The Star Maidens Curse (A Dark Adventure)

The Star Maidens Curse Chapter 4 - Scars

Chapter 4—Scars

Trapped beneath Cillian, I panted for breath. What was my choice here? I was no match for three men, especially after what I'd witnessed. Was I going to die, or worse, become a sexual plaything for them? I was far from ready to accept those options as my only two choices. I was already searching for the way to pull off my third option; escape.

I just had to bide my time, wait it out. Let the brothers think I was weak and compliant. They were sure to drop their guard at some point, and when they did, I would be ready to make my escape.

"Are you going to get up or will we spend the day gazing into each other's eyes?" he asked.

His words threw me a little. I hadn't even realised I was staring into his eyes until he pointed it out, but I was. And they were very nice eyes. In another circumstance – one where he wasn't keeping me a prisoner – I could like those eyes very much.

"Perhaps you should get off me and we can look at something else," I said.

Was that amusement that flickered in his eyes at my comment? Maybe getting him to drop his guard would be easier than I had thought.

He rose and easily pulled me to my feet, his eyes appraising me with frank interest. I felt the strength of his grip, noted the texture of his skin. He smiled as if reading my thoughts. Despite myself, a blush coloured my face. Dammit. That really wasn't the look I was going for.

"I'm perfectly capable of walking unaided," I said snapped, embarrassed that I'd acted like a besotted schoolgirl.

I willed myself to make my thoughts neutral and focus on what might happen to me alone and surrounded by strangers who were clearly not ordinary men.

Cillian ignored me. Keeping his grip on my arm, he guided me back the way I came. I thought about breaking free and making a run for it, but the slight tightening of his grip persuaded me otherwise. His guard was still up and trying to escape right now wouldn't do me any favours. It would just show him that I wasn't the scared little girl he was expecting me to be.

I glanced back longingly and glimpsed the retreating road before the foliage swallowed my view of freedom. Cillian's strident pace through the forest caused me to stumble and the pressure of his fingers on my arm was becoming painful.

"You're hurting me," I said, trying to pry his fingers from my flesh.

He cast me an amused glance.

"Consider this a hike through the forest on a pleasant day."

I raised an eyebrow.  This couldn't be further from being a pleasant day, but I realised I had no option but to keep up with him.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked. "Please... I promise I won't say anything if you just let me go. You can tell the others I got away or you couldn't find me."

I already knew it wasn't going to work, but I had to try it right?

Cillian glanced at me and shook his head as though admonishing a naughty child.

"Ah, Tilly, my sweet, it doesn't matter where you were going or who you were going to see. All you need to know is that your old life is merely a memory. You're forever ours now, and we're not letting you go."

The possessive tone of his voice worried me. What was going on? I belonged to him? To them? Was this some type of twisted fraternity joke?

I wasn't some kind of stray animal they could just take and claim as their own.