The Star Maidens Curse (A Dark Adventure)

The Star Maidens Curse Chapter 4 - Scars

Images flooded my mind of kidnappings, cults, and worse. But these were stories found in the newspapers or in television reports of from big cities, not sleepy countryside villages. They happened to other people, not to me.

I felt eyes on me. Now I understood how prey felt before they were pounced upon by unseen predators lurking nearby.

"Well, if it isn't the lost lamb come back to the flock," Torin said, stepping out nonchalantly from behind a tree.

Fionn's darker voice held no lightness as he appeared quite suddenly at my side and looked emotionlessly at me.

"Thanks to you, Tilly, the leader of the Gatemen escaped."

I cringed. Fionn frightened me the most. But I wasn't about to show it. I wouldn't let him see that I was afraid of him. If they were going to kill me anyway, then I could at least make their lives a bit more difficult first.

"Thanks to me? You kidnap me in broad daylight then blame me for a fight that's not even mine? Your quarrel with those men is yours! How am I at fault here?" I ask with indignation.

Who the hell do these guys think they are?

My words silence I had so much more to say, but the words died in my throat when I glimpsed a bloody wound on his hand literally heal before my eyes. A cold shudder coursed through my body. Now my doubts had been confirmed. Though Fionn and the others appeared human, they clearly weren't. But what were they? Vampires?

No, vampires aren't real I told myself. But neither was regeneration or whatever the hell that was, and yet I had just seen it with my own eyes.

I decided it was probably better not to know exactly what these...these things...were. I just had to concentrate on escaping.

Fionn followed my gaze to his fixed hand and merely smiled as he fixed his shredded shirt.

Torin approached him.

"We can discuss this later. Horous will bring others. They won't stop until they find the girl."

Cillian drew me protectively toward him. His touch sent a shiver down my spine and I wondered how I could feel so afraid of him and yet so drawn to him at the same time. Did he really care about my fate or was he just possessive of his newest toy?

"You must wonder about our intentions, Tilly, but be assured, the Gatemen are not the heroes you believe them to be."

I want so badly to believe him, to think that his intentions are pure, but the evidence suggests otherwise and I can't stop myself from blurting out my questions.

"And you are heroes? Am I supposed to feel reassured? You kidnap me, put the fear of God into me, then your wounds heal before my very eyes. Do you really expect me to believe that I should be more afraid of those other men?" I looked closely at each of my – Captors? Protectors? – in turn. "Who are you? What are you? I've never seen you around here before."

The brothers looked knowingly at each other.

"Is silence your answer?" I challenged, eyeing their model perfect features, sculpted bodies and unusual wardrobe. "Did you steal your clothes from a museum? You're like characters from some steam punk movie. You don't fit in with the people around here."

Cillian and Torin laughed while Fionn simply watched. Dark blue eyes glaring at me, his face showing no expression. I think it was his ability to hide his thoughts completely that made me feel more felt nervous around him far more than the others.