River of Blood

Chapter Eleven

"How do you...know that?" Annalise's voice is small, breaking on the end.

"I remember one of them having..." Evangeline pauses, gathering her energy. "One of the hunters attacking me had pointed ears. There is only one creature on this planet with pointed ears and that is-"

"Fae." Annalise whispers, collapsing onto her knees.

Evangeline kneels down next to Annalise on the ground. She pushes some of the hair out of her face, and Judi watches as her red eyes start to glow. "Feel lucky that you are not one of them. They tortured me, Annalise. Tortured."

Annalise's green eyes fill with tears. "My friends, when we were younger, disappeared. Vanished as if by magic one night. We never found out what happened to them..." She trails off, the tears spilling over her lashes. Judi feels her heart break for the girl, and she looks towards Lynn who has a weird expression on her face as she stares at Evangeline.

Evangeline takes Annalise's shoulders in her hands and pulls her in for a hug. That is totally the opposite of what Judi thought she was going to do.

They wait in silence for Evangeline to stand back up. When she does, she brings Annalise up with her. "I hate to say this, Annalise." Evangeline whispers, her eyes looking to the rest of the group. "But your friends...they're gone."

Annalise stops crying, her entire face going stone cold. "There must be some way to save them."

Evangeline releases some air before moving away from the girl. "Whoever your friends were before they were taken have been washed away. There is nothing left except for cold blooded killers." Evangeline crosses her arms over her chest, tipping her head to the side. "I would help them if I could."

Annalise looks away then, her entire face looking broken. She sits back down clumsily on the ground, Aquila draping an arm over her shoulder. "Is it completely hopeless to want to save them?" Aquila asks, and Judi looks towards Evangeline expectantly.

It takes a while for Evangeline to answer. "The only way to release a hunter is if they die or..." She trails off, narrowing her eyes. "Or you strike a deal with them. Trade one of their lives for one they want more."

Annalise's lips fall open, Aquila looks crestfallen, and Judi feels about ready to kill something. Her werewolf side is rapidly growing in the pit of her stomach. Evangeline runs a hand through her midnight locks, glancing at Judi. Judi takes a deep breath, stepping towards her. "Are you sure there's no other way?"

"We could kidnap them." Evangeline chews on her bottom lip. "Although, they wouldn't come willingly..."

Annalise's eyes are shining. "We could convince them."

Evangeline quirks an eyebrow. "How do you propose we do that?"

Annalise sits back, her eyes looking broken again. She has nothing. Judi knows it. "You could compel them. Compel their memories back."

Evangeline winces, her eyes going dark. "Compulsion isn't something I like to do."

"If it saves lives..." Zelda whispers, "Supernatural lives. You should."

Judi feels a swell of pride from her idea. Evangeline sits down cross-legged in front of the group, her eyes finding Judi. "We've got a lot of work to do if we're going to save those Fae."

Annalise looks about ready to kiss Evangeline all over her face. Evangeline looks stressed out of her mind. Zelda is smiling from ear to ear. Lynn still has that weird look on her face. Sarafine is still picking at the grass. Aquila is hugging Annalise closer. The twins are frowning.