Chapter 169

I'm back in hell. The screams, the fear, the blood, it surrounds me. How did I end up back here? | thought I had escaped. |

thought | was free. | try to remember what happened, but | can’t. My senses are overwhelmed by the sounds and smell of the feeding room.

The panic | feel only intensifies as | look around and | don’t see my friend. Sarah. How do | know her name? | can’t remember, but she’s not here. It’s only me and all of the dying humans. Maybe I’m dead. This isn’t where | expected to end up. | thought I'd be with my parents, someplace safe.

Almost as if the Moon Goddess heard me, | catch the scent of the forest. The scent. that | loved so long ago when mother and |

would walk around, gathering plants and herbs. The scent gets stronger when suddenly, it surrounds me and | am no longer in the vampire’s den, but I’m back in the woods.

I'm still alone, but it feels safe here. It reminds me a better time, when things were good in my life. | begin walking around, not really knowing where | am or where I’m going. | find a sunny spot and lay down in the sun. I’m so tired, and the sun feels so good on my skin that | fall asleep.

| wake up again in the forest. | look around me. I’m still alone but the feeling safety is still here. | take a deep breath. | forgot how much | love the smell of the forest. The fresh air, the slight scent of pine, the clean scent of the earth after a rain. | can smell it all and it makes my heart soar.

If I'm dead, shouldn’t my parents be here? | stand and begin calling for them. | walk around continuing my search. Buy they are not here. There are only the sounds forest, birds chirping, a stream nearby bubbling as the water passes over rocks, crickets and frogs singing their songs in the grass.

Peace. It’s a feeling I’ve forgotten. But now that | am feeling it again, | don’t ever want to lose it.

| don’t know how long I’m here, sleeping when I’m tired, enjoying the forest around me when I’m awake. Nothing changes, it’s just me and nature.

Then one day, | hear something. A voice, from far off. | quietly follow the sound trying to find the source. It’s a masculine voice and it’s the most attractive voice I've ever heard. There is something about it that draws me in.

| hear a soft purring sound in my head. “Alessia?” There is no response, but the purr increases a bit. “Oh Alessia. If you can hear me, I’ve missed you so much. | love you. I’m trying to figure out where we are and maybe you can get stronger.

+15 BONOS As I've spoken to Alessia, the masculine voice has stopped and Alessia’s purring stops as well, leaving me alone again.

This continues off and on, until one day, | hear a feminine voice talking to the masculine voice. Alessia growls in my head. ‘What is it girl? Is it danger?‘ | ask my wolf.

It doesn't feel like danger, it feels like....jealousy. That’s odd. Why would Alessia or | feel jealous over two people talking. The masculine voice stops and the smell of the forest around me dims. The feminine voice continues, and | feel a strange tugging on my arms. When the tugging has stopped and the sounds of the woman are gone, Alessia quietly says ‘Wake up.*

‘Alessia? Alessia are you back?”

‘Not yet, my sweet Angel, but I’m getting there. You need to wake up so | can get. even stronger.’