unending

I was on my way to the top of the acting world - finally. I’d gotten an agent after doing countless tiny projects, I had a steady income from plays I’d done, and I actually landed the lead role in a soon-to-be not so tiny movie. I’d moved out to California, gotten my car registered, my license and cable all set up, and it all proved to be things I didn’t need to do only 2 weeks after I moved out and started the movie. When it all happened, I thought it was the absolute worst thing that could ever have happened to me. Now, I only regret not being able to slide off the radar without all the drama that ensued.
 
August 11th, I was driving to the set. We were having a sort of walk thru and we’d hopefully start filming that day. I was so excited to be in the movie, it was based on one of my favorite vampire novels and I got to play the starring role. It wasn’t a huge production film, but I didn’t care. I felt like the luckiest person alive. The leading man was even an absolutely gorgeous man with a great accent. I was practically squealing every time I thought of it.
 
I was on the road then to the set when I looked to check oncoming traffic so I could get off on the exit. I looked first to check and everything was clear. Of course, the next time I checked, just to be safe, I wasn’t. There was a man in my backseat. I probably would have screamed if he hadn’t been so beautiful. It was close to dusk, so the sun wasn’t very bright at that point, but I could see every feature on his face clearly. He had pale, pink tinged skin, dark violet eyes, absolutely perfect lips that had another pink tint to them, and his hair was a color that would have made wheat weep. His posture was ramrod straight, very confident, and overwhelmingly sexy. I couldn’t clearly process that I should be scared, even though this man had to have appeared out of nowhere to end up in my backseat.
 
I tried to pull my eyes away from him, and I managed to guide the car onto the shoulder. I went to grab the door handle and hopefully get out, but before I could even touch the handle, the man’s hand grabbed my wrist. He was unnervingly close. I could feel his breath on my skin, I could even smell it, and it reminded me of sweet apples. “What do you want?” I managed to stammer out. I stared at him, trying to make myself find enough breath to scream, but I couldn’t find anything in me except curiosity. Maybe I was suicidal and I hadn’t even known it.
 
“You needn’t scream. First of all it wouldn’t help. Secondly, it would just make a lot of unnecessary noise in a confined space. That would hardly be kind to your ears.” He cocked an eyebrow and grinned. “Do you promise to not run away if I promise to not harm you right now?” The words “right now” had not escaped my notice, but I nodded anyways. “Good. Now, I will explain everything to you in due time. But I would like you to come with me. If I allow you to drive us to a certain destination, will you be calm? I will do no unnecessary harm if you are.” All I could do was swallow hard and nod again. I was insanely scared of this man, but I felt that he meant what he said. Even though I didn’t like the whole “unnecessary harm” thing.
 
He moved from the back seat to the passenger seat quickly, although I only heard one door shut and he moved to quickly for me to process what he was doing until he was sitting next to me, smiling as though he were dealing with a slow child. “Now please, pull back out and get off at the next exit. We’re not going far.”
 
We ended up at a huge mansion. It was 3 stories high (though I found out later it also had both a basement and attic), a light gray with dark blue roofing. It had the appearance of an old french manor, with beautiful sculptures and gargoyles standing at a few of the corner tops. It was as beautiful as it was frightening. “Go ahead and pull up to those steps. We have an appointment to keep.”
 
I would have run, said something rude, anything, if I hadn’t been so damn scared and entranced by the situation. I hadn’t had a very sheltered life, but it was never incredibly exciting, up until now anyways. I cut the engine as I pulled up to the stone steps and someone opened my door to step out. It was the same man from my car. He still hadn’t told me his name. He took my wrist in his hand, an iron shackle with skin. “Where are you taking me?”
 
He chuckled and under different circumstances, the sound probably would’ve coaxed me to do the same. Now all I could do was almost glare at him. “Well inside first. And then you’re going to meet William.”
 
“Why me? I don’t have much money, you won’t get anything for a ransom.” Probably the wrong approach, that would give them more reason to kill me, but it was really true. “But I’m just starting a movie, you know, people will notice my missing.”
 
He laughed, apparently having a good time listening to my trying to save myself. “Does this house make it look like we need much money? Please Marie, save your questions for when you meet with William.”
 
I gaped at him. “How do you know my name?”
 
He chuckled again and knocked on the door we’d reached. It was a monstrous double door, the same color as the roofing with a large silver knocker in the shape of a cross. A young girl, probably around the age of 12, opened the door. She beamed up at my captor and spoke with a voice that seemed much older than what she looked. Her hair had been pulled up into pig tails with inky black ringlets falling from them. She had bright blue eyes and pale skin like the man at my side, although hers was completely devoid of any pink tint. “Oh hello David, we didn’t think you’d get her back here so soon!”
 
He nodded to her, his face now devoid of any laughter. “Adeline. Is he ready?”
 
She gestured for us to step in, and my captor - David - pulled me along by my wrist. The inside of the mansion was just as stunning as the facade. The walls held portraits of people in old time dress, and every piece of furniture was an antique. The floors were checkerboard black and white tiles, probably marble. The “grand staircase” that we climbed was made of a combination of dark wood and what looked to be mother of pearl inlay. My family definitely wouldn’t have been able to afford their ransom, if they chose to ask for one.
 
We finally stopped in front of a massive cherry wood door that sat just after the last stair. The little girl -Adeline, who I didn’t even realize was following us- knocked on the door three times, listening for a response that I never heard before she opened the door. Inside was a room similar to the foyer, black and white marble floor, portraits and scenery lining the walls, and a large antique desk towards the back of the room. The was a man seated behind the desk, and even from across the room I could tell he was drop dead gorgeous, and somehow familiar.  He smiled at me and came around the desk as David and I came to a stop.
 
“Ah yes. Marie. Welcome to my humble abode.” He spread his arms wide, a self-deprecating smile on his face. He gestured for Adeline and David to leave, and all I heard of their exit was the door clicking shut.
 
“I’m sorry, but may I ask a few questions?” I smiled as sweetly as I could manage and he guided me to a chair in front of the desk. I sat as he returned to his seat and nodded at me to go ahead. “Who are you, why the hell am I here, and how do you know my name?”
 
His lip curled up into a menacing smile. “Well, I suppose I should explain that to you, although I would appreciate a much calmer sort of phrasing in your questions. I promise, no harm will come to you unless I will it.” I bit my lip to try and stay nice. If I could avoid getting hurt, it would be nice, and since I was slowly regaining the use of my brain since I wasn’t surrounded by the torture devices I had imagined, I was beginning to get mad. “I know your name because you’ve…intrigued me -for lack of a better word- and I’ve done some checking on you. I saw you in a play in Atlanta, and I meant to tell you, you make a wonderful Isabella.” Now I remembered him. I’d seen him after opening night when I had played Isabella in Measure for Measure. He’d given me a dozen red roses, and I remember thinking that it was too bad I hate roses. “You are here for the same reason. I find you very intriguing and I’d like to find out more about you.”