Chapter Seven

Running back up the stairs, I went back in the direction of the bedroom I came out of but I kept going, sprinting past it; I couldn't go back, that would be a death sentence. Heading down the hall, I see it's coming to an end with full length window from the ground to the ceiling. Getting closer, i can see a stair way on the left of the window and went up it. Everything was going past me in a blur, I don't think I've ever ran this fast in my life and it made me want to go faster. There was people calling after me, their voices multiplying as we kept this game of chase up but instead of being terrified, I found myself getting excited; I can't find all the right words to express how it feels to be one step ahead of everyone else but one of those words is freeing.

When I get to the top of the staircase, I find a couple of men waiting for me. I can't go back down, there's at least 3 men behind me and I can't stay here, they'll trap me; the only way to go is through.

Relaxing my stance, I smile sweetly at the two men in front of me which causes them get distracted for a second and a second is all I need. Turning to the left I act as if I'm going to go back towards the stairs which causes one of them to take a few steps after me, giving me the opportunity to turn around quickly and kick straight up, nailing him in the jaw, knocking him down. The other man seems not to be able to believe his eyes and in his state of shock, I take advantage. Doing a cartwheel into a front walkover, I get as close as I can to him. "Sorry about this" I whisper, seeing his face morph from surprised to confused before elbowing him in the face, knocking him out cold.

"Thank you Dad" sighing, I shake my head And take off again. Growing up, my dad was very adamant about me being able to defend myself and he didn't trust anyone to do it other than my mother and himself. Every morning before school, we would spar, most of the time I got my ass handed to me on a silver platter. During school, I was involved in the Dance/Cheerleading squads and after school, I went to Gymnastics. I griped and groaned about it back then but now I'm extremely grateful that my parents pushed me to do more. Now, I can take on my mom and dad at the same time, I don't always win but I don't loose every time now either. Outside of those things, I didn't use my skills very often other than keeping bullies off my back and those who couldn't defend themselves but now I can see why my dad was so persistent.

I keep running, going up until i can't anymore which places me on the top floor, the 5 floor. Getting close to the window, I realize this is it, there's no where left to run. I slow to a stop and turn around tensing up for a fight, I won't go down without one.

One by one I see a group of men show up in front of me but staying six feet away. Eying them, I see that there's ten of them just standing there, none of them moving from their spot. It wasn't more than minute when they started moving but not towards me, just to the side, parting the sea until I saw the one person I didn't want to see.

Ezra Nightingale stood right in front of them, arms crossed with a stern expression on his face, "Nina, what are you doing? These are my men, they're here to protect you but instead you knock two of them unconscious!"

I give him a look of disbelief, "You can't be serious." Looking at me with a blank stare and a expression I can't decipher. "You took me from my home to a unfamiliar place, left me in a room that I have no connection to and for your information, They were chasing me, I didn't just beat them for no reason!"

Ezra raised an eyebrow at me, "This IS your home" he says plainly, "the house you lived in before was only temporary."

"YOU KIDNAPPED ME!" I screamed at him, not caring about the men behind him listening to every word.

"No," he says calmly, "THEY kidnapped you, not the other way around, I simply brought you home. This is where you belong."

"No, I belong with my parents." I counter.

His face twisted from calm to rage quickly after that sentence left my mouth, "Those people, are NOT your parents. I found you, abandoned in the woods, when you were only a few days old. From that day on, I was the one who raised you, I was the one who stayed up on those sleepless nights when you were a baby, fed you, clothed you, loved you and what did I get in return?! Those wretched humans stole you from me on the day of your sixth birthday. After weeks of searching for you, I found you in their quaint little home. The moment I found you, I should have killed them and taken you home then and there but I didn't. I saw how happy you were and hesitated, I didn't want you to hate me for crushing your dreams at a young age so I let you stay and that was obviously a mistake. I knew where you were, I always had eyes on you but enough is enough. I've waited long enough for you. You are my mate and I refuse to wait any longer for you!" Moving impossibly fast he grabbed me by my upper arm, he was like a blur but before I could really get a look at him, he started pulling me past his guards, towards the stairs. I was to baffled by his revelation to fight against him.

Was he really telling the truth about my past? A part of me is screaming at myself to not believe his lies but another wants to believe him. I mean, how else would I explain that realistic dream I had last night? It was mixed in with other memories of my past so if those were real, why wouldn't this be? Another thing I don't understand is what he said at the end, the whole mate thing but the only way I'm ever going to get answers is to do the one thing I don't want to do, I have to stay.