Chapter Twenty-One
David's mouth crushed against hers, hard enough to bruise. There was no passion in the kiss, only dominance. His arms around her waist gripped her like boa constrictors. With a strength she didn't know she had, Charity thrust her hands against his chest and shoved him away from her. She then lifted her right hand and slapped him so hard that his head was forced to the side. She slapped him as if it was his fault, knowing full well that he couldn't help what he did. David's head stayed frozen in the position she had forced it into, but his lips curved into a peculiar smile. His eyes darted to the side to look at her with particular pleasure, like a sly child.
Charity's throat tightened, but she couldn't cry. She was beyond that. "I'm sorry, Davy," she whispered.
He turned towards her and rested one hand on his hip. He was David still, a version of David that was airbrushed to perfection. His skin, normally a soft golden California tan, was now bronzed and flawless. His hair had grown half an inch (how had she not noticed this?) and his dark bangs were carelessly falling into his eyes. His eyes were the same, frighteningly. The same warm brown they had always been, but without the inherent warmth. His expression was all wrong. Full of confidence, arrogance, greed. The quiet intelligence that had always marked her David was absent. Charity felt numb as she looked. She could hear Julie crying behind a tree.
"Sorry for what, Cherry Berry?" David asked coldly. "Sorry for the slap or stringing me along like always? Sorry for letting me love you but only on your terms?"
Charity shook her head. She had to remind herself that this thing wearing David's clothes, looking so very much like him, was not David. Maybe the sentiment was the same…maybe she had unknowingly treated him so…but the delivery was nothing like her David would ever put her through.
"No. I'm sorry I let this happen to you. If it wasn't for me…"
"If it wasn't for you," David said scornfully, "I would be the same pathetic loser I always have been. Always studious and polite, a good boy. Following you around like a lovesick robin, hoping that maybe someday…" – He was moving towards her as he spoke, and Charity unconsciously stepped backwards – "you would see that I was not just your best friend. That I could be something more."
Charity jerked with surprise when her back hit against a large tree, the bark rough and scratchy against her skin. She started to move aside, but David suddenly jerked forward and placed one hand on either side of her, encaging her. His face was uncomfortably close to hers. His eyes were dark and blazing. He smiled as he said, "I feel it now, the power. Coursing through me. I'm alive in a way I never was before. I can do anything I want, have anything I want."
Charity was surprised to find that she was trembling. "This isn't the way," she said shakily. "I swear I never meant to hurt you. I didn't even know you felt that way. If I had…but this isn't the way, Davy. You can't force it on me. You can never have me like this."
Unexpectedly, David began to laugh. Charity watched warily as he threw back his head, overcome with mirth.
"Have you? Bitch, I wouldn't have you for dinner if we were the only two people alive and I was dying from hunger."
Charity cried out as he grabbed her arms and squeezed down to her bones. Suddenly, Julie was beside them, sobbing. She tugged on David's arm, crying, "Stop it!" He released one of Charity's arms and flicked his hand to the side as if shooing away a pesky fly. Some force shot out of him at the movement, and Julie was sent sailing backwards into the darkness of the trees.
"She's your sister!" Charity cried.
"Not any more," he said indifferently. "She's not important. She can roam this forest forever until the beasts tear into her for all I care. It's your turn now. I've come to summon you to the Shadow Men's Council. They're tired of playing, sweetheart. It's your turn to answer for your mother's sin."
Laughing softly, David released her and slipped an arm around her waist in a grip that glued her to his side. Slowly, he began to walk with her. Charity was determined not to scream, although she was shaking so hard she could barely move one foot in front of the other. Her one coherent thought in a jumble of mental panic was that if she had to be taken, if she had to go, there was no one in the world she would rather have with her than David – whatever slim version of David this was. It was a small comfort, but enough, to feel his familiar shape beside her. She would have told him how much she loved him if there was the slightest possibility that he could understand her. She hoped Julie had the sense to stay hidden in the forest.
"I wouldn't go just yet," said a voice coolly behind them. A hand closed over her shoulder with pressure that was firm but gentle. Charity grew very still. She could feel the presence behind her with electric sensibility. She hated the little push her heart gave, the rush, as she realized who it was.
David stopped trying to pull her along. He looked over his shoulder. His brown eyes widened into almost perfect circles, showing white all the way around the irises. The strength in his arm slackened, and Charity was able to step away from him, her skin throbbing. She pressed a hand against her side, wincing as she felt the bruise.
"She is not theirs to take. I already claimed this one," said Julian behind her.
Oh, for Heaven's sake. Charity shut her eyes. It was going to cause lasting damage to her psyche to be continually treated like an object for trade or possession. Assuming, of course, that there was anything left of her when the night was through. She did not turn around to witness the stare-down between the two almost-Shadow Men. Her mind was fighting a battle over whether she most wanted to see him or dreaded seeing him, and until she decided she wasn't going to look. She couldn't trust herself to be objective when confronted with his eyes.
David was hesitating, shuffling his feet. It was clear to Charity that in whatever messed-up social hierarchy the Shadow Men followed that Julian was David's senior, and he was wary of challenging him, no matter what his orders had been. "I'm supposed to bring her to the Elders. They requested me personally," he said hesitantly, a hint of pleading in his voice.
"Then I suggest," Julian said easily, walking around David to place a possessive arm around Charity's shoulders and swing her around, "that you come up with a damn good explanation for why she won't be joining them tonight."
His stance as he held her was arrogant and domineering, but his fingers gave her shoulder a light squeeze, indiscernible to anyone's eyes. It unsettled Charity, who was already feeling like a dead thing as she stood there silently. It brought tears to her eyes. It gave her hope. But his next words killed it.
"I haven't had full enjoyment of my prey yet. I don't think they will argue that I have the first right to her. After I'm through, you wolves can fight over what's left. It's little matter to me."
The stab of shame and self-righteous anger that resulted from his words breathed life back into Charity. She opened her mouth to tell him that she was in no way his to claim, but his eyes stopped her. His look clearly said, Shut up, you idiot. Do you want to die?
Charity shut her mouth. Now was not the time to remind him that she hadn't changed her mind about hating him. If Julian could get her out of this, she would have plenty of time to do it later. For that's what he was doing: he was trying to save her from the Shadow Men's Council, at least temporarily. She didn't know what his motives were, but as long as they served her interests as well, she was going to shut up and follow his lead.
A hissing, animal sound was coming from David's lips. The sound was especially frightening coming from a face she knew and loved so well. It transformed him, making him more beast than human. Charity clung to Julian in horror, unable to look away from her best friend's eyes, which were starting to take on a yellowish glow.
Julian himself did not waver from the threat. "Run along," he said, a hint of a smile on his lips. He actually lifted a hand and waved it dismissively. David's snarling stopped up short. He gave Julian a look of such hatred that Charity was mildly surprised when the air didn't thicken into blood between them. Finally, with one last look of loathing, he turned and stalked off into the darkness.
In the few moments after he had gone, neither of them moved. Now that they were alone, Charity was very aware of the silence in the forest and the movement of Julian's chest as he breathed. She wanted to step away from him, but she couldn't quite make herself do it. Instead, she stared into the blackness that had swallowed David.
"They're going to hurt him, aren't they?" she said quite unsteadily.
Julian sighed. "You honestly care after all this? Okay, don't answer that. Probably. They are not fond of disobedience. Which is why we have to hurry."
Charity had a mental flash of Julian taking her behind a tree and hurriedly undressing her while the Jeopardy theme ticked in the background. This image which normally would have amused her was now just depressing. She bowed her head wearily.
"Is this the part where you remind me that I'm your slave, and that if I want to survive I'm going to have to do whatever you tell me? Because let me just you, if you want to make out, it's going to have to wait. I think I've passed my quota for the night. Seriously, if I survive this, I'm going to become a nun."
Julian laughed. "Is that what you think of me? Believe it or not, I can control myself. You made it clear earlier that it was never going to happen, and I don't normally get off by forcing myself on unwilling women. There are easier and much more satisfying ways of getting what I want."
Charity lifted her head in astonishment. "Then what are you doing with me? Why stop David from taking me to them?"
Instead of answering her, he said, "We need to find your friend and get away from here before they come looking for us. I don't think I can fool them for very long, so we need to work fast."
Julian released her and looked at her expectantly, but Charity just stared. "Okay," she said. "Seriously now. Who are you and what have you done with Julian?"
He looked away. "We don't have time for this. We need to find her."
"That's exactly what I mean. You didn't give a damn about her before, about any of them, so why now? Why when it's too late, for David, for…?" Charity's throat constricted and she couldn't speak. Tears of fury and confusion were dripping down her cheeks.
"Does it matter as long as I'm helping you?"
"I guess not. But I still hate you."
"That's fine," he said coldly. "I don't need your approval. I need to be obeyed. I made a promise to Jenny to get you out of here, and I'm not going to break it."
Charity swallowed noisily. She rubbed her eyes. So that's what it was. He had been to see her mother. That explained his new lack of interest in her. Why should he still want her after being reunited with his passionate obsession? She should have been relieved, but what she actually felt was disappointment.
"Her name is Julie. Just in case you were wondering," she said crossly, striding past him. As she stepped away, Julian's hand shot out and closed over her shoulder. Without hesitation, Charity shook him off. She swung around to face him, and her eyes were furious.
"Charity," Julian started and then stopped, his face going impassive. "Okay" was all he said before giving her a little nod and leading the way forward. Charity looked after him bleakly.
They found Julie hiding up in a tree. She was shaking like one of the leaves she clung to, and neither looked at them nor responded when they called up to her. It took Charity's soothing voice for several minutes talking about how Julian was a tame, nice Shadow Man (while he stood by and listened with dark amusement) before she was able to coax her down from her branch. Even after she came down, Julie stood a little behind Charity, watching Julian with wide, cautious eyes.
"So what's your master plan?" Charity asked Julian darkly now that they were assembled. "Have a box somewhere to stash us in until you figure out what you do?"
"What was yours? Run aimlessly through the trees until you stumble upon the magical door to Tuvalu?" he responded calmly.
"We were looking for the runestave."
"I see. And your progress on that?"
"If you think you could do better…"
"I could. Can, as a matter of fact. I know how to get it, but it won't be easy. Okay, so you wanted to find the runestave and carve all of the names off, so that my elders would be destroyed and all your friends would go zooming back to California. Where would that leave you and Jeanie?"
"Julie," Charity told him pointedly, knowing it was useless. Julian was already staring up at the sky, his perfect lips shaped into a frown as he pondered the sprinkling of stars above the canopy.
"It's not that it's a bad plan in essence," he said musingly, "but the execution will be problematic. Once you start carving off names, the Shadow Men will be on you within seconds when they feel themselves threatened. There is also the matter of creating a door so that you two will be able to get back home after you've taken care of the rest of us. It has to be well hidden, for I know my elders will start closing all open portals to your world when they figure out what you're doing. All doors that they know about, anyway. Also, while I'm off seeking the runestave – and I'm the only one of us who physically will be able to retrieve it – the two of you will be left vulnerable."
"Thanks for making that so clear and frightening," Charity said, deadpan. "What are we supposed to do about it?"
Julian thought for a minute, looking at her. His face was impassive as he said, "Kadar."
Charity blinked in surprise. "Kadar?"
"Yes. He has a soft spot for you. The others want killing you to be over quickly, but he thinks you're interesting. We could find a way to use that to buy us time while I find the runestave."
"So basically your plan is to let Kadar babysit me until you get back. Great. You're not at all concerned what he'll do to me in the meantime? Or Julie? I don't think he has any special interest in her."
"Yes, they may take her and make her another member of their collection. You'll just carve her name back off when I bring you the runestave."
"Unless they decide to kill her. Maybe they're tired of playing that particular Game."
"I don't like this plan," said Julie in a small voice.
"You see?" Charity glared at Julian. "I don't trust him. We're coming with you."
Julian just looked at her stonily. A moment passed while Charity met his eyes stubbornly, and then Julian's hands darted out to grab her wrist and Julie's. There was no time to even cry out as the air around them flashed blindingly white and then solidified into soft white walls. Charity looked around, her mouth opening and closing in disbelief.
"What is this?" she demanded.
"A box to stash you in until I figure out what to do," he quoted mockingly. "They shouldn't be able to find you here. This is my own creation."
"Shouldn't?" Julie echoed nervously, while Charity said, "It had to be a padded cell?"
Julian's face was stoic, but she could tell he was holding back a smile. "I'll come back for you. Do me a favor and stay out of trouble?" The instant his mouth formed the last syllable, he disappeared. Charity stared at the spot he had been, her jaws clenched together.
"I really hate waiting," she muttered darkly. "He had to know that."
"But we're safe here. Isn't that better?" Julie said almost cheerfully. As Charity went over to the white walls and started testing the cushions with her fists and feet, Julie added, "And it's going to be alright now. We'll be able to get the others back and go home."
Charity grunted as she delivered a heavy kick to the white padding. "When is anything ever that easy?"
Julie's face was white when Charity glanced at her. "You think he was lying? You don't trust him?"
"I do trust him actually, for some reason I can't figure out. Brain tumor maybe? It's just that I can't see how the Shadow Men could be ignorant of what we're trying to do. And if you think they're just going to let him take it…"
Charity trailed off, looking over Julie's shoulder. The fabric covering the center of the wall across from her was slightly off-colored, and the padding was flatter than the rest of the room. She could have sworn it hadn't been like that when they first arrived.
"Charity?" Julie said nervously as Charity crossed over to the wall and started feeling the fabric with both hands. It was definitely flatter than the rest of the room, and she could feel something hard behind it. As her fingers swept over the wall, she found a break in the fabric where two sheets were sewn together. Only this particular portion had been left unstitched. There was just enough room to slip her fingers inside…
"What are you doing?" Julie shrieked as Charity pulled and the fabric came apart from the wall with a loud rip. Charity ignored her and yanked again until she had ripped back enough of the fabric to reveal…a door. A simple wood door with a brass handle shining in the fluorescent light. Breathing excitedly, Charity's fingers closed over the knob.
"No, no." Julie was behind her, clutching at her arms desperately. "Don't. Julian said to stay put."
"He didn't actually. He told me to stay out of trouble."
"Yes, which implies staying."
"You stay then. I'm going. I can't believe Julian would have put this door here if he didn't want me to go through it. He wants me to follow him."
"What if he didn't put it there?" Julie demanded, and then moaned as Charity's fingers turned the knob and pulled open the door, revealing a dark hallway. Charity's heart beat steadily in anticipation as she peered into the darkness. She had always felt better while acting. If Julian had left her this door, she couldn't sit around and wait. Maybe he needed her help…
"Stay here," she told Julie firmly. Even though she was leaving, she was not going to get David's sister into trouble. She believed the white room was safe if Julian had left them there. Julie's hands were on her arm, clutching desperately, but Charity shook her off. She stepped through the doorway and closed the door firmly behind her, cutting off Julie's cries of protest. All light was caught off instantly, and Charity was swallowed into the blackness of the hallway. She heard nothing but her ragged, frightened breathing. What if she was wrong and Julian hadn't left her the door? She groped behind her for the doorknob, but it and the door had disappeared. She was alone.
Charity took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Onward, then. She couldn't go back, only forward. She walked, hands stretched out to her sides to feel the comforting solidity of the walls. A small light flickered ahead of her, growing larger as she neared. The closer she got, she recognized it as the rectangle shape of another doorway. Charity's walk turned into a jog. The light became brighter, and finally, biting her lower lip, she burst through.
Kadar was standing before her. "I knew it wouldn't take you long," he said pleasantly.
Sorry this chapter took me so long. I just haven't been feeling creative/inspired while school was going on. But I'm now graduated and have many hours of unemployment ahead of me to write until I find the fabulous job this degree was supposed to get me. Thanks for all the great comments! They really help keep me going. I'm finally nearing the end on this thing - promise! Soonish, anyway. :)