Chapter One:

Poppy's Point of View:

Poppy North grimaced in pain as the man in the dark black suit slapped her across her right cheek. She tried, once again, to wiggle out of the custom made, wooden vampire handcuffs that her hands were trapped in.

"Where are you keeping them?" The man demanded in a low, gravelly voice. "Where are they?"

She kept her mouth shut firmly, resisting the urge to snap a witty comeback at him—that certainly wouldn't get her anywhere.

"Where are the wild powers? Talk!" The man commanded, frustrated. Another slap…and then from behind his back came a carefully sharpened wooden stake. Her eyes widened at the same time that she let out a bloodcurdling scream—she didn't think anyone could hear her, seeing as they were sealed in an almost air-tight stone room, but she couldn't help it. She knew James would be out of his mind looking for her by now…and if he just came close enough…close enough to where though? She had no idea where she was. Only that it was dark even for her sensitive vampire sight, and that it smelled like mold and mildew.

"But I don't know!" She lied unconvincingly. "It's not like they tell me anything about them!"

He held the stake higher and she squeezed her eyes shut…to feel the hurt that never came. From somewhere above her she heard a desperate cry of, "Poppy!" The man turned his head and seizing her advantage she kicked out at him, hitting him where it hurt most.

He let out a feral cry, and in his anger transformed into a very alarming looking werewolf—just as James, along with a few other people, burst into the underground room.

"Get away from her!" James yelled, his eyes flashed a menacing, deadly silver and then he was on the wolf. He drew a silver dagger from his boot and with one deadly plunge ended the fight. The wolf didn't even have the time to howl. A second went by, and then he turned to Poppy, giving her a perfect view of his eyes. Eyes that weren't just angry—they were dead frightened.

"It's okay," she comforted him. "I'm okay."

"But you almost weren't." He countered, coming over to her and enveloping her in a bear-hug—one she couldn't return because of her cuffs, but still…it was nice. Little sparks jumped in her heart, and the sense that she was absolutely safe washed over her. She could stay that way—with James holding her tight—forever.

"Come on you guys. We don't have forever. There's time for that later." There was Keller, always the practical one. A key pinged onto the ground next to her, and James gently freed her and scooped her up to her feet as the group headed toward the door. James, Keller, Quinn and Morgead were all there, all looking tense and guarded…looking as if they were hiding something. She had a feeling that something—bad—had happened while she had been captured.

"Guys?" She questioned slowly, not really wanting to know the answer. "Guys! What's happened? What's wrong?"

James glanced back at her, looking guilty. "Nothing."

She hit him. "What's nothing?"

She gave him time to answer as she scanned the house that they were in—it was just an abandoned little shack, not an enemy base, which meant that the wolf probably hadn't been planning on abducting her—he had simply saw her walking among the berry trees and pounced. As they got outside she realized that they were close to the secret base. Only a few miles away. She also realized that James had still not answered.

"Fine! If you won't tell me…Keller? Quinn? Morgead? What's happened? Why won't you guys tell me anything? I'm a part of this group as much as any of you are—I deserve to know if something's happened back at the base!"

They all looked awkward and out of place. Finally Morgead spoke up. "I—I don't think it's in our place to tell you, Poppy. Ask James."

"James…?"

"Look—let's get back to base, make sure you're all safe and then—,"

She could see she was getting nowhere so she did the only thing that she could. She leaned forward and kissed him.

Not to convince him to tell her, although that might have worked to, but so she could just see for herself…it didn't take long for the whirl of colors and sensations to take her, and by the time James realized what she was trying to do he was in no position to fight. No position to actually try and stop it. It was times like this that she loved the soulmate principal…actually, she always loved the soulmate principal. But still. She flitted around his mind, peering under memories and thoughts, trying to find what happened.

Poppy…James warned…and then she found it. She played the clip in his mind, and watched the conversation with him and Lord Thierry. It was not a pleasant one. Not at all. The clip ended, and her sorrow alone was enough to send her out of the kiss. She and James were kneeling together on the floor, the other three of the group watching with sympathy and knowing.

"I'm so sorry, Poppy." She heard someone say. It didn't help. A moment passed.

"We'll find someway to get him back."

But would they?

"They won't have killed him."

How did they know that?

"I'm so, so sorry, Poppy."

Well, and so was she. Phil was gone. Kidnapped. By them. And it was all her fault.