Wow... it has been way too long, hasn't it? I know this one is short, but I'm almost finished with the next one. Thanks for all of your reviews!
"I'm here without you, baby
But you're still on my lonely mind.
I think about you, baby
And I dream about you all the time.
I'm here without you, baby
But you're still with me in my dreams
And tonight, it's only you and me."
3 Doors Down
Chapter Twenty-four
I wrapped my arms around me to try to capture a bit of warmth. To say Russia was cold would be like saying the Titanic ran into a snowman. It was freezing. I had a coat, but the wind bit my face and made it sting. The sound of foreign voices speaking words I didn't understand reminded me that I wasn't where I belonged. The only person who spoke English was Raoul. He, of course, spoke Russian, so we didn't need anyone to accompany us. I knew this was intentional. He was keeping me away from human contact. He was isolating me from the world in hopes that I would change my mind about him.
"You could have picked somewhere a little bit warmer," I muttered.
"I picked the best place for us to start over," he responded curtly.
You mean you picked the best place to keep me a prisoner, I corrected inwardly. He knew I hated cold weather. He chose Russia to spite me.
We journeyed into the country until we reached an isolated house with a huge iron fence surrounding its property. I noticed it was only one story. Relief rushed through me. Thank goodness. At least he can't push me down the stairs again. After all, I was being held hostage by a crazy person. Moments of violence were a given; I would just have to do my best not to provoke him.
The irony of my predicament was amusing in the darkest sense. If Meg was there, she would make a joke about me being attractive to mentally unstable men. Erik was temperamental, brooding, and scarred; Raoul was possessive, bipolar, and confused. They were neither of them completely safe, but one cared enough to put my needs above his desires whereas the other one put his desires above my safety.
I was shown to my room. It was small, containing only a bed and a window (complete with prison bars). I also had my own bathroom.
I sat on the bed and stared out the window. Raoul sat next to me, but I refused to meet his gaze.
After a few moments, he sighed. "I suppose you're tired after traveling. Get some rest. I'll wake you when it's time for dinner."
"Very well," I said. I didn't turn as he left the room, finally leaving me alone. I didn't bother to change clothes. I only removed my coat before curling up underneath the covers. The house was much warmer than the streets, but I still couldn't seem to feel warm. In another time, Erik's arms would warm me, but now, he was worlds away.
"Erik," I whispered. "I miss you."
o0o
I woke to the feeling of a hand on my hair. I continued breathing evenly, not giving away I wasn't sleeping. I didn't want to talk to Raoul or see him. If he was going to keep me a prisoner, I wanted to be alone. But, his shaking hand continued to stroke my hair.
"I wish you didn't hate me," he told me forlornly. "I wish you would be mine again. Remember how happy we were? Our lives were perfect. Until…" Here, his voice broke. Then, it changed and became harsh and angry. "Until he came along. I can't get to him; I can't kill him. But, I want to kill him. I want to get him out of your head and make you forget all about him." His fingers curled around my hair, and I bit my lip, struggling not to wince from the pain. "I'll make you forget about him, one way or the other. You can either be my living wife or you can be his dead one." He laughed and resumed petting my hair. "You'll be so beautiful either way. Perhaps I should just kill you. After all, red is such a beautiful color on you."
Horror filled me. I remained still. If I moved now, while he was talking that way, he would surely have another breakdown. As it was, he was muttering to himself. "Mustn't kill, mustn't kill," he repeated over and over again. "She won't like it if I kill her. She has to like me. If I act like myself, she'll like me; Mother told me so." Suddenly, he said with a cheerful tone, "I just have to be myself and she'll like me. She will want me, then." He leaned over, kissed my forehead, and then, I heard the door open and close.
I released the sob I had been suppressing as soon as I was certain he was out of earshot. He was much worse than I had imagined. He intended to make me marry him! If I didn't, he would kill me. I didn't know when he would make his demand, but it would certainly be soon. I would have run to Erik's world immediately despite the danger, but I didn't know how to get there. All I could do was wait for him.
"He's coming for me," I insisted aloud. "He promised. He's coming for me."
Posted on June 20, 2012