Darkly (under revision)

Chapter Three

I woke up in a bed. It was still pretty dark outside, but a little light peaked in through a window. I glanced sleepily around the one-room cabin. Nothing hung on the walls except for a stuffed elk head and an old burnt-out gun. It was no doubt a hunter's lodge, but why was Eli staying here? I caught sight of him, passed out in a chair right to the bed. He looked kind of handsome and sweet in his sleep compared to the hard mask he wore after I rejected him in the woods. I was comforted to know he didn't hurt me as I slept or before hand, and I lazily rolled out of the bed. 

My sneakers touched the hard wood, making a soft sound. I started to tip-toe to the front door as quietly as I could. Looking behind to check on if Eli was still asleep, I reached for the door and touched the smooth, cold metal of the knob. I turned around and slowly started opening the door. After it opened an inch, it creaked loudly. I froze. I heard nothing from behind me and widened the door cautiously. Suddenly, it slammed from an invisible hand that slapped my hand away from the knob and threw me on the bed. This all happened in just seconds. My breath was taken away, making me gasp desperately for air. 

"Stupid girl." His voice whispered into my ear. It wasn't until then that I realized he was pinning me down. "I would have thought you wouldn't try to run away from me. But I was wrong. Did you really think you could escape." I felt his lips brush my ear lobe.

I shook my head softly. "No, not really." 

"Good." Eli rolled off of me and stood. 

I wait carefull him to say something. I stared at him as he stared at me, his deep eyes flashing. I studied the long scar on his cheek, wondering how he got it. 

Eli sighs and shakes his head.  "What now?" I breathe. 

"We wait." He answers 

"For what?"

"Shh!" 

My jaw drops. "Did you just--" One look from him shut me up. I glance away and stare at the dead elk on the wall. 

Eli stands. "They're here."

I stand up with him. "Who is?" 

He pushes on my shoulders, forcing me to sit down. "Stay here and don't come outside no matter what. Ok?" I nod and he touches my chin softly. "Run if they come after you and don't stop until you find Fenris." Eli points to the back door. "Go that way." I nod. He leaves with a silent hush in his quake. 

I wait, and wait... I wait for at least an hour until someone plows through the cabin door. "C'mon," he grabs my wrist and hurries me out the front door. Eli’s nails dig into my skin making me whimper.

"You're hurting me," I complain. He doesn’t listen to me. The next thing I know, I'm thrust onto the ground, spitting out a mouthful of dirt. 

"Look at us," Someone commands. My eyes rise up to find three young men circling me. "Elijah has told us that you have been bitten. Is this true?" My chin quivers and a low choke gurgles out. The man who spoke crouches down and strokes my cheek. "I know you must be frightened, but you must answer." His light eyes burned into mine.

Again, my throat is only half capable of making any noise. "Rrruuufffggggggyes." I croak. 

"Let me take care of her," a harsh voice offers. My eyes dart up to meet the gray eyes of a handsome man. "There hasn't been a female among us for three-hundred years. Kill her, and the problem is erased." 

The light-eyed man stands and says, "She's only a child, Donovan." 

"And?" Donovan retorts. "How many children have we killed in our rage? One more won’t make much of a difference."

"Ah, but Donovan...she's a female that's been bitten. To our race," he glances down at me, "that is something very rare." He turns to Eli and shakes his hand. "Elijah, take care of her. She's a dear addition to us. Don't let me down." Eli nods and the three men leave. 

Eli takes me back into the cabin. "Go to sleep," he says, again forcing me to the bed. "You have a long day ahead of you. Training, fighting...all that fun stuff." I drop my head into the feather pillow. My eyes droop and I can't believe how tired I am.

When I wake up, my arms and legs are chained to the bed posts.