Not Afraid of the Dark

Micah stood stock still as he stared at his best friend. He looked back at the house and then towards the person in front of him. He couldn't believe his eyes. He didn't understand what was going on.

"Micah, if you've seen me enter that house, that wasn't me," Riley said breathing hard.

The running had taken its toll on him and he was now starting to regret it. Micah's jaw tightened as the anger flowed through his veins. He couldn't believe this person. He lunged at the man and tackled him to the ground. The scuffle was sure to attract attention, but at the moment Micah didn't care. All he cared about was destroying the one thing that had hurt the two people who had trusted him.

"Micah, stop, it's me," Riley said, trying to block his face from the punches.

Micah stopped before he landed a punch to the man's face. He looked at him closely and then stood up shocked. He looked towards the house and frowned. He didn't know what was going on. He sat down on the ground behind the clump of trees utterly confused on what to do. Riley moved to sit next to him.

"I was ambushed when I went to pick up some breakfast. Two men knocked me out and staked my leg with silver. I just woke up about ten minutes ago," he tried to explain.

Micah looked at him. "So, the Riley I saw in there is a fake?"

"Yes. He must have shifted into my form in order to fool everyone," Riley replied.

Micah sighed. "Well, it worked. I was fooled, and no doubt Miss Peyton and Miss McCallister were fooled as well."

Riley's face paled. "He has them in there?"

"Yes, I thought he was you, so I told him to take them to safety. He took them, but not to safety," Micah answered.

Riley set his jaw. "Then we must attack. Full on attack," he said.

Micah looked at him wide-eyed. He didn't know where the authoritative voice came from, but he wasn't about to argue. He nodded and then sent a mental message to the wolf pack leader to attack. A howl sounded through the night air and loud snarls followed. The attack was underway.

****

Dani heard howling and she shivered unsure of it was a good thing or a bad thing. She just wanted to be free. She had been forced to change into a simple white gown even though she didn't want to. The man who looked like Riley had threatened Katie's safety, so she changed into the gown to keep her best friend safe. She was curled up on the little window seat by the window. The chain was heavy on her ankle and she wanted it removed, but she had a feeling that she was stuck like this.

She rested her head against the window as she tried to shift her foot with the chain wrapped around it. She had tried to lift the window open, but it was like it was bolted shut. There was no hope for it to be opened. The door opened up again and the man posing as Riley walked in.

"Good you changed," he said.

She turned her head in the direction of his voice and glared. She hated feeling like a common criminal and held prisoner in some unknown place in the middle of the dark woods. She may not be afraid of the dark, but she was slowly becoming afraid of the woods.

"Oh, don't be like that," he cooed.

Her glared deepened. "What do you want?" she asked.

"Just to tell you that the ceremony will begin shortly," he smiled.

She kept her gaze stony. "What ceremony?"

"The ceremony that will change your lives of course," he answered, his smile growing wider.

Dani frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"You'll see," he said.

He moved so fast that Dani didn't have time to blink. He was standing in front of her and she wanted to cringe in fear, but she held her ground. He leaned over her and then grabbed her ankle with the chain wrapped around it. He broke it and let it clatter towards the floor.

"Don't even think about trying to escape the room. The door will be locked," he hissed.

She nodded. "Who are you?" she asked.

Before he could answer the door opened again.

"Master Nathan, sorry to interrupt, but there's a situation outside," a timid looking man said.

Nathan shot him a glare before turning back towards Dani. He felt certain that she wouldn't escape, so he left with his servant and headed down the stairs.

****

Katie had just been relieved of the heavy chain from her ankle. She rubbed the raw skin to relieve some of the pain as she sat by the bolted down window. The house creeped her out a lot more than the round stone pillars did. At least at the pillars she was outside and felt a little safer even though it was in the middle of the woods. She heard loud howling followed by snarls. She glanced out the window and her heart soared when she saw a pack of wolves advancing towards the house.

She noticed too figures out in front of the group heading straight for the house and she hoped that she and Dani would be saved. She only wished that this would be the last of the danger for the two of them. She didn't think she could handle anymore. She watched the wolves attack the small line of men trying to defend the house.

****

Nathan had sent everyone outside to deal with the pesky wolf pack. He had to finish setting up the room where everything would happen.

"Master, the room is ready and your brother has arrived," his right hand man said.

"Perfect," he said.

Nathan went up the stairs and then headed towards Dani's room. He opened the door and walked in.

"It is time," he said.

Dani didn't say anything. She knew that if she tried to fight this then something would happen to Katie. She stood up and walked over to him. He smiled at her and then took her by the elbow. He led her towards the room where the ceremony would take place and then left her at the altar. He then made his way towards Katie's room.

"Katie, darling, it is time now," he said sweetly.

Katie looked away from the window and cringed at him. She didn't want this to happen, but she knew that she didn't have a choice at the moment. She glanced back at the window once and prayed that someone would save them soon. She let out a sigh before joining Nathan by the door. He took her hand and kissed the back of it before leading her towards the same room that Dani was in. Once inside he found his brother standing next to Dani and he smiled warmly.

"KATIE," Dani shrieked, as she ran towards her friend.

They embraced each other before they were pulled apart.

"It is time brother," Nathan said.