Healing A Soul

Ok, here's the next chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it and thanks for the reviews... I really appreciate it. Anyway, posting new chaps may take a while, two to four days max. I'm about to start school so between that and work i'll have no life... well and I like to try to get as many reviews for a chap as I can! Luckily this story's done though so those of you who enjoy it don't have to suffer months of no finish or for updates! I was smart this time... But anyway... read and enjoy!

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He didn’t say anything as he stared at her; he couldn’t find the words or the strength to push them past his lips. All he could do was stare at her, hoping beyond hope that she understood what he was silently asking her. She didn’t move and didn’t speak; nothing was exchanged between them for what felt like and eternity.

The room seemed to shrink and Hugue began to feel light headed and once more he found it difficult to catch his breath. She merely stood there staring at him in wonderment. She had no idea, none at all. He was a fool, a stupid fool to think she would ever forsake her vows, her stupid ridiculous vows to come into his arms and take a chance upon him. He couldn’t breathe and couldn’t be in this room any longer either. This room was slowly killing him. Her presence and the false hope that she could be his were killing him. He couldn’t be in this place any longer, AX, the Vatican, or with her. She had broken down so many of the walls he had struggled to put up and slowly she was killing him with her kindness.

He had to get out, of the room and of the city. Without another thought he reached for his cloak and sword, putting them both upon his person in haste. He had to leave.

Panicked as he was he fled past her, his eyes blinded from the tears that continued to fall. Quickly reaching the door handle he ripped open the door and suddenly she came to life behind him. Her voice called to him and slowly he turned to see her coming toward him. She moved toward him almost as if time were slowed, her long legs carrying her in his direction, her blue eyes warm and worried, her arm outstretched as if beckoning him to come to her. Those arms seemed to beg to him to come into them. They held the promise of comfort and warmth. Perhaps of love… NO!

They did not hold that promise! They did not hold the promise of an intense passionate love he so desired to share with her. They offered comfort of a friendship and pity for his foolishness. He was no fool, and would not be pitied… not even by her.

Angrily he ripped his gaze from hers and rushed out the door. Surely she would not follow, she was only in her nightgown and with the weather she would undoubtedly freeze outside. He was free, and while his heart ached and threatened to burst within his chest he kept running. Past the elevator and to the stairs, where he quickly bounded down them, yearning for the cold outdoors where he would be able to breathe and feel the cool wetness of the snow fall down upon him.

The stairs ended and the door to his freedom loomed ahead of him. That was the door that would lead him back into the world, back into his shell of loneliness that he could wrap himself in. Something familiar, something that wouldn’t hurt him. Vengeance, revenge, freedom. That’s what was outside of that door. A life free from AX, Caterina, the Vatican… and Nora. His heart became heavy but his determination and adrenaline pushed him toward that door and within moments he was outside, feeling the cold air hit his skin for the first time in a long time.

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Everything had happened so fast she didn’t know what to do. She merely stood staring at the open door where Hugue had once stood. He left. But not like he usually did. He fled from her, literally ran.

Then it hit her. That was what Caterina was talking about. His instability. She had said that one day he would flee from AX, and that is what he had just done. He had left just left AX… he had left her.

Without another thought she was in action. Quickly she grabbed for a pair of pants from the corner and threw them on. Desperately she searched for a pair of shoes and once she found them slipped them on. Without a coat or hesitation she launched herself toward the open door and bolted out of it.

He was already far ahead of her and she didn’t know if she would be able to find him. Her own tears began to well up in her eyes. Hugue was the only thing keeping her at the Vatican. He was the only thing keeping her anywhere. If he wasn’t here… what would she do?

Before she knew what she was doing she had rushed down the stairs and flung herself through the door leading to the outside. He was nowhere in sight and it was freezing.

It was cold and surely she would get sick, but it didn’t matter. She had to find him. Nothing else mattered but that.

Determined she took off down the streets, praying she would find the tall blonde amongst the crowds.

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He had been wandering the streets for sometime now and at last the warmth from the hotel was gone. Slowly he felt himself store all of those emotions he never wanted to feel away and welcomed the coldness settle back inside of him.

Not sure where he was going he continued to walk the streets letting his mind wander and letting the people push past him, tuning out their laughing and warm words of kindness to one another. Slowly he felt that familiar loneliness settle back inside.

Somehow, he couldn’t welcome it though. Desperately he ached to. He would not go back. He would never go back to the life he once had at the Vatican as a member of AX. Nothing could make him… not even Nora… but that wasn’t a concern anymore… she was far behind him now. Most likely she was sitting in the hotel room discussing with Caterina his disappearance. After all why would she follow him. Soon enough Tres would be hot on his trail looking for him, but that was of no concern to him, for he had outsmarted the android once or twice before. This time would be no different.

Soon through his thoughts and wanderings the sound of the busy streets began to fade out and when Hugue looked up to gather his bearings he found himself in the outskirts of the city. Everything around him was quiet and dark. He had wandered right into the dangerous part of the city. Every city had one now, nothing was safe anymore. These were the places where the drug lords and vampires would prowl, looking for victims. This was the perfect place for him, but his heart wasn’t in the hunt. Not anymore. He had no desire to be here. This was the place he should welcome the most, but part of him wasn’t ready to fall that far back into the darkness. He was tired and weary. The fight had left him for now.

Slowly he turned from his previous path and began to walk back toward the familiar crowded streets where everyone was indifferent to his presence. Then he heard it, something that stopped him dead in his tracks. A familiar voice, calling his name.
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She didn’t know how long she had been running, and by now she couldn’t even feel the coldness that had engulfed her body.

Before long she couldn’t hear the laughter from the streets or see the lights from the lamps. She had wandered out too far and all she could do was hope that she’d find Hugue soon or at least not get attacked.

After sometime the alley ways all looked the same and she wasn’t sure which ones she had already checked. Nothing looked familiar anymore, and exhausted she slowed her pace. She was breathing hard and due to the weather she found it even harder to breathe. Realization hit her as she realized he was really gone, and desperately she struggled for breath. She probably wouldn’t ever find him. When Hugue wanted to disappear he did, and no one could find him.

It was over… he was really gone.

The coldness of the night crept in upon her. Wrapping her arms tightly about herself she slowly made her way out of the alley. Her breathing had slowed, but the tears were coming now. He was gone, and she was alone in the world yet again. Suddenly she felt ten again, orphaned and dead inside.

Nearing the end of the alley she stopped. This didn’t look familiar at all either. She really was lost, which wasn’t a good thing. Soon there would probably be vampires prowling and no doubt they would find her. She would make easy prey tonight, and in all honesty, Nora wasn’t really sure if she cared. With a sigh she looked to her left for a path. Unfortunately it was a dead end. Wearily she turned to the right. There was no dead end, and she was not alone either.

‘Great, one found me so soon.’ She thought, stumbling out of the alley to get a better look at the lone figure. He didn’t move toward her, and he was alone. She couldn’t see anyone in the shadows. It was just a lone man. That was confusing enough. Who the hell wandered into the outskirts of a city past dusk? Focusing and trying desperately to stop from shaking she took in the sight of the lone figure standing in the middle of the alley. His cloak covered his head, but she could see a red cross adorning the figure’s cloak. Suddenly she couldn’t breathe. Could it have been that easy… could it be… yes it was? She knew that cloak… it was…

Hugue.

Relief flooded her being. Seeking her voice she called to him brokenly. It was too cold and she was in a poor state of dress. Her voice was failing her, but somehow he heard.

So did the vampires at the other end of the alley.

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He knew that voice.

Quickly he turned around and he felt his heart stop within his chest. She wandered out of an alley about fifty feet from him, but she wasn’t alone. As if they crawled from the darkness itself, five Methuselah crept out of the shadows surrounding her. She had no idea, she hadn’t seen them, but she did catch sight of him.

Her dark blond hair was windblown and her face red from the cold. She hadn’t spent much time putting clothes on to follow him either. She still wore her nightshirt, which thankfully was long sleeved and had thrown on what looked to be a pair of his pants. The shoes she wore were hardly warm enough for the snowy ground she walked upon, but she didn’t seem to care as her gaze settled upon what she had clearly been seeking out.

That smile that haunted his every thought broke out upon her face and suddenly she began to run toward him. Her followers were quick to react.

Rage built up within his body. Once again she was careless and the determination to distance himself from her was lost now that she was in danger. She barely made it two feet before a tall dark headed Methuselah had her by the throat, cutting off her calls to him. That was all it took for Hugue to unleash his fury. The other four Methuselah that had slithered around him were quickly cut down, startling the degenerate that held onto Nora. The big brut started backing away from Hugue, squeezing Nora’s throat harder in his fear, which caused a strangled gasp to escape her.

Her eyes were wide and startled, her body trembling at the cold and the hand that held her body off the ground. She was motionless, trying to breathe and watching Hugue for his next move. He was quiet, and still. She had seen him this way only once and she knew that the beast holding her wouldn’t walk away from this alive.

“Stop Terran, or she dies,” he growled, backing away from the approaching swordsman.
“I mean it!” With those words, Hugue slowly looked up, his green eyes aflame with rage and contempt for the creature that was before him. The vampire was afraid. He had just watched his friends die and he had realized that this wasn’t going to be like an ordinary attack. There was a bigger monster than him out tonight.

He took one more step and watched as the filth holding Nora slipped his claws into her neck. A soft cry was ripped from her as she tugged on his thick arm, attempting to free herself.

Hugue stopped in his tracks, watching as her blood fell from the cuts on her neck onto the pure white snow that had settled upon the ground. Again time seemed to stop and Hugue found himself frozen to the ground as he watched the brut lean forward, slipping his tongue between his lips, and slowly slithering its way toward Nora’s perfect neck, and at last tasting the blood that continued to fall from the wounds he had produced. A whimper was pulled from Nora, and a smile pulled onto the disgusting face of the vampire holding her. He was mocking him… wrong thing to do. He thought he could be quicker than the swordsman… he was wrong, very wrong.

That’s when it happened. Hugue’s anger and rage snapped within him and a soft growl fell from his lips as he lunged forward.

The vampire dropped Nora to the ground and quickly attempted to back away from the impending attack. Unfortunately for him in his haste he hit a patch of ice and lost his balance, promptly dropping him to the ground, giving Hugue an obvious advantage. Too bad for him, he wouldn’t die as swiftly as his friends had.

Like a cat, the swordsman advanced upon the whimpering vampire, his pleas falling on deaf ears. Without warning Hugue’s arm shot out and grasped the throat of the vampire crawling on the ground, pulling him to his feet. Slowly he pulled him up further, his feet dangling off of the ground. He continued to plead with the enraged blonde, but it would do him no good. This fool had dared to touch the woman he cared most about. He had dared to taste her blood, to defile her in a way that was unforgivable. He would die tonight, slowly and with little mercy.

The monster Hugue carefully contained came out in that moment. A sickening smile curved his soft lips as his hand continued to close upon the throat of the Methuselah struggling in his grasp. ‘So much for the one true race,’ he thought as his fingers tightened. Then at last he heard it, the crack of bones. Quietly he watched the fool he held sputter for air, coughing up blood as the inside of his throat was punctured by the broken bones of his neck. His smile merely grew at the pain the disgusting wretch was evidently in and without warning he dropped the broken fool to the ground. The vampire never knew what happened next as Hugue’s blade ripped through the neck that had begun to repair itself, severing it permanently. The headless body fell in a heap at the swordsman’s feet.

Calm settled once more over the tall blond as he gazed upon the dead body of his victim. It felt good… the death he just caused. It felt good to feel and watch the life leave the disgusting vile vampire. Another smile came to Hugue, though not one of pleasure, but one of sadness.

He really was a monster, and how could the woman behind him ever accept that. He could feel her gaze again. She was watching him carefully and the warmth he often felt when she watched him began to creep over him as always. He couldn’t allow that though, if he did, he’d never be able to leave… he’d never be able to build up his walls again…

Slowly with one tear slipping from his dark green eyes he began to walk away from the woman laying on the cold ground. His heart ached as he left her, knowing she needed him, knowing she would probably freeze if he didn’t help. How could he though, if he did he would never leave her again, and his freedom would be lost to him forever. Silently he prayed she wouldn’t call to him. Her voice always brought him back. Like usual though, his prayers were in vain because he heard that soft voice call to him. As always he stopped, unable to get away from her. Yet this time it was different… her voice was changed… it was desperate and pleading not soft and caring.

Slowly he turned and let his gaze fall upon her. That was his final mistake. She had him now, and he knew freedom from AX and from her was a distant memory. Instantly he was lost in her gaze, she was crying and pleading with him to come back, holding her arm out to him again. He could not deny her this time, not those eyes or those tears. He was lost and broken to her need for his help like always, and slowly he walked to her. Without hesitation he stripped his cloak from his body and wrapped her in it, pulling her off of the cold ground into the warmth of his arms.

No words were exchanged as he walked back toward the hotel, only silence was shared between the two of them. It didn’t take long for him to find his way back to the hotel and before he knew it he was standing in front of the old looming building. The door that had once been his gateway to freedom now leered at him, mocking him, letting him know he was returning back to his prison he thought he could escape. Looking down into his arms he gazed upon the sleeping woman he held. Gently he stroked a stray lock of hair from her angelic face, gazing upon her beauty, feeling his heart ache at the closeness of her. His gaze shifted toward the door yet again and at that moment he knew his attempts to flee AX and the Vatican had been futile, because he knew now that he would do anything to protect what he was holding.

This woman he fought against and rebelled against in his mind and heart would forever control him from this moment on. He would never leave her, no matter her feelings for him, he would stand by her. He had to.

Wearily Hugue set his body in motion once more, walking toward the door that had once been the gateway to his freedom, but was now the gateway to his imprisonment once more. Somehow however, he welcomed the predicament he found himself in yet again.

Without hesitation he reached for the handle and pulled open the door, letting the light of the hotel wash over him. He stepped out of the cold night air of the streets and welcomed the stuffy heat of the old hotel once more, walking inside and letting the door shut to the cold night behind him.

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Hope you guys liked it, please review... thanks!