by B. N. Toler
“You need to open his door,” Lucy says and vanishes instantly. I know it was my subconscious telling me to “open his door,” but I wish it would’ve told me if it meant Thomas’s or Rhett’s door. I force myself up and my body feels like it weighs a thousand pounds. I change the scene to the farm, and the day is cold and it’s raining. I’m standing about fifty feet from the barn, but it looks farther. I start walking and my body is overcome with shivers as the rain pours over me, plastering my clothes to my body. I’m sick, even in my subconscious and whatever Corbin has drugged me with is causing me to struggle to hold the scene. I have to get to Rhett and Thomas’s keys. I don’t know whose door Lucy was telling me to open, but I figure I’ll open both, unsure if either of them will even come after everything that’s happened. I finally make my way to the barn and see Bruno’s large head waiting to greet me. He nudges me when I near his stall, but I have no time to pay him attention today. I reach up and seize the keys, when the fatigue overtakes me. I fall in front of Bruno’s stall door and see his large head above me, sputtering snorts. I change the scene again and he disappears as my large white dome surrounds me. Rhett and Thomas’s doors are twenty feet away so I roll on my stomach and begin crawling towards them, unable to stand anymore. I feel my dome starting to shake as my subconscious attempts to break. I crawl faster and reach Thomas’s door first. I lean against it as I begin crying. I know I’m dying. Even if I don’t die from blood poisoning, I’m going to die when Corbin turns me over to the nest; of course, only after I give birth to three healers. I reach up and unlock Thomas’s door and open it. I lay in front of it, sobbing, too weak to move anymore.
“Thomas!” I yell as loud as I can. I yell his name once more as my eyes begin to close. I don’t know if I’m about to wake up or if my subconscious will go deeper, but I have nothing left. I hold Rhett’s key in my hand tightly, knowing I cannot make it to his door to unlock it. My only hope now is that Thomas will find me.
“Wake up, Aldo,” I hear Corbin as he shakes me. I open my eyes slightly and find him sitting to my side. The room is dark because the curtains are drawn, but from what I can make out we appear to be in a hotel room judging by the door with a security card lock on it.
Corbin stares down at me, a morose expression plaguing his face.
“Why?” I whisper, barely able to speak, I am so overwhelmed. Betrayed. Corbin has deceived me. I thought he was my friend.
“I’m really sorry,” he says genuinely. “I panicked when Thomas started backing out and then other guy showed up the other night, and I couldn’t take the chance that we would never enter.” He stands and walks out of my sight and returns with a bottle of water, which he holds to my mouth. I sip it as it spills down my face and neck. Corbin grabs a towel and dries me.
“I found someone, or they found me, and said they would trade my wife for you.”
“Who?”
“He wouldn’t tell me his name, but he knew you and said my wife would be returned safely to me if I brought you to him. I didn’t agree to it, Aldo. Not until three days ago when that other guy, Rhett, showed up.”
In my discombobulated state, I do some math. I was away one night with Daniel which means Corbin has had me two days. “You’ve held me here for two days?” I ask in disbelief.
“Yeah.”
I hold my hand with the burn up and eye it. It looked like it was healing after I drank Daniel’s blood, but now it looks far worse. Maybe his blood didn’t help because he fed on me when we made love. There are red streaks going up my arm now. My other hand is handcuffed to the headboard and I groan from pain when I tug against the bracelet. It hurts worse than it did the other day.
“What the hell did you inject me with?”
“I know what you are. He told me.”
My body tenses. He knows I’m a hybrid? “The man that made the deal with you? He told you?”
“I didn’t believe him at first, but when the blood healer showed up the other night, I knew it could be a possibility. I found your recipe for the vampire inhibitor in my room and I mixed it. Kaitlynn gave me her blood. I decided to inject you with it and see if it worked.”
“It worked,” I croak as a wash of nausea cascades over me. “You gave me too much. You could have killed me. The recipe only calls for a drop.”
Ignoring me, he says, “You need to take some of my energy.”
“I can’t heal myself, Corbin. I’m dying.” I lean my head back and close my eyes, accepting it as truth.
“No. They’ll heal you. You just have to make it a little longer. You need to eat. I’ll be right back with some food.” He stands and exits the room, leaving me by myself and I begin to fall back asleep, unable to fight it. Once in my subconscious, I’m at the farm down by the lake, lying in the lush green grass under the willow tree where Rhett and I first made love.
I stare at the water and wonder if such a place really exists in the conscious world; if it does, this is where I want to be buried. Looking down, I realize I’m holding Rhett’s key in my hand. I can’t make it back to open his door. I’m too weak, but I close my eyes and focus hard and when I open them I see Thomas’s door beside me. I’m in the dome again.
“Thomas!” I cry out, but hear nothing. I want to cry, but can’t even produce the tears to do it, I’m so dehydrated and exhausted.
“Aldo,” Thomas whispers as he picks me up. I change back to the scene by the willow tree and he lies me down beneath it. His energy runs through me and it soothes me somewhat, but I’m still rendered useless. “Where are you?” he asks panicked.
“Corbin has me. He made a deal to trade me for his wife.” I want to explain what is happening, but my subconscious is breaking. The ground begins to shake and I figure it’s Corbin trying to wake me to feed me.
“You have to go,” I whisper.
“No, tell me where you are!” Thomas orders, his eyes filled with worry, and I can see he’s upset seeing me in this condition.
“Thomas, I’m so sorry,” I weep.
“Stop it!” he yells.
“I’m dying,” I whisper.
“I’ll find you. I swear,” he growls.
“You have to go. He’s waking me. He’s drugging me so I may not be able to see you here.”
“Fight, Aldo. Don’t stop fighting. Promise me.”
With a smile, I reach up and touch his face. “I promise,” I say knowing I have no fight left in me. Tears stream down his face and he kisses me, pressing his lips hard against mine as if doing so will melt me into him. I’m too weak to fight him off, but even if I weren’t, I would let it happen. Good or bad, Thomas has been a part of my life, and whether I like it or not, we are tethered together. This may very well be the last time I ever see him, so kissing him feels like letting go; letting go of my anger, my hurt, and my disappointment in him.
“Go,” I say, unable to hold the tie to my subconscious. He kisses me once more and disappears.
“She’s sick,” a man’s voice that isn’t Corbin’s says. The man’s back is to me when I pry my eyes open, so I close them again, pretending to still be asleep.
“She can’t heal herself. I don’t know why,” Corbin explains.
“Because she’s blood starved. You’ve done well,” the man says to Corbin. I hear movement, and then I feel someone touching my face.
I open my eyes and I’m stunned when I see Lucas staring down at me.
“Lucas,” I say in disbelief. Lucas is the man that offered to give Corbin his wife back if Corbin handed me, the female hybrid over? But how would Lucas know what I am? Suddenly the realization hits me like a proverbial smack to the head. Lucas has been walking my dreams. Shit! How could I have been so stupid? I should’ve made a door and locked him out the moment Thomas told me he could dream walk too.
“Hey there lover,” he winks at me.
“You know him?” Corbin questions, but neither Lucas nor I acknowledge his question. “When will I get my wife back?” Corbin moves on quickly.
&
nbsp; “After she delivers,” Lucas says while his evil eyes stare at me.
“That wasn’t the deal.” Corbin becomes upset. Lucas turns to him and smiles.
“Yes it was. I can’t give her to you when she’s carrying a healer. Once she delivers the baby, she’ll be released. You’ve done well.”
“I want her now, dammit!” Corbin shouts taking a step towards us. “I’ll take care of the baby.”
“Doesn’t work that way,” Lucas replies unfazed by Corbin’s outburst. “Leave us,” he orders and I hear Corbin exit. Lucas looks back to me and feels my forehead with the back of his hand. I try to move my head away, but fail, as I’m too weak to pull away.
“Miss me?” Lucas smiles condescendingly, as he stares down at me. He runs his hand down my body as he says, “I have wondered what it would be like to have you in real life. I mean it was excellent in your dream.”
“You’re disgusting,” I growl.
“You enjoyed it. You were like putty in my hands.”
“It was a dream.”
“Oh, but it was so much more. The way you gave yourself to me; you were so young and innocent. I have craved you ever since.” He bites his lower lip as his hand squeezes my hip.
“I thought I was giving myself to Thomas. I would never have done that with you.” I wriggle, trying to break his grasp on my hip.
“My brother is a fool. He should have taken you and disappeared the moment he knew he was in love with you, but he stayed, thinking he could protect you.”
“He wanted to help you, too.”
“I don’t need his help.”
“He’ll never forgive you for this.”
“Maybe not.” He makes a thoughtful expression before snapping his gaze back to me.
“I’m going to kill you,” I whimper, trying to keep my eyes open.
“You poor thing,” Lucas shakes his head amused. He’s changed since the last, and only, time I ever saw him. His hair is short now and he’s wearing a dress shirt with slacks. He’s not the stoner, frat-looking guy I remember.
“What about your niece? You want her to be raped and murdered?”
His eyes flicker with anger, but quickly transition as a smile plays across his lips. “That is her destiny. It’s what she was born to do.”
I realize what Thomas was telling me now. They brainwash these children. These kids grow up thinking they’re meant for the purpose of breeding and feeding for vampires.
“I’m going to die so you’ve wasted your time,” I whisper, enjoying the disappointment this will bring him even at my own demise.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but you won’t die. I’ll get you some blood,” he smiles.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because you are going to make me a lot of money.” He rubs his fingers together.
“How so?”
“Andre has wanted a female hybrid for some time. Not only will you make me a lot of money, but presenting you to the nest will place me back in the good graces of Andre.”
“Andre likes me.” I wince as the cuffs pull on my skin.
“Oh, he’ll be more than pleased to discover you were a part of a plot to destroy him.”
“So he doesn’t know?”
“No. I’m looking forward to presenting you to him.”
“Then how have you made the arrangements to trade me for Corbin’s wife?”
“I haven’t. I just told him that,” Lucas laughs.
“So this is all to get back in good with Andre?”
“When Thomas took me, we were labeled as traitors. I’ve been looking for a way back in, and you are it, my dear.”
“Sounds like you have it all figured out.”
He smiles patting my leg. “Now rest. I’ll be back with blood.” He stands and I watch him leave the room before I pass out again.
When I open my eyes, I lie in the white dome of my subconscious, barely able to move, wishing it would all just end. Lucy taught us never to fear death, and at this point I would welcome it. I refuse to be taken to the nest. I’m almost positive I won’t live through the day anyway, but if I do, I will push any energy left in me out, ending my life before I allow myself to be taken by Andre.
“Aldo.” Thomas kneels over me.
“It’s Lucas,” I whisper. “He’s taking me to the nest so he can turn me in.” I leave out the part about it being because I’m a hybrid.
“Where is he keeping you?”
“I don’t know. I’m in some kind of motel.”
“Where’s your board?”
I blink and it appears in front of us. The large bulletin board is filled top to bottom with information. Thomas tries to lift me, but I stop him.
“I can’t,” I cry. “Thomas, I’m going to die.” My eyes tear up.
“Don’t say that!” he shouts.
“It’s true.”
“Stop it, Aldo,” he bends down and grabs my hand that’s still holding the key to Rhett’s door. He eyes the key, and sighs. “What is this?”
“It’s nothing.” I don’t know if I should tell Thomas Rhett is a dream walker too. It isn’t my secret to share. Part of me wants to open Rhett’s door, but another part doesn’t because I’m so afraid he’ll never come. He was so angry; maybe he left, hoping to never see me again. I can’t blame him.
Thomas stares at the board, but I don’t bother looking up because I’m too weak. “Aldo, baby, you have to do it. It’s blank. ”
I close my eyes and open them so I’m sitting in a hospital bed that is raised up. I look at the board and hundreds of images begin to appear, backlogs of information I absorbed and never sorted when I was drinking myself to sleep to avoid my dreams.
“What is all of this?” Thomas asks as he stares at the board.
“I haven’t been dreaming, so all of this is information I absorbed and never sorted.” I finally reach Corbin and I see pictures of his wife, I see some of his random memories play out, but nothing about Lucas. When I get to Lucas, images of him kissing Kaitlynn appear and my heart feels like it might stop beating.
“That bitch!” I say in disbelief.
Thomas stares at the board, his mouth twisted, and I can’t tell if he’s angry or humored.
“I knew she hated me. I’m so sorry, Thomas,” I whisper.
“Why?”
“Because she was playing you.”
“She didn’t play me. I’m in love with you Aldo.”
“Thomas, I—”
“Aldo, we have to move on. You have to figure out where you are. We can talk about that later.”
The board begins to play out images of Andre. One memory plays out before me and I watch in horror as Andre rapes a woman. Even worse, I’m experiencing the lust he felt and the consuming thirst for her blood. I try to fast forward, but my subconscious wont transition from this memory. The woman is small and frail wearing a blue server uniform. She looks so familiar, but I can’t tell if it’s because I’m experiencing this through Andre or because I’ve met her before. Finally, Andre bites her, draining her and my head lulls back with satisfaction. He was pleased with himself. What an evil fucking asshole. He leaves her lifeless on the floor.
I’m so angry and weak right now, I can’t form coherent words, but I tell myself he will die. No matter what I have to do, he must die.
“Move on,” Thomas says when the ground suddenly begins shaking.
“I’m waking up,” I say exhausted.
“Focus, Aldo. Figure out where you are.” Thomas looks deep into my eyes.
“I’ll try,” I say. “You have to go.” The image of the dome is beginning to vanish.
“I love you,” he whispers and disappears before my eyes.
When I wake, someone is messing with my handcuffs and my hand is throbbing with pain. I twist to look up and my heart almost jumps out of my chest. I close my eyes and open them again, thinking maybe I’m imagining things. “Sarah!” I cry, consumed with happiness. My eyes begin to pool with tears.
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bsp; “Aldo if you cry right now I swear to God I’m going to punch you in your face,” she warns, still tinkering with the cuffs.
I have never been so happy to hear someone threaten me in my life. “It’s good to see you too.” I smile weakly, as a single tear escapes my eye. “How did you find me?”
“I had a vision,” she says as the cuff pops open and my hand falls to the bed, causing me to gasp in agony. She quickly pulls me up and begins checking my injuries. I can’t help but fall onto her, hugging her as best I can with the little energy I have. She pulls me up, holding me in place.
“Don’t do that,” she warns. Her face is cold and her voice lacks comfort, but I couldn’t be happier to see her. My body is swaying side to side, begging to fall back to the bed. I’m struggling to keep my eyes open when Sarah slaps me across the face.
As the sting rips across my cheek, I look at her too tired to yell at her. If asked, I’m sure she would say she slapped me to wake me up, but I wonder if maybe there was more behind it, like a sister slapping the girl that hurt her brother.
“Don’t go back to sleep.”
“Okay,” I mumble.
“This is bad,” she says, as she eyes my burn.
“You can’t heal me,” I tell her, crushed at the thought. I need blood for that.
“No, I just mean you smell like ass. You need a shower,” she says, showing no hint she’s joking.
“I can see my brother is rubbing off on you.” I roll my eyes.
“No. I wasn’t joking. You smell like shit.” Her expression is still serious. “Stay still.” She holds each of my arms in her hands and closes her eyes. Cool tingles ease through her hands into my arms and I feel her energy rush through me. When she finishes she stands up, looking at me. “How do you feel?”
“Better,” I lie. Her energy gave me the equivalent of a baby aspirin.
“What are you doing here?”
“First thing I want you to do is take a shower,” she ignores my question.
“Really?” I say, annoyed, the novelty of her coming to my rescue having worn off already.
“Shh,” she holds her hand up, warning me to be silent. My eyes grow wide as I tense. The door to the hotel flings open and Lucas enters, stunned to find me sitting up, freed from the cuffs.
