Chapter 11

Evelyn s POV Waking up, I feel fingers run down my spine, making me shiver and my eyes fly open. Sitting up, I find I am in a room and the person touching me was Thaddeus. He watches me as I look around at the unfamiliar surroundings. The room I am in is huge and has arched windows looking out into the darkness. Shaking my head, I try to remember the last thing that happened. All I remember is Meranda getting shot and the sensation of moving fast. I feel a draft brush across my skin from the open window, making me look down to see I only have my jeans and a bra on. "Where is my shirt?" I ask, my voice trembling as confusion sets in. "You threw up at the apartment," Thaddeus tells me, and I vaguely remember. I tug the surrounding blanket, covering myself from his watchful eyes. "How did you get the burn on your back?" he asks, looking at my exposed shoulder. I often forgot it was there, and looking down I could just make out the charred edges of flesh that wrapped over my shoulder to the back of my neck. "Where am I?" I ask, ignoring his question. Thaddeus doesn t answer, and the door suddenly opens, Ryland and Orion walking in. "Sleeping beauty awakes," Ryland mocks. I roll my eyes at him before tugging the blanket over my shoulder, covering myself completely. Their eyes watching every move I make. Orion sits on the end of the bed, kicking his shoes off and laying down. Getting up, I scoot to the edge of the bed, looking around. I can see a bathroom through the door near the windows. Another door that Ryland and Orion walked in from, so I guess that leads to the rest of the place. Antique looking wardrobes along one wall and a huge four-poster bed that could easily fit five or six people in it. "Can I borrow a shirt please" I ask, looking to them. Ryland pulls his off, handing it to me. I scrunch my nose up before taking it from him. "Now you will have my scent all over you," he states before leaning against Thaddeus. My eyes trail down his bare chest. His has abs look like they were sculptured by an artist, his tan skin glowing under the lights. Turning my gaze away when I realise I was gawking, I pull the shirt over my head before removing the sheet I wrapped myself in. It was very warm here. Even the draft didn t have the frosty bite I was so used to, making me wonder where we were. Getting up, I walk to the window and look out; it was dark, but the moon was full and the sky so clear I could actually see stars instead of smog. Looking out all I see is trees and hills and more hills and nothing, just darkness. I feel my heart rate pick up. I knew instantly we had to be hundreds of kilometres from home. Turning around, I look at them. All three of them watching me and I break out in a cold sweat fear consuming me. My mind's going to a crime show I watched once the narrator said never let your killers take you to a second destination because that means they are going to kill you. Well, technically this was the third destination, but that didn t make me any less uneasy. "Where are we?" I ask, looking back out the window. "At our home," Thaddeus answers. "And where is that?" I ask. "Where you don t need to know, but I can tell you it s in the middle of nowhere," Thaddeus answers vaguely. "Why won t you tell me?" I ask. "Because you don t need to know. We won t be leaving, at least not until the heat dies down," Ryland tells me. "Heat?" "Yes. Because of you hunters found us and tracked us with your little runaway attempt, and frankly I am tired of running so we will remain here." "The people with the guns, they were hunters?" I ask. "Precisely, and because of you Thaddeus had to kill them and god knows how many other people caught in the crossfire," Ryland says. "I never asked you to follow me, and I sure hell didn t ask you to kill anyone," I snap back at him. Ryland s eyes go dark, and he growls a deep throaty growl that makes goosebumps spread over my body. "Watch your tone, little one. I would hate to see it get you in trouble," Thaddeus warns. Orion glares at him and I wonder what sort of trouble he meant from the look Orion gave him. "Whatever," I tell him, turning away and walking to the window and sitting on the ledge. I couldn t imagine being in any more trouble than I am in. Orion gets up and walks over, brushing my hair over my shoulder. "Don t touch me," I tell him before swatting his hand away. Getting up, I walk out of the room, Thaddeus voice calling out to me. "Where are you going?" "Away from you," I call back before walking down the hall. I come to some landing, looking over the side I can see another floor below. The house seems to be some sort of log home. Exposed beams run across the roof, which I notice is an A frame house by its high pointed ceiling. Skylights run down the sides of the roof. Running my hand along the wooden bannister, it felt smooth, and I follow it downstairs, which has an onyx stone floor. They look glittery under the lights that hang randomly from the beams. It was a pleasant house and had a modern country feel to it. Once on the bottom floor, I see a fireplace that I could easily fit inside of. I wouldn t be surprised if all four of us could stand in it, it seemed to take up most of the wall. Turning underneath the stairs is another door. I walk through it and find a kitchen with stainless steel appliances and marble bench tops and matching splash back. There is also a huge island bench set it the middle with stools along one side. Walking out of the kitchen through yet another door, I find a laundry and another door with a window beside it. Peering out the window, I see outside. I twist the handle intending to open the door when a hand falls on my shoulder tugging me backwards. "You aren t leaving, Evelyn," Ryland says, yanking me against him. His chest pressing into my back and I feel the heat radiating off his body and seeping into me. I can feel his chest move with each breath he takes, his nose running from my ear and down my neck and shoulder making me shiver. Everywhere he touches delightful sparks move over my skin, my body reacting to his touch as his arms wrap around my waist and I feel his hand travel up my side before squeezing my breast. My body reacts to him, and I don t like it. How is it he could have this effect over me? I force myself away from him only for him to pull me back against him. Turning around I intended to shove him except the look on his face made me gasp. His eyes were pitch black orbs. The eyes of demon staring back at me, and I gulp. Spinning around, I grip the door handle throwing the door open and it crashed into the wall with a loud bang and I dart out it. Adrenaline making me run faster as my heart pounds painfully against my chest. I thought I heard chuckling on my way out when I am around hundred metres away from the house in some paddock. My hair stands on end and a shiver runs up my spine, my breathing becomes short and fast and I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. I couldn t see anything in the long grass, but I could feel eyes on me, observing me. Hearing a noise behind me, I spin on my heel, trying to catch a glimpse of it only to spin the other way when I hear the noise behind me again. My entire body goes tense as I hear growling, and my stomach drops somewhere deep inside me and I can feel the blood draining from my face. My skin felt ice cold, and I was becoming paralysed by fear. "Ryland," I whisper into the darkness and I hear the rustling of grass before hearing movement behind me again, just as I turn, I see something lunge at me knocking me over a scream leaving my lips as I am knocked to the ground. My eyes opening to see white gleaming teeth of a beast above me. It was huge as it snapped its jaw near my face, its huge paws on either side of my head.