I pull away from the window, worried that someone might see me.  I decide that my best bet will be to hide out in here until this whole ordeal is over.  As I'm looking around for a good hiding place, I hear a loud bang that makes me flinch.  From my vantage point, I can see what I only assume is the front door open.  There are several guys involved in a scuffle in the foyer, and while they fight, I silently crawl back to the stairs, praying that I go unnoticed.

"Where the hell is she!?" The words are barely intelligible, as they are accompanied by a deep growl.  I recognize it immediately as being Braxton, though, and relief floods through my body.  I assume the 'she' he mentioned is referring to me.  Maybe I should let him know I'm here?

"You haven't even marked her yet... for all you know, she could already be dead," a smug voice replies.  I know it's Damien, and I can imagine the cocky smirk on his face.  His presence makes me feel super nervous again, so I choose to continue on down to the basement to find a good place to hide and wait until this whole thing blows over.

As I'm descending the staircase, I hear a loud snarl that makes me move even quicker.  Once I'm in the basement, I run back to the room that I woke up in.  It was a super dark room, and I remember seeing a table I could easily hide under.

I close the door to the room behind me and get under said table.  I try to even out my breathing, so if someone does come in, they hopefully won't hear me.

I don't know how long I wait underneath that table.  It could have been minutes... it could have been hours.  My fear is ruining my ability to keep track of time in my head.

Then, I hear footsteps getting closer and closer to.  My heart rate increases rapidly, and I pray that whoever it is doesn't come into this room.

My luck continues to be absolutely nonexistent when the door opens.  I close my eyes in fear, waiting for what I assume is my inevitable death.

A large, warm hand closes around one of my ankles, and I let out a loud screech as it pulls me out from underneath the table.  My eyes fly open, and I'm prepared to come face to face with Sebastian, who I'm beginning to believe is the physical embodiment of death.

Instead, I see the most beautiful pair of clear blue eyes in the world.  The fear I once had is nowhere to be found, and I even think my heart flutters a bit.  Before I can say anything, I'm wrapped in Braxton's strong and comforting arms.

We stay in that position for a while, my face against Braxton's chest and one of his hands tracing reassuring circles into my back.  Finally, I pull back, and meet his intense gaze.

"You... you saved me," I choke out, struggling to hold back tears.

"Of course I did." Braxton responds with such certainty that I feel stupid for ever doubting him. "You're mine," he growls lowly, bringing me back into his warm embrace.

"I don't understand," I whisper as a few tears run down my cheeks.

Braxton reaches up and softly caresses my face, before using his thumb to brush away the tears.  "You will," he promises, placing a soft kiss on my forehead.  "For now, just accept the fact that you are mine and I love you."

"You... you love me?" I ask, looking up at him with wide eyes.  I haven't heard those words in such a long time that they almost sound like a foreign language.

Braxton nods.  "I love you with all of my heart, and I pray to the Moon Goddess every day that eventually you will feel the same about me."

I feel blood rush to my cheeks, and I look down, unsure of what to say.

Suddenly, Braxton lifts me up, so that he is carrying me bridal style.  I throw my arms around his neck, not wanting to fall.

"Don't you dare drop me," I tell him seriously, leaning into his muscular body

Braxton chuckles at my words before pressing another kiss to my forehead.  "Don't worry princess, I've got you."

"Where are we going?" I ask as he carries me out the door, and back up the rickety stairs.

"Home."

~*~

Above is another picture of the beautiful Thom Morell, who plays Braxton.

Hey guys! I really hope that you all liked this chapter!

I'm pretty proud of myself for being able to update so quickly. I've been accepted into college, so I have a lot less on my plate now, meaning updates should speed up!

And Happy Thanksgiving! I'm super thankful for all of my readers :)

Thanks once again, and please don't forget to vote and comment!

- Nina

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