Val woke up shivering and dizzy. Her teeth rattled as she tried to get her eyes to adjust to her dark surroundings. She smelled rust which meant blood but she also smelled water. Not ocean water, it wasn't salty but more fresh water. Like a lake or a pond even maybe. She knew she wasn't in La Push but other then that she had no clue where she was. Val sat up slowly and tried to hug herself, get some sort of warmth back into her body. Silence was all around her which she hoped meant she was alone. She squinted into the darkness around her to see better. She could see some light trying to peak in the distance in between shadows. Val slowly stood up and found her balance. She tip toed to the creek of light she saw. She went to reach into her back pocket for her glasses she knew she placed there when she was in the woods. When she put them on though the glass was cracked on her left lense but she could still use them. She saw she was in a damp cave of some sort. It was dark still but she could still see the wet rock formation all around her. Once she got closer to the light she realized it was coming from an opening. She ran her hands along the cave while trying to be cautious not to trip. The ground was sleek and she was missing her shoes she had on before. Soon she got to the opening and saw the sun high in the sky meaning it was afternoon. She looked out and saw at least 100 foot drop into the water below.
"Fuck," Val whispered and squinted out to see if she recognized anything around her. She knew she was on a high cave probably one that's located in a cliff. She saw woods around her and they were tall and brilliant green which meant she was still in Washington somewhere. She looked behind her and saw nothing but darkness still. She knew if the vampire that took was still around then it would most likely be back there and not in the sunlight. She looked back at the drop and wondered what was below her. Was it just water? Or did that water have something in it? She sighed knowing she'd be better not thinking about it and just doing it. She cracked her neck and took a deep breath before she walked back a few feet. She knew the ground was slippery but she also knew this was nothing more then just cliff diving in a new environment. She took off her glasses and slipped them into her shirt and hooked them on to her bra.
"One, two...three," Val took off running hearing her feet echo inside the cave before she finally flew out and into the open air. The adrenaline of being close to freedom ran through her veins. She knew she would have about a 50 foot swim to the shore but she knew she could do it. Paul and her spent any time they could in high school swimming. She knew she had it in her. She was hurtling towards the water rapidly and before she knew it she was in deep water. Once she stopped sinking she began to push herself up until she reached the surface. She gasped for breath and calmed her body down before she began swimming towards the shore. She knew she wasn't suppose to be mad at Paul but in a way she was. In a way this was his fault. Right? If he hadn't assumed and started to ignore her then she wouldn't have gone looking for him in the woods. She kept swimming until she was tired but then kept going. She had no time to quit. Soon enough she was dragging herself on to the rocky shore that surrounding the lake. She turned and laid on her back letting the sun hit her bruised skin. The blood had mostly washed off in the lake but she knew there was still cuts on her. She knew she hadn't been but she was definitely wondering why the vampire took her if not to feed off of her or kill her. Unless...that's what the cuts were from...
"No, no, keep going, get to whatever place you can and call Paul...Emily...Kim," Val was exhausted as she stood up and stumbled away dripping wet. It was spring so the air was warm enough to have a breeze going. Val walked through the woods around her, holding on to the trees for support. The sun was no longer beating down on her but getting hidden by the huge trees. She began shivering and wishing for Paul's warmth or at least the damn hoodie. After what seemed like forever she saw a little log cabin with two cars parked out in front of it. She knew that meant people were there. Hopefully people anyways. Val walked towards the cabin and took a peek inside the window. She could see a kitchen table with a pizza box open on it along with a few empty beer bottles. She could see one person sitting on their phone at the end of the table. Val knew this was her chance. She went towards to the front door and knocked lightly, she didn't know if she was being followed or if the vampire just left her for dead up in that cave. She knocked again when she didn't hear anything.
"Hello?" She heard a woman through the door say. Val would be nervous too if she heard a knock on her house in the middle of the woods.
"Please, please open. I need to make a call," Val spoke quietly not that it really mattered. If the vampire was around she knew that he could probably hear her no matter what. The front door opened to a woman in hiking gear with a confused look. Once she saw Val though her eyes widened and the woman quickly grabbed her and helped her inside. Val must really look worst then she thought she did.
"Here is my phone. I'll get the first aid kit," the lady without hesitation handing her the cell phone before taking off somewhere in the cabin. Val looked at the date and noticed she had been gone a week. The fact that she swam and walked all the way here after being knocked out for a week was shocking. Val looked at the numbers and wondered who to call. Paul or Kim? Paul would most likely be in wolf form right? Looking for her? Val decided on Kim.
"Hello? Val?" Kim's voice sounded frantic as she answered the phone. Val began crying not realizing how much she was holding back. She also realized she had no meds for a week. Her chemical imbalance was all over the place.
"Kim...I...I don't know where I am," Val told her honestly as she looked for the woman to come back. She looked around the table at the pizza box and didn't see anything on it that could give her a clue.
"Well...what's around you?" Kim was getting more frantic now wondering if the phone call was going to drop. Val could hear other voices in the back now talking about who was on the phone and what was happening. She didn't hear Paul at all though. She also didn't hear Sam or Embry.
"Here's the first aid kit," the woman finally came back and sat down in front of Val ready to work on her body. She also brought clean dry clothes which was extra and appreciated.
"Ma'am, where am I?" Val asked while Kim held her breath and hushed the others that were with her.
"Oh, Provo River Falls. This is mine and my husbands cabin," the woman asked while pulling out ointments and bandaids and gauzes.
"Did you hear that?" Val asked Kim as she felt herself getting weaker. She was tired now and hungry. Adrenaline leaving.
"Yes, we're coming," Kim told her before they hung up. Kim would call the lady back once they got closer to get an exact address but at least for now they knew where to go.
"I'll go alert the boys," Seth said with an eager smile on his face before leaving the house. It was go time. Time to get Val back and find the bloodsucker who did this.
