Chapter Nine: A Foggy London Evening

A week later, Rory decided that she would visit the Walsh Estate that weekend. Her previous week had been too full of studying terminology for her anantomy and physiology classes to even think about going anywhere. Jordan had come over to help her out and to chat. They were the best of friends. Every wish and hope they each had, they shared.

On a Wendnesday night, Rory was walking through London alone. She had run to the hospital to get information on a shadowing a pediatrician, The woman had given her the name of many of the resident doctors and several books about pediatrics, all of which she was carrying.

She walked down the steps, almost tripping on the third, but quickly regaining her balance. Rory went along the side of the building across from the parking garage. Her mind was far from the alley she was in…it was in dance class in Jordan's arms. She smiled to herself and giggled.

Suddenly, two strong, brutish hands grabbed her curly hair from behind and drug her to the ground. She didn't know what to do. She kicked and tired to scream, but her assailant's hand covered her mouth.

With his other hand, he unbuttoned his pants and unzipped his zipper. Then he undid hers. She struggled, but he was too strong. He reached down her legs and pulled her pants down, revealing her conservative underdrawers, She started to shake underneath him as he began to rape her.

She whimpered in pain as he laughed and continued to move in a rhythmic motion above her. Her put his other hand on her breast and she winced again. In a moment of bravery, she bit his hand. He took it off her moth and she screamed loudly. He took his injured hand and hit her across the face. But someone had heard her scream…there were footsteps coming towards them.

Quickly the man pulled out and got up and ran away. Rory started to sob as she pulled her knees to her chest. The man who would save her rushed to her. When he got there, he was in shock. It was Aurora.

"Aurora," Brant said. "Are you alright?" She shook her head and he gently took her hand. "Aurora, look at me. Did that man hurt you?" She nodded. "Did he rape you?" She nodded again and sobbed harder. "Come on, I'm taking you home with me. I think if there was any damage Portia can heal you."

He picked her up and carried her to the waiting limo. "Bart, please hurry. I need to get this young lady to Portia."

"Sir, why don't you just take her to the hospital?"

"Because Bart, she was glowing…and she still is."

Chapter Ten: The Sanctuary

Brant barged through the front door of the Estate with a sobbing Aurora in his arms. Though her body shivered in fear, she glowed almost in defiance. "Portia! Portia!"

Seconds later, Portia ran down the stairs in a silk robe. "Brant, what's going on?" Then she saw Rory. "What happened to her?"

"I was coming out of the hospital and I heard her scream. She said she was raped."

"But why didn't you take her into the hospital?"

"Portia, take a closer look at her…she's glowing." Portia looked at Rory's skin.

"I think I'm going to call the family." Portia went to the kitchen to use the phone. Brant laid Rory down. There was a huge red welt across her face that was swelling and starting to turn purple. Brant gently touched it, it was hot. Rory winced in pain. Portia came in and over to Brant. "They're on their way. How is she?"

"He hit her pretty hard. I'm sure it was after she screamed. She'll be bruised for awhile. Aurora, did he hurt you anywhere else?"

Rory sat up a little, still shaking, but a little calmer. "It was awful..." she looked down at her lower torso. Portia reaced down and moved a strand of hair out of Rory's face.

"I know you don't have any family here. If you ever need any place to come our home is open to you."

"Thank you. I think I'll have to take you up on that." Rory smiled at Portia. "It's great that you're being so nice to me. I mean, after that I just want to go back to my life in the woods, not knowing, just wondering."

"Aurora…," Portia started.

"Please call me Rory. Aurora is so formal."

"Alright, Rory. Do you know that when Brant found you, you were glowing?"

"Yeah, I do that sometimes. I'm not sure exactly why. It started a few weeks ago. I noticed it the night we had our first dance class, after Jordan dropped me off. But after about fifteen minutes, it goes down to a duller glow."

"I called my family to comer here. If I tell you something, will you promise to keep it a secret?"

"Yes, I promise."

"My family comes from a long like of witches. We're all endowed with magical powers. I think that your glowing has something to do with magic."

"That's absurd. I've never been exposed to any such thing. Plus, it's never happened to me before. How would you be able to tell?"

"That's what I'm hoping my family will be able to tell us."