~~


    Star


    ~~


    Was my talisman the cause of this? Was it what kept me from speaking outst night? I didn''t know much about the talismans or what they did to me and the others.


    "Has anything like this happened to any of the others?" I asked her with a contemtive look. "The not being able to control their actions I mean." I added making sure she knew I wasn''t referring to the sex thing.


    "Not to my knowledge." She looked serious as she thought about it.


    We had just pulled out onto the road that would lead to town. It was long and open on both sides before we got to the line of trees. I was turned, looking at Chay at the time and so I didn''t notice the shapes running through the clearing. They were heading straight for the Jeep.


    I didn''t see the evil intent in their eyes. The glint of madness that was shining as they nned their actions. I didn''t see that they intended to hurt us.


    As Chay thought and I stared there was a loud bang on the outside of the vehicle. Something big and heavy had smashed into the side of us. The force of that hit was so hard it had sent us flying off the side of the road.


    The jeep jerked to the side and rolled over and over. The purse that I had on myp flew about the front seat and smashed into the window next to me. Chay''s personal things in the console and on the dash flew everywhere.


    All of it seemed to be happening in slow motion.


    The window next to my head mmed against the ground. ss sprayed into the side of my head, I barely seemed to have closed my eyes in time. The windshield shattered and caved in when the top of the Jeep rolled next, caving in on us.


    I felt a pain stab through my side, making it hard to breathe. Next my leg mmed into the dashboard and I felt a sharp pain radiate through it.


    My body tried to fall forward during the roll off the road, but my seat belt held me in ce. However the seat belt felt like it was cutting into my chest and I am certain that I heard the sound of breaking bones when I was nearly cut into two by the belt.


    My head mmed back against the headrest with another roll. Then it was immediately mmed against the ground as we made another turn onto that side. I instantly felt something wet start to ooze down the side of my face.


    Over and over we rolled, three times, four, five. Finally we came to a stop. Not once during the whole time did either of us scream, yell, or cry out in any way. I started to ck out just before the rolling ended. A ck fog rolled in on the edges of my vision, disorienting me and lulling me into unconsciousness.


    I wish that was all of it though. I wish I could say that nothing else happened after we came to a rest at the bottom of the embankment next to the road.


    Once we came to a stop there was a loud screeching thud. Like something heavy and sharp was scraping into the top of the Jeep''s already mangled metal.


    After that sound had jarred me back to my senses I felt my heart racing. I knew that this was not a normal ident. Something had happened to cause this. Someone had caused it.


    And I think I knew who. I could smell them. I could smell my family. They were outside of the car. They were here to take me back.


    The top of the car ripped open. It looked like a can that had been haphazardly opened in someone''s impatience. And standing on the other side of that hole were two wolves and one man.


    I was looking up into the eyes of Uncle Howard and my cousins Nathan and Jared. They were the most ruthless next to Liam, but since he was dead, they were the ones I was forced to see.


    "Who the fuck are you?" Chay screamed at the man.


    "I''m her fiancé." Uncle Howard grinned at me. "And I am here to take her home.


    "Like hell you are. She is my sister inw and you''re not touching her." Chay shouted again, her voice raw and her breathingbored. Chay was hurt really bad, she wouldn''t be able to fight them. And I wouldn''t want her to, she would get hurt.


    Uncle Howard looked murderous at that moment. He was willing to hurt us, even kill Chay, just to get me back. I didn''t want anymore people getting hurt. I didn''t want to ruin any more lives.


    I saw Uncle Howard re at Chay, I knew what wasing next. I had to preempt it. Just before he could open his mouth and order them to kill Chay who was still trapped in the car I yelled at him.


    "Wait." The look on Uncle Howard''s face was one of stunned silence. He was gawking at me like I was the most beautiful thing ever.


    "Astraia, you spoke to me atst." I could see joy spreading across his face. I might be able to get out of this without Chay being hurt. "Come now, Astraia, I''ve had enough of this rebellion of yours. It is time toe home to me."


    "I-I wille with you."


    "No Star!" Chay screamed at me.


    "I wille with you, only if you promise not to hurt her. I will run again if you touch her at all."


    "Are you saying you will never run from me again if I leave her untouched?"


    "Star, don''t do it."


    "Yes. That is what I am saying. I wille with you and I will never run away, as long as you don''t touch her."


    "No Star, we can get out of this, don''t do this."


    "I have to Chay." I turned to look at her, taking my eyes off of Uncle Howard for the first time. "I don''t want you getting hurt. Just let me go."


    "Good decision." Uncle Howard grinned at me as he knelt on the roof of the car.


    With a quick hard tug from Uncle Howard''s hand the seat belt holding me in ce fell away. The next thing I knew Uncle Howard was grabbing me under my arms and lifting me from the Jeep.


    The pulling sensation sent waves of pain rushing through me, so intensely that I cried out.


    "AHAHHH!"


    "Oh my dear Astraia, did I hurt you?" His words were kind but his tone was evil as he pulled me to him forcefully.


    "AHHH!" I cried out again.


    "I knew you had a beautiful voice in there somewhere. I''m so d you let it out."


    I felt Uncle Howard press his lips to my cheek then, the one with the blood oozing down it. His lips pressed into the sticky fluid then he trailed his tongue up my cheek bone, past my eye, and all the way to the cut somewhere near my scalp. When his tongue reached the open wound he pressed it inside the cut,pping at my blood.


    "Mmm, you taste better than I thought you would." His voice sent shivers through me. When Artem sent shivers through me it was a good feeling, now with Uncle Howard, it made me sick. "We are going to be so happy together.


    "NGH!" I cried out in despair, hoping to get away but he held me tight. I had told him I wouldn''t run after all. If I left now, Chay was in trouble. "Go, leave her alone and I wille with you."


    "You heard her boys, leave." I saw the wolves look at him before they ran off, back to the house most likely.


    Uncle Howard walked then, with me cradled in his arms. The feeling was nothingpared to when Artem carried me. When Artem held me close. In Uncle Howard''s arms all I could feel was disgust and loathing. In Artem''s arms I felt love and happiness.


    "It''s time for us to go and arrange a wedding, my sweet." He purred into my ear. "I have missed you, Astraia."


    Uncle Howard walked off then, in the direction of town, and in the direction of home. All the while that he was walking, with me in his arms, I could hear Chay yelling after me.


    "STAR! STAR I AM SO SORRY! STAR! STAR!" There was a desperation in her voice that broke my heart. I knew she was sad to see me leave, but I couldn''t let her get hurt because of me.


    I cried then, tears leaking down my cheeks again as I called back to her in my head.


    ''I''m sorry Chay. I''m sorry to you and I''m sorry to Artem. Be safe now. And be happy without me. Be happy for me.''


    How would I live without them now? I had gotten so used to them, so used to the outside world, how was I going to go back to my prison? I wanted to cry forever, to cry until I died. I loved them, Chay like my only friend and sister, Artem as the only man I would ever love.


    "Goodbye Chay." I whispered softly to the fading sound of her screams. "Goodbye."