NEIN (girlxgirl)

| 06 |

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F I L I G R A N

(n.)  something dainty or delicate.

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NATASJA JOLTED awake, immediately reaching for Kael without a second thought. She was gone.

She looked around her, noticing light streaming through a crack from the door. When did it open?

She groaned as she sat up, her head throbbing. She dreamed of her parents every night since the accident. But this time, she didn't. Her headache must have been due to the uncomfortable position she was in, her head twisted slightly and without a pillow. She wondered why her demons didn't come this time.

She checked her surroundings, cracking her neck and groaning at the relief. She cautiously approached the door and sneaked a peek through the opened door. Her eye blurred and she squinted as it tried to adjust to the sudden light. Kael was right. Twelve hours had gone by quickly.

Making sure that the coast was clear, she hesitantly opened the door wider for her to slip out. She was almost blinded by how bright the light outside was. It was probably the afternoon by now. It truly was just pitch black inside the safe room.

"Kael?" She croaked. Her throat was parched and she tried to remember the last time she drank water. She walked outside, noticing she was still in the same pajamas she had on when they were attacked this morning. She hoped they had some extra clothes here.

She heard voices downstairs. Soft murmurs and footsteps sounded on the polished wooden floor. The hallways and stairs were carpeted in expensive persian, but the first floor was bare wood. Light streamed through the high glass walls as Natasja stood at the top of the staircase facing the foyer. The walls and pillars were wooden, the carpet a warm friend to the house's theme. This place felt more like a home than an academy.

Hesitantly, she made her way downstairs and followed the voices. They led to the living room, a rather spacious room with brown sofas, persian rugs, and medieval decorations. The wall of glass connected with the glass on the second floor from which Natasja came from, and the view as it overlooked the island was breathtaking. The late afternoon sun was let through, heading into the golden hour.

In the living room, there stood about five people. All freakishly tall, intimidating, and had fairly similar complexions. Natasja immediately spotted Kael, standing near the middle of the room as she talked to one of the four strangers.

As soon as Natasja's foot touched the carpet, all talk stopped and four pairs of dark obsidian eyes zoned in on her. Natasja wanted to squeak at the intimidation, but she was much too fascinated to make a sound.

The four men that stood with Kael looked exactly alike. All four had the same height, athletic build, jet black wavy hair, angular features, bushy male eyebrows, and dark eyes. The only thing different were the clothes they wore.

Their dominant stance and the way they regally carried themselves reminded Natasja of someone.

"Who is this?" One of them asked in a deep voice. Not a hint of amusement could be found in the harsh planes of his face. His lips were set in a firm line, just like his brothers. They were all built like tanks. The testosterone levels in the room were through the roof.