally he had fallen for this sweet little innocent girl. For the first time in ages, he had met someone he wanted to be with, and no he did not want to loose her. The world might call him selfish, but hey, he was a vampire who always put themselves first and so did he, when he asked Sama in an urgent tone, "Tell me Sama, do you love me enough to spend an eternity with me? And I don't mean just one life time, but all the time till the end of this world. Tell me do you love me enough to be ready to be with me till this world comes to an end?" "What are you saying Advik? I only have few moments left now, and you are talking of eternity?" Sama asked in her now feeble like a whisper voice. "Just answer me Sama, yes or no?" Advik asked urgently. "Yes!! Yes Advik, I love you enough to wish to live till eternity with you, even though that's no longer possible now." Sama replied, before her eyelids closed and her pulse almost ceased leaving only a very faint heartbeat. "Nothing is impossible Sama, if I set my mind to it. Forgive me for being selfish Sama and forgive me for not telling you the truth, but I love you too much to let you die like this. You made the mistake of making me love you, and now you cannot leave me like this. You will have to be with me till the end of this world." Advik said in one breath not knowing if Sama heard him or not and after saying this, he brought out his razor sharp shining white fangs and dug then in the throbbing vein of Sama's throat. He quickly drank up the last few drops of her blood and then slashed his own wrist and placed it over Sama's mouth, letting his vampire blood go inside her mouth and through her mouth to her entire body. Having completed the blood exchange, he waited for his venom to take effect. After a few agonizing moments he saw Sama convulsing in pain while the wounds on her body healed. It was working. Soon Sama would be back to him, this time for ever. As he smiled inwardly at the thought, a new realization hit him. How will Sama react to this?
*******
Pia found herself being thrown unceremoniously on a cold muddy surface. She could not see anything before her as she was blindfolded but from the wet earthy aroma and the swishing of leaves in cold night air, she figured out she must be somewhere deep in the woods.
"Bro, she was one hard nut to crack," she heard one of the two men who had kidnapped her speak.
"Put up a tough fight, this one," another muttered and she could hear a hint of amusement in his voice and then she heard a chuckle. She could say it didn't belong to either of her kidnappers but yet it was oddly familiar sending chills down her spine. She knew it would be pointless to struggle as her hands and legs were tightly bound.
"I'd be more surprised if she tailed behind like an obedient pussy Abhinav," a cold voice drawled and it instantly reminded her of the dungeons and the nightmare that followed. So her tormentor had caught up with her finally.
"Raichand's muse is a feisty tigress. Goes against the grains to say so but I am surprised the two of you appear unscathed," he mused.
Raichand? Was he talking about Abhay? Pia dismissed this thought as soon as it came. No Abhay would have nothing to do with this deranged monster.
"I so hate unfinished business."
Pia could hear approaching footsteps and she tried to wriggle away but the next moment she felt herself being lifted off the ground hoisted onto a pair of strong muscular shoulders.
"Ajit I shall take it from here. Go back to the coven and make sure that aunt of mine doesn't get wind of what we are up to," the voice instructed to the other two and they left from there.
"Sweetheart you denied me the simple pleasure of watching you suffer last time. Looks like I have got to try a lot harder this time," he told her in a malicious tone while Pia flailed her bound arms and legs helplessly as her captive opened a car door and threw her inside. A moment later the engine roared to life and took off throwing her off balance and she hit her hard against the car door and she plunged into a subconscious state.
Rehan knew Abhay would probably be on his tail now and he had to act quickly. He had no intention of killing Pia as he knew that was not possible anymore what with Pia being the most powerful being in the world but he could get some of those powers if he could lay his hands on her blood. With Pia's blood in him, he would become invincible and that was all he needed. At last he would finally be able to avenge his mom and ironically it was Raichand's lady love who would aid him in his quest.
He could longer hear any noise from behind and just to make sure he turned backwards to see Pia lying on the backseat unconscious. Just as he turned his attention back to the car he saw a huge tree coming flying in his direction and Rehan only got a moment to jump out before the tree crashed into the windshield of the car barely missing hitting Pia by an inch. Cursing loudly under his breath, he got out of his now wreck of a car and there he was standing before him like a raging tornado.
"Abhay Raichand! We meet at last," Rehan told Abhay in a voice laced with disgust and resentment that was a mirage of the hatred he had harboured for Abhay for decades.
"How dare you lay your filthy paws on Pia?" Abhay seethed at Rehan who glared back at him.
"Why! The Mighty Raichand, ruler of supernaturals is concerned for a mere human?" Rehan asked him sarcastically.
"And that's none of your concern wolfie!" Abhay snapped at him.
"Maybe or maybe not Raichand," Rehan replied shrugging his shoulders, advancing towards Abhay.
"But it should definitely be of your concern to know who kidnapped her last time. Am I right?"" he asked him leaning close to him scrunching his nose in distaste.
"Gosh you do smell too sickly sweet!! Awful," Rehan told him plugging his nose in mockery while it took every ounce of self-restraint on Abhay's part to not launch at him and rip his throat out.
"Well where were we? Ah the kidnapping! Any guesses there? No?" Rehan pouted feigning disappointment goading Abhay.
"It was I who kidnapped her Raichand. I, who bled her to death. I was the one to slice through her fair delicate skin and then drive that..."
But before he could complete his sentence he was punched hard on the face and he was sent reeling backwards. He felt his jaw break but he didn't care a darn. When he got back on his feet, Abhay grabbed hold of his neck and lifted him off the ground choking him. His eyes glowed a fierce violet and his fangs glimmered in the moon light.
"You have the audacity to speak of it?" Abhay roared back at him before slamming him hard against a tree and Rehan felt a hot searing pain as blood dribbled down the back of his head down to his neck.
""You're nothing but a petty low life and if I willed it you'd be dead right now. But I am going to make it slow and painful, just the way you made Pia suffer," Abhay snarled at him. Rehan grabbed the front of Abhay's hand and prised his fingers off a bit.
"Can't... expect much from a... a filthy bloodsucker who murdered my mother in cold blood," Rehan muttered acidly throwing him a dirty look and when he said the last lines Abhay was momentarily stumped. His mother!! Whom he had murdered!! He didn't remember. But then how could he considering the fact that all he had done in the last seven decades is to kill - humans or supernaturals.
Rehan made use of this distraction to fling Abhay off of him while rubbing his neck.
"Yes Raichand, my mother. Remember that chick of your clan? Zaisha?" he spat at the memory of the woman who had betrayed him while Abhay frowned.
"The one you sent to manipulate me? Trick me into falling for her and then later got her to rip my heart apart and if that was not enough murder my mother?" Rehan yelled at Abhay, the ugly nightmare of his existence bubbling to the surface.
"My mother was all I had Raichand but you snatched her away from me and for what? So that you could establish your supremacy over other supernatural species?" he asked a stumped Abhay who stared ahead of him mutely taking this information in.
"Did you realize that in your mindless quest, how many lost their loved ones? But now that it's come back to you, you're here standing before me asking me how I could have the nerve to harm your human pet?" Rehan shouted at Abhay his face contorted by anger.
"But Pia has nothing to do with it. Yet you have dragged her into this mess?" Abhay retorted back angrily.
"So did my mother Raichand. What had she done? She was even banished from her clan and we were living like a recluse far away from my clan. We had nothing to do with your conquest either," Rehan yelled back.
"I care a darn about your clan and your woes wolf. You wanted your revenge? You could have fought with me, man to man. But you dug your own grave when you laid your hands on my Pia. She is mine and mine alone and you tortured her to no end. Not only that, you even killed her innocent friend who was nothing but a weak human girl. And for that I promise you, you shall pay with your life."
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