• Chapter 2- Taken


    I laid back onto my bed, and decided to respond to the text.

    What begins?

    I hit send, and slid my phone back into my pocket, and rolled onto my side. For a while, I felt nothing. No buzz. No vibration of my phone. I felt silly waiting so impatiently, but a smile never once touched my lips. I almost wanted to go to sleep, but I had rested up, so sleep was impossible.

    I finally got up, and dressed into something more appropriate for the day- regular jeans and a white tank top. I brushed my hair, and flipped it back so that it would fall behind my shoulders. I had just finished brushing my teeth when I got another text.

    Meet me at Edmund's Park in fifteen minutes.

    Again, came that similar sense of disbelief. No one could know what I was dreaming, much less could they be trying to allure me from this crappy apartment. But I was easily a victim to this anonymous person, for I slid on my Timberlands and laced them up, and then put on a little make-up. After that, I went outside and got into my car- a silver Durango with a few dents in the front bumper. Otherwise it was nice enough to call my own. The inside was black leather and clean. I turned on the radio, and drove off...

    I came to Edmund's Park, and saw no other cars. Then, immediately after I pulled up, came another car. A black Impala, very nice. High class, the car dreams were made of. Well, at least the car that my dreams were made of. Dreams... I wondered if the man inside was the man my dreams were made of as well...

    I stepped outside of my car, refusing to stare at the person inside the tinted windows. I could see a figure watching me, but I really didn't want to be rude. I leaned against my car and folded my arms over my chest, staring out over the open grass of the neatly kept park. In the distance I could see the mountains- caging in this little Blue Ridge society. This place was beautiful, but it kept me prisoner. Sometimes I wished I could just disappear, beyond those mountains to some place...

    "Hello there." Came the most mellifluous of voices, so handsome and familiar that it instantly ripped my mind towards him. And indeed, it was him.

    His hair was kept in a low ponytail tied back with white ribbons. He wore a white shirt that buttoned up the front, and black slacks. Very dressy. Two buttons atop his shirt near his collar were undone. What faint bit of flesh I could see brought back the image of him against the flames shirtless.

    "Hi." I said, staring at him in disbelief. A few moments of silence passed. Surely, he must speak. Because right now, I'm speechless.
    "Jannay, is it? My name is Salem Virikus, a pleasure to be acquainted with you." He grinned, showing a set of magnificent white teeth. He was stranger than any I had ever seen. And I knew he was not human, for his crimson eyes had depth far beyond what anyone in this little dumb society could ever place or own. They were beautiful, as well as unnatural. Yet the rest of his face portrayed this enigmatic foretelling as well. His softly structured jaw and high cheeks, sharp nose rounding at its tip. I couldn't truly do him justice in my thoughts, but the sight of him was perfect.
    "Yeah... Salem... How did you get to me in my dreams?" I then paused, and continued with a bit of confusion sinking in. "... Or... How did you get here from my dreams?"
    A cheery laugh escaped Salem's lips. "Dear. I am not from here. Let me re-introduce myself." He reached into his shirt and pulled out a shining pendant of silver and gold wrapped around a sharp ruby shard. "My name is Sir Salem Virikus, of the Crimson Knights Faction, Sect number 003, Code Dalora."

    The pendant seemed to flicker and shine, and rob my attention, but I drew my focus back to his eyes. There in his crimson eyes, I saw something that I didn't recognize. And what we cannot understand, we fear. It was an emotion or intention that was so cloudy and mystic that I could not conjure up a conclusion for what it may be. Just that it was there, and that was all I needed to know.

    Salem moved and leaned against my car, staring into the sky. I watched him like a hawk- and I mean that literally. I must've looked truly paranoid, leaning away from him but staring at him like he were an expensive jewel. I raised an eyebrow and shook my head, standing straight against the Durango again. Hmph. Salem was a bit taller than me...

    "Earth... is much different from my home. Dalora. Dalora suffers from a war. Is Earth involved in any affairs such as war?" Salem asked curiously. Had he not those strange eyes, I would've thought him to be joking. But he wasn't. Then I wondered- how did he get the Impala if he hasn't been here but... oh, say an hour. Because that seemed like a good guess since he was oblivious to Earthen problems...
    "Yeah. We are." I said softly, looking into the sky. The sun was distantly rising. But it seemed... Paused. As if not really moving at all- the sun just dwindled beyond the mountains. Something was so strange, but I could not figure out what- beyond Salem- just yet. Then again, maybe it was just Salem...
    "I see no war here. Is it hidden like so, for your lands seem peaceful?" He said. I could feel his curious gaze upon me, and it made my heart thump powerfully in my chest, demanding escape to leap into this man's hands. Hands that- as I looked down and noticed- were covered in white leather gloves.

    Finally, and accidentally, I looked up into those rich crimson eyes. It were almost as if he had been waiting for that moment. We were so close, and I felt frightened by his beautifully smoldering glare. A chill ran over my skin, and his gloved hands grasped my upper arms, pulling me forth to his chest. I could feel his heart pounding powerfully beneath his skin. He had a wonderful body, and he was surely not repulsive- but I wanted to grow wings and fly away right now. I couldn't help this feeling, but I was as well paralyzed.

    "What... are you... d-doing?" I whispered shakily, staring into the cloth of his shirt and refusing to look upwards. His finger made its way beneath my chin and tilted it upwards until I could only close my eyes to avoid him. But his very essence seeped into my mind, and they fluttered open.
    "You feel this?" Salem said in a sultry and ginger tone, moving my hand over his chest. I could feel the heartbeat, pulsing in such a way that I almost felt it rising into my fingertips...
    "Y-yes." I stammered, searching his eyes.
    "Good. It is you. You summon from me the most damning of emotions, dare I say that you are beautiful in reality, more so than I see you in your dreams." With that, Salem, slid his warm hand around my cheek and into my hair. The feel of his leathered fingertips parting my rich black hair had me breathing raggedly. Salem was seducing me, I think...

    As his face neared mine, and I held my breath, I felt the warmth resonating from his gorgeous bow-shaped lips.

    ***


    I leaped from my bed, Terry knocking upon my door madly.
    "Aye! Hey Jay!" she hollered, as though I were to be so deaf as not to hear her stupidity wrenching out in elongated and slurred words.
    I leaped up from my bed and raced softly to the door. In a flat second, I had all the locks unbolted, and Terry stumbled inwards. Hitting the floor, she pushed her ragged red hair back and stared up at me with bloodshot eyes and baggies underneath.
    "You really need to stop drinking." I said.
    "Shut-up! I can do as I p-please, I am a woman!" She cheered, standing up and shaking her head. "Now, rid of those locks kiddo. And good job cleanin' the house. Looks damn good." Terry chuckled. With that, she raised her hand and continued onward about being a proud alcoholic- all the way out of my room. I shut the door, and bolted it back up. Staring out my window, it was night again... How strange, for I knew who stood lingering behind me.

    "Hello Jannay." I turned slowly, seeing how close he was again. This was impossible. He was there, real. I could feel his warm breath upon my neck...
    "Hi Salem." I said in a weary yet ginger tone. Deeper yet in those few words, was surprise. "So what do you want, that you rob me of daylight and life until it's only you?"

    Salem chuckled, and put a hand upon the back of my neck. The white leather of his glove was amazingly warm, with a cool twinge to it. Unexplainable. As if I could feel the heat of his hand, but as well the cool leather. Strangely, it drew the hairs upon the back of my neck to stand upon end.
    "I want you, my dear Jannay. You're chosen. Now, it is time." He smiled, wrapping his other hand around my waist. A blush slowly tinted my cheeks as I fell speechless for a moment.
    "T-time for what?" I whispered, fragile words escaping stunned lips.


    "Time to be taken..."