Kissed in the darkness

Chapter 19

Hey all! Sorry for the extremely long awaited update, but thank you for still being here. You people have some patience ahaha anyway we're back- I hope you like. Also- we got a new cover! Finally ahaha Love all around - Tay xx

ARIA

I would love to say I know where I am when I wake up, but for the life of me, I don't. I can see though, they haven't blindfolded me, just gaged me. That's explains why my mouth is so dry. The room I am in is dull, lit only by the night sky through a window covered by a sheer curtain. The walls and floor are old wooden boards, and everything is covered in a thick layer of dust. I feel like I inhale it with every breath I take, but I think I should avoid sneezing if I can. It appears to be some kind of attic. Although most attics are filled with miscellaneous crap people can't bring themselves to throw away but don't want either. This one is empty. And it's large and spacious. Wasn't I taken by Strigoi? Why am I not tied up in a cave being prepped for dinner like the turkey at thanksgiving? I think back over how I ended up here. The last thing I can recall is being stuck in the neck by a syringe. Right, so they're not just Strigoi, they're fancy Strigoi. I then get analytical, thinking up my next step. Going from all of my training and everything I've seen in movies, I don't panic but rather think of how to cut the ties that bound me. They're chains, bound by a lock that requires a key. The only option I have is to pick it, which I could if I could get my hands on a long, sharp object. I set my sights out, eyes falling on a piece of wood peeling up from the arm of the chair I'm sat on. It's rickety old wooden chair, it may do the job. I swallow my pride and bed down, using my teeth to pull at the wood piece. When I get it off, the shard still between my teeth, I jam the pointed end into the lock used to restrain my left hand. After jiggling it around for a while, it works, which means I can use that hand to get he other one undone. It doesn't take as long to get that one undone. My feet are only strapped around the ankles with zip ties- maybe they were on a budget. It hurts, but I pull them off. I don't have long to bask in my escape before someone comes out of he shadows, clapping.
"Bravo sister. Haven't they conformed you well..."
I look over her, my big sister in the flesh. Her eyes red, which I am unused to
"Anna?"
She shrugs
"Who else do you think cared enough to capture you?"
I indicate around the room
"An attic? You opted for an attic?"
She laughs at me
"You're not seeing the big picture sis. Now that you don't have your backup or little Moroi boyfriend around, who's there to stop me from turning you?"
"Me."
"Of course, but who's to say I won't try to bargain with you. See, perhaps after we got you, we sent more strigoi into your school. They got everyone you cared about in the basement ready to kill until you finally consent. You're call."
I tilt my head at her
"I call your bluff, Anna."
I stroll over to the windows, pulling aside the curtain with a cloud of dust to look outside. All I see are trees for miles, but it's high up. I laugh
"You decided to put me in an attic as if I wouldn't just take this jump out the window."
She chuckles
"Be my guest, Ari. We've got men down there waiting to bring you back up as soon as you hit the ground. What will the little Dhampir do without her take?"
I smile at her as I crack the window open, crawling through onto the ledge below it. I wave and without thinking, let go. I land on my back, it hurts, sending a shock through my whole body, but adrenalin keeps me going. I roll up onto my knees just in time to dodge the Strigoi about to grab me. I fight him and to hand until we're just in the forest next to the house. I kick him, making him stagger back and snap a thick, low branch. It leaves a hazardous, jagged broken end, which I use to my advantage. I angle us so his back is to that tree, and move forward forcing him back until he's close enough I can send a kick at him again which forces him back to the tree and the branch through his chest. He looks down, shocked, before falling limp a moment later. Then I take off running, ignoring all the aches through my body. If I can find my way to the main road, I'll be able to navigate my way back from here.

I make it back to the school hours later, it has to be almost dawn now. The first place I go is Christian's room, he isn't there. It triggers me and my pent up emotions. I begin to cry, and yell out his name as I slam my fist against his door- knowing it won't open. I drop my head against the door, having to accept he isn't right there. I shouldn't have expected him to be. Pulling myself together, I set out to find Dimitri. He isn't in his room either. I begin to have another break down when someone rounds the corner, another Guardian I've worked beside but haven't cared enough to learn her name. She rushes to my side like a concerned aunt
"Aria! Hi, darling, what happened."
I force my overwhelming emotions back and state
"I was abducted by Strigoi. I escaped."
She looks over me
"You look like you dragged your body through the woods."
I nod. I essentially did. She urges gently
"Come on darling, let's get you to the nurse."
I shake my head
"Where's Christian- where's Dimitri?"
She takes a deep breath, preparing to be the bearer of bad news
"After they found the bodies of the Strigoi and realised you were missing, we sent out a search party. Christian insisted he went. Lord knows where they are at this point, darling."
I can't fathom what she's saying. I spit
"You let a Royal go out on a search party?! Strigoi involved. We are never to put a Moroi in the line of fire."
She nods, then shakes her head
"We had no choice, Aria."
I huff out my anger, breathing heavy as I begin to feel the pain truly kick in. She continues
"But you're here now, safe. Go have a shower, visit the nurse, get rested up and I'll call off the search. They'll be back right away, just fine. There has been no aggression yet."
I reluctantly nod, only because I could really use a pain killer from the nurse right now.