Night and Day

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"Funny, seems to me like games are what you excel at." Ebony replied thinly. She too was aching, but Frost's magic was already corrupting her feelings. Love had been twisted into nothing more than animal desire.

"You wouldn't be a danger if you drank a little each day." Glenda replied. "Take care of yourself, and there is no danger."

"Your pet is lying." Tobias told Bartlow thinly. "And for the record, the girl was already in your home. Malik knew that when he made the deal with you."

Alma's eyes sparkled with hatred. It was worse now than it ever had been. "I wish I'd have let Jack Saunders kill that little bitch the first time." She snarled, all but proving the she too knew Ebony had been there. "I hope Katie stakes you. I hope she does it while you're fully aware."

"I hope she does too." Tobias replied with a smile. "Rather her than anyone else, at least she would hit the mark." He added, casting a purposeful glance to Bartlow.

Alma didn't understand the look. She said nothing about it either. What could she say? 
Katie stirred in the darkness of her cage, sensing Tobias. "Toby?" She called out softly. "Are you there?"

Tobias dumped the younger girl at Bartlow's feet as though she were merely cargo and walked over to where Katie was being held. "You're not hurt, are you?" He breathed, his tone much different than the one he had been using with Alma.

Katir shook her head, her nostrils flaring. ""Why do you smell like Ebby'so blood? Is she okay? She'd be so disappointed in me right now. She's probably saying serves her right, isn't she?" It was probably for the best that the young woman was blind folded. At least for Tobias anyway.

"I wouldn't concern yourself with her, after all... she just let those beasts steal you away." Tobias told Katie gently. "I'm going to get you out of here, so there is no need to worry, princess." He breathed.

"I know. I trust you." Katie said softly. "But....what did I do? Can you tell them I'm sorry? Maybe they will listen to that."

Alma was checking Ebony over, knowing that it was already too late for her. This man intended to kill her and would not stop until it was done. She couldn't believe her body responded so favorably to him.

"You didn't do anything, princess." Tobias breathed. "You're being punished for the sins of your parents." He added, unable to help the slight sneer that crept into his voice.

"Such a small thing." Bartlow commented as he looked down at Ebony. "Much trouble over something so pathetic looking."

"It's not their fault I can't keep myself out of trouble." Katie sniffed, shame sweeping through her. "I keep telling you, you guys should have let me die when Jack tried."

"I agree. And yet no one has managed to pick you off." Alma snapped. "Such a shame."

"It's their fault you have the kind of blood everyone wants." Tobias confessed to Katie gently. "Princess... They have been keeping a lot secrets from you. Look how long they made you believe Ebony was your true sister?"

Bartlow smiled thinly. "You keep saying that. Just wait until I have the other witch. Then you will cower before what I will create!"

"She is my sister. Toby, are you okay? They haven't hurt you have they?" Katie was trying hard to sense where he was. She longed for him to be near to her. She was once again scared to death. 

"Oh great. Another psycho hunter. You guys are like cockroaches, arent you? I suppose Brock'so death was a mercy compared to ending up like one of you."

"Katie, you need to think about yourself, not her right now." Tobias insisted. "I promised I would get you out of here, but I have to make an exchange to do so. I need you to stay brave for me until it's done, can you do that?"

"Brock?" Bartlow asked with an icy smile. "He was the first experiment. Jack's attempt at resurrecting a dead soul into a body that wasn't its own."

"Is she okay? I smell her blood. Let me talk to her." Katie begged, trying to turn her head. "Please, Toby. I'm worried about Ebby."

"That wasn't him." Alma growled. "All that Jack managed to bring back was his body. I knew Brock better than any of you. He wasn't there and you are an ass."

"Ebony is fine." Tobias replied rather thinly. "She can't speak to you right now, she's still rather angry." He lied.

Bartlow stared at Alma for a moment then shook his head. "That was the point. All that time Brock's body was lusting after this witch... Not you." He added with a sneer.

"Can't or wont?" Katie whispere. Because of the blind fold she was unable to see that her sister lay in a broken heap on the floor nearby. Not even awake to defend herself.

Alma turned her head, Bartlow's words cutting her deeply. He was right. Brock had probably been playing her because he too wanted to control her. "She is far more beautiful than I am. Who could blame him?" She finally breathed.

"I'm afraid it's wont." Tobias replied, lying once more. "You know how she is, everything always has to be about her."

"Beauty only given by magic." Bartlow scoffed. "I wouldn't envy her, not with what we're going to do." He added with a wicked grin.

"But someone was here. I heard them whispering to me that I would be okay. She said I would be with you soon."Katie argued. "Toby...make sure she's okay and you be careful too. "

"What is your plan, Bartlow? What do you need the witches for?" Alma asked, finally turning back to look at him.

"I will be." Tobias promised, skirting around the issue of Ebony's safety. "It wont be long now, then we will be far away from here and anyone else who tried to hurt you."

"To return the Queen to her rightful place, of course." Bartlow replied, almost like he expected Alma to know what was going on without having explained it. This man clearly thought it was what everyone wanted.

"Ok. Just...hurry... I don't feel so well..." No one bothered to tell Katie, or Alma, that feeding off of demons made vampires extremely ill.

Alma was pretty sure at this point that Barlow was insane. She gave up on humans in that moment. Brock was gone what did it matter?

Tobias knew this, and it wouldn't end well for the human who had forced Alma into feeding Katie.

"Take the witch to one of the bedrooms. Clean her up and make sure she is dressed for when the second package arrives." Bartlow barked at Alma.

"I am charged with watching over the girl. I am not your slave." Alma snapped. She was half tempted to grab Ebony close to her and fight them for her. 
Her eyes moved to Tobias and she gave him an angry sneer.

"You would rather she lay there in her own blood?" Bartlow sneered at the small woman. "Very well, I shall have one of the men you actually left alive do it. Would you prefer that?"

"Come near her and I'll kill you." Alma snarled, moving so that her slender body covered Ebony's. "I don't care about the girl or you. I'm sick of you disgusting humans."

Bartlow smiled, not advancing. "Then you had better get her out of this room sharpish, hadn't you?" He purred.

Alma narrowed her eyes at him. She couldn't leave, couldn't escape. Not until her new master gave the order. In the end she knew she was beaten, like a dog on a short leash. 
She took Ebony to a room and got her cleaned up, treating her like a China doll. She knew they were going to kill this girl and there was little she could do about it. 
"Look at it this way at least you won't have to live an eternity alone like I do." She said softly, brushing the girl's raven colored hair.

"Where's that blood sucking son of a bitch?" Ebony groaned, finally beginning to wake up. She didn't however specify whether she meant Malik for being the one to toss her aside first, or Tobias for being the one to hand her over to the strange cult that Bartlow seemed to have started.

"Be more specific, child. You are talking about a man, right?" Alma said with a half smile. She rested a hand on the young witch's chest to keep her from getting up.

Ebony didn't fight the surprisingly strong hand that was holding her down. "Is Katie safe?" She asked, somehow knowing her own situation was rather dire.

"For the moment." Alma said woodenly. "You pet wolf on the other hand.."

Julian had torn into the house, deciding that staying behind was best. He was going through the remaining guard like they were paper dolls. He was in full werewolf form and had no intention of changing until everyone was dead.