The night was thick with silence broken only by the soft lapping of water against marble, the pool behind darian's Villa shimmered faintly beneath the moonlight reflecting a surface calm that didn't match the tension pooling in the air.
darian sat at the edge, shirt unbutton halfway, his expression unreadable, beside him two of his Men sharply dressed their posture alert like shadows that existed only to obey.
Across from him a voice crackled faintly through the speaker of a sleek black device placed on the glass table. it wasn't loud just a smooth, composed tone that carried authority, the voice belonged to someone who preferred to stay unseen.
"You said the visit didn't go as planned" darian's Jaws tensed "neo, that new assistant interrupted, he got in the way lucas wasn't around at all" "I see then, perhaps it's time we move differently" the voice paused the sound of faint static filled the air followed by the slow inhale of cigarettes "if we can't touch Lucas yet, we'll touch what's close to him fear breaks walls faster than bullets" Darian frowned "he doesn't have anyone close enough except his brothers and kellan who are also demons on their own if it's neo you're talking about he just came into the picture-" "then use neo's weakness" "to do what exactly?" "Lucas brought him in for a good reason Lucas is calculating he doesn't do things without good reasons" silence followed for a bit and then one of darian's men stepped forward muttering "neo's little friend,that boy who's always around him.... Aiden" the name lingered in the air. Darian leaned back, a small smirk curving his lips "Targeting a student that's low even for you" "Do you have a better idea?"
A flicker of irritation crossed darian's eyes "fine but if this goes South it will all be on my head" "if this goes south darian there won't be a head left to blame" the line clicked dead the quiet pool area turned heavy Darian exhaled glancing towards his men "find the boy, don't touch him yet I just want neo to feel the pressure of his new life" and with that the Hunt began.
Aiden's pov
The street lights flickard weakly as he walked home from class, earbuds in hands in his pocket the road was mostly empty only they occasional car, the rustle of leaves and his own reflection flashing against shop windows. Then came the hum low at first
persistent.
He's slowed down, turned his heads slightly a black sedan rolled behind him not to close, not to far just there. He frowned "that doesn't look familiar?" he turned a corner, the car turned too. Aiden's pulse quickened "this can't be kellan I'd known he'd make it way to obvious if he was following me" he picked up the pace trying to act natural but every instinct screamed run,he's hands trembled as he pulled out his phone neo's name glowed on the screen.
"Pick up,pick up,pick up" he muttered "Aiden?"
"Neo, someone's following me" his voice cracked "A black sedan, it's been behind me since I left campus, it's not kellan, it's not anyone I know Neo, what do I do help me"
Neo's chair screeched in the background "where are you" "I don't know around crossview street, Neo I think they're-" he said shaking really bad now "listen to me" neo said quickly, voice firm but shaky underneath "don't go home or else they'll trace you to your house. Go somewhere with people a mall, a restaurant, anywhere I'll handle it....just stay there okay?" "Neo i-" " I said stay there!"
The call Cut leaving Aiden's heart racing even harder than ever.
on the other end neo immediately called Lucas his voice was uneven, almost desperate "lucas please, please I need your help. Aiden's being followed, I don't know who it is but it's bad, he says it's not kellan, Please you have to help him". Lucas blinked in surprise it wasn't often neo begged in fact it was his first time hearing this side of him. "slow down, what's happening" Neo's voice shook "a black cars been trailing him since campus, he's scared I told him to find a crowded place but I don't-, lucas I don't know what else to do please help him please!" lucas's tone hardened "what kind of car" "dark tinted windows, old model no plates in front, sedan" that detail was enough Lucas exchanged a look with Kellan who had been half listening while scrolling through his phone. The shift shift in Lucas's tone drew his full attention long time ago Kellan Straightened, eyes narrowing "what's going on" Lucas muttered "it's connected to the office incidents I can feel it" Kellen stood up grabbing his jacket "then I'll handle it"
"Kellan-" but he was already gone voice echoing as the doors slammed behind him. when he said he'll handle something he meant it and rarely ended softly.
Aiden ducked into a brightly lit convenience store, pretending to browse, his hands were still shaking he glanced outside, the car had stopped down the road. He swallowed hard "crowded place right stay where people are" but the people didn't seem to care they were just living their lives chatting ,laughing, scrolling through their phones no one had notice the trebling boy near the windows.
Then someone brushed past him too closely. once. twice.
He turned a man in a cap face shadowed, pretending to read magazines,another Man by the drink section not touching anything. panick shot up his spine
He ran.
Out the door, down to Streets, lungs burning, his shoes slapped against the wet pavement as he darted into a narrow alley. it smelled of trash and damp metal.
He crouched behind a stack of bins, clasping his hands tightly "please" he whispered "someone please, anyone just this once"
A faint crunch of gravel. Then shadows moved.
"Found him", one voice murmured "N..no please-". They grabbed him by the shoulders. He struggled, kicking, screaming "let me go! I didn't do anything" a gloved hand covered his mouth, another pressed something sharp against his neck a sting then warmth spreading too quickly "N..no don't" his voice faded, the world tilted, sounds distorting and then........
"you shouldn't have touched him"
kellan's cars skidded to a stop at the corner tires screeching faintly against wet Asphalt, his pulse hammered in his ears a sharp contrast to the eerie quiet of the street. The GPS has had led him close but it was his instinct that told him where to go. The faint echo of footsteps, a muffled shout, then nothing.
He moved fast, every muscle coiled tight. His breath came in controlled exhales eyes scanning the shadow until he saw them, two men dragging a smaller figure against the wall ...Aiden. For a second kellan froze not from hesitation but from rage so pure it almost paralyzed him. he saw the glint of metal the flick of a syringe press into Aiden's neck his jaw clenched, his hands curled into fists, so tight his knuckles popped.
They touched him?
That thought alone was enough to snap something inside him. The sound of his footsteps echoed once heavy, deliberate.
The men turned too late.
One reached for his weapon, but kelan was already there, he's fist collided with the man's face, a dull crack followed by a scream that was quickly cut short as Kellan drove a knee into his stomach, another tried to grab him from behind. kellan spun, grabbed the man's wrist and twisted until bone met bone with a sharp snap.
He barely registered the pain in his own arm all he saw was Aiden limp, half conscious lips parting in weak gasps, the sight made something burn inside him dark and violent.
"You shouldn't have touched him" Kellan muttered voice low almost trembling with control he shoved one attacker into the wall so hard the bricks cracked, then kicked the other in the chest sending him sprawling into the trash bins. when the last one hit the ground Kellan stood over them chest heaving, rain starting to fall in fine cold drops that streaked down his face the scent of metal and damp filled the air.
He turned to Aiden for a moment all the noise faded, no rain, no breathing no chaos just him and the boy slumped against the wall lashes wet, lips trembling faintly.
Kellan knelt slowly reaching out with a hand that still shook from the fight, he brushed a strand of hair from Aiden's face the skin beneath his fingers was cold "hey" he said softly voice barely above a whisper "it's over" Aiden didn't answer his eyes fluttered the closed completely. kellan's chest tightened he wasn't supposed to care he didn't care, that's what he told himself every time but seeing him like this.... something about it cracked through the walls he built around himself.
He exhaled shakily and gathered Aiden into his arms lifting him with care that contrasted the fury he'd unleashed seconds ago.
The rain fell hard and now masking the blood, the dirt the quiet trembling in kellan's hands as he carried him towards the car "you are safe now" he whispered again this time barely trusting his own voice "you really don't know how to stay out of trouble do you?" the car doors closed shut softly Aiden's head rested against his chest still unconscious then he drove straight for the estate.