Hi, everyone. I am so sorry for the delay in uploading this chapter, and I will warn now it is quite long. Once I started writing I couldn't stop, and it didn't seem right to cut it in half... :) I hope you enjoy the next chapter.
A big Thank you to NoSoSweet, and general zargon for your wonderful, and very supportive reviews. :) :)
xemmalisax
Jaden
Chapter Six
...Three months later...
Jaden could almost feel the impact as Amalia's small body was thrust back against the elevator wall.
The gray metal panel made its annoyance known with a thundering bang. Her dark hair flew back, finally revealing a face full of panic and awe.
His hands grasped her fragile throat and squeezed, he could feel the frantic beat of her heart against his palm, mere moments before her last breath feathered over his wrist as her head wilted fatefully to the side…
Well at least that was the image currently running through Jaden's mind.
He did want to kill her, or at the very least shake some sense into her! For the hundredth time he found himself wondering why in hell Amalia was here?
The woman may be insane, suicidal and impossibly foolish, but why any woman would consider coming to such a place was pure insanity.
The elevator before him seemed to drop the last floor, as it shuddered to a halt, and what appeared to be dust flew out from beneath the mechanical metal doors onto his black boots.
Charming place! He mused, as the doors screamed open, the right one getting momentarily jammed.
Jaden frowned as he got into the elevator. As an immortal he couldn't die if this apparent death trap decided to plummet 12 floors, but it would really piss him off.
Pressing an empty space, were 12 used to be, he watched a small light come on, as the elevator shuddered as it rose. The walls seemed to shake with each floor they passed and Jaden hated that Amalia had been using it. It was clearly unsafe.
Did this woman have absolutely no idea of self preservation?
What idiot would get into a lift like this?
The second his mind asked that question, he remembered he was the type of idiot who would get into a lift like this… all for this damn woman!
She better be worth this, he thought as the elevator grounded to an undignified halt at the 12th floor. As the doors opened, revealing magnolia painted walls, stained with smoke and water stains, he caught sight of Amalia at the far end of the corridor.
Jaden shook his head, and leaned back onto the metal paneled walls of the elevator/death trap, with his arms folded, as he watched her struggle to find a key in her bag. He knew she wouldn't find the key there; it was currently among loose change in her jacket pocket.
He groaned as she crouched down to tip the content of her bag onto the floor as she searched. When would she learn! She always put keys in her jacket pocket! He couldn't believe that he knew more about her habits, after following her for two weeks than she seemed to.
Ever since he had been freed from the stone, he had spent all his time following her.
He had gone straight to her apartment, and stood over her bed, with only the storm thundering outside for company, and his figure being made visible in the flashes of lightning.
He had been disappointed to find her sleeping. Lying the way she had been, she looked almost doll like, her soft mahogany waves falling over the pillow, as her hand lay outstretched beside her.
Well, she would have been if it wasn't for her snoring.
It wasn't loud, but it certainly ruined the doll imagery he had in his mind. Even in sleep and unconscious she seemed to defy him and his beliefs.
He did like that for the first time her hair didn't cover her face. He had begun to hate that. In sleep it seemed to rest also, lying peacefully around her sleeping face.
He had the impulse to shake her awake so he could speak to her, but didn't. Instead he watched her sleep, the gentle brush of her eye lashes against her cheeks as she slept peacefully.
Jaden knew he needed for Amalia to believe he was human. And since he knew very little about being a human other than the pain it involved, he had decided to study her movements, follow and learn a more in depth view of her world.
His next step would be to seduce her.
Then she would remove the necklace and he would be free… but first he needed to get her to trust him.
In the vision she had trusted him… had loved him…
Jaden faltered slightly, as he had looked down at her peaceful form.
Could he do to her what had been done to him? Could he fake love to gain what he wanted?
Looking down at her sleeping form, he had fervently wished it could be different… but it couldn't. He needed to be free… and to do that he would need to deceive.
He ground his teeth in anger, he hated to deceive, but he hated being bound to his master more.
For the next few weeks he had become a constant shadow in Amalia's life. He followed her, observed and learned more about her. He had become quiet fascinated with the little brunette. He now knew people called her "Lia" instead of her full name. That she hated mornings, and anything to do with getting out of bed. He learned she rarely slept… but did love her bed.
She would always forget to eat breakfast, and then bite her bottom lip as she walked out the door… realizing she was hungry.
She would religiously leave food outside her apartment for a stray cat, she had nicknamed "cat".
Amalia wiggled the key in the small lock, and prayed it would still work. It had been years since she was last here. And it wasn't what she remembered. But after a while she began to recognize things. This was still the same place...
She had lived here as a student and postgraduate before she had married, and had kept it for storage. She hated to throw things away, and she could never have taken them with her.
Mostly because there was too much stuff and secondly because her ex had never had a similar passion for the things she did.
Her old friend, used to say her tastes were "quirky". She just liked unusual things. Art, books, music… anything that fascinated her or seemed different she loved.
"Come on!" She groaned as she rattled the door handle once more. With a final shove, the door opened and something jingled on the back of the door.
Lia winced and was forced to cover her eyes, as the light coming from the open door blinded her. Squinting she maneuvered into the room and looked around… It was still so beautiful here.
The large windows, stretching from the floor to the ceiling cut bright light onto the room, dust particles were dancing in its warmth.
She couldn't help but smile, she had spent many happy years here. The entire apartment was shabby chic, and her old friend used to say it looked like the inside of a gypsy caravan.
Her love of the unusual was one of the many differences between her and her ex husband.
He had believed in order, and at first his obsessive tendencies towards order had fascinated her, but after four years of marriage it had begun to suffocate her imagination. She began to no longer take pleasure in things she previously could have spent hours doing.
She imagined if her life was a film, her marriage was the part where the rows would be gasping and silently praying she saw sense, that she would see that the man standing beside her would bring nothing but censer and frustration to her life.
She was sure she couldn't have married a man more her opposite than him. Everything between them, that could be different, was.
She had dark hair, his blond. She was short, he was tall. She was a dreamer and thinker, he valued facts and statistics over wild fancy. She had a high sex drive, he seemed to have none. She wanted passion and freedom in their marriage, he wanted tiles in straight lines and a meal when he got home.
Lia shook her head… foolish mistake.
Looking around, Lia felt her heart sink at the state the room had become. The bright light that poured relentlessly through the large windows had faded many of the brighter fabrics.
Taking a closer look around she saw the room had lost some of its luster. Just like she had, she mused, as she slumped into a chair. Biting at her bottom lip, she decided she would restore this room.
The more she thought about it, the more determined she became. And anyway, until she managed to find another job it would give her something creative to do.
Lia smiled at old photographs stuck to the far wall, a few had fallen down leaving pale squares behind. She outright laughed at some of them. Good times. Her eyebrow raised at some of her outfits.
Leaning back, she closed her eyes and just relaxed. It felt so right to be back here. It was like she had finally come home.
Jaden had no idea what was going on inside the room. He was currently standing outside, pacing. His boots loud against the dirty carpet, not that he cared. If anything he hoped she would hear him, and come out.
Growling, he slammed the heel of his hand into a nearby wall.
Why was this so frustrating?!
He hated not knowing.
Usually the whispers would find him, and soothe his curiosity, whispering to him of their knowledge. Instead he heard nothing, sensed nothing.
So much for being all powerful!
He was so caught up in his aggressive pacing, he hardly noticed the door creep open and a familiar face appear.
"You!" Came a feminine shriek. Jaden winced at the sound and turned.
"Mind turning your voice down to fog horn level?" He groaned, as he pretended to rub his aching forehead. He actually heard her growl at him, and he was sure she wasn't more than two seconds away from stamping her foot in annoyance.
He wanted to grin, but decided to continue to play the injured party. Perhaps he could gain some sympathy. He needed it.
He had been following her mindlessly for weeks. And the agony he had been forced to go through when she had gone shoe shopping was almost unbearable.
The constant changing of shoes, the different stores, her walking up and down in front of a mirror, or twirling her foot from side to side to see how it looked, followed by biting her bottom lip, then frowning, and going to yet another store...
He could have killed her! Every single bloody shoe she had tried on was perfect on her. Looked great. And yet she kept changing shoes, then stores…
Just thinking about it gave him another headache.
"What the hell are you doing here? This is private property"
Jaden arched his brow and surveyed the "private property". Paint was peeling from the walls, and what was left was stained from years of water damage and smoke.
He gave her a penetrating stare, and saw her blush slightly. So, she had noticed the state of the building, and she seemed slightly embarrassed by it. Then why are you here?! He thought.
"Have you been following me?" Her tone was so incredulous, as if the mere idea of anyone following her was insane.
"Perhaps, my sweet" He could see her jaw grinding in annoyance at his endearment. So, she doesn't like it… he must remember that.
"Why?" She said with a shrug as she leaned against the door frame, and looked completely bewildered to his motives.
Gods, how he wished he could read her mind… What was she thinking?
Currently Lia was wondering if she had any heavy and blunt objects close to hand, as this psycho had been stalking her!
Two weeks? Had he been doing it the entire time?
She almost laughed, following her had to be the most boring job in the world. She hadn't been doing anything except search for jobs, or random window shopping for things she didn't need or want.
She even listened to a saleswoman for nearly an hour going on about a multipurpose hand held peeler, that could chop and peel anything in seconds… she didn't even cook! She had never peeled anything in her life, and yet she had stood there, surrounded by mothers and old women listening to the demonstration, and worse she had even faked a gasp of admiration along with the other women.
As if watching a carrot being peeled in two seconds was the highlight of the day! Sadly, it probably had been.
What had he been doing the entire time, and why?!
She had heard someone moving around outside, it was hard not to, his thundering steps and then a thud against the wall, had awaken her curiosity and she had peered outside.
For the first few seconds, she had admired his form, he was an incredibly handsome man. That was until she got a better look and realized it was the same man who had broken into her apartment.
And right now he was looking at her as if she was completely crazy.
"I have been following you to make sure your safe" Lia's jaw dropped. Safe? What the hell?
"What are you talking about?"
He rolled his eyes as if he was being forced to explain something so simple, she was stupid not to understand. "You are in danger. The man with the knife in your apartment, remember?"
"Yeah, I remember" She said, truly getting angry now."I remember it was you!"
"How many times!" He growled as he strode towards her. "I didn't hurt you!" He was only standing a mere metre away from her now. And she wanted to go inside where it was safer.
"And you expect me to believe that! How stupid do you think I am?"
"My pet, you don't want me to answer that one"
Lia growled and clenched her fists. She had the childish urge to stomp her floor, although looking at the condition of the building she could damage something. So she refrained.
Although colorful images of smashing something into his head were filling her mind.
"Look. I don't know who you are. I don't trust anything that comes out of your mouth. Now, leave" She pronounced every word with barely reined temper, and annoyance. Her voice was grated and she didn't care. This man was irritating as hell!
He grinned at her then, almost as if he heard her thoughts and was mocking her.
"Well, my pet, perhaps your smarter than I gave you credit for"
When she made a move to slam the door in his face, he step forward, jamming his foot in the way. She stared at him with pure anger in her eyes.
"You want to know more about me? OK, you can call me Jaden. I am here to protect you, which would go a hell of a lot easier if you stopped slamming doors in my face and hitting me over the head with heavy objects"
"Protect me from what?"
"People that want to harm you" He said as if this conversation was boring him and he was constantly being forced to state the obvious.
"Thanks for stating the bloody obvious" She growled as she once more tried to slam the door, but once again it jarred against his large boot.
"You know, that is beginning to hurt" He mocked "You are a violent little thing, aren't you" She was about to shout, when she looked into his eyes and realized he hadn't meant that as an insult. Instead she found interest shining in his eyes.
She sighed. "Look, I'm …" She seemed to be looking for the right word "… I'm faltered you feel you need to protect me. But I'm fine"
Jaden couldn't help it he burst out laughing, which only seemed to reignite her anger.
"You think I am doing this out of the kindness of my little black heart?" He grinned down at her "Sweetness, I have my own personal agenda…"
"Like?"
"Like the reward I will get if I keep you alive"
"What kind of reward?"
"That's none of your concern, my pet."
He watched her growl again, and he grinned at her. "Stop calling me that"
"What?" He sent her an innocent expression, he knew she wasn't buying.
"My pet, sweetness, my sweet etc" She waved her hand around, and he had the unusual impulse to laugh at her.
"I like it" Although why he did, confused him.
"I don't" She growled through clenched teeth, which had him raising his brow. She truly was a little spitfire.
"Look, Amalia. You need to come with me, so I can keep you safe. There isn't anything to discuss." Come with me? Where the hell had that idea come from? Where was he going to take her?
"Firstly no one but my mother and bank manager refer to me as Amalia, and secondly, what do you mean there is nothing to discuss?!" The little human was once again shrieking, and he zoned out. He knew she was continuing to talk, but he wasn't listening to a single word.
All he heard was blah, blah, blah.
Her little pouty mouth moving quickly with each word she spoke, and her eyes spelling out evident death. He couldn't help but grin.
Maybe taking her away somewhere would be a good idea. A very good idea. However, spending more time with her would increase the possibility of her finding out what he was. But on the bright side it would cut down on how much time he would have to spend with her.
Centuries had taught him well in how to pleasure a woman, it wouldn't be long before her shriek would be one of pleasure and not anger.
"Are you even listening to me?!" She growled, slapping him on the chest. He saw surprise and slight interest flicker in her eyes at how hard his chest was.
"Like that did you?" He mocked with a wink. And she this time she did scream, and twirled striding back into the room, completely disregarding him once more.
If it didn't give him so much pleasure annoying her, he would have become angry with how often this little brunette seemed to disregard his presence. Most beings screamed and ran in fear of him, she hit him with baseball bats, and slammed doors in his face. She also gave him earth shattering kisses...
"You can't honestly expect me to just come with you!" She said glowering at him from across the room.
Currently Jaden was looking around the little apartment. He liked it, at least this one had more life and soul than the other one had. This one looked alive somehow.
"What did you say?" He asked as he lifted the lid of a small vanity box beside him.
"Hey!" She yelled, and he ignored her and moved the small pieces of jewelry around with his finger. It wasn't expensive, but it was unusual, and looked very unique. "I asked you something!"
He sighed and turned to her. "Because if you don't you will die"
He watched her mouth fall open as she spluttered, seeming lost for words.
"Are you speechless, my pet? I didn't think that could ever be possible" That seemed to snap her back to reality.
"I don't care... Your probably lying anyway. And even if you are telling the truth I would rather die than spend more time with you!" She threw something at his head, that he dodged.
He was about to irritate her more, with another comment he was sure would make her shriek, or better, throw something at his head, when four demons came crashing through her windows.
Jaden used his power to protect them both from the shower of glass... and it didn't work!
He winced as shards ripped into his exposed skin. He growled in fury, as he heard Amalia's scream of pain.
Where were his powers? His master must have discovered what he was planning and removed them. Shit!
Turning to face the demons, who had eyes blood red and muscles bulging, he decided to try fighting without powers... how hard could it be, he snarled...
Thank you for reading. Please review... :)
I am so sorry it was so long.
xemmalisa x
