II

The dark felt… comforting. Soft and warm.

Then something touched my leg.

Jerking up into light, I let out a shriek, surprised at an answering curse: "Damnit, girl. I'm just trying to help-"

"Wh-who are you?" I cursed myself internally for the stutter of fear that ran through my question, I yanked my leg from the man's grip, holding them close to my chest. "How did I get-"

I stopped and looked around, frowning. This certainly didn't look like what I was expecting. Sunlight filtered in through wall-high windows, painting the scene gilded, and I could hear the faint sound of birdsong.

My bewildered mind barely registered the man's response: "That stupid boy."

"Where am I?" I looked back at the man, taking in his features. The elderly African-American just stared. "Who are you?"

"I'm afraid I can't say just yet, Miss-"

"Why not?" Heat spread throughout my body, from fear or anger, I didn't know. "Why won't anyone give me a straight answer?"

"Miss, you need to ca-"

"Don't tell me what to do."

Keep a level head, El, I tried telling myself, though my heart apparently didn't get the memo.

The man's countenance curdled. He reached inside his pocket, and my heart skipped a beat. No-

The glint of metal made my blood run cold.

Before I could make a move, the needle went into my calf. I tried to fight the coming wave of sleep, but I was too weak to resist, and my world went black once again.

Éνσκα

"... if she's one of them?"

"Then I will end her myself."

"And what of the body? And the husband?"

Silence, then a sigh.

"Impatience, boy. It will be the death of you sooner or later, and I pray you learn of the value of its antithesis before then."

I sat up, immediately regretting the decision as my head split open. Pressing my palm to the painful pulse point, I squinted at the two figures in the room. One of them was bent over, blurred hands gripping an equally blurry cane, and the other-

"You!" I glared at the tan-skinned man in what I hoped was my fiercest look, pointing at his surprised expression with an accusing finger. "You drugged me! How dare you?!"

The hunched-over black man shook his head, chuckling. "Told you."

"Quiet. I've something to say to you as well." The man just gave me a look of thoroughly unimpressed expectation.

"I'm sorry-" the tan man started to say.

"I don't care about your 'sorry'," I interrupted, only slightly regretful of the contemptuous tone in my voice. "You kidnap me, drag me out to God knows where-"

"Rockport-"

"I'm not finished," I nearly screamed at him. "I had a home, a life! I would have been fine if you hadn't just barged into something that was clearly none of your business!"

His expression smoothed out, the confusion giving way to a mask of indifference. God, how I hated him then!

"Well?! Aren't you going to make your point?!"

I suppressed a shiver as his eyes hardened to iron. His voice chilled me to the bone, such was its simplicity and matter-of-fact tone: "He would have killed you eventually; we both know that. You're alive right now because of me."

I sputtered, unable to argue against the facts staring me in the face, yet unwilling to back down. "I-"

"Listen to the boy, Miss."

I turned to the old man, heart starting at his closeness; he was at my bedside. I was mollified a little to see some kindness in his oak eyes, though.

"Connor here-"- he gestured to the tan man- "just came back from New York. Just last night, he overheard some of your husband's friends discussing your whereabouts at the Green Dragon Tavern. It's too dangerous for you to return just yet."

"But it's my life," I argued weakly. "There are people there who need me. What am I to do?"

"That is for you to decide, Miss. Know this, though: should you decide to stay with us, there is a place for you in town for you to work and live."

I flushed a deeper crimson and tore my eyes from his, embarrassment flooding my mind as I recalled my vehement refusal to follow the tan- Connor- Connor to the "town" he spoke of. Of course he was telling the truth, but with everything that happened-

No. Don't go there.

Glancing up, I responded, "Thank you, Mister…"

"Davenport." The old man held out a wrinkled and callused hand. "Achilles Davenport."

Mustering a small smile, I looked Achilles straight in the eye and shook his hand firmly. "Ellen Reynard."

"Would you like to see the town, Miss Reynard?"

I gave a short nod.

He helped me to my feet, moving aside as I pulled my legs free of their confinement beneath the heavy comforter and bedsheet. I wobbled for a moment, legs leaden, then slowly took a step forward, then another, and another. There was a huff of air behind me before Connor stepped in front of me and opened the door.

I gave him a brief glance, dipping my head in thanks. He simply looked forward at a spot above my head, jaw tight.

Frustration pulsing in my skull, I strode onwards, shoulder scraping across his ivory coat and hoodie. He stumbled backwards a little, remaining silent despite the slight. I could feel his eyes on me, boring into the back of my head.

Jerk.

Éνσκα

The line crackled with static before the line connected. "Yah?"

"They 'ave the bitch. Damn near got mah teeth knocked in by the savage. Brute packs a wallop, that's fer sure."

"Good. I'll pass this along to Elyan. You've done good by me, Quin. Don't make me regret it."

"'Course not, Mr. B. Wouldn' dream of it."

The line went dead.

Author's Note: I'm going to be keeping this story, as well as the romance, moving slowly. I'm busy with school, so I need time to develop the characters and their relationships, as well as the main plot and tangential threads. I already have a few ideas, but I need to get all those sorted first.

If you're curious about the divider: it's Greek for enska.

-Nate