Everlasting (Book 2: I'm Yours)

Chapter 17: The Man in the Woods

Chapter 17: The Man in the Woods

"I'm going out to find Luke." I declare finally, getting up from the couch after at least an hour of me and Darin avoiding eye contact and complete silence in the air.

"Whose gonna take care of me?" Darin asked me in a teasing voice.

I shot him a glare. "You'll be fine." I walked over to him, sitting on the bed and leaning forward to and peel back the fabric I had put on his wound. It was now slowly scabbing over. Soon it'd be just a scar. Thank goodness vampires heal fast. It'd be faster if it wasn't such a bad wound.

"Much better," I murmured and his eyes met mine.

"Only because of Dr. Allison." He smirked.

I let a tiny smile slip. "Well, I wouldn't say that."

He smiled back at me. "You should...probably go."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, wondering why his tone was so alarming.

Then I noticed how close we were together. I looked down in embarrassment and then slowly backed away.

"Sorry..." I muttered, getting off the bed awkwardly. I have no idea why I'm so drawn to him, moving close to him with realizing it. Like magnets.

His eyes were soft. "You don't have to apologize, Allison."

I turned around quickly so he wouldn't see my face and walked to the door before stopping while turning the door handle.

I turned my head and said quickly, "I'll try to hurry."

Then I walked out, closing the door behind me.

<><><><><>

My eyes surveyed streets. No Luke.

I sighed. I had been looking for over an hour.

I sped past buildings, trying to stay out of human sight. I used the darkness outside to my advantage.

"Luke." I called out, trying to keep my voice quiet.

I walked a little into the trees, thinking maybe he went and took his anger out by hunting animals.

I sensed everything once I stepped into the forest. Birds settling into their nests for the night, deer nestling down in the grass, crickets and bugs singing in the night.

I looked around for any sign that Luke was or had been here.

Suddenly two glowing red eyes appeared in the darkness.

My body relaxed and I stepped farther into the forest. I smiled in relief. "Luke, come on. Let's go back to the hotel."

The eyes didn't even blink.

"Luke..." My smile flattered, then the eyes suddenly disappeared. "Is that-" Before I could finish my sentence, a hand slapped over my mouth and arms wrapped around my waist, restricting my arms.

My body went into full protective mode. I started kicking at the person behind me with all my strength, but they didn't even let out a sound.

I let out muffled screams and continued kicking, I even bit the person's hand with my sharp fangs. Blood dripped into my mouth. But the person still didn't flinch.

Suddenly the person took my body in the arms and threw me on the ground. He straddled me with both arms and legs, wrapping my legs with thick tape and rope till I couldn't move them. Then did the same with my arms. All while he did this, I screamed for help even when my throat started to burn and feel raw.

He picked me up again, my whole body restricted now. He wrapped tape all around my head and over my mouth, leaving my nose the only place I could breathe out of.

I couldn't move. Luke was roaming the streets alone, fully unaware and Darin was lying in pain at the hotel. Neither of them were capable of saving me.

I was trapped.

~~~~~~~~~~

Darin's P.O.V.

I shuffled uncomfortably in my bed. Something wasn't right. I frowned. Slowly, I peeled back the bandage Allison had put around my wound and peeked at it. It look completely scabbed over now.

I covered the wound again, wincing. I had to check on her, make sure she's okay.

I lifted my head and tried to pull myself off the bed. I felt my face go white and I fell back on top off the bed. Grunting with effort, I closed my eyes, trying to will myself off the bed. I needed blood to become stronger, but there was no way I could get that in my state.

I lifted my head again, willing to try once more. I grabbed the bed for support and slowly put one foot down, then the other.

One hand still on the bed to hold me up, I finally was able to push myself up and stand.

I was even sweating with the effort. But I had to do this. Even if Allison wasn't in trouble, it was worth making sure she was okay. But besides, it felt like a million alarms were ringing in my head. There was something wrong, I just knew it.

I took a deep breath and forced my legs to move.

_~_~_~_~_

Luke's P.O.V.

My head was pounding with anger. Darin was just the one person that could really push me over the edge. He isn't good for Allison. He isn't. My mind now may not know her as well as I did before Looper messed with it, but I know her well enough to know that Darin isn't what she wants. What she NEEDS.

I sped past trees, going farther and farther into the forest. Allison was the first person to help me understand how I was before. What happened before my mind was completely erased.

I stopped suddenly. I thought I heard something. Like a muffled cry.

My eyebrows furrowed, I followed the sound of the person's cries. The cries turned into blood curdling screams. I picked up my pace. After awhile though, it was completely quiet.

I continued running towards the direction I heard it when a twig snapped somewhere in front of me. I turned a corner and out of nowhere a man came bursting through the forest with a huge body bag pressed against his chest. My eyes widened. Somehow I knew it was Allison in that bag.

He spotted me and I ran forward to him, ready to attack, but he grabbed me by my head, then slammed it into a tree until my vision started to turn black.

Finally, he let go and my body slumped to the ground. Before my eyes closed I could see the person in the body bag, who I assumed Allison, trying to crawl away before getting snatched up by the man again.

Then, darkness.