A Stolen Soul

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Connecticut  

Present Day

I headed back to the house, shoved the front door open, and ran straight up stairs to my room. 

I collapsed against my bedroom door and pulled my knees up to my chest. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move. My chest heaved in and out as I sobbed and sobbed, trying to let out my pain.  

Suddenly, someone was banging on my door.  

"Brenna, please let me in. What's wrong?" Penn shouted.  

"My mom was right, she was right all along," I sobbed.  

"Bren, what do you mean? What's wrong? Let me in so we can talk."  

"I don't want to talk to you. I don't want anything to do with you. Just go away Penn." 

"Come on, I just want to help you, what wrong?" he persisted.  

I stood up and opened the door with more force than was necessary.  

"Fine, if you really want to know. Elijah, okay. Elijah. My mom warned me about him and Sammie did... they both said he was trouble but I never thought he could do something this cruel... I thought he loved me." 

I crossed the room and flung myself onto the bed.  

"I hope it wasn't anything I did... I never wanted this to happen but we can't ignore the feelings we have for each other," he laughed darkly. 

I suddenly sat up so I was facing him. "What feelings, Penn? Apart from being hot there is nothing appealing about you... I can't stand you. You're slimy and vain and manipulative... and I don't have time to talk about this with you. Just go away," I shouted my angry taking over me. 

The corners of his mouth quirked upward. "What exactly did Elijah do to you then? What exactly did he tell you?"  

I groaned. Penn made me so annoyed. How could he find this amusing? I was upset and hurt and he was laughing in my face. "What's it to you? Why do you want to know so badly?" 

"The idiot was never meant to fall in love with you," he sneered. 

"What? Do you know something?" I demanded.  

"How could I know something when I'm asking you the questions?" he smirked. 

"You're pathetic. Both of you are." I could feel my anger radiating from me now. I lay on my side turning away from him. I switched on my iPod, hoping to drown out my confused thoughts and block out my pain. 

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to convince myself that today hadn't happened. That I hadn't seen that creepy book. If I fell asleep right now, I'd wake up everything would be normal again.  

Suddenly, someone grabbed me from behind pulling me from the bed and roughly onto my feet, their hand covering my mouth.  

I realised it was Elijah, I tried to move from his grip but he was too strong. He pinned me against the wall. I tried to scream but it was no use, his hand was still covering my mouth.  

"Shush, shush, Bren," he whispered. "I'm here to help you, I've figured it out. Penn is a human slave, he is one of them. He was sent here when I didn't fulfil my duty as your collector. I don't care what they do to me, Bren, I love you and I have to get you out of here." 

"Collector? Human slave? What's going on? Let go of me," I mumbled against his hand. 

"Shush, I'll explain when we get out of here." 

Suddenly, Penn walked into the room clapping sarcastically. "Wow, you almost fooled me there, Elijah, that speech so moving. You have to be one of the best. It's over now, Elijah, you've done well. If you hand the girl over, the queen will pardon you." 

"What? What does he mean, Elijah? Are you part of this? Have you tricked me?" I fought against his hold but he only held me tighter. 

Penn walked towards us, a sly grin covering his face.  

"He's been lying to you the whole time, honey." He turned to Elijah. "You've made the last three years look so real, so easy being in a relationship with her. You always looked so happy. I almost wanted to believe you love her myself." 

"I do love her, now stay back and no one has to get hurt," Elijah threatened, holding me back against the wall and shielding me behind his body. 

"You can stop the act now, Elijah. The queen is dying, we need the girl. You know there is no way out of this. You've done your part, no need to pretend anymore. Now hand her over." 

"You'll have to kill me first," Elijah growled.  

Suddenly, Elijah shoved me towards the door. "Run, Brenna, I'll distract him." Elijah dove onto Penn, knocking him to the floor. I took that as my opportunity and ran as fast as I could out of the room. I kept on running and running, my heart pounding, my lungs struggling for air but I didn't stop. 

I ran down the stairs two at a time and was almost at the bottom when Penn grabbed my hair from behind. I let out a shriek of pain. He pulled me back towards him still holding me by my hair and locked my back against his hard chest. He pinned my arms in front of my chest with one strong hand around my wrists and the other hand around my neck.  

"I'm so sorry I have to do this to you, I was starting to enjoy living with you and your ancient, bitter, cold-hearted mother," Penn whispered darkly into my ear.  

I realised I was now trembling. 

His harsh fingers moved from my neck and grabbed my chin turning my face forcefully to his. "At least you're hot. I didn't mind staring at your cute ass all day."  

He pressed his lips roughly to mine. I switched my brain off, not thinking as his hard lips crushed mine. He abruptly pulled back and trailed his fingertips across my cheekbone. "But better you die than me."  

Suddenly, I felt a jolt of pain as something hard hit my head and everything went black.

Hope you liked it :D