Eternal Love

The Meeting

CHAPTER 2

Once Sage was removed from the vicinity of strangers, Alex tugged her along returning her to her bedroom. He removed the chain from her collar but returned the padlock in place. “Father said the collar is to stay on now that you are to be auctioned off.” He smirked. “That’s ludicrous!” Sage snapped as she tugged at the strap around her neck. “Don’t worry sweet sister, it will be removed soon enough. Then it will be replaced by your master's collar.” He laughed as he made his way towards the open door. “Sleep tight sugar.” He chuckled as he closed the door behind him.

Sage grabbed the closest item in reach and threw it at the door, her snowglobe of Paris shattering as it made contact with the wood. She heard his continuous laughter on the other side of the door just before she heard the sound of a click. Sage rushed to the door and tugged on the handle. “Bastard!” She screamed as she banged on the locked door. “You can’t do this! You won’t get away with this!” Sage continued to scream as she continued to bang on the door. “We already have.” Alex chimed in the distance as he was walking away.

Sage sighed as she realized it was no use, her hands red and sore from all the banging, her throat sore from screaming, and her nether region sore from being roughly handled. “Dammit!” Sage muttered in defeat. She slowly made her way to the window and climbed on the window bench. She glanced out the window watching as the men began to file out of the house, big smiles on their faces. “Bastards! Every last one of them.” She sneered in disgust. She stared in the distance then, a flicker of light catching her attention. “What the hell?” Sage muttered as she watched more lights become visible in the distance.

The only visibility from her room was the ancient castle that sat in ruins, but the longer she watched, the more lights that became apparent. Sage knew the castle was supposed to be unoccupied as well as banned off with no trespassing tape and signs. Her interest was piqued now. Sage quickly rummaged through her clothing, pulling on a pair of jeans, tanktop, and hoodie, then located her hiking boots. She stuffed some clothes in her bag, grabbed what cash she had, and her sketch pad and pencils before zipping her bag shut.

Sage tried to open her window before realizing they locked it down from the outside. She checked her bathroom window as well. “Sneaky sons of bitches.” Sage muttered as she saw they locked that one too. She returned to her room, grabbed her chair, and struggled with it to her bathroom. Sage climbed up on the seat of the chair and pushed the access door to the attic open. She tossed her bag into the attic before jumping up and grabbing the edges of the panel and pulled herself up. All those years of gymnastics Tim paid for, finally paid off.

Sage kept to the beams as she crept quietly through the attic, following the light of the window. She pried it open as years of cobwebs and dust blew across the floor once the breeze demanded entry. She poked her head out and glanced around, making sure no one was about. She pulled her bag on her back before carefully pulling herself out onto the ledge. She slowly moved to her right, gripping the edge of the roof until she was able to swing herself over onto the platform of the roof that led to her room. She quickly ran to the back of the house and climbed down the lattice, landing on her feet running. She was out of breath by the time she reached the wall that surrounded the house.

Sage managed a million times to escape the tortures of her childhood home over the last two years. She followed the wall, ducking behind the confines of the bushes and trees until she finally reached the back corner of the wall. Where there once were several stones missing now stood a newly finished wall. “f**k!” Sage cried in frustration. Her escape route would not deter her however. She followed the wall down several more feet until she located an old apple tree that she and her mother had planted when she was little. It wasn’t quite high enough but she would be able to get close enough to jump. Sage struggled with climbing the tree but she managed to get to the top. Jumping onto the wall was more of a challenge as it took her several attempts before she finally got a grip.

Sage pulled herself up onto the wall and tossed her bag over. She contemplated how she was going to get down when she realized she had no choice but to jump to her freedom. As she hit the ground she cried out in pain, a rock catching her fall. Sage sprawled out on her back trying to catch her breath as she suddenly felt the warm liquid seeping through her shirt. “Dammit…” She groaned as she realized the rock had cut her side in her fall. Sage did not bother to check the injury right away, but staggered to her feet, grabbed her bag, and fled the scene.

Sage crept closer and closer to the light as she bounced from one tree to the next, staying hidden in the cover of the shadows. She was not far off when the sound of a deep voice behind her caught her unawares. “Well, well, well…what do we have here?” Sage, suddenly in panic mode, swung around, knife in hand as she stood her ground. “Who’s there?” She cried into the shadows. “You shouldn’t be here princess.” The deep voice said as a very tall, bulky man stepped from the shadows. “Good lord in heaven.” Sage breathed as she stared up at the stranger. He stood with arms folded across a sturdy, lean, bare chest, his eyes practically glowing as he stared at her.

“I…I…I saw the light.” His brow lifted as he continually stared at her quietly. “I…I…I’m sorry to in…intrude.” Sage stuttered as she felt her cheeks burning in embarrassment. “I…I’ll just go now.” She suddenly said as she continued to stare at him, her eyes roving up and down his body. He suddenly chuckled as he took a step closer. “You’re not going anywhere sweetheart.” He reached out and grabbed her wrist, plucking the knife from her grasp. “Don’t touch me!” Sage frighteningly cried. “You’re bleeding.” He suddenly said as he began dragging her closer to the bonfires. “How do you know that? Let go! You’re hurting me.” Sage cried as she stumbled in the dark. He suddenly stopped and she stumbled into his back. “Ouch!”

He suddenly turned to face her. “Where is your injury?” He asked as he released her. Several others gathered around, staring curiously at her. “What did you find Gabriel?” One of the young men in his party asked as he looked her up and down. “She’s just a child.” An older lady said as she pushed her way through the crowd of onlookers. “I’m not a child.” Sage replied as she stared at the gorgeous woman. “How old are you? And what in god's green earth are you doing out here at this time of night?” “As of today I am sixteen and I ran away.” “She’s hurt, auntie.” The big man they called Gabriel replied. “I smell blood.”

The woman nodded to him and returned her gaze to Sage. “My name is Margaret, and this big beast here is my nephew Gabriel. What do we call you?” “Sage…Sage Montgomery.” “Well Sage, allow me to clean your wound.” Margaret replied as she stared caringly at her. “I’m fine…truly. I can clean it myself. Do you have any water?” “I’ll get you some.” Gabriel said before disappearing. He returned only moments later with two bottles of water. “Thankyou.” Sage said as she accepted the bottles.

Gabriel’s eyes never left her, even as she walked over to a boulder and shrugged off her backpack. He watched her as she lifted her hoodie but she didn’t seem to mind him looking at her. There was something about him other than the attraction, something like a pull, and she was drawn to him. Sage hissed as she lifted the side of her shirt, exposing not only her flesh, but a large skinned and already bruised area. She was about to pour water over the wound to clean away the blood when she suddenly felt a pair of cold hands. “Let me clean this.” Gabriel said as he took the bottle of water from her hands. “I’m okay…really.” Sage replied but did not move to stop him. “You don’t always have to be brave, princess.”th

Sage allowed Gabriel to clean away the blood and bandage her up without a fuss.

“So where are you from?” Gabriel asked as he sat beside her. “From town, and you?” “Scotland, born and raised but I’ve been all over the world.” “Have you been to Paris?” “Yes. It is a very quaint little piece of heaven.” “I want to go there someday. I have never been anywhere other than here and Saint Mary’s school for girls.” “Maybe I could take you someday.” Gabriel said as he placed a large hand on her thigh and slightly squeezed as he stared into the flames. “I think I’d like that.” Sage replied as she covered his hand with one of her own.

Gabriel looked down at Sage, her cheeks already flushed as she stared at her lap, fiddling with one of his rings. He leaned down and whispered into her ear. “Have you ever lain with a man before, princess?” “Lord no!” She gasped as she looked up at him. He smiled adoringly down at her. “You will tonight then.” He replied as he rose to his feet, and offered her a hand. Sage hesitated for a moment before slipping her hand into his. She followed him as he pulled her along.

Gabriel entered the practically restored castle and pulled her along up the stairs to the second floor. At the end of the hall he pushed open a large oak door, light and warmth flooding the hall as it creaks open. He pulled her inside before closing and barring the door shut. He guided her to the large canopy bed in the middle of the room before turning to face her. “There is something about you, princess. I can’t quite put my finger on it…” “Like you’re drawn to me?” “Yes. Exactly.” “I feel the same way. I feel safe in your presence, like I have always known you.” Gabriel lowered his head and gently brushed his lips against hers.

Sage leaned into his kiss, her fingers fiddling with his waistband. When he lifted his head to look down at her, he suddenly felt a pang of desire, his arousal clearly evident. “Princess…” He sighed as he unzipped her hoodie, pushing it off her shoulders. He yanked her tank top over her head and tossed it aside, leaving her chest bare and exposed. “Such beauty…” He breathed, “And all mine.” He had her completely naked and on her back in only the matter of minutes.

He brushed her hair back over her shoulders, only just noticing the collar around her neck. “What the f**k is this?” He growled, his fingers grasping the padlock. “The reason I ran away.” “Who put this on you?” “It doesn’t matter, because I am never going back.” “Who?” He demanded angrily. “My…my step-father.” “Why?” “He’s trying to auction me off to the highest bidder.” “Has anyone touched you?” “I’m a virgin if that is what you mean.” He growled as he sat up, his back now to her. “I’ll ask again, has anyone touched you?” “The examiner…and one of the bidders.” He glanced over his shoulder and stared at her. “In what ways?” “The examiner put his fingers inside me to make sure I was a virgin.” “And?” “The other man who touched me squeezed my breasts and placed a hand between my legs.” “Were you paraded around in front of these men? Naked?” “Yes…I was examined in front of them as well.”

Gabriel growled as he leaped from the bed and slammed a fist into the stone wall. He punched it several times before he felt warm hands slide around his waist. “Gabriel please stop…you’re going to hurt yourself.” He laughed as he turned to face her. He showed her his bloody knuckles as the cuts began to slowly heal shut. “What the f**k!” She gasped as she began to slowly back away. “Don’t be afraid, princess. I would never hurt you in such a way.” He replied as he kicked off his pants as he stalked her. Sage bumped into the bed, falling backwards. She was too slow to get away because Gabriel had her pinned to the mattress before she could even turn to scramble away. “Let’s get this damned thing off.” He said as he grasped the padlock, crushing it in his hands, before removing the collar. “By the end of the night you will be wearing mine.”