The Viking Alpha

New surroundings

Cassi's POV)

The feeling something was off was the first thing that came to her. She was just so tired. She didn't want to get out of bed. It was so soft and warm. Who knew velvet and silk were this great? Wait a minute. Velvet? Silk? She opened her eyes slowly. After a few seconds she bolted up. What the hell? Where was she? The room was about the size of her apartment. The bed she was on was a huge four poster. The room smelled of musk and pine. The only light source was created by a small lamp on the other side of the bed. She was trying to remember if she maybe had too much to drink the night before when everything flooded back to her. In a panic she stood on shaky legs. The room tilted slightly. She had to hang on to one of the pillars of the bed. She looked around then at herself. She was in her panties and her tank top. No bra, pants, socks, or shoes. She looked around for a phone. She had to call the police! She froze when she remembered what Elise did. Shit! Could she call the police? What could she tell them if she did.
'Yeah I was kidnapped by a psycho stalker werewolf, who is obsessed with me and claims I'm his mate. By the way, one of your detectives is a bad guy who is in cahoots with him.'
She put her hand to her forehead. Nausea was pooling in her stomach. She started to search for her pants as quickly as she could when the door opened slowly. An older plump woman came in carrying a tea tray. She was wearing a red dress that stopped mid calf. A white apron covered the front of her dress. Her hair was in a neat bun. She smiled cheerfully at Cassi.
'Hello, your majesty. It's good to see you're awake. My name is Sara. How are you feeling? I hope you don't mind but I made you some tea for when you awoke.'
Your majesty? Cassi looked around. It was just them two in the room. The drugs must still be messing with her.
'Please. My name is Cassandra Stone. I need help. I've been kidnapped. I was taken this morning by a man. Please help me.' Cassi surged forward and grasped the woman's arm.
The woman's smile slipped from her face. Her brow wrinkled in concern.
'Oh. Why don't you sit down and drink some tea? I'll call his majesty at once.' She lightly guided Cassi back on the edge of the bed and settled a tea cup with steaming liquid in Cassi's hands and left the room. Cassi just sat there for a moment. What the hell? She just told someone she was kidnapped and that was her reaction? Cassi stood and went to follow when the woman came back.
'Okay. Is there anything else I can get you? Would you like something to eat?'
Cassi just stared. Was she going crazy? Was she not speaking English? What the hell was wrong with this woman?
'No.' She stood up furious now. 'I don't want anything to eat. I need a phone to call for help. I want to go home.'
'But you are home, my love.'
Cassi stiffened. Her heart sped up. She gripped the cup she was still holding. Her eyes were wide as she turned her attention slowly to the man who just walked in the door. He stood there. His clothes were different then before. They looked more relaxed. A simple blue shirt and Jeans. Looking at him now you wouldn't think he could kidnap someone. He looked like he could be one of her professors or someone she'd see at the park. The maid bowed.
'Your majesties.' She said quietly and went to leave the room. Cassi quickly set the cup down on the side table next to the bed. She rushed forward.
'No please don't go. Please don't leave me alone with him.' Cassi felt she was on the verge of hysterics.
Sarah looked at her then looked at James. Not sure what to do.
He looked at the maid and dismissed her with a jerk of his head. He closed the door after her then turned back at Cassi. She slowly backed up by the bed.
'How are you feeling?'
Really? Did he seriously just ask that? Her knees were threatening to buckle. She had toughened up since she moved to New York and met Amy. She wasn't afraid of people as she once might have been. But this man terrified her. What would he do with her now? She was already half naked in a room with a bed. Her nerves were at a breaking point when he strode to her.
'Here. Take this. You'll feel better.' He extended his palm. In it was a small white pill. She looked at it then back up to his face. Like a robot she took the pill and put it on her tongue. He handed her the tea cup. She went to act like she was out to drink it when she threw it In his face. He let out a growl that gave her the motivation to run like hell. She spit the pill out and ran. She threw the door open and ran down a hallway. She had no idea where she was going. She just kept running. She found a staircase and took her chances. After finding herself in a lobby of some sort she tried the door in front of her. Luck must have been on her side because it ran outside into a garden. The ground was uneven but lush and soft with grass on her bare feet. There were people up ahead. She was going to stop and try pleading with them when she saw their eyes widen.
'Your majesty-'
Nope. She sprinted past them. After running for a good fifteen minutes she'd say before she found trees ahead of her. Perfect place to climb and hide. She was a good deal in when something flew and stopped right in front of her face. A firefly...no that wasn't a firefly. A tiny miniature person was floating, no flying on wings that were going so fast you could barely distinguish them. It was a woman from what she could tell in her mind trying to decipher just exactly what she was seeing right now. The tiny flying lady was staring at her. Her hair was down and flowing. She flew around her head in a second before being right back in her face.
'What are you?' Cassi whispered.
The flying woman looked again at her before darting off. The drugs she was shot up with by doctor and detective psycho must have been strong. Because she was starting to think what she just saw was a fairy. Cassi looked around. The woods she was in weren't like any she recognized. She heard soft flute music coming from the distance. She heard a stream close by. Shaking her head she started running again. She made out about another twenty yards when she was knocked to the ground. A man was standing over her. He was wearing a dark silk shirt. Black leather pants and bare feet. His hair was blonde and his skin was milk white.
'Please. Will you help me? Please.' She quickly got to her feet. ' I was kidnapped and I've been-'
'Shhh.' The man put a finger to her lips. Cassi stared into the man's eyes. They were red. Red as blood. She couldn't look away. It was like looking into the eyes of a snake. He leaned toward her and sniffed her hair. 'You are not from here. But you don't smell fully human.'
'What?' She managed to choke out.
The man smiled to reveal two sharp fangs. 'But you'll do." He grabbed her by the side of the neck and sank his teeth into the other side. Her scream was so loud and shrill it scared the birds from the trees. The man was stronger than her. His teeth were cutting into her skin like razors. Next thing she knew she was being thrown from him. She landed on her side and rolled until she came to a stop on her front. She was disoriented when she finally managed to stand. Applying pressure to the wound with her hand she saw blood was spilling down from her neck down in her top. What she saw next in front of her made her go still. A giant black wolf was ripping the man to shreds! She quickly looked around and saw six other wolves surrounding her. They were not as big as the one fighting but still bigger then any wolves she had ever seen. They were circling her but looking at the fight taking place. The man that bit her let out a scream of agony. His head went flying and then silence. The giant black wolf growled then turned slowly toward her. Green glowing eyes pinned her. No way!
'J-James?' Her voice was unsteady. Her throat ran dry. It was a wonder she was still standing and hadn't passed out. Not that she was a fainter but this might be an exception.
The wolf stalked toward her. It looked at the other six and after a grunt to them, the wolves left. Leaving her and the big black wolf. What came next was indescribable. With the sounds of bones snapping and flesh contorting, James was left kneeling at her feet. Naked and dirt smeared everywhere. He was glaring at her as he rose to his full height. Standing over her. She wasn't small per say. But he had about a half of a foot over her in height. He took her chin in her hand and inspected the wound on her neck. His teeth snapped together when a low growl came out of his mouth.
'What did you think you were doing, Cassandra?!' He grasped her upper arms and shook her. 'You could have been killed. Do you realize what kind of danger you put yourself In just now?' He shouted at her.
Fear took over her.
'I-I'm sorry. Please, please don't hurt me?' She was putting her arms up and curling herself in to protect herself.
He still stared at her. The anger slowly died away. Now he just looked tired.
'Come now. Let's go home.' He picked her up in his arms and led her out of the woods.
They were almost back to the place she just ran from when she actually got a good look at it. It was a castle. Stones and bricks. Paned glass windows. Three towers surrounded the middle. It was what you'd expect to see out of a fairy tale book. She turned her face to look around when the pain from her wound reminded her. James stopped at the soft cry of pain that escaped her. He lightly kissed her head then continued at a faster pace. She wanted to tell him she wanted to go home. She wanted to scream at him for what he did to her this morning. But she was too scared right now.
Another woman wearing the same outfit Sarah was wearing before met them at the side door. She was holding out a pair of pants for James and a sarong for her. She forgot she was still only in a pair of black boy short panties. James set her down gently on an iron bench. She quickly wrapped the fabric around herself. When she looked up James was half decent. He took her hand again and led her back up the stairs to the bedroom she woke up in. He gently pushed her down by the shoulder onto one of the sofas in the room. A bowl of warm water, vials of ointment, and clean cloth were on the coffee table. How they got there, without anyone asking for them is beyond her. He slowly and gently tended to her wound. When he was done he stood over her and looked her in the eyes.
'I'm going to shower. Then we will talk and have dinner here in the room tonight. Can I trust you to stay put or do I need to take you with me?' He was speaking slowly like one does with a child. Usually anger would be her response. But she was too confused and terrified at the moment. All she could do was a small nod yes.
'Good. If you'd like to clean up too there is another bathroom through that door.' He pointed to another door she hadn't realized was there before. 'I'll have fresh clothes sent up.'
Again all she could do was nod. He hesitated before touching her cheek lightly then he brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. He looked like he wanted to say something else before he changed his mind and turned to go in the bathroom.
She sat there. What now? Her mind raced with everything she just saw. Fairies, what could only be described as a vampire, and then big wolves. She knew he was a werewolf. He said shifter. He mentioned he wanted her to rule by his side. Forever.
Her mind was slowly putting pieces together. Clearly she was not anywhere near her home so she couldn't just run off. She looked toward the door he pointed to. Call her crazy but maybe a shower and something to eat might help her think.
She walked over and opened the door. It led to a smaller bathroom. A stall for a shower. Toilet and a sink. Stripping off her clothes she got in. Washing the mud from her skin was actually relaxing. The soap was in unlabeled bottles. She wasn't sure which was what but it all smelled amazing. Citrusy and clean. There were towels and a change of clothes laid out on the sink counter when she finished. Drying off and slowly combing her hair gave her time to take stock. She didn't know where she was. She was stuck with her kidnapper in a fairy, vampire, werewolf strange land.
Shaking out the clothes she put on the clean set of bra and panties. The sleeveless dress was something she would never usually wear. Mainly because it looked expensive. It was a royal purple. A modest neckline but still accented her breasts. A flowing skirt that reached to the top of her feet. It was very pretty but still…
'At least it was clean.' she reasoned with herself. She gathered her long hair and braided it to the side to hide the bandage somewhat. Looking in the mirror she didn't look like herself. This girl looked scared, lost, and looked much younger than twenty one.
She braced herself and stepped out of the bathroom. Shocked at what was waiting for her. A small table was set with one candle stick, a black table cloth, gleaming plates and two wine glasses. A longer table next to it was piled with food.
James was sitting there. He turned at the sound of her. His smile was gentle. He was looking at her like she was the only woman left on earth.
When he spoke his voice was low.
'We will be serving ourselves tonight, I'm afraid. I think we need some time alone.'