Anivor

“Stop moving!” I said, slapping the back of Callums head.

He was wriggling against my grip, still behaving immaturely. I finally got the last handcuff closed and stepped back, blowing some hair out of my face.

Currently, Danny, Callum and I were located in a large house, at the very top of the mountain Danny lived on. The higher up the mountain you got, the nicer the houses were. It felt like some sick analogy for saying the rich were better than the poor.

The house was empty besides dust, cobwebs, and old furniture covered in ancient sheets that probably hadn’t been touched for twenty years. Danny told me the family that owned the building was never here, having no interest in an old house so far away from a mall. It made this place perfect as his hideout, and now, a place to lock Callum up while we figured out what to do.

“He’s stubborn, isn’t he?” Danny said, his arms folded, his face speculative as he stared at Callum. We were sitting in the conservatory of the house, the rain loud against the huge stained glass windows. Callum was tied to a chair close to the window, a glare settled on his face as he continued to fight against his restraints.

To keep Callum where he was we had to use chains, ropes, two sets of handcuffs, and duct tape. It still didn’t feel like enough. I had this image replaying in my mind of Callum shattering his restraints and tearing my throat out. Of course, realistically if he did escape, he’d probably mock me for a few minutes before biting me.

I tugged on the ropes around his wrist, just to make myself feel better. Callum hissed in pain, glaring at me from over his shoulder.

“Yeah, he really is,” I said, walking around the chair and joining Danny.

Danny turned to me, sighing, “So, what are we going to do?”

“Do you think Dylan will even let you check for the collars?” I asked, glancing back at Callum, who was glaring at me as he continued to attempt to free himself.

“Dylan would probably come up here himself and kill this thing,” He said, gesturing to Callum without even looking at him.

“It’s not like you’re human either,” Callum said, but Danny kept talking over him.
“I’m going to have to sneak up to the attic and check for them. I’ll do it tonight while everyone’s asleep. Let’s hope he doesn’t catch me.”

“Yeah. This could be my only ways of saving Tyler,” I murmured, staring to the floor. The thought of Tyler in the caves I’d been trapped in sent a flurry of guilt through me. Tyler was younger then I was, he didn’t have my strength. Who knew how well he was holding up in there?

Danny checked the old grandfather clock against the side of the stair way.

“Ah hell, Dylan’s gonna wonder where I am,” Danny said, running a hand through his hair that was still slightly damp. I raised an eye brow, looking at the clock.

“Is that thing even on the right time?”

He peered over his shoulder at it, his lips turning up in a smile I didn’t understand. He looked back to me after a brief moment.

“Don’t worry, I reset it when I started hanging out here. Anyway, I have to,” He paused, pointing to the door, “Go…”

“Alright,” I said, shrugging and turning back to Callum. He gave me a curt smile, abruptly jolting around in the chair out of frustration, making me laugh.

“Are you sure you’ll be ok with this guy?” Danny asked, and I glanced at him. He was almost at the door, his hair hanging in front of his eyes. I raised an eye brow at him, bitter.

“Excuse me, Danny, are you suggesting I can’t handle myself against one Anivor?” I asked, slowly approaching him. I had my arms folded and an threatening look on my face. Danny smirked at me.

“Ye-“
I put a hand over his mouth, narrowing my eyes.

“You’ve lost talking privileges.”

Without any hesitation, he licked my hand and I let out a squeal, yanking my hand back. I wiped it on his shirt, letting all the disgust I was feeling show on my face. He laughed, ruffling my hair. I swatted his hand away, shoving him toward the door.

“Seriously, watch out, k?,” He said before exiting, more as a threat to Callum, then a comfort to me. As I turned toward Callum, now alone with him, I felt the atmosphere completely change. Instead of glaring, he had this weird smirk on his face.

It made my heart pump a few notches quicker, my breathing spike. He was planning something, it was the only thing that made sense. I folded my arms again, staring flatly at him.

“What?” I finally said after a few seconds of silence. Callum just watched me, unblinking with the strange smile on his face. I shifted, become uncomfortable. “Seriously, Callum, what?”

All of a sudden he was standing, hands free and wrapped a hand around my throat. He slammed me against the front door, a sharp pain surging through my skull. He got his face up in mine, grinning.

“You honestly thought you could restrain me that easily? I’m over four hundred years old, not some fledgling.”

I didn’t know what to say. Begging wasn’t an option, but something told me fighting wouldn’t work either, not when Callum wasn’t restraining himself at all. I could feel bruises forming on my neck already, and I attempted to take in a breath, unsuccessfully.

“Also, did you really think I would help you get your little Defenimus back?”

“Let go!” I cried, my voice barely coming out. I had been prying at his large hand this whole time, trying to dig my nails into his stony skin. His eyes darkened and he started raising my off of the floor.

“You’re weak, Ayca,” He said.

“Let go!”
I swung my legs into his stomach, making him stumble back, releasing me. I hit the floor, catching myself enough to not have my face hit the tiles. I got to my feet, grabbing the door handle to leave, but Callum wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, lifting my off of the floor again. I shrieked, thrashing violently in his grip.

“Nice try,” He said, carrying me toward the stained glass windows. He kicked one and it shattered, crashing down in front of us. He stepped through the gap and the rain hit me, cold against my hot skin. I continued to struggled against him but he was unfazed.

Although it was dark I could see the tall, white fence on either side of us, going down for an immeasurable length. The garden consisted of tall trees lining the fence and some other random places, a pond, and lots of rose bushes. Everything was overgrown due to the fact it hadn’t been taken care of in over a decade.

He let me go, shoving me forward, causing me to stagger a few feet away from him. I spun around so I could see him. My heart was beating frantically, and the rain was chilling all the way to my bones.

“What are you doing?” I asked. None of his actions were making sense.

“We’re going to play a game, Ayca, dear.”

“What do you-“

“Shut up!” He yelled with surprising abruptness. But then again, his words suited his strange behavior since Danny had left. “I’m going to explain right now. Due to the size of this house, I’m going to assume the backyard is quite large. So, you’re going to run and hide, and hope to escape. And I’m going to find you and kill you.”

I started backing away.

“Or maybe I’ll turn you, I’m haven’t decided.”

I turned, fleeing deeper into the yard.

“Good luck!”

I let in labored breaths, trying to breath quietly. The cold air burned down my throat and I couldn’t decide at this point whether the rain was burning or freezing me. The ground was slick and the mud would swallow up my entire foot sometimes, making me stumble.
“Try a little harder, Ayca! I know exactly where you are.”

In panic I let out a shriek, terror running through me. I knew it must’ve seemed strange, for me to be so afraid of Callum, who I’d faced hundreds of times. But this time was different. He was toying with me more than usual, the way he’d attacked me in the house had been unlike other fights. This little game he was playing was getting to me.

Of course, maybe it was just the week I had that was making me so fearful. Maybe it was the lack of food. Most likely it was the amount of times he’d bitten me recently. I’d never been bitten till the other night.

There was a thick tree a few feet away from me and I dove behind it. I plastered myself against it, closing my eyes and hugging my knees to my chest. I was too overwhelmed to used the senses I’d been honing since I was ten. It was as if everything I’d ever learnt, ever practiced, had never even been in my head.

There was a deafening crunch, and I ducked forward, covering my head as the tree I’d been leaning against snapped, the upper half hitting the ground and breaking further.

“I expected so much more of you,” Callum said, grabbing me by the hair. I gasped and he wrenched me to my feet. He spun me around, keeping one hand tangled in my hair, the other hand gripped my jaw, covering part of my face as he pushed my head back. It felt like my hands were frozen at my side. “It wasn’t meant to be this easy, you know that, don’t you?”

His words hit me, and I could tell there was some hidden meaning behind them.

He leaned in and I felt his breath on my damp skin. He was going to bite me. Again.

“Help!” I screamed, suddenly my arms working and I pushed against his chest. He was unrelenting and I could feel his teeth linger on my neck. Any second and I’d be bleeding out, yet again falling weak in his arms. I was so pathetic.

I vowed in my head, that if I survived this, I would never let Callum get near to biting me, ever again. But if I didn’t survive this… well then I’d just be dead.

“Somebody, help!” I shrieked as he dug his teeth into my flesh. The wound was still bruised and not completely healed, and an unbearable pain flowed through me, as if it were a toxin in my veins.

“You bastard!”

Callum was pulled off of me, and I dropped to my knees before leaning over on all fours. I exhaled loudly, looking up as Danny hurled Callum into the fence. His body crashed through it and I flinched at the sound of the wood breaking.

Danny stared at the hole in the fence with a look of pure hatred.

“Danny,” I said, my voice coming out feebly. His head snapped to the side as he looked at me. His expression changed instantly to one of concern and he rushed over to me, hugging me tightly against him.

“I’m so sorry I left,” He said fervently, and I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his chest. I’d never been so grateful to see someone before in my life. I grit my teeth, trying to control my emotions. Danny stood, pulling me to my feet. My legs gave out, but he caught me. Without hesitation he hoisted me up, carrying me bridal style.

If this were any other day before this hellish week, I would have fought him off, thrown myself out of his arms. But it wasn’t any other day, and I needed him more then I’d have liked to admit. I’d only known Danny for two days and I already felt dependent on him, more then I had on anyone. Already, he’d saved me from Callum twice, and he’d taken me somewhere safe when my own house members had kicked me out.

If someone had told me he was an angel I wouldn’t have been surprised at all.

“I was so scared,” I said, my arms tight around his neck as he carried me away from the house.

“It’s ok. You’re safe with me.”

And it was true.