The first thing Mary-Lynette had noticed was it was colder in this place. It was also filled with an eerie blue twilight that sent shivers into her soul. This was another world, maybe not another planet, but close. It was dangerous. She felt Ash clinging protectively to her arm.
"Where are we?" She questioned, furrowing her eyebrows in a vain attempt to understand.
"Nowhere" A reply came from the shadows, the voice spoke with authority, sounding like the many different elements in a secret. "Everywhere, somewhere. I suppose it doesn't matter all that much. The point is you're all here, in my world." He mused for a second. "I guess you'd call it the shadow world, I mean…if you read the rules."
The boy stepped out of the shadows and Mary-Lynette momentarily forgot about her soulmate. He was tall, dark…and, well, handsome. She couldn't really describe him without clichés. His jewelled eyes shone in the blue light unforgiving and cold. This, Mary-Lynette thought, this was pure evil. Sure, he apparently loved Ebony. But there was nothing underneath that. A true prince of darkness, one whose heart is coloured black. She shivered again. A shocked voice piped up from the corner.
"Darius…" Ebony stepped back but seemed to thrust out emotionally. Her voice although shaky was filled with passion, desire, fear and hate.
"Yes my dear Ebony, I'm glad you came Really, I missed you dreadfully. I'm sure you feel the same way" His eyes flashed with amusement. Ebony felt her self begin to blush. Blaise walked forward, following Rashels lead. Rashel spoke and Blaise backed her up.
"Listed Darpsus, or whatever. We're all just a tiny bit pissed at you so could ya stop all the theatrics and just tell us what the bloody game is." Rashel looked mad, no doubt a sign she was nervous. Blaise spoke, trying to sound cool and calm but also struggling.
"Rashels right. What's the fucking game anyway?" Blaise raised her eyebrows, suddenly noticing the guy's gorgeous face and hard muscles under his ripped shirt.
"Why of course I'll tell you the game." He replied smoothly, walking up to Ash. "There are three types of games in existence, a race game, a chase game and a hunting game." He swivelled to face Gillian and the background morphed into a castle dungeon. He now met Quinn's eyes. "You're the oldest here, well out of Ebony's so called protectors. Bring back memories?"
"A few." Quinn remained stony faced.
"Good," Darius continued. "Your minds can be worked against you at my whim." The castle setting began to change, about 15 doors appeared on the walls.
"What the…" Ash looked mesmerised. Darius grinned.
"Ebony now has no choice but to play. You may hand her over to save your own skins, but she must continue playing. She may not hand herself over to save you." A smirk appeared on his lips. "The game is a hunting game. Over there is a scroll, find all the items on it by midnight and you all go free. I shall bother you no further. However…" He paused. "If you decide to hand her over or fail to collect all the items listed, then she is mine forever."
Ash started to swear violently and lunged for the shadowman. His efforts only imprisoned him, floating in air. Darius laughed yet again evilly, smug and confident. He walked over to him and Ash fell and hit the ground. Mary-Lynette rushed over but was halted by an invisible wall. Darius bent over Ash.
"If you fail, then she is mine forever, heart, body and soul." He turned from the group, melting into darkness. The blue light faded and the group was alone.
