Out of His Darkness

"Run..."

"Run..."

"Run....but you will never run far enough."

"Ah!".

Anna startles herself awake. Another nightmare, another dream of him. This stranger that keeps haunting her dreams. This has been the pattern of the last three years. She thought at first the dreams were sweet, her subconscious speaking to her empty heart. But slowly they have morphed into a chase of predator and prey. She chastised herself for reading too many damn romance novels in her early years, creating the perfect man...who doesn't exist. Now she's convinced this is her punishment for not engaging in any relationship, she never could, she had created the ultimate fantasy for herself and no real man could compare.

"Well...since I clearly am not going to get any sleep I might as well finish the last of this packing." She said out loud to her now almost barren apartment. She was taking the next step in her life, a huge move to Europe. Romania, of all the places that called to her this was the one. Her mother had said she'd lost her mind...

'What could possibly be in Romania for you?', her mother asked brows creased.

' A chance to see the world, a chance to do something different.', Anna replied.

' Different? More like isolated and rustic.', Renee scoffed at her daughter, another fool hearted dream she thought.

'Maybe so, and maybe I will regret it but I am the one to make my own choices. Remember you said at eighteen I was no longer your responsibility.' Anna replied sharply.

This memory lived with her longest, this was the fight they had one week before she lost her mom. Now here she was alone, moving to Romania to escape a life of shattered glass and hope here in Maine. As she settled into the box of pictures, his face flashed in her mind. Piercing green eyes with a grey streak almost like lighting to them. Dark chocolate hair falling to the top of his shoulders, and a seductive smile. Strong jaw, and god-like features. Yes, her imagination was really a crime sometimes.

Turning to the box again she placed the last photo in and sealed it closed. Here was her life summed up in six boxes being shipped to her new apartment in Romania. No friends to part with, no family to wish her well, and nothing to hold her back anymore. She turned to the bed feeling defeated, sleep will elude her again but she would try because that 4am flight will be brutal.

***********

"Miss I do apologize, there was a mix up and your apartment is not ready yet." the manager slowly stated.

" Alright ... so what do I do until tomorrow?" Anna asked frustrated and tired. Just a place to sleep that's all she needed right now.

"Haha, Miss we have a room ready for you at one of the grandest places...but I am afraid your apartment won't be ready tomorrow either. It will be ready next month." The manager broached her cautiously

"NEXT MONTH!? I can't pay a hotel fee for a month!" Anna shouted exasperated. How did this even happen it was all arranged by her agent. Yes agent, because she was clueless how to move across countries so she hired someone.

"Miss you misunderstood, it will be covered by us for the inconveniences. Please your taxi is waiting." the Manager calmly recovered this debaucle.

Great, at least there was that. She looked over at the taxi taking her suitcase and climbed in. New life, new adventure right? She took deep breaths to relax herself as the taxi took off down the narrow streets and out...out of the main city. Ok, that may make things more difficult if the hotel is very far away. She was lost in solving a problem that hadn't even occurred when the building came into view. Building, no that wasn't the word, castle. It was a freaking castle, clearly renovated for guests. Jesus, next I'll be under the lure of Dracula she inwardly chuckled to herself.

The taxi came to a halt and she got out. Pushing forward as she always did she entered the lobby. The lobby was grand, elegant chandeliers hung from the ceiling, beautiful rugs adorned the floor, paintings of scenes from the countryside adorned the walls. She was lost in it's grandeur when the clerk cleared her throat.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"Yes, I have been booked a room here. The name is Anna Redglass." Anna answered, not missing the clerks unimpressed facial expression.

"One moment while I confirm your booking" the clerk began to click into the computer system. The awkward silence was deafening and you could feel tension between the two. Suddenly the clerk made a small almost imperceptible gasp.

"I apologize for the delay madam, we will have you straight to your suite in but a moment." the clerk stated and quickly waved for the bell hop.

"Take Ms. Redglass to suite Golden promptly." she stated.

Alright suite Golden, that was an unusual way to name hotel rooms, but then again it was a castle. Perhaps this kept the wings in order, Anna thought. Well the Golden I'll be she thought with a rueful smile crossing her face. They stepped into the elevator in all it's glass and mirrored glory and went up to the third level, if you could call it that.

"This way Madame. Your suite is in the East wing." the bellhop stated.

He made his way down the right corridor and the light pouring in was amazing. Like God himself had opened the clouds for it to pour in. She felt almost euphoric walking this hall and for a moment it almost seemed familiar. She brushed that aside, probably looked like one of the scenes from a movie she loved. So lost her in her thoughts she almost ran straight into the bellhop as he stop at the beautiful oak door.

"This way Madame", he said, turning the key and opening the door into the room. It was spectacular. A treating parlor or living area to the front with exsquite satin couches and gold tables, a small kitchen area with marble counters and modern lighting that didn't take from the ambience. Finally the bedroom with a bed wistfully covered in red satin sheets and a thick duvet. the bathroom was almost the size of her old apartment with a beautiful antique clawfoot soaking tub. Well if she was to be stuck here for a month at least she had gotten an upside.

"Will there be anything else Madame?" the bellhop spoke from behind her.

"Oh, no. Wait...where can I grab dinner later?" Anna asked realizing she didn't have a clue how to obtain the most basic necessities here.

"Dinner is served promptly at 7 in the dining hall. Take the elevator down to the first floor and exit to your left." the bellhop spoke almost robotically.

"Thank you", she said.

With that he turned and left closing the suite door. She didn't waste a moment and kicked of her flats and threw herself into the bed. A nap in this place may cure her nightmares for good.