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“I’ll be right here by your side.”
Before she could open her mouth to answer him, a man appeared in between the trees behind Blake. He was tall–taller than Blake, and only covered from the waist down. His tattered denim shorts looked old and worn. Seth’s hair was the same color as Blake’s, but cut down to a few inches, his chest and right arm covered with tattoos.
“I won’t permit her on the grounds.” Seth’s deep voice had an underlying authority that made her nervous. He seemed like he was used to people following his orders without question.
“You won’t be able to stop us. I’m just giving you a fair warning for everyone to stay out of our way.”
Blake’s voice was calm, and Niev could hear the same authority his brother had in his tone. She’d only noticed it once before when he’d told the blond man to leave his home.
“She’s part of us now, whether you like it or not.”
“You can’t just do whatever you want.” Seth got angrier with each word he said. “Give her up by your own free will before I command you to do so.”
“I can’t.”
“You can and you will!” Seth’s words gave Niev goosebumps, and a shiver ran down her spine.
Blake’s muscles tensed up, his jaw clenched, and his hands formed into fists. “I can’t give up on them.” Blake struggled to get the words out.
Seth’s face showed that he didn’t understand his brother’s words.
“Seth.”
Blake was still struggling with himself, it seemed like he was fighting against some invisible force that Niev couldn’t see.
“She’s pregnant.” His knees started to shake. “She’s carrying my child.”
Seth’s face changed from misunderstanding, to horrified and at last to pure rage in a way she’d never known possible. “What have you done?”
“Release me.” Blake’s words were a mere whisper. His body was about to lose the fight against whatever it was he was struggling with.
“I’ll let father know you’re coming,” Seth barked before he turned around. “I release you from my command.”
Blake’s muscles relaxed instantly. He took a deep breath and walked toward the gate. His hands still shaking, he tried to unlock it.
Niev followed him and took the key out of his quivering hands. Even though the gate seemed old, the lock was new and the key slid into it easily, the lock falling open right away. She handed the key back, noting that he was still shaking.
She took his hands in hers and squeezed them. “Blake, are you okay? What was that?”
Niev was horrified. She’d never seen anything like that before. She wasn’t sure how, but Seth seemed to have had some kind of physical control over Blake.
Blake freed his hands from hers and walked back to the bike. “Soon you’ll understand.”
Before she could climb the bike and sit behind him, he gently touched her cheek and leaned in to kiss her forehead. This time, it seemed to be more for himself than her. She climbed back on the bike and wrapped her arms around his waist as he started the engine and drove off.
Seeing One’s Future
The further they drove into the woods the darker it got, the trees got bigger and the leaf roof thickened. With each minute, Niev became increasingly more nervous. She couldn’t help but hold on tighter to Blake. She was afraid of his family and their reaction toward her, especially after what she’d just seen with Seth.
As if Blake knew what she was thinking, he said. “Don’t worry beautiful, I’ll be with you.”
To calm herself, she tried to focus on her breathing and her surroundings. After what felt like hours, the spaces between the trees got bigger, and the leaf roof became thinner again. Sunrays fell through the green leaves and warmed up the dark woods with their shine. The dirt road led around a corner and revealed a clearing in the midst of the forest. The clearing was surrounded by large, beautiful trees and the dirt road led right through a village that had settled within the clearing. The road led to a little hill on which a big log-house stood. Niev took a closer look and saw that all the houses were log-houses, just like the house on the elevation and similar to Blake’s cabin. The little village was beautiful, as if someone had created a peaceful paradise.
“It’s gorgeous,” she whispered in Blake’s ear.
Blake seemed to have brought her into a different world, a world untouched from the rest of the universe. Now she understood one of the reasons his family wanted to keep to themselves. If outsiders knew such a beautiful place existed, they would no doubt destroy it. The beauty and quiet would be lost.
“I’m glad you see its beauty. It’s more than just a home to me.”
