Forever (Book 1 of the FOREVER trilogy)

Chapter 25

Ever's P.O.V

I coughed and pushed the sheets off my bed. I crawled on the ground, trying not to inhale to much smoke. When I got to the door I stood up and swung it open. I large puff of smoke billowed into the room, bright reds and oranges shining through it. I ran up to Rie's door and pulled it open. Empty. I bolted down the hall to Dakota's room. Also empty. As I turned around, I heard a sickening moan and a loud crack as a banister crashed to the ground in front of me. I leapt over it, singeing the bottom of my sweatpants.

I ran down the stairs, dodging crumbling plaster and fallen, burning planks.

"Rie!" I screamed and choked on smoke. Another plank came crashing to the ground, scratching my arm with its smoldering pointed edges. I let out a yelp and ran into the living room.

"Rie! Dakota!" I yelled, hearing my own raspy voice ring in my ears. I ran to the front door and reached for the glowing red knob, crying out as it seared my palm. I gritted my teeth, jerking at the doorknob again. The door swung open and I stumbled out the door. I blinked furiously, trying to adjust my eyes to the darkness.

A few feet in front of me, I saw four figures. One stood behind another with a knife at its throat. Another had a figure pinned to the ground with a gun to his head. As my eyes adjusted, I saw who the figures were. Roderick was holding a knife to Rie's throat and another rouge I didn't recognize was holding a gun to Dakota's head. I cried out and run towards them but a set of large, muscular arms wrapped around me, stopping me from reaching them. I thrashed around in a feeble attempt to shake the large man off me.

"You can't escape, Lassy." Roderick sneered. The man tightened his grip on me and I yelped. Rie thrashed against Roderick, attempting to reach me. Dakota lied motionless on the ground, supposedly unconscious.

I thrashed again, finding myself screaming Rie's name. Roderick pressed the knife into Rie's neck causing a thin red line to appear under the blade. He didn't flinch, just stared at me with those electric green eyes. I knew what he wanted me to do. But I won't.

"Let them go!" I screamed at Roderick. His devilish grin widened. "I will if you come with me.."

"Fine, I'll go with you. Just leave Rie and Dakota alone!" I yelled. The man on Dakota stood up and walked over to me.

"I'm Jack and I'll be your kidnapper this fine evening." The man smiled. I swung my leg out, feeling my foot connect with Jack's knee. He stumbled backward but caught himself. He walk towards me again and sneered.

"Your gonna regret that..." Jack smiled as has flipped open his pocket knife. I heard Rie scream something but I couldn't make out what it was. "You have pretty eyes..." Jack said a placed the knife at the top of my eyebrow, tracing it down my face. I scream and bite my lip to silence myself. Jack smiled and backed away. I blinked blood from my eyes and looked over at Rie. He was jerking back and forth, trying to free himself.

His eyes met mine and I smile weakly. It's alright... Let me do this, I mouthed to him. He shook his head but I spoke anyway. "Will you leave them alone or not?"

"Fine... Jack, cuff her would ya?" Roderick said as the man behind me let me go and Jack cuffed my hands behind my back. Roderick lifted the knife away from Rie's head and brought the hilt down on his head, knocking him out. I yelled and pulled against my restraints. "You said you would leave him alone!"

"I said I would if you came with me... we haven't left yet..." Roderick laughed roughly. I glanced over at Dakota who had gotten to his feet. I could see red flowering out from the bottom right corner of his shirt. A bullet wound. I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out. Roderick noticed what I was staring at and he nodded to the large man beside me. "Brock, Take him down."

Brock glided over to Dakota, a dangerous grin on his face. He lifted the gun by the barrel. Before he could strike, a large wolf pounced on him, knocking him to the ground. The wolf snapped Brock's neck swiftly and faces me. I knew those eyes. I choked back a sob.

"Dad?"