The Billionaire’s Baby(40)

He knew there was a reason the General wanted them to go with him, he wouldn't just offer to heal Nia for no reason. But Ellis also knew he didn't have a choice. He was too weak to get Nia to her home, and she wasn't going to survive much longer. They'd probably just be killed anyways if he refused.

The General watched silently until Ellis closed his eyes in resignation, and before the affirmation had left his lips the General had stolen Nia away from Ellis and men suddenly surrounded the weak vampire, tying his hands behind him and lifting him easily off the ground, dragging him after the other two.

"My name's George!" The General called back perkily, half skipping off between the trees.

Ellis didn't speak, and could only watch the swinging, messy red braid dangle from over the General's arm as he strode off in front of them.

The walk was mostly silent. The wind blew tepid air into his face, the stars only glittered halfheartedly, and the owls refused to hoot. There was no comfort.

He finally closed his eyes, let his head fall forward as though he were sleeping, and listened to the aggravating crunch of the leaves, dry and brittle, beneath the heavy booted feet of the soldiers carrying him. They must've been young, probably as old as Nia, give or take a year or so.

Suddenly, his face hit the dirt and as he reared back in shock he found Nia lying on the ground in front of him, George bent at her side. The boys still stood beside Ellis, gripping the back of his shirt in quiet force. They didn't look at him, not even the sick looking girl laying in the dirt, only at their commander.

Perhaps the soldiers pitied them.

George looked up at Ellis and smiled, then grabbed Nia's loose tunic, whipping it off over her head, leaving her in a tiny white undershirt that hit just a bit above her navel and her torn leggings. She shivered when her back hit the slightly wet ground, body tensing up into a rigid plank. Ellis yanked forward instinctively to grab hold of her, but found himself still restrained.

He couldn't do anything except glare wickedly and summon as much hate into his expression as possible.

George bent down, smiling at him again before leaning over the gaping hole in Nia's stomach. It was disgusting looking, all red torn flesh and dark blood which still ran like a tiny waterfall at every movement.

His fingers were delicate and knowing like a doctor's would be, softly examining. Nia never stopped shivering. At least she was alive. Ellis’s eyes never left the pair, though he was in no shape to help if George did something unscrupulous.

He flipped her over, examining the tear that had just missed her spine before nodding slightly. "Mhm, mhm."

Then the General simply ran his finger down the cut on her back, the huge hole mending itself slowly behind the touch of his finger. He flipped her over and did the same her to her tummy.

"All gone!" He cried, patting Nia's head as her eyelids flickered, shivering stopping. Color almost began to swell back into her cheeks.

George bent down so his face was lever with hers, grinning all the while, "Hey cutie! You feeling better?"

She shrank back instantly, a wilted flower, eyes darting to Ellis. She almost reached out for him, he could tell by the upward twitching in her small arms, but changed her mind and kept them stiff at her sides. He hadn't ever seen fear like that in her eyes before.

He hated it.

George grabbed her shoulders and twisted her roughly towards him, forcing her to look back to him, and that was when she slapped him harder than she had ever slapped Ellis.

Without blinking, he backhanded her right back, making her cry a strangled, shocked cry that Ellis never wanted to hear come from her again and leaving her collapsed once more on the ground. Her lip, busted and bruised, trickled crimson.

A strange, angry glare clouded her eyes, which Ellis quickly recognized as being used on him several times, and knew instantly what she was going to do in swift retaliation.

For a reason he couldn't quite understand, Ellis panicked. He knew in his gut that if Nia showed George her little plant powers that something bad was going to happen. Something very, very bad.

He opened his mouth to yell at her not to do anything, but as soon as he did he found his face planted hard in the dirt, leaves and dirt clods finding its way into his mouth, leaving it feeling gritty and disgusting. He spat and squirmed, but was only shoved farther into the dirt.

He was as useless as an ordinary human right now.

Don't, don't, don't, don't, don't-

He felt the loose forest floor beneath him quiver, felt the whoosh of vines springing free from the brown surface, his heart thundering wildly.

"Nia…" He whispered into the dirt, squeezing his eyes tighter shut as he heard Nia cry out again and hit the ground hard next to his head.

"I knew it!" George announced triumphantly, “Boys, we’ve captured ourselves a wonderful prize.”