I locked the windows, pushed my desk against my bedroom door and barricaded myself in. Luna sat on my bed watching me with a perplexed expression as I dragged my wardrobe in front of the window. I knew he was a crazy voice in my head but I kept thinking to myself what if he wasn’t just a voice? What if he really was coming to get me?

So about five minutes ago I decided I would shut myself in my room until morning. Then I would the furniture back into its place and start taking my tablets like a good girl. Clutching a torch and my Dad’s golf club I sat on the bed with my favourite book began to read. Luna curled up next to me and began to doze. Animals are supposed to have a sixth sense for danger like they know when earthquakes are about to happen and when the next door neighbour’s kid is drowning in the pool. Luna would be sense if I was in danger and she wouldn’t be half asleep on my lap. I glanced across to the clock, 23:58, then down at Luna who was beginning to snore.

“This is stupid.” I muttered under my breathe standing up to move my furniture back.

Suddenly the electricity cut out. Cursing under my breathe I fumbled about for my torch. I had left it on the bed a few seconds ago but it was gone. A low growl erupted from Luna throat and there was a horrible thud from downstairs of the front door opening. My whole body went ice cold. Someone was in the house.

I stood deathly still not daring to move a muscle or even to take a breath. All I could see  was dark and all I could hear silence. There were no footsteps or noises but my intuition was screaming danger. I felt Luna’s small furry body suddenly press against my leg, she was rigid like a snake coiled ready to strike. I wanted to reach down and reassure her but then I felt it. A rush of hot air against my cheek and the sound of heavy breathing. Luna snapped, I couldn’t see anything but I heard the sound of my little dog grabbing hold of something and thrashing about.

“Luna!” I screamed lunging forward to save her but my ankle caught on something and I fell flat on my face. The ring around my finger began to burn and I felt the something cold and slimy wind round my ankle and tighten. Then it began to pull me across my bedroom floor.  That’s when I began to scream. Luna barked and I felt her jaw clamp onto the sleeve of my hoodie, furiously she to pull in a futile attempt to save me. She slid across the floor with me. There was a horrible scraping noise that sounded like my desk being dragged across the floor followed by the sound of my door opening. When the door opened and let the moon light in I saw the green slimy vine that was wrapped around my ankle. The vine tightened and within a second I was dragged out of my room, down the stairs, and out of my front door. For a few seconds I felt nothing but cold air and the wetness of the grass against my belly as the vine pulled me at an enormous speed over the moor. I flailed my arms trying to reach out and grab something but all I caught was a fistful of grass and roots that came away with the soil. The vine speeded up and a caught a glimpse of the pool. Oh god, I was going to drown. I screamed but within seconds I was plunged into the freezing icy cold water and pulled down. I kicked and struggled back towards the surface but my attempts were useless. Down and down I went, my lungs urging me to breathe. I needed air in the next ten seconds or I was going to drown. Clamping my hand around my mouth I focused on purely not breathing but then my body forced me to open my mouth. The water filled my lungs shocking my body. The oxygen in my blood was slowly diminishing and I could feel my whole body begin to tremble and convulse. I was dying. Looking above me I could see the dim glow of an orange light. Was that heaven?  Paralyzed I stared up in awe as a black shadow descended towards me getting bigger and bigger. My eyes closed as I lost consciousness.

“All hope is lost!”

The voice echoed in my mind and I felt an awful pain like my heart was being torn in two. I grabbed my chest and felt my lungs spasm expelling the water from my chest. Nosily I drew my first breath choking and spluttering.

Opening my eyes I saw the inside of what could be easily mistaken for a medieval dungeon. Iron scones on the walls blazed a bright orange glow and I could see Victorian-like figures crowding around me. Soulless eyes stared at me from behind twitching lace fans. The room was buzzing with hushed whispers.

Was this real? Or was I hallucinating? I sat up and heard the agitated cry of one crowd,

“She’s getting up! She’s not dead. Get the King. Hope is not lost!”

I staggered up feeling dizzy, disorientated, wet and freezing cold. What the hell just happened and where the hell was I? There was a loud bang like doors being thrown open and the crowd immediately parted and kneeled to the floor.

He was just as handsome and as arrogant as I imagined.  He was tall and muscular with dark hair and brilliant green eyes that captured light like an emerald revealing thousand shades of green. His clothes were like out of period drama, black boots, trousers, shirt, cravat and finely embroidered coat. Definitely the clothes of a prince. I looked down at my own modern clothes and felt so out of place. There was nothing elegant about jeans and a hoodie.

As he approached me his paced slowed and his stare intensified. I hated people looking at me, it made me so nervous. The ring around my finger began to burn uncomfortably and yelped in pain.

“Ebony, my Ebony.” He said reaching out for me.

I stepped back, no matter how handsome this guy was he had a lot to answer for.

“Are you the guy responsible for this?” I asked pointing at my ring finger.

He blinked surprised at my question. A subtle smile broke over his face and he gave a nod,

“My name is Prince Dante Enzo Sborgia and that indeed is my ring.”