"You're mine, Jenna." He whispered the words so quietly that they were swallowed up by her inhalation and were only audible to him. "I'll never let you go. There's nothing I wouldn't do to get you back if you were ever taken from me."
Jenna called upon the patience that had been so key to her survival during her years in the cult as she lay limply in Isaac's arms waiting for him to drift off into a deep slumber, and even then she waited until she was certain he had succumbed to his own need for rest and rejuvenation before she began the agonizingly slow process of inching her way from his hold, holding her breath and going completely still whenever his breathing changed the slightest bit. When she was finally free and had gotten soundlessly out of bed, she hurriedly surveyed the clothes hanging in the closet, searching for what suited her purposes best.
After donning warm socks and a sturdy pair of hiking boots she exited the closet, and though she knew she should leave immediately, she stood at the end of the bed greedily drinking in Isaac's appearance as he lay so still on the bed they'd shared for a few precious stolen hours. Guilt and so much regret overwhelmed her at the betrayal she was handing the man who'd been willing to risk everything to keep her safe. She wanted nothing more than to shut reality out and escape into a fantasy world where only the two of them existed and she could sleep in his arms, cherished and protected every night, but now she had to protect him and everyone else who were risking their lives to keep her safe from an unknown, powerful enemy who'd already proven the lengths they'd go to in order to capture her. She swallowed back her grief and steeled herself for what was to come and the pain that not only she would feel. She knew Isaac would suffer the pain of her betrayal every bit as keenly.
"Goodbye, Isaac," she whispered soundlessly. "You were the best and only good that ever came into my life. I'll never forget you and I'll never stop loving you, but I can't let you sacrifice your life for mine."
Choking back tears, she turned and crept from the room on silent feet, making her way back to the large room where the opening to the sublevel was located. She held her breath while she slowly eased the hatch sideways to uncover the opening below it. Leaning down through the exit, she felt around until her hand bumped against the rungs of a wooden ladder that descended beneath the structure. Hastily she backed down the ladder, feeling for each step with her feet until she was far enough down to reach up and slide the hatch closed once more.
The darkness was eerie, and she had to rely solely on her hands and feet to guide her farther down. Finally she stepped onto firm ground and she could smell dirt. She stretched her arms out first in front of her and then extended them from her sides until her hands came in contact with a firmly packed dirt wall. She was in a tunnel. All she had to do was follow it to wherever it led and she would be free, her escape a success. And yet with each step she took farther away from Isaac, the more she was consumed with grief.
After what seemed an eternity, she stumbled out of the tunnel and into a grove of trees. She sped up, putting as much distance between the others and her as possible. She had no idea where she was or where she was going. All she knew was that she couldn't stop even for a minute. She hurried into the dense forest surrounding the house, reminding her of her escape from the compound. After what seemed an interminable amount of time, the forest opened up into a clearing. She paused for a moment, frozen. While the dense vegetation was scary, the prospect of being in the open was even more terrifying. She needed to hurry and seek cover.
She'd taken only a half dozen steps when suddenly a large man stepped in front of her, halting her in her tracks. She let out a sound of fright and quickly turned to run, only to find herself surrounded.
"Well, well, well," the man who'd been in front of her said with an obvious smirk. "This was like taking candy from a baby. You fell right into our hands, Jenna. I have to wonder why you're out here alone and unprotected, but as it makes my job so much easier I'm not complaining."
Before Jenna could process his statement, fire exploded through her body and she was completely paralyzed. Finally she folded like a puppet, her muscles jerking spasmodically as she collapsed. Tears of pain and shock slid soundlessly down her cheeks while she lay twitching on the ground, completely helpless as she stared up in horror into the very face of evil.
FIFTEEN
ISAAC woke with the immediate sensation something was wrong. He instantly reached for Jenna, needing the reassurance of her soft, sweet body. When his hand met with cool sheets he shot up in bed, his gaze darting around the room in search of her. The house was too fucking silent and Jenna not being where she should be immediately tripped his "oh fuck" button. He broke from the bed in a dead run, bellowing her name as the first strains of dawn began to lighten the house.