Tethered

Prologue

*Elizabeth*

I groaned in annoyance as my body ached like shit due to this unchangeable position I was seated in. I felt like I was inside an oven with a table fan blowing wind all over me.

My eyes refused to open but the heat hitting my back would definitely leave a nasty sunburn. My head was heavy with extra 100 pounds that suddenly appeared from nowhere. I slowly tried to open my eyes but the blinding light hurt them so badly that I had to closed them again. I could feel the motion though I sat still like a rock.

Finally making my mind up, I lifted my head off his chest. My eyes burnt like hell but I ignored the trickling tears as I slowly opened them. I was still too sleepy for my grasping ability to realize what was happening. The wind blew my hair right into my face.

okay, I understood that we were moving in some kind of vehicle with around 70 miles per hour speed. Everything zoomed past me so fast as if a race had been conducted and I was definitely in it. The barren land with cracks on it surface, the sand, big rocks and rocky mountains was the only sight to see and occasionally animal skulls and skeletons too. Basically I was in the middle of nowhere.

No other sign of life could be seen, except him, of course, could I even consider him?

And to top it all, this burningly hot, garish sun was making me bath in my own sweat. I pushed a bit away from him to catch a breath. I was sick of inhaling his intoxicating scent. After all he was my only company in this desert now as he had abducted me.

I could feel my head spinning and bile rise up my throat yet I tried to force myself out of sleep as I tried rising up from his chest but then I wasn't as strong as I had expected myself to be. I fell back to him like a stone falls down due to gravity and blamed it upon my lack of determination.

As if the greatest award winning observation, it finally dawned on me that he was riding a bike this time. For a moment I wished that it was only a nightmare like any other day but I knew very well that my nightmare this time was very much real!

He had me straddled about his waist facing him while he raced like hell hounds were at his tail. I peeked over his shoulder to confirm if my sarcasm hadn't turned into reality unlike last time. Seeing that there was nothing else except his backpack, suddenly I wished that hell hounds to really chase him away for good but for the moment I was riding with him too! And the thought of ugly dogs chasing after me gave me goosebumps. This made me selfish for my own safety.

I had never even dreamt of seating on a bike before, until now that he decided to give this whole horrifying packaged experience as a gift to me. I pulled my head back and observed his dress code, which made me sweat even more profusely! He looked like a modern mummy fully covered from head to toe. He had a black helmet over his head, thick leather gloves on his hands, a black jacket and grey jeans. Completely cover him, not even exposing a nanometer of his skin.

Oof! He must have melted into liquid inside leaving only a skeleton behind. I shuddered at the thought of hugging a skeleton. He must be looking like ghost rider. But I couldn't confirm anything yet due to his stupid helmet with that polarised glass that didn't even allow me see his eyes. Again, how badly was my brain bored that it went to self destruction mode and started destroying my brain cells? Or maybe it was the heat that was making my mind to malfunction.

I felt a hell lot of better wearing my strapless, knee-lenght magenta frock for the third day in a row. And barefooted, might I add.

Suddenly, one of his hand encircled around me pulling me back to his body again and pressing me there as he greeted jovially, "good morning."

Yeah, he would have a good morning unlike would me, wouldn't he? After he killed my last hope, why wouldn't he be happy? The previous night flashed before my eyes as tears started rolling down my cheek. My breathing turned uneven and my mind only wondered if Mike was okay? Was he even alive? I prayed he was as the way he had beaten Mike, I'd thought that he would die on the spot or maybe he was already dead...

No, no, no!!! It can't be! Mike can't die! I have to stay strong and positive. I can't let guilt consume me! It should consume him! He should feel guilty not me! I wiped my tears away as anger rushed into my veins as if it was blood. It powered me and the thought of avenging Mike consumed me.

I didn't greet my kidnapper back, in fact I shrugged his hand away and pushed him so hard that he slightly got off balance making the bike to wobble a bit but he soon got it back on track. He decelerated the bike before suddenly applying brakes making me fall back onto him.

He got down the bike, my heart started thumping louder and louder and my rage was replaced with fear. The decision of revenge dissolved in the corner.

Please don't tell me that he remembered to punish me as he had promised me the last night! Please, please, please don't be angry with me! I was in no position to take his wrath upon me after previous night.

He pulled me down in a span of second, I was standing on the hot ground barefooted almost crying and dancing with the pain. I felt like I was in a hot pan ready to be cooked. He tried getting a hold of me but I dodged his hand and made a run for my life. My feet burnt as if I walked on hot coal, yet I ran as fast I could though I knew it was useless, he would catch up to me within a blink of an eye.

Far away almost near the horizon, the farthest view my delicate eyes could see, I saw a small moving object. It looked like a vehicle, maybe a car or truck or a bus was coming in my direction as my salvation!

Immediately, out of instincts, I threw my hands up in the air and waved continuously.

"Help! Help me, please!" I shouted at the top of my voice as I ran towards it. My throat was aching due to lack of water and this continuous screaming.

Not long before my fate decided strike me like a thunder bolt, like cold water splashed over my face. Within a fraction of a second, a large hand encircled my waist and other had gagged me as I struggled while he carried me off to the shade of a rocky hill effortlessly and hid in the darkest shadow with me still struggling in his arms, trying to call for help.

The bike rested beside us as he captured both of my hands only in one of his forcing me to stand even more still.

"Mumunphhhh!!!" I tried shouting but it came out more as a whimper. My breath hitched up.

"Hush, relax! Just calm down," was all he whispered in my ear. I saw the truck move past us obliviously without even slowing down making my stomach drop.

I was dead! I was surely dead! Now he would punish me for this stunt and the previous night one.

We stayed like that with me pressed against his body until he believed that the truck was out of sight. He let go of me and I collapsed on my feet right where he left, all along praying "please don't punish me."

I tried absorbing the fact that I missed my yet another escape from him.

"W-why are you d-doing this?" I voiced out my thought.

"W-where a-a-a-are you taking me to?" I added hoping to distract him from the punishment if he was planning any.

He didn't look at me, just kept fishing in his bag. He didn't even look up as he threw something packed in aluminum foil that landed in my lap perfectly. How does he do those things, seriously?

My hands were shivering like the hummingbird's wings flapping as I unwrapped the foil. I was a packed jam and toast! I had deemed that he will kill me feeding canned food, at last something original to eat! I looked at him but found only his back facing me. He was looking towards to endless road. Thank god, he didn't do anything, at least not yet.

My stomach grumbled loudly making him take a side glance at me while I averted my gaze and focused on my brunch.

I quietly savored over my delicacy, who knew how long I'd had to go down without it.

He moved next to me passing me a coke making me freeze in that process. I didn't trust him, not even an ounce. He was that cunning jackal who wore a sheep's skin. When he did nothing, I relaxed a bit but still stayed on my guard.

I chewed down the last of my toast and eagerly gulped a mouthful of coke. That's when I saw a slight movement of his hand. He was reaching out for me. But my reflexes weren't as slow as before anymore. I didn't freeze or go blank as I used to earlier, I immediately launched out on my feet trying to run away from him. But as if on cue, he caught me by my wrist and spun me back around till my back hit the hill behind. A sharp pain sprang into my back but I was way too distracted to groan in pain. He pinned my wrist above my head and roughly pressed his body against mine, successful trapping me between him and the hill.

Shocks rushed down my spine. Adrenaline that flowed through my blood was of no use now. I was panting like a dog trapped in a gas chamber. Only one emotion took over me, and that was fear. My voice died in my throat. His eyes bore into my widened ones as if searching for something. I hadn't even realized when he had removed his helmet!

"You can't run away from me, baby doll. And you know that very well," he whispered just millimeters away from my lips. I tried pushing him but he didn't even bulge. He held both of my hands in one of his as he trailed his finger from my cheek bone to down lower lip. His next motion spun my head as he sat down pulling me over his lap. I tried pulling away but he caught me by my hair as his hand fisted in them keeping me in position.

His lips teasingly traced up my neck giving me goosebumps until they reached my ear.

"So, I've got a daddy's little princess here, huh? Your parents love you, a lot!!! They will buy anything for you, do anything for you. Won't even mind spending all their life savings just to find you," he paused there to pull me even closer, if that was even possible. He gently nibbled me earlobe making me gasp in shock before continuing, "you know, right now, they have got a small army of SWAT, Scotland's best detectives, FBI and a whole lot of local cops behind us," he paused there to laughed evilly then made an eye contact with me. My heart was pounding like hell inside my chest. He looked so evil and very scary at that very moment. He pulled my head closer so that our noses touched. His eyes had that seriousness I had never seen before.

He sternly continued, "as if that would stop me. As if they could catch us, or even find us. But don't worry my love, no one will or can ever snatch you away from me. By hook or crook, you are mine." His voice was merely a whisper in the end almost having the paralysing effect over me. He leaned forward and licked my neck making breathing even more rugged as if I wasn't already panting. I shivered under his gaze as my spine went cold.

"P-p-pleaae l-let me go!" I cried feeling scared. Tears rolled down my cheeks like a dam had cracked open.

He stood up dropping me to land on the hot ground that scorched my skin, in fact, it almost burned but I didn't shout. Actually, I couldn't.

"That's the farthest I can let you go. Don't expect anything more," he stated before wearing his helmet again. He offered his hand for my help and I kept staring at it. He curled his fingers impatiently signalling me to take his hand, so I did it before he ordered it out loud. In a fraction of a second, he pulled me into his arms making me colloid with his chest. A helpless "oomph" escaped my lips.

"But this is where you will always find yourself," he commented before picking me up the bridal style and walked towards his bike.

I didn't struggle as he carried me away yet once again. All my attempts were futile when he was in the picture. My tears flowed endlessly.

He set me on my feet beside the bike as he placed his index finger above my lips making my stomach rumble and commanded, "I want you to wear this bag and sit on the backseat. Don't try to attract any by passers or even call for help as you did an hour ago. Trust me, this riding thing isn't so bad or difficult. Just hold onto me tightly and you won't feel scared."

He handed over the backpack and hopped onto his bike. He pretended as if he didn't notice me cry, as if I was just another nonliving thing to him.

I soon followed what was ordered to me and within seconds he ignited the bike in a stroke and then we were racing with the wind.

Though I could see other people drive by, I couldn't utter a word for help. With no other option I rested my cheek on his back as memories of my life threatened to flash. I didn't want to recall the horrid events of my life again. My life would have never been like this if that horrible day hadn't come by. Only if I hadn't fallen into that trap. That stupid, horrible, shameful yet pleasant, breath taking act of mine seemed to haunt my mind. The start of this year flashed before my eyes. The time when this thing started, the time I wished had never showed up...