Some questions you guys have will be answered in the next chapter! Fear not! So here's chapter 3 and don't forget to review!

Chapter 3

Three Days Later

Elena sat in the house reading her book. She enjoyed time to herself like this. It was only her and the books she loved to read, but a part of her was worried about her father. It had been about 3 days and still he hadn't returned.

Her thoughts were interrupted from a knock at the front door. Getting up to answer it, she looked into the peephole to find Tyler Lockwood on the other side.

She groaned in annoyance. Couldn't he take a hint that she wasn't interested in him?

Out of her polite nature, she answered the door anyway. Tyler leaned in the doorframe just gazing at her with a look she didn't appreciate in the slightest.

"Tyler, what an unexpected surprise," she feigned friendliness.

"I'm always full of surprises, Miss Gilbert. Aren't you going to invite me in?" he asked smoothly and smirking.

Reluctantly, she stepped aside to let him in. His big boots clomped on the wooden floor with a sound that made her cringe.

"You know Elena, there's not a girl in town who wouldn't love to be in your shoes," Tyler started to say as he turned around to look at her.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean, Tyler," Elena said with a frown.

"Well, as I'm sure you're well aware, women were made for more than just breeding." At this statement, Tyler grinned at her while eyeing her up some more. Elena felt herself getting really uneasy at this point.

"What on earth are you talking about, Ty?"

"Can you just picture it? A hot blazing fire, children playing with the large dogs, and my little wife massaging my feet!" Tyler was stepping closer and closer to her until he had her pinned against the front door. "If you get my meaning…"

Elena gulped but didn't let him see her fear. "As much as I appreciate the gesture, Tyler, I just don't deserve you." And with that, she unlocked he handle and moved just out of his grasp. He practically fell over onto the front step and Elena locked the door again behind him.

Leaning against the door, she let out a sigh of relief. She hated Tyler with a passion and there was no way in hell she was ever marrying him to become his "little wife."

Walking back to the kitchen table to continue her reading, she looked out the back window to see…a horse?

It was her father's horse. Was he home?

Running out the back door, she ran up to her father's black horse. But she didn't see her father anywhere. Was he lost in the woods? He could be dying for all she knew!

After getting the horse some food and water and a short time to rest, she immediately went back to the house to pack some supplies. She needed to venture out to find her father and fast! Grabbing her long cloak, she returned to the stables.

"Come on boy! Where is he?"

Later…

She had been on the horse for about 3 hours. She felt tired and weary but determined. She helped lead the horse around although he seemed to know his way and led her deep into the dark forest until they came upon a…castle?

It was the dreariest castle Elena had ever seen, and she hadn't seen many in her lifetime. The horse trudged on until Elena opened the gate and let them both inside. She closed the gate and left the horse in the open ground. The gates were closed so nothing would get him…or so she hoped.

Pushing open the giant front doors gently, she entered the creepy looking castle. No one greeted her, not that she expected anyone to do that though. It looked deserted almost.

"Hello? Father? Are you here?" she called out into the darkness. Her voice echoed throughout the hallways.

She didn't notice a shadowy figure watching her.

"Please, if someone is there I'm looking for my father. I don't know if he's here or not but if someone could tell me where I am…" Elena walked up the steps and down a long hallway. She kept walking until she reached a door. Pushing it open, it revealed stone walls. The slim hallway was only lit by a few torches. Following the stone walls, she came to a dark and cold room. It looked like a dungeon filled with prisoner cells.

A coughing sound was heard in the last cell.

Running quickly past the other cells, Elena reached the one at the end. She held her hand to her face in sheer horror.

Her father was chained up in the cell, dirty, cold and suffering from a really bad cough. Reaching into the cell, she touched his hands. They were cold as ice. If she didn't get him out of here quickly, he could die from hypothermia or worse.

"Elena…what are you…doing here?" John gasped. "Please…you must…leave…there's a mon…ster that lives here. Get out…while you…still can."

"I'm not leaving without you!" she whispered harshly. As she was trying to find keys or anything to help her father out, she felt a cold wind rush by her. Spinning around, the torches went out and she could see nothing but pitch blackness.

"What are you doing here, girl?" a menacing voice asked her from the darkness.

Elena's entire body quaked with fear, but she tried to hide her nervousness. "I'm here to collect my father. He's very sick and needs medicine all because of your hospitality." She hissed the last part, trying to be brave.

"Then he shouldn't have trespassed here!" the hostile voice spoke again.

"But he could die! Please, I'll do anything to free him!" she tried pleading with the mysterious monster, hoping he had a hint of compassion in him.

"I'm afraid there's nothing you can do. He's my prisoner and shall remain such."

Elena didn't know what came over her, but she said it anyway. "What about a trade? You can keep me here and let my father go!"

"Elena no! You don't know what you're doing! Listen (cough) I'm an old man, I've lived my life! You have yours all ahead of you, don't waste it on me!" John tried to reason with his daughter, but knew he was fighting a losing battle.

There was a pause. "You stupid girl! You would really trade your own life for his?" The monster didn't seem to understand the power of love or why people would risk lives for others.

"If I stayed with here as your prisoner, would you let him go? Do we have a deal?" Elena asked yet again, becoming more determined to get her father freed. The sooner the better.

Another pause. "Done!"

Elena spoke again. "Can you light some torches? No one can see a thing!

Before Elena could finish the thought, torches around the dungeon were suddenly lit. Elena looked at the creature in front of her…

It wasn't like any monster she had read about—he was worse. He looked like a man, dressed all in black. It was his face that truly frightened her—his eyes were blood red and when he opened his mouth, she saw two very sharp fangs. It took all her control not to scream and run.

The monster strode to the cell, opened it with his own arms, and dragged her father out of the room.

"Please, spare my daughter. It's me you want!" John tried to reason with him, but to no avail.

"She's no longer your concern! Just take your horse and leave! Don't ever come back and try to get her back! If you do…I will kill you. Do you understand?" the monster shouted. His fangs were clearly visible and his angry face tripled the effect.

And with that, he threw John out into the courtyard and slammed the door shut.