Burning Willow

XXI

When my eyes opened, the first thing I saw was a grey floor. It looked smooth at first, but once the blurriness had disappeared, I noticed irrregular cracks and bumps across it.

The second thing I saw was the sun. Bright and high up in the sky, shining through several broken windows.

"Ah, she's awake." Said a man. "Our very own princess."

I was down on my knees, with my hands tied behind my back. A sickening feeling erupted in my throat when I discovered that my mouth had been gagged by a cloth that tasted like dirt.

Also, my knees hurt. I was pretty sure they were all red and bruised.

Most of what I felt wasn't fear thought. It was shock.

A few feet away, Daniel and Chase suffered the same fate, and next to them, Maya.

"We did what you asked for!" Daniel screamed. He was apparently the only one that hadn't been gagged.

The man that had spoken earlier - I couldn't make out his face since he was in the shadow. I knew there were atleast 5 other men in the room though, all with guns in their hands.

"Don't you think I notice how you look at the girl?" The man stepped out of the shadows. He was tall, broad-built with a low ponytail.

He traced the gun along Maya's cheekbone. Daniel's jaw tightened.

"Don't you dare--"

"Oh don't worry, my precious. Your girl - Gregori has no use for her. In fact, I have orders to send your pretty little thing right back to her sickening home town."

With a nod of his head, two other men came and untied Maya's ankles until she could stand up.

"How do we know you're not lying?" Chase frowned.

"Oh, trust me, he would." The guy pointed at Daniel. "And Gregori would have my head." He twirled the gun around in his fingers.

"Take her around the back. Give her to Jake."

Two men roughly pushed Maya through the back door. I was so angry I screamed - only, it came out all muffled and all it did was catch the guy's attention.

"Don't worry, my sweet. Once Gregori is done with both these lads here, you and I will have plenty of time to ourselves."

My eyebrows tugged together. If I could have cursed him, I would have.

Suddenly, the guy's phone rang. With a low grumble, he picked it up.

Both Daniel and Chase looked at me. I could feel their gaze burn right through my soul. I was stupid for not looking back, but I couldn't.

"Right, Gregori's here."

A man untied my ankles, and two others did the same for Daniel and Chase. Once the man took off the gag, I spat out whatever there was in my mouth, right onto the floor.

They led us into the back of the warehouse, which served as a link for another, bigger room.

I could barely walk. There were traces of blood on my jeans across where my knees were, and my ankles were chaffing.

Other than that, my head was pounding so hard I could barely breathe. Beyond the pain, there wasn't much my mind would register.

"It's been a long time, boys." A man's voice said.

As I came closer, I squinted... trying to figure out who this Gregori guy was.

I nearly gasped.