Taming of the beast - Completed.

Chapter One

"Who the hell are you?!"

Yelping, Callie Carson faltered in her tracks on the rough natural driveway. Hand upon her throat, eyes darting everywhere, seeing nothing apart from the surrounding dark tree shapes outline that appeared menacing.

Lightening cracked like a whip, lighting up the blackened, heavy, laden clouded skies, sapping all the light from the sun. She gasped as a tall figure flashed off towards the side. A silhouette draped in a long, heavy dark overcoat, collar pulled up to slanted defined cheekbones.

"Callie Carson," she came out like a squeaky, tiny, little church mouse, cowering back into the corners of safety. This wasn't what she had expected when she came looking for her aunt.

"What are you doing here?!" His voice was dark and chilling. Callie clutched at her arm. "You are trespassing. Leave," he bellowed. Not at all welcoming. Reminding her of a forbidden threatening beast, skirting around the dark woods, stalking its prey.

Callie gulped because she couldn't do that, vein pulsating at the base of her throat, where her hand rested. He was quite an imposing force, whoever he was. The groundsman? "I'm expected," she said softly, barely a whisper, and it would be remarkable if he had even heard her.

She kept to the middle of the driveway, away from the spooky woods, hovering above her from a great height. Shadows danced all around her as did a low thin mist, grey and eerier, making her more skittish. A nervous little laugh choked in her throat as her mind raced. Was he the big bad wolf?

Thunder crashed loudly.

She screamed, jerking back, heart hammering hard in her tight chest.

The dark, sinister figure didn't even flinch. His silence unnerved her. Licking suddenly dry lips, Callie focussed on the dark physique of a man still in the shadows, as if he didn't want her to see him. "I'm Emily Taylor's niece, Callie."

He turned and started walking away. She stood there, dazed. Did she keep going the way she was or follow the very bleak man? "Come!" He barked. She hesitantly followed him into the woods. What the hell was she doing following some stranger into the dark, threatening woods in the middle of an electrical storm? All she needed was....

The first big drop of rain hit her unprotected head.

Her head dropped forward, tugging the zipped-up jacket closer.

Great, just great.

If the entrance gate hadn't been closed, she would've driven up in the rental car that was still on the other side of the gate. "Keep up!" another bark. Her eyes narrowed, zooming onto the silhouette of a man, who didn't even give up his name. Must be one of those eccentric folks of the country. They were in the middle of nowhere. Off the beaten track.

The woods seemed to be growing wilder, out of control that she had to push branches away, trying to keep up, ducking and weaving. Dead tree twigs and leaves crunched underfoot. Unexpectedly she cried out in pain as she was jerked back, sharply.

Her hair tangled in lower finger-like branches, tugging at her scalp, holding her captured in pain. Lightning crackled the hostile skies, an owl flew past, swooping, hooting. Startled, she brought her arm up in protection. Lowering her arm, she screamed at a looming shadowy form. 

Darkness consumed her as she slumped down towards the cold, damp, unforgiving ground.

****

Cursing under his breath, Riyad Al-Shafeeq arm went around her waist, holding her up straighter while trying to untangle the long tresses of hair from twisted thin branches. Only making it worse, under the wretched darkness, making it nearly impossible to see properly. The last thing he wanted to do was inflict unnecessary pain.