Darkest Days

Darkest Days - Chapter Three

After hours of tossing and turning from both stress and the rocky surface beneath her, Nakia finally gave up on trying to get any sufficient sleep. She shuffled around in the small alcove until she was able to stand up. The roof of the small cave was fairly low so she had to hunch over to avoid knocking her head against the stone above her. Peeking out, she tried to find a way back to shore that wouldn't involve her diving back into the frigid waters.

She spotted a large boulder peeking out above the surface of the water just a few feet away. If she was careful, she'd be able to hop to it and use it as a stepping stone to get back on dry land. Inching slowly to the edge of the stone floor beneath her, she reached one leg out toward the boulder. Unfortunately, it was still a few inches out of reach. Nakia knew she'd have to jump to it. She shook her arms and legs to rid them of the stiffness provided by sleeping on the solid ground. After a couple of deep breaths and some mental preparation, she jumped as carefully as she could toward the slippery rock. One foot landed right in the center while the other hung precariously in the air. Her arms waved frantically as she tried to get her balance. Just as she was about to fall backwards, she managed to grasp at the rock face of the cliff that formed the waterfall. With a sigh of relief, she steadied herself and managed to get both feet planted on the small area of the stone beneath her.

After a brief pause to compose herself, she eyed the river bank in front of her. With a deep breath, she pushed off of the stone toward the sandy shore. As her feet hit the ground, she stumbled forward and face planted into the soft ground with a grunt. Nakia groaned as she got to her feet before brushing off all the sand and dirt from her skin and clothing. The white gown she'd escaped in was stained brown from the mud she'd fallen in. With a sigh, she looked around at the forest surrounding her. "Now what do I do?" She questioned to no one as she placed her hands on her hips.

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Aurelius had been looking out over the cliff, trying to figure out what he was going to do next. He finally escaped! No more chains, no more whips, and especially no more of that vampire bitch. Eyes lifted up to the sky as he took in a triumphant breath before looking back down just in time to see a girl standing on the beach. A brow arched and he began to wonder if she had been sent to search for him. With a small growl, the elf turned to climb right back up his tree. Shifting, he silently hopped from tree to tree until he was in one that was right above her.

He eyed her for a moment from his perch. She was definitely...No! Bad! She could easily be the enemy and he was going to get her before she got him. He dove from the tree and tackled her to the ground. A scream filled the surrounding area as Nakia hit the ground. 'Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. I'm fucked. This guy is going to drag me back to the city. I'm so dead.' Panic began to overwhelm her as she struggled as much as her sore muscles would allow. He pressed his hands firmly against her shoulders and placed his knees between her legs to keep them from kicking any place he really didn't want to be kicked.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?! Tell the truth or I will kill you!" That thick Irish accent came out quickly and demanding. It was obvious he was strong with how his muscles rippled under his tanned skin. His harsh yellow eyes stared down at her. He wanted answers and he was going to get some before he decided whether he should let her go free or not.

The elf's words went in one ear and out the other. All Nakia could focus on was the fact that some vampire had her pinned and if she didn't do something quick, her escape would have been for nothing. "Get off of me you damn leech! If you're going to take me back at least have the balls to fight me like a man!"

He arched a brow as she struggled beneath him, making him smirk in a rather cocky way. So she wasn't a vampire, and she thought he was? Hah. "My my. Oh, I don't know. Why shouldn't I take you back, hm?" He asked with a tilt of his head, waiting for her to come to her senses and realize what he was. The pointy ears were a dead giveaway after all. It took a moment, but Nakia finally noticed them. Her initial fear had distracted her from spotting the details that made it obvious the man on top of her was, in fact, not a vampire, but an elf. She ceased her flailing and glared up at him. "Hm. Maybe because you'd be killed on the spot if you did? Now get your perverted self off of me you freak." She shoved her hands up against his chest, trying and failing to push the larger man off of her.