Chapter 5 Leave It All Behind - Livvy's POV

My pulse quickened as I stared into his eyes. It wasn’t a lie. I had seen it all and knew it was true, but my mind was still rushing to catch up to what was happening. 

“We can’t stay here,” he murmured.

He moved swiftly across the room toward a spot along the wall. There was a cabinet there, which I hadn’t noticed until now. He opened the drawers and rummaged through them, pulling out various things and shoving it into his pockets.

“I thought you said you didn’t live here.”

He groaned and looked at me over his shoulder. “I don’t. This is just where I’ve been staying off and on. It’s no good now that they've found us.”

“You mean found me? They’re not even after you.”

He chuckled. “They will be now since I have something they want.”

A growl escaped me. This was ridiculous. I glanced toward the other side of the room, then at him. He was so busy digging in the cabinet that I was certain his attention was fully elsewhere. 

My gaze moved to the door. This was my chance. I could escape into the night and run as fast as I could. Then, when I was home, I would bar the door. It would be fine. All would be fine. 

I would wake up in the morning and this would all be a bad dream.

Without hesitating, I took one step, then another. I was so silent that I shocked myself. Once I was at the door, I checked one last time and then glanced down to grab the knob.

“Not so fast,” he whispered, his voice a smooth, deadly purr that crawled under my skin.

Out of my periphery, I could see him standing right next to me. I turned slowly, my eyes locking with his as I tilted my head back to see him better.

“How did you—” I began, but I couldn’t finish.

I wanted to scream, wanted to move, but my body wouldn’t obey. My lungs refused to work properly. He was…right next to me in the blink of an eye.

My mouth went dry as I looked at the top of his head. There wasn’t anything there. I just didn’t want to meet his harsh gaze anymore. 

A smile tugged at his lips, drawing my gaze to his mouth. It was far too sharp, too hungry. His teeth were a bright shade of white, but that wasn’t what I noticed most. It was the fangs on either side. 

I felt myself slipping away as I focused on those two points. Darkness crept into my vision, swallowing the edges of my world.

“Don’t pass out on me.”

“I’m not going—”

Three words were all I got out before everything went dark.

When I opened my eyes again, I blinked against the harsh light. It was too bright and made my eyes hurt. A ragged breath escaped me as I sat up, my hands clutching at something soft beneath me.

I glanced around the room just as the lights dimmed.

“Is that better?” A man asked.

My head jerked to the side, taking him in. He was in the doorway, looking my way with a wicked grin that felt too sinful to even look at. 

“Yes,” I replied, swallowing hard. “And just who are you?”

He stepped into the room, his steps heavy. When he came into view, my eyes widened. He was tall, muscular, and had shaggy dirty blonde hair. 

“You must be Dorian’s little pet,” he almost purred. “I had gotten a glimpse of you as he came in, but I didn’t know that you’d be this beautiful.”

I scooted back until I was flushed against the headboard. “You didn’t answer my question. Who are you?”

He laughed under his breath, then looked back over his shoulder. Footsteps filled the silence.

“Hmm, it looks like my time is cut short.” He turned to me, his eyes turning a bright red hue. “Forget and sleep.”

I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t stop my body from obeying. The next time I opened my eyes, I was staring at the ceiling in my bedroom. I sat up, looked around and sighed in relief as I realized I was home.

“Oh,” I said softly. “It was all a bad dream. I’m home.”

I slung the covers back and slipped out of the bed, but as soon as my feet hit the floor, someone stepped into the doorway.

“Good to see you’re awake.”

I froze where I was, my eyes widening in alarm. “You…are here.”

“Yes, I’m here. You need to pack your things.”

“No, I was dreaming,” I stammered. “I woke up in my bed and everything that happened was just my imagination.”

“How long are you going to tell yourself that? You already know it’s real,” he said with a laugh. “Now get up and pack your things. I have a bag ready.”

I stood, my entire body going rigid. “And if I refuse.”

“I’ll throw you over my shoulder and take you away.”

I let out a snort. “No, you wouldn’t.”

He took a step toward me and I fell back on the bed. “Test me and see what happens. You shouldn’t want to even stay here. We’ve already been here long enough.”

“Why wouldn’t I want to stay in my own home?” I argued.

“Because they’ve been here. I’m granting you all the time I can, so hurry up.”

“Been here?” I asked, standing once again. “What do you mean they’ve—”

He moved to the side and through the doorway I could see my living room. What little was in view was awful and completely trashed. The couch, which I had bought when I first moved out of my parents’ house, had rips in the side. The table beside it was in shambles. I couldn’t even believe what I was seeing.

“Your room wasn’t touched as much. The rest of the house is lost.”

My entire world shattered at that moment. 

“Come, Livvy,” Dorian said sharply. 

I moved automatically, taking the bag from the chair that Dorian pointed at. It didn’t feel real. When I went into the closet, I noticed a few pieces were off the hanger. 

I had never been the most organized, but I knew I hadn’t done that. 

“They came in here,” he murmured. “They just didn’t…do as much.”

“I’ve noticed.”

I started picking things off the hangs and shoving them into the bag. Once it got a little fuller, I dropped it to the ground and put even more in it. 

“How much should I pack?” 

“Take enough for a week,” he replied softly. “I can…send someone to gather the rest and salvage what they can.”

I nodded and kept packing, making sure I had enough for a week, plus a few pairs of shoes. Most of what I had was what I wore to work with some pajamas. Once I packed it full and zipped it, I turned to him. He moved without my asking and picked the bag up.

“Grab a coat.”

“Why? It’s warm.”

“It’s not always warm where we are going,” he murmured.

“Where are we going?” I asked, my face scrunching in confusion.

He grinned. “You’ll see, but first—”

Dorian didn’t get to finish his sentence. My front door shattered on the other side of the wall with a loud bang.

He reached forward, grabbing me and throwing me over his shoulder before I could protest and we left my home behind.