The Beasts Curse

Fifteen

Fifteen

It was him. The man, or creature, from the mall. He was here. What he was doing here, I had no clue. But, what did know was he was here for me. And as I tried to think of why this. . . thing would want me, I came up against the barrier. That damn wall in my mind. I tried to back up to Alex. To pull my arm out of his tight grip. But it was of no use. He was not going to let me go.

"Oh my beautiful Renee. I never would have thought that a smart, intelligent young women like yourself would wander around alone in the middle of the night. Without your mate." He raised his hand to brush my cheek. As it grazed my cheekbone I jerked my head back, revolt coiling sickeningly in my stomach.

"Let. Me. Go." I hissed through my teeth. I was trying to keep calm. Whatever he was, whatever he was planning, it wasn't good. And, I really, really didn't want to stick around to find out.

"Now why would I want to do that sweetheart?" He pulled me against his side, his hand still digging cruelly into my arm. "I enjoy your company too much to just let a fine specimen like yourself out of my sight."

There was a roar behind us in the trees. It was then I realized that I could sense Knight. He was close, approaching us fast. It was also then that I realized I could sense his emotions. Anger. Blinding rage.

Red tinted my vision. But, I knew that it was not coming from me. Yes I was frightened, I didn't know what was going to happen to me. And yes, I was angered over the fact that Alex was laying, helpless, on the ground not more than a foot away from me, and I was powerless to do anything. But, I was not blinded by rage. No, this overwhelming emotion was coming from Knight. From a link that only he and I shared.

"You won't have me for long." I tried once again to yank myself out of his grip. "He's coming for me and you won't be able to stop him."

I couldn't stop myself from gasping as he whipped me in front of him. His other hand came out of nowhere, and my cheek stung from the sudden impact. There was no warning, and tears came unbidden to my eyes. I could taste blood in my mouth and I clenched my teeth against the sudden ache. I would show no weakness in front of him.

"You're just like your mother you know. She refused to cry out. Refused to show emotion." He drew me closer to his face. "Refused to change and fight back when I put her on the iron beds. Oh how the tears streamed down her face when our smiths put the red hot silver on her skin. And that's what we have in store for you, my dear." As he spoke I could see the images of herself chained to an alter like iron table. I tried to block the images but it was no use.

I couldn't breath. It was as if my lungs had suddenly forgotten how to work, forgot how to expand with air. Everything faded away. There was no forest. There was no Alex. The ground disappeared, and it felt like I was falling. But I wasn't. I was held firmly in place by the grip on my arm. It kept me upright. I wish my vision had turned black or even red. Anything but the images he was sending me, but I could only see them, and as he stopped talking. The man that had destroyed my family. Destroyed the only home I had ever loved.

Yes I loved my father, and yes I was truly grateful for everything he had done for me. He had provided for me, and cared for me. Raised me. But, it was never the same after my mother disappeared. Everything changed the night father had rushed to my bedroom and packed a bag of clothes. We were gone and out of our house in ten minutes. I don't even recall what he had said to me. I was only eight and didn't fully understand. I only remember him telling me that my mother was gone and wasn't coming back.

I blinked and really looked at the man in front of me. He was pale, ghostly white. Like before, his eyes were rimmed with red, but this time I could really see his eyes. They were a dark scarlet, it almost reminded me of dried blood. His hair was disheveled, no doubt from moving so fast, and fighting. With grim regret I had to admit that he was a dark, almost morbid, kind of handsome. I clenched my hands into fists. This was the man that stole my mother away from me. The man who would no doubt kill me as well.