21
O's pov
I see her face. The siren mother. She is standing on a demolished street staring at me. Her eyes are missing and her throat is slashed. Her hands are out and searching. She's trying to call for someone, but no sound comes from her. She's terrified and screaming as she calls out to someone. Her daughter. Where is her daughter? Schling. Schling. A soft giggle makes me jump as I turn and see the little peering out from behind me as if I were a tree she was hiding behind. I watched her smiling face as she runs out from around me and across the cracked and ugly asphalt.
There's sharp green grass and yellow flowers everywhere now. The gloomy sky is bright from the sun and I look up at her mother to see her smiling, eyes vibrant and noticeable. Her teeth are a beautiful white and she leans down with her arms out waiting for her daughter to get to her. They embrace lovingly and immediately, I see my mother and me and our youth when I used to run to her like that. Schling. Schling. Schling.
The siren is holding her daughter in her arms now and both of them are staring at me with dead eyes. They aren't smiling, just staring at me as the emotion dies from their face. It's haunting almost as if the life drained from them immediately. They used to be happy and now here they are stuck in an unknown world. Only they know what happens when you die.
My eyes snap open as I hear a sudden bang like something big falling over hard. My heart rushes up my throat as I sat up and looked around. I looked over at Kandomere only to see he is not there. There was another loud crash. But this time it sounded like glass breaking. I quickly got out of bed and moved to my suit case and pulled out one of my black night gowns. What was going on? The crashing continued and now I was even more nervous and starting to panic. I rushed over to the door thinking Kandomere could be hurt. I tried to pull the door open but it was locked.
"The fuck?" I asked confused. I unlocked it and moved out into the darkness of the hallway. I looked to my left and right before hearing the noise coming from my right. I moved down the hall not being able to decide if I should run or walk to the craziness that was happening. I could smell Kandomere, but I also smelled someone else. A stranger. An intruder. Kandomere must have heard this stranger before me and went to fight them. I had to do something, I had to help. As I moved further down the hall, I noticed holes and cracks up and down the wall. Statues and paintings were knocked off broken glass was everywhere. I heard a loud shout and immediately ran to the sound. The darkness should have scared me, added to the madness of what I was about to see. But darkness cannot kill you, only beings can do that. I finally turned the corner to my right to see Kandomere kicking someone right over the railing of the stair case. Out of shock at someone possible falling to their death, I let out a yelp of surprise.
Kandomere looked at me. I could see lines of red across his body.
"O! Get back to the room!" he shouted. Before he could finish the sentence a flash of black jumps right back over the stair case and I watch as the two elves are moving swiftly with almost vicious grace. Knives slice the air and I watch as the assailant's knives are meeting Kandomere's. They're moving so fast, I can't even see who the intruder is. Kandomere moves to swipe at him, but he ducks and quickly slides his feet against his ankles and I watch Kandomere fall on his back, but uses his knuckles to quickly push himself back onto his feet. Such power. I had to do something, who knows how long these two had been going at it. I could call Monte. I turned and ran back down the hall. I quickly moved into the room and found my phone where I had left it.
I unlocked my phone quickly and did my best to find Monte's contact. I hurried and pressed his name and placed the phone to my ear. It was ringing numerous times.
"Come on, come on, come on!" I said rapidly. Finally, someone picked up.
"Montehugh." he answered in a grizzly tone. Guess he was asleep.
"Get over to Kandomere now!" I snapped.
"O? What's going on?" he asked. However, the cold and sharp blade of a knife was at my throat silencing me. On instinct my neck moved up and I could feel someone's body pressed to mine.
"Hang up the phone." a silky-smooth voice demands and I do as I am told cutting off Monte's questioning. It's a woman. Slowly I toss my phone on the bed and raise my hands. I'm still and quiet. I feel a gloved hand on my shoulder turning me around to face the door. "Move." The command is steely and cold. I wouldn't dare make an unwarranted move. I took slow even steps toward the door. still not even knowing who this person was who had me. All I knew was that it wasn't an orc.
"Open it." she said. My mind was on Kandomere. Was he okay? Was he hurt? How many of these intruders were there? I opened the door and masks were staring right at us. The intruder behind me gasps from the total surprise. My body is jerked forward as a long foot comes out and connects with my captor. The masks are familiar to me and the silver chains wrapped around the neck tells me I am safe. It is Marco. I gasp as I see Marco tear his mask away and inhales deeply before releasing a harsh shriek. It's loud and high pitched. Everything bursts immediately even the intruder. Blood sprays the wall and the walls crack from the bottom and up into the ceiling. A bust of Kandomere's head shattered along with the glass in the bathroom breaking completely. I covered my mouth in shock as the screaming dies down. Marco knows how to control the power of his voice. At least the room didn't crumble away. I looked at him as he places his mask back on.
"W-what are you doing here? How did you know I was here?" I asked.
"The orc cop called us and kept us informed. Father was upset that you didn't tell us where you'd be. I was sent to make sure you were alright. It seems the trouble hasn't stopped following you." he said. I was speechless now as I just looked around. Sirens could be heard from outside.
"Odette!" I heard Kandomere call. I looked down the hall and then up at my brother to see him walking down the hall.
"Don't be late for the cookout." he said casually as he was devoured by darkness. I watched my oldest brother walk away not caring to stay and even see Kandomere or even talk about what he had just done. But then again, no siren male wanted to be caught in elf territory.
"Odette!" I turned to see Kandomere running down the hall. I moved up to him and he embraced me immediately. "Are you hurt?" He sounded so panicked as he pulled back and took my face in his hands. I shook my head.
"I'm fine." I said lowly, but my tone said the exact opposite. He winced and leaned in kissing me gently. I was just glad he was standing here in front of me. Thirty minutes later, the house was filled with swat. Kandomere was talking to Montehugh downstairs in the den. I had a white robe around my body and an elf paramedic was looking over me. He was shining a light in my eyes and asking me questions.
"I'm fine. Leave me." I demanded and he nodded and packed up his gear and left me. I was staring at Kandomere. He was in a suit discussing something with his partner. I just closed my eyes and looked down some. I felt… horrible, ashamed I could not defend myself. But of course, I didn't have the training my siblings had. I was the oldest girl, I had a different purpose in the family. Why would I need to know how to fight? The entire room was busy and loud. Cameras were snapping pictures of the broken items in the hallway and Kandomere's room upstairs. Finally, Kandomere moved up to me, his eyes were filled with authority. Of course, his inferiors were here.
"Montehugh said you tried to call him, but the call was never finished. What happened upstairs?" he asked trying to not sound so harsh. I stared at him for a moment.
"Another intruder surprised me, they were trying to make me leave. But…" I paused for a moment and he titled his head some, icy blue eyes staring at me intently.
"But what?" he pressed. I bit my bottom lip for a moment before taking a few even breaths.
"My brother was there and he saved me. Killed one of them." I said and I could see the firm, cool mask of his break some.
"Did you see who the assailant was?" he asked. I shook my head.
"No. It was a woman. That's all I know." I replied. "The person you were fighting? Are they dead?" He shook his head.
"No. He ran when he heard your screams." he said. My face tensed up some and Kandomere leaned back some. "That wasn't your scream." I shook my head. He nodded some.
"Why was he here?" he asked. He didn't seem upset which was a good thing.
"My father found out I was here and sent him to look in on me." I said. He nodded slowly. I was sure Marco being here was against the rules somehow to him.
"Your roommate told him, I'm sure." he said dryly and I nodded.
"Was the man who broke in here…was he an elf?" I asked. Kandomere didn't even hesitate to nod.
"Yes." he said. I tensed now and shook my head leaning closer to him.
"So what are we going to do now? It's clear they are coming after us. Why, I do not know." I said and he placed his hands on my shoulders giving me a light squeeze.
"Do no worry, this house is not as guarded as the others. We will move to a place the Inferni will not risk going to." he said. I was confused and tired.
"You have other houses?" I asked. He nodded.
"A few." he said. "Monte will help you gather your things. We'll be escorted somewhere." he explained. I was tired, very tired and I just sighed and turned moving from him. Monte met me a few feet away and he gave a lightly assuring look before we both moved down the hall.
"Guess this was more adventure then you were asking for." he said suddenly. I scoffed lightly.
"I blame you." I replied lowly as we moved up to the room.
"I'm sorry you're involved. Leilah and her little buddies usually stay low and would never risk attacking a federal agent." he said. Was that supposed to console me.
"Well they did. But maybe after losing a follower they'll lay low." I said. Whoever the woman was, she could have killed me right there. A siren's weakness is their throat. Why didn't she slit my throat right there? It was obvious they were trying to get me out of the house.
"Well the condo you're going to is a federally owned. Federal agents and a select few family members are allowed to stay there. You'll get clearance tomorrow and all will be well." he said. I paused in the hallway and shook my head as I looked at him.
"But it won't be, Monte. Someone will still be after me tomorrow until you all catch them." I stated before continuing to move down the hall. Most of my clothes survived my brother's screams and so we carried them outside. There was a helicopter above and numerous elves outside their houses staring at us. God, this was all so crazy. Kandomere met me at his front door and he guided me toward a black car that was surrounded by other shiny, black cars.
"I must stay behind and do some recon of the area." he said. I winced at the idea of us being separated. My eyes showed the worry I felt in my entire body.
"I don't want to be alone. Anything could happen." I said and placed his palm against my face.
"Give me one hour. That's all I'll need then I will meet you at the second location I promise." he said. I sighed and looked away.
"Your hour starts now." I said looking back up at him. He gave a gentle smile before leaning down and kissing my forehead. He then opened the door to the back seat of the car and I got in. Montehugh placed my bags in the trunk.
"Keep her safe." Kandomere tells him.
"Of course." His partner replied before moving into the front passenger side. I rolled the window down and looked at him with mild positive eyes, eyes that showed I still trusted him. Our fingers met to graze each other for a bit. His eyes were light as they told me that he loved me. My eyes returned the gaze before the car began to slowly take off separating us.