?"Oh, shut it! I know what I am doing at the moment. I want him to realize that this battle is ours, not to include our family in it. Let me handle the things. Leave or I have to kill all the cops being here to stop me." Reaves was way too stubborn and Tom knew about it. His words weren't convincing Reaves to stop the craziness painted in his mind.
"Reaves! Listen buddy! I will do my best in everything to protect your family, trust us, we have better security and we will protect them. You have to help me but keeping innocent Abby hostage would only degrade the situation. Try to understand that it is not beneficial at all. Trust me, Reves. I have stood by your side and watched you fight for your family countless times. Together, we can move mountains, let's not make molehill out of it." Tom's words did have Reaves into thoughts for a while.
"You don't understand how powerful Dracula is." Reaves yelled loudly.
Tom knew Reeves' had a change of heart and if he kept convincing him, he might succeed. Of course, Dracula had become way too powerful and Reaves' concerns for him were genuine.
"I do! But this news of Abby's abduction had spread in the town. Think about your reputation as the chief of the town. It will ruin and people will taunt your life and Tiffany for your sins. I will help and we'll do it in professional care." Tom kept Reaves' on the edge, got him thinking about it. As he thought he had convinced him, Reaves broke his expectations.
"No! I won't accept this offer. I will do this my way. I don't care what consequences I will bear but right now, I have to kill him. The people of my town will understand the need to eliminate Dracula. They know my reason. " Here he leaned forward and spoke softly.
Reaves could not trust police in the matter. It was way too risky and giving up wasn't an option anymore as he had come too far in this battle. Reaves knew about Dracula's power and revealing that secret to the Police was risky. So he declined Tom's offer for his help.
Tom was left baffled that Reaves was unconvinced. This new side of his best friend had him on the edge of a knife. Reaves' concern for his family wasn't new but his acting was surprisingly awkward. Tom felt Reaves was hiding something from him but asking him would be like fueling the fire. It would lead to consequences. He clenched his fists tightly until the knuckles turned white. Tom was concerned for Abby too. She was a poor girl who got caught in the tornado or swirling emotions of a father protecting his family. If he could do any better.
Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice in the woods and Reaves was utterly shocked. His gaze fell on the approaching figure and a loud gasp from his mouth. It was Tiffany! But how did she find him here and why?
*****
Tiffany stood there, her eyes glittering with unshed tears as she stared her father down. Reaves still holding Abby in a grip, took a step forward as he looked his daughter over.
"Tiffany?" His voice came out croaked.
"You have to let Abby go." Tiffany said, her eyes darting from Abby to Reaves.
"There's no way I'm doing that. I need to see Dracula. We have unfinished business". Reaves replied,s till holding on to Abby. At this point Abby had stopped struggling against Reaves and simply watched the scene unfold.
"You have to let her go, father please". Tiffany cried out. "I'll take responsibility for everything and whatever consequences. This has to stop."
Reaves frowned. He didn't understand why Tiffany kept telling him to let Abby go. He didn't completely believe that his eyes were not deceiviing him and that was indeed Tiffany.
Tiffany approached her father, her eyes trained solely on him. To any onlooker it appeared at though father and daughter could communicate telepathically but that wasn't the case. She reached Reaves and touched his arm lightly.
"Nexus found me." She said, glancing quickly at Abby. "He told me you took Abby, he rescued me."
Reaves blinked in confusion, but his hold on Abby loosened. "Why? Why did he save you?" To Reaves, it was all a trap. His eyes darted around the crowd trying to find the traps.
"Because he didn't think a girl with a conscience would let her father take another girl from her family. I understand how you felt when I was taken, and I don't want any one else to experience what I had to go through. Father please, let her go." Tiffany explained, smiling softly at Abby. "Please father."
Strong winds blew against Reaves as she stood there, his mind racing and his thoughts scattered. What was he to do now? He glanced back at his daughter, her blue eyes stared back at him in a silent plea, and for a second he heard his own heart thumping. Again, he wondered if this was a trap. If it was, Dracula could have had his head by now. He thought.
Then he scanned the crowd, and his sharp eyes fell on Nexus. A small smile crossed his face as a plan formed in his head. If he was going to risk it all, he might as well risk it wisely. He glanced back as Tiffany and smiled. "Alright". He agreed and Tiffany beamed. "But I want Nexus for Abby." His voice rang across the clearing, loud and clear. "I'll trade Abby for Nexus."
He watched his little girl glance back at Nexus, her face scrunched up in worry, but then he saw Nexus nod slightly at his daughter, and frowned deeply.
Reaves eyed Nexus carefully as he approached, his hands stretched out in front of him in surrender. "Let Abby go, Reaves. It's over. You have me, and you have Tiffany."
Reaves said nothing, but studied Nexus. He'd been taught from an early age to be wary of people, and he didn't want any sudden movements from Nexus. But Nexus approached him alone, his hands still outstretched, and slowly, Reaves relaxed his hold on Abby and his stance.
His gaze never left Nexus, studying him like a man about to attack. He wondered what Nexus was, and he could feel the power radiating off him. If Nexus didn't harm his daughter, then there was no way he would harm him. Reluctantly, he let Abby go.
"I am not the monster, and I promise to take care of her if you let this all go." Nexus said to Reaves who glanced at his daughter.
"If you let even a single hair on her head be hurt, I will hunt you and unleash the seven hells on you." Reaves threatened. It was a show of faith because in actuality, he knew there was no way he could take Nexus, but he would if it meant protecting his family and dying for his daughter.
Reaves stretcged his hand out for a handshake, a seal showing that he was entrusting Tiffany into Nexus's care and Nexus would keep his word.
?"Oh, shut it! I know what I am doing at the moment. I want him to realize that this battle is ours, not to include our family in it. Let me handle the things. Leave or I have to kill all the cops being here to stop me." Reaves was way too stubborn and Tom knew about it. His words weren't convincing Reaves to stop the craziness painted in his mind.
"Reaves! Listen buddy! I will do my best in everything to protect your family, trust us, we have better security and we will protect them. You have to help me but keeping innocent Abby hostage would only degrade the situation. Try to understand that it is not beneficial at all. Trust me, Reves. I have stood by your side and watched you fight for your family countless times. Together, we can move mountains, let's not make molehill out of it." Tom's words did have Reaves into thoughts for a while.
"You don't understand how powerful Dracula is." Reaves yelled loudly.
Tom knew Reeves' had a change of heart and if he kept convincing him, he might succeed. Of course, Dracula had become way too powerful and Reaves' concerns for him were genuine.
"I do! But this news of Abby's abduction had spread in the town. Think about your reputation as the chief of the town. It will ruin and people will taunt your life and Tiffany for your sins. I will help and we'll do it in professional care." Tom kept Reaves' on the edge, got him thinking about it. As he thought he had convinced him, Reaves broke his expectations.
"No! I won't accept this offer. I will do this my way. I don't care what consequences I will bear but right now, I have to kill him. The people of my town will understand the need to eliminate Dracula. They know my reason. " Here he leaned forward and spoke softly.
Reaves could not trust police in the matter. It was way too risky and giving up wasn't an option anymore as he had come too far in this battle. Reaves knew about Dracula's power and revealing that secret to the Police was risky. So he declined Tom's offer for his help.
Tom was left baffled that Reaves was unconvinced. This new side of his best friend had him on the edge of a knife. Reaves' concern for his family wasn't new but his acting was surprisingly awkward. Tom felt Reaves was hiding something from him but asking him would be like fueling the fire. It would lead to consequences. He clenched his fists tightly until the knuckles turned white. Tom was concerned for Abby too. She was a poor girl who got caught in the tornado or swirling emotions of a father protecting his family. If he could do any better.
Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice in the woods and Reaves was utterly shocked. His gaze fell on the approaching figure and a loud gasp from his mouth. It was Tiffany! But how did she find him here and why?
*****
Tiffany stood there, her eyes glittering with unshed tears as she stared her father down. Reaves still holding Abby in a grip, took a step forward as he looked his daughter over.
"Tiffany?" His voice came out croaked.
"You have to let Abby go." Tiffany said, her eyes darting from Abby to Reaves.
"There's no way I'm doing that. I need to see Dracula. We have unfinished business". Reaves replied,s till holding on to Abby. At this point Abby had stopped struggling against Reaves and simply watched the scene unfold.
"You have to let her go, father please". Tiffany cried out. "I'll take responsibility for everything and whatever consequences. This has to stop."
Reaves frowned. He didn't understand why Tiffany kept telling him to let Abby go. He didn't completely believe that his eyes were not deceiviing him and that was indeed Tiffany.
Tiffany approached her father, her eyes trained solely on him. To any onlooker it appeared at though father and daughter could communicate telepathically but that wasn't the case. She reached Reaves and touched his arm lightly.
"Nexus found me." She said, glancing quickly at Abby. "He told me you took Abby, he rescued me."
Reaves blinked in confusion, but his hold on Abby loosened. "Why? Why did he save you?" To Reaves, it was all a trap. His eyes darted around the crowd trying to find the traps.
"Because he didn't think a girl with a conscience would let her father take another girl from her family. I understand how you felt when I was taken, and I don't want any one else to experience what I had to go through. Father please, let her go." Tiffany explained, smiling softly at Abby. "Please father."
Strong winds blew against Reaves as she stood there, his mind racing and his thoughts scattered. What was he to do now? He glanced back at his daughter, her blue eyes stared back at him in a silent plea, and for a second he heard his own heart thumping. Again, he wondered if this was a trap. If it was, Dracula could have had his head by now. He thought.
Then he scanned the crowd, and his sharp eyes fell on Nexus. A small smile crossed his face as a plan formed in his head. If he was going to risk it all, he might as well risk it wisely. He glanced back as Tiffany and smiled. "Alright". He agreed and Tiffany beamed. "But I want Nexus for Abby." His voice rang across the clearing, loud and clear. "I'll trade Abby for Nexus."
He watched his little girl glance back at Nexus, her face scrunched up in worry, but then he saw Nexus nod slightly at his daughter, and frowned deeply.
Reaves eyed Nexus carefully as he approached, his hands stretched out in front of him in surrender. "Let Abby go, Reaves. It's over. You have me, and you have Tiffany."
Reaves said nothing, but studied Nexus. He'd been taught from an early age to be wary of people, and he didn't want any sudden movements from Nexus. But Nexus approached him alone, his hands still outstretched, and slowly, Reaves relaxed his hold on Abby and his stance.
His gaze never left Nexus, studying him like a man about to attack. He wondered what Nexus was, and he could feel the power radiating off him. If Nexus didn't harm his daughter, then there was no way he would harm him. Reluctantly, he let Abby go.
"I am not the monster, and I promise to take care of her if you let this all go." Nexus said to Reaves who glanced at his daughter.
"If you let even a single hair on her head be hurt, I will hunt you and unleash the seven hells on you." Reaves threatened. It was a show of faith because in actuality, he knew there was no way he could take Nexus, but he would if it meant protecting his family and dying for his daughter.
Reaves stretcged his hand out for a handshake, a seal showing that he was entrusting Tiffany into Nexus's care and Nexus would keep his word.
