"Thrane, where are we and who is Barron?" I ask, trying to sound pleasant but failing, I’m sure.
He sets me roughly on the bed and walks to a cabinet against the far wall to pull out a bottle of some kind of dark liquor and a small glass. "We are in the middle of nowhere, almost, so don't even bother trying to leave. You’ll die of thirst or hunger before you find other humans. And, as for Barron, he is a very powerful demon that wants you, much the same as me." He pours the liquid in his glass and then makes his way back over to me.
"Why does he want me? How does he even know who I am?" I ask.
Thrane sips on his drink. "I was interested in your friend when I could see how sweet and pure her little soul is, but when you started getting in the way, I noticed that you weren't quite like the others. I mentioned you to some of my acquaintances and your name set off some red flags in my community." He sits uncomfortably close to me on the large bed and I keep my eyes trained on the rug under my feet. "I guess Barron has some history with your family and wants you dead." He places one of his hands on my thigh. "I made a deal with him, though. I bring you somewhere that he can get to you easily, but you and I have our fun first."
I shiver from the chill coming off of him and from the disturbing insinuation in his tone. I try to remain calm but my voice shakes. "Do demons even like human women? I thought you guys just enjoyed killing and stealing souls."
"We take human form when we visit the ground, and these bodies have needs of their own. I'm not one to suppress my needs when they arise."
"Why not just keep me for yourself, then? Why do you have to hand me over?" I ask, hoping that he will keep talking.
Thrane shrugs. "He is more powerful than I am and a demon like that is not one to argue with and keep your head."
I try to imagine a creature more intimidating than Thrane but have a hard time believing something like that exists. And it wants me dead. "Did you find my friend? Kassy?" I ask, needing to be sure that she is unharmed somewhere.
"I have lost interest in her for now. Maybe once I hand you over, I can pick back up where I left off with that one."
His words cause anger to flow through me again, but I keep it in check this time, hoping to conserve my energy. I keep my mouth shut, not wanting to make him angry again.
Thrane leans into me and I pull away, my pulse beating out of control. I try to figure out another way to keep him distracted, but my mind is still a little fuzzy and I’m drawing a blank. He reaches up with the hand not holding the glass and grips the back of my head, forcing my lips against his cold ones. I whimper and try to pull back, but his grip is too strong. I punch at his chest with my small fists, but he keeps his position as tears stream down my cheeks.
A phone starts ringing and Thrane pulls away from me with a low animalistic growl, obviously not happy about being interrupted. He throws his glass across the room and it shatters against the antique dresser. He stands up and goes to answer a cell phone sitting on the bedside table.
My watering eyes burn hot from the fear of what could happen in this room when he gets off the phone. I feel so helpless and alone here. I can't help but see Gavin's face in my mind. Even though he doesn't want to be with me in the way I want him too, he is the one that keeps me feeling alive.
I hear Thrane hiss through his teeth and he shoves the phone in his pants pocket. He turns back to me and grabs my hand, placing another disgusting kiss on the back of it, as if he were a gentleman. "I have business to take care of, but I will be back here before it gets dark." He looks me up and down and then kicks me hard in the ankle.
I scream out in pain and any unshed tears start pouring over as the dam breaks. "Why did you do that?!" I cry out, knowing that my ankle is most likely broken.
He smiles wickedly at me, showing all of his teeth. "Just making sure you don't get any ideas about running. That should keep you here, not that a new little Seer like you could escape this room anyways. Everything locks from the outside, including the windows." He points to the two windows on the far wall.
Thrane turns and leaves through a hidden door by the liquor cabinet. I hear a jingling sound in the door handle as he locks it from the outside and then everything is quiet. Now, I am truly all alone.
Chapter 10
I have tried every lock in this room with no luck and I am starting to feel extremely claustrophobic. I can't break the windows because I am too weak and there are no objects for me to handle anywhere. The room is void of any personal items and I am panicked. I’m also tired but I'm too afraid to fall asleep, knowing that when I wake up next, Thrane will be here.
I don't know where I am except that Thrane said it was in the middle of nowhere, and from what I can see outside the window, he is right. There are just trees and sky surrounding the house. At least, I'm assuming I'm in a house, and an old one by the looks of the Victorian style bedroom.
I'm not sure of how long I've been here because I was drugged for part of it and I don't have a way of keeping time. From the view of the sky that I can see outside, it is afternoon some time, and Thrane left at least a couple of hours ago. He is going to be back by dark, which will be here way too soon.
I groan and yell at myself. “Why did you run off, you idiot?” I shout at the ceiling and sit on the floor under the window, careful not to jostle my ankle too much but it still throbs like crazy. I rest my tired head in my hands and think about all of the people that I love, wishing I could see them again and tell them how much they mean to me.
I think about the wonderful mother who raised me and how much fun we had together. Aunt Mags treated me like I was her biological child and she always put me first, no matter what. “I love you, sweetie pie.” she’d say to me every night before bed. She doesn't even know what has been going on with me and she'll never know where I disappeared to. I know she will search but I'll just be gone forever, like my parents.
I think about Kassy and smile a little at my goofy best friend. She is so stubborn, but she is my rock. Liam is already like a brother to me and he is so good at keeping me grounded and always feeling comfortable. I hope he and Kassy stay together because I know they are meant to be. Even though I haven't known Alexa for long, she is already someone I'd consider family too, as well as the rest of the Cole family.
Gavin's handsome face continues to flash through my mind as I stare at the intricate curves and designs that crawl up the wooden bed frame. I feel so much regret over the things I never said to him. He is my Intended and I should have known from the very first time I met him that I would never escape him. He has taken up my entire heart so quickly, without even trying in the least. In actuality, it seems like he has been trying to make me not fall for him, but I really have.
I can feel hot tears fill my eyes again at the realization of my true feelings for Gavin. I love him, and I cannot believe I never got the chance to tell him, even if he doesn't feel the same, it needed to be said.
The more I think about the people in my life, the more my blood heats up. I feel so much hate and anger over the situation that Thrane has put me in. He has taken me away from the world before I'm ready to go. I’m not dead yet.
My hands feel hot and I look around for a way to use my energy toward any means of escape. Remembering my lessons with Alexa about element manipulation, I stand up straight and watch the window. I was never able to move anything before, but I can't just not try now. I'm not a quitter and I refuse to die here.
I close my eyes and think about the wind blowing outside. I know it's there because the trees are swaying. I can almost feel the wind on my skin as I focus on the idea of it. I hold my hands out in front of me and envision pushing and pulling the wind, playing with it. Some of my energy releases and I can actually feel the air wrap around my fingers, like a tangible thing.
I continue pushing and pulling it for a while, and like a french braid, I gather up more of the gust until it becomes so thick and strong that I have to release it, or I will lose control. “Come on!” I yell
and throw my heavy hands toward the glass window along with my hot energy. A hurricane gust of wind shatters all of the glass in the room before flying away from me completely.
I sit in my spot, stunned as I watch the glass trickle from the window like thick raindrops and I smell the delicious scent of pine and incoming rain. I let out three short maniacal-sounding laughs and stand again, ready to finally escape, but immediately tumble back down in pain from the pressure on my ankle.
I hop to the corner closet attached to the bathroom and find a man's large T-shirt inside. I tear it into strips and wrap it as tightly as I can around my ankle and foot, adding the hair tie from my ponytail around the wrapping, hoping to keep it as sturdy as possible. I hobble over to the window and the grassy ground is a long way down, but there are grooves in the brick house that lead all the way to the bottom.
Taking a deep breath, I swing my good leg over the edge of the window frame and stick my foot into a small groove, steadying myself. I pull myself over and stick my other foot into another pocket. When I stretch the other leg back down to find another spot, I flinch, and a whimper escapes me from the pressure that my bad ankle is enduring.
I just keep descending, ignoring the pain, so that I can get as far away from here as possible, knowing that much worse pain awaits me with Thrane if I stay.
When my feet find the ground, I let out a long breath, feeling like there may be hope for me after all. I scan the grounds, noticing how beautiful the landscaping is and I look up to see the large red-brick house looming over me. I glance left and right, deciding that the coast is clear, and I take off in a dead sprint toward the thick forest ahead, not caring one bit about my pain.
***
I have been running without breaking for at least an hour when I start to feel a deep ache in my chest. I don't know how long I have been away from Gavin, but I am definitely feeling the effects of our separation. I steadily slow down until I can’t stand any longer and crawl under a low full tree, trying to keep myself somewhat hidden.
I rub my throbbing ankle and want to scream from the immense pain radiating through it.
"Crap, that hurts!" I whisper shout to no one.
I stay under the tree until the sun starts getting closer to the horizon, reminding me that soon, Thrane will know that I'm gone and come looking for me. I know I should get up and keep moving but my body is refusing to fight. My stomach is gurgling loudly from hunger and my sore heart is crying for Gavin.
I sink to the dirt under the tree and can't keep my eyelids from closing. I struggle with them, but it doesn't take long for total darkness to engulf me.
I jump awake at a strong pulling sensation in my chest. I swipe at my shirt, trying to get whoever is tugging me to leave me alone.
I focus my eyes in the twilight, and see that I am still alone, and nobody is tugging on me. I rub my chest, but the tugging only continues to increase, as if there is a string wrapped around my heart that someone is pulling on.
"Gavin," I whisper in the soft glow of the set sun.
I know that the invisible string is pulling me toward him, so I use the remainder of my strength to grab a low hanging tree branch and pull myself up. I survey the area around me and find a long, crooked stick that I snatch up and hold against me for support.
Turning around in circles, I feel for the strong knot around my heart, until I am sure of the direction I need to go to find my Intended. I take off as fast as I can with my broken ankle and walking stick.
I try my best to ignore the burning that stretches from my foot to my knee. I know I am most likely doing serious damage to my injury by walking on it, but I can't give up yet. I know my hero is out there somewhere. He is always there when I need him the most.
I continue until the sun is long gone and my negative thoughts start taking over. I start to doubt whether it’s worth it to keep going or if I should just wait for Thrane to come find me. Maybe if I just lie down and fall asleep, I won't wake up again. That might be better than anything my future holds. Thrane won't just give up looking for me and what about that Barron guy? He obviously wants to kill me for some reason.
Gavin would probably stop looking for me once he can't feel me anymore. I don't even know what happens when a person's Intended dies. I hope it won't hurt him. It would free him up to find someone else.
Kassy and Liam will be happy with or without me, as long as Thrane doesn't go looking for her. I think about what could happen to Kassy if I am not there to be her protector. I can't let that happen. Thrane needs to die before I do. I can't let him get to her and do to her what he has done to me, or worse.
I pick up my pace again, relying on my connection with Gavin to get me where I need to go. I push through the pain and continue fighting. “This is not how my story ends.” I tell myself over and over until I believe it.
After another couple of hours of ridiculous hiking and slipping in the dirt, I feel raindrops start to hit my bare arms.
"Are you freakin’ kidding me? Rain? Really?" I whisper to the heavens, too afraid to use my full voice. I am starting to feel like someone up there has it out for me.
I continue to trudge along in the mud, now. I am shivering uncontrollably from the cold that has made its way to my bones and I begin fearing hypothermia.
“This is not how your story ends, Aella. Keep going.” I tell myself again.
When I am about to collapse from exhaustion, I feel a sudden hard tug on my heart to the left. I spin that way, right before something slams into me and two strong arms encircle me, pulling me into an extremely warm cocoon. Electricity moves through my body and I gasp loudly from the amazing sensation.
I bury my face in the spicy pine scented neck of my beautiful hero and shake even harder from relief as my dry eyes try to produce happy tears.
"Gavin," I breathe out his name.
"Aella," Gavin whispers in my ear like a prayer. He pulls away from me, just enough to see my face and his golden eyes are lit up like an inferno. His warm hand touches my swollen cheek tenderly and a deep noise rumbles in his broad chest.
I read the regret in his eyes and take his hand from my cheek, lacing my chilled fingers with his.
"I'm all right," I lie to him. "It's just a little bump." I try to force a small smile and flinch a little from the stretching of my hurt skin.
He closes his eyes and shakes his head. He places his forehead against mine and pulls me closer to him with his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. "I thought I'd never see you again. I couldn't breathe," he says with gut wrenching sincerity.
I breathe in all of him and revel in the lightness of my heart from his touch. We stand there in silence for a moment and then I become cold as Gavin is stripped forcefully from me.
I open my eyes to see Thrane with his arm wrapping around Gavin's neck, pulling him into a choke hold. I gasp and am about to run to him, but Gavin reminds me of his incredible speed and strength by grabbing Thrane's arm and using his body to flip Thrane over his head.
Thrane ends up on his back and Gavin goes to slam a boot down on his throat but misses as Thrane rolls away in a blur. Gavin is able to grab him by the arm mid-roll and pulls him to his feet before connecting his fist with Thrane's face.
The force of his hit sends Thrane crashing into a nearby tree, nearly uprooting it from the ground. My heart is racing as I watch Thrane recover too quickly and run at Gavin. The two collide with one another hard, causing a sound like thunder to wake the sleeping forest. They become just a blur as they tumble through the trees, ripping at each other.
I try to keep track of who is who in the jumble but have a hard time processing their speed with my still too human mind. It doesn't take me very long though, to see that Gavin is stronger, but Thrane is faster.
I watch in horror as Thrane separates from Gavin and runs, full speed toward me. I duck and cover my head, knowing that I can't outrun him. In the next instant he has my back pulled hard against his chest and a knife held firmly against my throat. I stop
breathing and hold as still as I possibly can, knowing that I can be bleeding out with just the slightest movement.
"I missed you," Thrane whispers in my ear as Gavin walks slowly toward us.
His hands are outstretched in front of him, proceeding with caution. "Thrane, release her, now," he spits out through clenched teeth.
From where I stand, I can see his jaw ticking and a bead of sweat trickling down his scruffy cheek. I know he must not have shaved in a couple of days because the hair on his chin is longer than I’ve seen it.
Thrane chuckles evilly. "Now, why would I go and do a thing like that? I just got her back. I'm not letting her go without having my fun!" His voice sounds obsessed and sadistic.
I whimper slightly, wanting to speak but afraid that it will cause my neck to rub against the sharp knife.
Gavin's eyes flash to me with so much pain, but he hides it quickly. "What do you want?" He asks, and his eyes shift downward briefly before snapping to mine. He gives me a pleading look before staring angrily back at Thrane.
I am confused but I look down, thinking that maybe he wants me to see something. I notice a small shine coming from Gavin's pants pocket and see part of the hilt of one of his throwing knives poking out.
My eyes widen, and I shift a little, feeling a small sting on the skin of my neck. I know it's just a scratch, but I push back further against Thrane to try and put space between the knife and my vital arteries.
Thrane squeezes me tighter and purrs, seemingly enjoying our closeness. "I want her and that is all! So, why don't you just scurry along?" he says to Gavin like he's some annoying kid that won't leave us alone.
Gavin's eyes flash to me again and then back to Thrane. I turn my head slightly, so I can speak to the demon and try to divert his attention.
"I'll go with you, Thrane," I say to him and he snaps his gaze to me. He watches me for a second before I hear a whistle in the air and then I am released abruptly as Gavin's dagger imbeds itself in Thrane's stomach.
Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 Page 16
