Behind Locked Doors

[TheJaydeWriter]

Laying in his clothes, Isaac had starting to fall asleep but was awaked to the sound of someone screaming his name in the distance. At first he thought he imagined it but when he heard more scream come from the woods next to his house, he knew they were real.


Annabella!


Isaac jump from his bed and slammed out into the hall way. He prayed it was not Annabelle's screams he was hearing in the night. He prayed she was in her room sound asleep like normal. Instead of knocking, Isaac slammed through the door and confirmed his hear. She had run away. Guilt and sorrow first played in his head but pushed them away. She was screaming for him out in the woods.


Running down the stairs, Isaac passed his wide eyed and confused butler. The man was still in his sleeping wear and had a cap on his head. The door in front of them was slightly jared open and snow trickled through. Everything pointed to his fear.


Quickly, Isaac rushed from the house and grabbed a house from the stable and his hidden pistol. He didn't know how much time he had but he could imagine what had happened. She ran and was attacked by an animal in the night. During the winter, animals got mean around here when they were hungry. There had been reports before about people going missing in his woods during winter. There bodies would turn up in spring when the snow had melted. Their bodies would be mangled and chewed on. He would not let that happen to Annabelle.


"Annabelle!" Isaac screamed out into the woods. What if he was to late? What is she was dead?


A scream ahead of him gave him power to ride forward through the burning snow. She was still alive. In the distance, Isaac saw her. She had fallen and had several wolves around her, growling and circling her. He could see she had a stick and was trying to protect herself. From the blood the spindled the snow around her, he also knew that they got her already.


"Annabelle!" He rode past her and leaded sideway on his steed. Swiftly, he grabbed her swinging arm and threw her on to horse. The wolves cried and anger and chased after them. They nipped at the horses legs. The horse, not understanding why they were attacking, bucked and threw them both off. Isaac landed on his back felt a wolf jump onto him. Lifting his arm, the wolf clutched its teeth into it. Allowing him time to draw his pistol and shoot it in the head.


BANG BANG BANG


One by one, each wold went down before they could run or attack.


Finally, they were safe.


Pain flooded through his body as blood poured from his arm bite.


"Why?" Was the only thing he could muster to her.

 

[QueenMischief]

Annabelle whimpered and once she had limped into the house, she lay on the rug, cringing. "Olivia said the door was unlocked. I was..." She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before she opened them again and breathed in a few breaths. She tried not to look at her bleeding leg. "I was a mile or so out in the carriage when I decided to come back. I ran towards the house and I called for you because I... well I wanted to be with you so you knew I wasn't going to leave, but then I heard a growling and..." She made a grunt of pain and her hands shook as she finally looked at her wound. Her face went pale at the sight of it.

 

[TheJaydeWriter]

Isaac watched her from where he sat and said nothing. He had no clue what to say to her. She could by lying to save face or she could be telling the truth.


Looking her up and down, he saw the blood come from her leg and decided that now was not the moment to worry about what she really did. He needed to get her inside and have her leg cleaned and bandaged.


"Come...Let go." Isaac rose and walk over to Annabelle. Swift but gently, he lifted her in his arms and placed her on the horse. He then climbed on behind he and took them in the direction of the house.


"Your shouldn't of done what she said. You should be smart enough to know what is in these woods during winter. You are lucky you weren't killed and ripped apart. And your very lucky that they only got your leg!" His temper was high but he did his best not to show it to much. She was most likely scared as it was and he didn't need to add fire to the flame. Pain was the only thing he could not keep from his voice.


They made it to the house and Isaac helped Annabelle into the house. From the horse, Isaac lifted her and carried her in his arms. He kept her close to his body in hopes to warm her from the cold but he was just as cold as she was most likely. There was not much he could do. So instead, he took he to the drawing room and placed her in his chair. The butler was already behind them with cleaning water, washing rags and bandages. Without permission, Isaac lifted Annabelles dress to her knees and started to clean the wound. He kept silent, not know what else to say to her.

 

[QueenMischief]

Annabelle sat in the chair silently for a while, with tears of fear and pain falling from her eyes. Very quietly, yet audibly she whimpered, "I hope I didn't make a mistake in coming back..." She was the picture of terror, a blank far off expression as she realized the fate she had brought herself back into willingly. She covered her face in her hands and wept silently.

 

[TheJaydeWriter]

Isaac stopped and looked up at Annabelle as she cried. Any anger he had in his heart soften and then turned to guilt. In the end, it was him that made her run. She really didn't want to be here. She was willing to put her life in that much danger just to get away from him. It was still his fault.


"Don't cry. Your safe now...I won't hurt you...I promise." He back away from, feeling the terror radiate off her her. She was scared for him to even touch her and help her. A mask went over his face to hide the pain he felt in side.


"I'll....since your scared of me...I'll leave and let my butler take care of you. I'm sorry." Isaac turned and handed the rag and bandages to his butler. He needed to leave the room. He couldn't bare to see her face cry like that anymore. The last time he saw a face of horror like that was from his wife. History was repeating itself.


"I'll be in my room." He turned to leave with blood still dripping down his arm. He would tend to it later.

 

[QueenMischief]

When Annabelle finally looked up she saw that Issac was gone. Once she was tended to, she grabbed a few rags and a bucket of clean water and went up the stairs. She knocked on Issac's bedroom door. "Issac? Are you alright? You need your arm tended to." She sounded worried.

 

[TheJaydeWriter]

Isaac opened the door to his room and allowed Annabelle. He sat in his reading chair in front of his fire. He had no clue why she could care enough to come up here but she did anyway.


"You don't have to. I can take care of it. No point being around someone your scared of..." He voice was soft and sad. He didn't know what else to say to her. He didn't even look at her. He just watched his fire, memorized by its dancing flames. Once again he was cold and no heat would ever enter his body.

 

[QueenMischief]

"I am scared... but that doesn't mean I'm leaving. That's why I came back." Annabelle said, and gently cupped his cheeks in her hands, before placing a tender kiss on his forehead. She kneeled beside him then rolled up his sleeve then dipped the rag in water and gently cleaned away the blood. Once clean, she carefully wrapped the wound, then put an soft hand on his knee then gently placed her cheek on his lap in a sign of devotion and affection. She may be worried, but she wasn't going anywhere.

 

[TheJaydeWriter]

Isaac sat in silence as he watched Annabelle tend to his wound. He had no clue how to react to her or to the kiss on his cheek. He watched how the fire light danced on he air and felt the kiss she place warm his head. She had chosen to come back. She put herself in danger to come back.


As she laid her head on his lap, he placed a hand on it and smoothed her hair, caressing her like he would a child or lover.


"You wanted to stay?"


Isaac slid down from his chair and became eye level with her. Gently he cup her chin and slowly brought her to him. He had no clue what he was doing but this was something he wanted to do for awhile. It felt right.


Isaac leaned in and started to bring his lips close to hers.


"Well well well, isn't that cute?" Olivia's voice came from his bedroom door and spooked Isaac. He jumped up and away from Annabelle, noticing what he was doing.


"What are you doing here?!" He snapped. His face was clearly red but the fire light made it hard to see.


"I came to check on the poor girl....seems to me you got it handled." Olivia laughed and turned to leave.


"Wait...." Isaac breathed with anger. Olivia stopped and turned around, an eye brow raised and a smirk on her lips. "Annabelle, please leave us. I have something to discuss with Olivia."


Isaac held the door open for Annabelle while keeping eye contact with Olivia. She wasn't going to leave. Not till he was finished with her.

 

[QueenMischief]

Annabelle had felt so close to kissing him, and she would have. For some reason it just felt right. When Olivia interrupted and Issac asked Annabelle to leave she nearly felt her heart drop. She thought that maybe they were a couple. Annabelle left as quickly as her injured leg would take her. She went down the stairs and out to the garden despite it being freezing cold. She sat on the stone bench and buried her face in her hands. She had no clue what she was doing... Her hands turned pale blue and she shivered violently. Her fingertips went numb but she didn't care at the moment.

 

[TheJaydeWriter]

"I am getting tired of you just barging in here like you own the damn place!" Isaac yelled.


"Well, I wouldn't have to if you didn't kidnap some girl and make moves on her!" Olivia snapped back.


"I...I...I didn't make a move on her!" His anger started to rise and he was ready to throw her out the door. "I want you to leave. NOW!" He pointed to the door and flared.


"No, I will not leave. Not till I have said my peace." Olivia started to fold her arms, showing that she wasn't moving.


"If you don't think I can't pick you up and send you out the door, you are sadly mistaken." Isaac started for her but she jumped back and placed a hand over her heart.


"How dare you! I am a lady!" She snapped.


"Hardly."


"Look! I came to warn you. i tried to get her out so she wouldn't be in danger!"


"Danger?" Isaac's anger died down quick. "What Danger? What do you know?"


"Marcus is alive...." Olivia gave him a serious look.


"How...thats not possible."


"Well he is, I saw him. I heard he's been looking for you. Been going from town to town. So far you have secluded yourself so much that no one has known your name but when he gets here, he will know."


"Oh god..." Isaac fell into his chair and placed his hands into his head. He wanted the night to end so badly. His bones felt like they were going to shatter from physical tiredness and he felt emotional drained. To much has happened in one night. "You were trying to save Annabelle..."


"Yes I was trying to save her! But the daft women jumped out of the damn carriage. It almost didn't stop before she was out the door. All she had to do was request to go back but no, she had to jump and run."


"So she did come back...." Isaac's voice was soft.


"yes...she came back. Even thought you have messed up her life entirely, she still came back to you. And of course I follow...and I find you taking advantage of her good nature."


"I didn't take....nevermind. I'm done for the night. Its to late for you to leave, sleep in my room. I can sleep down stairs." Isaac rose from his chair and left Olivia standing in his room before she could say a word. He didn't want to argue. He just wanted peace and sleep so he could think rationally on what to do.


He knew now he would have to send Annabelle away. it would take few days, maybe a week to set everything up but she couldn't stay here. His life was marked and he wasn't about to put her in more danger.


"Annabelle?" Isaac knocked on her room door and opened it. His heart stopped when he notice the room was still empty.


Racing down the stair, Isaac called out for her and searched each room. She was gone again.


He was about to head out the back door when he noticed a draft come from the back room where the back door was. Turning around, he dashed through the house and ran out the back door into the garden. "Annabelle!?" He called out to her.


He looked around, his heart frozen in fear. He was about to leave when he noticed her sitting on a bench curled up.


"Annabelle!" He ran to her and picked her up. She felt cold and looked it as well. Had she been out here during the whole argument.


"Thank god your okay. Lets get you inside and warm." He carried her quickly into the house and sat her in front of the fire. Next, he took a few blankets and dropped them over her, to give her warmth.


'What were you think? You could of froze to death out there." His voice had a worried note in it.

 

[QueenMischief]

"I just... I felt bad because I didn't know you were with Olivia." Annabelle stuttered from the cold and hugged her knees. She wiped away a few tears and looked at Issac with gentle brown eyes.


Annabelle thought he was very sweet for taking care of her, but she felt a little broken hearted that she could never be with him.

 

[TheJaydeWriter]

Isaac rasied and eye brow at her reply. Suddenly he couldn't help but laugh.


"Olivia with me?" he laughed some more and leaned back against the leg of his chair. "No no no. Olivia and I could never be together. She has tried in the past but i find her to annoying and sick in the head."


Isaac placed a hand on her knee and smiled at her.


"Why would you be worried that we were together?"

 

[QueenMischief]

Annabelle looked sheepish and gently touched his large hand with her small one. She looked into his eyes with a shy smile. "Whatever answer you deem probable is probably the correct one." Was her somewhat cryptic reply. She sat closer to him and looked down at his hand, smiling a bit wider with fondness as she found that he was warmer than her for once.

 

[TheJaydeWriter]

Isaac gently smiled at her and raised her hand to his lips. He kissed it and gave her a slightly devilish smile.


"You should be lucky I am such a gentlemen. Most men would take advantage of you." He chuckled and released her hand. She seemed to be warming up but her fingers were still cold.


He very badly wanted to kiss her but he was in a battle with himself. If he did and mad her care more, it would only make it harder when he would make her leave. He didn't want to break her heart. He would want their last memory together to be a happy one, not a sad one.


As if he had no control over his own actions, he pulled her to him again and placed a kiss on her cheek and then one on the corner of her mouth. Her face was warm now to his touch but it still sent shivers through him. HE planned to move his lips to her but the words Olivia said to her about Marcus made him stop.


Quickly he leaned back and tired his best to play it off.


"Sorry....I didn't mean to. I have no right to act this way," He looked ashamed in his action and turned to look into the fire.


"How about tomorrow, I take your into town. You can visit your friends and the man at the dress shop. We can go shopping and get you what ever you like. The sun should come out tomorrow and it would be a lovely day int he snow?"

 

[QueenMischief]

Annabelle smiled, her cheeks blushing lightly. "I would like that very much Issac." She said in a soft voice. She then held his opposite cheek with one hand to keep him in place as she placed a kiss on his jawline, then his cheek. "Can I stay on the floor of your room tonight? The room I'm in now scares me a bit at night..." She admitted, she didn't know that Olivia would be staying in his room for the night.

 

[TheJaydeWriter]

As Annabelle kissed his cheek and jawline, a shiver went through his body and made it act on it own. Swiftly but gently, Isaac pinned Annabelle the floor and hovered over her. Her wrists where pinned under his hands and his face was close to hers. He so badly wanted to kiss her but something kept him from moving forward. Her body was now warm underneath his, and the fire had heated the whole room. She looked lovely in the fire's glow and it made his heart pound.


"Then I will take you." He leaned forwards and kissed the curve of her neck softly, lingering for only a second but then moving away. The throbbing of his injured arm started to bring him back to the real world and he couldn't help but hide his face in her shoulder.


"You should be scared of me. I don't deserve this from you. From anyone." He kept her hands pinned but his head face hidden. After a few seconds, he finally released her and stood up.


"Olivia is using my bed tonight, but i can move her to yours. And I won't make you sleep on the floor. I can stay in my reading chair while you take my bed. It won't be the first time I have slept in that chair and it most likely won't be my last since it is where i tend to sleep anyway after reading."


Lowering a hand, he helped her up and gave her a shy smile.


He needed to stop this in its tracks so she wouldn't be hurt later.


"Come, lets get to you bed. We have good day ahead of us and you will need sleep."

 

[QueenMischief]

Annabelle had felt her heart thud loudly within her chest when Issac was hovered above her. She licked her lips when his face was just inches from her, she wanted him to kiss her yet she was still concerned about where they stood, she wanted to play it safe. Once she was upright she caressed his cheek then brought it down along his good arm which she gently hooked around and stayed closed to. "If you are okay with that, I would like that very much, our encounter with the wolves shook me up quite a bit." She admitted. "And I don't really want to be alone tonight."

 

[TheJaydeWriter]

Isaac nodded and led her up to his bedroom. Olivia was sitting in his reading chair, going through some of this books he had laying around it.


"You two kiss and make up?" She asked sarcastically.


"Out. Go to Annabelle's room to sleep tonight." Isaac grabbed her arms and started to push her out the door.


"Oh la la, what a snake you..." Before she could finish her sentence, Isaac shut the door in her face and signed. He didn't know how much more of her he could take.


"Go ahead and take my bed and get some sleep. We get up after you get enough rest and we can go out on the town." He smiled to her and fell back into his chair, clearly tired and stressed. The fire was started to dim down but he didn't bother trying to put more wood in it. The room would be warm enough till the time came for the morning fire and this meant he wouldn't have to put it out himself before he went to sleep. Propping his feet up on the table in front of the chair, Isaac watched Annabelle for a second but then looked away to give her any privacy she may need,


"Ill be here tonight. You don't have to be scared."

 

[QueenMischief]

Annabelle smiled then gently kissed the side of his head. "Thank you Issac, good night." She said tenderly. She then went over to the side of the bed and slipped off her dress so she was only in her slip after taking off her brassiere. She cuddled under the blankets and smiled softly as she looked at Issac sitting there. Suddenly, she could not imagine sleeping without him in the room... She felt her eyelids droop and soon she was off to sleep.


The following morning she dreamt of Issac and her being together, she dreamt of him hovered above her like last night, kissing her neck and... other places. She sighed with pleasure in her sleep and quietly called his name, "Issac..."

 

[TheJaydeWriter]

Isaac hardly slept a wink last night. Every time he started to dose off, he would either dream of Annabelle or Marcus. He knew what he had to do to protect her and today would be the first step. He could see her getting use to him and the actions they had last night clearly showed him where she stood. But where did he stand? Isaac didn't want to admit that he cared more for the girl then he had before, only because that was a dangerous move on both their lives. He was going to send her away soon and he knew it would break her heart if he got any closer. She was even willing to run out into the woods to get back to him. But did she because she wanted to be near him or because this was what she was use to. If she had her family, friends and french lover in front of her and him behind her, he could assume she would go to them. They could give her things he never could.


Through the night Isaac sat there. At the times he didn't doze off, he watched her sleep. She looked peaceful and relaxed, maybe even happy to him? She truly was a beautiful girl. And that meant she should leave anymore. As the sun started to rise in the sky, Isaac heard his name played out softly from her sleeping lip. He was confused at first, thinking she was awake and asking for him but when he got up and move to her, he could see she was still sleeping.


He was going to wake her but from the sound of her sighs, he stopped and tried to think of what to do.


He wanted to wake her with a kiss but that would be both inappropriate and also he would be assume thing that was what she wanted. Of course there were other things he wanted to do. The same things that made him push her down last night and pin her.


Isaac reached down and smile softly at her relaxed raced and traced his thumb over her soft lips and down her daw. He thing brushed some hair back and kissed her lightly enough so it wouldn't wake her.


Maybe this was the only time he could do that.


For her sake it, he shouldn't but he couldn't help himself.


A small knock on the door woke him and he turned to see his butler at the door. Isaac nodded at him and grabbed his coat. They had things to get ready before Annabelle would wake. Breakfast, money, and a way to town. He didn't have a carriage so he could have to call for one or send someone to grab it. Olivia was properly the best person for that job, because she would get the most beautiful one.


"I'm coming." He whispered to his butler. He turned back to Annabelle and pulled the blankets up on her to keep her warm. Her brushed her hair back one more time before turning and leaving the room.


_______


"GGGooooooddddd Morning!" Olivia sang from the stair way. Isaac glared at her and shushed her.


"Annabelle is still sleeping and after the horror you sent her into, you could at least be respectful and let her sleep." Isaac snapped as he went into the dinner room to help prepare breakfast for Annabelle.


"Fine fine fine. Don't be such a snob." Olivia followed and sat down at the table. There was an assortment of cheeses, fruits, breads and creams laid out on the table. Olivia started to help herself to the food. Normally Isaac would swat her hand and tell her to wait but he wanted her to leave soon and grab a carriage for them.


"When you are finished, I need you to ride into town and grab me a carriage. Im taking Annabelle out to the town today for shopping and I also need to take care of some stuff." Isaac sat in his chair and watched Olivia nod while she ate.


"And what about Marcus? Still planning on keeping her here in danger?" She asked


"No, I plan on doing something about it. Thats one of the reasons I need to go to town."


"Wow, you are going to scared the pants off some people. Everyone down there thinks you some old man ghost."


Isaac couldn't help but laugh at her statement and remember a time when he thought the same of himself. Not the old part but the ghost. Since Annabelle arrival, he has felt more and more alive.


"Finish and go off. I would like it to be here when she is finished eating."

 

[QueenMischief]

Annabelle smiled when she felt his feather light kiss, though she associated it to be apart of the dream. She woke up ten minutes later and rubbed her eyes. She looked around the room for Issac but he wasn't there. So she changed into a flattering sapphire blue dress, which accentuated every curve of her hourglass figure perfectly with just the right amount of cleavage. She fixed up her hair and put on a small amount of powder before going downstairs to meet Issac for breakfast.


Once she saw him she felt a blush rise in her cheeks and she smiled shyly. "Good morning Issac." She said with a gentle voice and came over to him, looking into his eyes sweetly. "I am very excited to go out into town with you."

 

[TheJaydeWriter]

"Ah, good morning. You are looking beautiful and Im excited to go to town with you as well. It has been years since I have been down there, so it will be nice to see what has changed." Isaac smiled up at Annabelle and got up to pull out her chair next to him. He served her her drink and brought the food plate up close, so she could eat.


Olivia was already gone and on her way to grab a carriage. It would be another hour before she arrive back. Not because of distance for her but because it was Olivia. She would take her sweet time on purpose but come back with something beautiful.


The butler came in and set the both down a cup of tea, gave a light bow to Isaac and went back into the kitchen to have his own meal. Isaac watched and waited for him to be gone and it to be just the two of them before saying anything.


"How did you sleep? I hope you didn't have any nightmares? Good dreams perhaps?" Isaac gave her a quick playful smirk before taking a sip of his tea. He didn't mean to tease her but he was in a bright mood that day. Nervous but bright.

 

[QueenMischief]

Annabelle blushed light pink. "Yes, good dreams." She agreed sheepishly as she ate her food. "I slept very well for the first time since I've been here." She said happily. She looked at Issac, he seemed so much more alive than when she had first met him, she was very pleased about the development. "Did you sleep well Issac? I'm sorry you ended up in your reading chair..." She said, looking a little guilty.

 

[TheJaydeWriter]

"Trust me. I sleep more in that reading chair then I do my own bed. I end up falling asleep while reading a lot. So you don't have to worry." He gave her a smile and a nod to reassure her. There was a news paper that the butler had brought in for him but this time he didn't bother to read it. He had other things on his mind. Other people on his mind. One of them was sitting in front of him.


Reaching over and touching her hand gently, he pick it up and brought it to his lips. Softly he kissed her knuckled and then released her hand.


"If there anywhere you would like to go today? The whole day if for you. You can visit and shop. Do anything you wish." He returned back to drinking his tea.