by Rue Volley
She looked up at me and bit her lip. I looked down and saw scars covering her body. I reached down and traced my fingers over one of the scars on her arm. I looked back up to see that she was watching me. I tilted my head.
“How did this happen?” I asked her. She sighed and looked at it and placed her hand over it.
“I have been a host to Protectors for a long time,” she said. “None have been as kind as you.”
I looked at her and crinkled my eyebrows.
“You mean that another Protector did this to you?” I asked her. She sighed.
I wanted her to tell me why, why one person would do that to another. I didn’t feel like I belonged there at all. I raised the cloth again and ran it along her back, more scars, some small, some more aggressive. I tried not to linger on any of them. She didn’t speak of it. Then my temper got the best of me, I had to know…
“Who did this and why?” I asked her.
“Feeding is not always limited to the palm,” she said quietly.
I looked down at her body and saw other scars, some on her legs, and then I noticed one on the inside of her thigh. I placed my hand on her chin and turned her head to look at me.
“I will never hurt you,” I said in a whisper. She grinned and I stared at her, hoping she believed me. She jumped when we heard a knock at my door.
“Oh god,” she muttered.
I helped her out of the tub and she quickly dried off and helped her get dressed quickly. I grabbed her shoulders and smiled. I could feel her heart beating and I told her to calm down. She nodded. I looked out into the room and flashed to my blade. I flashed back to her and grabbed her hand. She looked at me and I cut her as little as I could, on her palm. I rubbed her palm with my fingers and placed my fingers in my mouth. I grabbed her hand, pulled her into the bedroom, sat her on the bed, and sat down next to her.
“Come in,” I said, as I gripped the blade in my hand.
Johnathan walked in and looked at us on the bed. He grinned.
“Seems that your appetite is tenacious today.”
I grinned and showed him the blood on my teeth. I looked at Laurie Anne and waved a hand at her. She stood up and walked out of the room quickly. Johnathan watched her leave and I felt the need to take his focus off of her.
“I guess it was the way she bathed me,” I said. He grinned.
I swallowed the little blood that was in my mouth and closed my eyes as a vibration swelled in my stomach. I opened my eyes and Johnathan had flashed to my side.
“Well, if I would have known how delicious she was, I might have kept her for myself,” he said. I grinned and stood up. I turned and walked to the window.
“I won’t share her with you,” I said. I felt him behind me. I knew he was about to touch me and I turned around.
“Where are you taking me today?” I asked him.
He tilted his head and looked out the window, past me.
“I thought that maybe we could walk, the gardens maybe… if you wish,” he said. I smiled.
I was getting outside, awesome. I turned back towards the window and stared at the clouds. I watched as the clouds mingled and formed funny shapes.
“You are not a caged bird, Rue,” Johnathan whispered behind me. I sighed and pressed my hands together.
I wish that I didn’t feel that way, but I did.
***
Sara leaned in and stared at Josh’s face. His eyes looked as if they were moving behind his closed eyelids. She reached a hand towards his face and stopped when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She stood up and turned around to see Sam, standing in the doorway. She had her arms crossed and her eyebrows arched. She walked towards her and leaned over to look at him on the bed then stood up and looked at Sara.
“I told you that I didn’t mind if you checked in on him. I never remember telling you that you should touch him,” Sam said, sounding unhappy. Sara grinned.
“He just looks like he is dreaming,” she said as she stared at him.
Black was swirling on his skin. She watched it as it snaked across his arm and twisted around to the back side of it, disappearing out of sight. Sam grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the door. Sara looked at her as they stopped at the doorway.
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” Sara said to her. Sam sighed.
“I am not upset with you. Listen, he has been healing for a while, it is not safe for you to touch him; he could feed from you and not even know it,” Sam said as she let her arm go.
Sara looked back at him. “I don’t think he would hurt me, do you?”
Sam sighed again. “I can’t promise that, you just need to stay out of here, he won’t be himself when he does wake up anyway.”
Sara grinned. “You think he will wake up soon?”
Sam looked at her and touched her face. “I hope so Sara, I really do.”
Sam placed a hand on her back and pushed her out the door. Sara turned around and started to say something, but Sam closed behind her.
Sam turned to look back at Josh, who lay there, tied down with light on his wrists and feet. She pulled her blade and walked to his bedside watching as he twitched a little. Raising the blade, she cut her palm then pressed it against his mouth. His eyes opened, black as night and he didn’t look at her as he sucked the blood from her hand. He started to groan under her and she pulled away. He cried out and fought his restraints. She backed away and stared at him. His eyes fluttered and then he closed them once more.
She sighed and headed for the door turning to look at him again once more. She gripped her blade in her hand and the blood dripped on the floor at her feet. She pulled the door close behind her and walked to the top of the stairs putting her blade away then gripped the railing and ran down.
“Well?” she heard, as she took the last step from the stairs onto the living room floor. She gripped the railing and then looked up to see Theodore staring at her.
“No change,” she muttered.
Theodore went back into the kitchen and continued cooking. Sam headed for the door and left the house. Kai stood up and walked into the kitchen. Sara sat at the table smiling at him. It was a fake smile at best. Kai cleared his throat and sat down.
“So, how long will he be like this?” He asked Theodore.
Theodore stopped stirring and looked down.
“I cannot say. It was my hope that he would be up and around before this,” he said.
“Well, I don’t think that Sam should be the only one to feed him. I wish you would let me help her,” Kai said as he stared at the tabletop. Theodore turned around.
“You will not feed him, let Samantha do it.”
“I just don’t understand why she is…”
Theodore interrupted him. “You will not,” he said quickly.
Kai sighed and pushed up from the table, running towards the door. Sara sat quietly for a moment and then decided to chime in.
“You know, he only wants to help Theodore. He cares for Josh, like we all do.”
Theodore sighed and sat down at the table. He looked at her and started to grin then he placed his hands on the top of the table and looked at her.
“I understand his intentions, but it is best that Samantha help Josh right now. Kai is not strong enough to do it,” he said as he softened his eyes. Sara looked at him and sighed.
“Well, just tell him that, Theodore… he asks to do it every day,” Sara said. Theodore turned and started to stir the contents in the pot.
“Not an option Sara, Kai thinks he can do anything, if I make a point of telling him he is not able to do something he will try, out of spite.”
Sara laughed. “Yea, you’re probably right about that.”
“I know that I am. It’s a burden, being correct all the time.” Theodore grinned back.
Sara laughed. She had to. Theodore and Sara looked towards the door as Kai burst in. He had a look of panic on his face. Theodore stared at him.
“What is it?” he asked. Kai flashe
d to him.
“It’s Sam, she looks sick, worse than usual Theodore!” Theodore looked past him towards the door.
“Stay here,” he muttered.
Theodore stepped out onto the porch and saw Sam curled up on the porch swing. He stepped towards her and she looked up at him. Her eyes were swirling, white color becoming so dominant in her pupils that they started to match the white in her eyes. He sat down gently next to her reaching towards her and she pulled away from him.
“Samantha, you will allow me to heal you,” Theodore said in a stern voice. She grunted and pushed herself up. Theodore looked down at her hands, she had them clinched together.
“Give me your palm Samantha,” he said. She looked at him and sighed again then started to raise her hand to him. Theodore opened her palm up and he grumbled as he inspected it.
“It looks much worse than it feels,” she said as she watched him gently run his fingers across the cut on her palm.
He pressed down, very lightly. She jumped. He looked up at her and squinted his eyes.
“You have to stop feeding him immediately love,” Theodore said, hoping his nicer tone would sway her.
“That is not an option, Theodore, he has to feed, without it he will die,” Sam said as she pulled her hand from his.
“I am not asking you. I am telling you that you are damaging yourself, beyond repair. Josh may never return to us, but you do not have to go with him Sam.” Sam stood up and walked to the edge of the porch. She stared out into the forest.
“He will return Theodore. I will feed him until he does.” Theodore sighed and stood up.
“So much has been lost. Please do not do this to me.”
Samantha turned around and looked at Theodore. She wanted to console him, but she could not console herself. She tried to grin.
“He is going to be a bitch when he wakes up,” she said. Theodore grinned back, against his will.
“Okay, we are changing the subject I guess… well, I agree, Josh can be most aggravating on his own, but this is going to be unbearable. I may have to hurl him through a mirror, just to maintain my sanity.” Sam smiled then tilted her head and reached her hand out to him.
Theodore looked at her palm and smiled. He took her hand in his and held his palm over hers. A bright glow welled up in between their two palms and Sam sighed in relief. Theodore held onto her hand and winked.
“It is nice to see your compassion Samantha,” he whispered. She pulled her hand from his and looked back out into the forest.
“It’s not compassion. He is a good warrior. We will need him, that’s all,” she said. Theodore grinned.
“Okay,” he said as he turned and walked back into the house.
Sam opened her palm up and saw the cut was still there, it had healed slightly… but not even close to normal. She closed it and hissed a little. She stared out into the forest and closed her eyes, lowering her head.
“Wake up, please,” she whispered to herself.
Theodore and Sara were in an intense conversation concerning fashion when Sam walked back into the house. They both stopped talking and looked at her.
“Give me your key,” Sam said as she stepped up to Theodore, holding out her good hand. Theodore pulled it out of his pocket and placed it in her hand. She half grinned at him.
“Thank you,” she muttered.
She turned and flashed out the door. Sara looked at Theodore.
“She spends all her time at the library now, reminds me of…” Sara stopped and bit her lip.
She didn’t want to finish her sentence. Theodore placed his hand on top of Sara’s and smiled.
“Yes, it does remind me of Rue. Samantha simply wants to read all the books about us. She thinks she will stumble onto something that I may have missed. Tell you the truth, I hope that she does, regardless of how unbearable she will be, if she succeeds.”
Sara started to cry. Theodore stood up and walked around to her, he knelt down on one knee.
“You mustn’t be sad, I am sure she is alright. Rue is a tenacious creature Sara.” Sara looked up at him and wiped her tears.
“How can you be so sure? It’s been over a month and nothing, nothing at all.” Sara looked back down and started to cry again. Theodore pulled her up and held her shoulders.
“You need to be strong. We are beaten… but not conquered,” he said.
Sara looked up and had a look of confusion on her face.
“What does that even mean? Rue is missing, so is Johnathan. Sam is sick and Josh is in some kind of supernatural coma in Rue’s bedroom. How is that not ‘conquered’?” she asked him, quite seriously.
“Well, you seem to be losing your will,” Theodore responded. Sara grumbled.
“I need to leave. I am going home. I’ll be back tomorrow,” she said.
Theodore leaned forward and tried to hug her, but he did it so awkwardly that Sara almost stumbled.
He held her up and whispered in her ear, “Do not fret, I promise things will improve love.” Sara backed away from him and tried to grin. It looked just as awkward. Theodore tapped her on the shoulder and she raised her eyebrow.
“Okay then… I will be back tomorrow. Theo, if anything changes, just call me.”
Theodore grinned and nodded. Sara walked to the door and paused. She turned back and smiled at him.
“Thank you Theo, I know that you just want me to feel better, I know that you care.”
Theodore stared at her for a moment and cleared his throat. He grinned and she walked out the door.
***
We walked through the hallway leading from my room and I saw no one. It looked as if the warning was put out that the crazy girl was being walked that day. I thought I heard conversation when we rounded the corner, but as Johnathan and I stepped around it, a door closed. I sighed.
Johnathan looked at me and I kept my eyes forward. I didn’t find it easy to talk to him. He felt somewhat foreign to me. I couldn’t imagine why, seeing that we were to be mated a week from that point. He was supposed to be my mate for an eternity and I didn’t even really know him. He looked familiar, but he didn’t feel like it. His words never sparked anything in me, no memory, no interest… no passion. Where protectors unable to feel? Well, I know that I do, maybe that’s why I am not wanted here. Was that why they all scurried away from me like a leper? I wanted to fit in, I really did. I just didn’t know how to make it happen.
We reached a door and I looked at it, then at him. He reached forward and waved his hand, it started to roll like water and the color lit up my face. I watched it a little too long and then I noticed that he was looking at me again. I cleared my throat, which he had told me was an ugly habit. I didn’t care. He grabbed my hand and pulled me with him, through the door. I felt the wind hit my face and a sweet smell fill my lungs. I closed my eyes and enjoyed it for a moment. I felt him squeeze my hand and I looked at him.
“What are you doing?” he asked me.
“Smelling the air,” I said. He tilted his head.
I looked out and saw an ocean of flowers in front of us. They were all in strange patterns. I looked up and wished that I was a bird, so I could look down on it and see how they were arranged. He squeezed my hand again. I sighed.
“I was wishing that I was a bird, so that I could see how these flowers look from above,” I said with irritation in my voice. Johnathan looked at me.
“Curious,” he said. “I only squeezed your hand so that I could take you to the center; there is a tower so that you can look out on the garden circle.”
“Oh, sorry I didn’t know,” I said. I felt a little bad for snapping at him. He bugged me though, I couldn’t put my finger on why, but he did none the less.
We walked toward the center and I looked over to my right. The flowers changed colors as I walked by them, I stopped as I watched them strobe from yellow to red then blue to white. I leaned forward and Johnathan squeezed my hand again.
“It is better from the tower,” He said.
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I didn’t care what he said. God, why am I being so hateful? Seemed like I was doing it on purpose. I tried to nod and smile graciously, but I knew he could probably feel my irritation with him. Truth was I wanted to run out into the flowers and cause all kinds of chaos. Cause them to change colors so quickly they would end up all colors, swirling at once. I stood up and let him lead me to the center, it better be amazing, or I planned to say something mean.
We reached a white tower of stone. Silver shimmered from the sun on its surface. I stepped onto the first step and looked up. The stairs spiraled upward and looked like they went on forever. I only took a few steps before I stumbled, when a sharp pain hit me. I grabbed at my head and hissed. That one hurt more than usual. Johnathan leaned into me and held my arm. He didn’t ask me what was wrong, just held onto to me. I steadied myself and pushed on. I looked over at him as we climbed the stairs.
I suddenly felt sorry for him, that he had given his heart to me. Maybe I was different before the fall? I wanted to think so, for who would want someone who refused to give or receive any affection at all? I didn’t think that sounded like me, but then again, I didn’t even know anything about myself except for what he had told me.
Oh god!
Suddenly I realized that we were at the top. I tried to grin, but I was still thinking about how I would run if I was him. Far away from the crazy girl, direct descendant of the first protector created and obviously troubled beyond repair. Johnathan held my hand in his as he pulled me forward. I stepped to the edge and looked out. It was breathtaking. It was a circle of flowers all around us, they pulsated with color… every one that I could think of. I drew my breath in and smelled the air. It was sweeter than blood.
I felt lips on mine and I backed away before I realized that I did it. I opened my eyes and Johnathan stood in front of me. I couldn’t smile, although I should have. Maybe I should have at least tried to cover up my disinterest in him, which grew stronger every day. He tilted his head and looked at me. I expected something, anything to come out of his mouth, but instead he flashed at me and grabbed my wrists. I looked at him and wondered what he would do. He grinned. Not what I expected at all.
