Chapter Three: An Old Friend
“Okay, I need you to concentrate, Rose.” Lisa told me again. I rolled my eyes, gritting my teeth.
“I’m trying!” I hissed, squinching my eyes shut.
“No! Eyes open. The whole point is being able to influence people’s emotions without them noticing. Come on, you can do it!” Lisa tapped me on the back of my head.
“Eric, wipe that stupid grin off your face.” I snapped. His face fell.
“Sorry.” he muttered, looking over at Lisa. She frowned and shrugged.
“I guess she just doesn’t have the mind power. That’s too bad. The power will be a constant distraction.” Lisa reported, downcast.
“You shouldn’t have given me your blood! You knew I would temporarily absorb some of your powers.” I accused angrily.
“We thought you were dying!” Lisa protested.
“Then you should’ve grabbed a bottle instead of slashing open your arm.” I glared at the snowy white bandage that wrapped around Lisa’s wrist.
“Well if you would take better care of yourself, I wouldn’t have to worry about it!”
“You know very well I’ve only done that before with two other people. Eric has way more power than you!” I purposely didn’t mention Sam, because every time I heard his name it made my heart hurt.
“At least we can use it!”
“Oh really?” without so much as twitching a finger, I pushed through Lisa’s steel plate barriers as well as Eric’s flimsy shields. Within seconds she was crying like crazy and he was crying his eyes out.
“Please Rose, stop!” Lisa giggled, pleading breathlessly.
“What do you say?” I sang, laughing. I let go of Eric’s mind, grabbing his hand instead and passing him a tissue.
“I’m sorry! I was wrong! Please forgive me high and mighty Rose, queen of my heart!” Lisa shrieked.
“Well, if you can’t be sincere, at least you can dazzle me with words.” I grinned and released my grip on her emotions. Lisa collapsed into a chair, exhausted.
“See, I’m telling you. The easiest way to get her to do something is to tell her she can’t do it. Pay up.” Lisa wiggled her fingers at Eric.
“No way. My way worked the first day we met. It would work twice as well now.” Eric protested.
“Okay, what are we arguing about now?” I asked, exasperated.
“She decides?” Lisa looked at Eric. He nodded.
“Decides what?” I sighed.
“We made a bet on the best way to make you do something.”
“What are my choices?”
“I said the best way was to tell you that you can’t do whatever it is we want you to do.”
“And I said the best way was to use my masculine wiles, like when you told me who you really are.” Eric said.
“Ah. And how much did you bet?” I asked.
“Three hundred.” Lisa said.
“Jeez, you guys are ridiculous!” I shook my head with disbelief.
“Yes we are. So who won?”
“I have to say Lisa’s right. I hate it when people say I can’t do something. It bugs me like crazy until I actually do it.”
“Yes!” Lisa pumped a fist in the air. Eric pulled out his wallet and counted out three hundred dollars.
“Oops. Guys, we have to go!” I yelped when I glance at the time on my cell phone.
“Drive fast.” Eric told me as we dashed for his car. I smiled delightedly and snatched the keys off the table. We made a half hour drive in five minutes. Lisa jumped out of the car as soon as it stopped, kissing the ground fervently. The she wiped her mouth desperately.
“Yeah, that wasn’t a good idea.” Eric laughed.
“Ew, eww, ewww!” Lisa yelled, spitting to try and get the taste of the dirty ground out of her mouth.
“Yeah, no duh.” I giggled. Suddenly we were surrounded by cheerleaders in their custom, flowery uniforms.
“Lisa, come on, we’ve got to sort and get organized.” one of them trilled, shifting daintily from foot to foot.
“Okay, I’m coming. See you later, guys.” Lisa waved at us while she was dragged away.
“You have to admire that girl. She has a lot of spunk.” Eric watched her go, grinning.
“What am I, chopped liver?” I asked, amused.
“No, you have fire. Way more hot.” Eric’s voice got deeper.
“Come here.” I commanded, pulling him down so I could kiss him. The bell rang and we jolted apart, laughing.
“Let’s go to class.” Eric suggested, taking my hand gently. I smiled at him, feeling the newfound heat of his power like an aura around him.
“Yeah.” I followed him, wincing slightly as my head pounded. The tardy bell rang as we settled into our seats. Anna looked over at me. There was something desperate and scared in her eyes. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. That must’ve been what made me open the note she passed me.
Please Shadow, we need to talk.
For the first time in centuries, her writing was as neat and calculated as it had been when we met. Before she betrayed me and performed forbidden magic. It warmed my heart just the tiniest bit.
What do you want to talk about Anna?
I underlined her name several times. She had a hard time remembering that we were on a mission.
About William. You need to know what happened that night. It wasn’t what you think. Please let me explain.
I stared at the note blankly, shocked. Then fury bubbled up inside me. Eric glance over at me, curious.
Anfanasia, I know exactly what happened that night and nothing you say will change that. I will never forgive you, and I will never forget what you did. We were married, and you ruined it all in one night. I hate you. I can kill you in an instant. You would do well to remember that if you value your pathetic half-life.
My writing was a furious scrawl. I almost tore through the paper. The color drained out of Anna’s face as she read the note, and she looked close to tears. Eric shot me another glance, worried this time. I stared straight ahead, enraged.
Are you okay? You look kind of pissed.
I looked over at him, trying to smile.
Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired of stupid people.
Tell me about it.
I smiled at Eric. He mouthed; ‘No, really, tell me about it.’
God, Anna’s just being horrible. She did something really bad a long time ago. It messed up a lot and killed people. She’s trying to explain it away. I’m so sick of her. At least I have you to… distract me.
I smiled at him suggestively.
Ditch with me after second hour?
Why not now?
Eric chuckled softly. I looked at him sideways, confused.
Flowers
That one word had me palming my forehead and groaning quietly, cursing myself for forgetting.
Duh! Sorry, pardon my blonde moment. After second hour then.
Blonde moment?
You’re telling me you don’t know what a blonde moment is? How am I more caught up with the times than you are?
No I don’t, really. And I don’t know, you being a closet old lady and all.
I flung my pencil at him. The teacher turned around to find us innocently taking notes. When she turned back to the white board, Eric chucked my pencil back at me. we laughed softly, but quieted before the teacher could pinpoint the source of the noise. The rest of the hour continued like that. At one point we accidentally hit one of the other students and blamed it on someone else, staring a war. Finally the whole class was laughing so loud at my military tactics that the teacher joined in, throwing markers and erasers at me- most of them I dodged expertly before retaliating playfully. Ms. Hawthorne was the coolest. The bell rang and we were actually reluctant to leave.
“Flowers.” Eric reminded me again.
“Bye Ms. Hawthorne.” I blew a kiss at her as Eric hefted me over his shoulder. He carried me out of the room while I laughed, smacking his back lightly.
“Wow, talk about back to the Stone Age!” somebody yelled. We all laughed. Some students whistled and howled at us, while others looked at us with undisguised hatred. But nobody could ignore us. Eric only let me down when he deposited me into my second hour seat.
“Watch the PDA!” Agent Downham warned from his desk.
“Yes sir!” I snapped my hand up in a salute. Agent Downham rolled his eyes and turned back to the student he was talking to. The tardy bell rang, and the speakers crackled.
“Nothing special today, students! Please remember flowers are being passed out as I speak. Don’t be too disappointed if you don’t get one!” it was my recorded voice again. The whispers started. Lisa flounced into the room
“Flower time!” she trilled happily. Every single person got at least one rose. They’d better, I had for it. I’d also paid for an extra twenty for Eric.
“Cover their eyes.” Lisa commanded when we were the last two people in the class without flowers. Two of the cheerleaders skipped over, eager to comply. I wrinkled my nose as one of the girls covered my eyes.
“Set up!” Lisa clapped her hands twice. There was a bunch of rustling and an awed whisper made its rounds.
“And… open!” Lisa shouted. I opened my eyes and squealed like expected.
“Ladies and gentlemen, your Rose King and Queen.” Lisa announced. The cheerleader who had been covering my eyes tied a midnight black cape around my neck. Eric’s cheerleader did the same, but his cape was a snowy white. We were presented with delicate crowns constructed from golden flowers twisted around each other. We must’ve gotten a flower from every person in the school twice over. The hundreds of flowers were weaved into necklaces and bracelets, anything we could wear. They handed us golden scepters, topped with jeweled flowers. Mine was a Black Magic rose in full bloom. Nobody had ever bred a true black rose, but the Black Magic was the closest you could get. Eric’s scepter was topped by a rose too, but his was pure white with petals just beginning to open. The speakers crackled, rattling painfully in my mind.
“All students to the auditorium please. I repeat, all students to the auditorium please.” the sugary sweet voice announced pleasantly. Agent Downham started to direct the students through the door single file, where they then proceeded to dissolve into the student melting pot.
“Nope! You two come with me.” Lisa commanded.
“What the hell?” I looked at her as if she’d gone crazy.
“Just wait, this is cool.” Eric told me. Lisa grabbed my arm and waited for the crowd to clear before dragging us through the hallways. We went through the back entrance of the auditorium. Lisa deposited us onstage, behind the heavy velvet curtains.
“Stay.” she ordered in a whisper. I reached my hand out. Eric took it and squeezed.
“Can I have your attention, please?” the principal spoke through a microphone. She repeated herself three times but the noisy, excited students ignored her.
“Hey! Shut up!” Lisa shouted into the microphone. I winced as the volume made my head throb again. The students, however, were instantly quiet.
“Thank you Lisa.” the principal sighed.
“Anytime.” my sister answered cheerily.
“You all know why we’re here. It’s time for the grand reveal of this year’s Rose Royalty.” The principal sounded like a machine, flat and unenthusiastic.
“I’ll take it from here, Ms. Monroe. So do you guys want to know who won?” one of the cheerleaders asked. The students cheered.
“We can’t hear you!” Another cheerleader shouted. The noise coming from them seemed to shake the rafters and it made my head hurt even worse.
“Well, I better give you what you came here for! This year’s Rose king and Queen are… Eric Slythe and Rose Sanford!” Lisa shouted. The curtains were drawn open, revealing a sea of excited cheering students. We smiled and waved. Eric bowed while I curtseyed, and I blew kisses at our avid audience.
“Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!” the students chanted slowly. I flushed. Eric watched me speculatively as I fidgeted. He looked out at the crowd for a second, then let go of my hand.
“You don’t have to.” I murmured, turning to him. The crowd continued to chant, picking up speed.
“What if I want to” Eric muttered back. Then he put his hand on my waist and his foot in just the right place, and he dipped me. The students went crazy. He pulled me back up and kissed me soundly. The crowd ate it up, cheering wildly. When Eric let me go, he slid his hands down my arms. Then he dropped to one knee. He let go of one of my hands to reach into his pocket. Eric pulled out a little box and held it up in his free hand. The crowd was eerily silent.
“I’ve been wanting to ask you this for a while. Rose, will you-“ he paused dramatically. My heart was caught in my throat, my mind in denial.
Please don’t say it. Please don’t say it! I begged silently. The chain around my neck seemed to burn my skin.
“-go to prom with me?” he finished. I gasped aloud, relieved. The chain around my neck became a comforting weight once again.
“Yes!” I exclaimed. Caught up in the ecstasy of relief, I pulled him up to kiss him passionately. There was a low groan from some students and excited yelps from others as bets were won and lost. The girls sighed dreamily or complained about how much their boyfriends hated them. There was a flurry of activity as Lisa and the cheerleaders ran up to squeal over how romantic we were. By the time the voice crackled over the announcement system again my head was throbbing worse than ever and I was thoroughly annoyed.
“All students report to your third hour class as soon as the bell rings. Again, all students please report to your third hour class as soon as the bell rings. Thank you and have a great day!” there was that sugary sweet voice again, grating at the few nerves left standing.
“Ready to go?” Eric whispered.
“Oh yeah.” I let him pull me along. Puzzled, I wondered why. Until very recently anybody who touched me had their heads ripped off. Back in my heyday, before the catastrophe, I had been a vicious killer and no one would dare push me around. Now I was letting people take control of where I went. There was the problem; I was letting them. Yet, I was supposed to be innocent. I guess I was just fitting my role.
“Hey, are you okay?” Eric’s words broke into my thoughts. “I’m fine, but can we go somewhere quiet?” I pleaded, rubbing my forehead.
“I know just the place.” Eric’s smile was small and intimate. I responded in kind even though I felt like slamming my head against a wall. He pulled me over to my car. I opened the door quickly, before he could do it for me. Eric smiled again, confused this time. I frowned at my feet. How can a person possibly smile this much? I wondered.
“Ouch.” I winced as the radio blared. Eric shut it off immediately. When we drove past the White House I knew exactly where we were going. We were silent as he drove but we held hands the whole way. The ground crunched under the tires as Eric slipped the car under the trees. The hand-made pond actually had chunks of ice in it, which was surprising in May. I sat down and put my head in my hands. The pounding got worse the longer I stayed awake.
“You alright?” Eric asked softly.
“No. I groaned. The pain in my head felt familiar, something I’d felt before.
“What’s up?” he asked, putting his hand on my leg.
“I’ve just got a really bad headache.” I muttered. Eric started to move his hand up from its spot on my knee. My breath caught in my throat but it was more from memory than genuine feeling.
“Do you need a distraction? Would that help?” he rubbed his thumb across my thigh, skin rasping against my jeans. I looked up at him, breathing in that heady scent.
“Yes. Please.” I begged, twisting my hands in his shirt. He leaned over to kiss me, twining his hands in my hair. He worked his fingers, the little tugs sending tiny shivers of pleasure through my body. I reached for the buttons on my shirt. Heat poured off Eric in waves, making me almost sweat. My shirt lay open now and Eric kissed his way down to my jeans. With each kiss my head pounded more. The pain became more intense with each moment passing.
“Rose. You’re so beautiful.” Eric murmured, lips brushing my skin. He had me pressed to the ground again and I wiggled against him. He groaned and kissed me on the lips. Eric was slowly losing control of his powers. The forced passion was taking over, clouding my senses. Amazingly, the pain kept my head clear. Even though Eric’s healing influence was spreading through my body, my headache was somehow immune.
“Eric!” I gasped, curving into him as he bit down gently on the curve of my neck. He ignored me, hands caressing my skin as he worked on the button of my jeans. It came open easily.
Suddenly a twig popped behind us. I rolled Eric off of me and quickly buttoned up my jeans. Jumping to my feet gracefully, I spun to find the source of the noise. I padded forward on full alert- especially those that weren’t natural.
“Rose?” Eric asked warily. He put a hand on my shoulder. I shrugged him off, stalking forward.
“Shh!” I warned softly.
“Rose!” he said urgently, shouting in whispers.
“Be quiet and don’t move.” I told him just loud enough for his weak human ears to pick up. I buttoned up my shirt with fleet, deft flicks of my wrist. There came another loud snapping noise and I zeroed in on the direction it came from. A low growl rumbled from my throat. I sighed with relief as the source of the disruption was revealed. A doe stepped lightly into the clearing, stepping on another twig in the process. The snapping sound echoed through the clearing again as the twig surrendered to the weight of the doe.
“Thank god. It’s just a doe.” Eric sighed. But our relief was short-lived. The doe collapsed to the forest floor. I dashed forward. I searched desperately for any signs of life. Then I looked up at Eric with sorrowful eyes.
“It’s dead.” I reported. The doe lay still, victim to the kind of cruelty I had been doing my best to avoid.
“What kind of monster would kill an innocent animal? What was the point?” Eric asked angrily. Realization dawned on me. My head throbbed, the pain almost at its climax.
“Someone who knows who I am. Someone who wants to get my attention.” I said slowly. Probably a relative, someone mad because I got the easy life. It had happened before.
“But… an animal?” Eric repeated, shocked.
“Come out, come out wherever you are! If you’re here to play, I’m game. If you’re here to kill me, here I am. Give it your best shot!” I shouted into the forest. My challenge echoed in the silence, angry and taunting.
“Rose, what are you doing?” Eric asked, panicked. He pulled on my arm but I stood my ground.
“They can’t hide forever. Come on, show yourself you bloody coward. Come get some!” I roared, furious.
“Rose! Let’s just leave. Please!” Eric begged, pulling on my arm again. I wrenched my hand out of his and pushed both palms up to the sky.
“Come on! What kind of vampire sulks in the woods like a witch? Show yourself. Now!” I commanded with the full power of my heritage ringing clear in my voice. Nothing happened. Frustrated, I slowly lowered my hands. Rage boiled in my veins. Then there was a soft noise, like a cat dropping onto a granite counter.
“Rose!” Eric shouted a warning.
“Well, I see you’ve gotten yourself a new human toy.” a voice I knew well came from behind me. A final, debilitating wave of pain forced me to my knees. I finally recognized the pain, remembered the last time I’d felt it. This time, it had come too late.
“Who the hell are you? And will you get off my freaking car?” Eric yelled. I got up, brushing myself off.
“You haven’t told him about me? Tsk tsk. That isn’t proper etiquette. How about we show some common courtesy? I believe introductions are in order.” that voice was as smooth and rich as melted chocolate. It wasn’t as deep as Eric’s but it was infinitely more appealing.
“Rose? What’s going on here?” Eric was freaking out, pulse fluttering like a frantic bird. I turned around slowly but Eric was in front of me, trying to protect me from someone he didn’t stand a chance against. I pulled him behind me and faced the boy I had once loved.
“William, this is Eric Slythe. Eric, this is William Wolfe.”
“Rose-” Eric choked out my name.
“Rose? Oh, so you’re on a mission. How old are you now? You look about the same as when I met you. But how old were you then? Eighteen? Old enough for me.” William looked me over in a way that made me blush. He stood on the car, a murderous angel looking for revenge.
“I’m seventeen now. I was eighteen then.” I told him absently. I was too caught up on how he looked to pay attention. He was still tall, maybe six one. Of course, he always would be. William’s skin was a darker color than mine. He was dressed in black from head to foot. William’s black eyes were framed by thick dark lashes, but they weren’t feminine at all. How could they be set in that face? His features were regal, his mouth utterly irresistible. William’s silky black hair had been long the last time I had seen him, falling into his eyes. Now it was short and spiky and the tips of it were died blue- my favorite color. William sniffed the air delicately, like a cat.
“Um, Rose?” Eric ventured. William started to move toward him, tasting the air.
“He smells good.” William murmured, moving ever closer.
“He has power. You look good.” I remarked. As Eric’s heart beat faster yet the delicious scent of his blood radiated from him powerfully.
“It’s the diet. Keeps me from going feral like all the others.” William stalked closer to Eric. He seemed almost drugged by the smell of Eric’s blood. It was getting to me too.
“Rose?” Eric questioned. I couldn’t move, hypnotized by the feral grace of William’s movement. Do I move like that? I wondered. But William was closing in on Eric fast and I had to pay attention.
“Don’t touch him.” I warned William softly and without any real conviction.
“I won’t.” William murmured.
“Rose. Help!” Eric begged. It broke William’s tenuous control. He dashed forward, forced Eric’s head back, and bit. Eric cried out as William’s fangs broke through his skin. The tantalizing smell of his blood grew stronger as William drank. Eric whimpered my name, yanking me out of my dazed stupor. I darted forward, pulling William away from Eric. We toppled over, tussling until I ended up on top. I held him down as he bucked beneath me, struggling to be free. Eric watched us, shocked, holding a hand over the sluggishly bleeding wounds in his neck.
“Go.” I commanded. Looping an arm around William’s neck as he forced us up, I shifted so I was holding him from behind. I dragged him back a few steps. Dazed, Eric followed us. William strained toward him, snarling with bloody lips.
“Rose…” Eric sighed. He looked drowsy, hypnotized. I cursed violently. I’d forgotten the anesthetic effect feeding sometimes had on our victims.
“Eric! Leave! Now!” I snapped. Eric blinked at me. He looked between me and the car several times. Then he ran to the car. Right before he left, he asked;
“Do you need Lisa?”
“No, just go for god’s sake!” I shouted. Eric slammed the door and revved the engine. When the car’s noises faded, the disappeared altogether, I loosened my grip on William. He spun in my grip and I was ready to defend myself. In no way did I expect what happened next.
William leaned down and kissed me. Shocked, I stood motionless for a few moments. When he tangled his hands in my hair and pulled so I tipped my head back, I moaned and kissed him back. William explored my mouth like we were right back where we had been so many years ago. I licked the blood off his lips. Under its effects I understood his actions. Heat coursed through my body, passion overcoming logic. I whimpered and twined my body around William’s, eliciting a passionate response. He gently tipped us over so we sprawled to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs. William let his hands wander over my body and under my shirt.
William tipped his hand back and guided my lips to his neck. I knew what he wanted. One of the greatest pleasures of dating a vampire was having your blood drawn as a gift to your lover. It pulled me back to when we used to do it every day. After we got married but before- I pushed myself off of him, wrenching away from the temptation of his heartbeat. I may have been unique, but so was he.
“Shadow, please.” he begged. I saw the need in his eyes, cleared of the effects of Eric’s blood. It was hard to believe anyone could lie that well.
“That desperate? Gosh, I’m sorry. Do you want me to go get Anfanasia for you?” I asked innocently, pulling away further.
“God, why is it always back to this? How many times do I have to tell you? No one but you!” William exclaimed, exasperated.
“Yeah, because any guy will abstain from sex for more than a thousand years.” I said sarcastically.
“I’m not just any guy, I’m your husband.” William retorted calmly.
“You haven’t been my husband since 1973.” I felt tears fill my eyes and I squashed the tiny flicker of hope that had reared its head at his words.
“Then why do you still wear my ring?” he asked, aiming for my heart. I fingered the silver chain at my neck. A delicate silver-gold ring hung off it. Usually it was concealed by my shirt, but now said shirt lay open. It was my wedding ring, the ring William had slid onto my finger when he vowed to love me forever.
“I- I-” the tears broke free, flowing down my cheeks. William pulled me into his arms. Enfolded by his soft warmth, I cried for the first time in years. I let go of my pride and gave in to the fear, the remorse, and the terrible sense of heartbreak that had been hounding me since Boston. While I cried William hummed an old love song. He rocked me gently, face buried in my hair while tears leaked from those beautiful black eyes.
“Ah ma belle. Ma fille. Ma amour. Ma Noir.” he whispered. His words brought on a fresh wave of tears. It had been so long since I’d heard that name, the name William had given me the night we met. That name had always been his signal to me, his assurance that he was there for me, always waiting for my words, my touch, my love.
“No.” I whispered.
“What?” William asked, breath stirring my hair.
“No.” I said loudly, confidently. Pushing away from William, I turned to leave.
“Why?” his anguished cry crackled through the air.
“Do you have any idea how much you hurt me? How can I ever trust you again? How can I give myself completely to someone- even if I love them- if I can’t even trust them?” I asked, silently begging him to give me the right answer, to tell me I couldn’t but I had to try.
“Again with this! I would never turn from you Shadow! What did I do that has you so wrongly convinced I was unfaithful?” William asked, hurt.
“I could smell her all over you!” I shouted, enraged. It was the first time I had told him that. Understanding slowly dawned, changing his expression from confusion to relief.
“God, Shadow!” William laughed. He pulled me to him again, holding me tightly. His arms were like iron, making struggling impossible. He put his face in my hair again, breathing in deeply. I let him kiss me, hoping it would give me an opportunity to break free. It did. As soon as he loosened his arms and deepened the kiss, my arms were freed. I drew back and slapped him. He let go of me and I backed up quickly. Stunned, William held a hand to his face.
“Sorry, am I interrupting something?” Anna asked nervously. I spun on her, growling low in my throat. Frightened, she backed up and looked to William for help. He stood between us, gaze wavering back and forth from my snarl to her pout.
“No, you aren’t.” I straightened up out of my crouch.
“Actually, you were.” William interjected. I glared at him.
“I was leaving!”
“We were talking.”
“Why do you always try to control me? I’ve survived more than a thousand years without you.”
“I’m not trying to control you. I’m trying to tell you the truth!” we were both shouting at a volume normal human beings couldn’t reach. Anna had covered her ears, he eyes wide and wild with confusion and fear.
“Oh, the truth? The same truth you told me when you came home smelling like her?” I gestured at Anna. I could barely keep track of the emotions flooding through me; hurt, anger, sorrow, regret, nostalgia- all that and more. And through it all the feeling that kept me from leaving, a misguided sense of love.
“I told you the truth then, like I’m trying to do now. So why don’t you just shut your mouth and listen?” William raged. I was silent. The color drained out of his face as he realized the gravity of his mistake. With my mouth in a tight line, I turned to Anna.
“You two were made for one another. Liars, cheaters, and traitors, the both of you. You deserve each other. Have at him. You have my blessing. I hope you’re both miserable for the rest of your lives together.” I said coldly, flatly. Then I turned and escaped into the forest on swift feet. I flitted through the trees like a ghost.
“Shadow!” I paused to hear the gut-wrenching, broken-hearted howl, then the quiet sound of muffled sobs.
“You caused this.” I whispered, knowing my voice wouldn’t carry back to him.
“Shadow! Shadow, please. If you’ll just listen to me!” Anna begged. I hadn’t noticed her following me but now I spun slowly.
“And why should I do that?” I questioned.
“You have to trust me to-” she was cut off as I wrapped my hands around her neck. Anna choked, trying to breathe.
“I don’t have to do anything. I’ll do exactly what I want when I want to do it. even if that means tearing open your throat and watching your black blood flow.” I growled, squeezing until she cried out.
“Please!” she begged. I let go and backed away, leaving her gasping for air.
“You better stay away from me. I already told you I have no problem with killing you, and I wasn’t kidding. So take Eric and stay the hell away from William!”
“Um, do you mean take William and stay away from Eric?”
“Isn’t that what I said?”
“Uh-no.”
“Whatever. You know what I meant.” I scolded. For a second I felt like I was back in the days when we were inseparable. When she was actually her and not some bizarre puppet with her personality.
“Yes. OF course I do. How could I not? You always have been so focused on the missions that you’ve never noticed anything else.” Anna sighed. She started to get up, raising her hand, and I flinched back, watching for the telltale crackles of magic. A timelessly sorrowful look flitted across her features before she masked it.
“Watch yourself. If you hurt the people I love, you will live to regret it.” I smiled grimly. Anna’s face slackened and blanched. She started to cough again and I scowled at her. Then I turned and left. With my unnatural speed it took only a minute to get to the White House. I ran straight up to my room and threw myself onto my bed. It had been a long day. Though school wasn’t even over yet, I knew I’d sleep through to the next morning. I left a note on the dresser telling Lisa not to worry, then I dropped out of the world.
I would dream that night. I would dream of me, of him, of us.
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