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Run From the King

Chapter 1

It was a cold night, so cold that the air stung, the animals hid, and not even a cup of warm coffee could be enticing enough to leave the comfort of a warm home in the rural town of Angle Inlet. The coffee shop had been scarce of customers, not even a single car had driven by. So Eliza thought it was fine to close up early for the night, her manager would understand. Eliza took a step outside and took a deep breath, but felt her breath catch. She froze. There he was. Across the street, in the drudge of winter gray stood strikingly a radiant golden lion. His eyes, golden, almost human, beautiful she thought. It was like they were pleading for her to listen.

The lion stepped towards her, head bowed. She heard a low growl rumbling within the beast. He slowly raised his snout, eyes locked with hers, a single spectacular roar seared through the air. Eliza yelped in fear, felt a wave of heat hit her face as the lion burst into flames.

Ashes of black smoke danced around her, as she was able to take a breath for the first time.

This was it.

That was the sign. She needed to run. Panicked, she rushed to her bike, dropping her phone, leaving without hesitation, afraid to turn back and face what was coming next. Her foot slammed on the pedals, her hair blowing wildly, and veins pulsing with fear. Just two miles to the train station she repeated to herself. "Only two miles to safety," she whispered, terrified of being heard. Memories she had long buried, longed to forget were creeping to the surface. Had it really only been three years since she ran away from home? How stupid was she to allow herself to feel safe, how careless she had been, she thought, not again. This time if she made it out of this, she would not allow herself to be so naive. This time, she only had herself to escape.

Her best friend Tess, a witch, was able to help Eliza escape to this world. The lion was Tess's message...her warning.

Tess had promised if she knew anyone was on to Eliza's trail, she'd send a message. The message was clear, and not very subtle. When it came to her powers Tessa loved the eccentrics, a letter would have done it, but no, Tess had to send a Lion. Eliza had to laugh, she missed her friend. The laughter went from a quiet chuckle to a lump forming in Eliza’s throat. These memories stirred sadness in her, they also stirred fear but became the driving force behind her legs, faster Eliza told herself. Her breath grew jagged as she neared closer to the train station. Impatiently, she jumped off her bicycle, she body-slammed to the ground. Her palms and knees burned, her blood stained the ground. She groaned in pain, great, now there's a way to track me, she thought. A young woman rushed to her aid but Eliza waved her off. Using the bike rail, she slowly raised herself up. She needed to leave and leave now.

"Thank you, I just.." Eliza winced in pain, "..I'm fine, I just need to get inside."

She made her way in, eyes scanning for the room for the ticket counter. The line was long, she began toying with her watch, knowing it wouldn’t make time go by faster but she needed something to distract her.

Finally, the clerk yells, “Next?”

"I need a ticket, please. To the farthest place...Please."

The woman behind the glass looks her over. Concerned, she raises her brow at the nervous girl.

"Young lady, are you alright?"

"I'm fine! Please... I'd like a ticket... Please."

Her voice is desperate. The clerk stands, her eyes behind rimmed glasses glance down.

"Honey, you're bleeding on my counter." She nods down at Eliza's hands resting on the counter. Eliza looks down then looks back up at the clerk apologetically.

"Honey, now I'll ask you one more time. Are you alright?"

"No, she's not."

Eliza freezes. She's paralyzed at the sound of his voice. Her eyes widen as the clerk takes notice of the young man now standing a couple of feet behind the young girl. He was tall and stood brooding over the girl. His eyes were piercing, his smile, dark.

"Do we have a problem young man?"

The clerk asks him accusingly.

"How are you, darling?"

Ignoring the clerk, the young man focused on Eliza. His voice made her stomach feel like a pool of concrete was flooding down to her toes and keeping her planted to the ground.

It had been so long, three years.

Eliza had not responded to him. Her eyes were still wide with fear and looking at the clerk. The clerk grew agitated at the girl's disturbing response to the boys' presence.

"Young man, I'm going to have to ask you to le-"

"ENOUGH!"

With a flick of his hand, the clerk knocked back into the far wall, her glasses flying, and back against the posters and chairs causing a ruckus. Suddenly the entire room went quiet, they caught the attention of everyone around them. His eyes unwavering, uncaring of the audience, he was only focused on Eliza.

"LOOK AT ME WHEN I SPEAK TO YOU!"

He almost spat the words. He was filled with rage, she could feel it hanging heavy in the air. He pushed his way through others to get to her and walked up behind her, as she still had her back to him. Her feet remained cemented to the ground, every part of her body telling her to run, fight, do something, yet she couldn’t. Her fear paralyzed her, or the familiarity of the voice her conscious reminded her. He wrapped his hand around her mouth and roughly pulled her to face him. She let out a gasp as he twisted her around to look at him. He knelt down slightly to get at eye level. His black eyes met her blue ones. It was funny, she strangely thought, how could one look make her feel so much. It was a tornado of emotion and memory, she felt everything, and yet, nothing. Those eyes were once a place she looked for comfort, and now they were a source of her anguish. She remembered once she described them to Tess as bottomless like she could search through them endlessly. But these eyes looking back at her now, only one word came to mind.

Hungry.

Of course, others were making their way to get a hold of him and stop him from assaulting the young girl. But Klaus was too quick. With a snap of his fingers, it was as though time stopped or slowed dramatically.

Except for Klaus and Eliza.

"I found you."

He smirked menacingly. Clenching his jaw, he wasn't satisfied enough. He felt his fingers dig into her cheeks as the rage built up inside him. She struggles to pry his hands off her and whimpered in pain at his grip. He let her go and shoved her against the near wall. Closing in behind her, he grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her. Eliza groaned in pain as he bent her at his will. He tied her hands behind her tightly, causing the ropes to dig into her wrists.

"I don't want to go back! Stop! Klaus! Let me go!"

Eliza grunts and yells in defiance trying to fight Klaus' pulls.

"I told you I'd find you. Wherever you go Eliza. I will always find you."

As they reach the parking lot they pass by folks frozen in time and cars halfway out of their parking spots.
A young man walks up to them from the parking lot.

"Eliza? It's you... You're alive."

Adrian looked her over, she looked different he thought. Her once fiery red hair, the exact same shade as his, was now dyed a dusty brown. How foolish of his twin sister to think a simple hair change could keep her hidden from them. His mom would be heartbroken at the change. Another look over, he could see she had gotten smaller since leaving, her body grown tired. But she was alive, he thought, his sister, his best friend, was here in front of him now. After all the praying and searching night after night, she was alive. His lips almost turned to a small smile but it quickly faded.
She was his best friend. His twin sister.

But she left.

And without a word, not even a note. She abandoned him, their family, and most importantly, her responsibilities. Adrian was angry now. He was so disappointed in her. The relief he felt when he saw her, washed away as quickly as it came and replaced with resentment.

Eliza registered the look on Adrian's face. She always knew what he was thinking. She predicted and was fully prepared for him to hate her when she left, but just the same, it still stung and left an ache in her chest.

"Adrian? Adrian! Help me! Don't let him take me away! PLEASE! ...Adrian!? YOU'RE MY BROTHER! HELP ME!"

Adrian only shrugged at her, avoiding eye contact.

"Dad's orders, 'sis.'"

His tone was unsympathetic. He ignored her whimpers and cries. He wanted her to feel pain. She put them through hell, all of them.

"How did you find me?" Eliza questioned as she jerked her arm from Klaus' grip.

Klaus chuckled.

"Tess," he stated simply.

Eliza's eyes widen.

"What did you do to her? You monster, WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?"

"You'll see soon enough, Princess."

"You can't take me, I won't go with you." Eliza jerked her arm aggressively trying to get out of his grip.

"You don't have a choice." He tightened his hold on her.

"Ahhh!!!"

Eliza lets out a loud, defeated yell as they attempt to shove her inside the back of a black window tinted vehicle. Eliza knew as soon as she got in the car there was no escaping. She put her feet against the car door, refusing to go inside.

"I got this, just start the car." Klaus waves Adrian off.

Adrian shakes his head, before walking around the car. "Just don't hit her face... My mom will want to do that herself."

Adrian looks at her, numb. He walks around the car unaffected by the cries she lets out from Klaus' handling. When Adrian sits inside the car, Klaus turns Eliza to face him. He pushes her against the side of the car and leans into her as he grabs something from his back pocket. Her shoulders begin to ache at the pressure of his weight pushing against her.

"Now, we could've done this the proper way... The romantic way.. Similar to the one I had planned for when you still loved me."

His voice is solemn now.

He pulls a pocketknife from his back pocket and flips it open. Eliza shakes her head, begging him to calm down.

"Please, Klaus, don't."

Klaus rolls his eyes.

"Shut up. I'm not going to kill you. I spent three years trying to find you. Believe me, I'm going to make your torture last a long time. Starting with..."

He pulls something else from his back pocket.

Two silver rings.

He skillfully cuts the rope behind Eliza's backside holding her hands tightly together. He takes her hand quickly and forcibly brings out her ring finger. He slips on one of the rings and it tightens around her finger. Eliza felt a flash of heat, a sudden burn that lasts for less than a second around where the ring sat. The simple silver piece of jewelry fit snugly around her finger, but it felt like a heavy noose around her neck. Eliza lunged to try to pull it off but Klaus stops her hand. It's too late.

"A cursed ring.."

Eliza's heart sunk. She'll never be able to take the ring off. Not unless she wanted the other person wearing the paired ring to die. The realization hit her as Klaus put the second ring on his own finger.

"No!" Eliza gasps.

"Yes, love. I told you, you wouldn't getaway. I have your life in my hands." Klaus lowers Eliza's hands and holds them in his, keeping his grip tight.

"So do I," she reminds him.

Klaus leans in very close to Eliza, gaze intent, and smile wicked.

"Yes, you do. But the difference between you and I, love, is that I have the guts to take yours."
♠ ♠ ♠
edited 5/4/2020 with A.H.