104 We Made It!

As soon as we fly into the red sun, there's an incredible suction that pulls us in. At some point, we're thrown from Abell as we tumble. When we're finally spat out, the three of us tumble out into an ungraceful heap.

Several grunts are heard before we finally come to a stop. I look down and see that I had landed on top of Vance, but Aston had landed on me! Vance wiggles his eyebrows at me as he stays, "Normally, I like being on top but if it's all three of us, I don't mind being on the bottom."

I give him a disgusted look as I push against him and snap at Aston, "Get off! You're crushing me!" Aston tries to stand up but my hair snags in the zipper on his jacket! I cry out, grabbing my hair as I try to slide off Vance.

Vance starts chuckling as Aston panics and says, "Sorry! Oh god... it's all tangled. Wait, wait, don't move! You'll make it worse!" I practically growl as I say, "Just cut it! I'd rather you cut it than be sandwiched between the two of you!"

Vance scoffs and says, "Well that's offensive. I think I'm a rather good catch and your dog here doesn't look too bad either." Suddenly, a familiar dark power washes over me and my hair is free!

I elbow Aston off me before roughly pushing away from Vance and standing up. When I hear someone clear their throat, I turn and freeze.

Bolin!

I stand there frozen, unable to comprehend how he was even here. Had I really lost my mind!? His anger turns the air around us colder, telling me that this was very real. He cocks his head to the side, looking at Vance and Aston before looking back at me.

He opens his arms and waits.

I blink in, confused, but I walk straight into his arms. I bury my face into his familiar chest as his scent calms all my frazzled nerves. He wraps his arms around me and places a hand on the back of my head as he asks, "Are you alright?"

Vance whistles and says, "If that's what a nightmare looks like, I want one too." Aston rolls his eyes as he stands up, brushing himself off.

I mumble, "How are you here?" His low chuckle causes my heart to race as he softly says, "Abell heard you calling and found you here. Haoyu followed her and I was able to follow Haoyu." I lean back and look up at him with a wide smile as I whisper, "That's one hell of a trick."

He smiles at me with warmth, but I suddenly turn stiff.

Shit!

I turn around, looking for Aiya's parents when Bolin asks, "Are you looking for them?" I turn back to him to find him looking up at the ceiling. I glance up and find Aiya's parents stuck to the ceiling with Bolin's shadows.

They struggle and I'm sure wanting to yell but their mouths were covered as well. I blink in surprise before looking back at him and asking, "How? I mean... How much time has passed?" Bolin narrows his eyes and says, "I'm not sure. All I know is that as soon as Haoyu contacted me and said you were in trouble, I came. When we got here, Abell was already gone, and these fools were trying to run out of the house."

"When I noticed them, I was reminded of Aiya, so I grabbed them just in case." He says with a slight shrug. Vance smirks as he steps closer and says, "Hot and competent. Where can I find another one?"

I roll my eyes, trying to ignore him but Bolin was now staring at Vance. The two seem to be checking each other out. Vance gives Bolin and cocky sexy smirk but that only seems to irritate Bolin.

Bolin looks back at me with dark eyes filled with questions. I sigh, rubbing my forehead as I say, "Just ignore him. I think it's a mental condition." Bolin doesn't seem convinced, but he does indeed ignore him.

Aston was now looking up at Aiya's parents as he says, "You two have a lot to answer for. Attacking one of your own and even using your own daughter... the parents of the year award goes to..." Bolin stays close to me as I step closer and ask, "Did you really think the Artifact could hold me?"

Bolin removes the shadows from their mouths, allowing them to talk.

Beatrice, Ayia's mother practically growls at me as she says, "Whether it could or not wasn't important! We only needed a little time to get away." Her blue eyes slide over to Bolin with accusation as she glares and says, "It would have worked too if he hadn't shown up."

Bolin gives her a dark smirk but doesn't say anything in response. I look over to David, Aiya's father but he refuses to speak or look at me. I smirk at this and say, "What, no final words? So did you both put Aiya up to it or was it Aiya's idea?"

David snorts in disdain as he says, "We have nothing to say to you, freak! The Council will take care of things." I lift my eyebrows as my smirk grows but my heart hurts. These people acted as if they cared about me. As if I was their own daughter but I can see how blind I truly was.

I cross my arms, looking up at them as I ask, "Did you really think I'd hand you over to the Council when I know someone on the Council is helping you?"

David's disdain wanes as his eyes take on a look of uncertainty and fear. He looks over at me and hesitantly says, "You can't do that. It's the law to hand over criminals." I giggle a little as I say, "Ah, but you are no normal criminal. If I'm correct, you two had a hand in my parent's death as well, correct?"

David's face drains of all color as Beatrice starts screaming like a banshee. She thrashes against the shadows holding her as she says, "You have no proof! These are nothing but accusations from a crazy orphaned girl! Who would believe you over us, huh? You just want us to take the blame."

I touch my busted lip as I sigh and say, "Sure okay, I'm crazy. I'm so crazy that I play on handing you over to my friend here." Vance slowly walks over with a knowing smirk and flashes his fangs. Bolin's eyes narrow on Vance, watching him closely.

Beatrice stares with wide eyes as she mutters, "You wouldn't... you wouldn't dare!" David watches everything in shock as I say, "Oh, but I do! You two are now nothing more than juice boxes." Beatrice screeches again as she starts thrashing over and over like a wild beast.

David starts yelling, "Kill us! Just kill us! You can't do this to us! If you won't take us to the Council, kill us!" I shake my head as I say, "No can do. A promise is a promise. I made a promise with the head Vampire here in this area for safe passage in exchange for you two."

I turn and look at Bolin and ask, "Did you happen to catch any others?" Bolin smirks and says, "There in the other room. About ten of them." I nod with a smile before turning back to Vance and saying, "They're all yours."