Demon's Curse [discontinued]

Captured

            Arianna stared ahead, her eyes defiant. Her family had been found somewhere in the edge of  Pennsylvania, deep within the forest and she wouldn't give up now. Her whole life, her parents helped her become the woman she was today. They taught her how to hunt, how to craft, how to keep up her endurance, and most of all, how to not get caught. However, it seemed that the last one didn't work out so well. There were four of them all together, her younger brother and her parents. "What is your name?" The trader spat, his dark eyes narrowed at them. Her parents had been able to live in the wild for twenty-three years and despite Arianna's defiant attitude, she was still in shock. "I asked you a question!" Arianna was smacked and she flew across the room, hitting a wall with a loud "oomf." Her father yelled in protest but he was easily subdued. Her eyes found her little brother, Conner. His brown eyes were wide with fear as he stared at her.

            He was only fourteen years old. "Arianna Frey." She hissed through clenched teeth. The man smirked and dragged her back into the line where the other captured humans were lined. "How old are you?" Arianna remained silent, only for a moment before she replied. "Twenty-three." She whispered, glaring at the trader. "Good, human." He snarled and moved on to her brother. It was heartbreaking, seeing Conner so weak-willed. She had always seen her brother as strong and wise for his age but here he stood, quickly to obey a trader. Arianna sneered and glared at the ground. But then again, it was to be expected, he was just a kid...no matter his strength. "Come here." She was yanked out of line and she looked behind her, her parents head held high in defiance. She grinned but hissed as her finger was poked with a needle. Arianna was about to pull her hand away from it but her index finger was pushed against a sheet of paper with her information.

            She and Conner had been born off the radar and it only made sense for them to do this but it angered her. She hated being treated like nothing. Arianna was relieved to be brought back towards the line but, the trader took an abrupt left, leading her away from her family. Arianna screamed and thrashed against him but he was much stronger than her. "Ari!" Her brother called, suddenly struggling against the restraints to get to her. Conner was held back and tears streamed down her face. No, she didn't want to be separated from her brother. At least she'd be sane with him around. "Conner!" She sobbed and thrashed harder. As the trader went to adjust his hold on her, she slipped away and ran towards her family, her breathing ragged. When she reached her parents, she held on tightly, sobbing. "Just go, Arianna." Her father whispered, kissing her forehead. "I love you." She whispered to her family and then, blackness.

            It was all a nightmare. It had to be. Arianna blinked slowly, her body heavy, feeling as if she was hit with a truck. Voices filled her head and her brows furrowed. Where was she? Human voices, she could recognize that much. "Oh! She's waking!" A hand brushed along her cheek and Arianna shifted her gaze, finding a girl, no older the seventeen. "Hi." She whispered gently, tucking hair behind Arianna's ear. "Do you know where you are?" Arianna frowned and shook her head, slowly sitting up. Her head pounded and when she lifted her arm, she saw a tracking bracelet. "Damn it!" She yelled, tugging at the device angrily. "Hey, calm down. You'll cause the traders to come." The girls surrounding them froze, their eyes wide in fear. Arianna huffed and muttered a few curse words. "Where are we?" She asked finally, her green eyes meeting perfect blue ones. "Trading post." Arianna frowned. Then it clicked. "Oh god." She whispered and rubbed her face.

      "You must've been a struggle if they had to put you under." The blue-eyed girl stated, studying Arianna closely. She huffed and stood, her eyes raking along the room for an exit. It was obvious, just by looking there was none but it didn't hurt to check. "You have no idea." Arianna muttered and huffed softly. "I noticed you are pretty dark. Were you a rogue?" Arianna smirked at the name. A rogue was quite fitting. That is exactly what her family were, rogues. "Yes. I've been one my whole life." She explained and the girls gasped, crawling closer. "What's it like? Outside of here?" Arianna chuckled softly. "It's peaceful. You can do whatever you want, it's freeing." The girls grinned ear to ear as they listened. "How did you survive?" One asked curiously, eyes wide. "Well, my parents built a cabin and we all survived on nature." They all frowned but moments later, they gasped in realization.

             "Angelica Fitzgerald!" A trader called, his eyes scanning the room with disgust before his eyes settled on Arianna, smirking. A young girl, maybe eight years old, walked out, head down, shoulders shaking. "This is horrible." Arianna whispered. "How could they do this?" The girl shrugged and looked away. "I'm Leila, by the way." She introduced. "Arianna." She murmured and rubbed her arms. Looking down, she noticed someone had changed her out of her old clothes and put her in a simple summer dress. She groaned and shook her head. "God, they are sick." She hissed in disgust and paced the room, still trying to find an escape. "They have the whole place rigged with cameras and guards." Leila explained. "They're fast too. You won't make it past five feet." Arianna scoffed. "No offense but, I'm quicker than you city girls." Leila frowned a moment before shrugging. "You know, maybe you could teach me." Arianna raised an eyebrow. "Teach you what?" Leila grinned, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "How to be rogue."

           Arianna laughed. "They'll never allow you out, sweetie." Leila moved in front of Arianna's gaze, determined to convince Arianna otherwise. "They are required by law to allow us out for at least two hours in a twenty-four hour period. There is plenty of time for you to teach me. I could ask to write you and we can organize times. They allow us slaves some social time." Arianna furrowed her brows. Since she had never been in the city before, she knew nothing. Maybe she could just learn some things from Leila and in return she'd teach her. "Fine." Leila beamed and nodded. "But only you." Leila nodded and looked around the room, her eyes scanning over the girls. A few more names were called and the traders' gaze found Arianna. "Arianna Frey." Arianna glared at the trader and looked at Leila. "Be sure to contact me." With a curt nod, Arianna left, following the trader down a dimly lit hall. "Rogue, huh? This will be very interesting." Arianna rolled her eyes and remained silent, following the man.

        Her eyes scanned the walls for a possible escape but it was practically impossible. Guards stood near every exit, their dead eyes set on Arianna with hatred and hunger. "Identify yourself." A guard demanded, his black eyes boring into Arianna relentlessly. "Arianna Frey." He looked through his reader and nodded. "Thanks, Mark." The trader said as the other vampire took her. He didn't reply nor did he even nod. Arianna exhaled and looked at Mark. He was buff to say the least. He must've enjoyed working out before he was turned. Arianna groaned and looked down. Escaping him wouldn't be easy, at all. A door opened and she was led to a platform. When she stepped onto it, cuffs snapped tightly around her ankles and she yelped, trying to yank her feet free. "Stop moving." Mark commanded, his black eyes boring into her. With huff, she ceased. No use arguing there, not with a room full of vampires surrounding her. Once Mark was out of sights, the lights on the platform dimmed in the slightest and a man spoke, telling all about her.