Taken (Breaking the Darkness)

by Starr, Felicia

  The path I followed finally met up with a small stream. I found some nice large rocks along the edge to sit upon and take a break. I rested my rump to remove my boots and socks. With my love of water, how could I resist sticking in my toes?

  “Are you sure you want to do that?”

  If I didn’t love the sound of his voice so much, I might have been startled. I turned to face him and gifted him a soft smile. “And why wouldn’t I want to?”

  “Darling, something might jump up and bite those cute little toes of yours. We wouldn’t want that now.”

  “I’m not sure there’s anything big enough in this trickling stream to bite anything, let alone my toes. Ignoring his warning, I enjoyed the cool tickle of the quick flowing stream across my feet. “What are you doing out here?”

  “Hiking and, of course, looking for you. I brought you lunch.” From behind, he pulled a picnic basket out of nowhere.

  “Oh yeah? What do you have in there? I could use a snack.” My stomach’s growls were loud enough to scare away any wildlife.

  “What I have here is what you want.” He gave me a little eyebrow wiggle and a big fat smile. Kaden knew that as hungry as my belly was, my loins were even hungrier for him, and he gloated in it.

  He moved in slow and found a flat spot just off to the side of the small boulder I sat on. He opened the basket and pulled out a red-and-white checkered blanket and laid it on the ground. He continued to empty the contents of the basket.

  I wasn’t sure how it all fit in there. Wine glasses, a bottle of white wine, a hot thermos, and two ceramic coffee mugs—like the ones from my favorite café—and two bottles of water. Then came the food. A loaf of crusty fresh baked yeasty bread, an assortment of meats and cheeses, and some kind of pie.

  “Is that pie?” My mouth watered under my tongue.

  “What picnic would be complete without pie? This one is like the one my baba used to make. Cherry blueberry with a brown sugar crust. It has just the right amount of tartness but sweet enough to have you licking your lips, wanting more.” And with that his tongue glided across his upper lip just before he sucked in his fat bottom lip. “Mmmm,” he moaned just loud enough for me to hear.

  I hoped I wasn’t drooling. I needed to force my mouth shut even if it was only for a second. “That looks real good. I can almost taste it.”

  I played into his flirtatious double meaning banter. Something I would probably never have the guts to do in the real world.

  “I bet you can. We can always be naughty and work our way backward if you want. Why not just dive into dessert first?” He suggested.

  His eyes showed me he meant business. They appeared darker at that moment than I remembered from the beach. They seemed to blend in with the colors of the forest behind him. The pie wasn’t the dessert either of us had on our minds.

  “No, I want to enjoy this beautiful lunch you brought me. I like the idea of having something to look forward to.”

  I turned and climbed over my resting place and then hopped over to the blanket. I didn’t feel like putting my shoes back on just yet. A bit more earth stuck to the bottoms of my feet than I preferred, but I dusted them off and tucked them under me as I made myself comfortable.

  After filling my wine glass, Kaden took out a large knife from the basket. Wielding it like an extension of his arm, he carved the bread with ease and sliced up some of the cheeses as I sipped on my drink.

  I took in as much of the multicolored ramparts that surrounded me as I could. The trees started to stand out as individual species to me, and I got lost in thoughts of Gram teaching me the names of these trees. A velvet ash and a big tooth maple were happy being friends in this forest. There were many trees that had great things to offer us, a lot more than just maple syrup.

  Kaden redirected my attention, handing me a plate and napkin. Just before he took his hand away, he made sure it caressed mine in its withdrawal. He divvied up some of the food. I watched him, not realizing I’d sipped my way through the entire glass of wine, helping amp up my appetite.

  “This is a rocking picnic. After my energy’s boosted, I’m looking forward to continuing on this hike to figure out where we are. But not before I get a taste of your pie.”

  “I can assure you, you will not forget this pie.” He sucked the purple fruit from his fingertip. His full lips expanded as they slid off his finger. “We are in Boynton Canyon. Do you remember the last time you were here?” he asked in such a subtle way, but it felt strange for him to ask.

  “Not exactly. I do recognize some of the trees and it feels familiar. Today will be hard to forget, though.” I still didn’t hesitate answering him.

  “Kasha, what is it that you recognize about the trees?”

  “Well, Gram always taught me about botany. You’d be surprised at all the uses there are for plants you might otherwise ignore. I must have been somewhere with her that had these trees. We traveled a lot and moved way too often. I have a wealth of knowledge about plants from many regions.”

  “Why was your gram so interested in plants? Was she a botanist or a florist?”

  I chuckled. “No, she was kind of an herbalist. She believed in holistic remedies. I was never really interested, but much of what she showed me stuck with me. I guess it’s fun knowing about nature. Most people take their surroundings for granted. They have no idea the power Mother Earth has to offer.”

  Kaden perked up at something I said. I personally didn’t see what a guy like him would find so interesting. It got me thinking more about where we were. After we ate, I wanted to see what other plants I could identify.

  Kaden fed me a bite of candied walnuts I missed on my plate. “Tell me about the power of Mother Earth? That seems a bit hokey.”

  “I’ll tell you anything you want to know. After I get some of that sweet pie you’ve promised me.”

  I reached over to grab the coffee thermos. Suddenly there was a rustling noise from behind me. I turned to see what it could be. Hopefully not a coyote. Kaden’s gaze drifted in the same direction. When I looked back, everything went grey to black. I still heard the noise but rolled over back in my dreadful prison.

  “I THINK YOUR special power might be sleeping.”

  The sound of the crisp snap of an apple enticed my eyes open. Ziona was leaning against the wall, crunching on a juicy bite. One of her legs was bent back with her foot pressed up behind her.

  “You know, Kasha, anyone could come in here and do ungodly things to you. How do you sleep so much? Every time I come in here, you’re sleeping.” She tossed the apple at me. “Things don’t have to be this way. Don’t you want to get out of here? I can help, you know.”

  I scrambled to fetch the apple. My attempt to not seem desperate was foiled by my uncontrollable hunger. I thrust the half-eaten apple into my mouth and I might have just groaned a little as my teeth sank into it. Ziona expected an answer, but I was sure she was quite aware how long it had been since I last ate anything.

  I got a piece of improperly chewed apple stuck in my throat. I knew I shouldn’t try to speak while I was scarfing down that tiny bit of food. After choking and coughing, I wished I had a drink to soothe my throat.

  “Why shouldn’t I sleep? What else am I supposed to do?” I slammed what was left of the apple core onto the ground. “I don’t know what you want from me.”

  Without moving a muscle, I could feel Ziona’s gaze shift from the apple back up to me. It actually felt like it was burrowing into me. Her eyes were like black daggers that she wasn’t quite ready to throw.

  “You keep saying you don’t know what I’m talking about. Let us be clear that I do not believe you, and my patience will run out fast. I will tell you that you really do not want me to send any of my counterparts in here to deal with you. You should recognize that I’m trying to protect you from a much worse fate.” She continued to impose her intimidation on me.

  “I don’t think you are without knowledge or use of some of your abilities. You might not be show
ing me your cards, but I know you have something up your sleeve. I can assure you that my associates will force their way with you. They will work you over in a way that you will offer anything for a chance to escape their inflictions.”

  My breathing was enough to give away the fear rising inside me. I trusted nothing that this woman said to me about her being on my side at all. I did, however, believe in the possibility of this becoming much less pleasant. I shifted back and forth, staring down toward my feet. I tried to focus on my necklace without touching it. I didn’t want to give her any indication that she could gain an upper hand by removing it. I searched for a way to rope in the fears that were starting to fill me with doubt.

  I couldn’t look at her. “Ziona, I really want to go home. I want to be able to give you the answers you’re searching for. I wish I had powers, and then maybe I could blast my way out of here or something. Throwing a fireball at you would be an exciting way of exiting this wretched darkness.”

  I doubt she found humor in my little rant. Even if I could throw a fireball at her, I wasn’t so sure there would be a way to exit that room. I didn’t see her come through the doorway yet. I decided not to make mention of her vanishing act. I was sleeping or half asleep when she’d come and go. She must not be quite so human herself.

  “Maybe you can tell me what kind of powers I should have. Or you could tell me how to activate the ones you assume I possess.”

  Ziona lowered her leg and took a step forward. I kept my head down, but my eyes were focused in her direction. One thing that had been enhanced in the dark was my hearing. My ears were much more sensitive with the deprivation of light and sight. It was becoming easier to track her motion by sound.

  She hovered over me with dominance. Her voice deepened and her skin took on a much more intense red glow. Her red lips were as pursed as they could be as she reprimanded me.

  “Girl! I am not amused by you or your jokes. This is no joke! The sooner you learn that, the better off you will be. Laugh not in the face of danger that you fail to understand. You will find in yourself the truth of who you are or we will find it for you.”

  Her less-than-feminine hand gripped my shirt and she pulled me in close to her. Surprised by the stench of her breath, I held my own.

  “I will be back in a few hours. I suggest you find a way to search that memory of yours for what your grandmother taught you. I cannot believe she did not tell you of your true nature. You can expect to be sorry if I walk out of this room again without news of your progress. Am I making myself clear?”

  “Perfectly,” I squeaked.

  I felt myself flying through the air just before my body crashed against the wall. A grunt snuck out while I slid to the ground. Hunched over in a reminder of pain that she could easily inflict on me, I forced myself to stand.

  Not surprising, by the time I got up on my feet, the room around me was empty and dark again. Either she was very fast at opening that door and getting out or she had some unnatural way of traveling in and out of my hellish prison.

  I needed to sit. Holding my ribs that were probably fractured wasn’t helping. It’s funny how we always hold spots on our bodies that get hurt, as if that would help make the pain any better.

  What was I going to do? Ziona was coming back. She made sure that was one thing I didn’t have to wonder about, along with all the other things I had to concern myself with. I still didn’t know too much about the claims Ziona made about my “abilities.” As for the little bit that I knew, I didn’t understand.

  My ability to project was one of the few things keeping me sane. It was also my only possibility to communicate with anyone that might be able to help me get out.

  Oh, crap. I need to find her. Follow her.

  I hurried to lie down and project as fast as I could. I worried how hard it would be to follow her since I didn’t actually see her leave the room.

  The last time I tried to project while I was lying in the bed ended with me falling asleep. I thought sitting in a meditative position had yielded me the most success. It also probably looked the least suspicious.

  Dropping down to the ground, I pressed my back against the wall and crossed my legs into a lotus position. My hands rested on my knees with palms facing up, I began to slow my breathing. I vocalized a few oms out loud for effect.

  Calmness sank in fast. My hair beginning to tingle was a sure sign I was disconnecting. The lightness started to flow down to my limbs. I was getting better at this for sure. It didn’t take but a minute or two and there I was, looking down at myself.

  THOUGHTS OF ZIONA flashed in my mind. Whatever I could retrieve, I forced into my thoughts. Starting with her striking black glossy hair and her endless black eyes. She paired them well with her shiny black boots that kicked my ass. Her bright red lips lost their prominence when her skin began to glow in the same hue. The physical strength she possessed was probably not as strong as the way she carried herself. She would dominate any room and command the attention of onlookers.

  Luckily I didn’t have to relive the brutality of her visits. I could feel myself zipping through time and space. The misty glimmer around me felt like a damp cool breeze against my skin. It was strange for my senses to be so heightened in the astral plane. I didn’t have a physical form to be touched, yet I could feel every last drop of dew in the air.

  The effects of my travel were fading and Ziona came into focus. I couldn’t believe I found her. The only thing that sucked was that I didn’t know how she got there. I needed to find a way out of my prison. Maybe if I stayed with her I could follow her back, but that could take hours.

  It wasn’t clear how long I could stay in this form. Concerns about whoever might be watching my physical body plagued my thoughts. I couldn’t imagine the consequences of anyone suspecting anything. Most people don’t meditate more than an hour. I also worried about any repercussions from being away from my body too long. I wouldn’t want to get stuck like this.

  There she stood, tall and strong, commanding a room full of men. They sat beneath her at a large conference table made of black marble. Most of the room’s content was black. The chairs were matte black with tall backs, the tops angled to one side, very modern looking. So not my style.

  The only color in the room came from a raging fireplace that covered a large portion of the wall behind Ziona. The flames cast shadows throughout the room. The light flickered on the faces of the men on the far side.

  A collage of televisions covered one wall. The volume was muted, but the images being projected were all news channels. The stock market looked to be an important concern at this meeting.

  I felt like a fly on the wall. Careful not to move in too fast, I slowly made my way around the room to investigate what was going on and where we might be. I needed to be careful; Phaela could see me in this state so it was possible someone else could spot me too.

  Much of what was going on in the room suggested it was a business meeting. In addition to the fact that almost no one was dressed in business attire, there was something off-putting about this crowd. Even with the fire blazing in the room, I felt cold. My astral body felt shivers of fear deep within.

  Ziona was wearing a tight black pencil skirt that hugged her curvaceous hips. If she turned the right way, I could see the definition of her muscular thighs. They remind me of a gymnast, but she was more than double the size of the average gymnast. Her blouse was fitted and struggled to stay closed over her voluptuous bosom. She must’ve really loved those boots. They took that outfit to an inappropriate level of sexiness for any business meeting.

  She had no problem making sure every man in the room considered what it would be like to bed her, regardless of their interest. She leaned in over her computer at the table, her hip kicked out to the side showing the curves of a perfectly round backside. Her breasts looked ready to fall out onto the table.

  I was having a hard time hearing what she was saying, but clearly she led the meeting. Her finger pointed at the small man
seated to her right, her face void of pleasantries. I took it the little man’s response was unacceptable by the slamming of her hand on the table. A few of the men kept their eyes downcast.

  Looking around the room, her eyes stopped on someone whose face I couldn’t see from this angle. I approached the other side of the room and her voice suddenly registered.

  “How about the Fromarian brothers? What is your update?”

  I finally got to an angle where my view of this one had no obstructions. He sat tall above most of the others at the table. His shoulders were strong and wide. Even though he was seated, my guess would have been that he was over six feet tall. His black hair was pulled back tight and longer than I would have expected, but it was contained by a number of rubber bands keeping it very neat. His face and neck were shaved to perfection, probably by a straightedge blade.

  A black T-shirt appeared painted across his chest. The sleeves squeezed at his massive biceps. The shirt displayed an image with a name of some kind. It was hard to make out the name from here as part of his laptop blocked the lettering.

  Impeccably groomed eyebrows crowned his large grey eyes. His smoky discs were protected by long black lashes, which most women worked hard to achieve. A strong jawline accentuated his pouty lips. The frown lines around his mouth gave him just enough of a mature look to take him serious but youthful enough that most any female would crave his attention.

  “Ma’am, my affairs are in order, as they always are. As for my brother, I know not of what he does. Last I heard from him, he was in the field. I ask nothing of him, as his business is his own.”

  His eyes jetted over in my direction and met mine. My heart sank with fear. I wasn’t sure if I imagined the exchange. Oh, I hoped he couldn’t see me. I moved just behind where Ziona stood. If he could see me, I didn’t want him to inadvertently give me away.