Chapter 26

The man began to untie my hands and legs.

"Hold her down for me." He yelled.

The other two men grabbed my arms and pulled me down on the cold floor. I began to scream and struggle hysterically. I would rather die than have them **** me.

"Please stop!! Help me!!" I screamed and every time the man slapped me across the face. I felt no pain this time, just fear, extreme fear.

He ripped my dress open which made me scream so loud it felt as if my throat was bleeding from all the screaming and crying.

God please help me!! Someone help me!!

Suddenly I heard a crushing sound and I couldn't feel the man's heavy weight on me anymore. The hands holding me down were gone and the men were on their feet quickly pulling their daggers out from their pockets.

"Who are you?" I heard one of them say in a shaky voice. I moved my head to see who had come but saw the man that just tried to **** me on the floor in a pool of blood, his body unmoving. Was he dead?

Yes, he was. His throat was cut with what looked like sharp claws.

My eyes traveled further around the room looking for a threat or an escape but my gaze landed on hands with long and sharp claws. Almost animal like except the hands belonged to a human, they belonged to Lucian. Blood was dripping down his nails and his eyes were red. He looked like the Devil in my nightmares except he didn't have any black horns.

"Who are you?" the man repeated with a louder voice but still his voice trembled. He was probably horrified by the sight in front of him.

"It's pointless to know when you are going to die anyway?" Lucian replied then suddenly the men were in flames. They were burning as if someone set them on fire but Lucian was still standing in the same place. He hadn't even moved an inch.

Their screams filled the room as they rolled on the floor. The sight was horrifying and my head started to spin.

Lucian turned his gaze toward me. My heart jumped as I gazed into his blood red eyes while I tried to cover myself. As he walked toward me he took his robe off, crushing down he covered me with it. To my surprise I didn't try to run away from him I just let him gather me in his arms. I wasn't scared anymore, strangely I felt safe in this man's arms, this man who could be the devil himself.

"It's alright. You are safe now." he said holding me closer. Sleep now love and before I could think about the voice in my head I fell asleep.

Pain. Pain was the only thing I felt as I woke up. My head, my face, my throat even my whole body was in pain, especially my arms where the men held me down. Afraid by the memory I looked around for any threat, but I was back in the castle, so I was probably safe.

A bottle of water on the table caught my attention. I needed water. My throat burned and itched and I couldn't take the pain anymore. I made my way to the table quickly ignoring the pain in my body because it was nothing compared to the pain in my throat. I grabbed the bottle of water and emptied it quickly.

Suddenly Oliver came to mind. Was he safe as well? If something happened to him how could I forgive myself. I needed to know so I walked toward the door but stopped suddenly when I walked past the mirror. Taking a few steps back and I stared at my reflection. Dark bruises covered my face, my lips were slightly swollen and chapped and my hair was ragged.

You are at least safe I consoled myself.

"Are you alright?" I jumped at the sound and looked to where it came from. Lucian stood suddenly in the room with his hands behind his back. He seemed angry and there was an aura of danger around him. How could I not have heard when he came in?

"I.." my voice cracked and my throat burned. I could barely speak so I just nodded. The way he stood reminded me of earlier. His red eyes and nails sharp. He really was the Devil or maybe it was my imagination. But I was sure I saw him, and the men who were suddenly burning, was it his doing?

My head was already hurting but now it hurt even more because of my thinking.

"Oli...ver" I said trying to speak.

"He is alright. Don't worry about him." I sighed in relief. Lucian still stood on the same place with a frown. I knew he was angry I went outside of the castle and that he wasn't saying anything because of my condition.

Yes, I know I put myself and Oliver in danger and that I made Lucian worry. I know that everything was my fault but it was partly his fault too. If he hadn't gone with that blonde all this would not have happened.

There were just too many emotions including anger and regret that I felt at the moment. I just wanted to disappear. Turning around I was about to go back to bed but before I could take a step Lucian already picked me up.

"I..." I tried to protest but couldn't finish the sentence because of the pain.

"Shhh...no need to say anything." He said while he carefully lay me down on the bed.

"Rest now," he said and I closed my eyes as I didn't want to look anymore. I didn't want to feel or think but my thought wandered back to Lucian standing there with his red eyes as blood dripped down from his long nails. He killed the men.

Lucian fingers traveling down my cheek disrupted my thoughts.

"You scared me today. I have never been so scared in my life before." He whispered. Opening my eyes I looked into his sad and concerned eyes.

"Don't ever make me worry like that again." Why am I not scared of him? Instead, a warm feeling spread through my body as I noticed how worried he had been and that he truly had been scared for me.