Aarav looked at Natasha briefly, and turned to Mr. Verma and muttered a greeting.
As soon as Aarav touched his hand, a jolt of electric shock went up Mr. Verma's arm. But he managed to keep his face steady and grim. ''Aarav ..?''
''Aarav Ray.'' Aarav didn't like using his middle name 'Banerjee'. It associated him with his dad and he didn't like that. However, he didn't know that the mention of the same last name by Ashi had scared Mr. Verma, since he'd had a very troublesome past with their dad.
''Aarav Ray.'' He repeated the name; there was an edge of hard-hitting reality to his voice. The corner of his mouth twitched into what could have been a wary smile.
Aarav let go of his hand, and turned to Natasha. ''You ready to go?''
Natasha was noticing the pleasantry exchange between both of them silently. Her knees felt heavy as she noticed the glint in Mr. Verma's eyes. He is gonna torture Aarav, he is gonna kill Aarav, he is gonna have him at any cost.
He turned his gaze to Natasha again. ''Aarav, you go ahead. I have to talk to this young lady out here.''
Aarav raised an eyebrow at Natasha, but she didn't look at him. Her gaze remained locked with Mr. Verma.
''O-K. I guess you two already know each other.'' Aarav shrugged. ''See you later.'' He smiled at Natasha, and Natasha looked at him, and nodded.
When Aarav walked away, Mr. Verma laughed. His laugh sounded scary, menacing.
''He is a supernatural.'' He confirmed Natasha's worst fears.
''How do you know?'' She looked at him doubtfully.
''Have you forgotten who I am, Natasha?'' He crossed his arms against his chest. ''I can tell if a person is supernatural or not, as soon as I make physical contact with them. Why do you think, what was I shaking hands with him for.''
''Are you-?'' She bit her lip. ''Are you sure he's a wolf?''
He turned at her sharply. ''It was your duty to make sure he's a wolf or not. And so far, you have done a good job, I must say, Natasha. And now, I made contact with him, and it proves everything you had been studying and researching so far. Well done.''
''It doesn't prove anything.'' She looked away and hesitated.
''Out of all the people in this school, you said that he is the weirdest and the most different guy out there. And now, when I touched him, it PROVES he is supernatural, Natasha. What more proof do you want?''
''No. No. He is not supernatural.'' She tried very hard to convince him that Aarav is not a wolf so that he could not harm him. ''You don't have to do anything to him.''
He glared. ''Is that what this is all about? You don't want him to get hurt, do you, Natasha?''
''I-'' She avoided eye contact. ''I don't want an innocent person getting hurt.''
''Are you forgetting who you are?'' His voice was neutral and enigmatic. ''Bloodsucking monsters. Vampires. We have to feed, hunt and kill for living. And if we don't have this wolf, he will join his own clan, which will become a very difficult situation for us. We need to have him at any cost.''
''We do not.'' Natasha looked at him, pleading. ''You could win the fight, anyhow. You have been fighting wolfs since centuries. You are strong and deadly. Why do you need him?''
''Because he is Alekha's descendant, Natasha. Alekha was the greatest shape-shifter of his time, this guy's grand dad was. And we need him because he is as strong and powerful as he was. You know who killed my son, Natasha? Alekha did. In the 1861 war between vampires and werewolves, Alekha killed my son.''
''So, basically, you need revenge.'' Natasha snorted. ''Kill his son for your son.''
''I have already killed his son.'' He looked away. ''He took away my heritage line from me. He killed my only son. And I want to take his descendants, his heritage line away from him.''
''You want to kill Aarav for what his grand dad did?'' Natasha was shocked. ''And what about the werewolves VS/- vampire war? That was a lie, right? You want Aarav because of his granddad.'' She wiped her mouth. ''Shit. No. I won't let you. He has nothing to do with this. He hasn't done anything wrong.''
Mr. Verma grabbed her by her arm and Natasha let out a muffled scream. When he removed his hand, there were red and brown marks on her arm.
''Do not ever tell me what to do.'' He said angrily. ''Do not EVER do that again.'' He walked away, while tears brimmed in her eyes. Those tears weren't because of the pain, though. Those tears were for Aarav.
--
''Who are you?'' Ashi demanded as Karan led her to an empty place in order to talk without being disturbed.
''Shh.'' He kept a finger on her lips as he led the way. Ashi brushed his hand off. ''Don't touch me. And answer my question.''
''Okay. Okay. Chill.'' Karan stopped, and wiped a hand over his mouth. ''What do you want to know?''
''For starters, who are you?''
''Karan Saxena.'' He shrugged. ''You brought me all the way here to ask me THAT?''
''Stop fooling around.'' Ashi snapped. ''What are you?''
''I wasn't even fooling around, sweetheart.'' Karan grinned wickedly, and Ashi rolled her eyes.
''Fine.'' His smile turned into an evil grimace. ''Why do you think I'd tell you anything about me?''
''Because.'' Ashi muttered something and Karan was sent reeling back to a tree. His head banged against the stem of the tree.
''Ouch.'' He touched the back of his head softly, and he felt wetness there. Thick wetness. He looked at his hand, it was covered with blood. ''You are so dead.''
''Oh. Oh. I'm scared.'' She snorted. ''Now, answer my questions or else.''
''Oh, I will answer your questions.'' He narrowed his eyes at her. ''Just not in the way you expected. Well, you wanted to know what I am, I'm a vampire.''
Ashi looked at him for a minute, and blinked. ''You cannot be serious.''
''Well, sweetheart, guess what? I am.'' He muttered a spell and Ashi was sent crashing back to the tree this time. Before she could move, he muttered another spell and Ashi's arms twisted on an impossible angle while he took out a rope and tied them together behind the tree.
''You jerk.'' Ashi screamed and twisted but the rope was too tight.
''Well, I didn't want to do this, but a wildcat like you doesn't understand what civility means.''
Ashi started muttering another spell and Karan put some duck-tape on her mouth so that she couldn't use any spell.
''I will tell you everything about me now, Ashi. Everything that you want to know. Are you ready for it?''
Ashi nodded. There was no point in screaming now since her voice was muffled.
''Well, I am Karan Saxena. One of the Originals in the vampire clan. I am deadly, dangerous and strong. I used to be the strongest physical vampire but .. something.. happened. And I was thrown out of my council.'' He clenched his fists, and Ashi could sense the tension, the underlying rage in his eyes. ''I took refuge under Siddharth Banerjee.'' He turned to look at Ashi. ''Your dad. He taught me black magic. And he sent me here. Because he wants you for some ritual to become the most powerful sorcerer on the earth.''
He ran a hand through her hair, and Ashi snorted and tried to get free. He chuckled. ''I don't want to hurt you, sweetheart. I didn't even want to be violent, but you started it with that spell. And now, I guess, I'm ending it.''
He took the duck-tape out of her mouth, and she gagged. ''What do you want from me?''
''Nothing. I don't want anything. Siddharth wants something from you, though. And it is my responsibility to take you to him. And I'm gonna do just that. I'm gonna do a spell to knock you unconscious now, and the next you wake up, you will be with Siddharth Banerjee.''
''No.'' Her twists to get out of there became more violent. She started muttering a spell again, but Karan was faster. Her eyes widened as white light hit her out of nowhere, making her dizzy, wanting to sleep.
No, Ashi, don't sleep. You can't sleep.
She repeated it to herself again and again, but her eyelids fluttered as the light sent a tingling sensation through her. Her every body part started to feel weak to an extent that she couldn't fight it any more. Hell, she couldn't even think straight.
And then, before she knew, she was unconscious. And Karan was loosening the ropes behind the tree and preparing to take her to Siddharth.
Itti Si Khushi Sab TV
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
