by Anna Santos
I snarled.
“And she killed him. A day before we attacked. She helped us, according to Jessica’s cousin.”
I looked at Shane. “You are stalling.”
“You need to be prepared. Vincent surrounded her with luxuries. Though I’m sure she was here against her will, the fact was that she wasn’t treated as badly as the other prisoners.”
“Because she slept in a better place, it doesn’t mean she wasn’t constantly abused,” I explained to him.
Shane ran his fingers through his hair. “I know. I didn’t mean to sound judgmental.”
I felt my body tense further. “Take me to her bedroom.”
“There isn’t really a lot to see, and I don't think she’ll wish to recover anything from her former life. Though, there are plenty of jewels and dresses.”
Narrowing my eyes, I questioned, “What aren't you telling me?”
Shane cleared his throat. “There are some toys ... or should I say, some twisted stuff he used to hurt her.”
My eyes blurred as I felt my fangs tug, asking for release. With a guttural voice, I ordered, “Show me.”
“It would be better if you didn't go there. I can only imagine the pain you’re feeling ...”
“Shane, I'm not a naive boy. I have lived long enough to know how twisted the creatures in this world can be. I want to help Beth. I can't do that if I don't have an idea of what she suffered here.”
“I don't think she wishes to remember.”
“She might not want to, but she’ll need to if she wants to heal. Plus, her nightmares won't let her forget.”
I raised my hand to stop Shane from finding any more excuses to delay and change my mind. Then I walked up the stairs to enter that cursed house.
Moments later, I was entering Beth's bedroom and prison.
It was a well-furnished and comfortable prison. All the furniture was expensive, but my gaze fell on the bed that showed signs of struggling and blood. I wondered if the blood belonged to Vincent or Beth. It was too dry to have a pungent smell.
Shane moved behind me. “Are you okay?”
My eyes were memorizing the bedroom, taking a special interest in the personal items. Pacing around, I looked at the books. They weren't many, and all showed signs of use. Beth had shared that she didn't have contact with the outside world. I didn't see a computer or a TV. Her only solace was her books.
“Did anyone take anything from here?” I questioned.
“No, everything is as it was. Our men aren't burglars. However, I have no idea of what to do with all of this.”
“My first impulse would be to burn everything to the ground. But we need to be reasonable. There are only a few things I want to take from this place. Everything else, I would appreciate if you arranged to sell the furniture, the jewelry, the clothes, and everything that can generate money.”
“Okay. And what shall I do with the money?”
I turned around to face Shane. My tongue wetted my lower lip as I cleared my throat. The emotion was taking over my body and tensing my muscles.
“All the money will be divided among the victims that my brother left behind. All the torture devices are to be burned, and the prison downstairs is to be dismantled.”
Shane's lips curled into a smile, easing his expression. His hands plunged into his pockets. “I'm rather fond of that idea.”
I walked to the closet and opened it to see my mate’s clothes.
“I want to believe that Vincent wasn't such a creep and that in a way she was taken care of by him. But I know that I'm just trying to find excuses to endure the pain I feel. I see all these pretty things he gave her,” I mumbled, touching the gowns, “but he just treated her like a doll and not a person. He raped her and used her to his own twisted ends. Despite the better conditions she had here than in the dungeons, I don't know what to do to erase all this hate that is taking possession of my soul for what was done to her in this place.”
“She killed him. She had her closure,” Shane retorted.
“Maybe. But I wish he was alive, so I could slowly torture him and make him pay for what he did to Beth. Use the torture toys on him,” I sneered with gritted teeth, staring at the part of the closet where Vincent kept his sex toys and other objects I had no idea what were meant for. “Or just peel his skin and let him regenerate only to do it again and again.”
Shane's hand fell on my shoulder as he closed the door so that I stopped looking at the gruesome view. “You shouldn't be here.”
“I need to be here,” I protested, closing my eyes and rubbing my forehead to clear my thoughts.
“Do you think she might want some of her clothes?” Shane asked.
Opening my eyes, I turned to stare at my friend. “Beth doesn't want anything that reminds her of this.”
Turning around, I walked to the dresser where a jewelry box was placed next to make-up items and perfumes.
“He was trying to buy her affection with money, it seems,” Shane whispered. “In his twisted way ... he cared for her.”
I opened the box and added, “Beth is stunningly beautiful and a pureblooded vampire. For a turned vampire like Vincent, she was a treasured prize, a trophy.” I sighed and resumed my speech. “Is it wrong for me to wonder if she didn't care for him even if a bit? I keep thinking about all she had to tell him to keep him happy. I can't blame her for that, but ... a lot of victims form a bond of dependence and loyalty with their abusers.”
Shane shook his head. “That's your jealousy talking. But if she had feelings for any of them, she wouldn't have killed him or ran away from Alaric.”
I stopped touching the necklaces and rings so I could unwrap a velvet cloth. It had an ornate heart-shaped locket in a gold chain. It looked ancient and different from all the other jewelry. Opening the pendant, I found two portraits of a man and a woman. The woman had similarities to Beth. I assumed the pictures belonged to her mom and dad. It had sentimental value to my mate, so I kept it in my pocket to restore and give it back to her.
Closing the box with a loud pop noise, I told Shane. “Sell everything else.”
“Anna knows someone who can take care of this,” Shane informed.
“Good because I don't want to see all this again. I don't want anything of this stuff to show up in town.”
My eyes fell over the balcony, and I remembered our conversation in the garden, staring at the sky. Walking to the door, I opened it and stepped outside. The breeze slapped my face, and the smell of the ocean hit my nostrils. It had a beautiful view, but not in the eyes of a prisoner.
Resting my hands on the railway, where I assumed Beth had been hundreds of times, I leaned down and saw the deadly fall. My stomach twisted with the notion of what would have happened to her if she had jumped. I knew she had thought of doing that several times. Dropping to her death, harming her body, and leaving to never be found by me terrified me more than anything in the world. But how could I blame her if she had done that?
I would never meet her. But she would be free. They wouldn't hurt her anymore. She was so brave. I loved her even more for that.
The happiness of being lucky enough to find her and the sadness for all she had to endure until I found her made tears prickle my eyes.
“It sucks!” I breathed out. Hoping that exhaling, the pain soothed, and my soul wouldn't shatter.
“What?” Shane asked, leaning against the door.
I leaned back and looked at the horizon. The sun was shining bright and leaving a trail of silver on the ocean.
“It sucks that I couldn't feel her pain. I couldn't hear her cries for help. It sucks that we can only feel each other in this world after we share each other’s blood. It’s unfair that I couldn't feel that my mate needed my help. Do you know what sucks even more?” I spun around to face Shane who waited for me to vent it all out. “It really sucks that she's living for as long as I am, and we never met before.”
“Destiny ...”
“Destiny blows!” I cut o
ff my friend before he could make up some excuse for Beth being apart from me for so long.
“You have her with you now. You can take care of her. You can protect her. Do you think I didn't feel useless once I found out what Anna had lived and experienced before we met? But each one of us has our own demons and tragic pasts. It is what makes us stronger and braver. Even after all that Beth went through, she still survived, and she still cares enough to want to find and save her sister. So, stop feeling sorry for yourself. Stop thinking about what you could have done and think about what you need to do to fix her.”
Shane straightened up and went inside, leaving me staring at the wall with shining and emotional eyes. As much as Shane's words felt cruel, I also knew he was right.
“You just want her books, are you sure?” Shane asked, shouting from the bedroom.
I smoothed my shirt and tousled hair before entering the bedroom.
“Yes, but make sure they are delivered to my home, not dad's. I don't want her to see them. I just want to understand what she likes to read. Or at least what she was able to read while she was here.”
“Okay.”
Before Shane could leave to call his men, I added, “And Shane, next time I feel sorry for myself and act like a selfish brat, just punch me in the face!”
“Will do,” Shane agreed, smirking and waving.
I caught him before he could close the door.
“I still have some things I want to do. Ask one of your men to pack the books. I’ll be going back home.”
“Aren't you curious to see your brother's bedroom?”
“Not at all.” I folded my arms, my muscles flexing and tensing. “The only thing that mattered here was Beth's belongings. Unless Alaric’s belongings can tell us where he is, I’d rather stay away from his private quarters.”
“It’s not a pretty sight. The guy had an obsession with chains and round couches. Also, a lot of velvet.”
I frowned in disdain. “I'm eager to get back home and see Beth. Just keep our trip here to yourself ... and Anna. I don't want to upset Dad and Mom.”
With that said, I left.
Chapter EIGHTEEN
Elizabeth
It had been years since I’d slept so peacefully. I hadn’t had any bad dreams that night, and I woke up remembering the amazing kisses Eric and I shared.
Later in my bedroom, it took me a long time to fall asleep. I would often touch my lips, unsure if it had been real. Eric didn’t sleep in my room anymore. I was feeling better, and I wanted my privacy. However, I had grown accustomed to waking up and seeing him sitting in the armchair next to me. So, when I sighed that morning before I opened my eyes to face the day, I felt alone for not having him there.
Loneliness only grew deeper when I went down to the palace’s kitchen and Anna and Jessica informed me that Eric had left with Shane and would be away for two days. It would be just the girls and me and it seemed they had plans. They were talking about an afternoon practice they had to attend.
Anna was a strong warrior, even as a woman. I would like to be as skilled as she was. I shared my thoughts with her. Jessie gave me a tight hug, making me feel a bit uncomfortable but not panicky. A woman’s touch was much different from a man’s touch, besides Jessie was loveable like that. She would hug everybody in her family. She was a hugging person like a mom should be. Her actions and easy smile made it hard for me to see her as our mom and Anna’s grandmother, but she was wiser than she would let us know.
Her hug was not innocent. She had a purpose with it. The goal was to convince me to go with them to watch the training. They explained to me that it was the community training, where many would go to learn how to fight and protect themselves. I was more than welcome to join them now that I was part of the family and the community.
Since I had nothing better to do and Eric wasn’t home, I accepted and followed them.
I fell in love with what I saw.
I could be strong and fast and resistant, but I lacked the skills to know how to use my advantages to protect myself and attack others. Anna was a fantastic teacher, and Jessie was a good cheerleader. The practicing, the running, the fighting, the dodging were good for me. Focusing on learning how to fight would make me forget all the pain and self-pity. It gave me confidence, and I decided to do it as many times as I could.
Crying wouldn’t take me anywhere. If I really wanted to save my sister from that monster, I would have to learn how to fight and stop running away.
The next morning, I went to practice again. When I returned home with the girls, Eric was already there. Feeling his aura and smelling his spicy scent made me want to run to him and jump in his arms. Just like the first time I smelled him, before running from him because of how he looked. But all I did was stare at him and greet him with a shy “Hi,” before running to the kitchen with the girls.
They sure ate a lot. They also made me eat all sorts of cakes and sugary things, even if I didn’t eat food, but they called it therapy. I enjoyed eating ice-cream while watching TV with Marie, back then when we were together and happy. It was our ritual or bonding time to share secrets and thoughts.
Spending time with Anna and Jessica made me feel less lonely, but I still missed Marie and thought she would love to meet my new family. They would be best friends as I was becoming with them, but Marie would be happier and more talkative than me. She was always more outgoing and attracted friends with less effort. I was more reserved. Marie was the charming one; I was the shy and quiet older sister. We were one year apart from one another, which made us practically twins.
“I’ve missed you.”
I got startled by the feeling of two hands over my eyes and his voice behind me.
It was Eric. Though, I was too distracted to notice his arrival.
Touching his hands, I took them off and turned to face him. It was a mistake because I became trapped between the counter and his body. Panic drowned me and made my head hurt from the sudden pressure. It was hard to breathe.
His hands squeezed my shoulders. “Did I frighten you?”
I fought the dizziness and focused on his gentle face. My throat hurt when I spoke. “I don’t like to feel trapped.”
“Oh!” He let me go and stepped back. “Better?”
Closing my eyes, I breathed in his scent. Eric smelled delicious. I wanted to float away to another realm where his scent was the only thing surrounding and haunting me.
I heard giggles which made me open my eyes. Anna and Jessica were watching something on Jessie’s phone, distracted and not minding my mate and me.
My attention was drawn to Eric. “You just caught me off guard. I was only expecting you to return tomorrow.”
“I finished what I had to do sooner.” His warm breath touched my skin. “We need to get you a cell phone. I had no way to talk to you while I was away, and I left without saying goodbye. I hope you can forgive me.”
“I’m sure you had your reasons,” I said.
His hands reached for mine. “Did you miss me while I was away?” He beamed, and I wondered if I had that effect on him.
“I was really busy with the girls,” I replied.
I am an idiot. I should have told him yes, instead of pretending not to care about him and his departure. We had kissed and bonded before he left. We were a real couple, now, weren’t we?
“Oh …” His eyes lost their glow.
“A phone would be nice if you don’t mind that I have one.”
“Why would I mind?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “I’ll buy you one tomorrow. Then, I can call you every time I miss you.”
I smiled. “Did you miss me?”
“Yes. I had a lot of time to plan our next date.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?”
“I believe I’ve learned my lesson.”
I chuckled.
Eric tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I like your hairstyle.”
“Jessica braided my hair.”
“It’s b
eautiful. You’re beautiful.”
Blood rushed to my face, and I looked at his torso while nibbling my lower lip. I had no idea what to say to that.
“I’m going to my bedroom. I need to shower,” I informed him. I dared to look up and saw him stepping away from me.
I headed to the exit while mentally cursing the fact that I didn’t tell him how much I had missed him. He hadn’t tried to kiss me either. Why didn’t I confess that I had missed him?
Vulnerability. Answering and confessing how much I needed him was a vulnerability. Besides, the bond would do that. How did I know it was a real feeling? If he wasn’t my mate, would I miss him?
“I would like to see you later,” Eric said, turning around to see me.
I waited against the kitchen’s door and noticed how Jessie glanced at us. They were aware of our conversation, even if they seemed distracted.
“I’ll be in my room.”
I left and focused on getting to my room and falling on my bed. I badly needed some peace and quiet. Some time alone.
I was feeling calm and focused when he was away. Now that he came back, all the shivering, the lack of calm, and the roller-coaster of feelings were crashing against my chest and being analyzed in my head. Maybe having a soul-mate wasn’t such a great thing when physical touch and sexual fantasies were the things you feared the most.
Chapter NINETEEN
Elizabeth
I didn’t hear my mate knock or call my name until he took the pillow from my face and I raised my head, startled.
“I’m sorry. Were you sleeping?”
I looked at his face and swallowed hard. Eric seemed shy about entering my room, or maybe he just didn’t know how to talk to me without feeling undesirable. My poor display of affection in the kitchen wasn’t my proudest moment.
Apparently, Eric was used to not having a reply from me because he just sat on my bed next to my legs and resumed his speech. “I came to check on you. The girls said you went to the practice. Is this something you want to do on a daily basis?”
“Why? Do you think I need to ask you permission for that?”
