Eternal

by B C Morgan

  I heard what he said, but I could not take my eyes away from them, at least not until he laced his fingers with mine and pulled me away from my new obsession and led me over to the exercise bike, rowing machine, punching bag and different sized weights.

  He explained how I would spend most of that day using just that and he would not introduce me to actual combat styles until he thought I was ready. I tried not to sigh too noticeably but obviously failed if the scowl on his face was anything to go by.

  I ducked inside a shower room that was attached to the training room and quickly changed into an exercise bra and shorts, I was far from modest and was not in the slightest bit bothered about him seeing my bare stomach. As far as I was concerned the most important parts were covered and that’s all that really mattered.

  I could tell by the look on his face I had surprised him with my attire, and he looked positively ravenous.

  Z

  After two hours of machine work and weight lifting, he decided it would be a good idea for me to show him my form on the punch bag. I was knackered, how could he possibly expect me to continue, but I refused to utter a single word as it dawned on me that maybe he was pushing me so hard so I would not continue with our training. I refused to let him win on this and I was far from backing down, he could tire me out as much as he wanted, I was not going to run away from a challenge.

  He took to correcting my stance and offering tips on my form. I wanted to tell him where to stick his suggestions but had to keep reminding myself that I had asked for this. He had warned me he would not go easy on me and every time I got close to throwing in the towel, Jackie’s malicious face would pop in to my mind, pushing me to go harder.

  We finally stopped after another hour, he then informed me we would be doing this three times a week for a minimum of six hours. My eyes nearly popped out of my head and he smirked at my facial reaction.

  “Are you trying to kill me?” I demanded, not finding his humour all that amusing.

  “You asked for this princess, don’t forget that. And if you are going to train with me then you are going to have to accept my decisions or you can just walk away and carry on the way you have been.”

  That irked me and I couldn’t help myself from launching my fist at his face, I was waiting for the gratifying crunch of my fist connecting with his nose when I was suddenly sailing through the air and came down hard on my back.

  He rested his boot lightly on my chest and sported a Cheshire grin on his smug face.

  “You are not ready to go toe to toe with me princess, you really should think before you act.”

  I wanted to come back with some clever retort, but I was still trying to get back the wind that had been knocked out of me.

  He graciously offered me his hand and I wasn’t too proud to accept the assistance, silently promising myself to one day return the favour to him and to have him staring up at me from the same position I was just in.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Lawson

  I honestly believed she would have backed out of our arrangement after the first day, but four days in, she kept coming back for more.

  We were supposed to have another training session during the summer solstice, but she refused, saying that she had somewhere else that she had to be. I couldn’t understand what could be more important to her, then training to protect herself. But I had ungraciously agreed to train her today instead.

  She was definitely starting to improve with her stamina and I felt a little proud of her resilience to continue. I also couldn’t help but notice how often her gaze would drift over to the wall, where most of the weapons were mounted. I wondered if she was unnerved by their presence or more anxious to actually wield one herself, I did have every intention of training her with some of the weapons that we had, but first she really needed to learn how to defend herself while she was unarmed.

  I knew I had surprised her when I informed her of our hand to hand combat that afternoon, and she actually looked pleased by the turn of events, though that soon changed when I told her she still had to work the machines beforehand.

  I know she thought I was just trying to torture her and that idea had a smirk forming on my lips, as I thought about the actual torture techniques I had used on my victims in the past. None of them had been as painless as what I was putting Unya through, due to her own request.

  After she had worked up a good sweat for about two hours, I finally let her take a quick break before we would begin. I told her when she was ready she was to make a move for me, I didn’t want any forewarning before it happened, I just wanted to see how close she could actually get and let me tell you, she was definitely quick on her feet.

  She came flying at me like a bat out of hell and I could see the determination clear on her face, unfortunately she was much too predictable and she soon ended back on her back, just like that first day.

  After I started going through the various types of blocks she could use and the perfect technique to flip someone over her shoulder, no matter the size difference to her. We went through the different styles of punches and kicks and she did have remarkable form, even if it was slightly sloppy in some places.

  I got her to practice the different techniques against the kick bag and was impressed to see the dent she left after delivering a round house kick or even just from her punches.

  I knew if she could actually manage to get a hit on me, that I would definitely feel it.

  By the time that the six hours passed, she was performing the kicks like they were no more than muscle memory and I was definitely surprised by how quickly she took to it, but obviously she had a lot of motivation to pick this up as quickly as possible.

  I told her to wait for me upstairs while I quickly tidied up and said she could help herself to a drink and something to eat if she felt it necessary. The only problem was that I hadn’t realised Kat would be bringing her work home with her that day and Unya was already up the stairs when the first scream resounded through the house.

  Unya’s eyes connected with mine before she took off in a sprint and I had to hasten myself to catch up with her, before she saw a side of Kat that she would not be expecting.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Unya

  The guy’s screams were ricocheting off the walls, but it was still fairly simple to discern where they were coming from. I could hear Lawson shouting for me to stop, but I ignored his warnings and on finding the door that was containing the unknown guys screams, opened it and rushed into the darkened room.

  I could see a man sitting on a wooden chair and even if I had known him, there was no way that I could have recognised his face.

  Kat was crouching to the side of him, whispering words that I could not hear as he scratched at his own face, tearing flesh away with his own nails, she continued to whisper the inaudible words as a sharp knife appeared in her hands and she handed it to the man. He went stock still as he begged some unseen creature to get away from him, his eyes never once looking at Kat. Then in a split second he was thrusting the tip of the knife and impaling it into his own eye with a blood curdling scream, I couldn’t stop the no that unfurled from my lungs, as I shouted at her to stop.

  Her head suddenly whipped up and her eyes, which were the colour of crimson connected with mine. She howled like a banshee as she lunged for me and sent me hurtling out of the doorway and into the wall opposite. Her forearm was pressed against my chest and I had no idea what she was going to do to me when Lawson suddenly appeared at her side and pulled her away from me. He quickly thrusted her into the room, slamming the door closed behind him.

  I wondered why he didn’t leave the door alone, when a force suddenly slammed into it from the other side, making the wood shudder. I realised at that moment she was throwing her own body into the door, as she tried to get free, I knew without a doubt that she was trying to get back to me and all I could do was stand there as my feet remained glued to the floor.

  Lawson latched his gaze on
to me, with unbridled fury clear on his face and in the tense muscles of his torso.

  “Go to the kitchen,” he demanded, but I couldn’t get my legs to move.

  “I said, GO,” he screamed it at me this time, and the command finally registered as I managed to tear myself away from the wall and practically stumbled to the kitchen, where I ungraciously fell into a chair.

  The loud bangs suddenly halted, but the quiet was soon replaced once again with the unknown man’s terrified screams.

  I had done my research on the Erinyes after that first discussion that I had with Marcus, but it hadn’t registered in my brain, when I was confronted with the sight of Kat torturing that man.

  I knew he must have done something terrible to deserve such a fate, but to see it with my own eyes was a completely different matter and I did not know what I was supposed to think.

  Lawson finally came out into the kitchen and sat down in the chair opposite me, as he stared intently into my eyes.

  “You shouldn’t have gone in there Unya, you’re lucky she didn’t kill you,” He stated, without a hint of affliction in his tone, as though my death would have no effect on him.

  It registered strange to me that he would not care about my demise, after all the times he had come to my aid in the past. I could not understand what was going on in this strange guy’s head and Marcus’s assurances that he could not be trusted were ringing loud and clear in my mind.

  “I didn’t know what I was going to find, I thought someone was in danger and clearly I wasn’t mistaken,” I spat my words at him and still they seemed to have no effect on this ice -cold guy sitting before me.

  “You have no idea what is happening in that room and I swear if you speak a word of this to anyone, it will be the last thing you ever do. I refuse to let you destroy Kat’s life,” He said this with such conviction, that it was clear just how much he truly cared about her.

  “I would never do that, Kat has never done me any harm, before today at least, and obviously that wouldn’t have even happened if I had just stopped to think before I reacted.”

  His cool eyes appraised me carefully before I noticed an ounce of understanding start to dawn in his eyes.

  “What do you mean by that?” He asked, clearly agitated by the words I had just spoken and I knew I had to choose my next words carefully.

  “Do you really think I am that much of an idiot, that I wouldn’t notice that there is something off about you two. And before you say anything else to me you should realise that I am well aware of the secrets that this world holds, including the secrets about me.”

  He looked completely taken back, but I couldn’t hide my gasp of surprise when he suddenly flew from his chair and knocked mine to the floor. So I was once again flat on my back, but that time he was poised right above me. His face was only inches away from mine as his legs straddled my hips and his hands held my wrists above my head.

  “Who have you been talking too?” He screamed as worry and fury battled for control inside him, of course I can’t be entirely sure that they were the emotions he was feeling, but it seemed like they were the ones that were written all over his face.

  “Someone approached me and revealed my true nature, as to what you two are, I haven’t got the slightest idea. But I know that Kat isn’t human by the way that she explained that herself and Marcus were two completely different breeds. I didn’t put two and two together until I found out about myself and then of course I ran into Malachi and found out what he was.” I knew that I was rambling now, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself, just like I couldn’t help but notice that the electric sparks were still shooting between our connected flesh.

  “When did you see Malachi?” He asked as he tried to gain control over himself.

  “It was the day I left here and Kat loaned me a phone, she somehow knew I didn’t have one on me and she was being her normal kind self by helping me out. I haven’t seen him since if that was going to be your next question,” I stated, just wanting him to remove himself from me.

  My explanation seemed to appease him a little as he slowly got up, he did offer me his hand, but I refused to accept his help this time as I made my own way to my feet.

  We stood there toe to toe, both of us daring the other to break the uncomfortable silence that had fallen between us before he pushed his fingers through his hair and took a step back.

  I realised that the screaming had stopped and wondered if the man was now dead, I wasn’t really in any hurry to see Kat again, but I guess fate was against me in more ways than one as she walked through the door way, with a pair of black sunglasses covering her eyes. The thing is, I couldn’t get the crimson colour out of my head, it wasn’t just the irises that had been red, but the whites of her eyes as well as the pupils. To be fair they had been beautiful and I know that may be a strange thing to say, but they truly had been. What with her fiery red hair and the freckles that were splayed along her nose, they just seemed to add something extra to her appearance.

  I had said before that she was breath taking in her own right, but looking at her now I realised that I had been wrong in my first evaluation. She wasn’t just breath taking because of the own surety that she held herself in, but also in the fire that she held in her eyes, the way she can make you feel three feet tall with one look when she could only be about five foot three herself. She looks as though she could be snapped like a twig, but I would dare anyone to actually try something as stupid as that and you can tell that she likes herself just the way she is and be damned anyone who may think any differently.

  She approached me cautiously, as though she was afraid that I may have suddenly broke out in a run, and never set foot in her place again.

  “I am truly sorry for what I did to you Unya, I hope that I did not harm you,” she sounded defeated as she said this, I couldn’t help but close the distance that was between us and wrapped my arms around her.

  I know from my experience with Addy, that when someone is hurting, they could really do with nothing more than a hug and to be shown acceptance.

  She stood as still as a statue until she suddenly wrapped her arms around me and returned the hold that I was offering her.

  “You don’t need to apologise to me, I have been on that side of violence to many times to not realise t I had unwittingly bought it on myself,” I stated this with the surety that I felt within myself. I really did not hold an ounce of a grudge against her, if I hadn’t of stormed inside like I had, then she never would have tried to kill me. I wasn’t going to sugar coat it, I knew exactly what she would have tried to do, if Lawson hadn’t come to my rescue, yet again.

  “I guess I’ve got some explaining to do,” She said, but she didn’t sound too happy about that idea.

  “Oh didn’t you hear, apparently somebody has been catching Unya up, she now thinks she knows everything there is to know about her and the world that we exist in,” Lawson said that with such disdain that I couldn’t help the dirty look I shot in his direction.

  Kat looked rather perplexed by what he said and I knew that they both doubted I really knew anything of any real consequence. I pulled a cigarette out of the packet and checked it was okay with Kat for me to smoke in her place. She nodded her head, obviously still shocked by the events of the day, Lawson offered to get me a light but was soon eating his words when I snapped my fingers and a flame appeared on the tip of my pointer finger.

  I could tell that they were both gobsmacked by my demonstration and I found myself saying a quiet prayer of thanks to Marcus, for all the training that he had offered me.

  You’re probably thinking I mastered my gifts faster than expected, but that was nothing more than a party trick in comparison to what Marcus could do.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Lawson

  Oh shit, why did she have to show me that? I would have preferred to have lived in ignorance to her growing abilities, it would have worked out a lot better in the long run, given that I still hadn’t plucked
up the nerve to hand my report in to the boss who held all our fates within the palm of his twisted hand.

  “I did tell you my true nature had been revealed Lawson dear,” Unya said it with such a sickly sweet tone, that the condescension practically dripped from her lips.

  “Oh fantastic, so let me guess, you can control the elements which would hint at you being a sorceress, but with the way you heal, that would mean that you also possess god like abilities, is there anything else you wish to share?” I asked, secretly hoping she would just say no.

  “Well, actually there is, but seeing as you said I shouldn’t trust you; I think I will keep the rest of my cards close to my chest.”

  I wanted to laugh at her reply but was more relieved than anything. I welcomed the state of denial I could adopt until Kat had to go and ruin it.

  “I meant to ask Unya, did you hear about that lad who jumped off of Hooken cliff, apparently he was around your age I think, I just wanted to make sure that he wasn’t a friend of yours or anything?”

  Unya’s eyes widened at the same time as mine, as our gazes locked together and I felt that sweet denial being stripped away.

  “Actually, he was my ex, please don’t apologise though, he wasn’t exactly one of the good guys,” She replied simply.

  “Can any of us really claim to be one of the good guys though?” I asked, in a harsh tone and I noticed Kat’s visible flinch. I hadn’t meant for my words to affect her; I had been too preoccupied with watching Unya and noticing her cold detachment to the events that had played out since we had officially met.

  “I better go, tomorrow is the summer solstice and it’s a big day apparently.”

  I went to walk her out, but Kat beat me to it as they huddled by the door, speaking in whispers. I knew there was no point in trying to eavesdrop on them and besides I was so worked up I knew the best thing to do would be to work out some of my frustration.