Taken

A deep fog wrapped around Alina's mind, heavy and suffocating. Her limbs felt sluggish, her thoughts sluggish. Darkness clung to her like a second skin, the world around her nothing more than a muffled blur. Then—voices. Distant, sharp, cutting through the haze. "She should be awake soon." "Good. Damon won't wait long before making his move." The words pulled her further into consciousness, her senses slowly sharpening. A dull ache spread through her body, and when she tried to move, she realized her wrists were bound. A rough rope dug into her skin, and the cold, hard surface beneath her told her she was sitting on a concrete floor. Panic clawed at her chest. Alina forced her heavy eyelids open, blinking against the dim, flickering light overhead. The room was small, industrial—like an abandoned warehouse. And standing in front of her, arms crossed, was Vincent. A slow, satisfied smirk stretched across his lips as he tilted his head. "Welcome back, princess." Alina swallowed hard, her throat dry. "Where am I?" Vincent chuckled. "Now, now, don't be in such a rush to get all the answers. You'll be here for a while, might as well settle in." Her stomach twisted, fear curling in her chest. Then, a slow clap echoed from the shadows. Adrian stepped forward, his sharp blue eyes gleaming with amusement. "You really do have a way of getting yourself into trouble, don't you, Alina?" She stiffened. "Let me go." Adrian crouched in front of her, resting his elbows on his knees. "And why would I do that? You're exactly where I want you to be." Her heart pounded. "Damon will come for me." Vincent laughed. "That's the point, sweetheart." Adrian smirked. "You see, you're leverage. Damon has always been willing to destroy anyone who threatens what's his." He reached out, running a gloved finger along her jaw. "And you, Alina, are very much his." She jerked her head away, disgust twisting in her gut. "He'll kill you both." Adrian sighed dramatically. "Maybe. But not before I take everything from him first." Alina glared at him, her fear slowly being replaced by anger. "What do you want?" Adrian's smile turned cruel. "Revenge." Vincent leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "And you, sweetheart, are the perfect bait." Damon's Fury Damon's fist slammed into the desk, rattling the glass of whiskey beside him. "Where the hell is she?" he growled, his voice razor-sharp. Marco stood nearby, jaw clenched. "We're tracking them, but they're covering their tracks well." Damon's patience was razor-thin. He had been careless. He should have known Adrian would make a move. Now, Alina was in his hands. Damon turned to Rafe. "How long until we have a location?" Rafe exhaled. "We're pulling footage from every available camera. Adrian won't be able to hide for long." Damon's grip tightened around the edge of the desk. His mind raced through possibilities, strategies. He would burn the entire city down if he had to. Marco stepped closer. "We'll get her back, Damon." Damon's expression was lethal. "No matter what it takes." Alina had lost track of time. The dim light overhead never changed, and her body ached from sitting on the cold floor for so long. Adrian sat across from her, watching her like a predator observing its prey. "Why are you doing this?" she asked. Adrian leaned back in his chair. "Because Damon took something from me. Now, I take something from him." Alina narrowed her eyes. "What did he take?" Adrian's jaw tightened, the first flicker of true emotion crossing his face. "Everything." A shiver ran down her spine. This wasn't just a power struggle—this was personal. The door creaked open, and Vincent stepped in, phone in hand. "He's calling." Adrian smirked. "Perfect." Vincent hit the speaker button, and Damon's voice filled the room—low, dangerous, seething with fury. "If you hurt her, I'll make sure you die screaming." Alina's breath hitched. Even through the phone, she could feel his rage. Adrian chuckled. "Ah, there's the Damon I know. Always so dramatic." Damon's voice was a lethal whisper. "What do you want?" Adrian glanced at Alina before answering. "A trade." Silence. Then, "I don't negotiate." Adrian smirked. "Then she dies." Alina's blood ran cold. Damon's silence was heavy, crackling through the air like static before he finally spoke. "Name your price." Adrian's smile widened. "We'll be in touch." The line went dead. Vincent grinned. "Oh, this is going to be fun." Alina's heart pounded as Adrian turned to her, his expression satisfied. "You're worth more than you know, princess." And for the first time, true terror settled deep in her bones.