Undying Reminiscence

29

At the end of the day, back at home.

Draven's hands were on my hips, his touch firm and possessive as he held me against him. His lips were on mine, the kiss deep and passionate, his tongue exploring my mouth with a fervour that matched his increasing desire. He shifted beneath me, his body pressed against mine, his hips rolling up to press against your core. A low growl escaped him, the sound a mix of arousal and frustration.

He broke the kiss for just a moment, his breathing ragged as he looked up at me with darkened eyes. "I've been wanting you all day," he murmured, his voice low and sultry. "Ever since that little kiss in class, I haven't been able to think of anything else but you."

"I could tell by the way Mrs Benevolent was glaring at you," I laughed softly.

Draven chuckled softly, his hands tightening on my hips as he pulled me closer. He couldn't deny that Mrs Benevolent had been throwing him death glares throughout the entire lesson, but he'd been too preoccupied with his thoughts of me to care. "She's just jealous because she doesn't have a beautiful goth girl like you," he retorted, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Plus she hates us," I smiled at him.

Draven nodded, a smirk forming on his lips. He loved my casual, snarky attitude when it came to authority figures like Mrs Benevolent. "Yeah, she does," he agreed, his thumbs rubbing small circles on my hips. "She's probably seething in her grave knowing we have no respect for her."

The sudden intrusion of the strong smell of poison took us both by surprise, the sweet yet acrid scent filling our senses and making our eyes water. Before we could react, darkness enveloped us and we were both rendered unconscious.

As I slowly regain consciousness, the first thing I become aware of is the dimly lit surroundings and the sensation of cold, hard concrete beneath me. I could feel the weight of bindings around my wrists and ankles, holding me securely in place. Blair and Hyde were also bound nearby, their faces showing signs of confusion and concern as they realised the situation they were in.

I turned my head to the side, seeking out Draven in the gloom. When I saw him, my heart clenched at the sight of him tied up next to his parents, his expression a mixture of confusion and anger. He met my gaze, his eyes narrowing as he took in my restrained state. Despite the situation, there was a flicker of determination in his gaze.

Despite the darkness that shrouded the room, my eyes slowly began to adjust, allowing me to see further into the space. I looked around, trying to make out the objects and details in the dim light. The room was small, the stone walls cold and damp, the air thick and heavy. There were no windows to be seen, the only source of light coming from a single, flickering light bulb overhead.

"Draven-" I mumbled quietly.

Draven's head turned in my direction at the sound of my soft voice. Despite the circumstances, he couldn't help but be comforted by it, the sound of my voice a small beacon of reassurance in the darkness. "I'm here," he responded, his voice low and firm. "I'm right here. We're going to get out of this."

Blair and Hyde were seated on the opposite side of the room, equally as bound and restrained as me and Draven. Their faces were tense, their eyes betraying a mix of concern and confusion at their situation. They both looked up as I turned my gaze towards them, their expressions unreadable in the dim light.

Draven followed my gaze, his eyes fixed on his parents, his jaw clenching as he took in their distressed state. His expression mirrored theirs, a mixture of disbelief and anger at the situation they found themselves in. He struggled slightly against his binds, the ropes around his wrists digging into his skin, leaving angry red marks.

Despite the discomfort, Draven continued to try to break free, but the restraints held firm, his efforts doing little but causing him more pain. Frustrated, he stopped straining and turned his gaze back to me, his eyes burning with intensity.

"Are you okay?" He asked his voice barely above a whisper. He knew the situation was far from okay, but he needed to confirm that I wasn't hurt, that I was unharmed.

"I'm feeling dizzy- that smell was awful-" I uttered in a vulnerable tone.

Draven's expression darkened as I mentioned the awful smell, the anger and concern clear in his eyes. He knew exactly what I was talking about and had experienced it himself. "That smell was poison," he confirmed, his voice low and tense. "They must have knocked us out with it to bring us here."

He glanced around the small room, his eyes scanning the walls and ceiling for any possible escape routes. But the room was devoid of windows and the door was locked tight from the outside. There was no obvious way out, no way to escape our captors' grasp.

Draven huffed in frustration, his anger growing as he realized the futility of their situation. He looked back at me, his gaze softening when he saw the vulnerable expression on my face, the dizzy look in my eyes.

He shifted closer to me, as much as the ropes around his wrists would allow, his gaze never leaving my face. "You need to stay awake," he said firmly. "We don't know what these people want but we need to be alert. Don't let the dizziness get the best of you."

Draven watched as I turned my gaze towards his parents again, his own eyes following my line of sight. Blair and Hyde were still sitting silently on the opposite side of the room, their faces drawn and concerned but their hands fidgeting subtly with their bonds as if testing the strength of their restraints.

Draven studied his parent's expressions closely, his eyes narrowing at the subtle signs of movement from his parents. They were both trying to free themselves, trying to find an escape from the ropes around their wrists. But from the looks on their faces, their efforts were amounting to little.