Evolution (Evolution Series Book 1)

Chapter 18

"Jade?" Ahh, there was the voice I knew and loved. I was slowly rousing from a deep sleep, but I couldn't manage to open my eyes. Thinking that he was curled up beside me only made me want to stay asleep more, untouched by the nightmare that had become my life.

"Jade," Aiden's loving voice called to me again. "You've gotta wake up."

I tried to reach out to him, but my arms wouldn't move. I was still so sleepy.

"Jade, please wake up!" Aiden's voice no longer sounded like the happy, loving voice I'd heard only moments ago. It sounded desperate, but I was still so sleepy.

"Please wake up. I need to know that you're okay."

"But I'm so tired," I moaned. "Just give me another few minutes."

"Jade, you gotta wake up! You're in danger. Don't you remember? The tranquilliser..."

Suddenly, memories came flooding into my mind. How I'd found Chelsea. Her theory that she was mistakenly taken instead of me. The psycho. The tranquilliser gun-Oh, my God. Where was I? What had he done to me?

I needed to open my eyes, but my body was not responding to my demands. I wasn't about to give up, though. I had to keep fighting to gain control of my body. It was the only way I stood a chance against him. I needed to be at my best, or at least have my wits about me.

A few moments later, I managed to open my eyes a few millimetres before they closed again. All I had seen was a blinding light. I knew I had to open them again, but my eyelids felt so heavy. I concentrated all of my energy on forcing them open, but all I could see was the blinding light hovering above my face. I squinted, trying to see anything beyond the light. It was too much, and I had to close my eyes again.

"You have to try again," Aiden insisted.

I forced my eyes open, and although the light was not quite as blinding as the last time, I still could not see a thing. I managed to turn my head slightly to the left. I saw what looked like a table, but I couldn't be sure because my vision was still blurry.

I closed my eyes, hoping that the next time I opened them, my vision would be restored.

Once again I opened my eyes, and my heart stopped as I realised that what I thought was a table was actually a trolley, and sitting in the middle of the trolley were surgical tools lined up in a perfectly straight line.

Tears started welling up in my eyes. The situation I was in was far worse than I could have ever imagined. All the bad things that I had feared would happen to Chelsea were nothing compared to what I was about to face.

"Good, you're awake." It wasn't Aiden's desperate voice filling my head. It was the voice of a monster.

I followed his voice. He was standing at the bottom of my makeshift bed, and I gasped in horror as I realised I was only wearing my bra and undies. My heart hammered inside my chest as I thought about why he had undressed me. What he had planned for me.

"If he touches you..." Aiden's voice was filled with such anger. The next time he spoke, his tone was much calmer. "You've gotta keep him talking. I need more time."

"How much more? You've gotta get me out of here. I don't want him to..." I couldn't finish my sentence, but I knew he would understand what I meant. The thought of the kidnapper touching me made me want to scream, shout, and curl up into a little ball and cry my eyes out.

None of those things were going to help me. The only chance I had was to give Aiden more time, so that is what I had to do.

I closed my eyes and tried to centre myself. I couldn't show any fear. That would only ignite the power he already felt he had over me. But at the same time, I couldn't piss him off, because that would only fuel his anger and make him kill me that much sooner. It was a fine line I would have to tread, and I would have to get it right.