Aconite (The Elektita Series Book 1) (11 page)

"Jo, she let
the name slip earlier today." He beat his hands into the steering wheel. I
braced myself as we swerved in and out of the passing lane.

"Blast Jo and
her big mouth! How can they be worried about us when they seem more than
willing to be loose lipped about things best left alone?" Look who's
calling the kettle black, but I kept that observation to myself. No need to
anger him further.

"Who is
she?" I had a bad feeling about the answer I was about to receive. My
bottle only provided a few drops, apparently I had drank much more than I
consciously remember.

"Who is
she?" The silence made my repeated question vibrate through his sleek ride
with more force than I had expected. I was going in circles through crazy town,
being promised answers only to come up with more question and no answers.

"She is you;
Alexandria, Alesiya, and Alexis—they are all you." The truth in his answer
smashed into me like a sledge hammer. The pain of it hurt so bad tears sprang
to my eyes. Finally something that felt true, and I wanted him to take it back.
Damn this search for answers, damn it all to hell. I wanted him to take it
back. Jerk it from my memories just like everything else had been. I didn't
want it therefore it wasn't true. Isn't that how life worked? Of course not.
That would make life way too easy. Truth was truth and this truth hurt deep
within my core. All I could do was let that hammer crumble the walls that used
to hold me up inside. Let it fall to the ground like unnecessary rubble.

The same voices
and pictures from earlier played behind my eyes. This time slower and in
vibrant details. A much younger Richland grasped his sister's hand as they
walked from the school house at the top of the tallest hill in his village. Her
giggles at whatever he was telling her rang much louder all around them. Jo in
her bonnet and full skirt laughed and spoke excitedly about her upcoming
engagement to the Miller's boy.

Screams and fire
lapped at the edges of memories long dead. They fought for their turn to be
remembered. Wolves snarled and fought somewhere with the flood. All I had to do
was invite them forward, let them have their turn. But I couldn't bring myself
to allow such horrible thoughts to flood into these happier times. The world
shook around me; scrambling the memories into nothingness. I screamed for their
return but none listened.

"Are you
okay?" Richland's voice moved through the assault pulling me farther and
farther away. Screams re-emerged into the darkness but it didn't take long to
realize that they were my own. I was still in the car but now Richland's hands
where clamped down on my shoulders shaking me profusely.

"Stop
it!" If he didn't stop I was probably going to puke all over him.

"Why?"
That seemed to cover everything at this point. I couldn't deny it anymore. I
just needed to know why. Richland plucked the empty bottle from my lap.

"No more to
drink for you. Come, my long lost sister, and I will have answers for you
inside."

Halo sat in the
middle of nowhere. The large industrial building sat nestled in between a group
of gigantic pines making visibility from the highway not an option. The
placement seemed odd. Who would build a nightclub way out here? But the packed
parking lot made its poor location irrelevant. The nightclub had a line that
wrapped around the building. Surely he didn't expect us to wait in that.

"Is there
nowhere else in town you would rather eat?" He followed my gaze and let
out a short laugh.

"We won't
have to wait in line. I'm the manager here."

A large burly
bouncer waved us past the long line of people waiting to get in. I smiled at
all the moans and foul opinions that came from the crowd.

When the door
opened my senses where assaulted by the massive thrumming of the same type of
techno music that had been playing in Richland's car. Why would a club way out
here need to be sound proof? Red lights that sat in the floor created a red
halo effect over each table surrounding a large dance floor; hence the name
Halo. Couples sat huddled together doing things to each other that far
surpassed public displays of affection. We had to push through the massive
crowd of people already inside. The sexual tension in this place was at an
all-time high. It looked like a massive orgy verses what I would call dancing.
Large cages hung from the ceiling. The women inside were eye catching. They
danced around poles centered in the middle of each cage, moving with grace and
sensuality. They danced; there was no raunchy stripper action, it was beautiful
almost ethereal. They wore tasteful yet sheer cream nighties that molded to
their curves as they moved. The most eye catching aspect of the women was the
gray shimmering wings that moved entirely on their own. They hugged the pole
letting their bodies move in ways I had never seen before. They were not human,
I was sure of it. But my already fried brain didn't register how wrong that
was. I was being selfish right now. This night was about me, my answers, and I
would find out theirs on another night. A perversion that I never knew existed
kept my eyes glued to the women as I slammed into dancers on the floor.

"Do you want
to try?" Richland yelled in my direction. I didn't even realize we had
stopped. What I wanted to say was that I really wished I could move with the
beat of time and mesmerize those who watched.

"Hell
no!" I yelled over the crowd instead.

To my dismay we
bypassed the bar and headed down a hallway labeled V.I.P. The hallway was lined
with doors but Richland chose the last door. When he pulled it open my world
narrowed to the occupant. I thought he was out of town. Sebastian stood at the
other end of the room in an all-black suit; his dark hair falling free around
his handsome face. The half smirk made me wonder if he knew that I had secretly
been waiting for him to let down his mane of hair since the day I met him. The
club’s signature red halo lighting extended into this room as well, making him
look sinister standing under the glow of the lights. The true blue eyes of his
sliced through me. I was instantly afraid; afraid of what this man could do to
me. I knew without a doubt that he could break me in more ways than one.

"Relax,
little sister. I told you that you would get answers, and he is here to give
them."

"Funny how
you left that detail out." I was trying to inch my way back out the door
but Richland blocked my path.

"Have the
dreams begun?" Sebastian's cool voice slid into my mind like a white hot
branding iron.

"Dreams?"
But I wasn't good enough at hiding my surprise. A scorching pain arced across
my chest; the glow contrasting harshly against the red. He panned his gaze to
take in my tattoo.

"Your marking
is quite interesting." The anger in Sebastian's voice betrayed his act at
simple curiosity.

"Well aren't
you just a jack of all trades." I observed changing the subject. My tattoo
bothered me. I sat down in one of the black leather chairs against the wall
while both men remained standing.

"After so
many years one tends to master many crafts." He let the change of subject
pass. I also realized that the music from the club was absent in here as well.

"Can a girl
get a drink around here?" What I had already consumed had me feeling
relaxed. I was far from drunk, though I had drank way more than I ever had
before.

"Is there a
problem?" Sebastian was advancing towards me as Richland stepped back,
both clearly perplexed by something. Something was wrong and again I was left
in the dark. Sebastian stopped and pressed a button on a mounted speaker.

"No-no
problem." I didn't want him to come any closer.

"Yes, Mr.
Gates." The female’s voice interrupted his advancement.

"Yes, could
you bring two whiskeys and a Jack and Coke?"

"Thank
you," I piped up. I had worked as a waitress in high school so I knew what
it was like. The tips sucked and very few people actually said thank you.
Richland coughed to try to conceal a laugh. I barely knew the man but from what
I could tell he was not the most serious of people.

"Yes, thank
you." Sebastian said while looking directly at me.

"You should
really treat your employees better." I said when the monitor clicked off.
I was tired and what I have drank must be getting to me because I didn't care
if I offended him one bit.

"So why am I
here?" I continued but this time I directed my question at Richland.

"Well, I am
here to eat and you are here at his request." The pain in my chest was
gone. It didn't fade away like before it was just gone.

"Would you
care to add to that?" Sebastian sat down in the chair opposite of me and
watched our conversation with baited interest. But now it was his chance to
chime in.

"This is a
refreshing change. The differences are astounding."

"So I've been
told." My response was dry and empty of any emotion.

"Have you. I
assure you that it is a good thing." Was he crazy? So far I had stopped
everything around me, created storms with my emotions and found out that these
people think I am some chick's reincarnate. None of this was a good thing. Our
conversation was broken off by the waitress’ interest. She gave me a bright
smile as she handed me my drink.

"Thank
you," she whispered. That must have been the first time Sebastian had ever
shown his employees the slightest gratitude. She had to of known that I was the
one to insist on it but still she was grateful. Knowing that he treated his
waitress so poorly was irritating.

"What did you
have to drink tonight, Alexis?" he asked, resuming our conversation. That
was the first time he had called me by my first name without stumbling through
formality first. He had also stopped coming closer which was an ever better
thing. I was almost positive if he came close enough I would be able to run my
fingers through his hair and I didn't think I could have stopped myself.

"Something
Jonathon gave me." I didn't see the problem but rage consumed Sebastian's
features.

"That fucking
explains it," he bellowed, scaring the waitress as she left with
Richland's order. He hadn't lied after all.

"Well, isn't
that fucking peachy! Now someone explain it to me!" I bellowed right back.
Richland's hand on my shoulder was the first indication that I had before realizing
that I was now standing mere inches from Sebastian. What I planned to do was
beyond me. His anger filled eyes searched my face.

"You haven't
figured it out yet?"

"No, I
fucking haven't, so if someone could kindly help me out." My patience was
long gone. I couldn't do the whole please and thank you act with this man.

"He gave you
an elixir that weakens your defenses, makes it easier to sift inside that mind
of yours." My world tilted. I didn't want to believe Jonathon would give
me anything of the sort but the absence of the fear I had when I first walked
in and the disappearance of the glowing pain in my chest gave truth to his
words.

"How much did
you drink?"  I glanced at Richland who now looked visibly ill.

"She drank
the whole bottle." His words were weak when he answered the question for
me.

"You idiot!
You let her drink the entire bottle!" He was pissed but not at me. Lack of
control was something I wouldn't associate with Sebastian Gates. But standing
here I was sure he would lose it at any moment. Richland's grip remained vice
like, digging his short nails into my shoulder. He must have been worried about
what I would do. What exactly could I do? I reached down deep inside trying to
find some remnants of my new found abilities but they were gone. I couldn't do
anything. For now I was back to who I was before I came here. Wasn't that how
it went. When I want to be normal all hell breaks loose and when I need all
hell to break loose I get normal.

"I didn't
know. It didn't smell like Vero to me."

"He must have
paid someone quite handsomely to have it made odorless." The back and
forth between them was getting me nowhere.

"Why would
Jonathon need to slip something in my drink?"

"The real
question is: why would he give you so much?" Finally he was addressing me.

"Well...I
don't think he meant to give me that much. I kind of left the cafe with the
bottle in hand after a storm of my doing demolished the office. I don't think
stopping me was their first priority."

"Jo could
have done something. She did follow you." He was quick to place judgment
where none should be. I couldn't blame him though; Sebastian did not seem like
the type of person you would want on your bad side. Sebastian waved away both
our reasonings. He didn't even bat an eye at my mention of a storm raging
inside of a building.

"Just a glass
of Vero would render your mind vulnerable for at least a few hours. I have no
idea how long you will remain vulnerable after consuming so much in one
setting."

"What do you
mean by, leaving my mind vulnerable?" I was panicked by what the mere
wording implied.

"It means, my
dear sister, that anyone with any magical ability can gain access to things
that even you yourself aren't privy too." I flexed my shoulder with its
new found freedom. Richland must have felt much safer with the knowledge that
my abilities had been put to bed for now.

"It seems
that you are not the only one to have changed quite dramatically. I would have
never pegged Jonathon as one to use such an elixir—especially on you." He
actually looked saddened by this development.

"But
why?" I was deflated. I wanted to scream and rage and fire insults at
anyone in my path but I couldn't. I didn't know if it was the Vero that they
spoke of, or just the sudden knowledge being thrust at me, but I simply
couldn't bring myself to do it.

"That, my
dear Alexis, is the question. Was he looking to gain a foothold in this war or
was it something far more personal? You see, The Aconite upon your chest."
He reached out as if to touch my chest, but dropped his hand just before
brushing a petal with his fingertips. "Is your protection, but never have
you had it so permanently adhered to you. Maybe he thought with the Vero he
could bypass its protection."

"Aconite?"
I reached up and placed my hand against my silent flower. I did not think of it
as my protector. My feelings towards it were far closer to my destroyer.

"The
wolfsbane, as you refer to it, protects you from us. It is like a shield—with
its power you are virtually untouchable by one of us. And as you have witnessed
in times of great distress it bends time and space at your command." I
thought back to when I had shown Jo. She had tried to touch the flower but
never actually did.

"Who are
you?" I wanted to get that squared away.

"We are the
Lupo or Werewolf as you call us." His answer was straight forward and
proud. Werewolf, but that was fiction, something to scare children and explain
away the death of livestock. They were not real. But here Sebastian was
claiming to be just that. I stared at him and then Richland. Richland was
gauging my reaction but much like before I had none. There was no doubt at this
point that the Vero was repressing any of my normal reactions. I should at
least be arguing against such an outrageous belief.

"Tell me
everything." I collapsed into a leather chair. My limbs had gone numb. At
least my body was reacting appropriately.

"We can tell
your story and our place in it, but no more. Nothing of Jonathon as that is his
story to tell. Well, that is if you even want it now." I didn't know if I
would want it or not. There is always two sides to a story so even if I didn't
like what I was about to learn I knew without a doubt that I would fill in the
holes eventually.

"Tonight
though, is not the night for the entire story."

"Sister, your
mind is far too fragile, especially while the Vero takes its toll. The mental
flashes could resume becoming even stronger than those in the car. It could
break you." Richland interjected before I could protest.