Chapter 20

Hello! I'm so sorry for the long delay. Like I've said in the last chapter, the college project is really taking a lot of my time/ Update on getting better: I've becoming more okay now. I guess. Still a little bit unstable on the emotions...but I am trying.

Anyway, here' s the new chapter. Apologies for the mistakes.

Super thanks to your kind support. I  truly appreciate it. I'm lucky to have wonderful readers. You guys are awesome. Thank you.

P.S : This chapter is dedicated to glitterdoll who wrote this amazingly amazing story, which I hope she will soon update...Chasing Possibility.  Go check it out. It's really great.

Thank you everyone.

I truly apprecaite it.

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“Ela...” Henry called her. However, she made no move to stop. She kept on walking through the woods that was at the end of the town with a strong determination in her head.

She wanted Vlad’s blood.

And she wanted them now.

It had been a week since Daniel’s death and Elektra was not herself. For the whole week, she had been killing monsters brutally, not giving them a chance to fight back at all. She ignored her wounds no matter how bad it was and kept on fighting.

After slaying those creatures, she would go looking for Vlad at places that her guts tell her that he was at, the places that he was once there. By the time they got back, she did not sleep. She studied about the creatures’ odd behaviours and search for Vlad’s roundabouts until daylight.

Needless to say, Henry was dead worried about her.

Angela told him that at school, she was lost in her own world. She did not pay attention to anything that the teachers were teaching and she avoided any human contact. Even from her friends. She had shut out both Chelsea and Blake and Henry could only guess how hurt they must have felt.

Henry, who had known her, knew what was going on in her mind. She might not admit it, she might not see it, but she was blaming herself. She blamed herself for the death of Daniel. She was torturing herself with it. He knew that she thought it was best if she ignored everyone that she cares for, so that they wouldn’t become Vlad’s next target.

She was trying to protect everyone.

However, she was hurting them and herself in the process.

Henry’s heart broke for the burden the girl must carry. She was only seventeen, soon to be eighteen but she was already going through so much. He wished he could take the pain away from her. He wished he could replace the pain with happiness instead, but it’s not easy. Nothing really ever was.

For tonight, they had killed a few aggressive zombies and werewolves and were now in the forest at the end of town where Vlad was there recently as Luke informed her. It was just her and him. Angela was ordered by Elektra to find Vlad’s roundabouts at the lair, using whatever she could. Connections or magic, whatever it was, Elektra wanted Vlad to be found.

Henry and Elektra had been walking around in hours in the forest, trying to search for a vampire who was hard to locate. However, it did not stop her from walking and searching. Henry thought it was a fool’s errand because they were going round in circles, searching for someone they have no idea where he was.

“Elektra.” He called her again, this time with a strong voice enough to make her stop in her tracks.

“That’s enough, Ela. Let’s go home.” He said softly, her back facing towards him.

“You can go home if you want to.” She answered before she started walking again.

Henry moved. In a flash, he was in front of her, his hands on her shoulders. He felt her stiffen, and surprising him, she shoved him away, making his hands fall off her shoulders as she backed away.

The aching and sharp pain of rejection magnified in his dead heart. Elektra’s face softened and guilt flashed in her eyes. He realized she must have seen the hurt in his eyes.

“Sorry.” She muttered under her breath, her eyes not meeting his.

“Is it because I’m a vampire?” He asked, not being able to keep it in his heart anymore.

Elektra had pushed him away as well. Ignoring him and not looking at his eyes when she talked to him. However, he always followed her, making sure that she wasn’t hurt and she was safe. Henry wondered if she wanted to protect him or if she hated him due to him being a vampire, a creature she was currently having a huge hatred at.

Surpries flashed on her face. She shook her head immediately but still, her eyes were unable to meet his.

“It’s not that...you know that.” She whispered.

“I don’t know. So, enlighten me.”

She frowned before letting out a sigh of frustration. “I don’t hate you, Henry. You may be a vampire, but you’re different.”

Before Henry could open his mouth and question her, she cut him off. “I just...I just need some space right now, okay?”

“Space? You’re hurting yourself, Ela. You’re pushing everyone else away and running away from the help that we could give you.” Henry shouted, unable to suppress his worry and anger.

A murderous look flashed across her face, making his mouth pressed into a thin line. “You don’t know anything...I’m doing this for the better. It’s for the best.” She barked.

“Then, let me know.” He said softly as he closed the distance between them. “You’re not alone in this. I am in this. We’re in this together. We’re partners, right?”

Her eyes concentrate on the ground; her head hung low with her arms wrapped around herself. “Please...just not now, okay? Leave me be.”

Clenching his fist, his jaw ticked in disagreement, he let out a huff of air through his nose and gave her a defeated nod. “Fine...but please, go home and sleep.”

“He’s out there, Henry and I want his heart and blood in my hands.” She snapped.

“I know...but please, Elektra. I’m worried about you. You haven’t slept in days. God knows if you’re eating or not. Please...just this time...go home and sleep, okay?” Henry begged.

Knowing that she couldn’t fight him and tiredness started to kick in her, she nodded defeatedly, earning a happy grin from the handsome blue eyed gentleman.

“Thank you.” Henry whispered before wrapping his arms around her back and the back of her thighs as he picked her up.

Before she could protest, Henry silenced her with a kiss on her forehead. “Go to sleep. I’ll take you home.” He whispered.

Not in a mood to argue, she agreed with him and closed her eyes, letting sleep take over her.

Before she drifts into the land of sleep, she heard him whisper softly in her ear. “It’s not your fault, little one. It was never your fault.”

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Elektra woke up sweaty and panting. She touched her head, sinking her fingers in her dark brown hair before looking at the clock. It was six in the morning. She woke up just in time for school. She let out a sigh as she wiped the sweat odd her forehead. She noticed how her head seemed clearer after resting. Unfortunately, sleeping brought her nightmares.

She dreamt about Daniel’s pale face, the bloodied mark on his neck. She dreamt about Vlad attacking her friends, killing Henry, and draining Angela as he drank her blood. How Chelsea’s body was on the ground, bloodless and how Blake was tied up and beaten.

Those scenes played in her head. Screams were getting louder, images were getting more vivid. Closing her eyes tightly, she took in a deep breath, trying to throw her nightmare away. She did not want to remember it.

Her heart pounded loudly and her hands curled into fists. She wanted Vlad dead. She would find him and she would torture him to death. He had killed someone who had no affair of this. Daniel did not know about the creatures, he did not know about her being the Protector. He didn’t know anything but he was the victim and somehow, she couldn’t forgive herself for that.

She wanted revenge. She wanted to rip his heart out for what he did.

Elektra got off her bed lazily and tiredly lift her shirt up before throwing it to the vampire standing at the corner of the room.

“Don’t you ever knock?” She asked. She had no problem with being shirtless or half-naked in front of Henry since he already saw the most of her when he tended to her wounds.

Henry threw her a lopsided grin and shook his head. “Where’s the fun in that? Wow, aren’t you a hottie?” He commented before throwing out a whistle.

To her, her body was nothing but beautiful. Due to the never ending fight, scars covered her body like a second suit. However, she still couldn’t help it but to blush wildly at his compliment.

“Shut up.” She muttered, grabbing her clothes in the closet before entering the bathroom, leaving a laughing Henry on her bed.

She came out from her bathroom few minutes later, dressed up in a simple gray T-shirt and dark blue jeans. Her hair was tied up into a ponytail, her face clean and free of makeup, which Henry always finds very beautiful.

“You look lovely, little one.” Henry smiled.

Elektra turned crimson, rolling her eyes at him. “Thank you. Anyway, I need you to keep an eye on Darcy. She won’t be going to school today with all the things going on. I have some errands to do after school. Since the daycare was closed due to the incident...it would be okay for me to go. I figured she would be safer here.”

“Okay...but won’t the teacher get curious? She has not been attending school these days.” Henry pointed out as he got off her bed.

“I have been telling them we’re having a family problem. Plus, Angela talked to them. So, they wouldn’t ask much about it.”

Elektra slung her bag on her shoulder, turning to the door to make her way to the kitchen. She stopped when Henry stood in front of her, his eyes looking at her with a concern.

“Do you want to talk about your dream?” He asked.

She tensed immediately. He had been here longer than she thought he would. Henry felt her tense and knew the answer immediately. Sighing away, he bent his body forward and placed a kiss on top of her head.

“Have a good day in school...and please eat something.” He said, as he slowly stroked her cheek.

She gave him a small smile that did not reach her eyes and left the room, leaving a melancholy Henry behind.

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“Ela...come on. You’ve got to eat something.” Chelsea pleaded.

Lunchtime came sooner than Elektra had expected. Maybe the fact that she was lost in her own world and she did not pay attention to the things around her, she had forgotten the time itself.

Chelsea had managed to drag her into the cafeteria to have lunch despite her protest. She was thankful that Blake wasn’t here. He had to talk to the principal about the ball since he was the one who was going to give a speech in place for his father. If he was here, god knows how many times she had to listen to them asking her to eat.

She was not eating well. She knew that. She felt energy slipping through her and she could tell that she lost quite a few weight. The only thing that had her going was the adrenaline and the thought of getting revenge for Daniel.

Her anger never faded. She wanted Vlad dead and she wanted to be the one who kills him.

“Ela.” Chelsea’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to her friend who looked quite pissed. Nevertheless, she could see the worry in her dark eyes.

“Come on girl. Eat something.” Chelsea sighed.

Shaking her head, she pushed the food that Chelsea had gotten for her away. “I’m not hungry.”

Chelsea let out a sigh and slid closer to her until their shoulders touched. She felt her stiffen but did not attempt to move away.

“Elektra...please.” She begged.

“I’m not hungry, okay?” She snapped at her.

Chelsea was not surprised. It was not the first time she actually snapped at her since Daniel’s death. Her pleas for her to eat and to talk to her had been denied many times in such anger coming from her. She understood her, though.  She was blaming herself and the guilt was eating her alive.

She knew the whole story from Angela and Henry. How Vlad, the evil vampire had killed Daniel when she was away on a day trip with Blake. Elektra held up a wall between herself and the world after that.

Her whole demeanour changed. Chelsea tried to make it better for her but she couldn’t. It was not possible since she kept on pushing them away. As much as it hurts her, Elektra needed to know that her friends were hurting too. Even if she thought it could save them, she needed to know that they were relentlessly tired of being pushed away.

“Look...” Cheslea started, throwing her a stern look which got her listening. “I know what you’re going through. I may not know what it’s like, but I feel your pain, Ela but you can’t keep living like this. You have to let it go.”

Elektra’s cold eyes met hers as she replied angrily. “I will let go when I have his dead heart in my hands.”

Her reply made Chelsea shook her head in response. “This is not you, Ela. You’re better than that. Better than this. Please, just stop blaming yourself. It was not your fault.” She pleaded.

“No!” She snapped once more as she stood up and glared at her friend. “I will not let this go until I kill that bastard who killed the person who did not have any part of this. Let me blame myself since it was entirely my fault. I should have protected him, I should have been there but I didn’t. He died because of me.”

A flash of sadness and grief in her brown eyes before they turned cold once more. “Until I get my hands on Vlad and Magnus, until I could hear their screams of pain in my head, I will not let this go.”

With her final words, she grabbed her bag and left Chelsea worrying for her friend who was slowly turning into her own worst nightmare.

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“Take care of Darcy for me, will you?” She asked Henry through her phone.

“You know I will. Take care of yourself.” She could hear the worry in his voice. It made her heart flutter knowing that he cared a lot about her. It also made her quite guilty of the things she was going to do next.

“Bye, Henry.” She bid before hanging up.

Shoving her phone into her pocket and tightening her grip on the briefcase consisting of her Excalibur, she made her way through the dark alley in the evening. Sweat rolled down her skin and the horrible smell of the alley filled her nostrils.

Her mind was telling her that she should go back, planned this with Henry instead but the anger and rage from Daniel’s death prevented her from doing so. She needed to find Vlad in the most possible and quickest way.

She was desperate and they were the ones who could help her.

Even though the feel of hatred she has for them is strong.

She came to a stop at the end of the alley. The Red brick wall stood in front of her. She tightened the glove on her left hand before knocking the wall.

Twice. Once. Twice.

The wall grumbled and slowly, the red brick in the middle slid to the left, revealing a secret room. The room was dark as she entered it cautiously. The thick smell of cigars and liquor invaded her sense of smell. The chattering in the room died down. The sound of her boots amplified. Hush whispers surrounded the room, as everyone’s eyes were on her.

She walked confidently through the stares and glares. Head up, eyes forward and her fingers clenching the handle of the briefcase tightly.

Her eyes found the person she was looking for and she made her way to him. He was not looking at her. His eyes fixed on the voluptuous woman to his left as he drank his tall glass of beer. She finally got his attention as she got closer to him. He turned his head towards her. A smirk on his face covered the surprise he had in his eyes.

Elektra came to a stop at a respectable distance since she did not trust him. Heck, she did not trust anyone in this room. However, she was desperate and in need of his help.

“Elektra Potter...” The man slurred before chugging his beer and slammed it down on the table. “What is the little Protector doing in a vampire hunter’s den, huh?” He chuckled, wiping his mouth.

“Craig.” She greeted in a cold tone. Watching the man in front of her, she noticed that he did not change one bit.

He was a few inches taller than her, but she did not find his height intimidating. His undercut hair was the colour of brown leaves in autumn. His charcoal eyes were filled with mischief. His dark leather jacket and brown inner shirt covered his muscular body. Long blue jeans made its way from his waist to his ankles, meeting the grey leather boots he was wearing.

“Well...not so little anymore.” Craig uttered as his eyes roamed over her body shamelessly. Elektra did her best to not slap the smirk on his face and the temptation to leave a black eye on his face.

“I’m not here to talk crap, Craig.” She claimed. Elektra closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath as she let out those words that she never wanted to ask to a vampire hunter. “I need your help.”

A look of surprise was seen on Craig’s face, followed by an amused look as he laughed. Elektra’s hands curled into fists, holding back the need to punch him as she waited for him to finish laughing.

“Oh...Oh good one there, Potter. I thought you were serious.” He chuckled, wiping the tears from his eyes.

Noticing that her serious look had not changed, Craig finally realized that she was not joking. “God, you’re not joking, are you?” He asked.

She gave him a small shake of her head and waited for his reply.

“With that pride of yours, it must be really bad, seeing that you’ve come to me.” He uttered, chugging his beer once more before meeting her eyes.

With cold eyes and a stoic face, she replied to him. “I need Vlad’s location.”

Craig looked at her from the corner of his eyes before placing the glass on the table once more. “And why do you think I’d know where whoever this guy is?” He asked.

“You know who you are, Craig...and I have no doubts you know him.” She glared. “Unlike others, you play dirty and I know you could find him easily...maybe you even have his location right now.”

A sly smirk rose from his lips as he looked at her coyly. “And if I help you, what do I get?”

“You’d get his blood once I’m done with him.”

Craig chuckled, eyeing her. “Have you forgotten that vampires turn into ashes once you killed them? I’m not surprised.”

Glaring at him, she barked, “Don’t you think I know that?” Her fingers around the handle of the briefcase. “I’ll collect his blood before killing him.”

“It’s not easy.” He smiled slyly.

“Things I have done has never been easy.”

Silence invaded them. Elektra could feel herself getting nervous. She needed his help despite how much she despised him.

Vampire hunters were cruel. They were the monsters in the human race. She never liked them and accepted their mode of operation. It was ruthless.

From generation, vampire hunters had been capturing vampires and used them for their own benefits. Vampires were tortured and their bloods were used for their own goods. Either the hunters sell them to another person or vampire, or use it for their own. Once they were done with them, they’d killed them brutally.

Sure Elektra was also a person who kills vampire. However, she would not, and never kill an innocent. Vampire hunters do that. They capture vampires, no matter innocent or evil. Some of them were children and innocent women. Elektra or the Protector, would never kill an innocent intentionally and seeing these hunters killing them and using them made her stomach churn at the thought.

Vampire hunters were savages and Craig was worst. He played dirty. He used the vampires, mostly for money, selling them, like an act of human trafficking. Craig would not let anyone stop him from getting his money and success. Even the hunters’ council wasn’t able to do so since he was a valuable asset to them. He was merciless and sadistic.

However, his tricks could help her this time. He was the one who could her find him and she needed him to agree with this. She looked at him and saw him playing with refilled glass of beer. He placed them under his lips and drank the alcohol with his eyes on hers. Despite her nervousness, she did not show it as she masked it with her cold demeanour.

Craig slowly brought down the glass from his lips, placed it on the table before looking straightly into her eyes, and broke the silence.

“I refuse.”

Elektra frowned and raised her eyebrow at him. She was sure that her deal was great since Vlad was a valuable vampire.

He seemed to notice her disbelief as he repeated the word again. “I refuse. Do you actually think I am going to work with you?” He laughed humourlessly.

“You-”

“To think that the Protector actually came to my help when we hate each other?! It’s hilarious, really.” He smiled smugly.

“People will die, Craig.”

Raising an eyebrow at her, he looked at her amused. “Do you think I care?” He chuckled.

“You’ll get Vlad’s blood. You know how valuable it is...and there are other vampires working with him. I could get them for you and you can use them all you want.” She replied. It was not her nature to actually do this, but she had no choice. Vlad could kill them all.

A hesitant look flashed across his face and Elektra knew he could be persuaded just a little bit more.

“Think about all the money you’ll get. Vlad cost a fortune. Think about it.” She continued.

Silence fell between them and she could see Craig thinking about her offer. It was actually giving her hope but she knew she had to be careful. He did not receive her offer yet.

A mischievous smile appeared on his face as he released the words that made her whole body tense.

“I want Henry Butler.”

“No.” She said without hesitating. How dare he play tricks with her? He knew she was desperate for Vlad location and he was using it.

Craig had been aiming for Henry for a long time since he was one of the most powerful vampires he had ever met. However, he was not able to have him since Elektra had made him and the council agree that they will not touch Henry unless she gives him to them, which was highly unlikely.

Craig chuckled, smiling slyly. “Come on, Potter. You’ll get Vlad’s location if you give me that boy toy you’ve been keeping.”

Raging eyes met Craig’s mischief ones. “Henry stays out of this.” She said. “You’ll get Vlad. Henry’s under my protection.”

Craig chuckled before looking at her with his cold grey eyes. “You think you can protect everyone, Potter...but you can’t.”

The urge to hit the man in front of her was increasing. Taking in deep breaths, she stared at him with cold eyes and firmly stated, “Henry stays out of this. Final.”

She saw the look of displease in his face. His eyebrows furrowed as he grabbed the glass and drank his drink before meeting her eyes with a satisfied smirk.

“No Henry, no Vlad’s location.”

Elektra felt rage building in her. He fingers around the handle tightened until her knuckles were turning white.

“I rather not have his location than lose Henry.” She said after a moment of silence and turned on her heels.

“I’ll help you.” She stopped as she heard him say just as she was about to reach the door.

She turned slowly, with hope held up in heart. Craig gave her a serious look as he repeated his words. “I’ll help you. I’ll give you his location.”

“Why change your mind? I will not give you Henry.” She stated.

“I know...but like you said, Vlad’s valuable...and I need money.”

She made her way to him again before stopping at the same place where she stood a few minutes ago.

“Do you know where he is now?” She asked.

She saw him give her a small nod and it made the adrenaline rushed into her veins.

“He’s in the forest.”

She looked at him, confused. “I’ve looked...he’s not there.”

No, you were looking at the north forest. He’s living in a small cottage in the forest near the mountains. It’s at the south end of the town.  I am sure he’s there. If there are any changes, I’ll contact you.”

Elektra gave him a nod to show her thanks before leaving the room with satisfaction and adrenaline in her. This was it. She finally has his location. She finally was going to get her revenge.

She was getting closer to Vlad and he was getting closer to his end.

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Oh, her badass-ness is on. Anyway, you'll see more badass'ness of Elektra Potter in the future. Seriously, you will. I hope you'll enjoy that. Hopefully she'll stop pushing people away and not blame herself again.

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