2

When I awaken, I'm lying on a typical brown couch in what appears to be a typical contemporary living room. It's ten o'clock at night, and the large wooden grandfather clock in the corner chimes loudly. Ten o'clock? For what length of time was I out for? I sit up, and massage my temples. What on earth happened to me tonight? Exasperated, I brush my fingers through my short wavy hair. Where had the fatigue come from? Why did they kidnap me, and who are these people? My mind is racing with so many questions right now, and I'm not sure whether I'll be able to find any answers.

I look down at my feet and see that my shoes are gone. That will definitely make it harder for me to escape. Not to mention my coat and handbag are completely missing as well.

I peer around deciding to examine my surroundings. I need to move quickly and as quietly as possible while I look for my belongings. The living room is clean and spotless. The only things in it are the couch I'm sitting on, a large mounted t.v. on the opposite wall, a very bushy potted plant in one corner, and the clock on the other side. There's a door behind me, it's slightly ajar and I can see the warm glow of light peeking through from behind it. I get up and press my ear against the open doorway. I can just make out the voice of a news reporter from down the hall on the other side. I crane my ear to try and listen. All I can make out is a string of disappearances happening in the Portland area while a man was found dead in his apartment. This is what I get for not paying attention to the news more often. What if these people are the criminals behind these disappearances, and I'm their next victim?! Yikes, I have to get out of here.

I open the door further and creep my way down the hall. This place doesn't look like a criminal's abode, but looks can be deceiving. They're most likely hiding the bodies in the basement or something of the sort. I bet they have a torture chamber in one of these rooms.

When I reach the end of the small hall.... I end up in the criminal's plotting room! Or rather a very ordinary kitchen. The cabinets are all made of dark wood and the counter tops are a light brown colored marble. The appliances are all stainless steel. There's a small t.v. in a corner on one of the counters playing the night's news. They are now talking about the weather. Apparently we're supposed to get snow in the upcoming week.

"Ah, you're awake."

At the sound of his voice I grab the closest thing I can use for a weapon. A plastic spatula from a container next to the stove.

Ryker is standing next to an open alcove with his hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans. He laughs, "and what do you plan to do with that? Slap me to death?" His laugh deepens as he places a palm to his waist. His plaid button up shirt crinkles under his hand. "First time anyone's ever pulled a weapon like that on me."

"What do you plan to do with me?!" I scream trying to make the whole household hear me. At least I hope it's loud enough. As crazy as it may seem, and I know I don't look the part. I want to appear as threatening as possible. "Where am I? I'm warning you, I won't let you have your way without a fight."

He gives me a once over eyeing my cream button up blouse underneath my cute grey dress, and black leggings. He seems to not take my threatening stance seriously. "We're not going to do anything to you. You're perfectly safe. Also, I don't know if you remember, but my name's Ryker."

"Why did you abduct me?"

"We - " before Ryker can finish, his culprit in accomplice. The gorgeous Viktor, I can't believe I thought he was hot, comes into the kitchen looking all irritable.

"What is with the screaming?" He asks.

"If you didn't want to deal with my screaming, why did you abduct me?!" I hold the spatula up at him trying to look menacing.

His eyes shift between the spatula and I a couple of times. The look he gives me can only be described as I'm the most dull-witted person he's ever laid eyes on.

"Viktor," Ryker places his hand on his shoulder stopping him from what I presume to be shrieking back at me. He shrugs him off, but doesn't say anything in response. "She's scared and confused. Go get the girls so we can kind of explain the situation to her."

"Get them yourself," Viktor grumbles before stomping off down the hall behind Ryker.

"Sorry about my brother," Ryker says apologetically. "He can be a bit antisocial."

Ah, brother, no wonder they look alike. "It's okay," I say. "I can be reclusive too." Wait, why am I suddenly sounding calm. I hold the spatula up at him. "I want out of here."

"You're perfectly free to leave," Ryker says as he fluffs his dyed blonde hair with one of his hands. He seems relatively normal and nothing like a criminal mastermind. I suddenly find myself questioning my earlier accusations as his eyes meet mine, they seem so gentle and kind. "However, I think you should wait in the room you woke up in while I go get Amelie and Aireyel?"

As his eyes gaze into mine I end up nodding my head in compliance before heading back towards the room with no argument.

While I'm sitting on the couch waiting for my abductors I rub the bridge of my nose. Why did I suddenly become obedient? It's like when Viktor looked at me and I passed out. Do they have some kind of magical abilities? I laugh at my own imagination, that's impossible. Stuff like that only happens in books or movies.

A few minutes pass while I'm twiddling my thumbs before the three show up. Ryker looks visibly irked while Aireyel seems high as a kite with hooded eyes. Amelie, who I presume is the lady in white, looks just as calm and collected as she did in the cafe.

Aireyel glances at Ryker as she sashays her way over to the opposite corner of the couch I'm sitting on. She says, "you could always force him to come."

Ryker shrugs, "I won't use my ability on my brother. That's also violating the rules of the house."

Ability? I shake the the idea of my thoughts from a bit ago out of my head. There's no way.

Amelie clears her throat and the two cease their conversation. She then turns to me. "You must be wondering why you are here."

I nod, "why did you abduct me? My boss will wonder where I am if I don't show up tomorrow for work."

Ryker and her exchange a look while Aireyel leans back on the couch looking bored out of her mind and disinterested in the conversation.

"We have no intention of keeping you here against your will or preventing you from returning to your daily life. Since you are a student, we're sure you would like to keep attending your classes without interruption." Amelie continues as Ryker nods his head in approval. "However, we thought it best to include you in what is going on instead of keeping you in the dark."

"How do you know I'm a student?" I ask ignoring the rest of her statement. "How did you know my name in the cafe earlier? Have you been stalking - ?"

"In order for us to do our job there were certain things about you that we had to know," Aireyel interjects. "You should be grateful. We saved your life."

"You saved my life?" My thoughts suddenly trail to last nights event and what happened after I left the cafe. The hooded figure with the long sharp fingers. I glance up and meet Ryker's gaze. "What was it that attacked me?"

His lips press into a thin line. "That thing that attacked you has been hunting you down for weeks."

"It's been hunting me?!"

"That thing is a Hollow," Amelie says. She glances at Ryker. "I don't think we should overwhelm her. One thing at a time."

"What is a Hollow?" I ask, but they ignore my question as Ryker nods in agreement with Amelie.

"She should return home for now," he says. "We can explain more to her in the future if needed. I'll have Viktor watch over her for now."

Aireyel snorts, " fat chance that grumpy pants is going to agree to that. You should be the one to do it Ryker."

Ryker shakes his head. "I have other matters I need to attend to, and so do the both of you. Besides, he's the best one out of us all for the job."

They all exchange a look, another one they seem to all understand. It seems like I won't be having anymore questions answered by them tonight.

"Wait," I suddenly ask. Ryker's words suddenly make a light bulb illuminate in my head. "What do you mean by watch over me?"

***

"I can't believe I have to be the babysitter," Viktor says as we are sitting in the car heading back to my place. Ryker is driving. He doesn't respond to his brother's string of profanities that follow his complaints about being my caretaker. I'm uncomfortable with the idea as well. I've never had a boyfriend or lived with a guy before, and Viktor will practically be living with me for who knows how long. My room is like a studio apartment. There will be no privacy if two people live in it. Plus, I don't know him that well, what if he's a creep. I close my eyes and sigh. What did I get myself into? I tried to argue myself out of it before we left their house, but the three wouldn't take no for an answer. It was this or I stay at their place. Which is absolutely out of the question. It would only get in the way of me having to go to school and work. I absolutely won't rely on Ryker to drive me around.

"For someone who's complaining as much as you are," Ryker says. "It didn't take much for you to pack some stuff and get in the car."

Viktor mumbles something under his breath.

"What was that," his brother asks raising a hand to his ear. "I didn't hear you." He pauses for a few seconds before saying, "you know it has to be you."

"I know," Viktor grumbles. He leans back in his seat and pulls the hood of his black hoodie over his head covering his eyes. "Doesn't mean I want to."

Believe me, I'm not happy about it either. I think to myself as I cross my arms and stare out the window. This thing that is hunting me seems uncanny and hard to believe. What if it is just some psycho stalking me and I just need to report it to the police. Amelie did say before we left that I can't get the police involved. I let out a heavy sigh which draws Ryker's attention. He glances back at me eyes full of concern in the rear view mirror, but doesn't say anything.

For the remainder of the drive, about fifteen or so minutes, we all sit in an awkward silence. I'm relieved when Ryker pulls up in front of the bookstore.

"Bria, you go on ahead. I need to talk with Viktor for a moment," Ryker says. "It won't be long."

"Okay," I say as I get out of the car.

I head towards the door of the book shop. The lights are dimmed, Miss Rose must be asleep by now. I pull out my key and let myself in. As I pass the threshold I take a quick glance back, Viktor and Ryker look like they are still locked in a discussion. Should I wait for him? I decide to, and plop myself down on the seat next to the cooking books section. After about what I think is five or ten minutes my eyelids start to get droopy. It must be close to midnight, I'm usually asleep by now. I didn't realize how exhausted I was with everything that just occurred.

I don't know how much time has passed when I feel someone gently lift me up into their arms. I'm to sleepy to fully wake up and acknowledge them. After a few minutes I feel the soft comforter of my bed beneath me.

"Be nice to her, Viktor," I hear Ryker quietly say before my mind goes blank.