Chapter Two

The morning soon came which meant it was time to leave, by tonight I’ll be back home getting ready to start work again tomorrow. This week has been the most fun I have had in years which makes it bittersweet to leave, yes, I miss my home and can’t wait to see everyone. But in some odd way, it feels as though this place is where I really belong and leaving it is causing my heart to ache. Being here in the middle of nowhere deep in the woods, has been the only place I haven’t had to deal head on with what had happened. There are no reminders of what I have been through or have lost, it’s as though time has frozen in a sense and I’m finally, able to breath.

I had just packed my bag and was scanning my room in case I have forgotten something, the bedroom which I had called home with a week only remaining me the freedom I felt whilst staying here, which will soon be taken away once I return to normal life. When I see I had everything, I pick up my bag and head for the door. Once I was in the doorway I turn back to the room for the last glimpse of the life I longed to live, a sigh leaving my lips as I walk through the door and close it behind me.

“Don’t wanna leave either?” A voice asks as I arrive on the landing, I turn my head to see Bradley stood by his door holding his own bag in his hand.

“Is it that obvious?” I ask with a little smile myself; he shakes his head walking over to accompanying me to walk down the stairs. “I’ve just had such a good time this week, I don’t think I’m ready to go back to normal life just yet.” I smile as we reach the bottom of the stairs and arrive in the living room area of the rustic type building.

“You’re not alone in feeling that I’m going to miss the fun little getaway we had.” Bradley says dumping his bag on the sofa whilst loud shouting from upstairs soon takes ahold of the house.

“Tanya, where are you going?!” Johns voice asks as the sounds of feet approaching fill the once quiet house, soon Tanya appears at the top of the staircase looking angry.

“Away from the man who doesn’t think marrying me will be in his best interests.” She screams back at him soon reaching the bottom step, John hot on her tail as she heads for the front door.

“You know I didn’t say that.” John shouts running after her, but Tanya was definitely, on form today, she was out of the house before he could even reach the bottom step.

“But at least we’ll get a mini break from hearing their mouths.” Bradley sighs falling back on the sofa as John, joins Tanya at front of the house.

“I’m just going to go out back for one last peaceful moment of this heaven, call me when we’re leaving.” I smile placing my bag on the counter before turning to walk through the kitchen, he shouts he will before I open up the back door.

The garden to this house is also incredible, it’s massive with walkways heading through a fairy garden type of back area. I stand in the middle of the path and take a deep breath in, the fresh crisp air filling my lungs and calming me down.

I look around the beautiful mountains surrounding me, I’m going to miss waking up to this view. A wave of sadness soon takes hold of my senses when I thought about leaving, I have been to many separate places such as this before but for some reason, this place has really resonated with me, and I want nothing more than to stay.

I start to walk down the path which leads deeper into the garden, but I ensured I stay close enough to the house so if Bradley calls me, I would be able to hear and not cause anyone to panic when I don’t show up. A smile forms on my lips as I look around the sky, everybody gets so busy wrapped up in their own lives that we all forget to look up and just take in the moment.

I’m soon broken from my trance by movement in one of the bushes ahead, this does cause me to freeze and study the bush for a few seconds. My heart rate picks up once the worried thoughts of what may also be looking at me fill my head, but I also knew that there aren’t any dangerous animals that live around here. Perhaps it’s a cat who has gotten lost, maybe it even needs help, that thought telling me to check.

I slowly inch myself closer to the bush which moved slightly a second time, this does cause me to freeze for another second and debate whether what I’m making is the smartest decision. I soon shake that feeling off and begin to inch even closer to the bush, I didn’t know what I was going to expect or even do when I discover what was behind there but my curiosity, always gets the best of me.

I was now inch’s away from the bush, perhaps another step or two I would be able to see what was hiding in there. I was close to making out what it was when shouts from the house get my attention.

“Come on, it’s time to leave!” Bradley’s loud shouts soon breaks me from the other moment I was in, maybe it was a good thing I didn’t see what was in the bush.

With one last look around the area, I sigh turning around towards the house to begin to make my way back to leave. But as soon as my back was facing the bush, the rustling gets even more intense and in a few short seconds, a hand is placed over my mouth, and I’m pulled backwards. Before I could really comprehend what was happening, I feel my back hit against a hard chest where intense sparks spread throughout my entire body.

I had never had this feeling ever in my life before and was utterly confused. I was standing in a daze like state for a few seconds as though my body was attempting to take in what was happening. But after I hear Bradley calling me again, realisation hits and I realise I was probably being kidnapped.

I begin to scream at the top of my lungs and fight with all my might to be released from this guys grip, but my screams were drowned out due to his hand over my mouth and he had strength that I have never seen before in my life. I attempt to dig my heels into the path as he continued to drag me backwards, but he was able to easily get my feet out of the tiny holes I made to free myself.

In the mist of all my fighting and screams, I feel his face looming over my shoulder which caused another shudder to run through my body.

“Calm down, you need to come with me.” His deep voice whispers in my ear, his voice alone made a shiver like feeling to run throughout my entire body. “I’m going to look after you, however, you need to reframe from fighting me.” He whispers once again as I place my hand on his which covered my mouth and attempted to pull it away, but still to no avail.

“I’m not going to hurt you, just calm down.” He whispers once again but I wasn’t going to believe a word this man said, if his intentions were not to hurt me, why was he taking me by force?!

I refused to give up fighting as he drags me with ease towards the lining of trees which surrounded this house but also many other areas, this whole village type community hidden within the creepy but amazing forest I was gazing in last night. But I knew one thing, if he was able to drag me through these trees, who knows if I’ll be able to get out again.

This thought alone caused me to fight the hardest I had this entire time; it even caused the guy to weaken his grip around me for a split second, but I was quickly in his grip as fast as I was out of it. Before I could stop it, he has successfully dragged me into the lining of the trees where the house disappears from my view.

He begins to drag me over to what seemed to be a rock wall, once we had reached it, I’m turned around with my back against the wall facing him. This is when I had the chance to see face to face who had kidnapped me and boy, was I blown away and frozen in place. This man was hottest man I had ever seen in all my days, he had deep brown almost black hair with the bluest of eyes to match.

As soon as my eyes locked with his, it was a though they never wanted to see anything else again. The entire world and the situation we were in fizzled away, all my thoughts, attention and life wanted to evolve around this mystery man. His hand was still placed over my mouth, while his other held onto my arm firmly but not hard enough to cause me any pain.

“I am going to remove my hand from your mouth now, don’t scream or make a run for it.” He says our eyes still locked with one another, I reframe from moving a single inch in response as he finally, removes his hand from my mouth with a cautions look.

We continue to stand there in silence for a few moments, both of us lost in the moment. I had no idea what was going around his head, while I was intrigued but also alarmed why I felt a little at ease once my eyes had locked with his.

“I want to reiterate that I will not cause you any kind of harm.” He tells me a little hint of a smile on his lips, but his comment only caused me to snap out of whatever trance I was in and realise what was still happening.

“Then I deeply apologise.” Is all I say before I bring my leg up and knee him in the groin, he instantly, doubled down in pain which caused the little grip he had on my arm to loosen.

Without a second thought, I slip from his grip and bolt away towards where he had just dragged me, the terrain was anything but easy to battle through, but I had determination on my side. The lining of the trees begin to thin out, where the

house I had been staying for a week comes into view not that far. But I also heard something behind me, which I intuitively knew was this man hot on my tail. Why is he so hellbent on kidnapping me?!

I proceed to turn around behind me to see how far away he was, but before I had the chance to even take a glimpse, I trip on a tree root and end up falling to the ground. My hands go out in front of me to break my fall, where am instant pain of somethings sharp stabbing into me takes over. But I knew I didn’t have time sit and assess the wounds; this man has the upper hand now I’m laying on the floor.

I turn from laying on my stomach to facing up on my back, where to my horror, he was right behind looking down a little concerned as I lay there. I begin to crawl backwards as much as I could, but still the bumpy terrain caused that very task to be difficult.

“Please leave me alone!” I exclaim pleading with the guy who easily walks towards me, trying to take a grasp of my leg but I make sure to keep moving as quickly as the ground would allow me.

“Why aren’t you listening to me? I can’t allow you to leave me, stop fighting me and accept it.” He responds once my back had hit what seemed to be a tree, why can’t this forest be on my side for once and allow me to leave?!

“I will not accept this! If you want to take me so badly, be prepared for a fight!” I shout back now kicking his hands away as he continues to attempt to grasp my legs, but once that sentence left my lips, a dangerous smirk fills his own.

“Challenge accepted.” He smirks in a deeper voice this time and in a swift movement, had taken hold of one of my legs and pulls me closer to him.

I scream in surprise and try my hardest to grasp at the floor, but with my hands injured to an extent I wasn’t sure of at the moment, I had to release them due to pain running up my arms. Now he had me in his grasp, he easily reaches down and picks me up into the air, before I could even blink, I’m thrown over his shoulder and while he proceeds to walk me back deeper into the forest like he had first intended to do so.

Initially, I was in a state of shock, one minute I was crawling away from this guy and now the next, I’m thrown over his huge shoulders. Once the shock had somewhat eased, I realised he had the upper hand in this scenario. Let the fight begin again!

I start by attempting to wiggle my way out of his arms, the thought did of course cross my mind that I may end up falling on my head if he drops me, but that could give me the upper hand to run.

But when he only tightened his grip and my plan was ultimately, failing, I decide I need an innovative approach. I begin to smack at his back but due to my hands again, this hurt so much so I balled up my fists as much as I could and began to attack him that way.

“Put me down!” I scream louder as I continue to smack his back, but it didn’t even slow his pace down at all, nothing I was doing was causing this man to stop for even a second!

“You can fight all you want little one, now I have you in my possession, I’m never letting you go.” He tells me so nonchalantly, it was as though what was happening was an everyday occurrence that everyone experienced, but his comment also worried me to the core, why was he so chill when it came to kidnapping people?!

“Let me go!” I scream even louder than I previously had, I was planning on being as loud as humanly possible in hopes anyone in the surrounding area would hear me and come to my aid.

“That is also not going to aid you, we have entered into the deepest section of the wood, no one is going to hear you.” He says which caused me to freeze in my attempts, the fear of what may be laying ahead for me was looming in my mind.

I was about to start making him to let me go when we entered another part of the woods, as soon as we entered the atmosphere engulfing us seemed to shift. I had never experienced a shift such as this but in a sense, it felt as though I should be here even though I don’t have any idea where in which we really were.

He didn’t slow his pace as the once wooded type terrain changed to a gravel path, I begin to look around and see we were entering what resembled a town like community. But the one issue which was troubling me, I didn’t see any other people around like I thought this place was intended to have.

Before I had the chance to dwell more on that troubling thought, he begins to climb a set of stone steps leading into a mansion looking building. My heart rate picks up once again at the thought of what he may be planning to do once we fully entered scared the heck out of me! I begin to scan my surroundings where I notice the most breathtakingly beautiful living area stood, it seemed very grand as like what you would expect to see in a five-star hotel, heck they even had a huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling!

But what was troubling me again was the lack of people, it was as though me and this mysterious kidnapper were the only people around. From the look and atmosphere of this place, it gives off that many people live here and seem happy, but where are all these people now?

That thought once again was placed at the back of my mind once I had realised, we had climbed a huge staircase and now was heading down a corridor. Why did I give up fighting?! I begin to hit and scratch him this time on the back to try and surprise him, where he may end up dropping me. But it once again, didn’t seem to faze him and he continued on his merely way with me still on his back!

“Put me down!” I scream even louder than I did before, he only responds with a chuckle as we turn left and enter what resembled a huge bedroom.

“As you wish.” Was all he said before I’m removed from his shoulder and thrown, I fall through the air for a split second before landing on a soft surface, which I soon discover what seemed to be a kings sized bed.

He stood at the foot of the bed with the same devilish smirk he had back in the woods, but this time seemed to be somewhat more terrifying due to where he had taken me. My eyes soon dart from him to look at the open bedroom door we had just walked through, then back to him where I was mentally, debating what his response time would be like.

Without a second thought, I jump from the bed and make a mad dash for the bedroom door. But before I could even make it remotely close, he was able to take ahold of me and pull me right back.

“Not so fast little one.” He smiles before I’m pushed slightly, I was now by the wall and the bed while he stood in front of me, blocking my exit to the door.

“What do you want with me?!” I shout so loudly that I thought my voice was going to break, but when he only smiles at me and places his hands into his pocket, it tells me he isn’t going to give me an answer. “Okay let me rephrase the question, why did you just kidnap me?!” I ask unaware if he wasn’t quite keeping up with what was happening right now!

“I wouldn’t call it kidnap; I was simply taking what is mine.” He replies with a dangerous look in his eye, I take a step backwards from shock and also, quite a bit of fear for a second.

“I’m not sure what you think is going on here, but I can assure you that I’m not yours.” I tell him point blank, I don’t know what day and age he thinks we’re living in but nowadays, you can’t just go around and claim someone is yours.

“I can assure you, every inch of you belongs to me, your whole being is mine.” He says in a growl like tone, his eyes seeming to go a shade darker as he spoke.

“If I’m yours, then how come I don’t know your name?” I ask trying to outsmart him that way, it’s impossible for someone to own me when we have never met until the time, he thought it appropriate to abduct me!

“Well, that is an easy fix, my name is Asher.” He says with a smile his hands in his pockets once again. “What is your name?” He asks raising his eyebrow, but I just laugh crossing my arms over my chest.

“As if I’m telling you, my name.” I scoff looking to the side slightly, perhaps in my mind I believed I would have the upper hand if he didn’t know my name after all of this.

“That’s okay, I’ll simply call you mi amour.” He smiles where it was my turn to raise an eyebrow, I’m not skilled in languages but I’m more than certain he’s speaking Spanish.

“What does that mean?” I ask not wishing to sound dumb, but I was curious, this question causes him to chuckle before taking a slow step backwards and closer to the door.

“You will learn soon, now I have some work I need to address, I will be back soon to see how you’re settling in.” He says turning around and walking through the door, but a smile soon forms on my lips that he thinks I’m really going to be here when he gets back. “Do not worry mi amour, I will be locking the door just to be safe.” He smirks towards me as though he could read my mind, my eyes go wide as I run at full speed over to the door.

But before I could escape, he closes the door where the sounds of a key locking it fills the room. I attempt to pull on the handle but with no luck.

“You can’t keep me in here, let me out!” I scream now hitting the door with the back of my hand, but when the sounds of his footsteps walking down the hall get quieter overtime, I knew he had gone.

I turn around with my back against the door staring out into the new bedroom which functioned as a prison.

Why am I here?