Chapter 13: Escape?

We finally made it out of the gate, only to find ourselves in the middle of a dense, ancient forest. Tall, twisted trees surrounded us, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers, blocking the moonlight and casting eerie shadows on the ground.

"This doesn't make sense. How did we get here?" I asked, bewildered.

"Mom and Dad must've discovered you escaped so they devised a means to slow you down so they can catch up to you and recapture you," Emily explained, looking around. "I don't know why but I recognize this place."

"What are you guys? Just let me know. That's why we were in your house in the first place," I demanded, frustration seeping into my voice.

Emily took a deep breath. "We're magical creatures. Half-elves and half-witches. Zero percent human. My grandparents came from families of witches and elves, so when they gave birth to my parents, there was no trace of human DNA in them even though they looked like humans. So, I'm a hybrid too."

I stared at her, trying to process this new information. Ava snickered. "Well, we were close," she said, rolling her eyes. "So, how do we get out of here?"

"I now know why I could recognize this place, I was born in this dimension. This forest is in Eldoria, our elf kingdom that's hidden in plain sight like another dimension. The only way out is through a hidden passage," Emily replied.

"Great. A hidden passage in a magical forest. What could possibly go wrong?" Ava muttered.

We began our journey through the forest, each step filled with uncertainty.

"So you were about falling in love with me?" Emily asked me, smirking with one cheek. It was at the moment that I remembered what I said when I was ranting in the cage. I was blinded by my anger so I spewed more than what I would've liked to expose. I was planning to tell her that I liked her... Eventually. But not that way. The way I told her was just wrong. I wish I could take it back and ask her out like a normal person. "it's cool 'cause I was falling for you too. I guess I'm into guys that can suck my blood whenever they're hungry."

"You know I don't eat that anymore" I whined. " But having my tongue on your neck doesn't really seem like a bad idea."

"Jeez, just get a room." Ava scoffed.

"Shut up Ava."

The air was thick with the scent of pine and moss, and an eerie silence enveloped us. Every now and then, I thought I saw shadows flitting between the trees, but when I looked closer, there was nothing there.

"This place gives me the creeps," Ava whispered, her eyes darting around.

"Just stay close and keep moving," Emily urged, her voice steady but her eyes betraying a hint of fear.

As we walked, the forest seemed to grow denser, the trees pressing closer together. We stumbled upon a clearing, where the moonlight revealed a shimmering pond. The water was crystal clear, reflecting the moon and stars above. It was a stark contrast to the dark, foreboding forest around it.

"Let's rest for a moment," I suggested, feeling the fatigue in my limbs.

We sat by the pond, catching our breath. As I gazed into the water, I noticed faint, glowing shapes moving beneath the surface.

"What are those?" I asked, pointing to the pond.

"Water nymphs," Emily replied. "They're usually harmless, but it's best not to disturb them."

"Great. Just what we need," Ava grumbled. "More magical creatures that could kill us if provoked enough."

We continued our journey, the forest seeming to grow more alive with each step. Strange, glowing plants lined the path, and I could hear the faint rustle of unseen creatures in the underbrush. Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the trees, and we froze.

"What was that?" Ava whispered, her eyes wide with fear.

"Stay calm," Emily instructed, scanning the area. "It might be a forest guardian. They're protective of this place."

A massive, wolf-like creature emerged from the shadows, its eyes glowing with an unnatural light. It bared its teeth and growled, its muscles tensed as if ready to pounce.

"Back away slowly," Emily whispered, her voice barely audible.

We did as she said, moving cautiously. The creature watched us with unblinking eyes but didn't attack. After what felt like an eternity, it turned and disappeared into the forest.

"That was too close," I muttered, my heart pounding.

"Let's keep moving," Emily urged, her voice shaking slightly.

We pressed on, the forest becoming increasingly labyrinthine. We encountered a group of small, mischievous creatures with glowing eyes and sharp teeth. They chattered and giggled, darting around us and trying to snatch our belongings.

"Pixies," Emily said, swatting at one that got too close. "They love causing trouble."

"Great," Ava said, swatting back. "We've been reduced to fighting fairy tales."

We hurried past them, our pace quickening. The forest seemed to be playing tricks on us, paths twisting and turning in impossible ways. Just when I thought we were hopelessly lost, we stumbled upon a massive, ancient tree with a door carved into its trunk.

"This is it," Emily said, relief evident in her voice. "The hidden passage."

"We have to go through a tree?" Ava asked, raising an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Would you prefer staying here and making friends with the pixies?" I shot back.

"Point taken," Ava said, eyeing the tree warily.

We approached the door, but before we could open it, a loud shout echoed through the forest. Emily's parents had found us.

"Emily!" her father called, his voice filled with a mix of anger and desperation. "Come back to us!"

Emily hesitated, her hand on the door. Her mother appeared beside her father, both of them looking at her with pleading eyes.

"Emily, don't do this," her mother begged. "Come back. We can explain everything. You can keep the vampire if you want to. He can stay with us while your dad and I do what we have to do."

For a moment, it seemed like Emily might go back to them. But then she shook her head, resolute. "No. I can't. I won't. I'm tired of living in your shadow. Besides,you and I know quite well that if Ethan came back with me, he would not live long enough to hate me for bringing him back to you."

With a swift motion, she pushed us all through the door. We tumbled through the portal, the world around us spinning and distorting. When we emerged, we found ourselves back in the human world, the forest of Eldoria nothing but a distant memory.

I looked around, trying to get my bearings. We were in a clearing, the night air was cool and refreshing. Emily's parents were nowhere to be seen.

"We made it," Ava said, her voice filled with relief.

"Yeah," I agreed, looking at Emily. "Thanks for saving us."

Emily nodded, her expression a mix of sadness and determination. "I couldn't let them use you for their plan."

"So I have two questions. One, where the fuck are we? We're back on earth, that's for sure but which country? which state? Where exactly on earth are we?" I asked after looking at our surroundings.

"The portal is dynamic. It doesn't work the way you want it to." Emily replied. "Sometimes it takes you to where you want to be and other times it takes you to where it wants you to be."

"Okay good to know that we could be anywhere in the world." I replied sarcastically. "So are you ready to tell us what your parents were planning to do with me now?"