The Prison (Book 1)

The Calm Before the Storm

The Calm Before the Storm

"He's almost here," I said, watching Schneizel in the monitor inch closer and closer to the cabin. I was exhilarated to see him again after so long; my heart wouldn't stop thumping furiously against my ribcage. Even my hands shook with excitement.

Although it had been a long time since the last time I saw his face, I could still see it every time I closed my eyes. If I was a painter, then I'd have the perfect recollection of his face to make a portrait of it. Oh, how I'd missed him. Missed the way he looked at me. Missed the way he cared for me. Missed the gentle way he ran his fingers through my hair and smoothed it back. Missed how he was always looking out for me, twenty-four seven.

When I saw him, I'd tell him how much I loved him and that I wanted to be with him, even it meant going back to prison.

About fifteen minutes later, Schneizel finally arrived. My legs seemed to have developed a mind of its own, because they ran to the door even before I could command them to.

Cain seized me by the scruff of my neck. My heart plummeted. Slowly, I looked over my shoulder at him.

"If we're going to do this, then you must promise to stay by my side until I know Schneizel won't try anything -like kill me."

Thank God. For a moment, I thought he'd changed his mind and was hellbent on getting revenge again.

"Of course," I told him, then grinned and added, "I'll protect you."

If Cain knew that, not too long ago, I myself was in desperate need of protection, he'd probably not want to rely on me too much, but I kept that little detail to myself.

He returned the smile. He looked a little unsure of surrendering like this when he had the upper hand, and I could understand why. I knew for someone who had been harboring a grudge and resentment for a very long time, it was hard to suddenly let it go. As ridiculous as it sounded, I was proud of him. And I was also thankful that he'd listened to the word of reason; for once, things would not end in bloodshed.

"What you're doing is the right thing," I said reassuringly.

"I hope you're right."

"Come on," I lead him out the door and up the stairs taking us to a trapdoor by the side of the cabin.

By now, the storm had fortunately subsided, it no longer rained, and the only reminder that there was ever a storm was the wet sand and the howling wind.

As we emerged from the ground into the area behind the cabin, I saw and heard the bushes at the outskirts of the jungle directly in front of us rustle. Schneizel walked out of them a second later. I nearly lost control of my legs again and ran to him if it weren't for my promise to Cain.

Our eyes met and held. His hard eyes immediately softened upon the sight of me. All those things you read in books and saw in movies were not untrue. The entire world melted away and it was suddenly just the two of us. I felt all my worries and all my fears evaporate into thin air, now that I could see him right in front of me. The wind blew his soft hair, which was longer than I remembered it. How was it possible that he had grown even more handsome since the last time I saw him?

"You came," I said, unshed tears brimming in my eyes. My heart very nearly exploded out of my chest from the way it started hammering even more furiously than before. I wanted to run to him and throw myself into his strong arms and have him tightly wrap those very arms around me. I wanted to stay in those arms forever, never to leave his side.

Every night, I'd look up at the night sky and pray for Schneizel to come get me. Now, he was finally, finally here. I could barely contain my happiness.

"I did," he nodded, never tearing his eyes away from me, even when Cain came to stand beside me. It was as if I was the center of his world. I knew that, for a long time, he'd been mine.

"Are you well?" he asked. I saw the worry and concern itched in his face as clear as day. I even saw something I would have never, ever imagined I'd see on Schneizel's usually impassive face: fear. Fear for me.

"Yes, I am. Are you well?" I scanned him from head to toe, looking for any sign of hurt. It hadn't been that long since he had been shot. What if he was in no condition to be going on jungle treks and doing a rescue mission?

"I am now."

He finally looked away -I instantly missed the warmth of his gaze- and I saw his eyes zero in on Cain. I felt Cain tense up.

The howling wind abruptly quieted down. An eerie stillness settled upon the beach. The trees stopped swaying. Even the waves went quiet. The liquid in my spine froze. Goosebumps paraded across my skin and a skitter of alarm slithered up my spine. I knew exactly what this was.

It was the infamous calm before the storm.

Sure enough, I looked back at Schneizel's face and saw death. I gasped; gone was the gentle man whose only concern was me from a few seconds ago, replaced by a... a... a demon. In his eyes, I saw a ruthlessness in his face and a terrifying determination, and his face was all hard lines and dark contours.

He looked just about ready to pull out a gun and shoot Cain in the face.

"You," he growled Cain's name as if it were the foulest of curses.

That was my cue. I stepped in front of Cain, determined to de-escalate Schneizel's rage before all hell broke loose.

"Schneizel, wait."

But in true Aiden fashion, I only made things worse.

Schneizel let out a frightening, hostile growl that was more animal than human. I watched his eyes darken to their obsidian color.

Oh, shit.

"You'd stoop so low as to use Aiden as your shield?" he snarled, baring his teeth. He looked just about ready to charge Cain head on.

"No, it's not what you-" I tried to explain, but didn't get the chance.

"Fuck. Aiden, I'm sorry, I can't put my fate in Schneizel's hands."

"Wait, wha-"

Cain grabbed me and pulled me into him, holding me so that I couldn't struggle and get away. Not that I would ever consider struggling, not with the gun he was holding at my temple.

The situation had fallen so spectacularly out of control that I could only stand still and blink at Schneizel, dumbfounded and dizzy.

"Cain, what are you doing? This isn't what we talked about!"

"Are you blind, Aiden? Do you really believe that Schneizel will just let me walk after kidnapping you? If you really believe that, then you don't know him at all. God, I should have never let you talk me into this!" he hissed, sounding panicked.

"Not after this, he won't!" I hissed back with my heart lodged in my throat.

Our plan had gone horribly, horribly wrong before it had even begun. 

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Poor, stupid Aiden. :(

The end draws near. 

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