Chapter One: Trapped

I sprinted down the hall with tears pouring down my slashed face. The air stung the gashes, I stared straight ahead not bothering to look at my surroundings or back for the predator-that I knew would realise I was gone soon. I kept striding, there was only a window ahead and I doubted this was the first floor- but I didn't care- I figured the torture I'd endured had completely desensitised me of any pain.
I was near the bright window so I leapt into the air covering my midsection-the vital organs I could not let be punctued. Then my face was connecting with the glass, it was painful like diving face first into an empty pool. My body was a rag doll bouncing off the glass and smashing into the hard paneled floor. I wasn't sure but it seemed like there was more blood, there was an odd sensation- not quite painful(yet)- shooting up my left arm. Why hadn't I gone through the glass? I paniced staring at the reflective sheet that now had oily skin mark from my face. Adrenaline pumping I jumped back up, there was a stagering pain as I did so-it took all I had not to scream... To give away my position. I looked down to where my most immediate pain eminated from- my left hand- it was limp and swelling a centimeter per second. Shattered most definately, I had no mobility of my left hand or wrist- but I'd cross that bridge when I came to it. I ran back to the glass pressing on it, then with my right hand I tried to bash it more carefully this time.Nothing.
Then it sprung on me- bullet proof glass, that sick-o was smart. I turned to look at my surroundings, I was standing in a blood-red velvet hallway lined with doors like an abandoned five star hotel. I dashed to the closest door on my right. I jiggled the knob no luck...locked. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted him, his beady red eyes, dark hair, pale skin, menicing stance.His bone white hands carved into claws, and on his white tank top was my blood.
When he saw my round green eyes appraising him a smirk came across his face. I whimpered in the back of my throat.I didn't see his advance-he was much too fast- I just expected it, my body automaticly curled into a ball-tensing for pain. I squeezed my eyes shut, then there was a sharp smack against my side and I swear I heard my ribs on the right side crack. While I was soaring toward the window wall- the right corner to be exact- someone had accomplished what I had failed at. There was a body smashing through the window, charging right at the canibal monster. Before I could see what that body did to him I collided with the wall, that was too much for my already broken, bruised and bleeding body.
I blacked out.
When I was in my black abyss, I felt another terrible pain in my left arm- it distracted me from all the rest of the pain, because it was worse than anything I'd ever felt before it resurfaced me to conciousness but quickly drug me back. It was at the crease of my elbow and spreading like the wild fire that it felt like. I heard a hiss- and a flurry of curse words I couldn't distinguish, my body was riddled with pain. I couldn't hold back the screams that ripped up my throat. My body convulsed, my back arching in pain- of it's own accord. I was to weak and battered to regain mobility. Then something was lifting my batterd left arm causing my left hand to rub the ground, I shrieked out in the blackness for him to just finish me off right here. I didn't know if he heard me or if he'd listen- but I kept begging, 'It's burning please stop! I can't take anymore, kill me'.
Maybe he had a concious after all because within a few seconds there was a stabbing in my left arm and then there was nothing. The fire was receeding back to the place that it started from, I was thankful when I was freezing and numb. My heart rate was slowing and I was happy to know it was almost over. I was finally free. I hoped that the maniac could see the smile that I was trying to put on my numb face. I felt something again... it was sleep deprivation. I was once again euphoric, in every movie they always said 'they were tired' and once they relaxed, they relaxed into a slumber that lasted... Forever. Before I could relax though I could feel my heart again and it was struggling to pick up- it was restarting. I wailed, there was a response to my wail but I couldn't decipher it, I was to distraut. Then my entire body was being lifted off the ground, I struggled weakly, I'd realised that when my heart restarted I regained my motor skills. My weak attempts were nothing, my arms were restricted and my legs to weak. I wasn't resticted in the painful way that that life sucking demon always did, that shocked me. I tried to open my eyes so that I could see who was holding me so closely- like a child- to their chest. After a minute of my eyes wheeling around I finally was able to look up at the man, he looked back down at me with big worried golden eyes. This was not the same man who had kidnapped and tortured me.
He spoke then, "You are safe now, you can sleep." I didn't know if I could trust this man but I was unreasonably tired and he did save my life. I looked around and saw nothing but a blur of green and brown... Trees? I looked at the man again worried, how were we moving this fast? There was no car. Was he like the other man? My wide desperate eyes must have given me away because when he looked down again he said, "Don't worry this will all be explained later, but right now you need to sleep."
I listened because I already trusted him with the life he had just saved- mine. But before I could sleep I had to know his name.
"What is your name," I whispered, I don't know how he heard me, I bearly heard what I said.
"Emmett, " he answered directly. "Now sleep," he said and then began to hum. I felt like a giant baby, craddled to a chest, helpless my-once- beautiful face stained with tears and being sang a lullaby. I relaxed into his arms and closed my eyes, blocking out the moonlight and drifting to sleep.

Chapter Two: Nightmares

When I slept I dreamed, not a dream exactly- a nightmare really. I dreamed that my beautiful savior had stopped to bandage me and THAT MANIAC FOUND US....
****
My ravaged body was lying on a cot in some abandoned building- or something along those lines jittering and sobbing, the man- Emmett was pulling out gauz from some sort of bag he must have snagged on our way. He turned on me, nostrils flaring, I was afraid that maybe this was it. He'd only saved me to lose to his own life sucking demon and devour me. He didn't though, his eyes were wheeling around suspiciously as if he were looking for something invisable. He darted over to where my body was, reached out to grab me but quickly decided against it when he touched one of my battered ribs and I jumped whimpering. He growled jaws taut, then he was flashing around the room to each window and crack closing it off. He looked to me then, he couldn't run with me any more, my body was bearly keeping from falling apart on that cot.
"Go," I whispered quieter than a rogue walking on sponges. His expression went crazed for a second and he froze but I continued on the same breath ignoring his glare. "It's me he wants. You don't have to do this." I'd already fallen for him- or maybe I was infatuated by the fact that he'd saved my life. Either way I could not sit there helplessly while he fought to the death for me, not when I knew I could do something- anything... Including giving myslef to be tortured to death- some more. I tried to sit up, it was extremely painful but I managed it with a minimal amount of whimpers. He thawed from the ice cube, at my side imediately pushing my shoulders back down, gently. I couldn't fight him, my bones had turned to jelly. When my body had finally sagged back down onto the thin cot, he leaned down and pressed his cool lips to my fore head-one of the few bruiseless patches on my body. My heart fluttered, he lingered there until that crazed killer burst in the far window. Emmett growled then and whirled to face off with him.
****
My dream abruptly changed. I was outside in the forest... running- or running to the best of my ability considering all my injuries. It was more like dragging, I may as well have been standing still for all the progress I was making. After about ten meters which had felt like a hundred miles to my haggared bodice, I stopped and leaned thankfully against a spruce tree. I stayed there to gather another burst of energy to drag myself a good seven more meters. Simotaneously I heard someone breathing- a shallow laugh maybe. Suddenly that burst had become a days supply, I used that new adrenaline rush to ignore the protesting of my bones and flesh as I struggled to run. God must have been with me because I was flying through the forest- running like I had for Penn State. I was tripping on the vines, twigs and roots but each time I fell I bounced back continuing to pick up speed. I was at a fork in the trail I took the path to the left there was more light, I could find my way better in there. I was rushing down the path so fast that up until I was shrouded in darkness and looking back I had not realised that my path had curved right taking me directly to the right path. I groaned mentally at the waste of time and the lack of site. I tried to think of a way to cover my tracks, realising there was none I pushed my every cell and thought into runing faster. Soaring, I didn't notice my bare feet scrapping the forest floor until I slammed them down. I was sliding right into that psycho path, he was so close- right there in my face. I was staring blanky it was inevitable- Fate. There was no point in running it would only tire me out and make my torture that much worse. Instead I planted my feet and waited...
He opened his mouth, but before any sound could come out I was waking up.
****
When I finally opened my eyes we were at a standstill and Emmett's eyes were on me. I was instantly self concious and I tried to no avail to get out of his arms. I setteled for sitting up, he allowed this motion and I noticed that it did not hurt so much. Once I was upright I lifted what should have been my tattered bloody grey tank top, instead I was lifting a royal bue dress not caring that Emmett was still in the room. I did however catch him marveling at my legs before turning his head. I was appraising the wrap around my torso when I asked, "Did you do all this?"
"Not exactly... I had some help," as he said this a short red head appeared around the corner. I was stunned into silence by her beauty. She was short- shorter than me I assumed she was petite- thinner than me. Her shoulders were more rounded than mine, she looked about my age-twenty-one-all her physical features were smaller than mine but in a way more appealing. My eyes eventually found her face her thin pink lips were spreading into a warm smile-her shiny teeth were a little disorienting. To scary for her warm caring face- her nose was small and there was a small mole off center to the left. Her eyes were shaped like slightly more rounded footballs, her eye brows pulling her tiny features together perfectly. Now that I took a closer look I realised that her hair was aurburn and flowing sinuously to mid-back at least. Now that she had stopped moving I could spot some streaks of bright color... Green? Blue? Turquoise! I thought of my own plain stain black hair wondering what she would think of it.
"Great your up," she said. She was moving towards us her hand out stretched. "I'm Maxine but call me Max!"
"Hi, I'm Amaya but everyone calls me Mya," she nodded and turned to head out of the room.
"Well, I'll see you later... right?" she said stopping at the door and peering around me to Emmett- probably continuing an earlier argument.
"Sure."
"Good, beacause you woke up at a bumb time Darien- my boyfriend and I have some errands to run. Oh! An P.S everyone calls him D- Otter- behind his back so just call him 'D'"
I didn't see D flash over but suddenly Max was giggling, D pulling her in a circle. He suddenly stopped like a kid caught red handed. I was at a loss for words, I wanted to tell him he could be himself but when I finally found the words Max beat me to it.
"You can trust her D, be yourself she actually likes it better than the pretending we normally do." She worded it better than me. D nodded and gave me huge goofy grin.
"See you later Max," I called as they disappeared.
"You to Mya," echoed back to me and I smiled.
I turned to Emmett who had been watching quietly sitting on the edge of the giant bed. I wanted badly to return to his embrace, I was confortable there- safe. I walked back to stand in front of him, I looked out the window it was still dark. I felt as if ever since my abduction my life was being lived through the night.
"How long was I out?"
"Twelve hours," Twelve? He saw my expression and changed the subject."What were you dreaming about, you were jabbering on all day," a small smile lit his face.
"Oh my gosh, did I hit you? I'm sorry."
"No but you were fighting a little- there was much more talking though," he amended.
"I was having nightmares."
"What about?" I stared at him but he looked genuinely curious.
So, I sat down to explain both nightmares.
When I finished there were tears in my eyes. I didn't leave out any details including the kiss. He pulled me into his arms rubbing my back comfortingly. His consoling me brought back another question "So I've been sleeping in your arms the entire time?"
"Pretty much,"
"Why?"
"Well because the things you were saying," my eyes went wide.
"What did you hear," I demanded I was so worried he'd heard something I didn't want him to hear.
"Um..."
"From the begining please," I demanded more sweetly this time, making sure he couldn't miss anything.
"Well first you were just kind of fighting. But then... you started saying 'he's found us' and 'you don't have to do this'. I was worried and I rushed home without stopping for any mediction or bandages for you. I about had a heart attack when you started saying that you weren't running any more and that you were ready to stop. I didn't know what you meant by your words... I called Max to help me interperate but when she saw your condition she insisted on patching you up and making you 'Beautiful'," as he said beautiful he made air quotations. My face fell, he didn't think I was beautiful... But of course why would he- this Adonis- want me a plain Jane. For the first time since he saved me I looked away from his face. I studied my palms trying to rub the skin off to cause pain to distract my mind. Emmett must have noticed because he wrapped his long fingers around my wrists forming manacls. Pulling my hands apart and putting them to my sides, before I could stop myself I was wrapping my arms around him. It was like a dream, I saw my own caramel colored arms moving at an irratably slow pace. I was surprised that he allowed this, I thought blood sucking immortals were supposed to be like in the books and movies... All indecipherable, and awkward around people. When I conciously registered that Emmett saved me, my moronic brain had come to the conclusion that our story would be like 'Twilight' all heroism, love and modesty. Just like every other thing since deciding to go to that party... It was wrong. That was my way of coping with a bad situation. Disconnecting from my mind and trying to look at it as if I were an outsider, judge it's mistakes as if they were not my own... It made it easier to come to a solution or analyze my life.
When I finally looked at Emmett's face I could tell he was thinking about something too, concentrating. I waved my hand in front of his eyes but I didn't get too see if he reacted, when I saw the blood red color on my nails my brain went into a melt down. Just seeing that color there brought back my capture... ***
Swaying to the music, I stood just off the edge of the bar. I was close to my cousin Kale I could see my short skirt flowing with the steady rock of my hips. Kale turned to me then, "I can't believe we got invited to this party!" We had always been party girls, so being invited to an upperclass party in college came as no surprise to me. I was in my third year of College and Kale was in her fourth.
I laughed with her and then replied,"I can't believe they paid all this money just rent out this bar... Yeah it's kind of cool but I mean seriously."She nodded in agreement but then looked across the room over my shoulder her stare caused me to turn and look too.
He was beutiful in an exotic islander way, he was looking our way and now that he had our attention he motioned us forward- or at least that's what I thought. I looped my arm through Kale's locking our elbows, towing her along. Suddenly the motionless man moved shaking his head 'No'. Kale pulled away from me to point to herself 'no' again, I swalloed and pointed to myself. He nodded then I crossed my arms and looked to Kale.
"I'm not always gonna be there I mean come on, you don't need me. But if you do I'll be right here." I nodded and looked back to that man, a new song had started 'Man Down by Rihanna'. I took a deep breath and started making my way through the crowd toward Mr. Mysterious.
***
Emmett jumped under me and my eyes snapped open, he was instantly dabbing at the tears on my face. I was not concerned with that however I was worried about what could possibly shock an vampire- maybe they weren't as indestructable as I'd once thought, my stomache turned.
"What," I asked my eyes darting around the room. I didn't see anything out of place or detect any danger, but again I could be wrong.
"You...-" It didn't quite sound like an accusation, but my first response was confused but repentant.
"What? I'm so sorry! But what did I do?"
He didn't answer immediately, and that must be a bad sign, my mind was on over load dealing with so many emotions and then trying to figure out what could have provoked this kind of reaction from Emmett. Within the thirty second period between me waving my hand in his face and me reliving about twenty second (reality time) tragedy that later lead to the trauma I just experienced. My mind was drawing a blank.
Finally Emmett pulled himself together and looked into my eyes, but my relief was washed away with his words.
"What are you?" I was caught off gaurd and that was just too much. I jumped away from him and then looked at him as if he were the freak he was insinuating I was. Emmett stared as if I hadn't moved he was still waiting for my answer.
For a second I was questioning his sanity, but then he jumped up in a blurred movement and was at the window.
"No, I'm not insane. Are you a telepath?" My eyes went wide and a hysterical laugh burst through my lips.
"How did you know what I was thinking? And you mean like a mutant- like an X-man proffesor X?" I was confused and my words were rushed and mixed up. Emmett seemed to have caught every word though and he was no longer shaken.
"Yes! Exactly like that, you were projecting your thoughts on me!"
"What do you mean?"
"Has anyone around you had the same dream as you or agreed with you even though they were against it before."
"Yeah, but thats only because I'm very persuasive and or coincidence," but before I could finish he was shaking his head.
"No, it is because you can project your thoughts. You are a telepath with untapped potential."
"So if all of that is true how much have I projected on you?''
"A whole lot but before I didn't know that it was you," I just stared at him puzzled, pain shot down my side, my face was pinched up, Emmett was there before I could look up. "The medication must be wearing off." He scooped me up and started down the beige colored hallway with mahogony stair rails and flooring.
I waited in his arms for him to answer my question to my satisfaction.And when he did not I moved on to another one- but did not forget that one.
"How did you find me," I was watching him so closely looking up to his face-from this point I only saw his chest, neck and jaw- I saw his jaw flex in an instant but relax before I could figure out if I imagined it.
"Well thats a long story..."
"We have a while," I said but quickly tried to amend my statement."I hope," I breathed quietly. He looked down and blinked rapidly,"what?"
"I can see what you are imagining," He offered aloud. I hopped from his arms forgetting for a moment the pain, a curse escaped my lips.
I rushed down the hall, to my left was a powder room, I ducked inside. I tried to close the door but Emmett hadn't frozen when I leapt from his arms, he followed me silently-a grain of sand flowing with the wind.
His foot in the threshold,"What? What's wrong Mya?"How could he not understand how I felt... Maybe Vampires didn't have useless emotions like jealousy or embarrassment. Before my mind had went all projectile I was thinking about how I was seriously falling in love with him, how comfortable I was in his presence and how I felt like the Queen of Egypt when he held me. I tried once again to close the door- though I knew his foot was there-when the latch did not click I pressed my back to the wall and slumped to the ground. Emmett came in anyway immediately heading to a closet adjacent to where I slouched and grabbed the things neccessary to patch me up again.
"You don't understand do you? How detrimental it was to keep that thought to myself until the right time...," I questioned, growing aggrivated that he seemed untouched by my mood."Which could be never," I sighed quietly. He ignored the later part.
"No, I don't. I don't see what's so detrimental about sharing your love with me- with anyone." By this time he was pulling me from the floor by my shoulders like a toddler- I thought it was wierd how often I felt like a child when I was with him. He pulled me up onto his lap, I could feel his stare locked on the side of my face but refused to look up at him. Pulling my chin up he whispered, "You have to cooperate with me if we want this to work."
I breifly wondered what 'we' wanted to work, but decided I didn't want to ask, what if it wasn't the answer I was looking for. I decided that he was right and that pouting was not the way to resolve any problem, standing up I looked for a way to show my torsole with out exposing my entire body. Emmett stood with me but was motionless at my side.
"So...,"I began breaking into his reverie.
"Yes?"
"How are we going to do this?" I asked eyeing the gauz and then my floor length cocktail dress.
"Oh... However you want I don't care either way." Thanks for your help I thought sourly. I finally decided that holding up the dress would be too tedious so turned my back to Emmett.
"Unzip me... Please." I wished I would of been looking at his face so that I could guess the reason for his hesitation. When he finally reached up to undo the zipper, his touch almost shocked me. The tension between us was almost tangible. I knew that if I didn't do this now I would change my mind, I dropped the dress off my shoulders. I wasn't sure if I was imagining the steady flow of energy eminating off his body, the short pause felt like a decade. Then it was time to get to work, Emmett's cool marble hand appeared to my left with two white pills, I sighed wearily but followed the silent command. I turned to the sink to get some water, as soon as I turned around to the wall length mirror above the sink I saw a cresent moon shaped scar on my left arm at the crease of my elbow. I raised my right hand slowly tracing the puckered pink skin. Emmett broke the prolonged silence.
"I'm sorry," he whispered into the skin at the nape of my neck I whirled on him.
"Why are you sorry? You didn't do this... Did you?" I couldn't put it past him but I doubted he would have. He just shook his head and backed away his face unreadable- cold and lifeless. I wanted so badly to console him, realising my hand was full I turned back to the sink filling the small dixie cup with water. After swallowing the wretched pills I washed away the taste with the gulp of water. In my haste I nearly spilled it down my chest, I dabbed at my face with the sink side towel. I walked back to Emmett standing just inches from his angelic face, I looked up into his eyes waiting for him to elaborate on his earlier statement. Apparently, it was clear what I wanted, he sighed and reached out to sweep the stray hairs from my face as he spoke.
"When I heard the banging noise coming from the window of that abandoned building... I went to see what was going on... It was hard to tell from the woods below- where I stood so I scaled the building next door. When I saw you bleeding and distressed I acted mostly on instinct. I burst in to help, and when he realised my intentions were to help not harm he acted in spite, springing on you. I was just a second too late pulling him off..." I waited silently, remembering from a different angle my rescue. "I knew I was too late because during the fight I could hear you screaming," He reached up to cover his ears as if the scream was still grating on his ear drums. "Your scream it... Calls to me. More than any I've ever heard. Like It was- is- my destiny to keep you safe." I just nodded and he wrapped his arms around me. "Ever since that moment I vowed to myself to never have to hear you sream like that again..." I didn't want to let go but I knew I needed new bandages. Emmett grabbed the gauz and we decided that it would be easier if he sat and I spun. He quickly undid my old bandages and rubbed on a new coat of healing salve, I turned my side to the reflective glass to examine the damage. My stomache heaved, there were three gashes on my side across my ribs each layed open like lips. I covered my mouth and looked away.
I held the begining of the bandage and spun slowly as Emmett played doctor and patched me up. When we finished I was glad to get dressed, I stepped into the middle of the pile that was my dress on the floor. Emmett was quicker than me he grabbed the dress and slid the dress over me and zipped me in before I could even think through what was happening.
"So was that your room," I asked as we stepped out of the bathroom.
He chuckled,"No. That is the guest room..." He paused and I had the joy of watching his eyes light with excitement,"Do you want to see my room?"
"Of course!" I followed eagerly behind him vaguely registering that we had began to ascend the flight of stairs. At the top of the stairs was one door it opened to a huge golden room. The carpet was a golden-vanilla color and plush under my bare feet, across the room was a large ornately carved wooden dresser with -antique knobs. I guessed it was over a hundred years old. Adjacent to the dresser was a king sized bed swathed in silky-white sheets and folded neatly at the bottom was a pale gold quilt. My eyes trailed over to the huge entertainment system, its shelves stocked with movies and cd's . I stepped around Emmett entering the room first, I spun around to express my admiration to him. He was still in the doorway a simple yet indescribable look on his face. But then I looked at the picture surrounding the frame. The largest was hung in a long chestnut frame with a black and white photo of Emmett in a suit standing in front of a small bank. His face an exact replica of his flawless face. "When was this?" I asked motioning him over.
"In 1987, in front of first national bank of Pittsburg

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 03.07.2011

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