Athena Laurent

"They should be here any minute now, right?" Demir wheezes, trying to lighten the mood for the tenth time in what feels like six hours. Leon doesn't answer him; he's too busy keeping his eyes open. A drop of sweat glitters on his forehead. It's been days, they know that for sure. Three damn days. It is easy to count since their kidnappers are very consistent in their visits. Every hour, her father enters this room with the red liquid that is slowly stealing away her humanity. Lucky us.

She knew the moment she woke up in front of her father; he was up to no good, but she didn't think he would go this far. His malicious grin–the same as all those years ago–scared the shit out of her, and will probably haunt her forever. Well, forever might not even be very long if he keeps doing what he's doing.

The three of them were spread out across the room when they woke up. Yes, three, because, as they learned quickly, Brigitte wasn't part of the group that needed to be rescued. She's the one that let them fall into the trap her father set for them. It is sad how easily they were taken, but there wasn't much she could do once her body was numb from the drug Brigitte gave her.

Bloodsucking traitor.

There she was again, back at the mercy of her merciless father. She thought he would have forgotten about her by now and was clueless at first about why he wanted to kidnap her. It became quite clear, though, when he set a knife on Leon's leg and started asking his questions. She knew why Leon was the first victim. He wounded her father's pride by underestimating the werewolf before. Leon was the one who didn't drink the water, making him the only one strong enough to fight back. It took four vampires to bring him down, causing him to be unconscious during their travelling. Just like her.

Demir, on the other hand, was at least awake. Thanks to his wonderful werewolf genes, he was able to keep tabs on how they were driving. Luckily, the vampires didn't realize it, otherwise, there would have been even more trouble.

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"Where is the scroll?" Dion Laurent moves the knife that's cutting a thin line in Leon's skin from his knee towards his thigh. The werewolf growls, but the vampire king just continues his movements. "I'm not telling you anything, you bastard," Athena spits out. She desperately hopes she could keep a straight face when he mentions the scroll. How does he even know about her mission? She hasn't told Brigitte, so how on earth did he find out?

Dion reaches for her hands and starts scanning them. Athena's heart misses a beat. He knows. But how? He's looking for the evidence of the scroll. "Where is it?" she hears him murmur. He repeats, louder this time. "Where is it, Fleur? Tell me!" Athena only chuckles humourlessly.

"No."

Leon stares into her eyes and she feels Demir's as well. They're telling her not to give in, but she's afraid. She knows her father; he won't stop until he has answers. She has to distract him from her friends. She got them into this bloody mess; nobody is going to die because of her. Leon can't prevent a low scream from escaping his mouth when the knife sticks deep into his upper thigh. "How about now?" Her father says, looking straight at her. You can stop this, his eyes tell her. She knows better. Him not knowing what he wants to know is keeping them all alive right now.

"If you kill them, I'll tell you nothing and you know it," she tells him furiously. Her father's eyes widen. She hates it. It makes him look normal; friendly even, like a father watching a daughter with pride. He's not proud; he's annoyed. And he's definitely up to something.

"Of course I know that, ma fille, that's why I'm not going to kill them," he tells her, still smiling before walking out of the door. A couple of minutes later, he returns with a bottle that makes Athena stiffen instantly. No. He wouldn't... but Athena knows better. He would. She stares at the red liquid, trying not to show her fear in front of her monstrous father.

"You remember that fun little thing we used to share," he says, opening the bottle. His voice is calm, almost amused. Since she's tied up, she can't do anything when he holds it under her nose. She already smelled it when it was still closed off in the bottle, but now the scent is truly intoxicating. This is not good. This is not what she wants. She made a choice to never drink human blood again, and now he wants to take that choice away from her and there is nothing she can do about it.

Her father chuckles. "First, we would have a delightful meal together before fighting our enemies side by side. You were such a sweet, obedient child. I think you can become one once again."

Demir and Leon growl at the vampire, but the king doesn't look bothered at all. "You can consider them motivation. You know what you're capable of when you give in to your thirst. If you surrender, I'll make sure you don't kill them. Maybe, I'll even set them free."

Lies. All lies.

"Hurting them will only make me angry, Dion, and I will not cooperate when I'm angry," she tries, but her father sees straight through her desperate attempt to save the situation.

His eyes darken. "We'll see about that, Fleur. Now. Drink. Or I'll make you drink and you know that method involves much, much more pain." She has little choice; he has her cornered. When he holds the bottle to her lips, she closes her eyes and allows the fluid to enter her mouth. She hates it. She hates how good it makes her feel and how familiar it tastes. "You should be grateful, ma fille; I'm offering you the bottle. You don't even have to retrieve it from a human this time."

And so, she drinks while he holds her head, like a disobedient child refusing their food.

"What on earth is that?" She hears him suddenly say. He sounds angry. Disgusted. She opens her eyes. He's looking directly at her neck. Her marked neck.

"You let a filthy dog bite you?" He says softly, fury audible in his voice. Behind him, Leon and Demir growl loudly, making her shiver. Her father ignores them; he keeps staring at her, waiting for her to answer.

"I let my mate mark me," she tells him. A wave of happiness flutters through her stomach just by thinking of Darius. She misses him.

"You don't have a mate," Dion shouts in disbelief, causing her grin to grow even wider. "Didn't my dear sister tell you? Clearly, the Moon Goddess thinks I'm worthy."

"Stop it," her father growls loudly, but Athena ignores him. "She gifted me one," she continues, looking her father directly in the eye now. "An alpha werewolf who's going to rip your head off when he arrives. Something I should have done myself seven years ago..." Dion growls furiously, before quickly leaving the room. Athena wants to keep smiling, but already she feels the effect from the blood in her body and she can't stop the ominous feeling spreading in her stomach.

Please, guys. Come quickly.

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For the first few hours, she felt normal. Slowly, the effects of the drugs wore off, while simultaneously, she felt the blood numb her magic. She knew it would happen; it's the reason she only discovered she was a witch after she stopped drinking blood.

They had soon realized there was no way to connect with their group. She could feel her connection with Darius fade within hours until there wasn't any sign there ever was a soulmate. With the blood in her system, her emotions shut down quickly. She felt fine though. Numb, but fine. She was in a dirty room, kidnapped by her own father, forced into submission, but fine. None of it mattered. There was no pain, no stress, no lo-...

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"Athena! Wake up! Fight it!"

She opens her eyes and immediately sees two pairs of eyes staring right at her. For a moment, she's confused, but when Leon's eyes light up, the memories return. Suddenly, she feels her body again, and another feeling along with it. These are her friends. She can feel the connection between them rushing through her. She remembers her mate. Her best friend. The feelings hit her all at once. It makes her dizzy, and yet, she couldn't be more relieved. Her emotions; her connections to other people are what makes her human. Losing it is the worst thing imaginable.

"Thanks," she murmurs to Leon. He just nods. Athena sees him still trying to connect with Shani through their bond, but he can't get through. Perhaps because he hasn't marked her yet, but Athena suspects her father is behind it. He made sure communication between all supernatural creatures was cut off. There is no way of contacting them.

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It only took a couple of hours more for the blood to slowly take her magic away. The numbness came, and she felt nothing once again. But while her powers disappeared, she also knew the blood was strengthening her and suddenly, an idea hit her. Her father might have a grip on the communications of the supernatural world, but they might not have thought about the fact there are two humans on the outside waiting for them. If Kara can have dreams about things that nobody else can remember, she sure as hell can pick up the signal Athena will throw at her.

But she knew the timing had to be perfect. She felt the drugs leave her body, which meant her magic would work until the moment the blood start to really kick in to remove her magic again.

I have one chance. Let's do it.

She felt it immediately when the time was right. With a quick spell, she brought herself to sleep and sent her message to Kara. After that, all they could do was wait. Athena wasn't even sure if or when the message would reach Kara. It could be immediately, but what if it takes minutes, hours, days? Or never? Let's try to stay positive, Athena. Surely you, Leon, and Demir will be rescued in no time.

And that's what they've been doing. Waiting. No time turns out to be at least three days and they have discovered that waiting for someone to rescue you while you think you know they're coming is beyond frustrating. When her father or the other vampires aren't around, they talk, but only about simple things. Partly because they don't want their enemy to pick up crucial information and also because she feels too weak to concentrate. She's barely able to hear the others, let alone speak. Except for that one conversation with Leon perhaps, she thinks, almost amused.

"I really screwed it up with Shani, didn't I?" were his first words about the subject. Now he realizes? This man... such an incredibly strong werewolf, but a stupid mate, Athena remembers thinking at that moment. She was incredibly weak, but still felt the need to defend her friend. "The blood is kind of taking over, so excuse my lack of a filter, but yes, Leon, you screwed up," she had lashed out. "When you get out of here, you and Shani are having a conversation. That's all she wants from you, and your stubborn arse never gave her that opportunity. I can't even imagine what she's feeling right now, or what Darius is feeling, but I know it can't be good. So, when you see her, you suck it up and talk to her."

"Is that an order, Luna?" He had said, slightly amused.

"No, that is a request from her best friend," she had answered.

"I'll talk to her. I promise."

"Good," she had answered before closing her eyes. Immediately, she had heard the voices of her friends demanding her to stay awake. It was getting harder and harder; the blood was making her sleepy, but she knew the moment she gave in, it's over. She had been here before. The minute she would allow herself to fall, she'd lose her free will, and that was the last thing she wanted.

Three days. They've been here for three days. Since this morning, he visits them every hour, and Athena isn't sure how much longer she can take it. She has to remind herself every minute who her friends are. She pictures Darius in her head. She hears Shani talking in her ear and repeats the words Hinote spoke; the words Leon and Demir keep saying to her in here. "You're not a monster. You. Are. Not. A. Monster."

Before her eyes, she sees Darius's pack. First, the forest where they ran, then the field where they fought and celebrated after the battle. She imagines the kitchen where Kara told them her secret and the bedroom where Darius and she spent the night together. She collects every memory, every positive thread she can think of to stay human, and still, it takes everything in her power not to submit to her father's dominant voice.

Every hour, it becomes more difficult now. The only reason she's not on her knees right now is because of the two werewolves in front of her and the beautiful memories in her head. Her father must not realize it, but Leon and Demir, the beta and the gamma of her pack, her friends, are giving her the strength she needs to defy him. But they're tired and hurt pretty badly too. After Leon, Dion couldn't help himself but injure Demir as well. "It would have been unfair, wouldn't it," he had told them right before thrusting a knife through the Beta's skin. Bastard.

She knows that eventually, they won't be able to stop her father from achieving his goal.

Please, Darius. Come fast.

She never begged for anything in her life. Not to her father to stop when he forces her to drink the blood a decade ago; not to the coven to let her stay when they kicked her out, but she's begging her mate, her friends, to save them because they can't, she can't save herself.

"Brigitte, ma fille, it's time to give your sister another dose," Dion says to her sister. Brigitte frowns. "A-already father? Will that not be too much?" What a surprise, my sister does have a conscience somewhere in that dead body of hers. I'm touched. But subconsciously, her sister's worried voice makes her worried too. She's right, it hasn't been an hour yet. He returned too soon. Even her deranged father knows that if he's not willing to wait long enough between the feeding, she could die. Her father shakes his head thoughtfully.

"I am feeling a bit... impatient, but you're right, we'll wait a few more minutes. After that... I give her two more hours," he looks at her. "Maybe less." She doesn't bother stopping a growl. He knows the blood is taking over her mind; he knows she's close to surrendering herself to him. The smile on his face tells her he thinks he already won. "You thought you were so strong for years; and yet, here you are. Back under my command..." he says, taunting her. She growls again, but it only makes him laugh harder. "I'll see you in an hour, Athena." He shuts the door loudly.

She exhales, curving her back in an attempt to relax. It doesn't work. She knows she's losing herself. She feels it. They're too late. He's winning. "I'm so sorry, guys, for bringing you into this mess," she stammers to the others. Her vision is already clouded; she can't see them anymore. "Don't apologize, Athena. This is not your fault," a voice tells her. She doesn't know who said it, but the words reach her anyway. "Don't forget Athena, we're here. Right by your side. We will do everything to help you, okay?" The words make her smile. Even though she wished Leon and Demir were safe outside of this prison, she can't help but feel grateful she's not alone. No matter what happens to her, they will make it out alive because her pack is waiting outside to rescue them. Her father won't know what hit him.

Thank you, guys, is the last thing she thinks before her mind is shut down. She can feel it. Clearly now: her mind drifting away; focusing on the one voice it can hear. She knows he is back. Before her eyes, her vision spirals, making her dizzy. From afar, she hears another voice, two other voices, but her brain doesn't recognize them. They're strangers. Only one thing is familiar. Only one voice she listens to and only one face she can see. "Fleur, me voice, ma fille."

Athena!

Her vision is blurry; her mind is a mess. Her sight is corrupted. Apart from the face in front of her, she sees nothing. She knows that face; it smiles; it must like her. She watches the mouth move.

"Fleur, ma fille. Are you ready to join me again?"

Athena! She shakes her head in confusion. Who is that? Where is the voice coming from? The voice does not belong to the face in front of her.

Fleur? Athena? Who am I? Who are they?

Luna! Snap out of it! Another voice, a third? Luna? Why does that name sound familiar? Her head is now throbbing like crazy and yet the two voices she hears are getting clearer while the one she hears from her ears is fading away. Her eyes still can't avert from the red ones in front of her. They're captivating.

Look away. Look. Away. Get the bastard out of your mind, Luna. The group is coming. Hold on!

Slap.

Athena's head is roughly shaken to the right. Dion Laurent rubs the back of his hand before he forces her to look at him again. "Regardez-moi, ma fille," he whispers, clearly impatient. Athena directs her eyes to his, but where she felt the pressure to surrender only a few seconds ago, she now feels nothing. No one can make you do something you don't want to do. That's what Alexis says when they had reconnected after two years. When she had stared into her mentors' eyes and Alexis told her she was always the one who held the power; that it was Athena who chose to surrender that moment.

Alexis was right. She gave her father the power in this situation. Not anymore. She might not be able to rely on her mother's inheritance at the moment, but she's not afraid to use her vampire side. It's a part of her, whether or not she wants it, and it might have been given to her by her father; it doesn't make being a vampire a bad thing. The anger, the frustration; the anxiety bubbles up in her chest, making her eyes glow.

"Je ne suis pas ta fille, papa. Plus maintenant."

The red glare makes the cloudiness disappear immediately, and now she can see the look on her father's face. He's astonished. By her words; her defiance. She feels stronger. She looks to her right, where Leon and Demir are still situated. "I'll be back in an hour," he spits out, gritting his teeth. He thought he had her and frankly, so did she.

"You all right there, Athena? We thought we lost you for a second," Demir says.

"You and me both. How did you do it?," she replies.

"We'll explain once we get out of here, which we'll be soon. They're here."

"How do you know?"

"You don't feel it? Darius is close. They're all close." Athena cannot say she feels it; the blood in her system is preventing her from feeling any kind of connection at all.

"That's good; that's awesome," she whispers, silently surrendering to the tiredness her defiance caused. "I am about to pass out though...when I wake up, do not let me near humans, understand?"

"Understand!"

"Promise me! Demir? Leon? Knock me out for all I care. I don't want to hurt anyone." Please. Please, Goddess. Don't make me wake up a monster. "We promise. Just hold on okay, in a few minutes we are all going to walk out of here!"

"I will definitely not. Tell Darius he can carry me. He always wanted to do that," she says, trying furiously to keep her eyes open. In vain. Demir raises his eyebrows but widens his eyes when he sees hers are closing again.

"Athena... Athena! Stay with us. Damn it; Darius will kill me if something happens to you!"

The corners of her mouth rise. She's fine. Even with her eyes closed, she can hear the familiar voices approach them, but she doesn't have the strength to open her eyes again. It isn't until she feels a warm hand on her cheek; she realizes exactly who is standing in front of her.

"Darius?" she whispers.

"I'm here, mylaya. I got you."

"I knew you would. Never doubted it for a second."

"Let's get you out of here."