The Star Maidens Curse (A Dark Adventure)

The Star Maidens Curse 3 - The Others

Chapter 3—The Others

The three of them stepped toward me. I hurled my portfolio at them, a useless weapon but the only one I had, and bolted, but I wasn't fast enough and almost immediately, powerful arms pinioned me. As I tried to scream, Cillian grabbed me and clamped his hand over my mouth. I wished I had taken a karate class or kickboxing, something that would help me fight them off.

There was none of that. Art and ballet. Why did I get made to do ballet? That wasn't going to help me now. It was never going to help me.

Cillian threw his damp jacket over my head. I struggled furiously but felt myself lifted into their arms. The jacket muffled my screams. I felt panic as I struggled to breathe. The more I resisted, the tighter they held me.

"There's nowhere to run, Tilly," Torin tauntingly whispered against my ear. "You belong to us now."

They began to run. I was blinded and almost deafened by the jacket over my head. My hearing was reduced to the muffled gravel crunching and the torturous sounds of my own breathing.

I had no idea where they were taking me or why. I felt every jolt jostling my body and each one sent my panic levels a little higher. I felt like I couldn't breathe properly, and I struggled to get a grip on myself. Panicking wouldn't help me now.

My heart beat erratically, spurred by panic. I wriggled and writhed but my efforts only prompted them to grip me until I was completely immobilised.

Don't Panic. Don't panic. Think straight, I told myself.

But I couldn't. How could I think straight when I was being abducted? How could I apply any sort of logic to a situation so far removed from anything I would have thought possible before today?

My mind refused to focus on escape. All I could think about was the darkness in Fionn's eyes as he kissed my hand. What did these men want with me? God, I didn't want to die, I wanted to live.

The muffled gravely sound of the road transformed to the cushioned sound of open land and finally the crunching of leaves and branches as they fled deep into the forest.

"Did you hear that?" Fionn whispered to the others.

They came to a complete halt and stood so motionless I couldn't even hear them breathe. A subtle shift in the air raised the hackles on the back of my neck. I made no attempt to struggle.

I was lowered to the ground and the jacket removed from my head. Before I could react, Torin placed his fingers on my lips and shook his head ever so slightly. Cillian and Fionn scanned the area. As I watched them, I noticed their dilated pupils. I became even more alarmed when they sniffed the air like wild animals on the hunt.

Cillian took a few silent steps forward and carefully scanned the area. Once again, I noticed the eerie silence. The rising sun gradually broke through the thundering clouds and banished the morning chill. Even so, I felt an unpleasant cold seep into my flesh. I desperately wanted to be anywhere but here with three men who truly frightened me.

Fionn retreated and stepped close to his brothers. I felt eyes on me and noticed the intent way Cillian watched me.

"They're here," Fionn said.

Who? I hoped someone might yet come to my aid. I was more than a little irritated at myself that I had managed to lose my phone, my only means of communication, through my carelessness. Donte was expecting me to meet him at nine, but it would be a while before he'd be concerned enough about my tardiness to become worried.

The faintest rustling preceded flashes of movement all around us. At first I thought it was my imagination, but as the brothers surrounded me in a tight circle, I noticed several shadows emerge from the trees toward us.