Chapter 1:

Well…it's official. I have been kidnapped. I was tied to a chair with blood-dripping down my chin when I cracked my eyes open. Everything hurt and my struggling was far too sluggish to be even considered effective. My cell was dank and disgusting compared to the ship we had been living on for the past couple weeks. Ren and Kishan were nowhere to be found and my heart soared with hope. As long as they were alive. That's all that mattered to me.

"Well,well…" A sultry voice crooned as my cell opened with a creak. Lokesh, in all his glory sauntered in. His robes a royal purple and his dark hair and tan complexion crisp and clean compared to my ragged form.

"Kelsey." My name rolled off his tongue like a melody.

"Well, well,-" I mocked with tilt of my head. "Lokesh."

` I don't think he enjoys my sarcasm because before I knew it an invisible force was wrapping itself around my throat like a metal collar. An unbearable burning sensation overcame me as I trembled and shuddered before doubling over in pain.

"Sarcasm is unbecoming, my pet." He purred as I continued to wither and burn. "We will fix that in due time."

"Go to Hell." I choked out between gasps and the pressure intensified.

"You will talk to me with respect." He snapped before the pressure was released and I could breathe again. I pitied myself as I inhaled the air deeply. My body shaking more than I wished.

"Why waste the time." I quipped despite the warning. "Kishan and Ren will save me and you will be the bucket of bones you should be."

"That's cute." He laughed, looking down at his many rings with boredom. "Hope is such a charming, yet useless quality."

I struggled against my restraints but nothing budged and I was left staring in the dark, empty, cold eyes of Lokesh. Is body much to close for comfort as he ran his hands over my chin. I flinched despite the bravery I was trying to behold. He noticed and gave me a twisted smile.

"I need an heir that is true, but how much do Kishan and Ren need you?" His words sounded like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. A twisted one at that.

"They don't." I said, "I'm practically a liability for them." And it was true. I knew it deep down. I loved my tigers and I know they loved me. But it hasn't crossed my mind how different it would be for them if I wasn't around. It tore me apart every time they argued over me and my safety. Right now they were on their way to save me. Me. Instead of leaving me behind and saving themselves. There selfless and that's why I love them.

"That's not how they see it." Lokesh purred and I shifted my seat. "You are what makes there world spin. They're attached too you in tiger and man. Without you, well…" He trailed off in a way that I didn't enjoy. As he spun around with the clap of his fingers.

"What are you going to do?" I breathed uneasily. I leaned as far-back as possible as he got closer.

"I'm going to rid them of everything Kelsey. When you're gone and they come, I'll kill them and obtain all the power I've ever wanted. They'll be so lost that they'll never see it coming." He explained in a low whisper and I tried not to show a hint of fear as I mumbled,

"What about that whole heir situation?" He let out a laugh again as he stood and rubbed his hands slowly until I began to squirm.

"Villains drag things out too much. I decided to just get to the point. Show you how fast we can work if we put our minds too it."

"You lost me again." His chuckle was dark when he placed his hands over my cheeks and I did everything to push him away, but his grip was hard and firm. All I could do was watch in horror as he unraveled everything I've been working towards in one sentence.

"Kelsey will no longer exist." He whispered slowly and before I could protest, a hot searing sensation ripped through my skull like a knife. Flashes of memories tearing away like sheets of papers as my grip on reality suddenly slackened. Ren, Kishan, everyone was fading fast. I couldn't remember if Ren's eyes were blue or green and if Kishan was the white or black tiger. Wait, were they tigers or people?

A warm feeling clawed desperately from a place I didn't know. Its grip strong as it pleaded for me to hold on. But I couldn't. Everything was going black fast and I didn't even remember how I ended up in prison. I pushed the clawing feeling down and it was like an invisible tether being severed. Nothing mattered after that and as the black folded around me, I accepted it like an old-friend. The pain fading away as one word cried out desperately in my heart.

Ren.