The Found One

Chapter 9

Izzy POV

Waking up, Izzy groaned, her muscles sore and her joints popping in protest, she must have been asleep awhile. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, she sat up slowly trying to get her bearings.

"You look better."

The voice startled her, her hands flying to cover her heart and mouth, a tiny squeak escaping her as she frantically searched the dark uselessly for its source.

She heard a snap and then light was flooding the room, blinking and squinting, Izzy forced her eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness.

Rowan sat in a chair in the corner of the room, he must have had it brought up sometime while she slept; it hadn't been there when she had fallen asleep. Stacks of papers sat at his feet, and across his lap and the ankle that rested crossed over his knee, spread a thick folder, his elbows were bent so his chin rested on his fists, his grey eyes were studying her.

Running a hand threw her tangled hair, she grimaced when it caught on a knot, looking around the room she found it empty; save them.

"Where are the others?"

"Sleeping." He said, she could feel his eyes still on her, it made her skin crawl.

"Why aren't you?" She asked, risking a glance in his direction. Big mistake. His eyes were grey storm clouds, rolling with emotions, yet hidden and indistinguishable, the grin that spread revealing the rows of white teeth behind his pale pink lips had her breath catching in her throat. An emotion she couldn't have named if her life depended on it, filled her. He was a sight – terrifying, brilliant, captivating, petrifying.

"Work."

"Work?" She repeated like an idiot, taking the opportunity to drop his stare and look at the stacks of papers, folders, and files around him.

"Yes work. You seem surprised?"

She chided herself when she looked back at him, thankfully this time she didn't get pulled in again, she forced herself to think. She wasn't comfortable being alone with him, wasn't comfortable talking to him, but she couldn't really order him to leave her alone – he was the one keeping her alive. My life is so fucked up. She grumbled to herself.

"I just didn't think mon-" She caught herself, flinching as his face darkened. Smart Izzy. Brilliant, antagonize the big bad monster when you're all alone in a soundproof room. Your self-preservation skills are on point.

She stiffened in anticipation, adrenaline surging through her veins – not that it would do much, still, she wouldn't go down without a fight, even if it was useless. She would at least attempt to fight him.

"You didn't think monsters did anything but terrorize, plunder, and rape? Hmm? Didn't think we did anything but kill and abduct innocent little maidens to pleasure our sick and twisted desires?"

There was a sharp cruel edge to his voice that Izzy had never heard come from him before, it made the hair on the back of her neck stand up, her stomach heave, and a cold sweat to break out on her upper lip. She may have never heard Rowan use that tone, but that didn't mean she had never heard it, and that she didn't know what it promised – pain.

She knew she shouldn't do it but she couldn't resist, she peeked a glance in his direction, trying to determine how much time she had before it would begin, and how much she would have to endure. She had become well versed in reading the pain someone's face promised.

His was cold and hard, eyes steel grey now, the swirling clouds in them having stilled – solidifying and uniting behind the force of his anger; she trembled. Her heart stuttered as he took a deep breath readying himself, only too freeze.