Chapter 3

Bella was spinning. Raising her head in the darkness it took her a second to realize it was her head spinning, not her body. Her stomach took a sickening lurch. It flipped and dove like a tiny sailboat in a tsunami. She put her head back down and groaned in pain/pleasure as some of the sickness receded slightly.

Where was she? She remembered falling, and being carried. Had Edward come for her? No, she frowned. That didn't make sense, he wouldn't have had time to reach her. Charlie then?

She felt the ground she was laying on. Small sharp pebbles rustled underneath her fingers along with hardened dirt. No grass. Was it night?

Another groan escaped her.

A hiss caused her to jerk upright, head swimming. She scrambled in the dark until her back hit a wall. It felt like she was in a tunnel, a cave maybe.

"Is there anyone there?" She called out harshly, trying to angrily push back the sickness. She didn't need to be weak right now.

"Yesss, s'and no." The voice slithered through the darkness and her body recoiled.

"Are you going to hurt me?" Her voice trembled and she tried to stand but was forced to sink back down.

"Ssome would," the voice conceded.

"And you?" The words faintly echoed.

"Perhapss." The pause was just as frightening as the response.

"Why? Why did you take me, who are you?" She asked, becoming breathless in her exertion to push herself up again.

Sinking back down in failure, she felt the sticky hardness of her hair. Blood. She hoped they weren't vampires. But if they were, shouldn't she be dead right now?

"Nicolai, Sssumeir would like to sspeak with you." An oily slick voice to her right caused her to panic. It was a different voice. There was more than one. Her breath panted. The voice hesitated and then added, "Ssshe isss here?" The voice sounded in anticipation. A match was struck and a dim light all but blinded her sensitive eyes and pounding head.

"Yess," Nicolai's answer sounded slightly resigned.

"I will ssstay with the girl." The words wrapped and curled around her ears like a hiss, even the harsher sounds were silken and smooth. It scared her. Every hair on her body was standing on end.

Her eyes adjusted further as the match light was put into a lantern and flared to life. They were definitely in a cavern. Then she saw him. He was standing on the opposite side of the tunnel, leaning negligently against the wall. Arms folded, his body was almost a shadow as the light flickered and melded with his dark features. He looked like a fallen angel. Where Edward looked strong and good and pure, this being was shadowy and obscure. His dark hair falling into his eyes and he had lithe features. He wore dark clothing and his features were cloaked in the same darkness. Maybe it was just the way the light refused to stay still, but he appeared almost effervescent.

Making her way up to his eyes, she realized they were ice blue and staring speculatively back at her. She gasped and backed further into the wall. That stare … it was molten hot. The pit in her stomach dropped wobbily. She wasn't attracted to him, but that look aroused her every instinct. What was he?

"Nicolai, Sssumeir," The voice reminded.

Bella turned to her right and saw a similar featured man. His hair was longer and reached his shoulders, and he had darker blue eyes, but the build, the shadowy essence, the lean features. It was the same.

She turned as Nicolai pushed off the wall insolently and smiled at her as he passed. Then he turned to the speaker and his cold smile froze further.

"Sshakhta," He snarled and stalked past the longer haired man.

The man's dark eyebrows rose and when they were alone, she shivered at his expression.

He walked closer to her. "My yessshche posssmotrim," he murmured confidently. Her heart froze as he grew closer. "Ssshakhta," he mocked gently and reached out to touch her face.

"Please, don't touch me," Bella breathed hoarsely, fearing the hand, fearing him.

"I think I mussst, pretty." The hissing voice was heavily accented.

With all of her collective strength, she threw herself up and jabbed her elbow up to smash into his face. She hit her mark and then took off running. She could hear a sliding, whispering sound and knew he was following. She thought he might be catching up to her. She saw a light and continued to run to it, bumping into the walls she couldn't see. She could see the strength of the light just around the corner. She was so close. Her head pounded with her heard and feet, but she had enough to get her there. She added a little bit of extra speed and felt a hand wrap into her hair, yanking her back.

Hanging off of the hand, her scalp screamed. She opened her mouth to vocalize the pain when she was wrenched against the cave wall and a cool mouth thrust onto hers. Tiny whimpers were emitting from her, but it was the most sound she could manage as she struggled. She was going to be raped, or worse, she knew as she felt the hand not restraining her start to wander from her throat to her body.

She closed her eyes and felt the tears stream down her face. She hoped Edward never found her, never found her like this.

But I want to be rescued! Her mind shouted. She imagined his reaction to finding her. What would he do? Would these things kill him? Teeth clamped onto her bottom lip and her hysteria rose. They let go and he started to kiss her again. Her mouth was bruising she could feel it. And her scalp was burning. Despite all of the pain and all of the fear a tiny part of her body was starting to respond to the ministrations and that was when she tried again to fight back. A fist slammed into her eye. Stars spun.

Then, the heavy body was torn away from hers and she slumped to the ground, cradling her head. She could see the two dark figures struggling and recognized the other as Nicolai. She tamped down the hope that he would save her. He was after all, one of those things too. She watched in a dazed state as Nicolai finally threw the other's body against a wall and the sickening crack caused an instant release of tension in the long haired man's body.

Nicolai turned to her.

"Are you hurt, malyutka?" Bella wished she could understand whatever language they were speaking in.

She said nothing and scrambled backward into the wall when he approached. His shoulders dropped and he shrugged as though he didn't care that she was afraid of him. "Come then, Ssumeir will ssee you."

Standing on shaky legs, she glanced back at the crumpled form and resolutely followed Nicolai into the light.

A/N: So it's been a little while, but I hope you liked the chapter! Reviews are highly encouraged, they definitely motivate me in lots of good ways, so feel free to leave a comment telling me what you thought! Thanks for reading!