The Beginning of the End (Book 1 of the Captured Series)

Chapter 4

"Miss Black?" The voice mumbled from the opposite side of the metal door.

I hesitated, waiting for them to enter. When nothing happened, I replied. "Yes?"

"If I may come in?"

I furrowed my brows together, staring at the entrance. Still wasn't used to these people asking permission from the hostage. "Yes?" It came out as more of a question.

The door opened to let in some light. A man slipped inside, and despite his gentle voice, he looked anything but nice. He had midnight black hair and tan skin, but the most notable thing about him was the pale white, jagged scar running down his cheek. It looked as if he'd be scratched by a giant claw.

"I'm Owen." He spoke softly, offering me a small, close-lipped smile. His hand was held out to me, sitting cross-legged on the mattress.

I stared at it, expecting him to take it away, but he just patiently waited for a handshake. A couple more moments of silence passed before I fulfilled his expectation and placed my hand in his own. Before I could react, I was dragged to me feet and standing chest to chest with the man. He was wearing a white doctors coat with a black dress shirt underneath, slacks, and even some expensive looking dress shoes. I stumbled back, almost tripping over the mattress, but the doctor did not let go of my hand.

Instead, he gripped me tighter and pulled me forward again, causing a startled scream to erupt from my throat as I tumbled back against his chest. A sharp pain ripped through me, stemming from the back of my head where my skull stopped and my spine began. My vision became spotty as I was picked up and placed in a wheel chair that was somehow brought into the room, my limbs going numb as the aftershocks ran through me.

"W-What did you do?" My wrists and ankles were strapped down with smooth leather and another band was stretched across my chest, which I was partially thankful for. I didn't think I'd be able to sit up on my own after that intense pain.

"Testing your reflexes, Miss Black." Owen pulled a small notepad out of his coat and began to write something down.

He then wheeled me out into a brightly lit hallway. Everything was in slow motion. People walked past me in blue or green scrubs, but didn't even glance in my direction as I tried to call out for help. It seemed as though my voice was only audible to me.

I felt something by my ear and squeezed my eyes shut tight, trying to calm down and focus. "It's alright, Miss Black." Owen's deep voice rumbled. "We are here to protect you."

"From what?" I tried to croak out.

"From things you can't even imagine." He dropped a few octaves and turned the chair to the right into another hallway.

I stayed silent, my throat burning. I wiggled my fingers and toes, trying to gain feeling back, but nothing came to me.

"Don't worry, Miss Black." We stopped in front of a room, and Owen began to unlock it. "You'll find everything out soon enough."

The door opened slightly and a smell hit me like a baseball bat to the face. My head whipped back involuntarily and my entire body revved to life. I felt my heartbeat speed up and I began to sweat, tingles running from the spot on the back of my head and all over my skin. I inhaled sharply, my back arching and pressing my chest against the leather strap.

A tugging in the back of my mind made itself known, but it wasn't anything new. This had always been with me. And one singular word it mumbled shook me to my core and every memory I thought was a dream, and every dream I believed was a memory, shimmered to life like stars slowly popping up as the sun sets.

One singular word that changed how I viewed the world and made my entire life kept in hiding make sense.

One singular word that shot confusion and curiosity through my veins like ice, but also terrified me to the point of petrification.

One singular word.

"Alexandros."

Owen's face lit up in a smile. "She recognizes him."

A voice from behind me spoke. "Wheel her in."

My entire body froze and switched into flight or fight mode, but leaned more heavily towards the flight. I let out a scream, pushing against the straps that held me down. The back of my head burned like a blazing hot iron, but sent waves of warm fire licking down my skin.

I ripped my right wrist straight through the leather strap and a random doctor grabbed me, trying to restrain me, but let out a cry as soon as his hands gripped my arm. The smell of burnt flesh pulled away with him. I froze, trying to decipher what had just happened, when a deep rumbling of a voice from inside the room snapped me from my stupor.

"Elisavet."

And I somehow knew he was calling me.

No one made a move, and when a low, inhuman growl emitted from the room, Owen quickly gripped the door handle and pulled it shut. "She's not ready for him."

A scoff from one of the doctors came from behind me and every left besides Owen.

I was breathing heavily and he leaned down, staring at my face. I looked at him and studied his face. He was handsome, but something felt different now. Owen had a new aura about him. He was different than me. Or maybe I was different.

"You are special, Ellie." He smiled softly again and placed his hand on my arm, completely unafraid of my burning skin. "You don't remember me, but I've known you for a very long time. We'll be able to get reacquainted as soon as we finish some tests."

"Tests for what?"

"You'll be told everything soon enough. It's a lot to process and we don't want to rush into anything."

I sneered at him. "Not rush into anything?!" I let out a cough after straining my voice, but I didn't care. "You think pushing me right towards that freaky room was taking it slow?!"

Owen flinched. "Yes, maybe letting him smell you wasn't such a great idea, but I promise everything has a reason here."

I only glared at him, not being fooled for one second.

He sighed and stood, resuming his position and pushing me further down the hallway to God only knows where next.