~ CHAPTER 7 ~
The Hunt



Nick had always been a light sleeper. And tonight, with the constant rumble of clouds and lightening outside, it was too easy for him to notice when his cell phone started to vibrate insistently. He frowned as he picked it up, seeing Blaine's name. All the possible case scenarios ran through his mind (most important of them all that Andy was finally coming back) but he discarded them and attended the call.

"Hey...Bl—"

"Nick, yes, just needed to tell you to keep an eye on Cooper for me. I've gotta go with Puckerman for some urgent thing."

"But aren't you here? Did you—"

"Yes, but I'll be back soon."

"What happened?"

"Just—just keep everyone safe, OK. Lock up the whole house, don't let anyone in. Ask David to come off the roof as well."

"Blaine you need to—"

But Blaine overrode him with his curt orders. "Do not let anyone close to you until I return, do you copy?"

Nick waited for a while. This was not right. Usually when Blaine ignores questions and just barks orders it meant something bad was going down or he was up to something dangerous.

"Yeah," Nick said at last. "I copy."

As if to prove it to Nick further, Blaine's voice just got a bit soft, and Nick's heart started thudding dreadfully in his chest. "OK, I love you, Nicky. Keep everyone safe." Nick opened his mouth to say something but "Goodbye."

The line went dead. Nick stared at the phone in worry. First of all he did what Blaine told him. He went to check on Cooper. Then he called David downstairs. Then he sat in the deserted living room, waiting.

David came down looking drenched and frowned at Nick with an astonishing question on his tongue. "Blaine called you? He's OK?"

That more than anything made Nick sure of something bad happening or about to happen. He assumed his role as a second hand man of Blaine and said sharply, "David, come here, sit."

David obliged and still looked concerned.

"What happened? I need to know everything David."

With a few short sentences, David explained, adding, "But he called you? Meaning he's awake and fine? What did he say he was gonna do?"

Nick told about what little Blaine had said and then added, "He...he said goodbye."

"Shit," David gulped. "He's going all out after them, isn't he?"

One of the things they knew about Blaine for certain was that he NEVER said Goodbye, unless he meant it to be the only Goodbye ever said.

The boys sat thinking over it for a while and then Nick made up his mind.

"No, just no. He's not going there all alone! One of us should be with him." Nick stood up readily to go after Blaine.

"I'll come with." David added.

"No, you'll stay here and make sure that Blaine's orders are carried out. It's better if only I go."

David agreed rather reluctantly as Nick softly made his way back to his room. He changed into his 'work' clothes and started looking for his daggers and guns, as quietly as he could.

"Nick?" Jeff's groggy voice interrupted him. "What are you doing up, again?"

"Go back to sleep, Jeff. I'm going for a walk."

But Jeff was now awake enough to see properly. "In your mission clothes? What's going on Nick?"

"Nothing you need to know," said Nick, checking the gun's bullet compartments if they were full, before hitching them with the holsters around his belt.

Jeff was out of his bed. "You're going on a mission, aren't you? Good, I'm coming with you. You'll need help."

Nick sighed in frustration. "Look. Jeff." He assumed his sternest expression. "You can't come with me. I have to go alone. Please."

"But you don't have to, Nicky," Jeff said earnestly, his eyes impossibly wide and innocent. "I told you I wanted to keep you happy here. I'm gonna make sure you're safe, so I'm coming."

"No, you are not, and that's final." Nick glared at him and then stalked away from the room.

He reached the door when Jeff's strong arm gripped him by the elbows, turning him around to face the blonde Warbler.

"What is wrong with you Nick? Why are you being so... so shitty to me?!"

Nick growled in frustration and pointedly shook his arm till Jeff let go of him.

"You wanna know what my problem is, Jeff? You wanna know why I'm sad? You wanna know why I can't smile without feeling as if someone's stabbing me in the chest?!"

Jeff backed away at the sudden force in Nick's voice.

"It's because of YOU! Jeff, YOU are the reason why I'm unhappy like this. YOU are my problem!" Nick was close to tears but he continued staring at the other boy, his chest heaving due to force of his anger and emotions.

"Why...What do you mean...I have never done anything to you!" Jeff burst out in confusion.

Nick sniffed loudly, closing his eyes, readying himself for the inevitable.

"Tell me Nick! Why do you hate me?!"

"I DON'T!" Nick all but yelled, making Jeff gasp. "That's the problem. I don't hate you! I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU, JEFFERY! I fucking love you! And I know you'll never feel the same way about me, you'll never even consider someone like me as your lover! And that's what kills me, Jeff! That's what makes me unhappy!"

Nick left then, closing the door firmly but silently after him. Jeff stood there, shocked, still. He stood there like a man broken, his eyes brimming over with tears.
~~~


The convoy of cars, pickup trucks and jeeps. That's what Karofsky and Sugar noticed first. The convoy coming from Hummel's house.

"It's just a search party," said Sugar contemptuously. "I'll bet my fangs on it."

"But we still have to report," said Dave.

Sugar nodded in agreement. And then they both were running, flying over rooftops, tree branches and buildings till they made out of the check post and toward the field where Sebastian was waiting on them.

Sebastian didn't know earlier if he could do it, but after Azimio's death, convincing his father's guard to help him take out Kurt had been abominably easy. There he was now, standing between a cluster of extremely pissed-off vampires. And he couldn't help but smile at his own luck. Santana hadn't given him any answer yet, but maybe now, after the loyalty of all these monsters, he wouldn't need her help anyways. Besides, he was almost certain that Blaine wasn't going to consider his empty deal anyways.

He spotted Dave and Sugar first as they ran toward them.

"Well?" he asked as they stopped still in front of him, not even seeming out of breath.

"They've put up a search party," informed Sugar. "All the people from the meeting are going."

"And?"

"Kurt's with them," said Dave with a proud smirk. "I smelled him in the jeep with Burt and Blaine."

Sebastian gritted his sharp teeth in anger at Blaine's name. Not that he was scared of the little human assassin, but it was Blaine's interference with Kurt that bothered him. Sebastian didn't like competition, especially from the puny humans. And Blaine's defense of Kurt was nothing short of a declaration of claim on Kurt, in Sebastian's opinion. And that made him angry.

"Good," he said to his team. "We'll take Kurt and we'll take care of Blaine as well. It's time the boy joined his father in heaven."

There were roars of raucous laughter at his words. Then they started running toward the explosion site.
~~~


Edward was furious to say the least. He was pacing up and down the length of his office as he tried again and again to contact his son. But Sebastian's phone was stubbornly off.

"What is this boy up to!" he yelled at no one in particular.

His guards and advisors stood a little away, observing him without saying anything.

"Is there any news of the Trinity?" Edward asked yet again.

"Not yet, Master," said Russell Fabray. "But I'm convinced my daughter and her team won't disappoint you."

"I'll believe that when I see Anderson's corpse in front of me!"

At that moment, one of the guards entered the office looking flustered. "Master, may I?"

"Yes, what news."

"Um, it's the Trinity, my lord. They are here."

Edward nodded in relief. With Russell Fabray and Jesse St. James Sr., he made his way out of the office to where the guard was leading them.

They entered one of the storerooms and saw the girls there, looking drenched and muddy with the smell of smoke on their lean bodies.

"Master," said Quinn in acknowledgment. "We've brought Anderson."

"Is he dead?" Edward asked sharply.

"For now."

Edward stared at the girl in question. "What do you mean, girl? I specifically told you to kill him. What can you mean by 'for now?'"

"I mean that we were outsmarted. They are the Warblers after all. Before we could carry out the deed, Kevin blew himself up with a grenade."

Quinn had practiced this story on their way here. It was the only likely one to make Edward believe and accept their course of actions this night.

"Are any of you harmed?" asked Russell Fabray.

"No father, we were lucky," said Quinn. "But it staggered us. And not to mention the explosion alerted the Warblers. So we did what we could with our time."

Now she stepped aside and pointed to the floor. On the dusty floor, Jack Anderson's inanimate form was sprawled in a mangled heap. He looked white, drained of blood. But he looked alive in a weird way too.

"We only had time to bite him, Master..." Santana explained. "We didn't kill him, but... Quinn fed him her blood. He can't leave now. He'll be one your servants, if you want."

Edward moved closer to Anderson, till he was kneeling in front of the motionless body. An evil smirk lit up Edward's face as he examined the changes in Anderson's body already taking place.

"Girls, I do believe we can make this work to our advantage," he said smugly. "James! Take him to the infirmary. Inform me when his transition completes. I have so much to order him."

With a conceding laugh, Edward left the storeroom with Russell Fabray. As he left he again muttered, "Where the fuck is Sebastian...?"

Santana's head perked up at Sebastian's name. She frowned and looked at Quinn. Quinn was busy helping St. James Sr. in lifting up Anderson's body. She looked like a mother about to nurture her baby, which made sense as it was Quinn's blood that was now running through Anderson's veins.

Santana whispered to Brittany to go to bed while she goes out to hunt. And then, Santana snuck out of the Smyth Manor house, toward the explosion site.
~~~

Blaine does not speak all through the drive. I try to catch his eye in the rearview mirror of the jeep but he stubbornly keeps watching ahead. Although, his jaw is clenched tightly shut as if he's holding back yells or curses.

Finn sits beside me on the back seat. He notices my discomfort and raises his eye brow in question.

"It's nothing," I tell him. "I just don't have any weapon."

Finn frowns and then takes out a small knife from his belt. "This is really sharp and pure silver. Just one good stroke or slash at them will work, OK?"

I take the knife and nod, even though I don't understand a thing, or even plan to slash at anyone.

As if he read my mind, Blaine suddenly breaks the silence. "You'll have to defend yourself, Kurt, if need be. With the hunt going on, not all of us will be able to keep you safe."

I meet his eyes in the rearview mirror and see honest concern in his gaze. I nod once to let him know that I understand. The way his eyes bore into mine, I can't make myself open my mouth. What if something inappropriate slipped off my tongue?

"Are you sure you wanna do this, son?" Burt asks as he maneuvers the jeep toward the check post.

"Yes," I say firmly. "You're going to need every pair of eyes if we have to search for Mr Anderson and I wanna help." And make sure that Finn and you are safe, and that Blaine doesn't get more hurt than he already is. I want to add it, but I don't.

Finn gives me a small smile almost as if he knew what I hadn't said. Then he digs out a dusty jacket from somewhere in the jeep and handed it to me.

"It's sorta smelly," he says apologetically, "but you're turning blue."

I take it and refrain from hugging my cousin. Really, he is the best.

I slip on the jacket and, yes, it's very smelly. Lord knows how long it's been festering in here. But I instantly feel warm and that's all that matters.

We stop now as the check post comes. Felix Bosky confers with Old Riley who is ahead of us and then he opens up the post to let us all through. Automatically we sit straight. I have to admit that during day time when I join my friends on this road and fields around it, it's a beautiful sight. But in the dead of night, it was just a creepy road going toward the dark expanse on the horizon that was the Hilltown's boundary forest.

When we enter the trees I suddenly realize that ever since I came here a month ago, this is the first time I've been anywhere near that highway. The feeling is kind of extreme, like a sword hanging over me. It's like the moment I'll pass through the Hilltown's borders, something awful will befall me. Or maybe it's just the fact that I'm now officially sworn in and obligated to follow the law that I feel as such.

Blaine barks out short terse directions to Burt. I don't know how he knows where we are going, but I have a gut-feeling that Blaine knows this forest better than anyone in Hilltown—apart from the Smyths maybe.

"It's too near the sign post," Finn observes with sudden clarity.

"It seems so," Burt murmurs, he looks concerned.

"Yes, Dad was attacked just as he entered the town," Blaine confirms coldly.

"But that means," I say as I realize something too, "this was a planned attack. Your Dad was ambushed."

Nobody denies my claim, but Blaine's jaw tightens more which is answer enough for me.

All too soon, we stop. Riley's VW that had fallen behind us as we entered the forest, stops behind us too. We jump out of the vehicle and everybody gathers around us. Everyone seems to be looking at Blaine for instructions.

I bite my lips as I, too, look at him. It's weird this moment. I look around me, at Puck, Riley, Burt, Finn, Sam, Joe, Mr Jones, Jake, Ryder, Hunter, Thad, Rory and M Hart—every one of them was looking at Blaine as if he was the leader. And with a shock I realize that he is. He is the Warbler's leader. As if Blaine Anderson wasn't a mystery enough for me before, he is suddenly far more mysterious now. I suddenly feel sad because I unexpectedly grasp that my hopes were going to be trodden on. Because no matter how little, I was starting to hope that Blaine could be mine one day. How stupid of me...

Blaine is speaking already, I hadn't realized. Only the fact that everyone's looking at me now makes me aware that he is talking to me.

"Sorry...what...?"

Blaine frowns as he examines my face. Could he see the sadness? Could he guess the reason?

"I was saying that you'll go with Thad and Mr Jones, toward that direction," Blaine points to the left side of the dirt road where we were gathered. "Keep close to them at all cost. If you sense any danger or any of strange people come in front of you, yell and call for help, OK?"

"OK," I say obediently.

That was it? We were going to split now? And in that moment I felt what anyone would feel at the parting. Was this gonna be the last time I'll see Burt, Finn...Blaine? I get a sudden urge to throw myself in Blaine's arm and kiss him. But everyone is leaving in pairs of twos and threes now. So I follow Mr Jones and Thad.

Our route is extremely uneventful. Thad is doing all the work. I am impressed for a while at his awesome tracking skills but then my mind starts drifting again. I start thinking about my sudden realization about Blaine. Why would I even think that someone like him could be with me? I mean, he probably have a girlfriend already? Who knows who else lives in Dalton House up there, away from everyone on the ground? He could be married for all I know!

But all the same. I feel as if someone's stabbing me with a knife in my guts, again and again. I feel like crying aloud. I feel like holding on to Mr Jones and spilling out all my dirty secrets, tell him all my problems. I just needed to tell someone.

A sudden silence descends upon us. And I hear ruffling tree branches. Thad goes still. His posture alerts me and Mr Jones and we, too, become ready. I grip the knife—which is starting to look too small and insufficient—tightly in my hand and wait for the fight.

A figure suddenly leaps out of the tree right above us and lands neatly on the feet in a crouch. The only reason I recognize the face is because the lightning illuminates the forest for a second. It's Sugar Motta. Or a much desecrated version of her. Her eyes are all black, even the whites. Her lips are curled back from her teeth—her very sharp teeth.

Thad leaps into action and fires from his gun at her. A bullet—lightning strikes again and I see it's a wooden bullet—hits her in the leg. She screeches but keeps on coming. Mr Jones uses his club and wallops her on the head. She dodges in a movement so fast that even with the next flare of lightning I can't see her.

Only when she doesn't even pause to defend herself from Thad, who's right behind her now that I realize that she's coming towards me. She doesn't care for bullets or a sword...her ultimate goal is to get to me. Now would be a perfect time for me to start screaming—as Blaine said to do—but I'm motionless in fear...and dare I say, fascination? She's so close to me now that I can see her face fully, completely, in the next blast of lightning.

So...this is the secret of Hilltown, then? This is the reason why my Dad ran away with a baby-me all those years ago? This is the reason why my friends were going out of their way to protect me (because I'm the new, clueless kid?) This is the reason why Blaine said I'd either kick him again or run away like my father if he told me the truth?

Hilltown was under the reign of terror...of Vampires!

Now the screams come easily to my throat and out of it. I scream just as Thad slips his blade right through Sugar's stomach. I scream just as Mr Jones push me away from Sugar's outstretched clawed hand. I scream just as I fall, and Sugar sinks her claws into Mr Jones' neck. I scream just as somebody garbs me from behind and yanks me to safety.

And I scream one last time as I turn to thank whoever just saved my life, but find myself face to face with Santana Lopez.

"Really sorry about this, Lady Lips," says Santana and then brings down her fist on my head. Pain flares in my head and everything goes black.
~~~


Blaine stood on the muddy road with a pool of blood in his feet. A few paces to his left stood the charred remains of his Dad's pickup truck. The debris of glass, rotting food supplies and metal chunks all form a radius around him.

Finn and Puck, who teamed up with him, were around here too. They have been searching the area for a while now. They were, probably, looking for a dead body or any kind of remains they could bury.

But Blaine knew it was a lost cause. For he had, after one through look at the crime scene, figured out exactly what had happened here.

He bent down and picked up the smoldered black Jacket from the pooling blood in muddy ground. A black Warbler jacket with blue and red strips around the collar. He marveled with a shudder that even though the rain was still falling hard, the red of blood was still where Kevin must've fallen. He then picked up a grenade pin, half buried in mud. A further away, he spotted a discarded rifle near the pickup's driver side.

Dad would've dropped that, he thought. And Kevin must've helped him in running away.

Although, Blaine was certain that Andy hadn't been able to run anywhere, if what Sebastian had said was anything to go by. Meaning Kevin's sacrifice has been for nothing.

He gritted his teeth, blinking the treacherous tears away. It would not do to lose control now. Tonight, he'd either track out exactly where his Dad (if he was still alive) has been taken to. Or he'd go after (even if he had to go alone) the Smyths and murder the lot of them.

"Blaine," said Finn as he came up from the trees. "There are some footsteps in here. Maybe you should check it out. There's also blood."

So Blaine, still not hoping for much, followed Finn into a clove of trees just outside the blast radius. There was just a single pair of feet, very fast a light, dragged on mud, followed by a large blob shaped dent in the wet mud as if somebody had fallen on their knees there. On close inspection, Blaine spotted two more sets of feet. Very light and fading rapidly due to the heavy patter of rain. But he had no doubt that they belonged to Trinity. So the heavy blobs were his father's footsteps. They must've retreated here when Kevin blew himself.

Then Blaine spotted something else. Something that made him go still as a statue, his heart pounding loudly behind his eardrums.

There was another pool of blood, smaller, but unmistakably recent.

"What did you do to him?" he whispered in agony.

Just then an animistic howl rent the air, over the cracks of lightning.

Blaine's head went up, and Finn and Puck came hurrying in his direction, their weapons at the ready.

The next moment a gunshot sounded, followed by another scream and more lightning.

"Thad..." Blaine confirmed, judging from the direction of the gunshots where he'd sent Kurt with Thad and Mr Jones.

He and his companions were running in that direction when another voice screamed. It was Kurt. He was screaming incessantly. Twice, thrice, and went suddenly silent after the fifth time.

"Kurt!" Finn screamed as he ran beside Blaine, unable to control his worried plea. "KURT!"

The forest was then a clamor of many new voices, and gunshots, and the screeches that belonged to the vampires.

Three vampires jumped in front of them just as Blaine neared the place where Kurt had last screamed. He vaguely recognized them from Edward's guards but none of it mattered now. He drew his cutlass and beheaded the first one without mercy. He didn't even blink as the vampire made one dying screech, and then dissolved into ash even as his head flopped down.

Blaine charged the next one, who had Finn almost under his control by now. He impaled the cutlass through the vampire's left arm, and Finn delivered the death blow with his axe.

When they turned for the third one, Puck was already chopping the vampires' left leg, followed by his head.

They ran again. Blaine saw Riley and Jake engaged with a tussle of five vampires, both fighting valiantly but outnumbered. Puck made a noise of protest and joined his brother and grandfather.

"Finn, GO!" Blaine thundered.

"NO! I wanna help Kurt!"

Blaine just grunted in reply. Finn had all the right in the world to help his cousin.

They encountered two more vampires, and both made an easy work of them, before finally rushing to the place where Kurt was.

Except now, he wasn't.

Instead, Thad and a very heavily injured Sugar were engaged in hand to hand combat. Thad had apparently lost all his weapons. And a few feet away from them, Mr Jones was on the ground.

Blaine hurried toward Thad, wanting to assist him. But Sugar made a wailing sound, extremely loud that they had to cover their ears, and then she ran away into the dark forest.

"Thad..." Blaine crouched by his fellow Warbler. "Are you hurt? Bitten?"

Thad only shook his head. He looked really bad. His left eye was swollen shut and his arms were ripped with tributaries of scratches as if Sugar had dug her nails into him continuously.

"Where's Kurt?" Blaine asked.

At this, Thad's eyes went wide. He obviously hadn't realized that Kurt was not here due to the fight.

"Oh My God!" Finn said at that moment.

The Warblers turned toward him to find him kneeling beside Mr Jones' unmoving body.

"He's dead," Finn gasped. "Mr Jones...he's dead."

Blaine checked and saw that, yes, he was dead. Mr Jones' whole neck was split open by one very powerful blow. He had lost blood and breath within seconds by the look of it.

"Where's Kurt?" Finn now asked. "Where is he?"

"I think...they've taken him..." Thad said sounding really miserable.

"No," said Finn shaking his head firmly. "Just no. That can't be..."

But Blaine didn't answer him. Because now, he felt nothing but emptiness. What could possibly go wrong anymore? First his Dad, then Mr Jones and now Kurt. What else could they loose now?
~~~


"When I say, converge upon them," said Sebastian to his followers. "Take them in groups...Keep them busy. Delay them in every possible way. Contact me when you find Kurt."

"What if he's well protected?" asked Karofsky.

"Then kill his protectors, Dave, I don't fucking care!"

Sugar frowned. "But that's insane. You do realize what Edward's going to do if we kill civilians without reason..."

"Without reason?!" Sebastian turned on her with fury in his eyes. "What better reason to capture Kurt...who can endanger all our lives?! Why else do you think Dad wants him so bad...because he's dangerous for all of us?! What do you think is important, civilians or us?!"

A long pause followed this speech. Everyone was convinced that Kurt had to be captured. So what if a few people died. They, themselves, will be safe at least.

When Sebastian, hiding with his coven in the shelter of tree branches, saw the humans splitting up in groups, he divided his vampires as well. From this distance, he couldn't actually see where Kurt was or which group he belonged to. But he would be able to catch his scent once he was close enough.

"Now..." he said in a hiss and they all converged upon the unsuspecting humans.
~~~


Santana made it to the forest as fast as was possible for her. She had been shocked when she spotted nobody on the Dalton House. None of the Warblers spying. Which meant that ALL of them had gone to search for Anderson.

This was bad. Not that she was worried for herself, she could evade them skillfully. But she was worried that her plans will fail badly if a fight went down. Because in a fight, nobody would be able to keep Kurt Hummel safe. Nobody will be able to keep track if he was hurt or being followed.

If she knew Sebastian well enough, and she had known him for more than twenty years now, then he would make use of the commotion for exactly the same reasons. He'd pounce on Kurt while everyone else was fighting for survival.

Well...she'll have to make sure it didn't come to that. She'll just have to be the one to find Kurt first. No biggie. It was piece of cake, really.

"If only..." she hissed and dashed into the woods.

Then she heard Sugar's animalistic wail. And gunshot. She was very near to them.

Santana put forth all her burst of speed and entered the fray just as Mr Jones made for where Sugar and Kurt were face to face. She hissed a curse under her breath and lunged for Kurt.

Kurt was frozen. Still. He looked nearly mesmerized, and terrified, by Sugar so close to him. He seemed to be lost in her vampirism and wasn't aware of her elongating nails.

Then Mr Jones pushed Kurt a bit, making a distance of one foot between Sugar's claw and Kurt's throat. Kurt started screaming. Santana grabbed Kurt and ran like hell, then stopped a few hundred yards away.

Kurt exhaled loudly and blinked, not realizing how much distance he'd covered within two seconds and turned to her with relief. Then his face went even paler under the rain drops that fell from his soaking hair and ran over his flawless skin in rivulets.

"Really sorry about this, Lady Lips," said Santana and did the only thing she could think of. She knocked him down with a blow to his head.

As Kurt crumpled in her arms, she scooped him up and then ran the other way. Away from Thad and Sugar's brawl. Away from the fighting people. Away from the forest. Away from Sebastian.
~~~


Nick had cried all the way. He was still fuming about his confrontation with Jeff.

Why, oh, why had he been so weak and frustrated?! Why had he said all those things?! Why now?! But it didn't matter anymore. What's done is done. There was no going back from whatever the consequence.

He made good time down the hill. Then he grabbed from the shed Blaine's heavy bike. Then he'd streaked his way out of the town, unmindful of the silent night, sleeping people, or traffic regulations even. Not that anyone stopped him. The town was silent. Eerily so. The only noise was the pitter-patter of the rain, constantly falling and making splashy streaks wherever his bike went. The lightning crackled now and then.

Nick spared a momentary gratitude to the God. This meant that barley will thrive. This year's taxes will be paid well enough. And that was a good thing. The only good thing tonight.

He stopped once at the check post, asking Felix about the explosion site. Felix gave him rough directions and sent him on his way with many prayers and hopes.

Then Nick was in the forest. He stopped the bike behind the line of vehicles on the dirt road, way, way inside the forest—almost near the highway. But nobody was in sight. Just as he was about to decide to track for signs on the land—the forest became a host of clamoring noises. Nick's trained ears identified the noises as battle cries, clangs of weapons and screeches of the bloody monsters.

He followed the noise. And joined the fray with Sam, Joe, Rory and Hunter, who were fighting with the largest vampire group Nick had ever seen. And that was saying something because in his last six years as a Warbler, he'd seen more vampires than any of these boys here.

"Nick?" Hunter said as he spotted him, he looked amazed. "I thought Blaine told you..."

"I don't give a fuck what Blaine said!" Nick snapped, making Hunter even more astonished. He'd never seen Nick so pissed or angry. "And you shouldn't either, seeing as you need all the help I can give."

Hunter nodded once with a grin. It was always best to have a Warbler by your side when the times got rough. And Nick's presence fueled Hunter, and others, with hope and new surge of energy as they attacked the oncoming vampires with gusto.
~~~


I wake up in a surprisingly comfortable position than I'd imagined. It's dark, except of the burst of lightning. But its also dry. Meaning I'm under shelter. Then I realize there's not much wind either, meaning I'm inside a house or room or something.

I almost dare believe that I'd just experienced an extremely disturbing dream. But then I sense somebody standing over me, and I rethink. Why would I be here? And—oh my god—Sugar was attacking me!

I try to stand up at once. Which is the worst thing I can do because my hurting head spins and I stumble again. A pair of strong, slender arms catch me and help me sit down steadily again.

"Where am I?" I ask whoever it is because despite the lightning I have no idea.

"Probably shouldn't have hit you that hard," says a voice. A female voice...to be exact, Santana's voice.

I go still and suddenly think of that knife Finn gave me. I clumsily search in the pockets of the jacket I'm wearing but I can't find it. Wait, I dropped it when Santana had suddenly grabbed me back in the forest.

The forest! "Why am I here? Are you trying to kill me?!" I ask suddenly, my voice breaks horribly.

"Relax, honey," says Santana in an extremely guarded voice. "I'm just hiding you until things die down."

"Where am I?"

"Don't you recognize this place?"

I look around. I look around real good. And then it hits me, taking my breath away. I'm in a shed. Not just any shed, I'm in my own shed, right outside my Uncle's house.

"You...you brought me home?" I ask, not believing the evidence of my own eyes.

"Yes. That fight was no place for you, Hummel. You could've died and they'd still have been snooping around for your bones."

I shudder involuntarily. Why would Santana save me, for I do believe that's just what she did? Why would she spirit me home in a middle of a fight? Why would she choose to save me when she'd probably killed Mr Anderson?

"You killed Mr Anderson," I accuse her at once. "Why should I trust you?"

She doesn't say anything. But she moves, I feel her move, and then she clicks on the light bulb. My eyes sting for a moment due to the sudden flare of warmth. But then I can see her clearly.

She wears dark clothes; I have to admit, of really cool material. It's made in a complicated way to hug the contours of her body stylishly, yet so simple and practical that I waste five whole seconds just admiring her clothes.

"We need to talk, Hummel. And I have just a few minutes before one of the guards realized I'd saved you and follows our scent." She doesn't even look at me as she says this. She doesn't notice that my eyes go wide at her casual choice of very weird words. "It's against my duty to defy Edward. But Sebastian is doing everything wrong. He's breaking the law just as much as Anderson did. None of us are supposed to kill your kind, Hummel. Not without reason. And Sebastian's motives are entirely his own. He needs you for his own selfish reasons and that's just not right. Do you understand me?" She looks at me now.

I nod once, even though I don't really understand her. She sighs, rubbing her forehead with her palm in disappointment.

"Look, I'm just doing you a favor, OK! I don't know how much you know of Hilltown's history or the way things are...."

"I know what you are," I interject at once, hoping to have further explanations. "I saw S-Sugar tonight...you're like her, aren't you? You are a vam..." And I can't say it.

Santana narrows her eyes, they go black. "Vampire? Yes, I'm a vampire too. Are you scared, kid?"

I chose not to answer that. She sighs and then flops down to sit in front of me in a fluid, graceful movement.

"Listen, Kurt. And listen closely. I'm about to tell you something. And I need you to remember it."

"OK."

"You aren't an idiot, I know that much. So I'm guessing that you've noticed how everyone's so protective of you. How they train you all the time? How they sometimes force you to fight or respond as if they are waiting for something...?"

I nod. Yes, I've noticed that.

"It's because you are unique, Kurt. I have no idea how that is possible or what you are capable of. But rest assured, you have something about you Kurt that made Edward very frightened. Something that made Burt and Puckerman hopeful. Something that was the reason why Paul ran away with you."

I gulp. Did I hear correctly? Did she just... "My Dad? What's my Dad got to do with it?"

"Everything, Kurt. Your Dad. And your Mom."

I shake my head rapidly. This is all too much. I know that everyone is keeping things from me. But to know that those secrets are regarding me, my own self, is just disturbing.

"How do I know you aren't lying?" I say instead. "How do I know you aren't a manipulative bitch?"

"You don't," she says promptly, taking me by surprise again. "But it's the truth. I don't know all of it. But I know some of it. And I'm telling you what I know...if you'll listen."

"I want to know..." I whisper, feeling horrible.

"Sebastian wants to trade you for his freedom. He thinks that his father will give in to his demands if he posed you as a trophy for him. You see, your life in exchange for his release from Hilltown. There's reason why we stay here...and keep everyone inside the limitations of the town, Kurt. It's in a contract that the founding fathers signed fifty years ago when we first settled here."

"What contract? Who are the founding fathers?" I interrupt her again.

"The contract that seals the deal between Humans and Vampires. The pact that none of them would leave town, for a selected period of time, and they would cooperate with each other by paying taxes or other things."

"So...that's why everyone works so hard in the fields?" I start to understand it now. "To pay taxes to the Mayor?"

"Yes, in exchange Edward let's them have food, crops, and passage out of the town for trade. But here's the catch, if you aren't Sworn..."

I think on it just a moment. And it clicks. Now I know why my family wanted me Sworn and protected so bad.

"You will....you will kill them?" I say at last. "You will kill those who aren't accounted for by families..."

"Killing them is a mercy, Kurt. No it's worst. They either become our blood slaves, meaning we drink them off wherever, whenever we want. Or they get turned into vampires, meaning become Edward's eternal servants."

Santana now looked away to the window of the shed. Her face was thoughtful and I think she is concentrating on the sounds outside. I observe her closely while she is listening.

Could it be? Could she be telling the truth...? Was Sebastian really gonna trade me for his own freedom? And most importantly...how can I be talented? I don't have anything worth shit, except maybe my Marc Jacobs collection. I don't have skills, or looks, or money or anything at all. Why would my friends even think that I could be of value like this?

"I can hear your heartbeat, Hummel." Santana suddenly looked at me. "It's slowly getting steady. I'm assuming you somewhat believe me now...?"

And she's right. I do believe her. Somewhat.

"You didn't tell me if you killed Mr Anderson?" I ask instead.

She suddenly gets on her feet, very fast. I gasp because—Fuck! No one is supposed to be this fast! It's not natural.

"They are here," she says. "Let's return you to your family."

She garbs my hand—unexpectedly gentle—and leads me out of the shed, clicking off the light bulb on our way out.

We walk to the front door together and we wait. I can see the headlights of vehicles coming down the street now. The rain is slowing down, and the lightning was now very far off. But even so, the sky is getting paler. It'll be morning soon.

And with a sudden dizziness I realize what an odd life it is. Hours ago, I was confronted by Dave Karofsky, I had a fight with a Vampire! A fight that I won. Then I participated in a weird Rain Celebration with half of the town. Then I got Sworn into Hummel Family. And now...after all the bloodshed, I was standing on the doorstep of my house with a Vampire girl, who's given me a lot to think about.

As the vehicles stop in front of our house, Santana turns to me.

"One last thing," she says, and she sounds gentle too. "Keep safe. Train hard. Don't let Sebastian win. Because I would be really pissed with you if you got yourself captured...you hear me?"

"Yes."
~~~


Blaine doesn't believe his eyes. After all he'd seen this night...after all the fighting...it was nothing short of miracle.

Kurt was alive! And he was standing in his porch with none other than Santana Lopez.

"I'm gonna kill that bitch if she'd hurt him," Burt growled beside Blaine as they made their way hastily toward the front door.

Finn broke through first, his face spilt in a huge grin. "KURT! OHMYGOD, KURT!"

Kurt smiled too and threw himself in Finn's arms. He was relived that Burt and Finn were both OK and not much hurt by the looks of things.

Blaine cocked his gun at the ready, pointing it to Santana, who still stood there without moving.

"Kill her," Riley growled from somewhere behind.

Kurt looked up from Finn's shoulder at that. "NO! Don't kill her," he said hurriedly. He stepped forth, and looked Burt in the eyes. "She...she didn't hurt me, Uncle. In fact, if it hadn't been for Santana, Sugar would've killed me. Or Sebastian would've taken me."

"What do you mean, Kurt?" Burt asked as he gathered Kurt in his arm in a hasty hug.

"I mean she saved me. She took me away from the fight. She brought me here to keep me safe."

Burt, and everyone else, was shocked at this. They looked at Santana, who was still as a statue with no expression on her face. She didn't make any hostile move, so they gave her space.

"What do you want?" Blaine asked Santana with repressed fury.

"To talk," she replied calmly.

"We don't want to talk," Blaine thundered. "Anymore deals you have to offer, you can shove them up your ass!"

"I don't have a deal, fancy pants," she said with a smirk. "I just had to warn you against something. Something that will be very helpful in future."

"I don't trust you," Burt said firmly.

Santana looked at him sharply, narrowing her eyes. "I just saved the life of your son, Burt Hummel. I think you owe me your trust."

Burt went really still as if she'd said something forbidden. His eyes popped dangerously and he gripped his rifle tightly.

"What do you want?" he demanded with clenched teeth.

"As I said, to warn. Sebastian is plotting really nasty stuff to bring Kurt to Edward. Now, we all know that Kurt is talented. But we don't know how. But Edward isn't going to take chances. He'd order us to kill him, if he didn't believe in his own rules. But as it is, he's trying to come up with a plan that involves an offer in near future."

Blaine frowned. "What offer?"

"He'll make you trade Kurt with him anyways, in exchange for a lot of freedom for everyone in Hilltown. Possibly when you give the taxes the next month."

Riley cursed colorfully at that.

"If you think we'll hand over Kurt just for the perks, you're dead wrong!" Finn said with clenched fists.

"Well, his offers are going to be really good," Santana said. "You may even consider it...that is, if by that time Kurt is still unresponsive to your treatments..."

Blaine made a sudden move toward her but Thad and Nick held him back.

Santana smirked again. She had their attention now.

"So I advise you train him fast. Or you bundle him away from this town as soon as possible. Or be ready for Edward's wrath. Even I don't know what he'll do once he realize..." she shrugged, letting it hang.

"Why are you telling us this?" Riley inquired.

"Because I'm against the breaking of rules. And Sebastian is gonna break a lot of them in coming days, mark my words. So I'm hoping you'll keep it under control. And I know that when Edward gets fearful, he considers his own safety first. And Kurt has made him fearful. Your refusal will send him over the edge. And then the hell will break loose."

She walked off the porch now. She crossed the length of the driveway, past them all and turned around one last time. "It's going to be daylight soon. So I should scram. The sun will come out in a few hours. I hope you enjoyed the rain while it lasted. Oh and before I forget, I'll tell Kurt the truth now before its too late, Burt."

"Did you kill my father?!" Blaine screamed after her.

She looked back. There was a very strange expression on her face. But then she simply said, "Yes. I'm sorry."

Then she was walking away.

Blaine didn't know that until this time, he had been harboring just a faint trace of hope. A hope that his father was alive. That Sebastian meant what he said about the trade. That he'd kept his father alive in order to exchange him for Kurt. Even if a larger part of his heart and brain said that it was useless to trust Sebastian's word.

But now, that bit of hope, it was gone. It was the final way Santana had said it. It was the way she'd said sorry—when they never said sorry for killing people—that made him finally believe that he was gone. Andy was gone. Blaine, and the rest of the Warblers, was fully and truly alone. Orphans, in the true sense of word.

He could feel the blow when it hit his brothers. He could feel Nick beside him, began to sob. Nick, who had come to fight with them even when Blaine had said not to; Nick, who was the kindest of Blaine's brothers. He could feel Thad's tough act fading. He could feel his grief in the way his face went white and somber. He could feel Hunters head bowed, silent tears dripping from his face.

He could feel the weight of his own grief as well. As he fought to control his tears. As he fought to control the need, the urge to hug someone and cry away the pain.

But he didn't. He ignored the pitiful looks of the Puckpeople. He ignored Burt's kind and sad gaze on him and his brothers. He ignored as Riley patted his shoulder once, with firm grip, telling him without words that they were here for them.

He saw from the corner of his eyes as Kurt half-reached for him. His beautiful face torn with sadness and worry. The same worry he'd seen in his eyes through the rear view mirror when they drove to the forest earlier. The same worry for his Uncle, and Finn...and everyone else as he'd confronted Kurt in the stairs of Hummel house.

He noticed how Kurt withdrew his hand in the last minute, his eyes unsure, as if he was scared that he should try to comfort Blaine. Blaine felt a stab of disappointment at that. He found that he wanted Kurt to touch him, hold him, and comfort him.

But he couldn't'. He wouldn't fall for anyone's pity. Not like this. Not when his brothers needed him. He took Nick's hand, steered Hunter by his arm and started walking. Thad followed on his own. They didn't look back at the others. They started walking toward the hill, toward Dalton House.
~~~


Burt couldn't even begin to grasp what a nightmare tonight's been. Yeah, sure, in the beginning he was a bit proud of the way Kurt had stood up against Karofsky. He was even a little content at having to ally with Andersons. And then he had felt a relief so great when Kurt was finally Sworn. Yes, his dark blood had given Burt a near-heart attack at first but it had turned out to be OK in the end.

Never in his wildest dreams Burt would've predicted the events of the night. He was devastated at Blaine's fate. To be so young and having to lose a father was a painful experience.

Burt, himself, had faced many painful things in his youth. His parents had been good people, in fact, Hummels were one of the founders of Hilltown. The appearance of the Vampires had caused Hilltown much trouble years back. Burt still remembered vividly when his father used to be the Mayor. The long night meetings, the deaths and disappearances. But then the town council had done the only thing to prevent further massacre. They'd made deal with Edward, leader of the Coven at that time. Then when Burt's father had grown old and weak, Paul had tried to run for the Mayor. It was the same year when Burt met Elizabeth. Things hadn't gone as planned.

Even the memory of those events brought a lump to his throat. It wasn't as if he was unfaithful to Carole. No, he loved her. And Finn had been more than what he could've asked for a son. No, no, he was a happy man. But it doesn't mean that he could just forget what happened twenty years ago. Nobody could forget that. Edward had won...and now the whole town was under his tyranny. Things like that were hard to forget.

Tonight, when the vampires—what was left of them—had suddenly retreated, Burt had noticed Kurt's absence. And his fears turned to panic when Blaine had stumbled out of a copse carrying Jones' body in his arms, Finn and Thad leaning to each other, were right after him. But no Kurt.

Burt had felt his whole being shake in that moment. He'd felt the pain of Elizabeth's death, Paul's decision to leave town, and then Paul's death in one same moment. He had been so sure that Kurt was now safe. He'd trusted the Swearing-in ritual too much.

He was a broken man as he had somehow managed to drive back home, thinking all the while how to break the dreadful news to Carole. And then a miracle had hit him out of nowhere. Burt Hummel wasn't used to miracles or good news, it happened rarely in this town.

Kurt was alive. And he owed his life to an enemy.

Why had Santana helped Kurt was still beyond him. But to tell them about what Edward was planning...? Now that was a pickle. It was puzzle he couldn't solve.

"They're all home," said Finn as he entered the den, shaking off his dripping hair.

Burt looked up from where he had been deeply staring. "And Jones?"

"I had Joe and Mr Hart secure his body in the church. The funeral ceremony is this evening. I think Mr Hart wants us all to rest a bit before we face that."

Burt nodded with a sigh. "I still can't believe he's gone. He was a good man. We've known each other since we were in school."

Finn sat by Burt and held him close. "I'm sorry, Dad. I can't begin to imagine how horrible it must've been for you. You have lost more people to Smyths than anyone..."

"No, Finn," Burt denied firmly. "All of us have lost loved ones to the Smyths. But every time the pain is unbearable. I just hope you never have to face such a pain while you're young."

Finn looked away, worry in his eyes. He knew what Burt was hinting at.

"Do you love her, son?" asked Burt softly.

"I do, very much," Finn admitted shyly. "I know, at first, I thought she was a diva too. I mean, she's a TV star here and that automatically gives her a big ego. But she's also kind, Dad. And sweet. And she makes me laugh..."

Burt found himself smiling despite all the worry and sadness. Finn looked just like he used to when he was in love.

"Maybe, if you really want to be with her," said Burt slowly, pronouncing each word clearly, "and if you are ready for commitment...we could have Rachel Sworn under our name soon?"

Finn's eyes lit up at that and he grabbed Burt in a warm hug. "Thanks Dad! I love you."

Burt held Finn for a few moments more. "I love you too, son."

Finn bid him good bye and went upstairs to sleep. Carole had already retired to bed, she was too tried after the fright and worry 'her boys' caused her tonight. Kurt was still at the Jones house, comforting Mercedes in her time of need.

Burt checked the wristwatch and was shocked that it was already 8 o' clock in the morning. He got up and checked out the window. Santana had been right. Rain was growing slower. In an hour or so, it will die out completely. And then maybe, the clouds will part and Hilltown would see the blue sky after a long while. Burt wasn't sure if to be happy or not—but at least the crops will be good this time.

He looked toward the street, to the house three houses away. The Jones' House. Kurt should be back by now.

Burt dialed up Kurt's number and he answered at the third tone.

"Hi, Burt," Kurt said in a hoarse voice. He had been crying.

"I was just wondering when you'll come back."

"I'm on my way, I think, five minutes," said Kurt. "I was just—Mercedes, she's so sad! I—I feel like I lost my father all over again. And Blaine's father is dead too...Burt," Kurt sniffed. "It's too much. I don't know how to calm her down anymore."

"Son, you are tired and you have seen death again, too soon after your own father died," Burt said reasonably. "What you need is rest and a long, long sleep. Come home. Rest. Then you'll be able to help Mercedes too."

"OK, I'm coming."

Burt stood in the window. He hadn't kept any boys for today, knowing how tired everyone was, so he had to make sure that Kurt got back home safely. He saw as Kurt left Jones House and made his way with fast pace over to his own house. Burt greeted Kurt with a hug and held him till Kurt was clamed a bit.

"Do you need coffee before bed?" asked Burt when they finally sat down.

"No, I had some tea with Mercedes," Kurt said, he looked thoughtful. "Burt...can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"I've been thinking about it but I didn't realize until some time later...What did Santana mean? When she said about telling me the truth before its too late?"

Burt looked away. He had been dreading this. But try as he might, he couldn't deny Santana's advice. Kurt has to know, soon. And seeing how he almost lost Kurt twice in last 24 hours...

"She meant what she said, Kurt. There are things you need to know. But," said Burt firmly when Kurt tried to interrupt. "For now, you need to rest. I promise, after this is over, after the funeral this evening, I'll tell you everything."

Kurt nodded slowly. "OK. You are right. I can't stand any more truths just now at any rate. I need a break." Kurt kissed Burt swiftly on check before going to bed. "Goodnight, Burt."

As he disappeared up the stairs, Burt murmured, "Good night, son."