Darkness Surrounds Me

We hadn't been running long when Kierran stops and sets me back on solid ground. The only light we have is coming from the full moon. He is standing next to me and in front of us is an ominous-looking shadow in the background. If I squint I can kind of make out a house or a cabin but with the amount of light, I can't really tell.

"Where are we?" I ask him with a quivering voice. He takes my hand in his and starts walking me towards the house. I stop mid-step and refuse to move. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me where we are!"

Right as those words come from my mouth a gush of wind whips my brown hair in my face, and I shiver and start to curse Tessa for making me take off that much-needed jacket. Then I hear the snapping of branches, the ground starts to rumble, and then howling. "What the hell is that?" I'm not scared just more apprehensive about what's out there.

I'm not okay with just standing around waiting for whatever it is to come and get me; I just want my warm bed. "Please, just take me home.” Kierran tugs on my hand and pulls me forward but I can't move. My body has decided to permanently find a home in the place I'm standing and I'm not sure why.

It seems my brain has decided it checked out and stopped working and all sense of flight or fight left me. He lets go of my hand and moves to stand in front of me. He senses I'm on the verge of a full-on panic attack because I feel his cool soft fingers cupping my chin.

"You will be okay, Sweet Annabeth. This is my home so you will be safe inside." He removes his fingers from my face; he reaches for my hand again and interlocks our fingers. "Mo luachmhar, you are a target out here. What you hear isn't something safe, since he is coming for you. Please, I need you to come with me!" Kierran is pleading and he doesn't seem like the pleading type so something must be happening.

"I will explain everything inside. I promise!" I turn my head in the direction of the howling and see a pair of red eyes attached to a massive snout coming out of the swaying trees.

I don't get a great view due to the hindering darkness, but I can see its massive and running straight for me. I don't move; I can't take eyes away from the oncoming danger. My scar starts to burn and becomes too painful. Then it stops. I can feel its burning red eyes locked on me but only for a second before I hear it snarl and shoot off in my direction. I’m still not scared; very little scares me. I'm nervous but when the creature jumps at me. I scream then feel the world fall out from underneath my feet. I think I hear Kierran shout my name as I succumb to the black abyss that swallows me whole.

"Annabeth?" He fretted "Please come back to me mo mhac alainn." The lovely way he speaks to me in a different language wakes me from my trance and I look up to see the most beautiful set of green eyes and a devilish grin.

"There you are." I realize I'm lying in Kierran's lap while he's running his fingers through my hair in a soothing way, reminding of me the way my Mother would calm me when I was a child. I debate whether to sit up. I choose to stay laying.

"That's beautiful. What does it mean?" I ask.

"It means my lovely mate." I sit in silence and stare at his gorgeous face for a minute. I should be getting answers but right now I can't bring myself to care. Being here like this is comforting and soothing to my wounded heart. Before I seek out my answers, I glance around my surroundings.

I'm in a large room where tree trunks are holding up the roof and the walls are made of wood panels. I'm lying on a brown leather couch with a mix of blue, green, and yellow colors crocheted into a gorgeous afghan. I run my fingers over the fine material and notice how old this blanket looks, but I also see how well it's taken care of and loved.

"Mo Chailin (My Grandma) made this for my eighteenthbirthday. She died a few months later." My heart broke at his words. I could hear it in his voice how much he loved his grandma.

"I'm sorry, Kierran. That must be hard for you. I wouldn't know what it's like to grieve the loss of grandparents since I never had any. Both of my parents lost their parents when they were in College."

"I'm okay, Annabeth. It's been a while now but thank you." Kierran seemed to not want to talk about it anymore. I turn my head and glance around the room and see a fire burning in the gorgeous fireplace built with white and red bricks. Sitting on the mantle where several black and white pictures. One picture was of two men dressed in military uniforms, which looked nothing like ours, so I knew the picture was old.

The thing that struck me about the picture was one of the men bore a striking resemblance to Kierran and the other looked like a male version of me. Above the fireplace is an open upper level which is quite beautiful, and I get the desire to explore the place more.

There are two brown leather couches across and in between is a coffee table. In the corner are two very comfy looking red chairs. This room does scream Kierran since he does kind of play the cowboy type. Okay Annabeth, enough stalling! I chided myself. Kierran must have sensed my internal lecture because he says,

"It's okay. You rest and we will talk after. Seeing what you saw takes a lot out of a person and not to mention what this does when that Amadan fuilteach (bloody fool) is around." He rubs his hand over my scar, and I cringe. I don't want to think about Rick. I don't want to think about how and when he had time to bite and mark me. The very thought makes bile bubble in my stomach. I don't want Kierran touching the hideous thing. I grab his hand and start playing with his fingers.

"Kierran, what was that out there?" He rests his cool hand on my forehead and takes a couple of deep breaths. I peek up and see his eyes are closed. He seems uneasy about the topic.

This time I place my hand on his face, which is also very cold to the touch. I chose not to focus on that now. "What's wrong? Did I say or do something to upset you?" My insecurities open like a festering wound and I hate that I sound so weak and defenseless. He opens his eyes and they connect with mine. He bites on his bottom lip and makes it bleed. His tongue swipes out to lick up the blood and my mind is filled with images of him kissing me. Kierran closed his eyes again and sniffed the air.

"Annabeth, you are going to have to learn to contain that excitement unless you want to me ravish you." He confessed.

"You have no idea how much self-constraint it is taking me not to put you in my lap and let you ride me until we both are satiated. However, now is not the time. We have much to discuss." My mind is a befuddled mess so the next thing to come out of my mouth should not be held against me.

"How do you do that?" I used my most come-hither voice and I feel him grow hard underneath my head. He stares at me like I had sprouted a horn.

"How do I do what Love? You are going to have to elaborate." I try to sit up and look at him, but he wouldn't let me up. He shifts his eyes down towards his groin and says, "I need you to stay right there!"

"O.k.a.y?" I question "This is getting really weird." Kierran goes back to running his fingers through my hair.

"It got weird the minute he put his mark on you." He affirms with a tight voice and runs his fingers over my scar. "I just need you to stay here for a few minutes. Having you near calms the bloodlust." At his words, I jump off his lap so fast and ran to the other end of the room.

He doesn't move but grips the arm of the couch. He grits his teeth and lets out a small frustrated groan. He looks as if he's in pain; his face is scrunched up and his eyes are as black as coal. I sit there staring at him, half terrified and the other half mesmerized.

"Annabeth?" His voice is dark and rough. I have the inkling to run but where would I run? Something outside wants me and this dude looks like he wants to either eat me or kill me. Maybe both and that thought makes me shudder.

"What do you want from me?" I answer and feel my eyes well up with tears. I just don't get it; I don't get why I attract these psycho men. Kierran stands up and starts pacing the room. He runs his hand through his messy brown hair. The veins and muscles show through his tight T-shirt and I can't help but stare. What in the devil is wrong with me? I should be running as far away from this delicious man but here I am starting at the way his jeans hugged his ass. He turns and spots me hiding in my corner.

“The only thing I want from you Annabeth is to let me protect you." He explained gravelly. "You should know by now that I would never hurt you! It would destroy me to cause you any harm. I need you to believe me. I’m not him, Annabeth." I'm not totally sure what is happening here. Who is this guy? He says he's not Rick but right now they are very similar. Rick used to tell me he would never hurt me, well that was a lie. I place my hand on the hideous scar.

"I know you feel it too Anamacha. You feel the pull..." He stops and locks his enchanting green eyes on me.

"This Connection with us." He's right I do feel something. I can't deny that pull. I felt it the minute I laid eyes on him, but none of it makes sense.

"Who are you?" I cry out. Kierran doesn't move from his spot but keeps his eyes on me. "How do I know you wouldn't hurt me when I hardly know you? I shouldn't be here with you right now!"

"You know who I am, Annabeth; you know what I am." He states. "If you just open your mind and your heart and think about everything you have seen tonight, you will have your answer. I also know about your dreams, so whey you're ready to talk I'll be in the kitchen." He turns and walks out of the room, leaving me in the corner with all sorts of thoughts running through my mind.