Chapter 8: The Road to Hell

Izzy felt the jostling of the horse before she reached a fully conscious state. The lull of the ride and the pounding in her head made her reluctant to open her eyes. Her head was pounding and every gallop made her temple bang into the hard surface under her cheek. She was being held tightly, like a child. Her legs were wrapped around the waist of the man holding her and her torso was held against his chest. 

The smell was unfamiliar but it still made Izzy feel queasy. It took a few moments before she remembered what had happened in Daikon. She had been taken by Cliff and two men that rode with him. She sat up with a gasp of unease.

"Don't move too fast or you'll fall off," Cliff said softly in her ear. His voice was low and soothing.

She looked around but she didn't see any other riders. She must have dreamt of the others in his party. All she could see was Cliff and an empty trail behind them.

"Where are we?" she asked softly, clinging to his shirt to avoid falling. She didn't want to be close to him, but she was less eager to fall off the horse and cause potential harm to her baby.

Cliff ignored her question and grabbed a canteen from the side of his pack, handing it to her carefully.

"Drink something," he said with a commanding voice. He used his free hand to push the hair back from her face as he looked into her eyes with a questioning gaze. 

She took the canteen gratefully and she used her weak hands to awkwardly opened the lid so she could sip the water. Her stomach felt uneasy as she swallowed and she willed the contents of her stomach to stay down as she jostled along, bumping into Cliff with every step of the horse.

Her heart was pounding and her stomach clenched when she looked up and saw Cliff's face. His jaw was clenched and his eyes kept careful watch of the woods surrounding them.

"Where are we going?" she asked, hoping once more that he would answer her.

"We are going away," Cliff answered evasively.

"You know he will follow you," she replied, her eyes darting around as she tried to see if there was anyone following them. Cliff was moving so fast, she half expected to see Nate on their tail, forcing Cliff's speed.

"He is already," Cliff replied. There was no confusion over who they were talking about. "He won't be a problem for long."

Izzy's heart lurched in her chest as she realized he meant to kill Nate. He would eliminate her mate in order to keep her for himself. 

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice a whisper as fear filled her chest. 

"You wouldn't understand," he said with an edge to his voice.

"But you have a mate," Izzy said, her voice pleading with him. She was begging him to let her go without using the words.

"She is not the one I need," Cliff said, shaking his head against the comment. 

"She may not be the one fated for you, but she is still your mate," Izzy pleaded, begging him to feel something other than anger and desire. She would never get free on her own so long as Cliff was driven by his desire for her, a desire she did not understand. She was another man's mate, and he had a mate of his own, she should not have appealed to him.

"She will be here soon," he said with a malicious grin as he looked down at Izzy. "Then, we shall have you both."

"We?" Izzy asked with unease.

"There are others like me, they will join us soon," Cliff said as he looked down into her eyes.

She felt an icy shiver run through her chest as she felt the raw desire behind his eyes. He wanted her. Just like before. He wanted her for himself and she was powerless against him. She had no way to fight.

"Nate is your tribesman, why do you want to hurt him?" 

"He is an unfortunate victim of circumstance," Cliff said with a slight look of regret before he steeled his face against any emotion that would sway him to let her go. "As are you. Fate gave you to us. It's the first kind thing she's done for us."

Cliff's eyes swirled with anger and regret. Izzy wondered briefly what had caused him to become such a monster.

She shuddered as she continued to cling to his shirt, not wanting to fall off the horse. She could see behind them, and she saw, in the distance a horse following them. A small sliver of hope welled in her chest.

'Nate?' she called out in her head, through their link. 'Nate, are you there?'

'Izzy!' his voice replied. He sounded winded and in pain. 

'Are you hurt?' she asked, her concern evident.

'I'm fine. How are you? Has he hurt you?' 

'I'm ok. He hasn't done anything. Not yet at least. I think I see you behind us, is that you?' She tried to distract Nate so he couldn't hear the fear in her voice. 

'I'm behind you, but I can't see you.'

'That must be someone else,' Izzy said with a tone of regret. Her voice shook, even the voice in her head.

'I'll follow you, don't worry. I'll find you, just stay alive, Iz. Stay alive and stay with me.'

'I'm here, Nate.'

She shuddered.

"Are you talking to him now?" Cliff asked, his eyes taking in her glazed look and her silence.

She sat stoically, unwilling to answer him.

"Tell him I'm looking forward to seeing him again," Cliff said with a low chuckle. 

She shook her head.

'Nate, I'm scared,' her voice shook through their link.

'I know, Izzy. I'm so sorry. I'm coming. I'll find you,' his voice was firm and Izzy kept her emotions in check as they rode on.

'I should never have gone alone downstairs. I knew better. Forgive me?' her voice was small as she reached out to her mate.

'None of this is your fault, Izzy.'

'It feels like I'm to blame, at least in part,' she said softly.

'No. It's not your fault. I'll find you, Izzy, and I will end Cliff if it's the last thing I do,' his voice was vehement.

'There are others. He said there are others meeting us.'

'I'll kill them all.'

'Why can I talk to you now? How close are you?'

'I'm barely twenty minutes behind you, Izzy. He won't be able to hurt you, I'll find him first.'

She felt hope well in her chest as she realized her mate was close. He would find her. She knew he would. They had not come this far to have their future snatched from their grasp.

----

Amelia paced in the room at the inn. She had tried to rest but the reality that Izzy was with Cliff and they were likely on their way was shredding her resolve. She needed to get a message to Brutus. She needed help. She hated that she needed help, it was a sign of weakness, or maybe of failure but she wasn't going to give up yet. Izzy needed her.

There was a soft knock on the door and the lock clicked open. Amelia stared at the door with a perplexed expression as a barmaid walked in, a dress in one hand and food in another.

"Your mate sent these up for you," the girl said softly, setting the things on the bed and turning to go.

Amelia grasped her arm tightly and pulled her back to look in her eyes.

"I need your help," Amelia said softly. She had no money and she had no resources but she prayed to every diety that she could think of that this barmaid would help her.

"What do ya need?" The girl asked, her brows furrowed as she glanced uneasily at the door.

"Is he out there?" Amelia asked. 

"He said he would be up just a moment after me," she said softly.

"He's not my mate," Amelia whispered.

The girl shook her head, unsuprised.

"I didn't think so. I don't know many that would lock their mate in a room."

"He's holding me captive and I need to get a message for help." Amelia's voice was low and soft, her tone urgent as she glanced uneasily at the door.

"Where do you need a message to?"

"The village of Hestriop," she replied.

"We're close," the girl answered.

"I know. There's a man there, his name is Brutus, and he will be staying at the inn by the river, the Waterford. I need him to know that I'm here and I'm being held by The Dark Trio," Amelia whispered softly.

"I'll see what I can do," the girl answered.

"I don't have any money, but Brutus will pay you when you find him, I swear on my life," she said.

The girl paused then nodded.

"I don't know why you're helping me, but thank you," Amelia said with feeling. 

"No need," the girl answered. "My sister was taken captive a few years ago by a tribe of rogue dragons, I wish she had gotten help when she needed it."

Amelia felt a rush of relief flood her chest as she nodded. "If we're gone when he gets here, tell him we're on the trail toward the witches."

The girl's eyes widened a fraction and she nodded before she slipped out of the room, locking the door behind her.