Escaping Rejection

12 . Psychos and Murderers

Ionora's POV:

Have you ever been held at gunpoint? No? Well let me tell you then that you've escaped one of the most terrifying experiences ever. Each inch off my body was frozen in fear and while I fought to put on a brave face and keep the fear out, I was sure it was reflected in my eyes.

The woman holding the gun looked no less than 20 years old and I was sure that she was in her early 20s. Her eyes were cold, calculative and lifeless like she had just sold her soul to the devil. She probably had, judging by her sheer willingness to blow my brains out.

"Lupa Nokomis" She sneered. Lupa what?

"Uhhh.....I'm pretty sure your mistaken. I'm not Lupa Noko-whatever you called me." I told her, backing off slowly.

"Ah......so young and clueless. My favourite type of prey" She said and then cackled.

Wtf?

Prey? Was this b***h crazy? Was I some sort of psychopath magnet now?

"Look, it was nice meeting you and all but I gotta go now." I say anxiously, hoping she doesn't pull the trigger.

"You think I would let you go that easily, harbinger of war?" She said, c*****g her gun and taking a step towards me.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask her, tripping over my words, desperately hoping that the gun is a faux one.

"Too bad you won't be alive to find out." She gave me an evil smirk and pulled the trigger.

The loud sound of the shot reverberated on the hallway. I closed my eyes waiting for the bullet to hit me but it never came. My heart was in my mouth breathing like a damn drum in a hard rock concert and I felt like puking. Was this how death felt like?

I still had my eyes closed, afraid of opening them and seeing myself lying in a bloody puddle on the floor. That was until an angelic voice called out to me.

"Ionora? Ionora? Open your eyes. You're okay now."

Opening my eyes I gasped. "Ian? I always knew you were an angel. Have you come to take me to my final destination? Hit me with it, am I going to heaven or hell? Oh god! It's hell isn't it? I knew I shouldn't have stolen those cookies. " I rambled and then started crying.

Angel Ian looked at me like me I was cuckoo. What was he waiting for? Death himself?

"Nora, you're not dead."

"What?" I asked, my eyes tearing up again. " You're telling me that after all I went through just now , I'm not dead?"

"Yeah?"

I start sobbing uncontrollably. Ian stared at me with a bewildered expression and then looks behind me.

"She's in shock." Vivian said, coming over to me and lending me her shoulder to cry on.

"Wow. That's a weird type of shock. So how do we get her out of it?"

"Watch and learn." Vivian came over to me and slapped me hard right across my left cheek. Ian and I stared at her with wide eyes.

"Now I'm going to talk and you're going to listen. Understand?"

I nod, while rubbing my throbbing cheek. I was sure it left a mark. b***h.

"Look around you, what do you see?" Vivian asked, holding my chin and turning it towards my left.

Looking around, I gasped noticing the strange sight before me. The bullet which was shot right at me now lay suspended midway through the air like it was frozen in time. The woman who shot it was missing however. I looked at Vivian and Ian in question.

"She escaped unfortunately. Too bad we lost a perfectly good punching bag." She said, cracking her knuckles.

I take two steps away from her.

"Aww Nory, you don't have to be afraid of her. She's like a cute lil chihuahua." Ian told me, pinching Vivian's cheeks.

"Hold my earrings Nora. Let me show this shitbag just who's a chihuahua." She told me and had Ian pinned down and gasping for air in seconds

"A chihuahua may be small but it is also vicious." She sneered, pulling his collar.

"M-er-mercy" Ian wheezed out.

"Children! Oh my god! I leave you for ten minutes and you are already killing each other. What is wrong with you?" Aunt Marrise said angrily but I knew that she was faking the anger judging by the smile tugging on her lips.

"He started it."

"She started it." Both if them said at the same time.

While one side of me was happy with the kind of relationship they had the other side hurt that I didn't have that with my own twin. It was 18 years of me not knowing his existence and living in isolation, at least according to what I remembered or didn't remember. I pushed these thoughts away and questioned Marrise, "Who was she and why did she want to kill me?"

Marrise sighed."I will answer all your questions Ionora, but not here. We need to get going now. She has probably informed your parents of your whereabouts by now. You are not safe here."

"But-"

"No buts Nora. I need to keep you away from your parents at all costs. We can't let them take you so please, we've got to leave right now." Marrise cut me off, her eyes holding worry, pleading and determination with hint of fear. Were my parents that bad that they would hurt their own daughter? I was afraid to find out.

I nod mutely and follow her out of the house. Vivian and Ian follow closely behind, both strangely quiet.

We get into the car which was parked in the drive way, Vivian riding shotgun while Ian and I behind, with me pressed to his side trembling in fear of the women coming back and finishing me for good.

"Where are we going?" I ask no one in particular.

"We are going to visit an old friend of mine. She is a very powerful witch and she could confirm some of my suspicions." Marrise answered looking at me through the front mirror.

"Suspicions?" I ask, confused.

"Yeah. I know you have a lot of questions and unfortunately our Q & A session had to be cancelled but I need to tell you something which would hopefully clear most of your questions. I just want you to listen without interrupting." My aunt told me but this time she avoided my eyes.

"The werewolves and witches were not always enemies. We were allies and we lived in perfect harmony. The packs provided the witches a safe home to practice our magic and raise our children while we in turn pledged our services to the pack. The healers were the pack doctors , the garden witches provided food and so on. We helped each other and lived in peace." Marrise paused, taking a deep breath.

"It all began after the great war, which the Dawnblood pack won. A lot of people sacrificed their lives to restore peace and to eliminate the rogues. The Moon Goddess became impressed by the people who laid down their lives and presented the pack with a gift in return for their sacrifices. A gift so powerful that no more sacrifices would be made as long as the pack had it. It was the moonstone. The white Moonstone of Selene , they called it. It provided protection to the pack and as long as it was with the pack there would be no war, famine, drought, hunger or evil brewing in the pack. Naturally, the stone also attracted many who wanted it for themselves but it was well protected, being in the hands of one of the most ancient and powerful weres of all time, Ralph Abel Cairstiona, Zayden's grandfather. He vowed to protect the stone with his life. He gave his Alpha title to this eldest son and devoted all the time to protect the stone. All was well, the then Alpha was just as great and kind as his father and he ruled with the help of his counsellor and best friend, who was a very powerful warlock.

A couple of years pass and a beautiful baby was born to the Alpha and Luna. I still remember the night so clearly, a full moon night, howls of celebration in the air and big smiles on everybody's faces. After all, their future Alpha was born. That was until Ralph was brutally murdered that night and the stone stolen. They ripped apart his heart but not before sucking the life out of him. Not a drop of blood was spilt." Marrise choked out, looking pale. Her eyes were hooded and agony and pain showed through them. I thought she would pull over and cry but she continued driving.

Vivian showed no emotion while Ian had his fists clenched. I leaned on his shoulder hoping to calm him down and thankfully it worked.

"You don't have to continue Aunt Mari." I told her.

"No. I need to tell you everything." She replied with determination in her voice.

"The first suspects obviously were the witches since the way Ralph was murdered without a trace being left only pointed to the use of magic. The witches that were suspected were captured and tortured for answers and clues. Many of us lost our lives and an extensive search was made for the stone, but in vain. At last in an attempt to find the stone, the Alpha seeked the help of a very powerful seer who told him that the murder could have been committed only an elemental. And since all the blood had been drained from him, Ralph was murdered by the water elemental.

In the witch hierarchy, the elementals are in the top, being very powerful, practically royalty. But they are also very rare, only five existing at a time each having the power of the five elements. When one dies, another having the same power takes their place. So there was only one water elemental in the world that time, the very same warlock who was the Alpha's best friend and counsellor." Marrise stopped to gauge my reaction. I was shocked but not as much as I would be in a few seconds.

The words which Marrise uttered next not only shook my world to its core but broke it down completely. They kept ringing in my head and I was sure they would continue to do so till my last breath.

"The warlock who killed Ralph was your father, Jordan Zendale."