Hellbound Heart

Finding herself bound up inside a room, Elle was struggling to get on her feet.

Zeres had kidnapped her last night right at the end of their 'hunting game' session. He had knocked her out with what she believed was a strong spell as soon as he had caught her.

And the next thing she knew, she was already here inside this room, with her hands tied together. The room was not shabby at all. The feminine decorations and everything else inside told her that this room definitely belonged to a girl... a girl who loves books with all her heart.

She was put on a soft bed and a blanket was even draped over her sleeping form. However, she was tied up quite securely. Both her hands and feet. And the rope was even obviously not any ordinary type. The entire surface was glowing with something silvery white and it was as though those things were alive!

Every time Elle tries to wiggle and move her hands to loosen the bindings, the rope tightens. And when she stopped, the rope would automatically loosen up a little again.

Somehow, Elle could not help but laugh silently at how this captor of hers was treating her. Why did it seem like Zeres did not want her to hurt her hands?

She shook her head. She did not know much about Zeres, but there was one thing that she clearly knew. This man had kidnapped her and in doing so, that action in itself was already betraying his friends. Now she could not help but berate herself for thinking that the man was an angel. Why was it, that it was somehow always these bad guys who had to have these kinds of innocent and angelic faces?! They were so misleading!

Elle had finally arrived underneath the windows after rolling and squirming herself across the floor. She then pushed herself up to sit against the wall before folding her knees into an upside-down 'V'. After that, using the wall as leverage and her legs already in place, she struggled to stand. When she finally peeked outside, she had found out that she was right. She was in a lone house in the middle of a forest. The trees around were lush and colorful and the surroundings did not look like a place where a villain would or could reside. It was the type of place where a simple and humble but happy family would choose to live in. There were even pretty and colorful flowers outside, so unlike the interior of the Black Forest where though breath-taking, it was not as colorful. Is this where Zeres lives? Or did he just hijack this place from a poor family?

A waft of homemade food scents made her stomach growl loudly. It was then she realised that she was ravenously hungry. It was already noon and the smell was so delicious that she could not help but salivate.

When she could not find even a shadow of anyone on the outside, she turned towards the door. She began to drag herself towards it and just as she was about to reach the wooden door, it opened. Thankfully it swung towards the outside, or else her face would have been the one greeting the door.

The silver-haired kidnapper emerged, holding a tray of warm, steaming food in his hand. It was the scent that she had smelled just a while ago.

He abruptly averted his gaze away from her and quietly put the tray down on the side table.

Then he returned for her, picking her up without a word and gently seating her on the edge of the bed. When he picked up the plate of food and began attempting to feed her, Elle finally opened her mouth and spoke. "Zeres..."

"Eat." Was all he said.

"I have my own hands. Please at least untie â€"" Elle tried to reason with him. But before she could continue, he had cut her off. However, his voice held no harshness nor anger.

"Sorry, but I can't." The words were said in a quiet but firm tone. "I'll feed you myself. Now please eat."

"What if I refuse?" she stared at him with defiance, a stubborn light suddenly lighting her eyes.

He put the spoon that was held out to her, back on the plate. "You'll just starve yourself."

Elle so desperately wanted to face palm with his straight up response, but could not. "Look here, Zeres... Can't you at least just free my hands? How can I possibly let a stranger spoon feed me? I am not going to escape, I promise you. You and I know I can't possibly escape when you're here, watching me... Right?"

"I won't dare to underestimate you. I know you're not a mere human already, Princess Izabelle."

"Are you saying that you know what I truly am?" Elle perked up at his words. Though what Abi and Alicia told her about her not being fully human was still causing some confusion within her, she still wanted to know what her other half was. She might not like it, but she was not one who would run away from things. It was always better to face it head on than run and hide, as hiding never solved anything.

He paused and then lifted the spoon to her lips again. "If I were you, I would eat, for my own sake. You need energy to deal with what's coming ahead â€"" Zeres' words were hinting on future things.

"Like what? Elijah? Is he coming here to get me?"

Zeres finally met her eyes. "Yes." He answered and Elle immediately felt fear churning in her stomach. "Now eat this before I take it away. Please don't think that I will do more for you than this."

The dangerous glint in his eyes forced Elle to simmer down and eat. She knew she really needed to reserve her energy to think about how to get away from this before Elijah arrives. She must not let Elijah take her away no matter what! Sebastian... he would torture Sebastian again using her!

Shivers and goosebumps crawled under Elle's skin as she ate. She would do anything... everything to stop that from happening!

Just as she was trying to concentrate on thinking about something while pretending to be busy chewing on her food, another person's presence made her snap her gaze towards the door.