Daphodile

Unexpected

Alex's elbow felt warm as we walked in the building, his arm lightly connected with mine. My mind raced and I couldn't stop thinking about how Alex still had his dress shoes on, however ripped and dirty they must be, so he couldn't feel what I did. 

The floor of the building mimicked that of the castle; it felt like marble, smooth and cold under my skin. Wherever we were, it was high-tech. Most commoners had hardwood and carpet and those who were extremely poor had compact dirt floors. Not even the elites had marble, they were fond of hardwood, polished and taken straight from our forests. This floor wasn't just a floor, it was a clue. Whatever operation was running from this building, it has access to an abundance of money. That made them extremely powerful. 

A mature female voice suddenly appeared off to my right, probably next to Alex with how close it was. She sounded slightly southern, the undertone of a drawl in her words. 

"Treasure,  you want me to take the man to holding while you're out here with her?" I could feel Alex stiffen, probably about the thought of him being taken away without me. I didn't want to seperate either. 

Surprisingly, my captor answered. I guess his name was Treasure. I wonder where he got his name from, Treasure was very unique. 

"Yes Darling, have him put in our coziest holding cell, he's our guest after all. Make sure it has all the works- Only the best for our V.I.P." He speaks out mockingly, like everything was a joke. His tone led me to believe that wherever Alex was going was not, in fact, safe. 

My heart was racing in fear for him and I reach out in an attempt to grab Treasure, trying to hold onto him while I spoke so he'd listen. I finally found his arm, and grip onto it hard, my nails digging into his skin through his shirtsleeve. His muscles flexed under my touch; good, I wanted to hurt him.  

"I swear, if you hurt him-" I grit out, anger in my veins. 

"Yeah yeah I know the deal. Whatever Flower, you have no more say. That spiel may have  worked in the woods but now you're in my territory. You're stuck. I can do as I wish." He sounded mocking, like usual, but his tone was violent. He knew he had the power. 

Alex's arm held tighter onto mine, but I wasn't done fighting. He was the only one left in my life, and I wasn't going to let him get hurt. 

I rip my right arm away from Alex, my left still viciously gripping Treasure, and grab my blindfold, tearing it off of my eyes quickly so he didn't have  time to stop me. I could feel Treasure flinch the second the cloth disappeared from my eyesight.

My eyes had to adjust to the surprise of the blinding luminescent lights and so I squinted, holding the hand with the blindfold in it up to shield my eyes from some of the light. My eyes quickly got a sense of my surroundings, and I gasped at the unexpectedness of it all. 

The floor was marble, exactly like the type in the castle but black instead of white, and the walls seemed to be white marble with veins of gray running through it, all polished and clean as though no one ever dared to track dirt inside. I seemed to be in some kind of connecting room, because it was shaped almost like a huge circle, various hallway entrances connecting to even deeper inside where ever I was. It was as though I was at the heart of a maze. 

My captor ripped his arm from out of my grip, using my momentary shock to his advantage, and stepped in front of me, shielding my sight from everything. 

"Now why did you have to go and do that?" He dangerously asked, his features dark with anger. 

I gulp, swallowing the fear, and putting on a mask of bravery. I'd gotten this far. 

Measuring his stance I step an inch closer to him, showing him that his height over me and the close distance wasn't going to intimidate me into backing down. There was a heated inch of space between us, and I realized I was finally seeing him for the first time. His skin was a light olive and smooth, and his hair was dark as mine, possibly even darker; it looked lightly kept, as thought he put slight product in it in the morning but it styled itself into slightly messy waves that had fallen into place throughout the day. He was obviously taller than me, slightly taller than Alex, and had a lean  but slightly muscular build probably from being constantly active. It wasn't what I expected any kidnapper and murderer to look like, especially since he seemed around my age. 

It was hard to keep my intimidating stance when he was staring at me, deep in my eyes with angst against my plea to keep Alex safe. His hazel green deep and threatening. 

"I may be your prisoner, so is he, but there's no need for cruelty. Don't. Hurt. Him." I bark at him, my voice unwavering. 

"Or what?" He asks quizzically, taunting me. He steps back and nods at the woman that spoke earlier who proceeds to grab a still blindfolded Alex by his wrists and pull him away. As Alex opens his mouth to speak, I drop the blindfold from my hand and in two steps I'm in front of Alex and the woman.

"Let him go!" I shout, grabbing onto Alex by his shoulder, as she held him in place by holding onto his wrists and twisting them behind his back. 

"Honey, let go before you hurt yourself." She spit out before continuing to pull Alex away. He seems as though he doesn't know what to do, he hesitates against her grip but then mouths to me saying it's okay. 

I step forward and grab her hands, pulling them off of Alex's. I needed assurance he would be okay and unharmed before I let him go. I tighten my grip on her and she gets angry, shouting at me, "You best let go of me before I hurt you."

"Don't hurt him. Please. I'll let go if you assure me he won't be harmed." I say, slightly pleading. 

Before I even realized it, hands were grabbing my own and tearing them off of the light skinned and red haired woman, and my own hands were pinned behind my back, my shoulders feeling like they were about to be ripped out of their sockets. My body was yanked backwards and was now touching the person who restrained me. 

"Calm down, Flower." Treasure said to me as he kept me in place, my arms burning.

"Let go of me." I hiss out, my breaths heavy now from rage.

"Fine, I can assure you pretty boy won't be harmed." 

I contemplate for a second, obviously untrusting and upset. 

"Tell her." I state. I didn't believe him. 

He nods to her once more, a passive tone in his voice when he says "Please gently take our most esteemed guest to a normal holding cell without harm." The woman glares at me but then huffs and loosens her grip on Alex, taking him away with ease. A knot undoes itself in my stomach.

"Now can you please let me go?" I gently ask, his hands still holding me captive. 

"After that display of violence on your end, I don't think I can flower, plus, I like having you close," he says with a smirk. Just as I was about to respond, a shadow appears out of one of the marble hallways. It was long and dark, playing with the light that was coming in from one of the large tinted windows. 

Treasure whispers behind me, "Get ready."

Someone was coming.