Well That Was Unexpected

Chapter Nine: Crime

Aaron's POV:

I felt Eliza struggle against me, trying desperately to release herself from my iron grip but I held her close. One of my hands locked onto her mouth while the other one was secured on her waist, using my strength to open the door and drag her out. I wasn't proud of what I was doing, heck, I was ashamed, but in this world, if Will asks you to do something, you do it. You can't ask questions, you can't back down, and you can't let your feelings get in the way. Eliza is only an assignment, made for leverage. Nothing more, nothing less. At least, that's what I tell myself every day. The truth will always be deeply buried down, but of course, I'm too much of a coward to admit anything to myself. I tried to block out everything: Eliza's muffled screams, my raging heartbeat, my guilty conscience eating away at my brain. Shut up and just do, I told myself.

Why was I doing this? Oh right, because of what Will said. About six hours ago at the pep-rally, I had gotten a call from the old fellow, asking me for a favor.

What was I doing, why was I leaning in? It was the smell of Eliza's perfume, the way she stared up at me with those big brown eyes, captivating my every movement. It was because I actually craved to feel her mouth on mine, to hold her close and have all of the time in the world. Maybe it was the perfect setting of the forest that was drawing me closer or the way that her full lips looked so tempting. And then I realized something; I wanted this. I wanted to keep her safe, I wanted to be with her, I wanted Eliza. What is happening, why is my brain messing with me? My logical side screamed 'No! Stop you idiot!' But my body responded eagerly, almost begging me to move forward towards her.

And then my phone rang.

I almost felt like crushing it in half so we could resume the moment, but one look on the caller ID and I knew that I had to answer. I gave a sign to Eliza that I would take this, and she stared back at me with her mouth ajar, eyes wide, probably from the act I was about to commit. Once I was far enough away out of hearing range for Eliza, I answered the call.

"What?" I snapped, rubbing a hand over my tired face.

"Don't you dare yell at me, boy." I could hear Will's deathly tone on the other side. I had been so stupid for talking back to him, but he had been stupid for interrupting a moment I was about to have with Eliza. "And besides," he continued, "I need a favor."

"What kind of favor," I asked for carefully this time. Whenever he asks you for a favor, it's normally a bad thing.

"You see it's about this, um, Eliza girl. You're with her now aren't you?"

My eyes flickered over to where Eliza was standing. Her back was against the tree, her head cocked to the side, staring at the moon in the sky. I smiled. "Yes, she's here. What needs to happen?" If he asks me to hurt her, I won't do it.

"It's time."

"Time for what?"

"The other covens, they've found out where she lives Aaron. They can hurt her at any time just because of her father." My blood ran cold. "We need to act swiftly. We need to pick her up early in the morning."

"She would never agree to that," I noted, remembering Eliza's feisty attitude.

"Exactly."

"Are you suggesting that we kidnap her?" I asked in disbelief, my hand clenching around the phone in a protective manor.

"Not kidnap, just take without asking." His chuckle made me sick. "Aaron," he spoke after a few minutes, "you will do this. You will follow orders, got it?" I could hear the authority in his voice, the demand for a correct answer.

"Yes, ok Will." I pulled at my strands,

"Splendid, but for now, take Eliza home. We don't want anyone else trying to steal her now do we?" He laughed at his pathetic joke.