Chapter Eleven.

Another week, another chapter

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The dark. That's the first thing I noticed opening my eyes. The quiet whisper of a high powered vehicle, and the occasional bumps beneath me told me I was in the back of a holo van. My hands wriggled behind me, but it was pointless due to the very tight restraints that are cuffed on both my wrists and feet.

I cant see anything because of a covering on my head, which means I'm sitting in the back of van in the dark.

Like a fish out of water I am completely exhausted.

The last thing I remember is the kiss. That amazing scene in the rain that would get an award if in a movie. I felt happy, giddy almost just thinking about it. Which is very out of character for me, especially the fact that I can't get the feeling of his mouth on mine out of my head.

I'm hoping that this temporary lapse of judgement is just that. Temporary. Because although, I can't deny that it felt nice, keyword being felt in past tense, that was then and this is now. I can't afford to feel this. I have plans. Things to do, places to go, cities to escape.

And more importantly, I am not who he thinks I am.

Feeling around behind me against the cold steel surface, I brace myself for real pain. And as I put more and more pressure on my thumb, I make sure to let out a sound.

This isn't my first time in cuffs, hopefully it'll be my last.

My thumb cracks, and a familiar wave of nausea hits me. As well as the ear splitting pounding reverberating in my head.

The cuffs slip over my wrist and with my right hand that isn't severely throbbing I throw off the hood.

As soon as I took off the hood, the darkness didn't lift. The windowless interior was so unlit I couldn't see my hands in front of me.

Although, I could still hear. Especially the shuffling that seemed to be near me.

"Jasper? Is that you?" The shuffling grew more fervent, and a strangled noise started to sound. He must've been taped at the mouth, and bound as well so I slowly press around to make my way towards him.

I brush up next to a soft surface, feeling around more I feel what I believe is a nose and realize this must be his face.

I didn't know how soft his face felt until now and all I want to do is-

I go lower to feel for a tape, and rip it off without mercy, to stop me from finishing that thought.

"Mmph! Ow!" Jasper whisper shouts. "You didn't have to rip it off so harsh, then again I did like your hands on my face." He teased, rubbing his face.

"Don't get used to it." I huff. "Now how do we get out of here?"

"I'm guessing the way we came in. We're going to have break those doors open."

"What door- oh." I squinted really hard to my left and a small crack in between tall steel. "Alright, but I don't know if I can do much of that with my left hand." I wince, the throbbing still there if I focus on it.

"I'll take care of it then, just get ready because as soon as the doors open...we jump." He rushes out, and then moves past me, already out of his binds.

The door gives away on the third shove, and low moonlight floods my view.

Hovering over the ground, the van is moving fast through the woods. Brushing by patches of grass and dirt, and tall overhead trees.

"Jump on three. You ready?" I nod my head in response, and bend my knees. I take a breath, bracing myself for impact.

"1..." The rapidly passing by thicket of trees start to move in slow motion.

"2..." My thoughts begin to slow in response to everything.

"...3" I focus solely on my breath as my body launches off the back of the vehicle.

For a moment, I feel weightless soaring through the air like a bird with its wings outstretched. Until I crash into the ground, tumbling with no control.

Pain bursts through my back and head for a split second, before the world goes pitch black.

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"Verona?! Wake up. We gotta go. Now." My head felt like it was cracked open, and split right down the middle.

When I opened my eyes, my vision was blurry and swaying. My hand went to the back of my head and felt damp. I looked behind me to see a giant oak right behind me, stained with what was definitely my blood.

"Oh shit." I could hear a ringing, and a muffled voice as I groaned pushing myself up onto my feet. "Here let me carry you, it'll be faster." He swoops down to hoist me up but I stumble back pushing him away.

"No, wait...why are we..." I look around confused, and then it snaps into place. We were kidnapped. Jasper and I.

"I've got to go. I have to go somewhere. I have to get back to Medeis."

"No, Verona you can't. You can't go back. The van, we were in...it was heading towards Draçon. We're not safe here, they're looking for us."

"Who's- wait what did you just say?" I whip my head around to face him. Concern etched in his face, those eyes though they looked scared...and sad.

"What did you just call me?" I ask quietly venom seeping into my voice. My hand starts to shake, at the sound of a name I haven't heard in years.

He sighs, closing his eyes. "We shouldn't do this here. Let's talk somewhere else, please." He reaches for me, and again I push him away.

"No! We're doing this now Jasper. What. Did. You. Call me." My voice as shaky as my hand now, the ringing in my head growing louder.

With my shaky left hand still throbbing from my fractured thumb I pulled out the wrapped and concealed dagger tucked into my pants. Pointing it towards, Jasper my breathing quickened as I went into panic mode.

"Where are we?! How do you know my name?! You're not- you're not- I TRUSTED you. Do you know what that means to me?! I actually- You know what No. I'm not doing this with you, just tell me where we are." I quickly knock his feet out from under him, and press my dagger against his throat. With my knee pressing onto his chest, I take a look around. My heart dissolves, as I take in the familiar woods.

"Verona, please I-"

"What? You can explain? Don't give me that bullshit. You're just like the rest of them aren't you. Paid to find me. To hunt me down, like an animal. Except you didn't just do that did you?" I looked into those eyes, and in them I saw my own. Cold, detached, sad. "Was it all just a cruel joke to you? A fun little game you came up with for yourself? Did you relish in it? The way I fell for you?" My voice cracked at that last part. Water welling up in my eyes.

"Verona, listen the guards they're coming you can still get out. Run." He still played pretend, even with a knife to his throat he still toyed with me. Acting like I can get away, as if it wasn't too late already. Like I was just some cat with a plaything.

"Heh." I laugh to myself, looking back I still couldn't see this coming. He was just that good. I guess to him it really all is just a game. I'm just another bounty to him, and now he's going to win.

The shuffling of feet and bodies encircled me before I had a chance to press the knife down and see red. From the corner of my eyes, they all bowed around me. Forming a circle, a barrier. Not for my protection though, no it was always about my imprisonment.

"Your majesty." A deep voice, behind me sounded. The dark sky and crisp air hugged me, suffocating my head. The ringing stopped, no longer whining.

The guard behind me must have a sleep ability because when the tranquillity hit me, my senses crumbled like the sand giving into the ocean. I wasn't ever going to get out now. My fate was sealed, and as my vision slowly darkened I stared into his eyes. My tears landing onto his cheek, those green eyes grew cold and unfeeling as the ground beneath me tilted entirely.

The ringing in my head replaced with vicious laughter. As my world went quiet, I thought back to those words that seemed to taunt me.

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you.