Aura [bxb]

Twenty-Six

Laken P.O.V

When the last thing you remember is being knocked unconscious by your uncle and a guard, you don't expect to wake up in a pleasant way.

The feeling of being stepped on was the first thing I was woken, too, followed by a sharp sense of fear running through my veins. My eyes didn't want to open, fearful of what they might see. My body was moved roughly as whoever stepped on me fell, a heavy body crashing on top of me. I let out a gasp of breath as my body was squished like a pancake. I didn't expect to wake up nicely, I wasn't even sure when I was knocked unconscious that I would ever wake up again. Taking that into consideration, I didn't think that I'd be woken up only to be crushed to death.

The only thing that stood out in the moment of panic was that the person who fell on me felt warm. I'm pretty sure that when you interact with a kidnapper that you're supposed to be scared, but at that moment, I wasn't. I hesitantly cracked my eyes open; I could tell my sclera was red and irritated, not that I understood why. I hadn't been crying unless I was doing it in my sleep. It wasn't very likely, though, as I wasn't someone who had a history of crying while unconscious. So why did my eyes feel so sore?

Opening them finally, I reached my hand up to rub my sore orbs. It was indeed caused by crying as my cheeks felt wetter than usual. What I first saw was unusual. If I had been kidnapped, why did I see the same fencing that Tristin's mansion has? I was almost immediately after blinded by the sun, but that wasn't the most shocking thing about the entire waking up. Being crushed by Tristin was.

My body shot up when it comprehended that it was indeed Tristin who was now motionless over my body. His body seemed to freeze as much as my own did. When my eyes met his, I noticed how wide his brown eyes were. He looked as shocked as I did to see him, relief flooding both of our bodies. I was also confused. Hadn't I been kidnapped? Was the whole thing simply a dream? No, it had been real; it had felt real. I don't just dream about myself getting kidnapped by my uncle, who I've only visibly seen once before the kidnapping. I am not a sleepwalker; I wouldn't have walked my way downstairs only to sleep on the porch. If I had a history of sleepwalking, then it could be believable that that was the case. But I don't.

I know it was real. I could be called crazy for thinking that, but it was real. I attempted to rationalize it all by rethinking what happened. A dull pain in my neck was the only thing that proved my case. It doesn't even seem like they got me off the property. I could feel where the needle had been injected into my neck. I could remember hearing the name 'Renolds,' which could help prove my case if the guy was real. I'd have to ask Tristin about said the guy. He'd probably know who it was. He was definitely a traitor if I've ever seen one.

I blinked at Tristin a couple of times, startled to see him. Before I could say anything to him, he reached for me, wrapping his arms around me in a panic. His eyes were flashing the familiar bright blue-white that I've seen when he gets mad. Maybe it was his dragon showing itself. "You're here; you're here," He mumbled his face in my neck, his nose running up and down. His arms wrapped around me tightly, squeezing me to his chest. In a flash of motion, hands were lowered to my upper thighs, pulling me off the porch. Within seconds we were both off the ground and moving back into the mansion. I could barely blink before the outside world was blocked from my view. The last thing I saw before the doors closed was the barrier, the one that had been dropped for my uncle to enter, reappearing slowly.

My hands found their way to hold onto Tristin's neck as he walked quickly, afraid that he was going to drop me at the speed he was walking. I wanted to ask to slow down, but I could tell that wouldn't go over very well. He seemed so jittery, too tense to slow down. He didn't even stop when Trina appeared, coming out of one of the rooms before the staircase. When Trina saw me, she looked relieved, which was weird because last time I checked, she didn't like me. Tristin didn't stop, continuing up the stairs, moving around where Trina was standing. She didn't look hurt by his behavior, as she continued to walk down the stairs.

He didn't stop walking until he was inside his bedroom, closing the door behind him with his foot. He must have kicked it roughly because the door slammed shut. He seemed to relax slightly once we were inside his room. He walked over to his bed, laying me down on the comforter softly. He followed after, climbing onto the bed. He got behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. For a couple of minutes, we simply laid in each others embrace, my back to his chest. Neither of us said anything, basking in each other's warmth. Usually, Tristin was cold, but right now, he was anything but cold.

"What happened?" Tristin asked after a couple of minutes, his breath hitting the tip of my head. I carefully rolled over so that I was face to face with him. I looked him in the eyes as I map out the events of what I was assuming to be the previous night. With the way Tristin was acting, it could have been more, but Tristin did seem like the type to overreact.

"I left the bedroom to go to that one sitting area I found on my hallway hunt," I admitted, slightly ignoring the look that he was beginning to develop on his handsome face. I rolled my eyes at him, ignoring how dry they felt. I would have to ask for some eye drops in the near future. "I found said sitting area and glanced out the window. I saw someone standing outside the gate," This caught Tristin's attention, making his eyes lock onto mine with focus and attention. I glanced down at my hands, which were neatly packed between our chests, twidling with them. I knew I was about to get scolded for the fact that I went outside knowing that my uncle, someone who had broken into my apartment and is now holding my mother captive, at least, I think she isn't staying willingly.

Tristin huffed, taking in a slow breath, clearly trying to calm himself down before replying to what I've told him. His arms tightened around my waist, holding me closer to him. I felt secure in his embrace, and although I knew he was going to be mad. I couldn't change what happened, but I was here. I don't know how or why, but I hadn't been taken to wherever I had been intended to be taken too. I was here, back inside Tristin's bedroom, and I knew one thing for certain. I wouldn't be foolish enough to go back outside at night without Tristin.

"Why in the world did you think that going outside was a smart idea?" Tristin asked with a defeated sounding tone. I looked down guilty, tensing when one of Tristin's hands moved some of my hair backward, tucking it behind my ear slowly. "Idiot," He said, pulling me in as much as he could to his chest. I sighed, rubbing my head gently against his neck.

I had been an idiot. I knew then that I should have just gone back to Tristin's room.

"It wasn't. I know that," I admitted, calmed by Tristin's heartbeat, the steady beating staying in a consistent rhythm. "I went outside to confront him. I didn't expect to get knocked unconscious by a guard named Renolds," I said, throwing the guy's name into the conversation, hoping he'd pick up on the subtle detail. The moment he heard the name, I felt him physically tense up.

"Renolds?" He asked tensely. I nodded my head, in the back of my mind, I had a hunch that this guy, Renolds, wouldn't be living much longer, that is if he is still in the mansion. I shiver slightly, the thought of that guy still being in the building freaked me out. What made the guy want to betray Tristin's family? Was he ever loyal to Tristin's family? Did my uncle bribe him? Whatever reason he had help in an attempted kidnapping, attempted because I ultimately ended up back on the property.

Neither of us said anything else, and for once, I was thankful for the silence. I'm certain that when Tristin was in a calmer, more collective mindset that I'd be asked more questions, but at the moment, it seemed like I was getting a moment of peace.

What an extremely short moment it ended up being.