Ares' POV

     "I think I may have found something." I say into the phone that rests on the table in front of me. My head is in my heads as I talk into the device, my tired eyes aching behind my eyelids but I pay them no mind as I haven't in past two months.

     It's been seven  weeks since I found out that Ben was somehow involved with Thomas being gone, and I had thought the information would make this search so much easier than it's been. But it seems as if the Vampire has been missing from the world as well. Until I finally caught a break earlier today, that is. I was going to go back to his apartment so I could see if there was something that I missed or if he had retuned to it when I suddenly caught a whiff of his scent on the sidewalk.

     When I had turned around, I was surprised to see one of the goons that have been following Silas around since middle school. One of the same ones that tried to get me and Thomas the first night we met. If I remember correctly, the man's name is Parker and his scent of Ben smelled too fresh for him not to know his whereabouts.

Trying not to make it too obvious, I had slowly turned around, once he was a ways away and then I followed him through the city at a distance. He turned around a few times searching the street but I've played the game too long to be caught so easily.

After following him for his errands we finally ended up at a cookie cutter house that looked too perfect on the outside for the Southside for something not to be going on inside.

And by the looks of the second goon from that night that opened the door, I would bet it's not only the two do them occupying that house.

As much as I would love to charge in there and see for myself if the little shit or my kitten are in the house, I'm in no shape to take a potential house full of men all by myself, as sleep deprived as I am. And though it's wounds my pride, I would do anything to make sure I don't sacrifice Thomas' safety for anything, no matter the cost. Even if it's my own life.

"Ares? Hey you there?" It's the sound of Q's voice over the phone that draws me back into the present moment that's preparing to swallow me whole.

     "Yeah. Yeah, I'm here."  I assure him, forcing my head out of my hands to look up and around at my surroundings, knowing that if Silas is involved with Ben and Thomas, then my guard can't afford to be down. I've run myself dry lately, and it's all I can do to keep my head on a swivel with as little energy as possible.

      "You said you think you found something." Q says I can hear the sound of him working on a car in the background.

      "Yeah. I found this dude that had Ben's scent on him and it was Parker." I tell him tiredly as I lounge outside of a café, only stopping to drink and eat the bare minimum before I'm on my feet again to find my lover.

     "Parker? As in Silas' right hand?" He asks and I can here the tools still in the background as he tunes in further into the conversation.

     "Yes. I follow him and I know where the house is. I saw Jefferson in there as well. I think Silas is there too and if they smell like Ben...."

      "It could be where they're keeping Thomas. Yeah. I see what you mean. It's a lot of what-ifs though. Are you sure?" He asks me and I have to take a second to think about it, but there's this feeling in my chest that's telling me that he's in there.

     "I'm sure." I tell him and I hear him push himself from under a car, the sound of his wheels loud as always.

     "I'll call the gang. Find somewhere to take a nap. We'll meet there at 4." He tells me and I agree even though I know I'm going to spend the next two hours watching the house, terrified that if I don't, I'll miss it and he'll be gone again.

     "See you there." I tell him, hanging up the phone before I stand up, gulping down the rest of my water and leaving my half eaten muffin. I throw some cash on the table and make my way the couple blocks back towards the house, hoping and praying with everything I have that Thomas is in that house.

✨✨✨

"Are you sure it was them?" Zay asks me as we all sit across the street of the target in the crevice of two houses. Though the constant second guessing is annoying, I understand his concern. If I'm wrong and Silas has nothing to do with this, and his man is just a friend of Ben's, this could make one of the soulless most ruthless bastards our enemy for life.

But something is telling me that I'm right and even if I'm not, it is a good price to ensure that Thomas gets back in my arms.

"I'm sure. Parker smelled like Ben. And you know it's Ben that's been spreading the kidnapping around the city. He's here." I tell the group and turn to stare at the house, ending the conversation. On such short notice, it's just Q, Zay and Mace, the girls not being able to come, not that I resent them, especially after all they've done.

"Fine, how do we do this?" Mace asks, his knives already out of his pocket, swinging between his fingers, always ready to throw down.

"I need to get to Thomas. That's my main priority. As long as I can get to him and make sure he's okay I don't care." I tell him, my leg bouncing in impatience to stop talking and begin moving.

"We'll take care of the men. You search the house." Q tells me, and I nod to him, only just turning my head, before the four of us are up and silently making our way across the street and towards the seemingly cookie cutter house. While the other three try to remain stealthy, after eight weeks of searching, I'm tired of the sneaking, so I walk straight up to the door, my metal bat swinging as I knock on it.

"Ares, what the fuck?" Comes the whispered curse of Q from beside the door, plastered against the wall but I pay him no mind as I hear the sound of boots approaching the door. After it's unlocked, the door swings open to reveal a tall lanky teenager with a biker jacket and a gun tucked into his hip.

"Who are you?" He asks, clearly new to this gig, and I don't waste a second as I use my hand to smush his face to the side in order to make my way through the house.

"Hey! You can't come in!" He tells me, rather loudly, and then there's the sound of him being taking care of, though not fast enough because three other guys round the corner with curious and dangerous glares that don't faze me one bit.

"This ain't your property, boy." He tells me with a raised lip and I raise my arm back to swing my weapon towards his body, the aluminum cracking against his rib in a satisfying crunch. He yells out in pain and I turn my bat so that the but of it snaps across his nose, the echoing sound making me smile in satisfaction. The man falls on to the floor groaning and I smirk as more and more goons fill the room, needing to show these men what happens when they mess with me and mine.

    "Ares. Focus! Go find your Lock. We got this!" Mace yells at me and I shake my head, trying to clear it from the bloodlust that began taking over, going too long without my kitten to ground my daemon side. I make my way through the group of men to get out of the front hall, swinging and dodging to get through the assholes.

Once I come out in the other end, I begin to make my way through the house, starting in the living room as I begin my search for my lover. When I poke my head inside I find guns, weapons and other unmentionables but nothing to indicate that Thomas is here. The same is said for the kitchen and the bathroom.

Once every room downstairs is checked, I make my way up the stairs at the end of the hall and throw open every door. I find someone sleeping, and others enjoying people's company, but no Thomas and the more I search the more dread begins to fill my body. After I've searched the last room and there's still no sign of my kitten, I make my way back down the stairs, much slower than before.

Just as I'm about to round the corner to spare my loyal friends from the fighting, my bat gets caught on the banister and it rolls down the small space in between the stairs and the wall. When I walk down to get it, I see a door that's slightly ajar right beneath the set. I just stare at it for a moment, my heart pounding as the blood rushes to my ears.

My fingers are brushing my bat softly as I just look, stunned to know that my searching may have finally come to an end.

And it's the faint sound of a whine that breaks the spell.

I straighten myself out, forgetting my weapon entirely as I slowly make my way to the door, pulling it open with both hope and fear shining in my chest. Hope that I'll finally be reunited with my kitten and fear of what state I'll find him in after two months.

Beyond the door, I find a set of wooden stairs that I begin to make my way down. I hold my breath as I descend them, hating the way the muffled sobs get louder as I do. When my eyes finally break the ceiling, my heart stops in my chest as my eyes connect with the pale hazel eyes I've missed for so long.

That is, until I catch up with the rest of him and my stomach drops at what I see. Thomas is huddled close with a scared looking Ben, who is none of my concern right now, his once luscious curves wasting away into skins and bones.

Fear is written all over his face and body as he shivers in pure terror and it's breaks my heart to see him like that.

I search his body, letting my eyes drop lower and my steps stop on the last stair, anger and terror and nausea rising in me. What little clothes he has on are battered and bloody, tired to pieces that hand on his torso loosely. His legs are bare...

His legs are bare....

He's bare.....

I feel anger begin to flood my body, my eyes wanting to flash red and kill everything that's in this house but I try to reign myself in, knowing that Thomas is already scared enough. I move my eyes around the room and stop short when I see what looks like an unconscious looking Silas on the floor, blood spilling out of his head.

I bring my eyes back to Thomas, and forcing them on his to stay calm, I take slow careful steps as I drop down from the stairs and onto the concrete floor. I achingly drop low into a crouch as I approach the two holding each other for dear life, raising my hands to show that they're empty.

I stop about two feet away with my hands wide and tears welling in my eyes. "Kitten?" I say, my voice breaking form the weight of all the pain and turmoil and trauma that I've carried on my shoulders for months. And the way that Thomas falls apart at the name only shows me just how much more he's had to endure.

~~~~~~~~~
They're finally back together guys. This was sad but I still loved it. They are so cute but I know this is going to be really hard for the both of them and for us audience.

Thoughts?

Comments?

QOTD: What do you think will be Thomas' thoughts/ reaction?