Sadness came over me as he left the room. It wasn’t possible that I could be married — was it?
Chapter Fourteen
The transition between being awake and dreaming went smoothly. I would have thought I was still dreaming but I didn’t recognize where I was. I stood all alone in an extremely dark tunnel. It smelled clean but also musty, as if I were underground.
A sudden white light burst on. I squinted as my eyes raced to adjust. “Eva, you’re late,” a man called.
“
What?” My voice came from far away and sounded muffled. I jumped back in shock when another light came on at the other end of the hall. I hadn’t heard a door open but there was someone else in the tunnel. A young girl brushed past me to join the man. It was then that I knew I was dreaming and they couldn’t see me. It was like watching as a scene unfolded, what a strange dream. I followed the pair.
“
I’m only like two minutes late,” the young girl said angrily. I knew that voice. My heart sped up in anticipation.
I followed the pair through the door that led out of the tunnel. It was brighter there, and it didn’t smell as musty. They stopped at a small door and pressed a button. “Is she angry?” the girl asked, no longer angry herself.
The man and the girl turned to look at each other. I gasped when I recognized both. The man was the same man from my memory with the light brown hair. His eyes held the same sadness. The girl had her dark blonde hair pulled back in a long braid, her hazel eyes held unmistakable fear. She looked to be about thirteen or fourteen. Her dark blue pants were tight and only went to her knees. She wore a matching tank top — equally tight. I involuntarily brought my hand up to cover my mouth as I realized the young girl was me.
A million memories came at me all at once, but I couldn’t grasp any enough to remember.
“
Eva, you know she hates it when you are late.” Even though he said it firmly, I heard the kindness there.
They were both silent as they stepped onto the elevator and pushed the button to take them to the main floor. Of course I knew this building, how could I have ever forgotten it? But the man, I knew him too. What was his name?
The young Eva seemed to hear my questions. “David,’ she said to him, “I couldn’t find my shoe. That’s all.”
David!
He sighed loudly and then the elevator doors opened. They led me along a maze of hallways and doors before we stopped in front of a large grey double door. David didn’t even look at the girl as he punched in a series of numbers. The door clicked open. I took a deep breath right along with the young Eva and then stepped into a large room.
The room was strangely bare. The only furniture was a small couch along one side of the room and a large oval shaped table pushed into a corner of the room. Many chairs were situated around the table. A woman sat in one of the chairs.
“
Eva, so good of you to join us.” She was angry. Was it just my imagination or was she looking at me?
“
Neleh, I…”
She held up one hand to silence the young me. “There are no excuses here, Eva. Zero tolerance.” She stood slowly but stayed behind the table. “Don’t you remember when I told you that?”
“
Yes, but I couldn’t find…” there was desperation in the girl’s voice.
“
Silence!” Neleh smacked her hand against the table. The noise echoed through the empty room. All of us flinched back. The young Eva hung her head. My breathing became faster.
Neleh walked around the table and positioned herself in front of the girl. “You know Eva; there are other girls who would gladly take your place. And I have time, I have nothing but time. I am immortal.” She turned her head to again look at me. Did she see me? “Do you feel like you can’t handle this?”
“
I can handle it.”
“
Hmm.” She stood still and regarded the girl for a long moment. “When I say 7:00, I don’t mean 7:06. Is that understood?”
“
Yes, Neleh.”
“
I had a teacher once who told me that the most effective way to change human behavior is through pain. If a human associates pain with a certain behavior, they will change it. Do you know why that is Eva?”
I saw the girl’s chin start to quiver. She shook her head.
“
I can’t hear you.”
“
No, Neleh.”
“
Because humans don’t like pain, they will do anything to avoid pain. Anything.” She raised her hand and the wall behind her seemed to come to life.
Four men, who I hadn’t noticed before, stepped forward. They were all similar in appearance. Pale skin and nearly white hair. They were large men without a hint of kindness. “Yes Milady?” One of them spoke, but I couldn’t be sure which one.
“
Put her in the chamber.”
“
No! Please! I won’t be late again.” The young girl was nearly in tears. In a motion I couldn’t see, two men had a hold of her arms. They pulled her unkindly toward a small door. “No,” she screamed. “I promise I won’t be late again. Please!” David took a step forward but one look from Neleh and he stopped.
“
You will endure your punishment Eva. Pain will become a part of you. You will learn to endure pain without flinching. It is not an option.”
“
No, Neleh, please don’t put me in the chamber. Please. David, don’t let her. David!”
***
I sat up straight in the bed. “David!”
It didn’t take long for Nickolas to be at my side. “You remembered?” Concern and kindness shone in his beautiful eyes.
“
His name is David. He is not my father or my brother or my husband, but he does care for me.” My words sounded hysterical. “He wouldn’t have let her hurt me too much. She did hurt me, but it was only to teach me a lesson. Only so I wouldn’t be late again. But he wouldn’t have let her hurt me too much. He would have stopped her.” I wondered if that were true.
“
Her? Who?” Our eyes locked and I was suddenly unsure. “Your mother? Did she abuse you?”
“
No, not my mother,” I whispered, “Neleh.” The word seemed to echo in the sudden stillness.
“
Lady Neleh?”
I swallowed hard. Could it be the same Neleh?
‘I am immortal.’
Maybe. “I think so.”
“
You know lady Neleh, and she hurt you.”
“
It was my fault.” My mind was far away, trying to understand. There was more to the story, something I wasn’t seeing.
“
Neleh is all about human protection. Why would she hurt you?”
“
I was late.” My voice was flat.
“
Late for what?”
“
Lessons.”
“
What lessons?”
My eyes focused on his worried expression. I didn’t know what lessons. I shook my head quickly, coming back to the present. “I’m really not sure Nickolas. I…I didn’t see that part.” Flickers of memory flashed but then faded. Chains, blood, screaming. Was I screaming? “Something bad though.”
“
It’s been rumored,” Nickolas sat back and stared into the darkness, “that Neleh isn’t what she seems. Some say that she will do anything to get what she wants.”
“
What does she want?”
“
Right now she wants the wolves.” His eyes narrowed in thought.
“
What are you thinking?”
He smiled at me, trying to brush me off. “Nothing really.”
“
Come on Nickolas, what do you think she’s up too?”
“
Well,” he looked away again, “was she training you to be bait?’
“
Bait?”
“
For the wolves, Eva. Was she training you to be bait for the wolves?”
“
How would she do that?”
“
They are just animals in the end, ruled mostly by their instincts.”
“
Blood?” I guessed.
“
Yes, blood.” he turned to look right at me, his expression carefully blank.
“
Do they eat people?”
“
They eat whatever bleeds. They kill whatever gets in their way.”
“
So she uses me for bait. But what’s to say they wouldn’t see right through that and not chase me?”
“
They are ruled by instincts. They would have given chase.” His eyes held an anger I had never seen there.
I turned away. No, I couldn’t believe that theory.
“
Why is that so hard for you to believe?”
“
Can you read my thoughts Nickolas?” I blurted out.
“
Not all of them.”
I glared at him angrily, embarrassed by the things he must have heard. I momentarily forgot all about my dream and the wolves. “What have you heard?”
“
Just normal stuff.”
“
Don’t lie.” My eyes began to water.
“
I try not to listen,” he pushed my hair out of my eyes tenderly, “but sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me and I stop to listen.”
“
You listen!” I sat up straighter, my face burning. “You could have at least told me.”
“
Eva…”
“
No.” I held up my hand. “Don’t even touch me. You invaded my private thoughts.” I almost choked thinking of all the things I never wanted him to know. “Ugh!” Like a child, I threw myself back on the bed and covered my head with the blanket. “Go away!” I screamed from under the safety of the cover.
I felt the bed shift as he got up. I didn’t hear him leave but I felt the emptiness when he was gone. Still in child mode, I let myself cry. My fit was over fast though, and then I felt horrible. I pushed the blankets away and rubbed my face dry.
“
Please come back,” I thought, hoping he would hear. He didn’t come back though. I half sobbed — half sighed as I turned to face the wall. Sleep. I needed sleep. My Reva always said things looked better after a good sleep.
Reva.
I squeezed my eyes shut tight but when I opened them again, Nickolas was there. “What’s wrong?” I sat up.
“
That’s just what I was wondering.” He put his hand against my forehead, then moved it to my cheek.
“
What did you hear?” I whispered.
“
Only what you wanted me to.” He barely smiled. “I just thought I would come in here to help you sleep.” His voice was soft and hypnotizing, pushing aside my outburst.
“
Why?” I barely whispered.
“
I think it’s important for you to remember, Eva, and you remember best when you are sleeping.” All the time he talked he massaged my cheeks and chin and forehead. “I am sorry I was such a baby,” I murmured.
“
Shh.”
I’m not really sure when I fell asleep, but my eyes must have closed.
Chapter Fifteen
When I opened my eyes, I was in the forest again. But it was different this time. The cold hung around my face in white billows of breath. I wrapped my arms around myself.
I twisted my body back and forth, trying to see the angel. I knew she would come. This time I had to concentrate on what she was trying to tell me. I soon grew impatient. Where was she?
I heard a low growl from behind me. I whirled around but the shadows were too dark to see anything hiding there. “Who’s there?” My voice startled me. Why was it shaking so badly? I didn’t feel afraid.
“
Eva, run away.”
“
What?” it was Nickolas’s voice but it sounded so far away. He was worried about me — because of the wolf. But what was he doing here? The angel was going to be angry. I took a step towards his voice. I had to make him leave. “Nickolas?” I whispered.
The answering growl made me stop my next step. “Eva, run away!” He sounded like he was in pain. I had to try and help him. What if the wolf had him?
“
What am I running from?”
“
From me.” His voice broke on a low growl.
My breathing sped up. “Nickolas, are you ok?” From the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of white. The angel! I turned towards her with a childlike eagerness.
She stood very still, not happy to see me at all. Her mouth hung open in shock and disgust. “You have to kill him,” she spoke out loud.
The wolf behind me growled. “The wolf?”
“
No.”
“
Then who? Who do I have to kill?”
“
Dominick,” she growled.
The wolf growled back.
“
Where is he? How can I find him?”
But she wasn’t looking at me anymore. She was focused on the wolf behind me. I turned to see and quickly realized that was a mistake. The huge black wolf was only a few feet away from me. His huge fangs were bared in a terrifying growl.
“
Run, Eva, run!” I heard Nickolas’s voice above the growling and the sound of my own breathing.
In a flash the angel ran from the wolf. I could see her blonde hair floating behind her. “Kill Dominick. Find him and kill him,” her voice echoed in my head.