Authors notes: 5 reviews for another chapter.
"Hey there Jenny," The boy was looking directly at her, speaking so calmly that she could have been playing in the park instead of fleeing from a group of shadow men out for her blood.
"Hello," Jenny said timidly. She was frightened, but something about this boy was strange. Not just the fact that he looked, well, beautiful, but when he touched her, as his arm was around her waist now, she suddenly felt very shivery – but not cold. It scared her.
"You have to keep quiet. They'll play by their rules, but I'm not allowed to help you, so they can't know. Follow me."
He took her hand and led her through the trees. The wood reminded her of the one near her house that she played in with Zach. Oh, Zach – would she ever see him again? Or her mother? Was she doomed to be stuck here?
Soon she saw a castle, like the one in the fairy tale books her mum used to read to her. But not the good ones where Kings and princesses and good fairies lived – this looked more like the lairs of evil witches or vampires. But while the boy was holding her hand, she was sure that she would be safe. He was holding her hand so tight his knuckles were as white as his hair, and her finger tips were going dark purple in contrast.
Inside the castle it was much darker, and the walls were all dark brick with deep red carpets. Jenny shuddered at the many spiders that were crawling everywhere. The boy kept pulling her – through doors and up staircases, it felt like they were going to the very top of the house. Finally they came to a huge wooden door which the boy pushed open. Inside was a huge living room, very imperial, with velvet couches and a wooden table.
The boy let go of Jenny's hand.
"We should be safe now." He said, and sat down on one of the couches.
"Who are you?" Jenny asked, unable to take it all in.
"Call me Julian," he smiled, "the youngest of the shadow men."
"Shadow men?" Jenny didn't understand.
Julian sighed. "You're so young, how can I ever hope to explain? Think of this place as hell, all right? And the shadow men – the scary guys you saw – we're like demons. I'm on too, but the other's, they're all older."
"They aren't like you. They're ugly, and scary. I don't like them,"
"No one does. Their soul purpose in life is to be hated. And I am one of them."
"Then why did you help me?"
"I don't know. I think it's because I love you."
"Don't be silly. You've only just met me."
"Oh, you are so young. There is so much you have still to learn, so much you don't understand. Why did you have to open that door?" Julian sounded angry now, his eyes blazed with blue fire.
"I'm sorry," Jenny was scared now. She started to sob.
"Don't cry," Julian's voice wasn't sympathetic, or pleasing. It was just a statement – a command. Immediately, Jenny shut up.
Julian started to pace the room, looking at Jenny time and time again. Eventually, he threw himself back down on to the seat and just stared at Jenny.
"What on earth are we meant to do now?" he groaned.
"I want my mom," said Jenny.