Taken

Chapter 4

"Let's run!"

"Where?"

"The end of the field!"

"Malka, that's too far. Papa says we're not allowed to open the back gate."

"We'll be back before he knows."

Ebony doesn't answer. She chews on her bottom lip.

"Come on,"

Ebony smiles to herself. She stands on tip toe, reaching up for the lock. Her little hands fumbling.

"Ebony!"

She drops the latch and whips round, her back hitting the gate. Her father strides towards her, his face red and twisted with rage.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Nothing, Papa." Ebony's little head is thrown sideways as her farther slaps her.

She holds her cheek, tears fall down her little face. Even at six years old, she knows not to say anything.

"I'm here." Malka wraps her in her warmth, holding her close.

"You disobeyed me." Her Papa's face comes close, he grabs her wrist. "What happens to little girls that disobey their Papa's?"

Ebony sobs "Please Papa, I'll be good"

He drags her inside, loosening his belt ready to whip the thing he had to call his daughter.

Ebony's eyes snap open. She bolts upright, caked in sweat. She frantically looks around at the unfamiliar surroundings. Her breathing quickens, she gasps for air.

"It's ok, you're safe," Malka soothes her.

"Malka," Ebony whispers, her hands trembling. She looks around again, remembering where she is. She'd been to Dan's apartment plenty of times but never stayed over. He'd tried to get her to have his bed, but she was having none of it. She shivers and pulls the blanket up higher.

"Go to him"

Ebony ignores the voice.

"I'm not going anywhere." Malka replies. "We used to talk all the time."

"I'm a bit old for imaginary friends." Ebony mumbles.

"I'm not imaginary, deep down you know who I am, what I am." Malka retreats to the back of Ebony's mind, she can hear Akiva stirring.

Sighing heavily, Ebony throws the blanket round her shoulders and stomps her feet to the floor. She stands, looking at the dark hallway. She doesn't want to go back to sleep. Not alone anyway. She takes a small step towards the hall and Dan's bedroom door.

She pauses and is about to go back to the sofa when something pushes her forward. She trips into the hall and falls head first into Dan's door.

"Ow!" She exclaims, sitting up against the door and rubbing her head.

"Ebs, you Ok?" Dan pulls open his door and she falls back. Looking up at him, she gives a small smile.

"What are you doing? Akiv...." he pauses and coughs "I thought I heard something out here."

Ebony gets to her feet. "I was just going to the toilet and I tripped."

"Liar." Malka says.

"Stop it." Ebony snaps at the voice in her head.

Dan smiles. "You can hear her, can't you?"

Ebony looks at him and frowns. "What are you talking about? I'm not going mad, if thats what you're saying." Panick starts to rise, what if he reacts the same way her parents did when they found out about Malka. She shakes her head frantically. "I can't hear anything."

Dan takes her hands "hey! It's ok. I don't think you're going mad. You can hear Malka can't you?"

Ebony looks up, her eyes filling with tears. That name. Malka. How does Dan know it?

"How do you know that name?"

"Becasue I know who you are, who we are. I wasn't certain you were remebering at first, but then last night happened and.." he starts to pace, talking quickly, becoming excited. "Ebs you remember, I thought you were too young, they said you were so young when they took you, you were only..."

Ebony stands infront of Dan, her hands firmly on his bare chest. Her fingers tingle, butterfly's flutter in her stomach. Despite everything she smiles.

"Ebs, you do remember don't you?"

She sighs "I don't know what I remember, I don't know what's real, I just know," She licks her lips and looks up at Dan. A strong feeling pulling her towards him. "I like this" She slides her hands round Dan's neck, reaching up on tip toe, not thinking. A purr echos in her head. Dan slides his hands round her waist, he ducks his head and kisses her neck, softly. Ebony inhales his scent of spice and the forest. She giggles. Dan nuzzles her neck, a soft growl escaping his lips.

"You know, don't you?" Dan asks.

Ebony pulls back, a whimper comes from Dan, or was it in her head, Malka? "You keep asking me questions, what am I supposed to know? So far all I know is I hear voices in my head, my nightmares are back and the name Malka keeps cropping up." She walks away from Dan and drops onto his bed, he reaches for her. "That and the name Akiva." She shakes her head and pushes her hair back off her face. Dan sits beside her, grinning.

She looks at him puzzled "You're acting really odd, you know that?"

"Come on, you need sleep" Dan pulls her back into his bed and throws the covers over them both. He wraps Ebony in his arms and she snuggles into him. Akiva purring in his head.

Malka says don't push her too hard.

I know Dan replies to Akiva in his mind.

She's been through more then we know, Malka won't say too much

You can talk to her? Dan asks, a little jealous his wolf is able to properly communicate with his mate.

Only a little, when you're together, we can sometimes get through to each other. Not as freely as we could if Ebony knew. She doesn't fully understand yet Daniel.

Four years ago

The scent of vanilla and spicy amber had filled the air. Dan had trouble controlling Akiva and finishing the last ten minutes of his spin class. It was like being twelve again and shifting for the first time. Uncomfortable urges and spontaneous shifting, young werewolves stayed with the pack. They only entered the human world when they were fully aligned with their wolf, and they could keep themselves safe. Dan had put his energy and combat training to good use in the human world. He earned a decent wage as a freelance fitness instructor and brought enough money back for him to live comfortably and send back to the pack.

When his Alpha had become suspicious of a group of humans taking warewolf cubs, he'd put a task force together. They'd been working in the human world for five years and found three werewolves who'd been taken. Sadly, their efforts to bring them into pack hadn't worked. The torture they'd been through to suppress their wolves was too strong. They'd tried to help them find their wolves, but it had proved too much. One hadn't made it, and the other two had chosen to stay in the human world. The only silver lining was the pack relocating them away from their captives and helping them build a new life.

When Akiva started bounding in circles and wouldn't stay quiet, a mix of excitement and dread filled him. He so despertely wanted to run out of the room and breathe in her sent. To bite her and claim her.

Dan had never felt the mate bond before, but he'd heard of it. Was this it? He finished his class and wiped down the bikes. Nerves bubbling inside him. The scent was all around. They were downstairs, in reception. He listened. His wolf hearing picking up a laugh.

It's her Akiva bounded about, then stopped abruptly. Where's her wolf? I can't sense her

Dan stopped, his face paled. His mate was wolf less, but she was a warewolf?

Wait, Akiva replied. Something isn't right.

Dan sniffs the air again. She has a wolf alright, or I wouldn't be able to smell her. She's my Mate Akiva

She is ours Akiva replies, pacing again.

Slowly, Dan started down the stairs. The sweet smell became stronger. It was delicious. Akiva was quieter, he too was fighting the excitement, nervous at what would happen.

Dan saw her first. Akiva, she's beautiful

Akiva didn't reply. He still couldn't see her wolf. He pinned for his mates wolf.

Her red hair fell in ringlets down her back, her trim figure clearly showed she worked out. Her smile reached her eyes, and the freckles on her nose wrinkled when she laughed. The elderly gentleman she'd been helping thanked her with a kind smile.

"Anytime." her voice strong and sweet like her scent.

"Dan! Earth to Dan!" Ariadne appeared in front of him, blocking his view. "You're staring."

"She's beautiful." he whispered.

Ariadne rolled her eyes at him. Men. She was fed up with human men and now Dan was acting like one of them too."Snap out of it Daniel."

"Can't you smell her, vanilla and amber."

Ariadne sniffed. There was a faint smell of vanilla but nothing that strong that told her another wolf was in the room. "A little, Dan, are you alright?"

"Mate," Akiva and Dan answered her.

Ariadne sniffed again, letting Adelia come forward. There's someone, maybe a wolf, I'm not sure. Adelia confirmed.

Dan took a step forward.

"Dan, you can't tell her." Ariadne pulls him towards the staff room. He let's out a whimper. Ariadne rounds on him. "You can't tell her. It could kill her if we throw all that at her. Her wolf could erupt through, and that would be it."

Dan turns towards the door, wanting to be near his mate.

"Look, I'm not saying you can't be with her, I'm saying go slow. I mean, snail speed slow." Ariadne grabs his chin."Daniel, look at me." She softens at the look of pain in his eyes. At least if he was rejected the pain would eventually end. Until she knows who she is and what she is to Dan there's nothing he can do but try and suppress the longing. Something told her that her and Casimir (Aiden's wolf) will be going on a lot of long runs with Akiva.