Enigmatical
By wired2damoon
Chapter 25: Blatant Blunders And Battling Belligerence
A/N: I'M SOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY!! I know it's been ages since my last update but…phew! The last few weeks have been mega-crazy! Seriously! Between my computer breaking down, twice, and getting it 'repaired' twice, recovering from illness, college-stuff, and blah blah blah boring life stuff everything's been majorly hectic. But, I've finally grabbed a few hours to type without being disturbed so… ta -da here is a brand new chappy! Enjoy! :D ~wired2damoon~ xx
- Nessie's POV -
Guilt.
What a complicated and mysterious emotion.
And frickin' annoying too if you ask me.
That's all I've been feeling ever since I found out about Rachel being a complete psychopath who hooked up with a vampire coven to kidnap girls for them so they could do god-knows-what.
Why the guilt?
Well…because I'm the one that switched the real 'Courtney' with Rachel for Quil to date in order to make Claire jealous. Now, obviously, I didn't know at the time what she was really like (and Alice couldn't predict until it was far too late) otherwise I never would have done it, but now that I have time to reflect on it, the pure, tremendous flurry of culpability seeps into my veins. I can only imagine how Lana feels…
But, here I am. Making things right.
I am fixing the problem that I helped cause.
Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I continued on my way down the dusty road where my father had dropped me off a mere ten minutes ago. . I knew he was close (maybe only a mile away), I could sense him, catch his scent, but it still didn't stop me from being a little…unsettled.
After all, I am walking, utterly knowingly, straight into a tangled and horrific trap.
I keep reminding myself to walk at a normal human pace, shuffling a little as the small rucksack on my back crumples up my clothes.
It would only be a few minutes now (judging by my advanced hearing) before I would start to see the large, black jeep heading towards me, with the blonde in question behind the wheel. According to Alice, (before her vision clouded due to my interference) Rachel should be making her way out of the state, never mind the town.
She already purchased a plane ticket to Miami following Lukas's instructions to 'broaden her horizons' when searching for the last girl to add to his growing 'collection.'
Hopefully, I would be 'broad' enough. There were still no guarantees that she would 'kidnap' me, after all, as I'm Claire's friend, but something, deep in my veins, told me she would. Even if her motives were purely just to gloat at me. Show me her true colours and take the credit in the fact that it was she who kidnapped my friend.
Little will she know, what big mistake she's making…
- Erin's POV -
"This is all my fault, all mine…" she murmured, traipsing back and forth in the living room, wringing her hands together.
I bit my lip as I watched the frantic woman, feeling extremely uncomfortable, helpless and out-of-place. I kept my head low, trying desperately to block out what I was witnessing but it was downright impossible! The sheer ambience was enough to drive a person insane, with it's mixture of grief, worry, guilt, panic and hostility - and that was just omitting from Claire's mother.
There were also Claire's sister, aunt, uncle and…best-friend/ potential-lover present in the Young's living room, which wasn't exactly a bundle of laughs.
"So-so Nessie has gone?" Claire's aunt Emily asked after consoling her sister, her voice sounding a little more calm than Lana's but still on the tip of being hysterical.
Embry, whom had flat-out refused to leave my side for more than a few minutes all night (and only promised to if I went to bed and slept - which I in turn, flat-out refused to do) , nodded, looking as grim as I felt.
None of us had gotten any sleep since we'd gotten the word from Kara at the beach, and that was nearly ten hours ago. It was nearly nine am the morning after Claire's kidnapping and we were still feeling as distraught, frantic and helpless.
Yes, there was a glimmer of hope now that Nessie had begun phase one of the plan, but I have to admit, even if I wasn't completely and utterly as over-whelmed, dumbfounded, astonished, worried, confused and plain freaked-out as I was right now, I'd still feel just as powerless...weak.
I mean, what am I doing here anyway? I asked myself, now beginning to wring my hands too.
I'm just some small town, foreign girl whom up until recently, had absolutely no prior knowledge to the existence of werewolves, vampires or any other twilight-zone-esque creatures…and I was happy like that.
Well, not happy, more like downright miserable, but still, this whole thing was just pure…madness. I have no business being here at all. These people are a close-knit family and I'm just an outsider.
No matter what Nessie says about me being accepted and stuff, I still feel like I'm imposing, contrary to what I led her to believe. Yes, I do feel like they accept me, I just don't feel like I should be accepted. Call it my very own self-doubt and utter sense of despondency.
I guess, that's what urges me to do this:
"Eh…excuse me, I'll be right back," I murmured, before walking straight out of the room, my eyes avoiding everyone.
I had barely made it back upstairs to my make-shift bedroom however before I heard footsteps sound from behind me.
"…Erin…?" the familiar voice cooed softly, before the low snap of the door being shut, met my ears. I didn't turn from where I sat on the window-sill, staring out and up into the early morning sky.
"…Are you…okay?" Embry asked me softly, sounding hesitant and nervous.
One thing I fail to understand about werewolves and their imprints is the sheer supremacy that can become apparent between the two in times such as these. It really is baffling, to me anyway, how a guy like Embry can be influenced so dramatically by a girl like me to the point where he's all nervous and twitchy and constantly doubting himself.
Again. This. Is. Madness.
FACT.
"I'm fine…" I mumbled, still not sparing him a glance, although I eagerly want to.
If there's any scepticism at my response, it doesn't show on his face as I finally turn to look at him. All I can distinguish on his handsome features are concern, mystification, and fatigue.
God he looks so tired…
"Ye look like ye could do wit' some sleep," I mutter, my eyes dropping from his face to now study the floor.
I can hear him shuffling around and when I look back up, I notice that he's now sitting in the chair beside my bed, barely three feet from me.
"Oh yeah?" he questioned, staring up at me, "well, so do you."
I almost snort at his obvious attempt at humouring me with his child-like response, but find that I'm just not able. With everything that's happened, I just can't bring myself to.
"You're freaking out aren't you?" he murmured, leaning forward, clasping his hands together, elbows on his knees, his chin tilted as he regarded me with his handsome russet eyes.
Once again, I am mystified at how he just…knows.
"Well, wouldn't you be?" I chided, jumping down from the window-sill and beginning to pace back and forth, not unlike Claire's mother.
Embry merely watched me silently for a moment, before sighing deeply.
This stopped me in my tracks and I turned to look at him. Yeah, he definitely looks tired…
"Yeah, yeah I would. This must be so hard for you…" he mumbled, dragging his hands down over his face before rubbing his eyes, stifling a yawn, looking extremely guilty for some reason. Automatically, I bite my lip, I inwardly scold myself.
Stop bein' a baby Erin, there are more important things goin' on here then you feelin' over-whelmed. Claire's fuckin' kidnapped for fuck's sake and all you can think 'bout is all the crazy shit that's happened to you in the last month! For god's sake forget all that and stop distracting Embry! He's supposed to be helpin' Quil wit' findin' Claire and you're holdin' him up you stupid, selfish eejit!
Wow. My conscious is bein' a bitch today.
"Look, Embry, don't worry about me, alright? I'm fine, really I am. Yeah, I'm a little freaked out and over-whelmed but it's nothin' I can't handle. I've…I've dealt wit'…difficult things before, really, I'm fine…" I trailed off, hating how many times I said 'I'm fine' but managing to pull off a small smile and hopin' to fuck that he doesn't ask me what other 'difficult' things I've handled before. That might be an awkward conversation.
Frowning, Embry stands and walks over to me, leaving a small gap between us.
"Erin, don't feel bad for feeling over-whelmed, freaked out, scared out of your mind or whatever else you're feeling. Believe me, I'm pretty damn impressed how you're handling everything. If I were in your shoes I'd be bouncing off the frickin' walls right now.
"I think it's awesome how you're keeping it all together, but please, please if you feel like you can't handle it, don't be afraid to lose it. I…you and I…we're…" he trails off, shaking his head vigorously. I find that my eyes are glued to him, barely breathing as I wait for him to continue.
He bites his lip, looking straight down into my eyes, "you and I have a…connection…" I see him cringe as he says that word, and I barely restrain my nose from crinkling. It seems that neither of us are too good or comfortable with all this 'mushy' stuff.
He carries on, however, "a strong connection. I-I know that we only know it other…what… six weeks? But, regardless, it's there and-and I want you to know, that you can…tell me anything. You can…if you want to that it, I don't want to pressure you or anything I just want-"
"Embry, you're rambling," I cut him off, pressing my index finger to his lips.
He smirks, rolling his eyes.
I understand what he's trying to tell me in his own 'unique' way. He wants me to let my guard down. He wants me to open up. Tell him how I 'feel.' Biting my lip, I know what I have to do. No matter how much it kills me…
"Embry, I'm sorry, but, I'm just not ready to…we hardly know each other…I-I like you and all but…" I find my thoughts garbled and confusing, but nothing strikes me more than his face.
It's twisted, pained. I feel my stomach clench and knot agonizingly at the sheer sight of it. I can't believe what I'm about to do.
"Embry, I-I really think that me being here, in these times…it's…I came here to get a better sense of another education system and-and I've come out wit' a hell of a lot more than that….and to be honest, I-I don't know if I can handle it all. Yeah, sure, I've put up a good front but…I'm so, so weighed down...I trailed off, closing my eyes and pinching the top of my nose in frustration.
I'm usually quite articulate, but it seems with the latest development, all my flare has just gone out the window.
Even with my eyes closed I can sense Embry's eyes on me. I'm slowly, but surely, breaking his heart, that much I'm sure of, but really, it was only a matter of time.
No matter how much anyone will try or has tried to convince me otherwise, I have come to one conclusion: I am not good enough for Embry Call. I am, for lack of a better word, a bitch.
I know this 'imprint-werewolf' stuff is supposed to be like destiny and old magic that no one understands or questions or whatever, but I can't help how I feel. I mean, how can Embry feel so deeply for me in such a short amount of time? It's bewildering really, almost unnatural...
I take a deep breath, and open my eyes. I was right - Embry's dark eyes are still fixed straight on me. I look up into them, frowning as I see a flash of pain reflected in them.
I did that. I hurt him. It's like I said, I'm a bitch. But really, I'm only doin' this for his own good.
"Embry…I-I know that we're supposedly meant for each other and all but…I mean, how…how is this supposed to work exactly? I mean, have you really thought about it? In case you've forgotten, I live in Ireland, thousands of miles away from here. I'm only here for another six weeks or so…I-I can't stay here forever, I have my grandparents at home and stuff…"
Wow. What a brilliant point…
I struggled to continue, "it was never my intention to…meet someone like you and…and feel the way I do. And I know that it was never your intention either. As you've said, this imprinting thing just happens and there's nothin' you can do about it. I understand that, I really do.
"But I mean, this is all so…sudden. I know what you meant about connection, I felt it the first time I met you but…I don't understand it. Is it magic that ties you to me? Or is it you, yourself that wants to be with me. Because honestly, if it's just hocus pocus stuff, I really don't think I can stay here for that…"
What the hell happened to my plan of not distracting him? He does not need to hear this right now wit' everything that's goin' on! What the hell am I doin'?!?
I really didn't intend to mention this stuff up, especially at such a bad time, but I can't help it. It's been plaguing my mind for a while now and it all just kind of burst out of me. I'm instantly regretting bringing it up though…
"What…you-you think that the some ancient magic is making me love you?" Embry questioned, almost sounding angry as I turned away from him.
Did he just say love? Oh god…
When I didn't answer him, he just trudged on, "are you saying that you want to leave? That this is all too much?" he asked, his voice sounding more gentle here, but a flicker of frustration still shinning through.
"No, I-I'm not going to leave, not wit' Claire and everythin' but…I think I…oh I dunno what I think…" I trailed off, my back still turned to him.
I could hear him breathing now, loudly. I hung my head, angry with myself at letting it get this far. I never meant for this…but seen as I'd already come this far, I might as well as one more question.
"Is it?" I whispered, my eyes snapping open as I turned around to face him again.
"What?"
I took a step forward, feeling very nervous. It's not my style - all these proclamations of love and serious issue stuff, but I just have to know.
"Is it some ancient magic that's makin' you…that's makin' you feel a certain way about me? Or is it…all you?"
Now it's Embry's head that hangs lowly, obviously thinking over his response.
"It-It's me," he mumbled eventually, "the-the whole imprinting stuff, that-that just points you in the right direction. Tells you who is best suited for you…but what-what I feel for you, even at these early stages, that-that's all my doing. Well, yours really, you just have to be so smart and funny and…beautiful, how can I not be attracted to you?"
I hope to God that's a rhetorical question, because something tells me that he wouldn't like my answer. Not one bit.
I sigh. My heart aching in my chest. I really, really like him. I truly do. I can't say the great, momentous L word just yet, but I knew, could feel it in my bones, that with enough time, one day, I definitely could.
But time, isn't exactly something I have, now is it?
- Nessie's POV -
The black-tinted window rolled down slowly, a familiar face came into view.
"Oh my God! Nessie! What the hell are you doing all the way out here? I thought you were supposed to be in France with your family?" asked the sugary-sweet tone of Rachel St. James, cleverly trying to sound as if she's pleased to see me. Although, perhaps she is, in some twisted way.
"Wow. Rachel! What a surprise," I murmur, noting that she sounds a hell of a lot nicer than she did the last time I talked to her. " I got back a few days ago, I'm staying not too far from here. My car broke down a few miles back, I'm just trying to get to some sort of gas station or payphone to call my sister," I finished, my already rehearsed answer flowing from my lips perfectly.
It made me feel better knowing that my dad could hear every word. I can sense him getting ever closer and have to force myself not to look around to see if I can spot him.
Now, I'm sure, if this were any other girl, they would of added up all the supposed coincidences and came out smelling a rat, but, Rachel isn't your average girl, after all.
I truly don't believe she'll grow suspicious that, one, I'm suddenly 'back from France' after being gone for months, right around the same time Claire goes missing, two, I am deliberately not mentioning her disappearance, three, I am acting perfectly polite even after our last very ill-mannered phone call and four I just happen to be walking around the middle of nowhere dangerously close to where Claire is being held captive, utterly 'defenceless' and alone.
No, knowing Rachel, and seeing her eyes flash, she thinks she's just hit the jackpot.
I have to restrain myself from smirking with anticipation.
"Well, why don't you hop on in and I'll give you a ride? There's a gas station back where I just came from, a few miles away. We can chat! I didn't properly get to talk to you, I wanna know everything that's happened since I saw you last year!" she beamed, leaning over and opening the passenger door.
God this is just too perfect. This is exactly what I knew would happen.
"Uh…" I mumbled, wondering how to respond, "I-"
"Oh!" she cut me off suddenly, looking like a rabbit caught in headlights.
"Oh I totally forgot! I'm so sorry about the last time I was talking to you! I really don't know what got into me! I-I wanna let you know that I was talking to Quil and we sorted it all out. I see that he and Claire belong together, it was just selfish of me to get in the way…"
Okay, I so did not see that coming…
"Oh…uh…that's great…" I muttered, frowning as I got into the car, truly not knowing what to expect as Rachel began turning around and heading back in the direction she just came.
We drove in uncomfortable silence for about three minutes before Rachel decided to break it.
"So…how IS Claire?" she asked, trying and failing to sound nonchalant as she opened the glove-compartment and began shuffling around looking for something.
Oh crap. This was the part that I wasn't sure how to answer. Do I let her know that I know Claire's been kidnapped? Or would that just make her more suspicious and finally make her add all the pieces together? Or, do I pretend I don't know about her disappearance even though I'm supposed to be her best friend and now am back in the same country? Would that look suspicious too?
I decide on the latter.
"I don't know actually, I haven't been in touch with anyone since I got back. I've been sleeping off the jet-lag and unpacking my stuff…" I trailed off, trying not to grimace. I'm aware I'm not actually in any real danger, I mean I could kill or seriously injure Rachel in a split second if I wanted to, but at the same time I didn't want to give the game away until I was absolutely sure she was bringing me to the same place she brought Claire.
It would seem however, that Rachel has other ideas…
Abruptly, she slams on the brakes and I nearly go through the windshield if it wasn't for my seatbelt.
"What the!" I yelp, pressing my hands against the dashboard.
Suddenly, I hear a clicking sound, and automatically I know what it is.
Slowly, I turn my head and gape as I see Rachel sitting their, grinning like a Cheshire cat, brandishing a pistol - directed right at my head.
I remember my dad telling me, about reacting like a human, so I spring into action and scream my lungs out and scamper to the door, clawing at the handle in what I hoped was a act of desperation, when in reality I was trying very hard not to break the handle off, or worse, pull the door off completely.
This is when I hear Rachel's shrill giggle and nearly gag. Of course, the doors are 'locked' so there's no chance of me escaping. Putting my acting abilities to the ultimate test, I squeeze out a fear tears, mould my face into one of pure terror and turn back to the so-called 'menacing' woman.
"Wh-what…?" I mumbled, my voice breaking with 'fear' as I inwardly clap myself on the back with pride. I have this scared, vulnerable human thing down!
Rachel continues to laugh, cocking the gun and for a split second I fear that she actually will shoot me. Not that it will do anything to me of course, with my skin being as strong as it is, but I really don't want it ricocheting off my body and accidentally killing Rachel before she can bring me to Claire.
"Silly Nessie…didn't you Mom ever tell you not to get into cars with strangers? I mean, how well do we really know each other anyway?" she smirked, pulling a few more things out of the glove-compartment.
"Now, be a good girl and put this on, we're going on a little trip," she practically sang in that childish tone of hers, handing me a blindfold.
With 'shaking' hands, I take it and tie it around my head. Once the blonde's sure I can't see, I feel her moving closer to me, bending down and tying my ankles together, before sitting back up and snapping handcuffs around my wrists.
Damn! Now I'll have to be extra careful not to accidentally snap or break any of my so-called confinements. Sigh…another thing to be conscious of…
Once I'm carefully bound, Rachel starts back up the car, and puts her foot on the gas, driving surprisingly fast, for a human.
So, phase one is complete.
I'm successfully 'kidnapped.'
My father, not even a mile away, is tracking our every move, listening to Rachel's and my everything thought.
I close my eyes and picture Claire.
Here I come Claire…I'll be there soon…just hold on…
- Claire's POV -
My eyes flicker open, the light in the room, still dim, but noticeably brighter than it was when I'd fallen asleep. How I'd managed to sleep at a time like this and in a place like this is beyond me as I'm not the best sleeper most of the time, in my nice, comfortable bed, but, I guess I'm just flat-out exhausted for being kidnapped and all.
I sigh as I see that Rachel must have been by with bread and water as I was asleep. Sitting up on my knees, I lean forward and pick the stale bread off my plate and hold it up to my lips, hating the fact that my stomach is killing me from hunger pains (wishing I'd eaten more at my party) and grimacing as I see a fly crawling around on it.
I drop the bread instantly, letting it clatter back onto the plate.
"You'll regret that later," a girl to my right said, obviously noticing my untouched food.
I ignored her, still refusing to eat the fly-invested bread, and instead picking up the bowl that was barely half-full with water. I took attentive sips, before setting it back down. I sit for a few minutes, listening to the soft murmurs of the girls, mostly talking to themselves, commenting on how the 'bread sucks' and how their 'backs hurt.'
Suddenly, I feel a gush of fury boil in my blood and I can no longer contain it, so, standing up (thankfully I'm short enough to stand up nearly straight in the cage, whereas most of the girls don't have that privilege) and taking a deep breath, I fling myself at the iron bars, shaking them with all my strength, gritting my teeth and snarling loudly.
"OPEN GOD DAMN IT! FUCKING OPEN!" I roared not caring one bit how pointless it was, how stupid I looked or how I disturbed the other girls.
I am Claire Young. I do not give up. No matter how hopeless the situation.
I scared myself a few hours ago, when I had thoughts of giving up, accepting that I wouldn't be found and I would either be brutally murdered and drained off all blood or turned into a human killing monster.
But now? No, now I can't give up. I just can't!
Why the sudden change of heart?
I had a dream when I slept. A dream where I was with Quil and we were happy. And together. With all our friends, laughing and joking around on the beach, in my house, in his apartment. Smiling. Hugging. Kissing. There is no way in hell, I'm giving all that up just to be a sadistic monster's play thing.
No way.
And so I throw myself at the iron bars, giving myself bruises and slashing my knuckles to pieces as I punch and pull at them, straining my arms until they ache, yelling my head off until eventually I get a damn proper reaction.
"WILL YOU SHUT THE HELL UP AND GET AWAY FROM THE BARS!" came a roar of someone I definitely did not expect to hear from for a while.
Rachel was back, it seemed. And she was not alone.
Despite her warning, I edged even closer to the bars, pressing my face against them and watched with wide eyes as a girl was dragged in, hoping along awkwardly as her ankles were tied. Her face was almost entirely covered by a blindfold but there was just something about her that I was mesmerised by.
I looked at her, my head tilted to the side, wondering what on earth was so familiar about her as Rachel continued to pull her through the room and stop at the cage, right next to mine.
It was then that the girl was shoved into the light and I could see what she was wearing.
I gasped.
This didn't go unnoticed by Rachel, who was now grinning in at me, her eyes flashing evilly.
"Look Claire, I was nice enough to bring you some company," she giggled before wrenching open the cage door and flinging the girl inside, shoving the door closed and putting the huge lock back on before storming out of the room without a backwards glance.
As soon as the door slammed behind her, I scrambled to my left, pressing my face up against the bars and watching mutely, as the girl sat up, raised her handcuffed hands and pulled off her blindfold.
Another gasp escaped me as she crawled to her bars and looked straight back at me, a small smile on her face.
"…Nessie…?"
--
A/N: Well there you go! Phase one of the plan is officially complete! I'm not really happy with it, and may edit, but for now, that's it. Chapter 25! Phew!
Don't worry, everything will start unfolding from here! If you're wondering the vampires are gone hunting when Nessie is captured - that will become apparent in the next chapter, so they won't actually know she's there until they get back. What will they think of her, I wonder?? Humm…
What did you think of the Embry/Erin scene? I feel that we hadn't heard enough from them so I added that in because we won't hear from them again for a while. The next couple of chapters will be devoted to Quil and his thoughts, Nessie and Claire and the big plan of busting everyone out.
Hope you liked it, more to come soon! (And I mean a hell of a lot sooner than last time!) ~wired2damoon~ xx