Vindicate

by Jamie Magee

  This image of Drake held my stare an d walked ever so slowly to me. His eyes were thirsty. Filled with an alluring passion. Draven and Brady stood like soldiers before me. He ignored them as he stopped just in front of them.

  “My Queen, your carriage awaits,” the image said, mocking Drake’s voice perfectly.

  “Wrong girl,” I said firmly.

  He tilted his head somewhat and smiled. I t was a perfect smile, one that I craved to see. “I would know you in any form. I bow to you.”

  As he said those words, Draven erupted with rage and charged forward, knocking the uns uspecting image to the ground. Out of nowhere, a long silver sword appeared in Draven’s hand, and he held it against this image. The mome nt the blade reached his neck the image of Drake vanished and another young man appea red. His eyes were stee l blue. Hi s strong jawline was faultless . He had a solid built, like an at hlete. Brady held his arms out, telling me and Olivia to stay behind him.

  “Good to see you, Draven,” the boy said.

  “Britain,” Draven said through gritted teeth and an evil smirk.

  “Now, how did you know so easily?” Britain said in a slightly amused tone.

  “I bow to you. Seriously? You need a new line. Didn’t work on Charlie . Didn’t work on Madison. I t’s not going to work on her,” Draven said coldly.

  “I beg to differ. Madison likes it when I bow at her feet,” Britain said cleverly .

  “I have no idea why she has mercy for you,” Draven said, leaning the blade of the sword into Britain.

  “The same reason Charlie has mercy for you . They like the bad boys,” Britain said as he chuckled. “What is it about you ? How have you managed to get so many of them to flock to you? You must share this allure you have.”

  I saw Draven push harder, and I immediately wished it was a dull edge sword tha t could not cut into that boy. I di dn’t care how dangerous he was. I wasn’t going to let Draven commit murder in my defense. With that thought, the sword became a board. Even without a blade in his hand, Draven looked threatening . Dangerous enough that Britain didn’t try to fight.

  “It’s right there,” Britain sai d, nodding at me. “Her energy. If you take from her it will be more than you could ever cra ve. So much that you could never hurt Charlie. You could live side —by --side with her without tho se nasty little reservations you have. Best of both worlds, brother.”

  At that moment, images of Charlie and Draven appeared around us. Darkness was reaching out o f his body pulling every part of Charlie into him as she screamed in agony.

  Draven pushed the board harder against Britain. “Get out of my head!” Draven yelled at him, and instantly the images wer e gone. “I am not your brother. I am not one of you!”

  Britain laughed und er his breath. “Deny it all you want. Take it, or someone else will. I’ll take it. I’ll find a way to not ever fear that I will hurt Madison.”

  “You don’t fear that,” Draven seethed. “That’s what you tell her.”

  “Wrong,” Britain said as he pushed Draven back and they jumped to their feet. Without a thought, my energy knocked Br itain down and held him there. Brady looked over his shoulder at me, raising one eyebrow in a n effort to tell me well done. Then held out his arm, telling me to do w hat I needed to do. Say what I needed to say.

  I walked slowly to Britain’s side and knelt down on one knee and stared into his eyes. I couldn’t feel a single thing from him. No intent. No truth. No emotion. He was a ghost. Vacant of anything that would make me feel any empathy for him.

  I understood what he was saying to Draven. That he was telling Draven that instead of helping me that Dr aven should be taking my power. That if he did, he would have Charlie safely at his side forever, but Draven was a pur e soul. I c ould feel everything about him. He was so pure that he put t he needs of others before his. He made that choice for a reaso n. Draven knew that to hurt me he would have to commit to his dark side . He couldn’t do that because he had already committed to love Charlie . Committed to overcome his past. Not become it.

  I imagined what ‘light’ wo uld look like to these Escorts. I f it was something that could be felt or sensed in any tangible way. With that thought, one of the glowing butterflies landed on my hand.

  I had learned long ag o that by giving, you receive. That it didn’t matter how much energy I used, Landen, the thought of Landen, or even a simple joyful emotion would bring it back. At this point, I didn’t know if I could do it simply because of the age of my soul, or if it was something I cou ld teach Charlie to do . I wondered if knowing that my power was something that was endless would help me conquer this battle between light and dark. This endless war that the darkness was clearly winning.

  I remembered clearly telling Madison that if she helped me I would help Draven, even Britain, and I’m not one to break my promises. I decided to bargain with Britain. “Tell me…why are you here? Have you chosen to stand at Bianca’s side?”

  His eyes reflected an allure. A magnetic pull that I’m sure any girl would fall for. He smiled innocently. “My Queen, Escorts stand alone. We’re rather greedy.”

  “Why are y ou here then? Are you a thief? Or a follower?”

  “Now,” he said as his eyes sparkled. “Thoug h those titles are both harsh , they are also true – true for all of my kind. We follow the light . We take light, but we do so to survive. To feel fulfilled.”

  “So, let’s say that Bianca found a source of light – you followed her, and now you are planning to take it?”

  He moved his head from side to side, and his smile fell. “When Madiso n told me she was coming here I knew she was your sacrifice. I f anyone is going to take her light, it’s going to be me. Not you. Not Bianca.”

  Little territorial aren’t we? “Is that love speaking, or some kind of claim on what you see as property?”

  “It’s a promise.”

  So he was arrogant. What did Madison see in him? “She’s not a sacrifice. You’ve been misinformed.”

  His smile returned. “Or have you?”

  What did he mean by that? “I protect my own.”

  “And then some,” he said as his eyes moved to Draven.

  “Britain,” I said in a charming tone, then widened my hand as two more butterflies landed there. “What if I quenched t hat thirst I see in your eyes? What if I g ave you what you were seeking? Would you tell me where your friend Bianca is?”

  “Willow,” Brady and Olivia said at the same time.

  I raised my eyebrows as I tilted my head and looked down at Britain. “Answer quickly, before they talk me out of this.”

  My eyes moved to one of the butterflies , and then to Britain’s chest. On my silent comman d, the butterfly landed there, and he sighed as if he were feeling pure rapture.

  “She’s right here. Watching.” He breathed out.

  I looked at another butterfly as it moved to his chest. “That’s not helping.”

  He sighed as he took in a deep, lasting breath. “Their core lies where you left them. Your victory lies where your existence began.”

  I furrowed my eyebrows, knowing that in reality, those two places were distant. One was at the Estate, the other at the Palace.

  It was easy to see that the little light I’d given h im had left him near euphoric. I n time, once it had absorbed into his soul, it may give him power, but now he was too high on the feeling in his soul. I moved my eyes to the third butterfly and watched it land on his forehead. “Wake from this Realm. Yo u will not seek Madison here. Not until the man l love is awoken. I f you do. I f you decide to stand with Bian ca. I will not o nly take this feeling from you but I will t ake everything in your energy. I will erase your existence and never feel remorse for that act.”

  “You’re not like the others. How?” he asked breathlessly.

  “Love. Can you say that word?”

  My fingertips traced the letter ‘L’ on his chest as I mocked the letters ‘o’, ‘v’ and ‘e’ his shirt began to burn,
his skin was singed and he screamed in agony. I pulled my hand away realizing how powerful that word really was. He healed in stantly, took in a deep breath then vanished.

  I stood and glanced at the others behind me. Brady and Olivia reflected the trepidation I felt in their emotion. They were lookin g at me like I was a stranger. Someone they couldn’t understand. Like I’d become someone else. It didn’t bother me like it did before beca use I knew that in this place I had to be th is girl. I had to be fearless. Reckless. Demanding.

  I looked at Drave n; in his eyes, I saw a thirst. A craving. I felt jealousy in his emotion. “Do you need something from me?” I asked . “Do you need light to exist? To help me with this fight?”

  He pulled his shoulders back as he fo ught to hold on to his intent to help me. To not succumb to his dark side . “You saw what it did to him. I f you give me anything, I will be no good to you.”

  “Is that the only reason you are not asking for it?” I asked, looking for validation that he had chosen to never taste the craving Escorts seemed to be known for.

  He moved his head from side to side. “Death will come before I ever willingly take from another soul.”

  I’d never felt a more divine truth spoken to me. He despised his heritage. That brought me sorrow for some reason. “I’m going to help you find balance. I’m going to help you build your own light. I’ll help them all figure that out,” I promised.

  I felt Olivia’s relief. I knew she thought tha t I had let my vengeance fall. That I would be the good guy in the myt h of my life. I didn’t look at her because I didn’t want her to know that in the word ‘all,’ Bianca was not included. She couldn’t be because s he was going to be my example. She was going to be the thre at I gave to the rest of them. They would know not to cross me ever again.

  “Another time,” Drave n said, clenching his jaw. “I s this the place you left them?” he asked.

  And with those words, we were standing in the courtyard of the Estate. The Estate that no longer existed but was before us now. Perfectly intact.

  Brady nodded. “This is it. A little quiet, though.”

  And with his words, people dressed in long black cloaks appeared . Ignoring us, going about their mundane days.

  “There’s no water,” Olivia said as her nerves got the best of her.

  “I’ll call water into existence when I need it,” I mumbled as I stared a t the open door to the Estate. A s flashes of the time I walked through that d oor in Evelyn’s body came to me. The pain I felt then was the strength I found now.

  I boldly walked to the doorway. All at once, the people seemed to notice us. As if they were being controll ed, they began to move closer. Among them, there were others. Ones that were dressed in modern fashion, black suits, ones I was sure were Escorts.

  Before I could think to move my energy, Brady and Olivia had reacted. With extended arms, they pushed the people a way as if they were weightless. They flew across the lawn like autumn leaves.

  The ones dressed in a modern fashion rose to their feet first, and in a flash they were surrounding us. There were ei ght of them to the four of us. As if in slow motion, I watched as weapon s appeared in everyone’s hands. A s Brady and Draven took on three men each at once . A s Olivia pinned a man three times her size to the ground with two swords.

  There was a man in front of me th at I swear was seven feet tall. I couldn’t even see past his broad chest. “Rumor has it that you are feeling generous today,” he said with a voice that was laced in pure evil.

  I looked up and found his eyes to be soulless. “Are you looking for a light?” I asked.

  He smiled slowly, revealing teeth that were stained yellow.

  “Here you go,” I said slyly, and with that thought, lightning popped in the air then struck him where he stood, causing him to fall to the ground.

  I turned to see Draven and Brady faring well again st the men they were fighting. I didn’t have time to wait for this to un fold. I blew gently from lips. My breath was the color of ash. I t reached out to all of the men and flung them across the field. Olivia removed the swords from the neck of the man she was holding. “Do you want to run ? Or do you want her to help you with that?”

  Apparently, that man did n’t know what I was capable of. He charged forward at Olivia, and with one thought, lightning popped again a nd struck the man causing him to fall.

  Breathless, Brady looked at Draven. “Friends of yours?”

  Draven leaned down, bracing himself on his knees, trying to catch his breath as he moved his head from side to side.

  I glanced at Olivia. “Impressive.”

  “Impressive, but not dangerous,” she said, looking at the men I had taken down with one thought.

  I fel t her plea for me to calm down and realize how powerful I was . For me to understand that this was not a game . That those men were more than likely dead in reality now.

  I wouldn’t let that thought come into my mind. They were bad. A bad illusion I ended.

  I broke my stare with her and began to walk toward the stone steps. When I reached the open doorway, I saw shadows underneath the elegant stairwell, silhouettes of a man and a woman. The m an was leaning into the woman with his lips on her neck in a playful manner.

  I recognized the emotion. I would know it anywhere.

  “Am I interrupting?” I said flatly into the echo of the open entry hall. At that moment, the boy stepped out of the shadows, and for the first time in almost two days I saw the blue eyes that gave me reason to exist.

  “Willow,” Landen said.

  I felt Brady’s hand grip my arm. “Do I need to say illusion?” he said under his breath.

  He could have screamed those words, and I doubt I would have heard them. I was too captivated. To entranced by the image b efore me. I felt my heart race. Every part of my soul come to life at the sight of him.

  The image of Landen slanted his head, and his eyes grew serious. “I thought I told you this place was dangerous.”

  At that moment, the woman stepped out of the shadows. Her long, dark hair was down and curled, making her look as innocent as her angelic blue eyes. She walked slowly to the image of Landen. I found myself focusing on the echo her heels made o n the marble floor. It was like a clock ticking. A countdown to her death. When she reached the image of Landen, she wrapped her arm around him and against his neck as she stared at me and sai d, “Is that what you told her. I s that the excuse you gave her so you could be alone with me?”

  Her hands moved seductively across his chest, then reached for his strong jawline and pulled his lips to her. When her kiss ended, the image of Landen looked at me, then walked slowly to my side.

  Brady pulled me behind him, refusing to let me face this illusion. Draven was at his side, and Olivia gripped my other arm in an attempt to hold me back.

  When Landen and Brady were face to face, Landen smirked. “Move, brother . I have a goodbye to say.”

  “Go to hell,” Brady said through gritted teeth. “There is not one part of this image that is my brother.”

  The image of Land en laughed out loud. “Trust me. There is.”

  Landen tilted his head around Brady. “I’m afraid this is goodbye.”

  “Is it?” I said under my breath.

  Draven glanced over his shoulder at me, then said, “A shame she had to witness you kiss that whore just before you said goodbye to her.”

  I recognized the effor t he put behind the word ‘kiss.’ I think when Draven had told me that I need a word or memory that I could use against the illusions he thought I w ould not be able to tell if Landen or Drake were real or not. So far, I was doing quite well with that, but I also remembered that he said that facing these illusions – proving they were false would make Landen and Drake stronger. Somehow give them the memories or energy she had taken back to them.

  The image of Landen grabbed Draven’s shirt and pulled him to him. “She’s not a whore.”

  I reached my hand for his grip and
urged Draven behind me. “He’s right. Though that was agonizing and your words are painful I have memories to live on. Like the first time you kissed me…” I looked into the blue eyes that were a perfect reflection of Landen. “Do you remember?”

  With that question, he vanished, leaving only Bianca there with us. I cr ossed my arms and peered at her as if she were nothing to me. Someone not worth the thought that would kill her.

  “Well,” she said as she smiled innocently and stepped closer to Draven. “I see you have been sharing secrets.” Her hand reached for his face, and he instantly dodged out of the way. “Aw, Draven, my sweet Draven, are you jealous ? Mad at me for moving on? Have you changed your mind ? Do you want to play with me?”

  “I’m just here for the show,” Draven said smugly.

  “What show?” she asked. “That one?” she said as she looked past us to the open doorway.

  I turned to see that the courtyard was gone; now there was a battlefield. On one sid e was Landen, the other Drake. Behind them, images of me with them, locked in passion, were across the field.

  “Silly boys,” Bianca sa id innocently. “Always fighting. No worries. Soon those images will mean nothing to them.” And with that, she was gone.

  We were left to witness a battle of Landen and Drake’s darkest side.

  Chapter Fourteen

  One might think that my attention would have been captured by the images of Drake and Landen standing face-to-face full of rage, but my attention was not there. It was on the images behind them. The ones that reflected the most private, sensual moments I’d had with them. Most of the ones with Landen I recognized. They were recent; others were ones that I could not recall but had no doubt existed in another time.

  An odd hum bellowed in my soul as glimpses of life behind those moments came to me. For an instant I could swear I felt a million emotions and knew with vivid detail what my each moment of my past contained. That feeling vanished as quickly as it appeared. What the hell was this Realm doing to me?