Hmm, There IS A Light at the End of the Tunnel
Recap: Unknown POV: Great! What danger have you sought out now? Were our brand of monsters not good enough?
Chapter 18: Recovery
Charlie's POV:
"What do you mean by that Abe?" I asked him.
"That man might work for a strigoi, but my sources have informed me that this is darker than a simple blood run." Abe surmised as he checked his phone.
"What sources do you have that guardians are not privy to, Mr. Mazur?" Belikov asked.
"Do you really want to know? And besides, you need to call me Abe or Zmey like everyone else. If that doesn't work for you, you can call me dad," he told the young man. I snorted as we made our way out of the hospital ward and across the way. All prisoners are housed below ground on the West side of Court.
"I think I will stick to Mr. Mazur," the guardian stated as little Rose openly laughed beside him.
"Alright, whatever you wish. Just no Sir, Master, or daddy. I am not into any of those fetishes." Abe informed and shook his finger as he motioned for his guardian to open the door to the prison ward.
"No, sir-"
"Ah, there it is. I don't condone that, especially around my impressionable daughter."
"But!"
"Son, how about you take a minute to cool down. Just not too long or I will come looking for you. I wouldn't want my daughter to be around such vulgarity." Abe waved and grabbed my elbow as we left the young couple gaping and chortling in the corridor. He led me to a side elevator.
"Now, where is this bast-"
"Calm Charlie. You will give him what he deserves." He assured and we stepped out into the solitary confinement floor.
"Where?" I ground out as I clenched and unclenched my fists.
"Number seven," Abe informed and sat in the supervisor's chair. The Zmey shooed the guardian away with a fifty dollar bill. I watched as he pulled up the screen of the monster who almost got away. I started down the hallway of monsters. The men and women held on this floor have done despicable deeds. Murder, selling information about royals to strigoi, overuse of magic, child abductions, and other terrible deeds. The prisoners are all held in glass cages. The glass is bullet proof and a two way mirror. The convicted sees their reflection day in and day out while visitors and guardians watch them. Some of the prisoners are cuffed due to magic restrictions. Some are freely roaming their cell. However, there are few who stay confined with various methods. The man I am going to interrogate is currently secured in a straight-jacket. The jacket has a thick chain overlapping it that is padlocked. The padlock is also connected to a chain that allows this man to only roam a certain quarter of his cell. If it were up to me, he wouldn't be able to roam. His knee caps should have been busted the moment he was in custody. That would've at least wiped that malicious smile off his face.
"You are clear to enter Charlie," Abe said. I nodded and entered the cage. His eyes flashed to mine once he heard the door slam close. His smile widened upon seeing me.
"Hello, Mr. Swan. How are you this fine day? Or should I ask how is Miss Swan? That cocktail of drugs should keep her out for a long time."
"Why?"
"The why question? Are you really that cliché?" I took a step forward at his mocking tone.
"I asked a question. Why?"
"Why what buttercup? You'll have to be more specific." He mocked. I let my fist surge forward landing him square in the mouth, which immediately began to pool with blood. He spit it out on the floor between us before laughing.
"Answer."
"Fine. You want an answer? Well here it is buddy. My employer wants her. The blood pumping through her veins is precious to him and his end game. Why am I helping? Why wouldn't I? The money is good," he spat.
"That figures. You are a glorified minion. A mercenary. Did the academy you went to not teach basic morality?" I asked.
"Are you kidding me? MY sense of morality? What about my good sense of right and wrong? Well it went out the window during my years at the academy. And it was never the academy. It was everyone in it. No one here at court ever helped me. I was the small fry who served as the class punching bag.
"So you were bullied through school and you are taking it out on all moroi by working for the strigoi?"
"It is more than that Charlie," he ground out and stood. "I could've gotten over some simple bullying. I could've went to therapy. I could've switched academies. But none of that mattered. Especially not to you sir. Because you in particular made my life Hell. And when he offered me this, I would've been too stupid to pass it up."
"Money and a shot at petty revenge?"
"Redemption," he shot out. "Now it is time to make your life Hell Mr. Swan. Your daughter. She won't be safe. Might as well give up. Like I did when you took my sister and rubbed it in my face. Like I did when you destroyed my meager things that my mother could barely afford to give me. Like I did when you encouraged everyone at court that I was an ant that needed the boot. Like when you used compulsion on my advisor to make certain that I wouldn't be able to graduate to a true guardian." He was perspiring and hoarse from yelling. He sighed before sitting back down. "The only question I have is why. Why did you hate me Charlie? Why did you hate the only brother you have?"
Bella's POV:
I could get used to this. My headache is gone. The dreamscape has changed to a serene pool with a waterfall in the forest. Don't ask me where in the world this waterfall is located. Adrian has been changing scenery every time he enters a dream. After our dream make-out I ended up losing to the drugs in my system. I had been fighting off the effects but they have been overpowering my subconscious. I don't know how much time is passing me by. But I know that this is the third dreamscape. The first was the beach, the second was a library, and now the forest.
However, Adrian has yet to show up. Looking around once more, I shrug my shoulders and walk to the pool. I sit down on the edge and let my feet feel the warm water. I place my hands flat behind me and close my eyes. The sun's rays (though fake) feel heavenly on my skin. Especially knowing that I won't burn.
"Bella?" I hear my name being whispered somewhere close. I open my eyes and jump. Dang it. I fell in the pool. Adrian was the person calling my name. He was inches from my face. Who does that?
"What was that?" I exclaim after I surface.
"I just said your name. I wasn't trying to scare you."
"Well then why were you so close to my face?"
"You didn't seem to mind my closeness during our last two visits." I blushed scarlet and dunked under the water as I heard him chuckle. "Come out Bella, I have news." I slowly swam close to the edge where I fell in.
"Can you help me? I am so clumsy." I held out my hand. He narrowed his eyes at my hand before grabbing it. Quickly, I pulled and Adrian toppled into the water with me. He fumbled in the water before calming and surfacing. "Ha!"
"What?" He spluttered and splashed water at me.
"That was for scaring me," I laughed and splashed him back.
"Remind me, what exactly it was that scared wittle Bewwa?" He mocked. "Was it my dashing good looks? No it wasn't that." He then swam closer. "Was it my incredible genius brain? No it wasn't that either." He swam closer. We were almost touching at this point. "Oh, right. It was the distance. Is this uncomfortable?" He asked. I shook my head no. he smirked and wrapped his arms around me. "What about this?" I shook my head once again. He leaned in until our lips were brushing against one another. Then he whispered, "what about this?" Instead of shaking my head, I grabbed the hair at the nape of his neck and surged forward. I let our lips meet. He reciprocated quickly. As he brushed his tongue along my lip I pulled away. I batted my eyelashes at his lust-filled eyes.
"What was the urgent news Adrian?"
"News? What? Oh! Yes! Orlov. Let's get out of this pool and I will tell you, my sweet," he said and grabbed my hand. We swam to the edge and pulled ourselves over. Adrian snapped his fingers and we ended up in a new location. Wow!
(AN: I know almost an entire year has passed. I hope the wait was worth it. Some answers and the characters banter is always fun to give out. Thank you for being patient and loyal readers. Some people I know don't understand loyalty or how to be an adult. It has been a year and that's all I will say. I don't want to bore you with my drama. Because it is all petty and ridiculous. Anyway, I hope to give you chapter 19 before another year passes us by. I hope you will stop by my profile and check out my other works. I don't own Twilight or Vampire Academy. But I will own my novel once I purchase copyright and hit the publish button. Have a terrific day, week, month, year! I hope to hear good things from you soon!)
○Forever and For Always,
~LHNT~
A.K.A.
*Heather* :D