by annie nadine
Their faces were close and her heavy breathing blew against his face as she exhaled. She could feel his chest rising and falling evenly against hers. He looked at her for a moment before he spoke.
“What do you know of soul snatchers?” He asked.
“I am telling you that I know nothing. I swear to you, Eli.” She tried to subdue the panic she felt growing in her.
“How did you find the daggers?” He questioned.
“As I said, I came to find you. I then decided on a book to read and as I walked to the day bed I stumbled and my book fell onto the cushions. It made a strange noise and then…I…opened it.” It sounded really bad and she trailed off trying to ignore the fact she had done the wrong thing by looking.
“Why that book?” He asked with suspicion in his voice.
“It had an interesting title,” she explained innocently. After measuring her honesty and how weak she felt, he lowered her hands to her side but made sure he kept hold of them. His body remained against hers, partly for precaution but mostly because he wanted to be close to her.
“I see…” he said. Silence filled the room as he realised his mistake in accusing her.
“I think I should be the one asking the questions,” Annie suggested. She felt a little more at ease as Eli’s face became softer.
“Well there seems to be no walking away from this without an explanation now,” he half joked, realising she was innocent. “What is it that you would like to know?”
“Everything.”
“I am not sure if that is the best idea,” he warned.
“Then I will have to find another residence. I will not stay somewhere I do not feel safe.” She struggled against him trying to move away but he kept her pinned.
“I am not the one you should be running away from,” he cautioned.
“Then who is?” Annie jutted her face toward him in question. He searched her face for something she wasn’t sure of and he let out a sigh.
“I will tell you but this is something I am trusting you with,” he said seriously. She thought for a moment about whether she wanted to know or not. It seemed like something that could lead her into trouble. Her own internal warnings did nothing to tame the curiosity that had already planted itself inside her and she decided that she wanted to know. How bad could it be?
“Shall we take a seat?” Annie suggested. Eli released her and moved over to the day bed that started all of this. “Fine choice,” she said sarcastically as she sat next to him.
“What I am about to tell you may sound ridiculous.” He looked at her as he spoke. “Correction, will sound ridiculous.”
“Eli, I am sure whatever it is I will be able to manage,” she assured.
“Have you ever heard the words soul snatcher?” He asked half trying to shock her into taking it seriously.
“Only just now after I found that book,” she answered, laughing a little at how silly this all felt. When Eli didn’t join in her laughter she soon sobered and became a little fearful.
“This is not a joke, Annie. They are much more than dangerous.” Annie wasn’t sure what to do with his words, laugh or run screaming. The rational part of her felt like shunning everything he said but, from the strangeness that had recently surrounded her life, part of her grabbed hold of the fear and believed what he said.
“Then tell me, what are they?” She asked warily, feeling the gravity of it all.
Without a word he stood and started to search through the books. He found a book and walked back to his seat, flicking through the pages intently.
“They are beings that should be treated with caution and avoided at all costs!” He passed the book to her, opened to half way, and then went to retrieve another book from the shelves. She looked at the pages, it had a picture of a disgusting looking man, bloated and half dead.
“How does anyone know of these things?” She asked, scrunching her face up in revulsion at the image.
“Attacks. Some snatchers are careless and do not think about consequences. They can come in all different shapes and sizes and can be either men or women.” Eli grabbed another book as Annie was left shocked at his words. He opened to a specific page, handed it to her and walked back to the shelves. “Some look like rotting corpses and others are enticing creatures. It depends on the type of snatcher that created them.”
“How do people become a…snatcher?” She asked as she inspected the books.
“With bane that is administered into the victim. It can either be ingested by a human drinking from the creature themselves or by the snatcher biting them and injecting it into them,” Eli explained, handing yet another book to her.
“It is fine, Eli,” she said refusing the book politely. “At this rate it looks as if you will hand me the whole shelf. Just sit and tell me.” He nodded then took his seat next to her. “From my understanding of the word ‘bane’, it refers to something that causes death, especially from poison. But do people die after being infected?”
“The fluid they produce is injected into the victim. It stops their heart beating for a time until the transformation is complete, then the heart restarts,” he clarified. “So in a way it is a death but not technically.”
“So it is poisonous?” She wondered.
“We consider it to be a corruptive influence in a human’s system, so yes.” He watched her carefully to ensure she was not too overwhelmed. “The bane replaces the human’s blood which is one of the reasons why they have the option of drinking blood to survive. If the bane is not subdued then it becomes too…” He searched for the word. “Blistering within them and it burns through their skin, killing them. Am I going too fast?”
“No, it is fine. Continue.” Annie was overwhelmed but fascinated.
“From what we know snatchers are ageless. If you are transformed in old age you lose some of the age and remain looking possibly a decade younger. However, if someone is changed during their physical peak they are frozen in eternal youth. Bane maintains the body at its peak but also influences a person’s capabilities. It makes you better at everything but also allows you to endure things for longer. For example snatchers can run faster and longer, they do not need rest or food, they can see better and hear well. How are you coping with this?” He checked with her.
“Fine.” She was intrigued to know more.
“They only use their heightened skills when it is necessary. For instance, if they were defending themselves against a danger or they were preying on a victim. Otherwise they just come across as any other ordinary human being because technically they are…just much more improved. The bane sets a person in a mold once it is infused into them,” he summarised. “Their bodies are still able to be injured but the bane heals them at a very fast rate and they cannot die the same way humans do.”
“So why are some disgusting?” She queried, thinking of the revolting image she had seen.
“There are some that feed off dead bodies because they think it an easy meal. Also the sporadic outbursts of the plague are another way they ingest spoiled blood, any disease ridden blood really. Because bane absorbs the blood it also absorbs its qualities but because they cannot be killed by human disease they become walking, rotting corpses. If they create a person in a diseased state then that human becomes the same,” he expounded.
“How did they come to be?” Annie asked.
“Legend has it that at the start of the dark ages there was once a woman so vain she thought sacrificing others would bring her eternal youth. So every few years she would sacrifice someone she lured to fall in love with her to gain longer life. She believed it had to be someone who genuinely loved her, so she would live with them and be with them for years so she was sure that it was true love. Then she would kill them and drink their blood.
After countless deaths by her hand a young man came to her door seeking refuge from a storm. He asked for entrance to her home and she granted it to him. She intended him to be her next victim but she was unaware that this person was ap
parently a demon in disguise. He offered her eternal youth in exchange for a soul. He said it could not be just any soul, it had to be the soul of the one who loved her most. She said she would easily find a man willing. The demon said it would not do because there would always be one that would love her more than any other…herself.” Annie took a sharp breath in and he paused.
“Then what?” She whispered.
“Before she had time to think of the consequences she willingly offered herself. The demon asked how she would manage to sacrifice herself yet be eternally youthful. Again without thought she said she would give her soul if he supplied her body with another source of life. With this as the truly desired result that the demon wanted, he granted her wish without her caring that the conditions were made by him.
Her soul was removed by a simple kiss and she gained eternal youth. She became less human and more demonic, though keeping her human shell. So she gained bane, strength etcetera. The theory it that the demon’s aim was for her to sacrifice more human life on a larger scale so he gave her abilities to accomplish it.”
“Is it true?” Annie had never been so bombarded with information but she was retaining it.
“I do not know, all I can tell you is; that is the myth and there are soul snatchers today,” Eli said diplomatically.
“If the legend is true then from my understanding, the people who are turned by another snatcher would have souls because bane is used instead of a kiss to change them. So people are turned into these creatures but have to battle against this one woman’s curse,” Annie mused feeling a little sorry for them.
“I am not sure.” Eli seemed to become a little guarded and changed the subject of souls rather quickly. “According to the legend the demon specifically had to be welcomed into her home of her own free will. Now a snatcher must be asked into a home before they can enter it, unless they have been welcomed there before their change.” Annie nodded, taking it all in. “There is so much more. They were designed to do something far worse than what I have already told you,” he started to warn but a knock came at the door.
Annie was startled by the noise, it was so normal compared to everything she was just told. It brought her back to reality but she still felt like she had fallen into a bizarre fairy-tale with a frightening twist. Eli went to the door and answered it.
“Mr. Brighton,” Garrick said from the entrance. “Miss Danes is at the door to see you.” Eli turned back to Annie who looked just as shocked as he did.
“Stay here,” Eli said to her then left the library with Garrick.
“Because I am really going to stay here,” Annie said to herself then she snuck out of the room quietly.
CHAPTER 10
Eli silently walked up to the closed door that had Miss Danes behind it. Before he opened it he looked to Garrick in question.
“Why is she standing outside?” He whispered.
“She advised that this would be a hasty visit and did not wish to disturb you any more than necessary.” Garrick looked meaningfully at him.
“Does Garrick know?” Annie whispered as she came up behind them. The two men were startled by her unexpected presence.
“Annie, I told you to stay in the library,” Eli scolded.
“Why would I stay there?” She argued, both still whispering.
“Did you tell her?” Garrick asked in the shared hushed tone.
“She found the daggers and I almost attacked her thinking she was suspicious!” Eli thought this explanation was enough.
“I will not tell anyone,” Annie assured Garrick. Before any of them could continue quarrelling Miss Danes spoke from behind the door.
“Are you there?” Her voice came through muffled. They all looked at each other and Eli slowly opened the door.
“Miss Danes, how are you on this fine day?” He asked. He used the door to lean against as he kept hold of the handle. Annie stood behind Eli and Garrick but Miss Danes stared right at her, completely ignoring the others.
“I am just here to collect what is mine,” she said referring to Annie. Eli’s hand tightened on the door handle.
“It seems you are referring to Annie, Miss Danes of which you would be mistaken,” Eli warned sternly. Miss Danes turned her head sharply to look at him.
“No. I. Am. Not. Mistaken,” she said through gritted teeth.
“From my understanding she was found and welcomed into your staff. She was paid for her services and if she had not been dismissed by you then she would have been free to leave at any time. Which means she is not a slave and therefore not your property. And please, do not get me started on my ethical disagreement of slavery or we will be here well into the night,” Eli argued rationally. It looked as if Miss Danes was about to explode. The rage was evident on her face, so much so that she almost turned red.
“You cannot keep her,” she almost shouted.
“But you see, Miss Danes I can and I will. I do not see you walking in here and taking her. Wait, I believe it is because you cannot,” Eli tormented. Miss Danes took a step forward then stopped abruptly, as if she ran into a wall that wasn’t there. She clenched her fists beside her and silently fumed.
“You have made a powerful enemy,” Miss Danes hissed.
“And you have been here long enough. Do not be mistaken, I will do what I have to Miss Danes and I think you understand exactly what I am saying.” Eli slammed the door in her face and locked it.
“Eli, what is going on?” Annie asked as she followed his hurried pace as he made his way back to the library, Garrick in tow.
“She is a snatcher,” he explained as he rolled up his sleeves and lifted the day bed’s hidden lid.
“Which horse?” Garrick asked.
“Excuse me?” Annie squealed.
“Give me lightning, Garrick,” Eli instructed. With that Garrick left for the barn. Eli quickly looked over to his desk as if he just remembered something. He went and grabbed his coat that hung on the back of his desk chair and put it on. He walked back over, picked a dagger from the day bed and slid it into his hidden, interior breast pocket.
“Eli, what is going on?” Annie asked again. He finally looked at her for the first time since entering the room.
“I am sorry to sound so insensitive but if you must have an explanation now then I shall have to be quick.” He placed his hands on both of her arms and looked into her eyes. She nodded in understanding so he explained. “I have suspected that Miss Danes was a snatcher for some time now but we are not permitted to terminate one unless there is clear evidence and they pose a threat. Her not being able to walk into the house is all I needed and she has already harmed a human,” he said referring to Annie’s experience with her. “I was visiting her all those times to try and gain the confirmation I needed.”
“Who are you referring to when you say ‘we’?” Annie asked. Somehow her life had just become even crazier in the past few seconds.
“That is too long an explanation that I will save for another time but there is another thing.” He paused so she nodded for him to continue. “I purposely got you fired. I am so sorry it happened in such a horrible way but I could not stand the thought of you in that house any longer.” He felt relieved after admitting his guilt. Annie reached out and touched the cheek Miss Danes had slapped, remembering his extreme reactions that had seemed strange at the time. Eli took her hand in his, leaned in and gently kissed her cheek. “I never meant for you to get hurt like that.”
“Sir, your horse is ready,” Garrick said from the doorway feeling awkward from having to interrupt their intimate moment. Eli turned to him and nodded.
“Joel is faster at saddling every time,” Eli commented about his stable boy, sounding as if he wanted more time with Annie. Garrick left without another word. Eli looked back to Annie when they were alone again. “Do not fret about Miss Danes. She will not be able to harm you as long as you are in my manor, as she has never been invited in. We will talk more when I return,” he assured her. She nodded an
d he moved to leave the room.
“Wait, Eli.” Annie paused and waited for him to turn around. “Where are you going?” He smiled easily and warmly at her question.
“To rid the world of one more snatcher!” He proclaimed, almost with excitement in his voice.
Before she could say anything else he was out the door. She went after him but he had already left the premises. How was he going to overpower a snatcher? How was any of this happening? What on earth was happening? Deciding that there was nothing she could do and that worrying wasn’t going to help, Annie grabbed the book she had intended to read and took it to her room. She would try to find the answers to her questions by herself.
When she was inside her room she locked the door, she always felt safer when she did. As she turned to walk to her bed she ran into someone. She had just started to let out a scream when Baden covered her mouth and smiled at her. She closed her eyes in relief and he removed his hand.
