Chapter 3

The wolves jumped at Raven at the same time when suddenly a gun shot sounded, and the wolf on Raven’s leg cried out in pain and dropped to the ground. The wolves turned and immediately attacked the gunman. Shots rang out, and a few dropped, with blood surrounding them immediately, fear set in and the wolves ran away. Raven began swinging his head and kicking his legs around. “Whoa boy!” he heard a voice call.
He didn’t listen and tried to pull himself free. “Shit!” the voice said again, an axe swung toward the branch and let him loose, then a hand reached out and grabbed his reigns “Hold him!” he heard the voice say.
Raven looked up to see a small man on the branch, holding his reigns, a man smaller than most. He tried to fight his way out but the small man was a lot stronger than he looked, he then saw a figure in a cloak walking toward Tara and immediately started to panic “Stop” his head swung to the little man who he amazingly understood “He’s trying to help her” the little man said “He won’t hurt her.”

He kneeled down and looked her over, she had a gash on her cheek, her skin was a lot paler…probably from fright…her hair was matted to her head and a red ring was now around her neck…most likely from the branch. He leaned down and ran his hand on her forehead, it was beginning to heat up, he knew she was in danger of catching pneumonia so he pulled off his robe and gently wrapped her in it. “Tara?” he said, she didn’t respond “Tara?” he said a little louder.
She wouldn’t respond and he knew he only had a little time so he quickly carried her to the horse he was on, he handed her to the little men around him and got on, then they handed her to him “Take the horse back to the stables” he said “Warm and clean him up then let him rest, come inside and help me with her.”
He then rode off.
Raven reared up and tried to go after but the men held him back “Easy! Easy” the little one that held him said “We’re going to take care of you while he takes care of her.”
Raven watched as the man rode away with Tara and settled down, for some reason…he knew she would be okay.

He urged his horse ‘Kane’ on, trying to get back to the house as soon as possible. He looked to Tara in his arms and felt his heart begin to swell, she looked so cold, so pale, so deathly…no…no, she can’t die…she won’t die. If he ever knew he was responsible for something like that…he’d never forgive himself…never. Once the house was in view he began to relax, Kane stopped at the doorsteps and he jumped off, he ran in with the door opening automatically, he ran up the stairs and into the first bedroom he could see, “Light the fire, and room” he said.
The fireplace lit up immediately with flames slowly forming on the candles around the room. The painting above the fireplace began to form into an old woman, with a concerned look “How is she?” Denise asked.
“I don’t know” he said setting her down and pulling the blankets around her “I don’t know what to do…”
She caught and shivered, the door opened and a table rolled in and stopped beside the bed, and the cloth from the bowl lifted itself and rung out, then placed itself on her forehead, the blankets bundled around her then the fireplace’s heat surrounded the room “She’ll be okay” Denise said “just let her rest.”
Nick nodded, and turned to the door, he suddenly stopped, turned, leaned down…and kissed her slowly on the cheek “Sweet dreams Tara” he whispered before leaving.
Denise looked to every piece of furniture that now seemed to have strange smiled in their own way.
The bright lights seemed to envelope her, she looked around and felt totally at peace, she could feel in the distance a shadow but ignored it and looked around. It seemed like nothing…but everything at the same time. It was strange, “Where am I” she asked.
Suddenly out of the lights came a woman, a beautiful angel with her wings spread, flying toward Tara, Tara turned and tried to run in fear but before she could a voice rang in her ear. “Don’t be afraid,” it said “ I’m not here to hurt you.”
She turned “Who are you?” she asked.
“ There’s no time for that” the angel said, “I have to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“You are his only hope,” the angel told her “you must help him.”
“Help him what?”
“Help him feel, help him fear, help him see, help him live…help him love.” “Who?”
“You know who…”
“But…”
“Please Tara, you’re the only one who can…please…”
She then started to fade away and Tara “save him…”
“Save him? Save him from what? From who?”
“From himself…”
Darkness then wrapped around her.

He picked up the phone and threw it against the wall “DAMNIT!” he cried out as it shattered and landed on the ground “Where is she!”
He’d called everywhere, Janet’s, Heather’s, her parents again, the police. No one knew where she was. She couldn’t have gone far. “Darn it I knew I should’ve waited!” he said.
He knew why he didn’t though, she was too intriguing to ignore. After all, this was the one girl who could resist him, and his patience had worn too thin to care anymore if she wanted it or not, he was going to give it to her. But the kick by her bitch of a horse knocked some sense into him. He shook his head “Peter!” he called.
Pete, his small, brown haired, dull eyed, friend walked in. “What’s up Johnny?” he asked.
John looked to his friend “Call my uncle Shelton, tell him I need him here tomorrow.”
Pete nodded “Alright Johnny” he then walked back into the next room. ‘I’m going to find her’ John told himself ‘and when I do, I’m going to have her…and if I don’t…no one will.’

The flashes went off surrounding the five of them. Lighting the room, they each took a seat and prepared themselves for the questions about to bombard them. Brian looked to each of his best friends and smiled, he then turned to the press and waved. “Mr. Littrel! what are your thoughts on Nick’s condition?”
“What condition?” Brian asked confused.
“Do you think that such a traumatizing scar will effect the band’s popularity?”
“What scar?”
“What do you think the fans will think?”
“What are you talking about?”
“There is large speculation that since the ‘cute one’ is no longer ‘cute’ that the BSB fan base will decrease…what are your thoughts.”
“There is nothing wrong with Nick!”
The room then went silent and everyone just stared at Brian, unmoving, no replies, everyone with a blank expression “Brian” a voice said “Look at him.”
Brian looked around confused, then turned to Nick, who stood beside him…but wasn’t facing him. “Nick?” he asked.
Nick shook his head, but didn’t turn around, Brian put his hand on Nick’s shoulder “Nick?” he asked.
Nick still did nothing “Nick” Brian repeated.
Nick suddenly looked up then turned slowly.
When he did Brian saw that…he had no face…it was replaced by grotesque scars, and an animal like form, deformed and hidious. Brian stepped back…then screamed. “BRIAN!”
He jumped up in a cold sweat, trying to figure out who he was, where he was…and who was yelling at him. He turned to see Alyssa standing there in her pajamas which consisted of one of AJ’s t-shirts and red boxers. “What?” he asked in a sleepy voice.
“Brian you were having a nightmare, I could hear your moans from AJ’s room…are you okay?”
Brian stared at her for a minute while he tried to get his breathing under control “No” he said “No I’m not okay…I…I just…I…”
“You had a dream about Nick” Alyssa finished for him.
“How did you…”
“AJ’s been having dreams too, dreams about him being burned, about the fire.”
“He…he looked…so…go grotesque…it was horrible” Brian said as tears formed in his eyes.
Alyssa shook her head and sat on the bed beside him “Look Brian…I know it’s hard to keep a hold of hope, especially when that’s all you have. But you have to remember that Nick is very strong. He could pull himself out of the worst kinds of situations before and I don’t have a doubt in my mind that where ever he is now he’s doing the same thing.”
“It’s been three years. Where could he have gone?” Brian asked “The fire…he should have gone to a hospital…a neighbor for help…somewhere, its…its like he just…just fell of the end of the earth after that fire.”
“But you have to remember Brian, they didn’t find anything he was wearing that night, no shoes, no jewelry, and no body. Hold on to that…Nick is still alive.” Brian nodded “Yeah…I know that. It’s just…just the dream…getting to me.”
Alyssa nodded then patted Brian’s hand, Brian took her hand in his and squeezed it, she looked up at him, the two began to lean forward when…
“Lyssa!” she heard AJ call.
Alyssa jumped back almost as if she’d been burned. She quickly said ‘good-night’ then practically ran out of the room. When the door shut Brian let his breath out, then ran his hand through his hair…what the hell just happened?

Her eyes fluttered open, trying to make sense of everything. Where was she? How did she get there? What was happening? Everything then hit her, John, Raven, the Master…the Master! She remembered the chase through the woods and the branch hitting her, but…how did she get back here? She sat up quickly and immediately her body hurt, she cried out and curled in pain “Don’t move” she heard a soft voice say “If you do it’ll only make it worse.”
She turned her head to only see a candlestick beside her “uh…is this one of the paintings talking?”
“No, this is one of the candles talking.”
Her eyes widened when the candle developed eyes, “Oh my god” she said “I’m never watching that Disney movie again.”
“No need to give up on the things you enjoy” the candle told her “We were all once regular people…until…”
“Until?”
“Until he came.”
“Who? That man?”
“No…but he was cursed…like us…”
“Why were you cursed?”
The candle looked down “We did something…terrible…horrible, long ago before your time. Something unforgivable that we’ve only half made amends for.”
She looked into his sad eyes “What did you do?”
He looked up and shook his head. She smiled understandingly “Well that’s okay…what’s your name?”
“Pierre” he told her.
She nodded “I’m Tara” she smiled.
He looked up at her with hopeful eyes, the door opened slightly and a little clock ran in “Madam! You’re awake!”
She looked down at him before she started laughing “I must be going crazy” she said “And who are you?”
“I am the head servant” the clock told her “My name is Louis.”
“Hello Louis, I’m Tara.”
They all then heard a slight knock at the door “Quick lay back down” Pierre told her “It’s the master.”
She quickly laid back down and closed her eyes, pretending she was asleep. She then heard the heavy footsteps entered the room “How is she?” she heard a voice filled with concern say “is she…okay?”
“She’s fine master” Louis replied “She recently woke up, but obviously fell back asleep.”
The Master walked to the bed and looked her over, she looked so small, so sick, so fragile. He looked over her features as she slept, she wasn’t the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, but something about her that made her seem to glow in his eyes. His hand then subconsciously reached out and traced her forehead lightly, then down her cheeks, and to her lips, those lips, they seemed like they would…like they would fit his perfectly…perfectly…what the hell was he doing? He pulled back and jumped up “Watch over her carefully and never leave her alone until she’s well” he ordered then walked out.
When the door closed Tara’s eyes popped open and were wide as saucers. She automatically reached up and followed the tingling trail that his fingers had traced so lightly, then ended at her lips, he’s caressed them gently then pulled back as if he’d been burned. “Um…can I be alone?” she asked.
Pierre and Louis looked at each other “Anything Madam” Pierre said “Would you like something to eat? Perhaps a drink?”
“I would like something warm” she said “and my stomach is a little empty.”
“Very well then” Louis said “We will be back with your dinner, Denise will be here with you need her, sorry but it’s the master’s orders.”
She nodded before laying back down and tried to sort out her thoughts, the thoughts turned to millions of questions that swirled around her head with no answers. Who was this Master? How did he get here? When was he cursed? How old was he? Why was he so defensive? Was he human? What did the servants and he do that was so forbidden that they’d be trapped in this house…this cursed land? No answers came, and she began to feel dizzy, she knew she shouldn’t rack her brain so much like this with the hit she took, but she couldn’t help it. She then slowly began to fade back into her darkness.

Chapter 4

Devi