Time in Love

Chapter two

I wake to a hand nudging me gently, but insistently.

I wake, my head fuzzy and my vision blurry. And I feel something icy slip down my back. I squeal and hop out of my bed. Only then does my vision clear and my head settle in the right mind. He's here.

The maid in front of me looks worried she'd made the wrong decision by waking me, even a little green. But I do not scold her like she expects, I instead ask her to tighten my bodice. I don't even add a thank you after she's done. I know I shouldn't be mad at her for doing exactly as I'd asked her to but I doubt you could find a single soul in the universe that wants to wake up with a slithery ice cube down the back.

I hastily rush past her and she follows hot on my heels. One of the maids throw a jacket in my direction and I catch it and slip it on before I'm greeted by the large wooden door. I look down to see a letter has already come through the small slip swinging in the brisk night air.

Carefully, I inch open the door and peak out. I see a man, a much taller man than Romeo, but also a lot less beefier. And instead of Romeo's golden blonde hair I can tell his is the deepest shade of raven. Without a sound, I slip out the door.

I feel a tug of protest at my slippers so I hop out of them and speed along the brick wall in the brisk darkness. Completely barefoot and without much coverage. My feet feel as if they are stepping on icicles but I bite down on the inside of my cheek and walk on my toes to lesson the pain.

If my father knew about this I just know he'd keel over and die.

I follow the man in all black and watch as he moves stealthily, not once looking back. For that I am great full. I think of what I'd do if he did indeed look back. And realize there would be nothing I could do, nothing but run.

It only strikes me now in the cold harsh darkness and in streets only lit up by lamps that the person who shot me could be out here, maybe he'd been planning my death for a year before he even worked up the courage to pull the trigger.

But my legs propel me forward. With courage my mind doesn't seem to register.

And then he's gone. Poof.

I turn the corner after him and he's gone. The street lamp illuminates where I'm standing and I stare the empty street in front of me.

I try to scream but the note catches in my throat and I gag instead around the fingers in my mouth. They are gloved and leather and roughly exploring my throat.

I'm weak against the hands that grab my waist and drag me back against the darkness. Hands that clench my stomach so hard I'm reminded of the bullet piercing my liver.

In my own small act of defense I bite down on the fingers. But it's no use. The leather is thick and I have the feeling that the skin under it is too. Everything about this man radiates strength.

My back hits the wall and I'm jolted into a fearful state. I feel like Ive just run a marathon but how hard and fast I'm breathing. And sweat sheens across my forehead in a way that hasn't happened to me since my youngest sister Julie stole my power and I had to chase her down for it.

"Who?" He says and I realize he has an accent I can't quite place. And by his wording I assume he isn't to great at English either. Was he apart of some foreign mafia?

He removes his fingers from the back of my throat and I gag again and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. I can only see his skin illuminated in the darkness. His eyes are like black soulless pits that I couldn't make out even if my eyes adjusted.

I refuse to give him my real name so I blurt out the first thing I can think of.

"Tulip! My names Tulip." I gasp.