Hybrid Aria by Jessica Hall
Chapter 50

Aria's POV

I move with precision and speed, my hands reaching straight for them, knocking the gun from theirhands, as I bite into the flesh of their neck, blood spurting all over me, as I rip his throat from hisbody. Red dots filled the room, and I kept moving, reaching and grabbing for any part of them, as Iripped them towards me, tearing them apart. I could feel their blood dripping off me, could hear myPack fighting behind me. Hear the screams of the kids, which only fuels my anger more. Anotherexplosion goes off, as a second grenade is let off. I choke on the fumes, my lungs feeling like theyare on fire, my eyes burning, my skin burning as if it had been doused in acid. I could hear theagonised screams of everyone behind me. I force myself to my feet staggering. I grab the first man Isee in the cloud of dust and smoke. He has some sort of black armour on. The only skin showing istheir faces and neck as I bite his face tearing the flesh of his cheek off. I spit it out, my teeth goingfor his jugular. His blood flooding my mouth as I drain him before dropping him at my feet, I stepover his body, moving toward my next target. Only they kept coming, and the room was alreadyPacked with dead bodies and people fighting.

I feel the sting of being shot in the leg. I look down and see a green dart in my thigh, I pull the dartout and lunge at the woman holding the gun that was pointed in my direction. Her scream dying inher throat as I tore it from her body. Everyone is running around in a panic, trying to escape thecloud and rain of Wolfsbane falling onto everyone, suffocating us all. I watch as few escape when Iam completely surrounded. Red dots appearing through the smoke all aimed directly on me atdifferent locations on my body. I feel their sting as each one fires, the darts penetrating my flesh,making me woozy. I lunge grabbing the closest person, using him as a shield while I rip his spinefrom his body. Sinking my teeth into him, needing blood to regain some strength. I shouldn't bestanding, I can feel whatever they shot me with moving through my bloodstream, hear theheartbeat of the life inside me thumping loudly. Anger courses through me. I keep fighting, but theykeep shooting, dart after dart into me, making me weaker. I fall to my knees before I fall to my side,my eyes growing heavy, I fight the fog consuming me. Forcing my eyes open when a man walks in.The room has gone silent. Deathly silent.

The man walks over to me and crouches beside me. He has a white lab coat on and round glasses,his gaunt face looking down on me.

"Keep fighting, and we will kill everyone in this room.” I growl because that's all I can do; my body iscompletely numb and limp. I couldn't fight even if I wanted to.

I hear Lily and Amber's screams resonate through the room. My head slowly rolling to my side, myeyes searching, until they replace them through the thick smoke and people crowding around me. Theirflesh is red, raw, and bleeding. They can't even stand only scream. I growl louder and try to lift myarm, but it doesn't move. Tears escaping my eyes running down my cheeks.

"Aria, please get up.” Her voice breaks as she screams for me. My heart splintering off sharp edges,piercing my soul, knowing I can't get to her.

“Like I said Aria, don't fight and I will let those who remain alive go, which isn't many I must admit,”My claws extend, I try and throw it at his face, but miss and my hand falls to the ground.

"Ah, Ah, Ah, Aria don't be foolish, we have your sister and her little friend. One wrong move and Iwill force you to watch as they die painfully” My eyes get heavy, and I try to fight the cold feelingconsuming me as darkness takes over. I mindlink trying to seek help.

“Reid, Please Reid, you have to save them.” I am out before he answers that's if he even heard me.The dripping of water pulls me from my blacked-out state. I try to move my arms, but they don'tbudge. My head hanging forward heavily, my neck stiff, having not moved it for however long. I liftit, and I see I am braced to a wall. Metal holding me to the walls around my wrists, elbows, andshins, another around my chest. I look around my eyes lazily falling on Lily and Amber, who arecuffed to a metal table in front of me. Both laying with their heads on the steel surface.

"Psst Lily.” She doesn't answer. “Lily.” She moves her fingers, and I know she is alive, I can hear theslow beating of her heart. The room reeks of wolfsbane. Lily's flesh burned and peeling off. She wastoo weak to move, and Amber was in a worse condition. Slumped forward, nearly falling off thechair she has been placed on, her mouth open and a steady stream of blood pouring onto the floorfrom her mouth.

I hear coughing and turn to look beside me. I gasp when I see Alpha David braced to the wallbeside me, I look on the other side and see Christine and Wendy braced as well. They are covered inbruises, and Wendy has a gash that isn't healing on her head. “You're awake?" Alpha David's voicesounds strangled and pained. I turn my head to him, making eye contact.

“Where are we?"

"Some sort of lab.” He throws his head towards the front. I look up, and I can see clear glass. We arein some sort of glassed room resembling a huge fish tank. I can see scientists in lab coats walkingaround on the other side of the glass with computers and notebooks, all working, not payingattention to us trapped in the room in front of them. I look over to Christine and Wendy.

“Girls?” I call out to them, but they don't answer.

“They haven't woken since they got here, the doctor injected them with something. They keepcoming back, testing their blood and injecting them.”

"What do they want?” I asked.

“I have no idea, but we need to replace a way out of here.”

I nod, I try to mindlink but can feel some sort of barrier blocking me. I hear the lock to the glassdoor open and the man from the bunker steps in, a smug smile on his face.

“Nice to have you back with us, Aria.”

I growl at him. “Let them go. You have me, leave them be.”

He walks over to me; he has some stick in his hand. It is long and has two prongs on the end. Heplaces it on my shoulder. Pressing the prongs into my flesh. I hiss at the sudden pain and struggleagainst my restraints. “I don't think so, see you aren't in any position to do anything; therefore, I cando as I please.” He turns and presses the stick onto Lily's back. He presses a button near thehandhold, and she starts screaming and convulsing, the buzz of electricity in the air. It's a cowprodder. I scream and pull on my restraints, and so does David.

“Leave her, fucking leave her, you fucking coward,” David screams. The man turns toward David andjams him in the ribs with the prodder, turning it on. David tenses, his muscles bulging and ripplingunder the current. The man stops and turns toward me.

“That all you got, you fucking maggot,” David screams at him before spitting on him. The man wipeshis face and hits him again with the stick. I can smell his flesh burning, but he doesn't scream. Infact, he just glares pulling on his restraints. “I'm going to fucking rip you to shreds,” he spits outvenomously through gritted teeth. Lily stirs behind him, and her eyes go wide, realising her father isbeing electrocuted. Her eyes meet mine, and I mouth to her to stay quiet. I watch tears run downher cheeks before she freezes, holding back her sobs.

The man stops, and David fights against the restraints trying to break free. It is no use, though. Theman walks around and sits across from Lily.

“Well, hello young lady.” Lily moves back in her chair trying to get away from him.

“Well, now that I have your undivided attention, listen up. I am not sure if your father told you aboutthe experiments we wanted him for.” I stare shocked that he knows my father is still alive. “Oh yes,Aria, I have known for years. A body just doesn't disappear. Anyway, back to what I was saying. Ineed your blood, and I need a lot quite frankly. The blood we took from your father years ago hasrun out, and I need more and you, my dear will be, let's see, what's the word,” he says, tapping hischin.

"Oh yes, my personal blood bag.” His dark hair falls in his eyes, and he throws his head back,pushing it out of the way.

"And why is it that you need my blood specifically?”

“You're incredibly unique, and your blood holds the key to immortality, why else? Nothing more,nothing less. Although over the years, we have had some developments. Your friends there areliving proof our science does work,” he says, pointing to Wendy and Christine. I look over to them,still slumped forward, their faces hidden behind their hair that is acting as a veil. They do smelldifferent.