by Lucy Lyons
Isabel bounced back to her feet, retreating to the tiny box that was her cell. She crouched down on the floor and pretended to be asleep. “Let go of me, God!” she heard a voice say. She cocked her head to the side and listened. The voice sounded familiar. In the distance she could hear footsteps, interrupted briefly by the sounds of people whispering. “Can you just let go of me?” the voice said again. Isabel shook her head, immediately recognizing the voice as Aden’s. She remembered the last time she saw him, how weak he looked and how distraught. Something must’ve happened.
“Lock him up in there,” Analise said, appearing in the doorway. Gavin dragged Aden into the cell next to Isabel. He flashed her a smirk before he pushed him inside, his body slamming against the wall. “Gavin, did you lock her in the cell last night?” Analise whispered, nodding to Isabel.
You think I don’t hear you, bitch?
“I did,” Gavin lied. Isabel wondered what was going on inside his head. In any case, she knew he couldn’t stop thinking about their night together. She fixated her eyes on him as he went about the place. Suddenly, he turned to look at her, and when his gaze met hers, his lips slightly parted, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Gavin, I think we need to go,” Analise said, her hand coming over his shoulder. Gavin flinched. He could feel her fingers tightening around his skin, and she rolled her eyes, taking them off Isabel and turning to look at her again. “What are you doing?” Analise whispered. “Don’t let her control you, you’re letting her control you!”
Gavin nodded, following Analise back upstairs. It took a lot of time and effort to bend him, but she knew she was getting there. She turned over to look at Aden, who was sweating profusely. “What did they do to you?” she asked, clicking her fingers together so he would look at her.
“I let them know I was on to them,” he said, his right eye slightly twitching. “Pretty stupid, huh?”
“Yeah,” Isabel said. “It is pretty stupid.” There was a pause. Aden’s eyes were bloodshot and his voice was groggy, like he had been crying for hours. “What did you find out?” Isabel asked, slamming the iron bars with the back of her hand so Aden doesn’t fall asleep.
“Well, for starters, my roommate went missing,” he said. “I looked everywhere for her, and then I overheard Analise talking over the phone. It was all in French, but I concluded that they shipped her off somewhere.”
“Like where?” Isabel asked, her eyebrows furrowed.
“The other mansion.”
“There’s another mansion?” she asked again. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean is that… there’s somewhere else, somewhere they’re keeping the rebels,” Aden said, his voice boiling down to a whisper.
“Why are they keeping you here, then?” Isabel asked, tilting her head sideways.
“Because there are people worse than us, there are bigger threats,” he said.
“And what are they threatening to do?”
“They’re plotting something at the other mansion,” Aden said. “And we’re going to find out what that is, very, very soon.”
“Are you in contact with the people in there?” Isabel asked, holding onto the iron bars while she stared at him.
Aden nodded and then looked at her. His eyes darted back and forth, as if checking to see if anyone was listening, and then he got closer to her, trying to fit his head as far between the bars as he could. “They send me letters,” he hissed.
Isabel looked around and everyone else was asleep. She wondered how much time they had left until they dropped dead. The very thought of something happening to Oz horrified her, but she knew that, if she was going to pull them all out of this mess, she couldn’t rely on just him. She had to work with what she had. “What do they tell you in these letters, can I know?” she asked.
Aden looked left and right, and then he stuffed his hand into his pockets. He pulled out a folded piece of paper, and then he handed it over to Isabel through the metal bars. She reached out and grabbed it, keeping an eye on the door. “Come on, unfold it,” Aden hissed. Isabel sighed and spread it out in front of her, and then she realized it was a map. “Wait, what is this?” she asked, her eyebrows furrowed.
“It’s a map of how to get to the mansion,” Aden said, his lips curving to a smile. “The succubi sent it so we know exactly how to reach them,” he continued.
“And those people at the mansion, are they all succubi?” Isabel asked.
“Some are succubi, some are angels, some are rebel vampires,” Aden replied, a serious look on his face. “We can’t have intruders, intruders like Gavin and Mikael,” he said.
Isabel nodded. Suddenly, she saw shadows dancing on the wall. “What the fuck is this?” she heard Analise say right before she appeared at the doorway. Her eyes went straight to Isabel, who had the map spread out in front of her. Isabel felt her heart drop . Analise barged to her cell, swinging it open and snatching the map from Isabel’s hands. She read it carefully, her eyes going up and down the squiggly lines, and then she scrunched it up in her hand and held so tightly onto it that her knuckles turned white. “Answer me,” she hissed, her eyes darting from Isabel, to Aden, and then to Isabel again.
“I gave it to her,” Aden said. “It’s mine.”
Analise diverted her gaze to Aden, who stared back at her challengingly. “That’s it, you need to go,” she said. “Gavin, guards!” Suddenly, Isabel could hear the sound of feet scurrying down the stairs again, and then she saw Gavin, who squeezed past Analise and ambushed Aden in his cell. The guards, whom Isabel had never seen before, cornered Aden, and it seemed to her like they had swallowed him up, because he disappeared. “Aden, Aden!” Isabel yelled, getting up and rushing to the door. She could feel herself go crazy at the sight of him being carried away, kicking and screaming. She knew he was never coming back, that the only way she could see him again was to go over there herself. Were they taking him to the other mansion? What sorts of sick things do they do to the people in there? Isabel could feel her stomach churn just thinking about it. But she knew she had to do something. Ava and Oz rose to their feet and protested at the gates, but nobody blinked an eye. Isabel yelled for Aden, but it was too late. They had already taken him away. She sank down to her knees, feeling around for the map in the darkness of the cells. But Analise had already taken it away. Stupid, this is all stupid! Aden shouldn’t have taken that thing out in the first place. Now Isabel was never going to find out where they took him.
“Fuck, how are we going to get to him now?” she asked, turning to look at Oz. He looked surprisingly lively for a person who had been starving for days. He looked out into the distance, like he was thinking about something, something troubling.
“We’re going to join him and the rebels at the other mansion,” he said knowingly.
“And how are we going to do that?” Isabel asked, her eyebrows furrowed. For some reason, she always trusted what Oz had to say. The real Oz, anyway.
“This place isn’t fit for us anymore, it’s filling up with vampires and shape shifters, we need to get on the other side,” he said, ignoring Isabel’s question.
“How can we reach them?” she asked. “Aden said they sent him letters?”
“They did,” Oz said. “But it’s too risky.”
“Do you think Aden will reach out to us from over there?” she asked.
“Maybe, it all depends on security,” he replied. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”
CHAPTER 11
The days dragged on. Isabel stretched out her arm in front of her and all she saw was a streak of white extending out into the darkness of the cell. She was getting just as weak as the rest of them. She looked over at Oz and he was chugging down some water from a rusty can. He set it down next to him and stared at her with glassy eyes. “This is taking too long,” he said.
“What is?” Isabel asked, blinking repeatedly as Oz’s face swam in and out of focus. “Are they going to bring you any food?” she said, h
er eyebrows furrowed. Suddenly, a beam of light slashed in through the doorway and Gavin stepped inside with a tray full of food. Isabel squirmed to the front of her cell, holding onto the iron bars as Gavin lay down the food in front of them. He diverted his gaze to Isabel and clenched his jaw. She stared at him as his eyes darted from her, to the bread, and then back at her again. She nodded to him, and then he rose to his feet and walked away. “What in the world?” she mumbled, toying around with the bread. She took it apart but there was nothing, and then she grabbed the other loaf and took it apart as well. “Oz, Oz, take a look at this!” she whispered.
“What, what is that?” he asked, his eyes fixated on the piece of paper.
“It’s a letter,” Isabel hissed. She checked to see if anyone was still there and then unfolded it, her eyes going up and down the lines of writing.
Dearest Isabel,
This is to let you know that I’ve crossed over to the other side safely. This letter isn’t meant to be read by anyone except Oz, Ava and yourself. Gavin has agreed to cooperate with me to deliver this letter to you… only because you have charmed him. Believe in yourself, Isabel! You have just as much power to control him as he does you, if not more. The enemy are nothing but fools! If only they had the slightest idea what kind of chaos is brewing in the other mansion, if only! Locking us all up in one condensed space without much security or surveillance isn’t the best idea, now, is it? I just want you to know that I’m well, and that soon you’ll be joining us, all of you.
Yours Truly,
Aden
Isabel looked up from the letter and averted her gaze to Oz. The corners of her lips curved to a smile. It all made sense now. She was glad to hear that Aden was okay, even more glad that he has some sort of plan. Aden seemed so sure of himself, and Isabel had to admit, it made her nervous. What kind of war was brewing in the other mansion? And has it already begun? How does Isabel fit into all of this? She had so many questions that were left unanswered, and it was all up to her to decide which path to take. “It’s from Aden,” Isabel mouthed.
“Can I read it?” Oz asked, reaching his hand out to her.
“Not right now,” she said, crumpling it up and stuffing it into her pocket. She cocked her head towards the door, just as Analise came marching in with a smile on her face.
“Hello,” she said. “How are my little succubi and angels doing today?” she asked with a smug look on her face.
“Bitch, don’t talk to us like that, we’re onto you! We’re onto you!” Ava snarled.
“Guards,” Analise yelled, cocking her head towards Ava. “Take her to solitary confinement, that bitch needs to learn her lesson,” she said. Isabel opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She watched as the guards took Ava away. Why did she have to do that? Does being trapped in a dark cell for weeks on end do that to a person?
It probably does… But she knew Ava was smarter than that, she knew she must have some sort of plan. She waited until Analise was gone, and then she looked over at Oz. “What was that for?” she whispered.
“She’s doing what we’re all supposed to be doing at this point,” he said with a smile on his face. “She’s trying to get them to move her to the other mansion.”
“The more, the merrier, I guess?” Isabel asked. “What’s it like there?”
“There’s only one way to find out,” Oz said with a smirk on his face. “But we need to wait, or else it’ll look suspicious.”
“You’re right,” Isabel said. She raised her eyes to Oz and, realizing he had already been staring at her, she flashed him a smile. “I’ve missed you,” she said. “We’re all alone now.”
“It’s too risky,” he said. There was a pause. The two of them exchanged brief glances, interrupted by their sighs of yearning, and then suddenly, Isabel crawled to the front of her cell, holding onto the iron bars and pulling them apart. Slowly but surely, they started moving. Little by little, Isabel began to muster up enough strength to create a dent in the prison door, one that was wide enough for her to fit her whole body through. She slowly rose to her feet and shouldered her way through the dented bars, and then she crouched down on the floor, her eyes fixated on Oz’s.
“I want you so much right now,” she whispered.
“I can tell,” Oz said with a smirk on his face. He eyed her as she wrapped her fingers around the metal bars, holding onto them for a second before she pulled them apart with as much effort as would be required to draw some drapes. Her muscles flexed as she did this; Oz thought it was the sexiest thing he had ever seen. “You’re getting stronger,” he said. “I’m proud of you.”
Isabel crawled inside. “The sun just went down, I think,” she said. “I can’t really tell anymore.”
Oz chuckled. “I think it did, the night shift guards will be out soon, though,” he said. “We don’t have much time left… come here.”
Isabel crawled over next to him. Her lips found his instantly, and she eagerly pushed him onto his back as his arms wrapped around her. She sighed against his lips, feeling like she could stay in this exact position forever, his strong arms holding her close, his lips intertwining with hers, the heat of their body mixing in a way that made her want him more and more.
She broke away from their kiss, only to let her lips explore the rest of his body, undressing him as she moved. His hands quickly opened her robe, and he gently pulled her towards him. He took her breasts in his hands, and she lowered herself so that one nipple found its way into his mouth. He sucked hungrily at her, and she clutched the back of his head, sighing in pleasure. She caught a moan before it escaped her lips, careful not to alert the guards, and closed her eyes as his mouth worked.
She felt a rush of cold air against her skin, only then realizing that Oz has opened her robe completely. She adjusted her position, moving so his cock was between her legs, and lowered her hips against him. She gasped as she felt him between her wet lips, and bit her lip when his eyes rolled back at the pleasure of feeling her against him.
She moved, gently grinding, and kept her eyes locked on him as she slowly slid him inside her.
“Oh, Oz,” she moaned gently against his ear as he filled her up. His hands grabbed her by the hip, guiding her, supporting her as she moved against him, slowly sliding him in and out of her in long and deep strokes. She felt his hand against her, a finger rubbing her clit, and she shuddered at his touch. Sitting up, she let her robe fall off her shoulders, smiling as he took her naked body in, and increased her pace.
Within minutes, she was riding him fervently, his thumb pressed against her clit sending one wave of orgasm through her after the other. She lost complete track of time, all worries about the guards and everything else slipping to the back of her mind as she reveled in the now. The feel of him inside her, the touch of his hands on her skin, his beating heart against the palm of her hand, it was an overwhelming mix of pleasure and desire.
She let out an involuntary moan when she felt his hips push up against her and his hands pull her against him, allowing him to push in deeper as he grunted and exploded inside her. She felt her own body shake in orgasm, shivering in the darkness, scratching at his bare chest.
They collapsed onto each other, breathing hard, heartbeats racing, and she allowed herself a small smile as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
***
“That was…”
“Fantastic,” Isabel said. “You know, I’ve always felt like there was something a bit off
whenever Mikael and I were together… it makes me wonder.”
“Isabel, you’ve always been special to me,” Oz said, brushing his fingers through her hair.
“And why do you think that is?” Isabel asked, raising her eyes to him. “When you found me, you had a job to do, nothing more, nothing less.”
“I think you’re underestimating how emotional supernatural creatures can be,” he said with a smirk. “It’s true I was on a mission the day I saw you at the club, but, Isabel, I cou
ldn’t stop thinking about you the minute I laid eyes on you.”
Isabel could feel her cheeks getting red hot. Somehow, she just couldn’t get enough of him. A part of her was convinced that she was falling for Oz, and that scared her. What if he isn’t the person she thinks he is? What if this is all a game of pretend? Isabel could feel her mind going off in all sorts of directions. She felt like she couldn’t trust anyone, not even Oz. But she knew she had to trust someone. A battle was brewing; Isabel needed to pick a side. She wondered if Oz was just using sex to get to her, she wondered if Gavin was doing the same. But it didn’t work with Gavin; Isabel was growing more disgusted by him every day. She thought she would be able to tell by now if she was being used, but that wasn’t the case at all. “D’you think angels can fall for succubi?” she asked, resting her head on his shoulder.
“Aren’t we a living example of such a case?” he asked, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close. “Isabel, I’m sure you’ve seen stranger things than two people falling in love.”
“But we’re not “people”, Oz,” she said, raising her eyes to him. “I don’t know why I can’t come to terms with that, I always feel the need to say it out loud to believe it.”
“Sometimes I regret feeding on you, I think a part of me always will.” he said. Isabel didn’t say anything. Suddenly she found herself diving into deep contemplation about her life and what it has come down to. She tried to think back to what everything looked like before her transformation, before she even came to this mansion. But she felt nothing, and she saw nothing. Her previous life had become just a blank slate, one that was tarnished, almost blackened, by her current life. Maybe Oz was right: maybe he should’ve never fed on her that day. Maybe they should’ve never met.
“I think about that sometimes, too,” Isabel said, trying to hold back the tears. “I don’t know if I’m meant for this.”
“You’re special, Isabel,” Oz said, smoothing her hair back. “I don’t want you to forget that.”
“Everyone keeps saying that, I don’t get it,” she said. “I don’t have a special power, I don’t understand how this world works, then how do you expect me to accept my fate as some kind of legendary mythological creature?” she asked. “It makes no sense to me!” Oz shifted in his place. He opened his mouth but no words came out. “What’s wrong?” Isabel asked, tilting her head sideways. “You’re hiding something.”
