Previously:

Though, of course, that sleep didn't come. Instead of the peaceful night, it was filled with turning and tossing and an unsettled mind which only led to the inevitable nightmares I had so hoped to avoid.

Chapter 4

I was walking down the familiar streets. The park was on my right, while the path into the woods was to my left. The woods were very dangerous lately. In over 400 years, we hadn't been attacked by the creatures of the woods. The pact we had made said they would leave us unharmed, as long as we didn't cross to their lands. No one, and I mean no one, would have it in their right minds to enter the Darkwing Woods. They began a little while out of the Eastspring Woods, the woods that surrounded our little village. As I walked past the path that eventually led to the Darkwing Woods I recalled the first attack of which the body was returned by the creatures. A few months before that people had started disappearing, but never were they found. It had saddened my heart dearly. The victim was a little girl, I'll spare you the gory details, she was barely recognizable. Every month there were 2-3 victims, someone had angered the creatures of the woods. The who and what were big question marks that clouded our village. The moods were painfully low as some people started considering sacrifices, while others thought of moving from the village, from the woods.

I started realizing I was having a nightmare, but I couldn't wake up. The scene of my nightmare changed, it was a few years later, the last of days for our little village.

"We have to group up and confront them, they didn't respond to our sacrifices and they won't let us leave. They want revenge, I presume, though no one knows what for."

"we can't just go to them, they'll kill us"

As the meeting dragged on, I was starting to get more courage. I had had this idea for a few months now, though I knew no one would even consider it, until we were out of options. I knew the time was now, there was nothing left to do.

"We should gear up, let them know we would fight them, were they to attack."

A deadly silence followed my plan. After a few seconds people started whispering, everyone stared at me as if I were crazy, maybe I was, but it was the only option. It seemed as though everyone else came to this realization as well. We had always just listened to the creatures of the woods, it was time to stand up for ourselves.

People started running around to find suitable men, they required I'd come to. They reasoned it was because it was my plan, I could explain to the creatures of the woods. I knew better, I was the sacrifice were it to go wrong. I was nuts anyway.

And so we were with a group of seven, all wearing black with weapons on hand. This would be my chance to make right, what I had done wrong. I was the bravest of us seven, that was obvious. The others were all shaking, complaining and trying to find their way out of it. Sure, they wanted to save their village, their people, but they didn't want to die.

As we marched to the Darkwing Woods, or I marched the others just stumbled with me, I felt the Darkness that inhabited the Woods. My skin crawled and everything felt cold. Screams suddenly filled my ears, Isabella! Screams and only screams was what was left of my group and as I turned around the whole village was on fire. This was it, we failed. Our village was no longer, I turned back to the Darkwing Woods so I could continue the search for the creatures. Though this time it wouldn't be to talk to them, it would be to die.

But when I turned it was there, staring at me. Those piercing yellow eyes, they were all you could look at, the rest of him was black mist.

The bed creaked in protest as I shut up. Trying to regulate my breathing I stepped out of bed and went to the adjoined bathroom. I had noticed it last night. Looking in the huge mirror that was there, I could see I was a mess. Dark bags under my eyes, my hair was limp and dirty and my skin had lost its shine. I truly looked dead. Finally I looked what I was. I was dead, maybe not entirely, but theoretical I should be dead.

I decided I needed a shower and as I had this huge shower at my hands, I was going to use it. It looked very complicated, somehow I managed to get the water running, though. when I stepped under the beam I suddenly heard a small squeak. As fast as I possible managed I jumped out of the shower, crouched down in a defensive position, only to find out I had made the squeak. I wasn't quite used to hot water.

Feeling a little down I showered for maybe about five minutes. I didn't need to shampoo my hair or wash anything too thoroughly. I simply grabbed a big, fluffy, midnight blue towel from the rack next to the shower and went back into the bedroom to find some clothes. Mine were all torn and muddy from the forest and from having used them too long, anyway.

Scampering through the room I found light blue, button-up shirt. It looked long enough so I tried it on. It went to my mid thigh, which was fine for me. It was something new, something clean, so I was not about to complain. The shirt was not completely fresh from the laundry, though. This faint scent of honey and cinnamon still lingered on the fabric.

I easily recognized the scent as the one of my capturer, but as I smelled closely, I could smell several other scents around this house, as well. One of which was very familiar, but I could just not pinpoint what from. I could have been standing there trying to remember the scent for several minutes if not hours, when there was a soft knock on the door. So soft, I thought I misheard the first time, but there came a second knock. A little firmer this time.

I moved to the door as silently as I could, not daring to open the door. His voice startled me, as it moved and melted something deep inside of me.

"Love, we know you're scared, but we can help you"

I resisted the urge to snort. No one could help me. Only death, but I was not giving in.

A soft click and thud resounded through the room and before I even noticed I had flung myself to the very opposite side of the room and curled into the tightest ball I had ever made myself. I heard the door open now, and I let myself have the luxury of one quick glance. But it was a wrong move. As I could now see what I was so terrified of. Those green eyes that had haunted me since the first time I saw them, so many years ago.

His eyes seemed to hold so many emotions, it was giving me a headache trying to decipher them. He seemed saddened, though, that I was sitting here in a ball. But it could not matter to him, could it?

Now he was an inch closer, but as I tried to move back, I found I could not. I was already furthest away from him as I could. He had free reign, but oddly I found myself frighteningly calm. I was not relaxed, nor mellow, but I was not freaking out. It was the same wall I had run up against last night. Someone was trying to mess me up, emotionally. Literally, not with mind games. What in the world was going on in this household?

As if sensing my anger, green-eyes smiled apologetically. Wrong move, buddy. I flew from my position across the room, slamming right into him. He was absolutely not expecting that, making it easier for me to push him back through the door. When he had just been standing there, I had noticed a lock on the door and windows as well. So, I slammed the door right in his still astounded face and locked it. Slightly satisfied I turned around and locked the windows. It surprised me a little that I didn't need the key to lock them.

Almost immediately I the knocking on the door restarted. It was less soft then at first, though. And I didn't answer. The knocking became full out banging after a few minutes and though it should've scared me, it was strangely comforting. This is what I had known for many years, this was about all I could remember of my life.

After what felt like hours, the sweet, seductive voice came creeping back through the door.

"Love. You've got to be hungry. Let me in and I'll give you food. Nothing more, I swear."

As if on cue my stomach made itself known. It growled loudly demanding me to eat, but I did not trust that voice. Or the man behind it. He had somehow freed me of my very lethal fate, but why? Not to mention that he had chased me and locked me up again. There could be no good to this man.

This routine continued several weeks. He would start banging on my door, asking, pleading and even begging me to open up, but I would not. Every passing minute my body ached more and more for food, but I would not give in. I could last another month or so without food, it was not to rare for me to go without it for longer periods of time.

The people who lived in this house were becoming more open in their approach as well. They did not come up to me, but they did acknowledge me to each other. They were apparently getting worried for my lack of feedings.

.-.-. . .-.-.

'-.-' | '-.-'

Restlessly I awoke, an ominous feeling spreading through the whole forest surrounding the house. The same feeling I had felt the day I ran from my capturers. The day I escaped. But my I decided to play ignorant. Nothing like that would happen here, I would be relatively safe.

Heavy footsteps resounded through the whole house, making it vibrate with each movement. My feelings of dread and fear intensified with every step that was heard and felt. Adrenaline was already surging through my veins. My legs were ready to set pace once again. I was going to be running, today. Whether I wanted to or not. I could only imagine the horrors they could bestow on me, if I'd let them have me now.

The past weeks had been relatively calm, everyday green-eyes stopped by with his same ritual. But this thing that was slowly, agonizingly slowly ascending the stairs could not be green-eyes. Even though I willed my mind never to wonder back to him it always did. And I knew, somehow I just knew, he would not be scaring the living daylights out of me like this.

Suddenly the door rattled once more and my survival instincts were kicking in. No more conscious thoughts or decisions, all I had to do was survive. I knew he was going to break down that door, so I tried unlocking the windows, but with little success. Apparently opening them did require a key. With only few seconds left to spare I contemplated how much damage it would do if I jumped through them. There was already a crack in one of them, which had yet to be restored, I assumed. I didn't know how big the thing in front of the door would be, but from the sounds of it, he was big. The chances of me getting past him were nihil.

Crash! The door was gone, just completely gone and I was through the window. Gashes all over my legs and arms were gushing with blood, as the adrenaline and my movement was letting it flow freely. Good thing I healed so quickly. The button-up shirt was haging loosely around me, only holding up by a few threads, but I couldn't care. My legs were running and running. Somewhere. I had no idea where I was. But there was no possible way I was going to let them have me. I was not a science project.

The air seemed to charge with an unknown force. My legs pushed harder and harder, but I could hear them chase me. The whooshes and soft thuds on the dirt let me locate exactly where they were. There were seven of them. I was screwed.

My legs pushed harder and harder and the trees were looking very inviting. If only I could jump and climb through the trees as fast as I was on the ground. I would've been a much harder target. But I never bothered to practice up in the trees, and it was seriously screwing me over right now.

The familiar ache in my muscles started and I knew I would not be losing some of my agility soon. The lack of food was driving my body to insane lengths as I only willed myself to step it up. My head started pounding with the effort to speed up and I started to taste blood in my mouth. I was pushing myself to far, but I could not let myself slow down. They were coming closer.

With that knowledge I was able to push my body even further. They should not have been able to keep up, let alone come closer. The trees up ahead were starting to knit closer together and I knew it wouldn't last long anymore. I was a lost case. My legs could now give up any moment. My body was to drained to keep up with my murderous pace and soon I heard two of them whoosh past me.

The adrenaline did give me an extra rush, but they were too fast. I changed directions, but I was not as agile as I used to be. The turn was too wide and I soon find myself in more trouble than before. I made the wrong turn. In the air I could smell I was now headed towards water, salt water. Most likely the ocean. There was no way I could out swim them if they were already this fast and agile on land.

The two that had run out before me were no closing to each other, while the rest was catching up. My fear spiked, but instead of the usual adrenaline rush, this time it paralyzed me. My legs kept moving but my mind was freezing up. This was it.

All of sudden two guys were standing in front of me, blocking my way. I tried changing directions but there were more of them there. My head whipped every possible sight but they surrounded me. Contemplating going up into the trees, I decided they would've gotten me before I even jumped. It would be best to safe what little energy I had left. It was game over.

Their faces were those of angels. Perhaps not the ethereal stereotypical angels, but I could not find any other word to describe them. Their facial expressions, though, were what shocked me most. They varied from strange curiosity to outstanding rage. One thing in common, they all looked at me with pity. Either it was all an act, or had not tried to scare me. I was betting on the first, though.

There were four males and three females. It was a common enough formation. Only the last male was still looking for someone to settle down with.

As I looked around the group, one stood as if he was covered in neon's and highlights. When I looked at him, and I do mean looked, I screamed.

"AAAAHHHH!"

This startled them, so I tried to make a run for it once more. But they recovered fast and soon I found myself held back by two of the other males. I trashed with all I had, but they would not let me go. Hell, I even degraded myself to the lowest of low, I even begged them to let me go. At that I did feel them loosen their hold, but it was nowhere near enough for me to break free from.

For one second I could've sworn I saw a sadistic smile cross his eyes, but it was gone so soon and replaced with the most sincere, open smile, I could not have possibly seen it. But I was not fooled by his act. I knew this man as I knew no other. He had been the reason for my apparent death and my marriage to the chivalrous green-eyes monster.

I had not noticed we had started moving again. I tried to struggle, but my body had pulled it's recourses from everywhere it could find and it was all truly gone now. I could do nothing but hang limply in the arms of the biggest male. And let him carry me back to the house I had resided in just a few hour prior.

He set me down at a table and they placed endless plates with food in front of me. Having denied it for so long, my whole body yearned for it. I managed a scared look around the table, seeing everyone's faces. They were looking at me expectantly. In none of their faces could I find even the slightest hint of deceive. Satisfied for the time being, even though I was still terrified, I carefully took a first bite of the deliciousness that was all over the table. Before I truly took notice it was all long gone. I had truly starved myself, but for what? The man that was so innocently looking at me from across the table still scared me to death. I knew who he was and nothing that he did was going to make me forget that. But the rest of the family? Clan? Seemed nice enough.

"See, that wasn't too bad. Don't make us use force again to make you eat, please?"

I had not noticed green-eyes coming to my side when he spoke. I jumped a little when he suddenly started talking, though from the sound of the giggles across the table it had not been so suddenly. All I could do was nod softly, I would not yet give them the privilege of my speech. But as long as they did not want more of me then to keep myself alive at least, I could return some or their politeness.

With a polite nod I then left the, what I assumed to be, kitchen and ascended the stairs that had starred in many nightmares. I was not going to be easy on them. The vibe of danger may not be as strong as it used to be, it was still there and I was not going to let my mind forget it.

I suppose this does not do any good anyway.. it's been seven months, Oh My Jupiter! But yeah.. at least this chappie got finished for now. Got finals in like one month, so it's all way too busy and hectic. I'm hoping to certainly be writing again after that. Maybe FF, but most focus will prob be on my own stories.

I'll leave you to it, do what you want, hate me, love me, review?