You Found Me

Chapter 13

Moments in time, they define us. A moment of impact with potential for change that has a ripple effect far beyond what we can predict.

The moment I found out my parents had died.

The moment Paul took me away.

The moment he first hit me.

The moment he first forced me.

The moment that Drew first found me.

And now I had another moment, one where the creatures who had tormented me, had come back.

They had come back for me; who knows what they wanted?

I practically threw myself out of Drew’s arms to the far side of the room, far away from the window, far away from the boys. “W-what?” I asked, choking back tears. This wasn’t happening; this couldn’t be happening. I had only just gotten away from Paul, had only just starting living again, coming out of the shell that Paul had forced me into; I was finally happy.

And now, the vampires had come and I knew that this was because of Paul; he should’ve left it well enough alone, just left me alone.

Tears dripped down my face as I pressed it to my knees, curling up against the wall. This couldn’t be happening again.

“You guys stay here and protect Riley- she’s what they’re after! Take her down to the safe room- it’s below the castle and has enough food and water to last a year, there’s also a vent system that will pump fresh air so you won’t suffocate.”  Drew said as he gently knelt down next to me.

My heart sank and fear wrapped around me like a blanket as the situation set in- Paul was alive and here. He’d hurt the ones I love and it’s all my fault. “Please don’t leave me.” I sobbed as the flood gates opened.

“I’ll come back.” He gently stroked my cheek and wiped my tears away.

“You better.” I said softly; he’d grown on me more than he could imagine.

 “I love you.” He said as be bent down and pecked me on the lips.

 “I love you too.” I whispered hesitantly, so quietly only he could hear.

We broke apart as James cleared his throat. “I think we should get Riley down to the safe room soon- I’m sure that Paul’s got something up his sleeve.”

I zoned out as the talked tactics until I felt myself being lifted. I felt numb. Drew and the boys were in danger because of me and I hated it, hated feeling helpless.

I don’t know how it happened but one moment I was in Drew’s room, the next I was at the bottom of a dark stone tunnel, torches as the only light. As the first blast sounded, growls, snarls and hisses sounding from upstairs, the walls shaking, Drew began furiously typing combinations into a panel.  He rushed us into a room that looked like an army bunker; just more comfortable, and way more secure.

 “Shit!” He yelled, trying to seal the door and the panel.

“What’s wrong?” I asked feeling scared- the noises outside had gotten louder and the house shook slightly.

“They must have fried the circuit or something, it’s not working and the door isn’t properly locked.” He punched the wall in anger. I looked around the room and focused my gaze on Matt who was sitting next me.  He seemed calm but I knew that he was trying to hold it together.

“What are we going to do?”

“Prot-,” It suddenly fell silent, silence is never good. My gaze had moved to the door once it had fallen silent and as I looked over to Matt I noticed that he looked dizzy.

“What’s wrong gu-,” I was cut off when his eyes rolled back into his head and he fell to the floor followed by Jesse, Cam, Archer, Drew and James.

“Boys!” I screamed, jumping up to check Matt’s pulse as he was the closest to me.

There was a massive bang and the door splinted off it’ hinges and went flying into the opposite wall- narrowly avoiding Cam.

“What did you do to them?!?” I screamed at the group of men at the door.

“Nothing that concerns you.” Paul said striding through where the door used to be.

I was frozen in fear; were the boys dead? What was he going to do? As he came closer my flight or fight instinct kicked in and I backed away as far as I could get.

 “What do you want?” I hissed, anger consuming me; how dare he come in here! How dare he hurt me friends! I had lived under his abuse for a year and I wasn’t going back to that hell.  “You can’t control me anymore Paul.”

It felt so good to say those words and I freer, though I knew it would only be short lived. Like always though, it seemed like I’d lost control of my body as my mouth kept moving.  “You may be able to physically hurt me but you’ll never break me again.” I spat at him, letting all the bitterness, hate, resentment, anger and pity I have for him show in my voice- I pity him because he finds joy in other people’s misery.

“I’ll think that you’ll find that I own you.” He sneered as he grabbed my arm and hauled me towards the door.

“Let go of me!” I screamed, thrashing uncontrollably. I grabbed his wrist and squeezed until a crack filled the room and he left me go hissing.

“Do that again and I’ll make sure you regret it.” He hissed, cradling his broken wrist.

“Sir the wolves are starting to wake up; they’ll kill us for sure if we’re not gone”

I felt a little hope- if I can stall then Drew and the boys, not to mention Drew’s arm will wake up and stop Paul, maybe once and for all. Paul grabbed me and I dug my heels into the floor, pulling back; I was getting desperate with every second that ticked by, my breathing picking up as my heart beat fast.

“Move!” He shouted, backhanding me across the face. I fell to the ground cradling my cheek as he bent down next to me. I went to crawl backwards but he pushed me face first into the stone floor.  A piercing, singing pain hit me on the back of my neck and Paul let me go.

I sat up and almost fell back again as the world began spinning, dots covering my vision.  “What did you do to me?” I slurred, it felt like there was cotton in my ears as everything was delayed. .

“Just something to make you sleep.” His voice sounded far away and I had to struggle to hear him. I felt myself being picked up and carelessly thrown over a shoulder, I tried to protest, to struggle, fight back, but my limbs weren’t responding and it was becoming harder to breath.

We took off at high speed and I felt sick as well as dizzy.

Black dots appeared and stretched out to cover my field of vision- I was no longer able to see. My head rolled to the side as I lost total control of my muscles- I could still breathe in shallow pants, which made no sense to me since the rest of my body couldn’t move. My sense of smell faded, as did my hearing and then there was nothing.