Author's Note- I'VE BEEN DEPRIVED OF WRITING FOR SO LONG! HOW I SURVIVED I'LL NEVER KNOW. I READ SO MUCH THIS WEEKEND IT WAS CRAZY BUT I FELT SO BAD FOR LEAVING YOU ON A CLIFFHANGER! Anywho, here's chapter twelve. I feel like it is most certainly not my best but you deserve an update. I think you guys will really like the chapter after this ;) I hope you will all find someway to forgive me for this terrible chapter. Why she got kidnapped seems like a mystery to me now..... Whatever, I'm just so sorry for my hiatus and the events to come..... Read on and pray for sunnier skies.

Chapter Twelve

"Imogen!" I yelled as loud as I could before running down the driveway and towards the road. Out came my rifle as I aimed for the wheels of the van. I shot at the road, unable to pop one of the tires and slow them down. Just as I was about to reload....

A shot nearly grazed my shoulder.

I dove back down into the bushes, desperate to think of something. Anything.

Maybe she isn't in there. Maybe she just got startled in the woods?

I raced back for the treeline, in a fixated state on what had to be done. She had to be okay. She was going to be okay. I had to make things okay.

"Dec!" Alex was bolting from the house and yanking on my arm. "What's up?"

"She screamed," I didn't look at him as I ran through the trees. Every branch in my way was knocked out. Everything seemed to be a minor thing compared to my mission.

The creek had both of us terrified.

Her clothes were on the banks, as though she'd taken them off to bathe. Her boots were still there, along with a, frankly disgusting, pair of socks. Oh, gosh, what happened?

"Imogen?" I called her name with my hands cupped over my mouth. The mud had indentations of heavy boots. Men's boots. It was clear her body had been dragged off. I knew she's struggled too.

"Not a Creature," Alex gulped. "She's been kidnapped."

I swallowed back the huge golf ball in my throat and stared blankly. There was no telling where she'd gone...

"Imogen!" I screamed out in desperation, hiding the small break in the end. No way to know where she'd gone meant no getting her back. I hadn't told her I loved her.... I'd never get another chance.

"Imogen." Was the last thing I remember saying before I blacked out.

Imogen's POV

I don't know how I fell asleep. Then again I hadn't on my own accord- my head hurt like they'd knocked me out.

We were in a heavily guarded auditorium with no space on either side. The frustration was immense when I realized how defenseless I was. If this isn't the definition of totally screwed I don't know what is.

"Look what the cat dragged in," The girl next to me waved. "Hi, welcome to torture."

I probably looked like an idiot with my confused face. "Um... where are we?"

"Long or short answer?"

"A decent answer," I rubbed my temple. "Town?"

"Albany," She replied. "This is a colony in which they forcefully kidnap their members."

"That's wonderful," I replied bitterly. "So when do we break out?" It was stupid to think I could. I had no weapons and was undoubtedly a target to get shot if I decided to run.

She snorted. "If you think that's happening then you're delusional," Her eyes were animated, like she was happy to be here. I looked away, deciding she was probably crazy and I didn't want to be a part of it.

I was shocked back to reality by the sound of a door swinging open.

A girl was being yanked from a chair in the front door, screaming as loud as possible. The two soldiers had her arms locked as she kicked, trying to free herself. When she pried her arms away, they simply grabbed her by the legs and dragged her away. Blood dribbled from her mouth as her jaw hit the floor. Her nails clawed at the floor as they dragged her away behind the closed door.

I stared in shock at what had just happened. Half the girls in the room were quiet, the others still asleep.

"What happened to her?" I pleaded an answer with everyone I could.

"I don't know," The girl smiled. "But it sure sounds exhilarating." She had a happy expression on her face as they dragged her to the back room. Maybe to her everything was a game anyway... Whatever her reasons were, she didn't struggle as they took her behind the doors.

"You are insane," I pulled at my hand restraints, calling after her. "Ugh! There has to be something better than just storing us in here!"

The previous girl was taken back out of the room and placed in a chair up front. She was completely calm, the only indication that anything had been wrong was the blood and small lump on her neck. They injected her with something....

The microphone on the stage crackled to life, earning my attention.

"Welcome to our home," The man smiled. "We ask that everyone wait in peace as we begin our journey to rebuilding-"

"Bull crap," I stood up. "You are sick. Kidnapping me just makes you worse! I'm just a child and you would be arrested if we were really rebuilding society!"

"My dear, we rescued you from bathing in a stream," He chuckled. "We can offer you a hot bath here."

"I don't want one," I spat. "I liked my life. I had friends-"

"My child, no one can trust anyone out there. But here we can help you do more than survive and be happy-"

"I WAS HAPPY," I screamed, earning attention from everyone now.

"No one is happy out there," He replied. "What is your name, sunshine?"

"Screw you," I rolled my eyes. My arms instinctively crossed over my chest.

"That's not very nice," He frowned. "I'm Wes Carver."

"Does it look like I care?" I raised an eyebrow. "Just let us go. I have no interest in joining whatever twisted place this is."

"Why can't you be more calm like your sisters?" He spoke softly. His expression was almost amused, like he was enjoying my frustration.

"We are innocent girls that you just plucked off the streets!" I kicked my chair over, yanking my arms to the floor with it. "I'm sick of this already. Let me go."

"I think you'll feel better after a trip to our back room," He gestured for the guards on either side of my row, allowing them to close in. They grabbed my arms as I pulled and pulled. No. No. No.

A burning sensation filled my skin, starting in the arm with the bite. It was all i felt as I went limp. I was small and they were clearly more powerful than me on all levels.

"Please," I whispered, my feet dragging against the tile. The door opened, meeting me with the cold interior of the metal room. I was forced and chained to a table, leaving my neck exposed. A huge needle was on my right, clean and sterile. At least they had the decency to change the needles...

"This will only pinch a tiny bit," The woman tapped the needle and started towards me.

I growled, daring her to get nearer.

By this point I knew I was probably done for. There was no way I could get out. My arms were pinned down and the only exit  could see was guarded by a soldier. More than anything I wanted a Creature to eat these awful people. I wanted to steal one of their stupid cars and head right out the front gate, using the very exit that would take me to the parking lot. It didn't matter though; I was never going to make it to that stupid exit.

"I'm sorry, Declan," The words came out like a whisper as the tip of the needle prodded the skin on my arm.

My skin was burning all over, leaving a numbness to settle everywhere. My vision was darkening and spotting. I could've sworn I saw one of my arms fly free from the restraints before I blacked out completely.

I didn't remember anything after that....

Declan's POV

"How do you know she's missing?" Jo pulled on my sleeve with tears on her cheeks. She wouldn't stop crying, desperate to know where Imogen was. I was frankly getting annoyed, finding myself tearing my hands through my hair in anguish.

"Declan, we'll think of something," My brother was just as shaken as I was, trying to stay optimistic.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," I snapped. "I treated her awful and now I may not ever see her again because I have no idea where she is!"

Jo started to wail, curling into the couch.

"Would someone just shut that kid up?"

Jo flipped me off, but her parents were too distraught to notice.

"Declan, please just calm-"

"I love her! Dang it! I am in love with Imogen Logan and I'm sorry that I can't be calm right now!" I yelled, punching my fist against the coffee table.

Everyone got really quiet as soon as the words escaped. It was the first time I'd ever said it out loud...

Tristan cleared his throat. "We'll find her." He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

I left the room in a hurry and slammed the door to mine. Even though I completely didn't want to... I cried.

***

"Declan?" Jo climbed on my bed and pulled at the leg of my jeans. I opened my eyes and groaned.

"Yeah?"

"I have to say sorry for making that gesture with my hand," She informed me. "I also wanted to tell you that Imogen likes you too."

"No," I rubbed my eyes to get the sleep out of them.

"Mmhmm," Jo told me. "It's obvious. She looks at you the way Mommy looks at Daddy. She stayed in your room and she has a picture of you that she looks at all the time-"

"What?" I cut her off.

"The baby picture?" Jo clarified. "Ever since the fight you had. She wouldn't stop stealing glances of you at dinner."

Jeez. Kids are so perceptive.

"I want her back here," I spoke after a while.

"I do too," Jo frowned, a small pout on her little face.

"I love her, Jo," I put my face in my hands.

"I want her to come back so you can kiss like Anna and Kristoff," She said matter of factly. I felt the blush creep onto my ears as she grinned cheekily.

"Um..."

"You know you want to," She called over her shoulder before leaving me alone. For a kid that young, she sure was right a lot.

Imogen's POV

Horror movies.

I've seen enough of them to know that my life seemed like one when I woke up in someone else's blood on my skin. The soldiers and doctor will all dismembered around me, like a Creature had had a small buffet.

"Oh, gosh," I looked at the blood on my hands and under my nails. Not me. Not me. It wasn't me.

The exit sign blinked on my left. It was now possible....

I stood, taking in the fact that a squish sound was being made from under my boot. I tried not to vomit as I pulled my shoe out of a discarded lung, making my way back over to the metal table. The restraints were unbound, just as I'd anticipated they'd be.

Just let me please wake up from this nightmare. My forehead pounded with each beat of my heart. I ambled for the door, carrying the keys to a van I'd stolen from the belt of one of the men.

My skin was slick and sticky with the coating of crimson all over me- and I tried to ignore it. Not gonna puke...

I puked. I puked up blood....

Tears streaming down my cheeks, I found the car and threw myself in the driver's seat. Albany, twenty miles away from our house...

My escape was all too easy- and for that I was grateful beyond belief. I mean, I had to run over a couple Creatures but it was oddly exhilarating.

Of course, the issue of the blood on my arms and hands scared me immensely. My brain was this incessant blur of thinking about the what ifs. But it couldn't have been me, I had to just have experienced the aftermath.

But if that were true, there would've been a Creature somewhere.

"You're losing it," I turned onto the highway, driving up the ramp that overlooked the base. The people were just starting to flood out, realizing that I was gone- and the gate was open to the dead. I could faintly hear the screams and gunshots as I drove further and further away.

It took me a half-hour to get on the road leading up to the small country house.

I honked my horn and fell out of the car, sobbing hysterically. I was covered in blood and traumatized about the fact that it wasn't mine. I was thankful that I hadn't experienced the tortures in store for me- but I wished I knew what had happened.

Shuddering seemed to be the only limited movement I was capable of as I lay there feeling sorry for myself. I heard Tristan calling for Declan first. Declan shoved him back as he ran to me, tears streaming down his face. I never thought I'd see Declan Blaze cry- now here I was.

He got down on both knees next to me and took in all the blood.

For whatever reason- I didn't want him to look at me. Something tells me I helped draw that blood.

Author's Note- This is soooo not my best chapter. I hope the next chapter will be better but this is my first Wattpad book. We have about ten more chapters of this if all goes according to me wonderful outline. Sorry for any grammar or spelling errors. If you see anything major let me know. Also, I need your input on this chapter's question, but first-

"And then he was kissing me into oblivion."

Muahaha..... Now for my evil question: Who is this mystery man? Who do you want it to be? Just know this is the next chapter.