24. Another place
1013 Words
His hands were holding me tight. I instantly recognized his voice. It was Arthur. How did he find me here? Why did he grab me?
I still could not speak because of the collar. I wanted to ask him all these questions, but my naked body tingled at every spot where it was squeezed against him. I could not decide. Should I try to break his hold and run, or stay and hear what he had to say? He promised to help me before. Could I trust him?
Arthur looked at me as if thinking and contemplating for a minute. I felt that he was holding me like prey. My body was trembling.
"Please, do not be afraid of me," Arthur told me. "I didn't want to scare you." He released me. I instantly missed his touch. I was standing naked, shivering. I could not tell if it was from the chilly night or because of his touch.
"I have a car nearby, and then I can take you to my house, where you can stay for the time being until we can figure out how to get you off the island safely."
I wondered if it was a trap of some kind, but he was alone. He could have brought guards with him if he meant me harm. I still had difficulty trusting a vampire, especially after Seth drank my blood.
Arthur had a backpack. When he reached for it, I jumped.
"Do not worry," he said. "I brought you clothes. I have seen the cage with all your clothes ripped up on the floor."
He gave me rather large boots and a pair of jeans with a warm flannel shirt. The shirt felt so good on my skin. It was undoubtedly much more comfortable to walk in boots. This man tends to know whenever I need a change of clothes.
I followed him to the car. It was a long walk through the woods, eventually taking us to the forest path. I had a lot of questions for him. How did he find me? Is Jakob OK? But I could not ask, and he didn't offer. Instead, he took my hand gently. Tingles ran through me, rippling waves through my body and causing my imagination to go wild. Images of me wrapped around his waist invaded me, and I tried to shake them off.
I looked at him. He seemed unaffected by our closeness, yet his eyes were dark, and his mouth shut slightly too tight.
He was leading me out of the forest. I heard the hum of cars and paused, but he just nodded to me in reassurance.
We soon got out on the road where cars were passing by, and his car was lonely, parked on the side of the road covered in pine needles.
He said, "You better get in the back seat and lay down, and here's the blanket just in case to cover yourself, so no one will notice you in my car."
I followed his directions. I lay in the back seat and covered myself up. I could not see where we were going at all. The car was making turns and stopping occasionally, then speeding up again.
Eventually, the car came to a complete stop and turned off the engine.
"We are here." I heard Arthur's voice. "You can come out now," he said, and I listened to the car door open. First, it was his door. Then, while I was pulling out of the blanket, he opened my door.
He gave me a hand like a perfect gentleman, helping me out of the car.
We were parked in the back of another mansion, which looked smaller, and the lines of its design and huge windows looked more modern than Mr. Jules’.
On the other side of the driveway was the ocean beach. The sun was almost submerged in the water on the horizon.
He took my hand again, sending shivers through my body, and gestured for me to follow him. We went through the door that led directly to the kitchen, with a marble island, glass dining table, oversized chairs, and bar stools made of metal with fancy tops.
I looked around.
"No one is here, this is my resort house, and I sent all the servants away," he said.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
I nodded.
He opened the fridge that was full of prepared and packed meals.
"Would you like salmon for dinner?" he asked. I nodded. Honestly, anything would be good. Unfortunately, all I had today were blackberries.
He warmed it up for me, and I sat there quietly. My mind was going crazy. I went from everyday life to the cages, to pack life, to cells, and then I joined the wolf, but now Lea was gone, and I was in Arthur's place. Could I trust him?
"Lea," I called in my thoughts. But there was still no response.
I gestured as if I were writing because I wanted to know if Jakob was okay, even though being close to Arthur drove me insane.
"We can do this after you eat and rest," he said again. I knew he was hiding something from me. I could feel it.
He opened a separate fridge that just held beverages.
"Please choose anything you would like."
I chose a juice as I had not had any since I was imprisoned.
He watched me eat, then realized that it might have been uncomfortable and grabbed a similar meal for himself.
After we finished, I tried to help and took the plates to the sink, but he didn't let me wash them.
"You should rest," he told me.
I didn't mind. I was so tired.
He took me by the hand and led me through the house and up the stairs to the second floor. Even the staircase railing was exquisite.
He opened the door, and a huge bed was in front of me that could probably fit a few people. He looked at me again as if he wanted to consume me.
- Writer
