#7

“Who was on the phone?”

“Can you believe it? I finally buy a cell phone and I’m tracked! It was him,” Alexios said, not surprisingly. He shut the phone off and flipped the phone over looking for the battery.

“Him?…Athanasios?”

“The one and only,” he was still fumbling with the battery.

“Did he kill Jake?” I took the phone from his hands. “Let me do it,” I said.

“Thanks, he said I’m next.” I let out a sigh, removing the battery.

“What do you want me to do with this?” holding the phone out to him.

“Just get rid of it please. I’m better off without it.” He began pacing again. “I’m not scared of him,” he said, more to himself than to me. He stopped dead in his tracks and faced me. “Look, Elysia, I’m going to have to leave again. I don’t want to implicate you…”

“Leave?” I shouted. “Again?” I felt a burst of anger rising in me.

“I can’t protect you.” He took my hands in his. “I have to leave to protect myself,” then he squeezed my hands. “Plus I have to kill him and I don’t want you around to witness that.”

“Do you know how to kill him?” I felt like he needed my help…”You have no one to help you…I could do something to help. I’m not scared.”

“Listen, Elysia, I can’t get you involved.” Alexios’ hazel eyes darkened. “It’s really for your own safety. I couldn’t bear it, if anything happened to you.”

“I’m already involved!” I yelled. He was calm and I was getting hysterical. “Tell me what you need.”

He let go of my hand and paced again, back and forth in silence. I didn’t intrude on his thoughts. I couldn’t believe Athanasios found Jake and killed him. He must have found Jake’s cell phone and tracked Alexios that way. Alexios looked out of my bedroom window into the pitch black of the night.

“I can sense him coming closer.”

“Do you see anything?” I ran to the window peering out.

“Nothing, but he could be watching me as we speak. He is more powerful, he is stronger and he has more powers…but I don’t think that will stop me from killing him.” He quickly turned and appeared in front of me, I had to take a step back, he startled me so. “I will come back for you.”

“Can’t I help you?”

“It’s too dangerous.” He took a step back and ran his fingers through his hair, “I must find The Women.” My heart sank at the mention of women.

“Who are The Women?”

“They are one of the most powerful vampires to have ever existed.” Now he was standing in front of my desk searching for something. He looked at me and pressed his index finger to his lips so I won’t speak. I nodded my head. He scribbled something down on a paper.

“The Women are a group of vampires that Daphne belonged to,” he answered walking over to me to hand me the slip of paper.  “They track vampire hunters…” he winked at me and continued, “And torture them to death. They are the only ones that can help me.” I looked at the piece of paper, my mind and heart racing.

“Do you think…” before I could finish my thoughts and read the note, he was  gone out the window.

I looked down to read the note, my heart pumping fast.

I can’t explain any further. It would put you at risk. I’ve said too much already. There are ears listening and eyes watching. I’ll be in touch soon. I love you.

I ran to the window and only felt the tickle of the night on me. When had he opened the window so fast? I looked up and down and across the street and something caught me eye.

I saw a woman staring up at me. She looked like Joan Jett and instead of feeling scared I began to sing, “I hate myself for loving you.”

She disappeared. Who was she? Was she the one listening? Was she part of The Women? Had Alexios seen her when he came to the window?

I shut the window and quickly put on my joggers, attached my iPod to my ears and ran across the street to see if I could get some answers from that woman. Even though she was gone perhaps she was lingering close by.

I went for a jog but I was on a mission…I would help save Alexios, even if he didn’t think I could, I would find a way.

I would find that woman tonight.