HUNTED

[ Updated! ]

The hand gripping Aila\'s wrist tightened to the point she knew there would be a bruise. Turning her head, she was faced with Gabriel, looking at her murderously. She felt the bones in her wrist begin to shake, then, within seconds, she was pulled out of her seat and lifted in the air. Everything was a blur until she was settled back down again.

Aila felt disorientated as the back of her head bumped into something cool and solid, but after blinking profusely, her eyes finally focused. She was pressed against the far window across from the bar. Her arms were held against the chilled surface, with Gabriel glaring at her, his fangs on show. He looked deadly, with the flecks of red in his eyes slightly glowing as they looked at her throat longingly.

"Gabriel!"

The pair didn\'t look at Ajax or Chase, who had jumped off the sofa and rushed over only to stop when they saw the vampire\'s lips nearly touching Aila\'s throat. Aila was trying to push against his strength and get free from his hold, but he was stronger than her. His fangs were now scratching her skin, stilling her into a panic and all her training escaped her mind. Her heart was racing in both fear and anticipation.

This was NOT the reaction she was expecting from the vampire. Sure, she expected him to be annoyed with her, but this!? Were vampires really that emotional?

Gabriel leaned back from her neck and looked at her unimpressed as he hid his fangs once more, closing his lips, and whispered into her mind, "Do NOT tempt me, Aila. I can still smell your arousal." He parted his lips, then snapped them shut and gulped. Aila\'s eyes widened at his words and from the starved expression on his features.

"Gabriel! You\'ve taken this too far!" Chase raised his voice and took a step forward.

Gabriel\'s features once again hardened, and he pushed away from the window with a slight hiss leaving his lips. "I need a drink," He sauntered away past the bar and took a seat on the black \'L\' shaped settee in the corner. Aila was still leaning against the window, watching him while she held her wrist.

She pushed off from the glass and ignored the wary glances from Chase and Ajax as she reapproached Gabriel. He held a hand up and looked at her sternly while raking his other hand through his hair.

"That\'s close enough. Unless you are volunteering your blood willingly?" He raised a brow at her before relaxing his frame into the settee more. One elbow bent on the back of the sofa, playing with the long strands of his silky white hair, and the other outstretched and relaxed.

"I\'m sorry. It was rude," Aila mumbled, looking at her hands before sighing and looking him dead in the eyes, "I can\'t help it with my mate.. He\'s.." She stopped after seeing Gabriel glare at her; the waves of hostility seemed to hit her like a raging bull. But she raised her chin and changed the subject. "I will replace the sheets and take one of the guest bedrooms-"

"That\'s not necessary. Stay in that room. I will be going out soon," Gabriel replied nonchalantly.

"Where are you going?" Aila looked around for a clock, finding a snazzy, golden antique-looking one behind the bar. It looked odd compared to the rest of his modern furnishings. This was the only furniture that seemed misplaced. It was 11:30pm.

Gabriel chuckled, "I have business to attend to."

Aila tilted her head, "At night?"

"Yes, sweet Aila. At night.. Ah, there she is." His attention snapped to someone at the other end of the floor, closing the front door behind her. It was the red-haired waitress from earlier.

It seemed perfectly timed, and Aila couldn\'t help but glance at her warily. She walked with purpose to where Gabriel was sitting, he tapped the couch with a charming smile, and she sat down next to him.

"I will leave you to it," Aila muttered. She was curious but, at the same time, not so interested in watching. What else was there to see? He was a vampire that lived off blood to survive. Unless he killed them through feeding? But if he did, then he wouldn\'t keep teasing her about drinking from her.

Aila walked away but heard him speak sweetly to the girl, and a low sigh could be heard from her. "Of course, master," She whispered. Aila\'s brows drew together, and before her mind could catch up with stopping the actions of her body, she had turned her head and watched with widened eyes.

The girl\'s blouse was half undone, her head tilted back as Gabriel sunk his fangs into her, blood trickled down her body, and she sighed, her hand clasping at his shirt like she couldn\'t keep her body upright.

"Of course, she can\'t. She\'s losing all that blood," Malia spat, sickened by the scene in front of them. Gabriel\'s eyes snapped open, and he stared at Aila as he continued to drink from the waitress.

"You\'re awake!" Aila snapped her eyes away from Gabriel and was happy to hear her wolf\'s voice.

"Yeah, I have a killer headache though, you haven\'t been drinking, have you?" She whined. Aila shook her head and walked towards the guys who turned their backs in disgust at Gabriel. She felt like skipping from joy at the sound of her wolf\'s voice but now was not the time or place. Everyone seemed to be grouchy and tired now.

"No. Actually, I think it\'s your fault.. Did you forget the part where you went feral for two days and done.. Well, I don\'t know what you did! It\'s all a blank for me!" She scolded her wolf lightly.

"Ohhh, damn. Sorry, Aila. I couldn\'t help it. I don\'t know what came over me, but.." Malia started to think about what she did for those two days.

Aila stilled as the images of blood and gore flashed across her mind. So. Much. Blood.

Malia snapped at Ajax, and after took off hunting, then she heard this other rogue wolf again and instead of taking it out, she met it and let it have part of her kill before rushing off after hearing the hunters again. She stayed hidden and rested when her injury was too much, but it seemed she lost Ajax from running fast and came across a thick forest. There she was jumped by a group of hunters who seemed to have planned this attack, leading her earlier into a trap.

But even with bullets flying, she was too quick to be shot and ended up ripping heads off, leaving them with gashes in their stomachs and necks. Not bothering to finish them off and letting them die slow and painfully. Their groans made Malia smile. Death was like a sweet drug to her.

Part of Malia was aware of who they were and what they had done, and the other part, the feral part of her that was slowly taking over her mind, just sought out their blood. But then she found a cave to rest in before two familiar yet unfamiliar frames appeared. A vampire with long white hair and another wolf.

The vampire tried to call Aila, but it didn\'t work and so after two days of them tackling each other, and the vampire trying to lure Aila out. He finally got the wolf to calm down.

"Oh my goddess," Aila whispered. By now, she was leaning her hands against the sofa in front of the flatscreen tv. She turned around and looked for Gabriel. He was already looking at her; one side of his lips slid up, sending chills down Aila\'s spine.

"Aila, what\'s up? Are you unwell?" Ajax placed his hand on her forehead then glanced between Gabriel and Aila. "Aila.."

"You know my wolf\'s true name," She said in her mind while staring at him wide-eyed. Gabriel nodded his head and disappeared, leaving the waitress lying on the couch. Aila looked around but couldn\'t see him.

Finn was halfway down the stairs by now, glancing between the three friends who looked a little fatigued. "Is there something I missed?" He asked while slowly descending the stairs.

"I need to speak to Gabriel.." Aila muttered and placed her hand against her head; looking at the ground, her anxiety started to crawl up her body, and she began to feel herself sway.

Cold hands suddenly gripped her waist, stilling her from falling. The cold made her heated body feverish, and the feeling of fainting slowly started to subside.

She raised her eyes to meet Gabriel\'s. Her heart was pounding. What did this mean? Damon was the only one to know of her wolf\'s true name. If Gabriel knew it..

"It means I can control you like a puppet," Gabriel finished her thoughts. He didn\'t say it aloud. Aila knew the guys would take it as a threat if he did. She swallowed past the lump in her throat as she stared into his mesmerising blue eyes.

"And will you?" She whispered back.

"No," He replied with conviction, making her shoulders slump forward and her head lower.

"You better not, Gabriel. I will lose all trust in you otherwise.." She murmured. The guy\'s brows were all knitted together as they listened to only the last half of their conversation.

"Aila.." He whispered so gently in her mind that she raised her head from the new navy suit he was now wearing and locked eyes with him. "When it\'s just us.. Call me Cassius."

Aila blinked in surprise, and before she could do anything, the vampire released her gently and held her hand in front of him, leaving a soft kiss on her knuckles before disappearing. She was left there staring in a daze.

Gabriel, no, Cassius knew Malia\'s name.

Gabriel was Cassius. The Cassius that was in that coffin? Why did he have to leave on such terms? She now had a gazillion questions to ask him!