“Powerful enough to cripple me momentarily Lieka, please you must hear me out.” Blake said almost begging for them to listen to him. Lieka began to speak again only to be stopped when Ozlem put up his hand preventing any other words from coming out of his mouth.
“Let’s hear what Blake has to say. Please my child, continue.” Ozlem said as he placed his hands on the arms of his chair, waiting eagerly for what Blake had to say. Ozlem’s face was full of anticipation – what worried Blake was that he would be excited for a reason to cause Blake or his family great pain because of their intrusion.
“I saw a man, his voice sounded American. Light skin, light hair but very sickly looking. He traveled to have you make him immortal because he’s dying but you turn him away because you don’t turn people who are dying so that you don’t mess with the balance of life and death. He gets angry and vows to kill ya.” Blake explained. The three Keepers only smiled with a mix of chuckling.
“My dear boy, we will never know death and you know that.” Ozlem said.
“You might if the legend of missing katana is true.” Jaryn said, speaking out of term. The Keepers all turn to Jaryn with stern looks and knowing that he shouldn’t have said anything about the katana or at all.
“I’m sure if there was any truth to that silly myth then we would know about it. Don’t you think that we would?” Lieka suggested. With that statement Ozlem dismissed the Hollings but just as they were leaving Cade stopped them. All of them turned around with hopes that The Keepers would believe them although that wasn’t the reason they called back. Cade was the only who could tap into people’s minds and read their feelings. He slinked towards Reid and Blake who looked at each other with puzzled looks. His black eyes were wide like a deer caught in head lights. His face, compared to the others was much more childlike, his voice was that of a young man rather than a man who had lived for lifetimes.
“You’re all hiding something whether it’s from each other or from yourself or from…another.’ He almost seemed to slither and stopped in front of Ashwin. ‘But you dear Ashwin hold the darkest secret of them all.” She was taken by his words, not understanding what he was talking about.
“I beg your pardon?” She asked.
“It will come out in time because it has to do with your brothers’ secret as well.” Cade announced before he returned to chair. Once again Ozlem told them that they could leave and they did, not saying a word until they reached the car.
A large pound on the trunk of the car startled me. I slowly eased out of the car finding the five of them standing outside, not saying much of anything. Sebastian yelled at Blake for hitting the car and then more silence filled the air. They all looked at me as I stood from the car, not knowing what had happened I didn’t say anything but by the attitude of everyone around me I assumed that things didn’t go well. Suddenly Sebastian opened the car door again, telling us all to get in.
“It’s late. I won’t have anyone leaving at this time of night. Well stay in Medina for the night then return in the morning.” He stated and although Reid didn’t want to he didn’t fight his brother on it and agreed to the plan. We all took a seat in the car and traveled another hour back to Medina where Reid booked three room for us that night. He would be with Sebastian, Jaryn with Blake and I would be with Ashwin. It wasn’t the perfect living arrangement but I didn’t have much to say in it. The only comfort I got in the sleeping agreement was that I wouldn’t have to be under the watchful eye of Reid or Blake.
Before heading upstairs to the rooms Reid had given me some money to pick up some things that I might need to get me through the night such a brush, toothpaste and other hygienic items that weren’t provided by the hotel. I hadn’t brushed my hair since that morning so having the brush go through my tangled mess was relieving. I jumped into the shower and just stood, letting the hot water beat down onto my tender flesh. My muscles were sore from the travel and lack of sleep. My feelings were also sore from Blake hurting them so many times and state of mind was weak seeming because of everything that I have learned over the past day and a half.
Once I was out, dried off and redressed I walked back into the room and sat on the bed and ran the brush through my hair again. It felt nice to be clean and still for more than a few minutes. Everything paused including my thoughts which were what needed to slow down the most. On the other bed sat Ashwin who flipped through the television only to flip it off after not being able to find anything worth her time. She let out a deep sigh then walked out to the balcony, looking out at the moon. After I pulled my hair back so that it flung over my right shoulder, I walked out with her, not saying a word but only looking at the same beautiful night sky that she was viewing. She went hot and cold almost as much as Blake did when it came to me and I honestly wanted to know why so I decided to ask her point blank.
“Ashwin?” I said in a mousy tone although it didn’t sound that way to me.
“Yes?” she asked without any hostility in her voice. That alone was a comforting thing to me. If anything she sounded lonely, sad.
“Why don’t you like me?” I asked. She turned to me and only looked my way without saying anything. Inside I was becoming frustrated but tried to maintain my cool on the outside. “I’m not a bad person Ashwin…unless you blame me for Reid leaving?” I asked, not knowing what she had against me really. Slowly a small smile formed across her face.
“I don’t blame you for that. He left long before you were glimmer in your mother’s eye. Besides it’s like I said before, it’s not that I don’t like you it’s just that you make me sad.” She admitted.
“Because I remind you of someone?”
“Aye, you do. I just…never mind.” She started but stopped. I turned to walk back into the room when I stopped myself and faced her again.
“It’s okay if you don’t but know that it’s also okay if you do like me. I’m just like you, I’m a normal girl.” I told her before turning back to face the room when this time I was stopped by Ashwin’s hand touching my shoulder.
“I do like you. I think that you’re kind hearted person. You don’t belong with this family. We’ve all been destructive at point in time, some than more others.” She admitted to me.
“Like Blake?” I asked with a smile across face. I didn’t know if I was smiling because of the topic at hand on saying his name which confused me but I wasn’t going to show that now because I didn’t want to show anyone my true feelings…more or less about Blake considering I didn’t know what my feelings were about him.
“And Reid, he isn’t an angel you know? None of us are but he and Blake were quite the rebellious of us all. They never wanted to listen to Sebastian or anyone for that matter. They had gotten so bad at one time that The Keepers had called us all together and threatened to take their immortality from them but Sebastian assured them that both Reid and Blake would be good. It took Reid less time than Blake but he’s tamed himself from what he used to be.”
“He’s tamed?’ I asked with a chuckle but then stopped thinking about what she said about Reid. ‘How bad were they?” I asked but Ashwin saw right through my question.
“You mean how bad was Reid?’ I looked bashfully downwards and shook my head. ‘He was as bad a Blake, worse even. He was horrible. We all messed with mortals to a certain extent but they went above and beyond when they would kill them for the fun of it. Since Blake could tell when they were being followed before the act was even committed they would do as they pleased to whom they pleased. They accidentally took the life of a princess and that’s when they crossed the line in the eyes of The Keepers. They had taken the life of someone who was a high profile public figure and that’s when they threatened to take our brother’s away from us without thought and without remorse, forever. Since Reid was the worse of the two he was forced by The Keepers to become sensitive to mortals feelings. They forced him to feel everything he had ever inflicted onto others and because of that he quickly changed even with Blake trying to keep him in
his old ways. Soon Blake became the worse of the two and then Reid left; he couldn’t take it any longer.”
“That’s what Reid means when he talks about his self control?” I asked already knowing the answer. I knew that he had been forced to take the self control but I didn’t know that forcing him to feel everything that he had ever done to a mortal was The Keepers methods. Ashwin nodded. “So if you know why he left then why are you trying to force him back into a life that might drive him back into doing such bad things?” I asked.
“It’s because of family. If he would have at least allowed us to be a part of his life then we wouldn’t have followed him, stalked him until we found a way of getting him back and we found that in you. From the bottom of my heart I’m sorry for dragging you into it.” Ashwin said. It was at that moment that I saw Ashwin for who she really way; she really was just a normal girl deep down inside. Vulnerable, at times weak but never wanting to show it.
“I understand. I’ll leave you to your thoughts.” I told her.
“Hey, you really do like Reid don’t you?” she asked me. For some reason I took two seconds to think about it.
“Yeah… I do.” I said with a lackluster smile.
“But you’re also fond of another, yeah?”
“What?” That was the only word I could come up with as a come back to her statement. I didn’t know what she was talking about. She was sounding as crazy as Jaryn was while we were on the plane. Did I know what she was talking about?
“Don’t worry, you’re secret is safe with me, although I don’t know who. A woman’s heart is filled with secrets that must not be told by anyone other than the woman whose heart it belongs to.” Nothing else was said between us, rather than speaking we braced ourselves on the balcony rail and looked over at the people walking the streets of Medina. Ashwin asked if I wanted to her show off her own power for me. I agreed and watched below at a young couple standing in a dark alley way, doing things that were only allowed to be done in darkness when I watched another young man walk out of the darkness and suddenly grabbed the woman by the hair and cupped her mouth with his free hand.
“Oh shit…” I heard myself say under my breath.
“I won’t let him hurt them. Just watch.” Ashwin told me. I continued to watch and was shocked with I saw the attacker suddenly stop what he was doing, apologized to the couple then walked towards the street where he stopped in the middle of the street. He stopped in the middle and didn’t move.
“What is he doing? What are you having him do?” I asked her with both fear and intrigue in my voice.
“I’m not an angel either Nora but people like him don’t deserve to exist…not in my world.” Ashwin stated. As she continued to glare at the man I only looked at her but turned quickly when I heard tires squeal. Watching a man’s life get taken before my very eyes was something I never thought I would see in my lifetime. After I watch Ashwin take someone’s life it got me thinking about what Reid used to be like and what Blake was like. I wondered what they all were like honestly and yet they still didn’t scare me like they probably should.
“I’m sorry if I upset you Nora but I wanted you to see me for whom I really am and this is me, this is us all – we’re monsters. I told you that you do not belong with this family.” She said without a smile. Even without a smile across her face she was gorgeous.
I walked towards Ashwin and only smiled. I explained that I wasn’t scared of any of them although I probably should have been. I trusted them and I knew that they wouldn’t hurt me. She smiled at my words and with that we both turned to face the night sky once again, looking up at the moon and hearing the sirens below while acting like we didn’t know of anything that was going on.
Nine
Long after the commotion on the streets below us had calmed Ashwin and I was finally fell asleep although she seemed to be resting a bit better than I was; who was tossing and turning. Not being able to take the rolling around within the sheets anymore than I already had I got up from the bed, redressed and grabbed my room key before heading down the stairs to the lobby below. Just as I left the building I felt someone grab my shoulder, turning me around with shiftiness.
“Where do you think you’re goin’?” Blake said as he looked me dead in the eyes. I shook his hand off my shoulder, licked my lips and let out a huff.
“I couldn’t sleep. When I can’t sleep I go outside and get some air. That’s usually does it for me.” I explained.
“Well this isn’t the little town where you’re from. You can’t just go out in the middle of the night without tellin’ someone where it is you’ve gone.” He snapped.
“I’m sorry, you’re right. I’m in a strange city and I didn’t let anyone know where I was going. It was stupid on my part.” I admitted.
“Damn right it was.” He said, continuing to bark.
“You don’t have to keep yelling at me? I admitted my fault in the situation so can we just drop it now please?” I asked.
“Well I don’t know, are you still planning on going about your marry little way into the darkness of the night?”
“Yeah I am actually, is that still gonna be a problem?”
“Not if I go with ya.” He said as he put his hand out, allowing me to walk freely. Having Blake with me wasn’t going to help me in any way of getting me to sleep, if anything he was just going to make it worse. He made my temper flare and made me blush at the same time.
“God how did you even know I was leaving?” I asked with an anger tone in my voice as we walked out of the hotel.
“I knew what you were going to do before you did, remember?” he said as he tapped his right temple with his index finger. Not wanting to let my anger fill me up to much I didn’t say anything else to add fuel to the fire that was always lit when I was with Blake.
“You know that’s really an unfair advantage, it’s quite annoying actually.’ I said with a whine. Blake only smiled wickedly at my words which only tore me up inside. ‘It’s not funny.” I said but in the end started to laugh myself.
“It’s a little funny.” He said.
“You’re a jerk.” I said as I slapped him on the shoulder. We walked for a moment longer then he reached for me hand and for some reason I allowed him to grab it. He intertwined his fingers with mine and smiled. Having my hand within his was causing my heart to beat faster.
“What are we doing?” I asked him as he started to lead me through the partially empty streets of Medina.
“Do you want to see the most beautiful place in the whole city? It’s gonna be a bit of a walk but it’s worth it, trust me. Do you trust me?” he asked me. Did I trust him? That was a question that was rather hard for me to answer. I thought about it for a moment but he finally gave me an upsetting look. “Are you serious?” He asked wondering if I really didn’t trust him. Without another thought I perked up with a smile.
“I do. Show me. Please?” I asked as I tightened my grip on his hand, pulling his arm encouraging him to walk. He looked down at my hand tightening around his.
“See you’re doing it again.” Blake announced as he stopped dead in his tracks.
“Blake what are you talking about?” I asked, unknowingly nibbling on my lower lip. I watched Blake’s face light up as he watched me, still holding my hand.
“You’re flirting with me Nora, just like you always do.”
“I…I’m not, I’m just being a friend.” I advised him but I had to admit even to myself that I was questioning my motives with him. I wanted to hold his hand, I wanted be near him but even with all of these thoughts racing through my head and I couldn’t help but to be cautious with my feelings as well after all he hurt them often.
“Whatever you say lass, whatever you say.” It was the last thing he said and the last thing either of us said for the rest of the walk. Once we reached out final destination I was tired but overwhelmed with the sight that was before me. We had walked to the edge of the town, just outside the city limits to the cliffs much lik
e what I had viewed earlier that day. The waves crashing on the jagged rocks below, the wind blowing from the water was making the air cool. The moon was full and high in the sky. “What do you think?” He asked me as we walked up to the edge.
“I think it’s amazing. It’s so different from home. There isn’t anything like this where I’m from.” I explained to him.
“Aye, it’s very different from where I’m from as well.”
“Thank you for bring me here Blake.” I said with a smile. He took my hand and held it tightly so that I wouldn’t fall or to make sure that I fell; either one he would have been in the right position to do something.
“Well I thought that since you have something on your mind then this would be the best place for you to think about it.” He explained to me with a kind tone in his voice.
“Thank you although I don’t know how much thinking I’ll be able to get done with you here with me.” I said jokingly.
“Well I can leave if that’s what you want, I won’t go far though. I wouldn’t leave you out here alone little one.” He told me but I pulled him back by his hand. I didn’t know why I did, but pulling him back to me felt right.
“You don’t have to go anywhere.’ I said as he helped me down from the edge of the cliffs and we sat on the large boulders. ‘But let me guess you knew I was going to say that right?” I asked with a cocky tone.
“No I didn’t. I…I only hoped you would.” His words stopped my mouth for a moment. I was used to him coming at me with an over the top insult that kept me on my toes for thinking of witty comebacks. When he didn’t toss me anything I was stumbling over my own thoughts. It took me a minute but I thought of something to say.
“So you don’t know everything? You don’t know when everything is going to happen or how it’s going to happen?” I asked him wanting him to know how his powers worked. Seeing Ashwin use hers before made me curious about the others.
“Some things I can see clear as day, like the vision with The Keepers. I felt like I was standing there watching a movie…it was that real. Other things I get in small images in my head, not the full story but I know something important is comin’. If I see it then it has to be important. Usually the more important something is the more I’ll see it.”
Immortalis - Book 1 (The Keeper's Immortals) Page 9
