Elizabeth and the Vampire's Cabin(18)

"He's been eyeing you for a while. He knew all about your planned trip. Somehow, he convinced your wilderness guide and your captain to let him kidnap you. I'm sure there was a hefty sum involved," Arthur said.

Everyone was in on it. That was the only way to pull this off. Elizabeth didn't know all the details, but this vampire had obviously covered all his bases. No one would even think to come looking for her for another three months. She shuddered to think what would become of her in three more months...or if she would even be alive at the end of this day. But if the vampire had spent this much time and effort on bringing her to the island, then he wasn't likely to kill her so quickly. The thought did not bring her as much comfort as she hoped, and she began to feel ill. She felt like there was a wolf at her table with her, watching her eat, his hunger building, about to pounce and devour her. That wolf was Aaron. Though he was not in the room with her, his presence still lingered in the cabin from the night before. He might as well have been dining right beside her.

When she finished her meal, she left the table and went to the front door. She opened it and saw the motorboat leaned up on the front porch...much to her surprise. She almost broke into a run. She wanted on that boat, so she and Arthur could sail off this hellhole. She couldn't understand why they weren't halfway home by now if there was a motorboat not far off. She whirled to Arthur, still sitting at the table and reading a magazine, and asked why they weren't sailing to safety.

"That motorboat is broken," Arthur said. "And I have no clue where we are or how to get us home just by drifting on the sea."

"I don't understand," Elizabeth exclaimed. "We aren't that far from neighboring islands. I chose an island not far off from civilization. And that's the fastest motorboat I've ever seen in my life! It's the same one I was kidnapped in right?"

"Elizabeth, think! That boat looks like it's from the early 1900s. It's archaic. Did you hear a motor when we pulled up alongside the catamaran? That's because there is no working motor on that motorboat. It might as well be a kayak without the oars."

"But then...how was it moving so fast yesterday?"

"I was told you met the reason last night. Joe Newman was pushing it," Arthur took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Joe's animal form, believe it or not, is a sea dragon."

"What?"

'That's what Aaron calls him. He's some kind of prehistoric sea creature. Kind of like the Loch Ness monster. Anyhow, he was pushing the boat for us."

"But if we could just find a way to paddle, we aren't that far from neighboring islands..."

"Elizabeth, I'm not convinced this is the island you selected for your camping trip. This is somewhere else entirely. Does this cabin look like the one you were supposed to stay in? Aaron claims we're on his island: Vampire Island. I don't know that this is the actual name or just what he calls it. It is far away from anyone who can help us and no one would even to think to look for us here. I honestly have no idea how true that is. He drugged me before we kidnapped you on the motorboat. He shot me with that dart gun, and I have no memory of your kidnapping or how we got to this island. I'm sorry but I think we really are trapped here.

Elizabeth looked around and realized Arthur was right about the cabin. She had seen pictures of the interior. The layout of this cabin was different. It was much smaller than what she had selected. This place was a one bedroom home with a small kitchen and living room. It was the size of an average sized apartment. Her head started reeling. She wanted to start screaming at Arthur for helping this lunatic abduct her, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She couldn't be rude to someone who graciously served her lunch and treated her with a kind disposition. She felt like that would be abusing a servant. But she knew that was silly. He was not her servant. He was Aaron's servant. And she was Aaron's captive. Arthur was just another one of her jailers, no matter how coerced he had been.

"Aaron gets back late for dinner. He told me he turns into a bat during the day and sleeps in a cave. No clue where that cave is. His orders are for me to have dinner ready by 8:00pm. You can entertain yourself however you want with the books and magazines he has. Or, if you want to take a walk, I can go with you. We have to keep to certain boundaries. You see, there are other vampires on this island."

"Other vampires?" Elizabeth gasped. "Besides Aaron and Joe Newman?"

"That's what he tells me. Aaron has a good chunk of the island. He showed me the boundaries for where we can go. He has markers set up. The other vampires can't go near us if we don't cross those markers. Still, he says he wants me to travel with you if you choose to go on a walk. Like I said, I have super hero strength now, so I can keep you safe."