by V L Friends
“Well, thank you for all your help. He seems to put his faith in you.” I thought I would try to be nice.
“Ya…well,” he seemed to dismiss me. “I have some instructions for you. First of all, do not leave this room for any reason. I will be here to check on you often. I will bring you dinner later. If you need anything I will leave my pager number. Also, do not open the windows, ever. Can you follow those rules?”
I nodded.
“Good.” He was walking toward the door now. “I will be back later. Oh, and by the way, we will be sharing a bed. The night hours are very active around here so you will need extra protection.”
“Sharing a bed? Is that really necessary?” I asked.
“Let me be clear.” Sebastian was now directing his stern gaze on me. “Babysitting a human is not on my list of things I would rather be doing.”
“Well, aren’t you a treasure?” I mumbled under my breath as I turned to look out the window, longing to be somewhere else right now.
“Pardon me?” He heard me but was looking to scorn me for my attitude. Too bad I ignored him.
He really needed to be gone before I lost my temper. I knew he had the upper hand and I would not win whatever verbal sparring match we were leading into.
“Never mind. You can be on your way. Don’t worry about me. I will be fine here,” I said, starting to unpack my things.
The brooding dark walker stormed out and I felt all tension leave the room with him. I glanced around the room, taking in the beautifully maintained antique furniture and the four-poster bed. The white feather comforter was calling my name, as I realized I was so tired I was ready to drop. The room was decorated in dark wood and white colors and was obviously masculine but very clean and inviting. There was a large bathroom, complete with a large round tub and a shower which had a clear glass enclosure and doors offering no privacy. Of course, what did I expect from a walker? He had insisted I stay in his room and I didn’t mind it, honestly, but I was not sure about the company and I hoped I would not see him much.
As I let the soft feather bed envelop me, I felt myself begin to drift off. I should only have to endure this a few days. I was just here to ensure that Julian would get the best care and I would assure he was well on his way to recovery. After that I was free to go. In the meantime I would make the best of this.
I awoke suddenly with a start and saw only pitch black. The pain in my ears as I endured sensory overload was immense. I could hear what sounded like a hundred voices calling all at once through a megaphone erupting through my ears and pounding in my head. To make matters worse, I was also recovering from a nightmare. I was being hunted by wolves with my only ally being Lucian’s panther, Kira. I let out a screech as I clamped my hands over my ears in an attempt to block out the overload in my head.
A man’s arm was wrapped over me. I pushed it away and stumbled out of bed onto the floor.
“Lucian?” I cried out, feeling disoriented.
“What the heck is wrong with you?” said a masculine voice next to me.
A light switched on and my eyes were now in pain as well. Dark eyes peered down at me from the bed. I must have been quite a sight. I was a heap on the floor, now in the fetal position, trying hard to plug my ears and close my eyes tight.
Sometimes this would happen to me. Shane explained it to me as having sensory overload. It was a side effect of the gift of super hearing. I just laid there in the fetal position clutching my ears and groaning. I knew from experience that it would stop soon. I just had to wait it out.
“Are you in pain?” The dark-haired, half-dressed man was by my side with his voice of concern.
“I am on sensory overload,” I panted, yelling my response as if to call out over the noise. “It will stop soon,” I managed to say.
It took a few minutes but I finally was able to move from the fetal position and sit up. My ears were still ringing a little but I was much better.
It took me a minute before I remembered who this gorgeous, shirtless, rather tall, dark-haired man was and I let out a sigh of disappointment, but I didn’t quite catch myself before I spoke what I thought.
“Oh… it’s you,” I let out. Sebastian just ignored my rudeness.
“Fascinating.” Sebastian looked at me with intrigue instead of disdain.
“What?” I asked.
“Your father tells me you are half human and half walker. I wonder if this is to do with one part of your human nature in conflict with the walker in you?”
“Huh, whatever that means,” I said, shrugging him off as I tried to stand.
“You would be an interesting study. I have never met a hybrid before.”
“Oh, so suddenly I am worthy of your time. How privileged I am.” I was irritated with his snobbery. I really needed fresh air so I stumbled up from the floor and began the task of trying to open a window.
Giving up on trying to open the window latch myself, I simply demanded the window be opened. Sebastian paused for a bit to consider my demand, then finally agreed that, since he was in the room, he would allow it. I rolled my eyes as he began giving me the same lecture about not having open windows lest one of his guests catch my scent and try to get in. Seriously, was he annoying or what?
“Can I ask you a question?” I asked, observing as he pushed open a heavy window.
“Well, I don’t know. Are you capable of asking a question?” he said and I ignored his condescending manner.
“I understand that you need to be in the same room as me at night, as you say, for my protection, but I am wondering, is there a reason for you having to be half-dressed as well?” I signaled to his bare chest with annoyance. “And why in God’s name do we have to be in the same bed, for crying out loud?!”
“Night is a very dangerous time here. Most of my patients are recovering from or fighting vampirism. Night is their most active time. I need to make sure you are at my side all night to assure your safety. As for my attire… Well, I have a right to be comfortable in my own room, don’t I? Are you uncomfortable with the male anatomy?” Sebastian said it not like a normal man but like an indifferent scientist examining his subject and that only made me more annoyed.
“Never mind!” I huffed.
He didn’t let it go.
“You should be happy that I didn’t opt for sleeping naked.” His normal expressionless face twitched for a second as if he was withholding a smile.
A week went by and I had barely seen Julian. He seemed to be recovering, albeit slowly, for a walker. I was not allowed to leave Sebastian’s room so the only person I ever saw was him when he brought me meals or paid me his dutiful visit so I would not get lonely. He would ask me many questions about myself and seemed to linger longer and longer each visit.
I was not sure what to make of his increasing curiosity of me, nor did I understand why he spent so much time around me because all we seemed to do was bicker.
Sebastian caught word of me bribing the maid for a phone and became angry. I had tried to call Caleb or Shane but there was no answer.
“You don’t do anything in this house without my permission! Is that clear?” I watched, wide-eyed with interest; as he spoke the vein on his forehead appeared to throb and he shook his finger at me with rage. Sometimes when I got him this angry one of his black curls would escape and bounce in his face before he would shove it back into place.
“Why?” I asked.
“You know very well it is not safe for you to call anyone,” he said.
“Are you always this uptight? Take it easy. You’re acting like a prison guard,” I said as I held back a chuckle, but there was no missing my amusement.
He was so mad I thought the vein in his forehead was going to pop out of his skin, it was bulging so much.
“Seriously, you might want to consider a vacation. I’m just sayin’…” I said, lifting my hands up in emphasis.
He stormed out of the room. I imagined Julian was going to get an earful from his uptight friend. I
almost felt sorry for the guy. I was amusing myself at his expense and I was starting to feel a little guilty… just a little.
When Sebastian came back in the room a few hours later he was demanding.
“You are in need of some exercise. Get dressed; we are going horseback riding!” he insisted.
Wow, if I didn’t know better I would swear he was reading my mind.
I was surprised that he would not let me have my own horse. It felt like I was never going to be rid of him.
“I thought horses didn’t like walkers?” I asked.
“It turns out that they will let us on them as long as a human is on them at the same time. These horses were raised by a walker, so they are easier going,” he said.
“I see.”
We rode in silence for a time but I could tell he had something on his mind. He just seemed so deep in thought, so I asked him.
“Are you okay? You seem to be troubled.”
“I am just wondering…” He was hesitant.
“Would you ever consider turning into a walker?” Before I could reply he felt he had to elaborate. “If you became one, there would be no need to protect you so much. You would not have to be so afraid of Louis killing you. It’s just that it would make everything so much easier for everyone.”
“Wow, you have no idea who I am, do you? Do you even know why Louis wants me dead? Really, didn’t Julian tell you?”
“No, he just said you ticked him off. I just can’t imagine how that could happen,” Sebastian said and I almost saw amusement in his eyes. Almost.
“Wow, did you just crack a joke?” I said teasingly. “Well, maybe you should ask him. No, to answer your question, I would never consider becoming a walker. I am terribly sorry I am such a burden to you. I will be leaving as soon as Julian is on his feet again. Speaking of Julian, how is he and when can I see him?” I asked.
“You can see him anytime now. He is able to walk and is recovering well. Louis really did a number on him.”
“Wait, it was Louis that did that to Julian? I thought it was the angels that locked him in the cellar.”
“Yeah, they did, but Louis found him and began torturing him. He apparently has discovered a way to torture walkers and kill them slowly. I think he used a kind of acid to burn the body.”
“What a horrible thing for him to go through!” I felt queasy just at the thought.
Sebastian dismounted, as we were back at the stables next to his home.
“I will let you take the horse into the stall. Dylan, the stable boy, should be there to take the horse. I will see you later then.”
When he was gone I took the opportunity to ride by myself for a while. I turned back and rode down the mountain and into the woods for a quick run. It felt invigorating to ride, for it had been awhile. When I finally made it back to the stables the stable boy was waiting for me. I insisted on taking the horse in and brushing him down myself. Dylan was quite a chatty young boy. He may have been about 11 or 12 but knew a lot about horses.
“Hey, Miss, do you play chess?” he asked. He had an English accent.
I had not had anyone else to talk to for well over a week now so I welcomed the company.
“Well, yes I do, as a matter of fact,” I said.
After a friendly game of chess, which he won, Dylan walked me back to the house. He seemed quite friendly.
“How long have you worked here?” I asked.
“Oh, I’ve been with Sir Crane for a hundred years or more,” he said.
“What do you mean? You’re not a walker, are you?” I was shocked, for I had never heard of a child walker.
“Yep, and if it wasn’t for him, I’d be lost,” Dylan said. “Ya know, I may be the only one who knows how old he really is? Did you know he used to be a king?”
“No.” I was astonished at this news. This piqued my interest and I was remembering what Lucian had told me about a king.
“How old is he?”
“Sorry, I am sworn to secrecy,” he said.
“Wait! Is this the infamous missing walker king?!” I had to know.
Dylan turned to me, giving me a grave expression, so I leaned in as if he would tell me a secret.
“Look, if I tell you, you must never utter a word about this to anyone,” he said.
“Yes, yes, of course! Cross my heart...” I made a sign over my heart.
“…and hope to die!” The boy gave me a spooky smile.
“Uhhh…” I was a little weary at his expression, as if he might actually kill me.
He waved his hand as if to wave away the words.
“Never mind, just don’t tell, Miss,” he said.
“He is the walker king but no one knows he is here. King Sebastian Crane is an ancient. Did you know that? No one knows just how old he is for sure.”
“Why is he in hiding?” I asked, excited to gain some information.
The boy paused and seemed to consider if he should say.
“Well, he didn’t use to be the good man he is today, you see. He was connected with a great evil. That evil caused so much death and pain. It is said that one day, it was as if the real him just woke up. He was so overwhelmingly disgusted and shamed at what he had become that he vowed to never do evil’s bidding again. He has spent the rest of his existence serving. He was even a monk for a time,” Dylan said and I could see the admiration for the king in his eyes.
When we got to the door, Dylan turned and grabbed my hand.
“Here you are, ma’am. Let me know if you need company and I will be happy to visit you. I am a good secret keeper. So, if you have any…”
Dylan gave me a wink, kissed my hand, and bowed, then turned on his heels and skipped off.
“Thank you, Dylan. I will let you know!” I yelled after him.
I was greeted at the door by a servant who seemed frantic.
“There you are! It’s almost dinnertime. You must get in your room!” she said as she rushed me up the stairs.
As I was being pulled along by this servant we ran into one of the guests.
“Easy now, you are going to pull the poor girl’s arm off!” said the amused voice of a young man.
“Hello, my name is Dirk. Are you okay, Miss?” A young man with bright blue eyes and short blond hair grabbed my hand.
“Why have I not seen you around here before? Is Sebastian holding out on us?”
“You mind your business. She is a guest of Mr. Crane’s. Just go about your business and leave her alone,” said the servant, pulling me along.
She practically threw me in the room and slammed the door and locked it. Apparently, Sebastian was throwing a dinner party for all of his guests, except me, of course. No doubt Julian would be a part of it. I wished I could see him. Seb said he was still not completely healed and he was afraid the temptation of wanting my blood was still possible. That seemed strange since Sebastian just said he was okay and walking around. Could Julian be avoiding me?
Maybe Jules just didn’t want to see me.
I finally made the decision that tomorrow I would announce that, unless I saw Julian, I would be leaving this estate. I had better things to do than to wait around for someone who didn’t want to see me. I would let him know that he need not have any obligation to me just because I saved his life. It was hard to know where we stood and if he was still angry with me for raising that witch from the dead and leading her to Christ. I thought I should give him a way out of this relationship in case it had become too much for him.
Sebastian came in the room to bring me a tray of dinner. He was dressed up in a suit and a tie.
“You clean up nice,” I said with a whistle.
“Don’t talk nice to me. I am mad at you. You just can’t seem to stay out of sight. You don’t even seem to care how much danger you are in and what you are putting me through,” he said, putting down my tray.
“So, you are mad at me then? What else is new?” I sighed.
He sneered at me and walked out of the room.
<
br /> I had to smile. I would almost miss him when I left. I admit that I had grown used to him sleeping next to me every night. It was like having my own personal grumpy teddy bear who couldn’t stand me. I had become used to his demeanor and I felt very amused by him. The new information I gained about him being the missing walker king made him even more of a mystery.
One night I decided to try something. I rolled over and peered over the pillow barrier I had created between us, then removed one pillow and slipped an arm out over his chest, trying to make it seem like it was a spontaneous move in my sleep. I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep. It was an experiment to see if he would tolerate it or move me away. I don’t know if I was bored, trying to gather information to see if he was interested in me, or testing boundaries. Perhaps it was all of the above. I kept telling myself that his was strictly experimental, of course. He let me do it. In fact, I even fell asleep for real on him and woke up in the morning to him staring at me with curiosity while I lifted my head from his chest.
At the time I was bored, so I did more of these social experiments by occasionally brushing up against him, standing a little too close, giving unwavering eye contact, and I even would reach out and touch his arm during conversation. Once I reached out to brush a piece of stray hair but shrunk back at the last second, wondering if I would be going too far. Things were starting to get complicated. I noticed that he no longer looked at me with the same contempt as when we first met. The night I snuggled into him, I could have sworn I heard him sigh with contentment. Maybe it was just my wishful thinking, but he seemed to even like me a little. Of course, the verbal fighting still continued. In the back of my mind I must have felt the warning that I was playing with fire by becoming more familiar with him because I felt myself relieved at the idea of leaving.
The morning after my social experiment, when I awoke to him watching me, he said nothing. He just got up and quickly left the room. I had planned to give him my ultimatum but he was gone to fast, so I had a servant deliver him a note that stated unless I saw Julian today, I would be leaving the estate the next day. It was clear that Julian did not wish to see me. At least this way, I was giving him fair warning before I took off.
