Dark Chronicles
Chapter Nine
Made to be Broken
Have you ever hidden?
Perhaps in a game of hide and seek? Perhaps you may have scurried into a wardrobe or beneath a bed to avoid alerting people to the fact that you have been prying when ought not to have. If you have then you know well how the blood pounds through in your ears, how every fluttering heartbeat melts into a speedy rhythm, how you get to the point where you feel like screaming just to end it all, how the tension is not so much in the air but in every thing around you, how each noise echoes, each breathe and step amplified.
Anastasia could only console herself by holding Amanda into a death grip clinging on to her. She squeezed her eyes shut feeling like a prisoner awaiting the deathblow from the axe. Beneath her arms Amanda quivered, her small body shaking while Anastasia's remained rigid and alert. She felt like screaming now, just get it over with. Her breath was coming in muffled gasps. Inhale…exhale…not too loud.
"We know you are there, you might as well just come out."
The voice sent jolts down her spine. The tone, although not unpleasant (in fact quite the opposite) was laced smoothly and eloquently with fluid precision. It was unfamiliar but something inside her felt compelled to obey. She blinked…they were there. Her heart hammered in her chest and she slowly, gingerly unwrapped her arms from their steel hold on Amanda. One hand moved held the gun, tightening her fingers around the holster as she precariously mounted to her feet.
Instinctively she nudged Amanda behind her backing the younger girl against the shelter of the thick curtains.
She inhaled sharply suppressing her breath while her heart began to escalate. It was like a crude scene from a horror movie. A semblance of a semi-circle was formed with seven figures between her and the door. All of them were tall and brawny holding themselves proudly like lords. Mikhail was in the centre while the others were spread out around him. Her eyes darted frantically as they latched on to each individual, one was tall with hypnotic silver eyes that beheld her coldly, the other four seemed similar somehow with akin features and tanned skin that put her in mind of Spain or somewhere warm. She recognised Manolito; these must be the De La Cruz brothers.
And then of course there was Zacarias brooding in the corner his eyes piercing her. She shivered and gulped nervously feeling the palms of her hands grow sweaty as she raised the gun not quite sure where and who to point it at. Her throat seemed dry like sawdust and she bit down on her bottom lip. Every single impulse was screaming at her to run and run fast.
"I suggest you lower the gun Miss Montrose," The silver eyed one drawled impassively, "You are being inordinately foolish by pointing it at us."
She flinched at the use of her true name and she dared not to look at the expression on the stony face but her grip tightened. No, do not lower the gun. Even if it was useless it was still a weapon…the only thing she had. Mikhail shot his friend a warning glower before stepping forward. The solitary action prompted Anastasia to turn the gun towards him.
"We only wish to protect you Anastasia. We realise of course that the circumstances are hardly ideal and we sympathise with your confusion but it is vital that you listen to us," Mikhail stated gently. His voice seemed to prompt inside her, for a moment she felt her hold on the gun loosen slightly. Pain throbbed in her head.
"Amanda? Listen to me, I need you to try and get inside their minds! Try for something, anything!" Begged Anastasia mentally as she reclaimed her grasp of the gun. Her insides were in turmoil; her head felt like it was splitting in two as her mind began to argue furiously with her conscious. Keep talking…her eyes roamed the room for a way out…a way of help…anything.
"Protect me?" Her words tumbled shakily, "You…you drag me to the middle of nowhere…you drug me…you lie to me…how can I trust a word that comes out your mouth?" She demanded as something inside her nodded in feverish agreement. Trust no one. Every rose has a thorn. Behind her she could feel Amanda stiffen and clench.
"It's for your own good, stop being so stupid csitri and put down the gun. Now!"
Something inside her recoiled instinctively shying away and flinching. The voice was harmonic, melodious and insistent and it echoed through her mind striking at something. A fresh wave of pain exploded in her head and she looked up to her right. Zacarias seemed to be adrift from the others. She eyed him cautiously her eyes trailing his skin which had angry pink blotches like bad sunburn. They seemed foreign on the rest of his otherwise flawless physic. Dark eyes bore into hers demandingly.
"Why won't you obey?" He asked softly, almost sadly.
Why? Her gut clenched and her muscles tenses as through waiting to spring. The pain in her head was terrible, she was aware of how Amanda's small chest was heaving into her rigid back. She was aware how small beads of sweat trickled down her skin, she was aware of how her own green eyes stared at his half fear half curious. Why? Trust no one…she couldn't…she just knew it deep inside. She couldn't…
"I won't…I won't…" Anastasia murmured taking a step backwards crushing Amanda further into the recesses of the thick curtains. She wanted to hide in them; she wanted away from their condemning and frustrated glares. Inhale, exhale, breath in and out. Now what? She held the gun pointing it dead centre. A stalemate awaiting the next move.
"I can't! It hurts me…all I can feel is darkness…it's scary…they're dangerous! They keep trying to get to you I can feel them trying to get to me…it won't work. You're my shield," Amanda cried frightened. A shield? These people were psychic…just like Amanda. But then why? She blinked, now what? They stand there all day waiting for the strike? Something had to be done…but what? Anastasia felt like giving up…but she couldn't because she was so petrified of what would happen if she did.
The darkness…Claire had mentioned that. Beautiful voices luring you in.
The darkness…these people.
Through a hazy groggy cloud Anastasia raised her head cocking the gun. "Amanda. You must do as I say! When I say go you're going to jump out the window. It's our only hope, you must or they'll take you away." Anastasia ordered feeling a pinch of guilt for playing on the girl's fears. It was necessary though, adrenaline pounded through her core spurring her onwards. When? Now, Now, urged her mind. They stood prowling like tigers waiting to spring at their prey.
Anastasia looked over their heads to the chandelier above them.
"Now!" She screamed, the gun raised she fired the short.
Panic. Run. Run. She shoved through the curtains showering the room in bright sunlight as she roughly pushed Amanda forwards before diving herself. However something happened…they did not merely fall through the air but they crashed through something.
The window.
The sound of tinkling shattering into hundreds of pieces reverberated through the still air overpowering the echo of the gunshot and the hisses of pain and cries of desperation. Anastasia let forth a startled shriek as she fell through the air falling fast towards the ground. She raised her arms to protect herself and felt her heart stop as she crashed into the earth with a sickening crunch.
In films and books crashing through glass is an every day occurrence. Had this been a James Bond movie or a Tomb Raider game then she would be back on her feet already with a plan. Reality is not so kind, she lay there sprawled unable to move trying to accustom herself to the aches and agony spreading through her body from her muscles to her stomach. Groaning she flexed her toes and fingers, this small action causes shards of glass to roll of her like tiny raindrops. A tired foggy sensation spread through her head; blearily she raised herself to her knees fighting the urge to regurgitate her insides.
Wincing she moved her hands trying to avoid nipping them on the glass as she searched sluggishly for her gun. Ah. There it was about a metre away; she picked it up and raised her head. Rays of sunshine seemed to pierce through the thick dark clouds showering them in light causing the glass to glitter like prisms with rainbows of colour. Her green eyes darted, one word slipped off her tongue, "Amanda…" Where was she? She adjusted her gaze and then noticed the smaller body curled up a few metres away.
"Amanda?" A small prick of panic began to rise as she tried to stagger to her feet wobbling like an uncertain lamb. The glittering prisms made it hard to see, the shards crunched under her feet as she tottered over towards Amanda kneeling at the girls waist crouching over her. Amanda was not as covered in glass as Anastasia had been but she showed no signs of being conscious.
"Amanda?" Anastasia said feeling something run through her system waking her up effectively as she nudged the girl cradling her head away from the glass. Her fault…Oh God she'd pushed a child through a window! What as the alternative though? Waiting for them to attack? Certain death, they could never have won…but still seeing her laid out so fragile broke her heart. "Amanda…honey…come one…" Anastasia begged shaking her gently. Relief washed over her as hazel eyes opened blearily.
"A-Anna?" Rasped the child.
"Thank God," Anastasia said thankfully her face breaking into a smile of pure and utter gratitude, "Are you okay? Can you move? Is anywhere sore?" Amanda groaned attempted to sit up assisted by the older girl. She shook her head moving her arms, her purple dress was torn and ripped and there were small scratches but nothing permanent. "How do you feel? Are you sure you're okay? Are you positive?"
"M' legs ache," Amanda slurred uncertainly. Anastasia was swift to examine her legs. More scratches and bruises. She gently pressed checking for any signs of sprains or breaks but found nothing. Helping Amanda to her feet she stood up and stared around them. Shielding her eyes from the suns glare she could see the empty window above their head. Glass was sprayed all over the ground and round about them in tiny fractures like grains of sand.
"Right…" Anastasia said feeling a small spark of something urge her forwards, "We need to go…they'll be after us now." How long? She was surprised they were not already upon them. Slipping her hand into Amanda's she pulled the younger girl towards the outskirts of the forest and the shelter of the trees. Under the pressure of large boots twigs snapped and leaves crunched. Edging through the forest they moved around the house until they could see the porch and the front door.
"I don't know what to do now…" Anastasia murmured adjusting the strap on her bag. The laptop was probably beyond repair now. Where should they go? How long could they evade them? A sound knocked her out of her whirlwind thoughts when the noise of an engine drew near. Feeling her heart dart Anastasia watched closely as a sleek black land rover with tinted windows pulled in. Her mind whirled and suddenly it clicked.
Fingers itching on the gun she watched as the car door was flung open. A stately middle ages man stepped out with greying black hair and a small moustache wearing a casual brown suit. In his arms he carried a bag of shopping. Anastasia frowned, this wasn't right. She didn't want to do this…want and need are two different things…but what if he was innocent? At a rough guess she would throw him as Alice's husband. The same Alice who never phoned the police. Sighing she knew she would have to appease her conscious later as she stepped out and raised the gun moving forwards pointing it squarely at the man.
"Don't move!" She ordered. The whirled around almost dropping the bag. His brown eyes widened in shock before they quickly seemed to change to bewilderment and finally something akin to anxiety. Anastasia could feel her heart ramming at her chest and her words tumbled, "I really don't want to do this…please just step away from the car. I'm so sorry; I don't want to hurt you." Desperation contaminated her voice. The man glanced at the car fearfully and shook his head.
"I cannot…" His voice was heavily accented.
"Please…" Anastasia begged. Oh God she didn't want to shoot him. If she did she wouldn't kill him but the thought of him wreathing on the ground clutching his leg made her feel queasy. The man shook his head. Anastasia moved forwards holding the gun. The bag of shopping dropped to the ground with a clatter. For a moment Anastasia thought he might try and tackle her but then suddenly he relaxed and relented stepping aside.
"Get in!" Anastasia barked at Amanda who nodded shakily as she stumbled into the passenger seat. Anastasia didn't lower the gun until she was in the driver seat. The keys were still in ignition. Slamming the door shut with trembling fingers she did up the seatbelt and turned the keys jumping as the engine growled. Slamming her foot down she exhaled as the car lunged forward.
"We…didn't just do that…Oh God," Anastasia mumbled numbly. The car drove along the road and turned a corner leaving the house out of sight. She couldn't quite grasp it…she's just smashed through a window and had stolen a car. What if the police caught her?
"Anna?"
"Uh huh?" Anastasia groaned. Her head was thumping so violently it felt like it was about to crack open. Please let that be the end of the madness. If they found a Police station they could report them…sort it out. She was so exhausted now the adrenaline had left her system. And they were in Romania for crying out loud. All she wanted to do was go home.
"Look," Amanda said accusingly. Anastasia turned around and her eyes widened. Words failed. Her lips trembled there was silence until finally.
"You have got to be kidding me!"
"Technically this can't be counted as kidnapping…can it? Why does everything keep going wrong! Why can't anything go right?" Anastasia cursed to the heavens as she drove down the deserted road shadowed by the forest on either side. Her problems seemed to be mounting quickly. Firstly she had no idea where she was apart from that she was in the Carpathian Mountain range in Romania. Secondly she was driving a vehicle she had forcibly taken at gun point and thirdly, the big cherry on the top of the metaphorical dung heap there was a sleeping child in the back seat.
The little girl was curled up asleep strapped into her booster-chair with her head lolled against the window. A halo of dark curls cascaded down her head skimming her collar bones. Her lips were pursed and she was sleeping peacefully with her eyes shut. Peachy skin was still soft and round in infancy and she wore a pretty pale blue dress. To hazard a guess Anastasia would place her as roughly three years old. There was something strangely warm and inviting about the child…she was a gorgeous little thing.
"They'll come after us now for sure…oh crap what do I do?" Anastasia panicked. She could hardly drive back. She couldn't pull over and nudge the child out of the car either. There was no choice but to take her with them and pray to God that a miracle happened. Breath…she had to focus and push this aside. The child was sleeping, hopefully she might remain that way and hopefully the police would be sympathetic.
"Amanda, can you grab my laptop and see if its working?" Anna asked. With some difficulty she slung the bag off her shoulder and passed it to Amanda. The ten year old picked it up and raked through it before pulling out a silver laptop. Anastasia winced, the screen was cracked but mercifully it shone blue and began to operate as Amanda pushed the start button.
They were in Romania and Anastasia hadn't the slightest clue which direction she was driving in. How long before a car chase ensured? They would be after them…and now they would probably kill her. If they could find out where the nearest city is that would be a start. Civilisation, a telephone, a police station, an airport. Such things now seemed like valuable treasures.
"Go on to the internet and Google Romanian cities," Anastasia instructed. If they could find out where the hell they were it would be a good start. Having a destination to aim for would stop her wandering aimlessly around the mountains without a clue of where to go. Out of the corner of her eyes she spotted an offline satellite navigation system. Plugging it in she felt a small glimmer of hope.
"I never thought I'd hear myself say this but thank God for Satellite Navigation," Anastasia declared accessing the directions. After a few clicks she discovered she was actually driving further away from civilisation than towards it. There was a small town ten miles away…but that would be the first place they'd look wouldn't it? Alice said she knew people at the station…what if they accused her of rambling nonsense? Somewhere further away was required.
"There's a big list," Amanda said puzzled, "Um…Buch-a-rest, Lasi, Cluj-Napoca-
"Slow down," Requested Anastasia as she punched the names of the cities into the navigation system. She growled, most of them were too far away to reach, "Continue."
"Timisoara, Constanta, Cariove, Galati, Brasov," Amanda listed. Anastasia kept entering the names but found that they were all too far out of reach. Finally she felt her heart give a triumphant leap when she entered Brasov. It wasn't too far, in fact it was less than a hundred miles. Entering it in as their destination she watched elatedly as the road was highlighted green. An hour and a half…they just had to make it that long and then they could find the police.
"We're heading for Brasov…now we need to work out what we're going to say to the police. The car we can get away with but that sleeping kid had put a real spanner in the works," Anastasia confessed. Worry niggled though, what if they thought she was talking nonsense? A foreign lunatic. By the time they contacted British authorities and such like then those monsters could already have dealt with them. Something told Anastasia that so long as they were in Romania on their territory they would never be safe. What if there was an embassy though? Was there a British embassy in Romania? Or some sort of place foreign people needing refuge could go?
"They'll lock us up, you have a gun," Amanda exclaimed fearfully. Anastasia took her eyes momentarily off the road and on to her lap. That was true, if she was armed they would be less likely to trust her and treat her as a threat. The sensible thing to do would be to dispose of it quickly…but then that would leave her vulnerable. What if they caught up and she was defenceless?
"I know…but it's not like we can catch a train or a plane. I mean you've got no passport, I'm armed and the child has no identification. It's our only choice…unless," Anastasia stared at the empty road in front of her. The horizon was becoming gradually clearer with the dark clouds melting into pale blue with streams of sunlight pouring over them. Her gaze shifted to Amanda… "What exactly can you do? I mean I know you're empathic but what else…is it just a case of feeling emotions or ?"
"Sort of…funny…weird…I'm not sure…all I know is that when I'm upset bad things happen," Amanda said sadly, "Like people get upset too…If I want to I can make them hurt…that's why they…they…" Anastasia held her hand and nodded.
"Don't go on. I understand…you can project your emotions to other people and to a certain extent manipulate there's" It wasn't exactly what Anastasia had been hoping for. Mind control or telekinesis would have been useful. What use was emotions and empathy in making the police believe them? They might make their story more appealing or their fears more realistic…but at the end of the day cold hard fact would rule over. Assuming they went to the airport and tried to get a plane they would be stopped at the first barrier. No passports for two children and an armed female adult? Unless…
"What's that feeling called…um…you know…makes you feel like you've forgotten something. Damn I can't think of it," Anastasia muttered. It was on the tip of her tongue.
"Déja-vu?" Amanda suggested helpfully.
"Aye, that's it!" Anastasia said victoriously, "Can you make people feel that? Maybe…maybe if we could confuse the people at the airport enough…but then if can't…no…not worth the risk," Anastasia sighed despondently. If they got caught Anastasia would be prosecuted with terrorism, kidnap, theft and threat. For once she wished she lived in America were carrying a gun seemed normal…strange. Normally that was the thing that put her off living in America. It just seemed like such a foreign strange thing that healthcare could be priced and that bullets could be bought in the supermarket. It just seemed to go against all her principles and ethics.
"Right…weighing up our options here. We can't drive to Paris because we'd run out of fuel so that option is out. Option A is going to the Police station and explaining everything that's the safest bet but also risky because they might question my sanity and they might catch up with us if we stop there too long…Option B is also out because I don't want to spend the next thirty years in a jail cell," Anastasia concluded weighing up their options logically.
"You could leave the gun behind…" Amanda suggested tentatively. Anastasia stared at the black metallic object in her possession. Yes that would solve a lot of problems…but to walk around unarmed? She'd feel naked…she frowned. She normally detested guns and feared them yet now she was relying on them? What was wrong with her. If she threw the thing away they might stand a chance of getting on the plane and getting out of Romania all together. But…unarmed…vulnerable…weak…
"I don't know…if they come back how would I protect you?" Anastasia whispered softly. She dithered feeling uneasy and suddenly crammed and pressure. The walls were closing in suffocating her. She wanted to curl up away…she didn't want to make this decision. She had to though…she had to decide for all of them. Two children, one an abused psychic and the other a child taken from her home. Every instinct was crying at her to get out of Romania because it was a death trap.
"Amanda…how powerful are you? I mean the whole emotions thing, how powerfully can you make them feel? Can you make them feel as if they've done something before? Can you make them forget?" Anastasia asked gravely. Amanda bit her bottom lip, a new quirk that made Anna smile for some unknown reason. Hazel eyes rested on the clear azure sky and the beautiful lush forests around them.
"I can make them feel sad…I can confuse them…I might be able to do that…I'll try my hardest just promise you won't leave me. I can't stand being around people without you with me," Amanda admitted painfully. Anastasia nodded, she wouldn't leave Amanda. The poor child had been through enough and now she was being pursued by those maniacs. Of course they must be after Amanda, a powerful psychic.
After all, why on earth would they go after someone as ordinary as Anastasia?
"Zacarias, you cannot go after her while the sun is still high," Reasoned Manolito, "Even Mary-Ann and I find this time of day difficult, please try to remain focused. Everyone is doing what they can brother." Zacarias spared his younger brother a glare. Words of reason and reassurance were empty and feeble doing nothing whatsoever to calm his desire to go out into the light after her. He could remember the moment he'd heard the glass break. The moment her body had slammed into the ground. Every cut, every bruise, and every ounce of pain he had felt. Why? He couldn't stand it. The beast was clawing at him longing to be free, demanding pursuit.
"I won't…"
Those words echoed in his mind. Her expression, green eyes melting into blue with a mixture of anguish, confusion and above all fear. She was terrified of him; of them all. Willing to risk injury to escape, willing to point a gun at an innocent man, her despair and fear was turning her into a manifestation of determination urging her to commit actions she would never normally consider except for in the depths of her mind.
"I won't…"
How long until sunset? Three hours…three hours until the light would be at a level he could tolerate. His skin was already wrought with angry burns as a consequence of him venturing out too early in the form of a wolf. Three hours…by then she could be anywhere. Anything could have happened. Each black fear, each horrible image tore him inside. Rage seethed, he wanted to grab her and shake and scream at her but most of all he wanted to see her! How could she do this to him, his restraint and impassive nature was lying in tatters at his feet.
"Brother, we are here for you. She will come to no harm under our watch…" The voice of Riordan entered his mind too mingling with that of the other De La Cruz siblings. He knew, not faraway Mikhail and Gregori were deliberating over what to do next with their actions limited by the sunlight. The infant, the Prince's younger daughter Selene was also with his lifemate and this was a source of worry for all Carpathians. Although Zacarias was welcome to the debate he no longer trusted himself. Their fears, worries that she was unstable due to the Vampire influence would only spur his temper further. They would even suggest she may do Selene harm…
"I won't…"
Such defiance…she had been terrified but in those eyes he saw something; Sadness…guilt…but resolve. He couldn't touch her mind and see her thoughts. He could offer no comfort. To her he was nothing more than a monster and she feared for the life of the child with her. Something akin to admiration struck him, although her actions were foolish and mistaken there was something admirable about her will to survive and protect. He wanted to know what drove her, wanted to know why she felt guilt, wanted to know her fears. To be able to touch her skin banishing them away…nothing…he could do nothing!
"I won't…"
His silent musings were broken suddenly when the door was opened. Zacarias halted in his relentless pacing. The room he was in was the one which she had woken up in. The chamber underground safe from the sunlight but fill with her scent and smell which he breathed in trying to let it soothe him. Lavender, lavender mixed with the richness of chocolate. Inside this room stepped Mikhail, Raven, Gregori, Rafael, Colby, Mary-Anne and Manolito Nobody said anything, they stood like perfect statues allowing the air to boil until finally Mikhail out of a sense of duty spoke sincerely.
"Zacarias, we sympathise that this must be difficult for you and we will do everything we can to protect her. We think she is heading towards Brasov," Zacarias turned to face his prince with stormy dark eyes. Brasov? A large city, for another moment he was struck with faint respect. Using a large city for cover to blend in, that was clever. Zacarias glanced from Mikhail and nodded until his eyes rested on Raven. The Princess of the Carpathians was not faring very well despite how Mikhail had his arms wrapped around her comfortingly. Her large blue eyes were wide and it was obvious she feared for her child.
"I might not know much about my lifemate," Zacarias offered bitterly but with a slight edge of softness, "but she would not harm the child. Not when she is working so hard trying to protect the other one."
"Thank you Zacarias…" Raven said managing a weak smile. Gregori however did not look as reassured and Zacarias did not like the accusation in those silver eyes. The supposed 'bogey-man' of the Carpathians did not frighten him in the slightest and his silver stare did nothing but irate him.
"She is under the influence of a Vampire, we can take no chances," Gregori stated coldly. No chances? Zacarias snarled feeling his incisors pierce through his gums. Mikhail shot a warning glare at his second in command and huddled Raven closer. How dare he stand there and accuse her? Beside Rafael Colby looked up anxiously before speaking.
"Zacarias, what Gregori is trying to say that it isn't Anastasia's fault…she can't be held responsible for her actions at the moment," the former cowgirl said soothingly but with some difficulty, "When Paul was under the influence of that Vampire he couldn't help it…" Rafael tightened his hold her hand as an act of reassurance. The words from his sister in law did nothing to comfort him though. No, he would never allow her to be used as a puppet! Never!
"Yes but he could fight it couldn't he?" Mary-Ann enquired hopefully, "You mentioned that he could hold it off for a little. While the sun is up Anastasia might be okay." Zacarias inclined his head gratefully. He closed his eyes picturing her face. He knew it inside him, she wouldn't hurt the child. The vile creature infecting her was using her love for the child turning it against them.
"She won't hurt Selene; the monster is using her feelings for the children and turning them against us. She would attempt to kill us in order to protect and survive, that is what it is using," Zacarias said plainly opening his eyes, "It is manipulating her feelings against us and that could be even more dangerous."
Mikhail nodded, "There is nothing more dangerous than a she-panther prepared to fight for the survival of her young."
"Repeat it to me; the flight takes of at…?"
"It takes off at half six and gets into Paris at nine o'clock," Amanda piped reading out the flight times. Anastasia nodded checking the time on the car. It was coming up to four o'clock. She'd never actually caught a plane before but she knew that you had to be in the departing area pretty early. She couldn't believe it, her first time abroad, and her first time on a plane to a destination she had dreamed of going to would be marred by her queasy nerves. So much could go wrong…they had to buy the tickets. What if they were booked? They had to get past security, what if they got caught? An impending prison sentence, what to do when your life was in ruins?
This was madness, the sort of thing people attempted in films that always went disastrously wrong. The sensible thing would be to go and explain everything to the police…but something…an itchy feeling inside her, a gut instinct was screaming at her not to do so. It just felt…wrong…like the wrong thing to do; an unexplainable urge that she couldn't shrug off despite it defying her better judgement.
They had been driving for roughly an hour. In that time the child sleeping the back seat remained peacefully resting with only the slightest groan now and then. Anastasia hadn't the slightest clue what to do when she woke up. The girl would probably go hysterical shrieking for her parents. What should Anastasia do? Try to reassure her that she wasn't some homicidal kidnapper? Try to gently explain…or maybe just lie and pretend she was a friend. She could only hope she could calm the child before she entered an all out temper tantrum.
"Amanda…please tell me I'm doing the right thing," Mumbled Anastasia trying to look for some scrape of reassurance for the daunting task ahead. The city came into view stretching out before them an endless sea of large concrete buildings and busy streets. Tower blocks and shopping centre reached for the sky, people bypassed them on bicycles and buses. Strange signs were aloft everywhere with words written on in a language she couldn't read. The navigation system guided her faithfully though through the winding streets and traffic compacted roads. All of it served to intimidate her.
"I don't know…I'll try my best. I promise Anna but I'm scared too," Amanda answered honestly looking at her hands. Anastasia nodded, she wished she could help. She wished she could somehow fuel Amanda's powers, that she could somehow reach into the minds of those around her and issue orders. The plan was one they had discussed in detail from the start to the finish with explicit detail. Amanda and the child (whatever her name was) were going to pose as Anastasia's nieces. Anna had her passport in her purse, they didn't have anything. When identification was called for Amanda could maybe confuse the service woman (i.e. make her feel lethargic or dizzy enough and then make her seem confused with strong sensations of deja-vu). Once that was done they had to get past security which would only be problematic when it came to searching Anna. Again insert Amanda's empathically bamboozling mind tricks.
So much could go wrong.
When they had passed all the building they pulled up in front of a massive glass and stone building that dominated the area. A huge car park stretched out as far as the eye could see. Swallowing feeling extremely sick and nervous Anastasia pushed open the car door hesitating as cold air smacked into her face. They had to try…but what if…what if…she closed her eyes bowing her head. She wanted to go home so badly. To see there faces again, her sisters, mother, grandmother, friends…so badly for this to all be over.
Pushing the door shut after she jumped out Amanda joined her. Taking a deep breathe she opened the door into the back seat where the child rested. She spent a few moments taking in the tranquil sight of an idle child blissfully asleep. Pretty curly dark locks and peachy ivory skin with dimples and rosy cheeks. Anastasia nudged her gingerly eventually. The infant groaned slightly before startling blue eyes peeped out from under her eyelids.
"Hello there," Anastasia said putting on a falsely cheerful voice while inside she felt like wailing, "Um…I'm Amelia…don't be afraid. I'm going to look after you." Anastasia waited with baited breath. Children had always intimidated her; they seemed to either be as fragile as glass or horrible little demons spawned from the pits of hell. They never listened to her and she felt at a loss of what to do with them.
The child blinked and then titled her head curiously. The deep sapphire irises peered into Anastasias. Those eyes were so beautiful, a perfect deep blue but they also seemed odd…not quite like a normal child's eyes. Oh brilliant, now she really was getting paranoid. Eventually the infant spoke, "I'm hungry…can I go home yet?" It came out as typical childish babble.
"I tell you what; I'll get you a big chocolate bar when we get inside. A huge one!" Anastasia declared hopefully. Now that she thought about it she could probably use some food too…when was the last time she'd eaten? She was surprised she wasn't overcome with lethargy yet. Along the journey Amanda had complained about being hungry too but there wasn't a lot they could do.
"What's your name? I'm Selene! It means moon…do you want a pebble?" The child offered as Anastasia undid the seatbelt holding out her hand with a single shiny white stone in the middle. Anastasia bewilderedly accepting holding firmly on to Selene's hand. Behind them Amanda stirred glaring at the child. Was she jealous? Anastasia proffered another hand feeling slightly flattered but quickly deflated when Amanda spoke into her head.
"She's not normal…she's like them. I can feel her in my head…I can block her out. She's weak. She keeps trying to force me to get her food!" Anastasia stopped dead in her tracks staring at the small girl who was sucking her thumb innocently peering around her with childish curiosity. Another psychic? First you think there's one in a million and now there are hundreds. Had she been taken too? Something else clicked though.
"Try and contact her! Speak to her," Urged Anastasia excitedly. Amanda huffed and reluctantly did as was requested. Anastasia waited with anticipation, this child might be their saving grace.
"She want food and she's puzzled about where her Mummy is. Something else is in there too and it keeps shoving me out!" Amanda communed irritated. Anastasia shivered. Something was infecting Selene's mind? Was it Zacarias and the others? If so how much could they say in front of Selene…what if they could use Selene to spy on them? Anastasia bit her lip before addressing the child softly.
"Selene…that's a pretty name isn't it? I always like that name actually, one of the cartoon characters I watched had a name similar and she used to save the world," Anastasia said honestly trying to capture the child attention. It worked. The thumb was released from the mouth.
"Like superman?"
"Sort of," Anastasia mused, "Right, we're going to play a game Selene. Are you good at games? We're going to go inside here right…and Amanda's going to help you. You can tell people what to do can't you? Not people like Amanda and me but silly people." She tried to keep her voice perky and enthusiastic. This had to work, if they could tell people what to think then they were bound to get on the plane easily. Selene nodded.
"Good…now have you heard of Disney land?"
"Uh huh! That's where Donald duck and the mouse lives!" Selene cried happily.
"Right…well were going somewhere really near Disney land…you want to go there? Well if you help us I'll make sure some day we all go. That's a promise okay? A promise to go to Disney land," Anastasia said feeling guilt eat away at her. Maybe not today but someday she would fulfil that promise. If they got out of this mess in one piece she would take them both to Disney.
Someday…
"Look, I…want…a room…for…one…night."
"We have only one."
"Then I'll take that! Please, look I've had a bad day and I just want to sleep!" Anastasia snapped exasperatedly sick of repeating herself for the third time trying to get the French woman to understand her. Finally the woman nodded, her head bobbed up and down from behind the reception desk and she accepted the Euros greedily before passing them a key. Anastasia snapped it trying to balance the sleeping three year old resting on her hip and the dozing ten year old who was struggling to keep awake. Turning around she glanced at the digits on the key; room 2A.
She clenched her jaw as another yawn threatened to swallow her. Lethargy was dragging her body into the realms of dream. Sluggishly she climbed the flight of stairs in the Parisian bed and breakfast – a small grubby building with a small yellow waiting room and thin walls with shabby paper. After two flights she struggled for a moment almost dropping the key twice as her vision wavered.
Pushing the creaky door open they entered a small room with patchy scarlet wall paper and two beds. The rectangular window overlooked a simple street and distantly the roar of aeroplane engines could be heard as they prepared for take off. Tiredly she settled Selene down on one bed. The young girl was only to willing to oblige Anna by curling up under the covers. Kissing her forehead and ushering weary words of goodnight Anastasia moved towards the opposite bed slipping off her boots and socks. The gun she placed in the draw next to her bed and she pulled out her phone and moved towards the alarm setting it for nine o'clock the next morning. The ferry didn't leave until eight o'clock the next night but the owner mentioned something about cleaning the rooms.
Amanda was already huddled under the thick brown duvet. Anastasia climbed in besides her hugging her arm around her waist framing her body comfortably so she could share her warmth burying her face in the light brown locks of hair. The unfamiliar rhythm and noises of the French City prevented her from immediately falling asleep. The strange bizarre day curled through her mind.
Once arriving at the airport which was noisy, busy and crowded the trio had set off to firstly purchase their tickets. The lady serving them had a strong accent which Anastasia found difficult to decipher. Fortunately thanks to Amanda and Selene she accepted Anastasia's real passport and passed the two bits of plastic (Amelia Hawkins ID and her bankcard) taking them for real things. Once they had the printed tickets and once Anastasia had paid for them (now she was probably in the red by about 300 Euros or roughly £250).
They had eaten buying sandwiches and drinks from the airport café. As promised she had bought Selene a large chocolate bar. Once they had eaten, drank and Anastasia had given herself her nightly insulin they had boarded the plane. The airport checking had somehow overlooked the gun hidden down the front of her leggings (again she would never be able to express to Selene how grateful she was) they had boarded the plane without a further hitch. Despite the severity of the situation Anastasia couldn't help but feel thrilled at the take off and awe struck by the view of puffy clouds like cotton candy underneath them.
Selene at Amanda's instruction treated the whole thing like a game. The only thing Anastasia could fault was the awkwardness of having to escort her to the toilet and carry out duties she didn't plan on doing for another twenty years. Once the plane had landed they had escaped the huge massive Paris Airport and made there way to the nearest open and vacant bed and breakfast. They had missed the last ferry to Dover. Tomorrow they would have to spend a day in France as it was Sunday and fewer ferries ran on that day.
If they were being followed then Anastasia knew it would take them at least four hours to get there…and Paris was a big city.
Frankly she didn't give damn. She was so tired…
Her eyes slipped shut and she fell into the blissful ignorance of sleep…
"It's been a while…you must be so tired…"
"I am tired…" Anastasia admitted. Once again she was floating across the chasm of darkness while the surface above gleamed shining a faint pearly light illuminating the flawless ivory pallor of Melanie's skin. A circular table, five cards and the ethereal lady with the rich purple gown with flowing bell shapes sleeves draping across her wrists. Her voice was lovely, soothing, like a mother embracing her child. Anastasia sat down feeling her fatigue melt away. Feelings of puzzlement, curiosity and suspicion faded and she floated carelessly and freely feeling her mind soar. Here her thoughts spoke without obeying her mind.
"You poor thing…but you did so well to come so far," Melanie comforted offering an angelic benevolent smile. "Pick a card Anya, its time to see the present. Lets try to work out what you're feeling right now." Anastasia felt her arm move once more heavy and lethargically towards the card in the centre. She was drawn to it like it was a magnet reeling her in. Echoes of cries reverberated hauntingly around them. Lost voice trilling to the shadows, pleading and begging for something more…
The card flipped over to portray a solitary grey tower and a white hot lash of lightening smashing towards it. Anastasia shivered but Melanie held up the card pensively twirling it in her hands elegantly. "The lightening struck tower," She proclaimed dancing it between the pale digits of her fingers. "I think…I think we'll wait just a little while longer don't you?" She crooned sweetly as she twirled the card once more and it vanished from sight.
Anastasia let out a startled cry feeling a part of her yelp out in agony. She outstretched hand; she needed to know what that card meant! What was the symbolism of a lightening struck tower? She didn't understand…suddenly she felt very lost and confused like a small child standing in the midst of a busy city with tall buildings leering over her. Such a small grain of sand in the huge dessert. Something…she needed something…
A cold hand grabbed her outstretched wrist desperately. Melanie was trembling again, the ivory skin turning to unhealthy chalk. Eyes wide with panic and terror burned into her own despairingly and Melanie's voice crying out was so awful and painful that it hurt her ears.
"The darkness Anya! Its drawing closer…please you must run! It seeks you, it needs you!" Melanie begged her voice fracturing into a million fragments rebounding around the darkness and echoing into the harmonics of her head ripping it apart. She screamed as the ice cold hand pried her from the seat. The table vanished she was dangling above a chasm with no light. Everything was gone, there was nothing and she spluttered and choked trying to escape as a voice reached out to her from the shadows.
"They're coming for you Anna and soon you must make a decision. Live free or die slowly because they'll never let you go once they have you," The voice called beautiful but eerie slicing through the dark enthralling her and reaching into her mind. She felt the grip on her arm loosen and childish laughter filled the air once more.
"Because sink or swim it's your choice," Whispered the voice hauntingly as it faded into the darkness. Anastasia screamed as she dropped plunging. She couldn't breath! The light above her head was growing fainter as something dragged and pulled her under crashing around her sucking her. She spluttered and struggled as her breath fled from her body until finally she felt herself grow limp…
Um...well most of you seem okay with long chapters. I sort of cut out the whole flight thing because that seemed to be dragging it on a bit and wouldn't leave room for it to finish the way it did with the dream. Those of you familiar with Tarot might know what the lightening struck tower symbolises. As for Selene, well I don't actually know what Raven's next child is going to be called since she's only pregnant in the most recent books but Selene after the moon doesn't seem like too bad a name.
As for the window, well sunlight would sort of burn them slowing down their reaction. It was two in the afternoon, and the window didn't blow shut obviously one of the Carpathians shut it hence when Anna went to jump she actually smashed through a window. Carpathians can't do anything while the sun is up other than cause mist (not a wise idea to do when somebody it trying to drive a car on a dangerous bit of road). Obviously they can use Selene when she wakes up and sort of speak to her and "see" Anna through her eyes which explains why Selene didn't start bawling for her parents.
There was a slight forshadow for the next chapter in this one. Basically we witness more Anna/Amanda bonding and then they board the boat...which is where things rapidly sink downhill for Anastasia because there's nowhere for her to run anymore and she has no escape. By the way I'm interested in artists if anyones willing to take a stab at drawing Anastasia for me? Oh well you can always look at my other Carpathian fic too Dark Daughter and review it.
Please R&R.
Daydreamer!x
