Claimed by Shadows

Chapter One

Aven's POV

The pavement passed by beneath my feet as I walked down the street. The streetlights were on as it was early in the morning. The buildings reached up into the sky, moonlight reflecting off the tall structures. The city was quiet; I was alone on the street as far as I could tell. The corner of the street came into view, as did a figure. It looked like a man and he was walking toward me. I kept walking, keeping my head slightly down as I pulled my bag closer to me. He passes me and I let out a breath.

"Miss?" He suddenly called out, turning in my direction. I sighed and against my better judgment turned to face him.

"Yes?" I asked, my voice soft but strong. He took a step toward me and I looked him up and down, resisting the urge to step back. He was taller than me by at least a couple inches and had short brown hair. His eyes looked completely black as they gazed down at me. His cheekbones were prominent and there was something about him that made me want to keep looking at him. He was wearing black jeans and a black coat, and his arm was outstretched toward me. In his hand was my notebook; the worn red cover stood out against his pale skin. I shook my head and opened my bag looking to make sure. I knew I tucked it inside earlier, but it wasn't there

"You seem to have dropped this." He said, walking toward me. He stopped in front of me and I took the notebook from his hand. I quickly opened it and saw my writings from earlier.

"Thanks, I don't know how I dropped it." I murmured softly and looked back up at him, meeting his eyes. He stared into mine intently, like he was searching for something. His eyes scanned my body and I felt my cheeks heat up as I dropped my gaze to the ground. Suddenly I felt his hand underneath my chin, raising my head and gaze to look at him again.

"What's your name, love?" He asked, his voice smooth and deep. He lowered his hand, and the loss of contact and heat made me shiver.

"Aven" I whispered softly, my heart pounding in my chest. I wasn't sure if it was from fear or excitement. The man in front of me smiled at my voice, gazing over my body once again, like he was watching something.

"Aven," He said back to me, smiling as he did. He nodded and tucked his hands neatly into his pockets. "Well Aven, it was very nice to meet you. I do hope I see you around in the near future." He said, taking my free hand and raising it to his lips, kissing it softly. I exhaled, a cloud of air forming in front of me as he did. I shivered again and nodded, taking a slow step back.

"Sure." I replied, my heart speeding up. I stammered a quick goodbye before turning and quickly walking away. My head was foggy as I replayed the interaction in my head. I turned the corner and stepped into my apartment building. Once inside I locked both locks and dropped my bag. My mind raced as I processed what just happened. I opened my notebook again, seeing my scrawled handwriting. "Impossible." I whispered, closing the book and pondering how it ended up on the ground.

Elijah's POV

I found her. Finally. After so many years of being away and searching I finally found her. And of all places. I shook my head and smiled. The one place I was avoiding was where my darling, my shadows were hiding. Thank goodness I came home. My heart is still pounding in my chest as the adrenaline pumps through my body. It took everything in me not to kiss her, not to steal her away and keep her with me. Aven, what a beautiful name. The shadows around her reached out to me. Her eyes were mesmerizing, even when they held fear. I practically ran down the street, heading to my apartment. Once in the building I got in the elevator and pushed the button for my floor. After getting inside I took off my coat and pulled my phone out, dialing the number quickly.

"Aspen, I'm back. I found her. I'm gonna need your help." I smiled, my excitement evident in my voice. After our conversation, I hung up. I looked out over the city, as daylight began to break. I would finally get back to normal. And this time I will be in power, I will rule. My father won't stand a chance. Not with Aven by my side.

~~~~~

Hey there! I've started writing again! I'm reworking this story so if you've read it before that's why it is different. I originally wrote the beginning of this story back in high school four years ago. I was cringing when I reread it, but I got inspired to write again, so I've decided to continue/rework this story. Hopefully it will be less cringy this time :) I know it's a short little chapter, but they should get longer as I get back into writing more. Up top is Aven. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!