Chapter 10
The electric light buzzed above Skyler, stirring her awake. She opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling.
She leant up onto her elbows, wincing a little. She remembered, stripes on her stomach, deep and bleeding.
She reached down and pulled up her shirt a little. Her stomach was perfectly healed. Most of her bruises and cuts were gone.
A nurse walked into the room.
"Where am I?" Skyler asked.
"Saint Mungo's." The older woman said, smiling and plumping the pillows.
"Okay..." she mumbled and lay back down.
When she next woke she was laid on a grey chaise lounge in a richly furnished bedroom. She sat up and her hand touched some fabric beside her. It was a dress, ruffled, black and grey, a little low in the front. She put it on and examined herself in a full length mirror beside the small bed.
Why was she always so bloody pale? She complained to herself, turning around in the mirror. Her hair fell down in long waves to her stomach.
She lifted her head and saw a bruise on her neck. She knew who'd given that to her. She found herself becoming weak and terrified so she sat down heavily on the bed.
It was alright, she told herself. He's dead.
Just as she sat down, a noise from the next room made her look up. She made her way to the dark wooden door and opened it a fraction, peeking out.
Skyler saw three people in the next room, the American woman who'd rescued her, one of the twins and... Tom.
She covered her mouth to silence a gasp. It took all of her self-control not to run to him as she listened to their conversation.
"My Lord," said the twin. "Why are we still keeping this woman alive?"
"She is essential to the plan. Very powerful." Tom said distractedly, pacing the room.
"We only ever capture Muggles, Mudbloods or traitors for you, my Lord." Said the woman. "She is none of those things... so why?"
"Do you think that in your position, Briggs, that you're really entitled to question my orders?" Tom demanded furiously, glaring at her.
"N-no... my Lord. I apologize."
"I need to see her myself to... to tell her the plan." He said.
"Right away, my Lord."
He left the room, sweeping off in his robes. Briggs went another way and the twin started towards Skyler.
She scrambled backwards and sat on the bed.
The door was pushed open a little and the man looked in.
"Oh good, you're dressed." He sounded relieved. He was the twin without the tattoos.
"Yes." Skyler said, rising gracefully with a small smile.
"The Dark Lord will see you now."
She nodded and followed him, tingling with apprehension and excitement.
The heavy double doors opened into a dining room with many dark chairs and a large glass table with one single black candle in the centre. Tom was standing with his back to them staring into the fire, his hands behind his back.
"Skyler Nightshade, my Lord." The man announced.
"Very well, Bennett. Leave us."
Bennett bowed slightly and left the room, shutting the doors behind him.
Skyler stood nervously, fidgeting with her hands. The only noise in the room was the crackling of the fire.
"Tom...?" She said quietly, taking a small step forward.
He flinched.
"I should have gone." He said.
"What?" She replied gently.
"I should have been the one to save you... from... from that bastard."
"He's dead, it doesn't matter." Skyler said soothingly.
Tom turned and took her hands in his. "Yes, it does. Look what he did to you."
"I'm fine." She said firmly.
There was a silence, they stared at each other.
"I missed you... so much." Skyler whispered, moving closer to him.
"Oh, Sky..." He stroked her hair.
She leaned up on her toes, he was taller after all those years apart, and was about to kiss him when one of the doors opened and a voice said, "My Lord?"
Tom sighed in frustration and moved away from Skyler.
"What?" He snapped.
The door opened more to reveal a short, round man with glasses and a letter in his pudgy hands.
"This has arrived for you, sir."
Tom strode over, snatched the letter out of the man's hands and slammed the door shut.
A noise came from outside of the man falling over.
Tom ripped open the letter, scanned through it, scoffed and threw it on the fire. He came back over to Skyler and touched her waist.
"What was in the letter?" She asked as he kissed her neck gently and slowly.
He hesitated, catching his breath. "Nothing important."
"I saw the Minstry of Magic seal of the envelope, what are they writing to you for?"
"Something about Muggles..." Tom said vaguely.
"What plan are you supposed to be telling me about?"
He sighed in frustration and pulled away, running his hands through his neat, dark hair.
"We're organising an attack on a group of wizards who have been plotting to kill me for months now. I thought because you're so powerful... you could help."
"Why would they want to kill you?"
"I've done some things..." He sighed. "Mostly the people deserved them... but sometimes not."
He explained how'd he'd acquired a group of followers, called the Death Eaters, most of them worshipped him, called him the Dark Lord, and what they did.
"Wow..." She breathed, taking in all of this information. "I-"
The double doors burst open and a group of people walked in.
"My Lord." They all said, bowing.
Tom nodded, getting up quickly from beside Skyler on the sofa.
"My loyal followers." Tom addressed the table full of people. "Tonight we dine like tomorrow we die!"
A cheer went up and they all clinked goblets and drank.
Skyler was introduced to the main components of the group; the American woman, Megan Briggs from New York, the twins, Bennett and Charles Simmons. One Animagus who could turn into a fox, but as a human was charming and cunning, auburn haired, sharp nosed man with a keen sense of smell; Marcus Hillman. A woman with metamorphosis who could change herself to look like anyone who touched her; Maria Eisenhower. There was a wizard who seemed very fond of Skyler. She caught him looking at her many times throughout the evening. She didn't find out much about him apart from the fact that he could read minds. He was average height, strong build, smooth brown hair and golden eyes. He said his name was John.
Everyone was friendly to Skyler but she could sense some suspicion behind the smiles.
A few weeks passed.
Skyler healed steadily and, with medication every other day, she managed to keep the nightmares and flashbacks at bay.
Tom would only kiss her briefly, for fear of being discovered. She ached for him and it started to show.
One night after a raucous meal, she invited him into her room for a drink.
Soon, she fell asleep. Tom snoozed on the chaise lounge beside her bed.
He was roused by a sound and opened his eyes. Skyler was lying, asleep in her underwear on her bed, flat on her back, the covers thrown off.
"I want you..." She said quietly.
Tom looked up at her curiously.
In her sleep, Skyler started to bend her legs up.
Tom watched, almost hypnotized as Skyler bit her lip, groaning a little, her nails scraping at the sheets.
She gave a little gasp, making Tom flinch. His mouth fell open as she started to make a lot of happy sounds and purred his name.
Suddenly, after a few minutes, she gasped loudly, her back arching up off the bed. Tom fell to his knees beside her bed, his desire getting the better of him, staring in astonishment.
She did this a few more times, saying his name over and over. She started to get louder and louder until her voice rose to a scream and Tom clamped his hand hurriedly over mouth.
She awoke, panting, her hands starting to push him away but then relaxed when she saw who it was.
"What is it, Tom?"
He stared at her, shock in his eyes. "Were you having a good dream? You were making an awful racket."
Skyler remembered what, who she'd been dreaming about and her cheeks flushed.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I... I didn't-"
He cut her off with a kiss, quickly. She held on to his shoulders a little too long after he'd pulled away.
"Good night, Sky." He whispered.
"Good night." She replied, sighing and turning over onto her side.