The Taste of Seduction

"Meredith." He said with a mischievous smirk.

"Y-yes. What do you want?" Meredith said, her voice shaking.

Micheal grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her up from the ground in a blink of an eye.

"Your head." Micheal said looking at her deadpan.

Meredith's face turned ashen and her heart thumped in her chest.

"W-what?" She questioned her voice quavering.

"Yes, Princess. Someone surely doesn't want to see you on the throne and has ordered for your head."

Nicholas said tauntingly.

"I'm-no-princess.please you have got the wrong person" Meredith said, taking a step back.

The three of them stepped toward her. She hurled her bag toward them and bolted, but powerful

arms pinioned her.

Icy terror gripped her and she tried to scream but Nicholas grabbed her and clamped his hand over her mouth while he threw his sack over her head.

Meredith struggled furiously but it was fruitless. She felt herself being lifted into their arms.

The sack muffled her screams and she felt an agony of despairs as she struggled to breathe, yet the more she resisted, the tighter they held me.

"There's nowhere to run,princess " Micheal tauntingly whispered against her ear.

"You belong to us now."

They began to run with almost impossible speed.

Meredith's heart hammered in her chest while she wriggled and writhed but her efforts only prompted them to grip her more tightly until a pall of dread hung over her, numbing her to inaction

Meredith had no idea where they were going but branches creaking, feet shuffling through detritus, squirrels chattering, leaves rustling and wind whistling made her aware that they had left the road and were now running through the woods.

She felt faint from lack of oxygen and the speed at

which they moved through the woods.

At times they seemed to almost float above the ground.

Who are they and how are they able to do this? Most importantly where were they taking her?

Suddenly they halted and placed her on the ground. Meredith sensed a subtle shift in the air and the hair on her skin rose. She took a deep breath to calm her beating heart.

Micheal removed the sack from her head and she sucked in air. She saw the nervousness etched on their faces and she swallowed.

She wondered what could make them so nervous. Before she could ask what was wrong. Nicholas shook his head and placed a hand on his lips.

"He is here." He turned to look at the others and whispered.

Micheal and the other one scanned the area with rampant attention.

As she watched them she noticed their furrowed brows.

Nerves fluttered in her stomach when they sniffed

the air like wild animals on the hunt.

New fear gripped her. Who could make these powerful men nervous? Was it someone more powerful? And was it an enemy or a friend?

Micheal took a few silent steps forward and

carefully scanned the area.

Eerie silence enveloped them and Meredith felt an

an unpleasant cold seeped into her flesh.

"Fucking bastard." Nicholas grunted.

Meredith was now curious more than ever.

Who was here? she thought, hoping that someone

might yet come to her aid. She hoped Atlas would call her soon to realize something was wrong.

She heard footsteps and the rustling of leaves behind them.

She began to notice a shadow oozing from the trees onto the ground toward them and gradually took human shape. Terror seized her and she wondered what was going on.

"Hello.there." An amused voice sounded in front of them.

Meredith looked at the man in front of her and gasped in surprise. He was tall, well over six feet, and stood boldly with his legs slightly apart.

Blue eyes flashed from a strongly chiselled face framed by a tousled dark hair. He was beyond handsome.

"Elvin." Micheal scrowled.

"Little Micheal. Ah you have grown up I see. But you still lack manners. Tsk tsk such a shame." The man smirked his eyes fleeting with a murderous glint.

"I'm not little." Micheal straightened and boldly faced Elvin with an expression of cold rage.

"Let the girl go, little Mike." Elvin taunted.

"You know that's not possible. The girl belongs to us. The moment we take an order we finish it. That's the code of the brotherhood."

Micheal replied and pulled Meredith against him.

"You know killing an heir to the throne is treason and traitors are alienated along with their family. Your daughter is such a beauty. Such a shame."

"You wouldn't dare, you stupid dog!" Micheal growled."

Elvin chuckled, "Oh, but I will. As the last remaining protector and knight of the royal family I will alienate any threats to the throne."

A rush of relief flowed through Meredith's body when she heard him.

"You belong to us, princess. Don't even think about it." Nicholas whispered beside her and her heart sank in her chest.

"You know I enjoyed killing your sister and her husband. She thought she could have a normal life with her human husband. She should have accepted my proposal, such a pity. She chose a human over me."

Meredith saw Elvin's face turned ashen.

"Such a perfect family they were, such a shame. I wonder how her kids are doing now?"

Micheal laughed mirthlessly.

"You-you're the one who killed her?" Elvin's voice croaked, his hands trembling showing his internal tremor.

"Of course,we got a tip that she is the one who snuck the princess to earth and that if she doesn't cooperate we should kill her. Too bad she didn't. I didn't want to kill my first love but the brotherhood never refuses an order."

Elvin clenched his fists,"Who ordered you?"

Meredith widened her eyes in shock. He is-

Her thoughts were interrupted when she was pulled from Micheal's grip. Elvin was now holding Micheal's collar, a murderous aura surrounding him.

"You know I don't know who it is. We receive an order anonymously and we don't ask any questions.. Surely someone who wants the throne."