by G. Bailey
I blink my eyes open, feeling a sharp ache on the side of my head which my hand flies to, flinching as it hurts to touch it. My hair is sticky, no doubt from blood, and the room is blurry as I keep blinking my eyes to make it focus.
“I wouldn’t touch it, because that will hurt. I can get you more ice while we wait for you to heal, if you’re in pain,” a kind voice drifts to me, and I sit up, looking over at Austin’s sister, Aliana, sitting on a chair on the other side of the room. She puts the book she was reading down and nervously smiles at me. Her long hair is up in a ponytail, and her eyes, much like Austin’s, watch me like I’m about to attack her. She is still wearing a very old-fashioned dress much like when I saw her last time, though this one is knee length and covered in bees instead of flowers. The pattern just adds to the nausea I am already feeling right now. My coat is hanging on a chair near the bed, and my white clothes have dots of blood down them from my head no doubt. The burn marks on my stomach just cause me emotional pain that my mum attacked me like that.
“Bucket?” I barely get to ask before I’m heaving, holding a hand over my mouth. The next thing I see is a bucket under my face before I throw up, feeling Aliana holding my hair away from my face. She rubs my back while soothingly humming for a while. It does help, even if I don’t know Aliana that well.
“I’ve read up on humans, and apparently being sick after a head injury is a sign of concussion. The treatment for concussion is to be watched for twenty-four hours and rest. Though I think with your mixed blood you should recover sooner than that,” Aliana rambles on as I lift my head, and she hands me a towel. I wipe my face as she takes the bucket off me and disappears through a door in the room.
I hear the sound of running water as I look around the bedroom we are in. It’s cute and full of teddy bears. There are dozens of them, all different colours and shapes. I’m not sure if they are cute or creepy as they all stare at me. I’m going with creepy for now. I move the baby pink sheets off me to stand up, only the room spins.
“Wait! You shouldn’t get up for now. Take things slow, Aura!” she warns.
I sit back down as Aliana runs over to me, carefully balancing a glass of water in her hands. She has a point. I do need to sit for a bit.
“Thanks, but where are we?” I ask, accepting the water which really helps me feel better as I drink some. Aliana nervously sits next to me, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear that escaped her ponytail before rubbing her hands together.
“Dad thought you staying in my rooms might make you trust us more. So, from now on, you’re in here with me,” she tells me, which I could have guessed by this point. From what my mum said, Aliana is my cousin and Okeken my uncle. I guess he wants the whole family together, and me to believe every lie that slips out of his lips. Luckily, I wasn’t born yesterday and don’t trust him for shit. I’m not sure I can trust Aliana, but what little I know of her so far suggests she isn’t as crazy as the rest of her family. She just seems quiet, lost, and way too innocent.
“No. I want to go back to my old rooms next to Maxx,” I say, shaking my head which doesn’t make me feel any better as it makes the room spin. It takes me a moment of holding my head before I can get the room back into focus. Damn, my mum hit me hard. Aliana flashes me a sympathetic gaze when I finally look her way, but she doesn’t say a word.
“Do you want a cup of tea? I’ve read that British people love tea,” she asks. “I don’t know if that is true anymore. The books I have are pretty old, but when I stayed at Landon’s, he made me a lot of cups of tea all day. It seems like a thing.”
“No! Well yes, I do want one, because who doesn’t want a cup of tea when you feel like crap, but really, I just want to get out of here,” I tell her, and she sighs, shaking her head.
“The reason my dad put you in here with me is that the doors are locked all the time. I’m not allowed to walk around the mountain without guards. Sometimes, I don’t see anyone but the guard that brings me food every morning. My dad wants me safe and ,well, now you too,” she tells me, squishing any hope that I can escape here on my own.
“Then why did he put me in here with you? I could kill you,” I inquire. If he cares so much about his daughter’s safety, he shouldn’t put a stranger he kidnapped in with her. A quick glance around the room shows me there are no clear cameras, and it wouldn’t matter anyways, I could attack her before they could stop me.
“I doubt you will hurt me because my dad is clearly sure you won’t. Landon and everyone you care about would be dead in seconds if you did,” she says, her voice catching on Landon’s name. She must really care for him, and I can’t help feeling sorry for her that Landon won’t ever care for her in the same way. She is a pretty girl though, so hopefully she can just move on over time. But for now, I need to get us out of here, and I can’t be worrying about her. Cousin or not, she is Austin’s sister.
“You love Landon, right?” I ask her.
“No,” she replies, her cheeks lighting up brightly, suggesting otherwise. “We are just promised to each other. I know he doesn’t feel that way about me. I’m not stupid, but I do care about Landon anyway. I don’t want him to die.”
“Landon is my best friend, and if you helped me escape—”
“I’m weak and no use to you, so don’t try that. That’s another reason my dad happily put you in here with me. I can only just make my hands light up, but not hot enough to burn something. So don’t go expecting me to be of any use to you,” she warns. I sigh, rubbing my head with my spare hand and looking around the room. I’m trapped here for now, and I know my dreams with Maxx are still safe at least.
“Please say there is somewhere else I can sleep without all the teddy bears?” I ask instead.
“Yep. This is one of the three spare rooms. The other two don’t have teddies in them. Austin just put you in here, and I couldn’t carry you out,” she says, standing up as I shiver in disgust that Austin was holding me. Aliana places a hand on a teddy just above my head. “I don’t like the teddies either. Each one is a sorry from my dad for locking me in here and forgetting about me. As you can see, I’ve been in this prison for a long time.”
“Why don’t you get rid of them all?” I ask. “I would have destroyed them all by now.”
“Because sometimes I like to look at them all in here and remember not to always love my dad. It’s a good way to remember that the war has always meant more than anyone else to my family,” she says, moving her hand away and crossing her arms. Seems Aliana is not team crazy pants all that much. I should give her the benefit of the doubt for now.
“That’s sad,” I mutter, knowing there isn’t much I could say to comfort her. I always had my dad around, I don’t know how she is feeling.
“Yep, but life is generally sad. It just makes the happy times…well, better,” she says, with a slight shrug and straightens up, smiling. “Come on, will you let me show you around if you are feeling better?” She walks to the door and holds it open, waiting for my decision. Aliana is just a lonely girl trapped by war and her father’s need to win. She is my cousin, so perhaps getting to know her might be the only good thing that is going to come out of this hellhole.
Chapter 12
Aura
“This is the living room. That is the door to the bathroom, and the three doors next to it are the bedrooms. Yours is the one in the middle and mine is next door,” Aliana goes on, showing me around and speaking so quickly that I struggle to catch everything she is saying. “I will make your bed, and you need to tell me what foods you like so I can request it from the guard in the morning. My favourite is tomato soup, though I doubt yours is the same.” I think she is just nervous or unsocialised, from what she has told me, and doesn’t know when to stop talking. It’s almost cute, but I could imagine it gets annoying after a little while, though I’ve never been a talker.
I pull my eyes from Aliana to the row of doors next to the one we came out from and back to the massive room we are stood in. It’s a
mix of a kitchen, dining room, study and living room in one. The kitchen is modern, with a table and chairs next to it on the far side of the room. There are sofas right in front of us, and behind that is a study with bookcases and a desk. No laptop or computer in sight though. In fact, there is no television either or anything like it. Everything looks used but kept very clean and tidy. It’s like there is a place for everything and nothing ever moves. Poor Aliana.
“Do you have a phone? Television? Wi-Fi?” I ask her, and she shakes her head, holding her arm with her one hand.
“Dad thinks things like that would fill my head with human rubbish and distract me from my studies of the history of our people,” she says, leaning against the back of the sofa.
“Damn. That’s really sad,” I admit. I really feel sorry for her now. Looks like I’m not the only one that needs to escape from this place.
“I never missed it because I didn’t know what it was like to have those things. You know? Though Landon did show me some movies when I was living there. I miss the television now,” she says, and to my surprise, I smile at her.
“Then what do you do for fun here?” I ask her. “Please don’t say you do yoga or exercise.”
“No, that’s not fun. Do humans actually exercise for fun?” she asks, and I nod, making her laugh. “Oh, there is this!” she excitedly says suddenly, walking over to the wall on the other side. There is a row of switches and Aliana presses the top one. I watch as the wall slowly slides to the left, revealing a balcony overlooking the breathtakingly beautiful mountains. I keep still as I feel the cold breeze blow against my skin. I walk straight outside, shivering as I look down at the mountain below us and wondering why it isn’t actually freezing. The floor actually feels warm, and there is a warm breeze coming from somewhere.
“It’s got outdoor heating, so I can sit out here for hours with a coat on, of course,” Aliana explains to me without me even having to ask. The mountains are foggy with thick clouds hanging above that make the mountains look like they disappear into them. We are pretty high up, and looking down only makes me feel sick from the height. If I weren’t scared of falling, I would consider rock climbing to escape this hell hole.
“Don’t they worry you would go so stir crazy in here, that you might jump?” I jokingly ask her. When I glance to my left, seeing Aliana staring at me like I’ve just figured out a secret of hers, I know she has thought about it. At least once. Her life must be terrible in here to even think of that way of getting out.
“My sister would never be that stupid,” Austin’s cold voice comes from right behind me, making us both jump in shock. I turn, seeing him stood in the doorway in black clothes, his arms crossed and a furious expression on his face as he stares at me.
“Hey, brother,” Aliana gently greets him, and after a little while, he pulls his gaze from me to Aliana and smiles.
“Don’t become friends with this one, Ali. She is insane because she is in love with a light that would kill her in a heartbeat if he had a chance,” Austin informs her. I bite my lip and try hard not to say anything. It isn’t worth the argument with the psychopath. I know Maxx wouldn’t hurt me on purpose. He could have dozens of times in the past, and he never did. It wouldn’t make any sense for him to kill me now. I don’t know exactly when it happened, but I know I trust Maxx with all of me. Even my soul at this point. I never believed in soulmates or fairy tales as a kid, let alone aliens. Now I know it is all real, and that means there is a chance “happily ever after” exists. I’m going to fight for that small chance.
“I can judge Aura myself. Thanks, brother,” Aliana replies, her distaste for her brother’s authority clear in her tone.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I told dad she can’t be trusted, but he didn’t listen as usual,” Austin mutters.
“Whatever, Austin. What do you want?” she asks, crossing her arms with a glare on her face.
“It is training time for the lovely Aura. She needs to drain a light to heal that bump of hers,” he tells us. “She is still so very half human, more than what she should be.”
“I don’t think—”
“Keep your head in your books, sis, and don’t get involved,” Austin snaps at Aliana, and she angrily looks away, meeting my eyes with a clear apology for only a moment. “Now let’s go, Aura. Don’t make me hurt Landon to get you to do as you are told.” Austin holds a hand out for me, and I feel like accepting it is the last thing I want to do.
“Fine.” I only give him a one word answer before sliding my hand into his, and he makes us disappear straight away. We reappear in the same room we were in the last time he made me drain someone, though this time Landon isn’t here. The room is empty in fact. I quickly pull my hand away and step back, watching Austin like a dangerous creature about to attack. And being honest with myself, I can’t trust him not to.
"Do you want to know what is on the menu today?" he asks, laughing at my horror and disgust.
"Not really, but being the sick weirdo you are, I know you are going to tell me," I snap, and he steps towards me, lowering his arms to his side. Austin reminds me of a lion, in a way. He is handsome, but his looks only serve to trick you into becoming his prey. Under the illusion of his appearance, there is nothing but death waiting to take you.
"Tut-tut, Aura. Don't be so rude," Austin says, smiling at me like a cat as he steps closer once again. "I've been speaking to my father. Do you want to know what about?"
"No," I reply. I don’t want to know a single thing about Austin and his father, but again I know he will tell me.
"I'm going to pretend you said yes and tell you anyway. I know you will be happy," he says, still smiling and stepping closer again. "I want to go through with the mating, and my father has agreed. I think it would be good for us both. We have been promised to each other for so many years."
"You can shove that idea right up your arse. I am not mating to you because my mum promised! I never promised anything!" I shout at him in frustration. "You only want me because of the true light."
"True, though you are so beautiful, Aura,” he purrs, and I shiver in disgust as I step back. “A simple person like you could never use the power of the true light properly, and you need me to help guide you," he says, grinning widely.
"This 'simple' person is going to kill you. Slowly," I warn him, my power lighting my hands up, and he laughs loudly.
"Oh, little one, you have no clue how to really use your power, and you could never actually hurt me. All you are going to do is get yourself killed," he says, laughing as I shake my head and hold my hands up.
"I might not be strong enough to kill you yet, but one day, Austin. I will never forget, and one day, I will be the one that finishes your pathetic life," I emotionlessly say, dropping my hands and watching his face go red in anger. Austin walks straight up to me and slaps me hard across the face, sending me flying to the floor as I taste blood in my mouth. I wipe it away with the back of my hand as I look up at him.
"Try it, you stupid little half. You will mate with me, you will do what I tell you. Now I’m going to get your next victim to kill. The mood I’m in, I might pay Landon a visit and show him how much you have pissed me off," he threatens. Though I know it isn’t just a threat. He would beat the crap out of Landon to upset me.
"Don't," I ask and lower my voice. “Please.” Austin smiles like he has won, which in this moment, it feels like he has.
"Then shut up, and do as your told," he warns and walks to the door, opening it and leaving me on the floor, wiping the blood from my cheek. I spend the next few minutes getting ready for whoever he brings through the door, and who I know I will have to kill.
Chapter 13
Aura
“Maxx, stop! You win! I was lying about not being ticklish!” I chuckle, pushing Maxx’s hands away from my waist as he tickles me on the cloud. He chuckles, rolling onto his back at my side as I turn my head to look at him. His black hair covers his eyes a little, much in need of a little ha
ir cut but somehow, I think I like it this way. It makes him less scary, softer. I reach over pushing the soft strands away with the tips of my fingers.
“Tell me something random. Something not many people know about Aura Scott,” Maxx asks, staring at me like I’m the centre of the universe or something. The way he looks at me in these last few days, well they make me forget how bad it is when I am awake.
“Will you tell me something in return?” I counter. If he wants me to share secrets, I want one back at least. Only seems fair.
“Yes, freckles,” he says, reaching over and taking my hand, linking our fingers as I think of something to tell Maxx. I’m quite for a while, not sure what to tell him until something suddenly comes into my mind.
“When I was a kid, I asked my dad where babies came from. He went bright red and told me you bought them on Ebay. I literally believed that until I was twelve…” I confess, and he laughs, just like I thought he would. I was more embarrassed when sex education class at school told me the truth and I hadn’t got a clue what they were talking about. It was a shocking learning experience to say the least. When I questioned my dad about it, he could only grumble about how it was my mums’ job to tell me the truth.
“That is a good one. Okay, my turn…” he drifts off, staring into my eyes for a moment but it is clear his mind is thinking of something to tell me.
“When I first met you, I didn’t want to leave. Even though I had healed you and you were okay, the police were on their way…I could barely drag myself away. When you came to the village, being away from you actually began to hurt. I acted out, got jealous of you talking to any guy and overall acted like an idiot, but it was because of damn enchanting you are. People had warned me what it was like to meet the other half of your soul, but nothing could have prepared me for meeting you,” he tells me, making me feel like I can’t breathe. Sometimes he could be a right asshole, and he certainly has been in the past, but I understand his reasoning for being one. He thought us being together would only put me in danger and get me killed. Now that we are both powerless, there is no point either of us trying to push each other away for safety. We are better together.
