Chapter one; Kidnapped. Aurora

Aurora’s eyes snapped open!

Her still sleepy eyes scanned the bed she was on and the room around her, but there was nothing there.

it was still night, and she was still laying on her bed, but something felt off. Something was very very wrong.

The darkness in her room felt like it was alive, its presence suffocating her, blinding her with fear…Aurora's heart pounded in her chest like a drum. Something wasn't right. She could feel it in her bones.

She felt it…the unshakeable sense of being watched. Footsteps, light as a whisper…but loud as a scream, sending shivers down her spine.

Her ears strained, following the sound of the footsteps coming towards her door.

She lay frozen, her eyes straining to pierce the darkness. Where they her guards? No, the fear running through her veins was too real. This wasn't a nightmare , it was something more.

The sound of a gunshot shattered her already dark thoughts, and Aurora's world exploded into chaos. She sprang up from her bed sweating , her eyes snapping open completely.

The room was dark, but she knew every inch of it...

She tiptoed out of her room, her bare feet making barely a sound on the cold floor.

Aurora almost screamed when she saw her guards laying motionless sleeping on the floor, Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

The sound of strong male footsteps grew louder, heavier, and more deliberate., and with a sinking fear, Aurora realised they were running towards her.

"Intruders!" she screamed…but the word was muffled by a black bag that covered her face. Strong hands grasped her, holding her upright as she stumbled on the stairs. She struggled, but her breath began to fade, and her body went limp.

****************"*

When Aurora regained consciousness, she was in a moving car. she could barely keep her eyes open. They had drugged her with something!

Aurora continued to drift in and out of consciousness, struggling and failing to stay awake.

By the time the bag was taken off of her face, Aurora was in a strange place…her hands were chained.

She gazed out of the window of the car and she beheld a beautiful gate. The word "Imperio Pecaminoso" was writen boldly on the gate.

The car door swung open, and a masked figure loomed over her, his presence very dark and scary. He pulled her out of the car forcefully even though she was already too weakened by the drugs to fight or resist.

Aurora shook in her skimpy night dress as the cold air hit her bare legs. The masked man removed the chains they had put on her and dragged her towards the large, imposing villa.

Aurora's desperate cries echoed in the large field as she was dragged in.

"Let me go! Let me go!" she screamed, her voice almost gone from the struggle. She was pulled into a room, her knees buckling as she fell before a much larger and scarier figure.

He looked like he was sitting on a large chair, a throne. She could not really see his features, because he was covered in smoke.

The masked figure bowed, removing his mask to reveal is face "Master, here is the general's daughter," he said, with a trembling voice. The figure on the throne, spoke in a low, commanding tone.

“Fascinating! She looks exactly like Brielle. Salvatore, Take her to Marisol and tell her that her mom is back."

“Yes Master” the masked man now known as Salvatore said and bowed.

Aurora's eyes widened in horror as she choked back a sob.

“Mom? Me?…” She was too confused to understand.

“Follow me” Salvatore instructed and she followed after him, utterly scared and confused, till they stopped at a door.

“Marisol!” Salvatore called but no one replied. “Marisol!!!” He yelled. But still no voice.

“Hmm…” Salvatore sighed. This child…master’s daughter has been like this for two years. It began when she lost her mom.” Salvatore spoke.

“She is scary, acting out her grief in the worst ways… she hits everyone that comes too close or rubs her the wrong way. Nobody can reprimand her or fight her back or they will die by the master’s gun. She is the apple of his eyes…”

Aurora shuddered at the thought, but she also knew none of what he had just said explained why she had been kidnapped from her bed.

“Yesterday she pierced one of the maids in the eyes with a pen…” Salvatore whispered.

Aurora’s eyes widened in fear.

“How old is she?” She asked, her voice sounded firmer than she expected.

“Marisol is 8 years old” Salvatore spoke.

“Jesus!” Aurora exclaimed, involuntarily clutching the rosary still dangling from her neck.

“You don’t have to be scared. You just have to act like her mom…She was a sweet child before everything happened.

“I don’t understand. You brought me here, to lie to her? To tell her that I’m her mom?…I can’t do that. I can’t lie like that.” Aurora yelled holding her rosary as tears poured down her eyes.

“ That won’t help you here, miss.” Salvatore sneered. “You need to quit with the holy act and do what the master wants, or he’ll send you back to your father in pieces. Before worrying about lying and going to hell, I want you to know that you are already in hell, so stop being a whiny bitch and do what you’re told.”

Aurora could not believe her ears. This was not real… it had to be a nightmare. Yes, she was dreaming. She would wake up and it would all be a bad dream.

But it wasn’t. She knew it wasn’t because Salvatore was still speaking.

“…At this moment, it will be so difficult to convince Marisol that her mom is back, You will have to prepare properly. Come with me” Salvatore said and then proceeded to drag her limp body behind him.

Aurora followed him through long hallways till they got to one very grand door with ‘Lady Brielle’ written in big bold letters on top of the door.

Before she could properly admire the giant door and the intricate designs on it, Salvatore unlocked the door and pushed her in.

“This was her mother’s room. Boss kept it the same way even after she passed away.”

He took a laptop and a book from the large table in the room and handed both of them to her.

“You have a week to study everything Brielle does and how she acts. You need to be convincing…By the way I’m snake, only boss is allowed to call me Salvatore” he whispered before leaving.

Once Salvatore left the room, Aurora sank to the floor.

“Aaaaargh!“ She cried out. ”This is not true right? it a damn nightmare.”

How? Why? What bossy, authoritarian prick will burst into her house, kidnap her, and then force her to play pretend with his bratty daughter! She was never gonna agree with any stupid act!! She would not be hurt and then used like that.

Exhaustion overwhelmed her, tiredness and the intense need for sleep pulled her under. Even if she did not want to, aurora found herself nodding off to the drums of sleep.