by Bailey, G.
“We are friends. Well, all of us except Alex who doesn’t like anyone, I don’t think,” I answer.
“He plays the dark, sexy and mysterious card well,” she replies. “I bet angry sex with him would be unforgettable.”
“And likely heartbreaking when he pretends he doesn’t know who you are the next day,” I reply, and she grins at me as she pulls her car into the full up car park at the back of the high street. Raine gets Kiwi out of the car as I climb out and see Shadow running out of the trees towards me. I close my eyes, and when I open them, I can see the energy bouncing between us, so real, so strong.
It’s home to me. Shadow is my home, more than I’ve ever felt before. We will always have each other, and that is a gift.
Being a familiar is a gift.
Shadow stops right in front of me, looking down at me with those bright eyes that remind me so much of myself. Of home. Of my sisters. Of everything that comforts me.
“Looks to me like you’ve changed your mind about your new life,” Raine muses as she stops at my side, Kiwi in her hands. Kiwi flies into the air and spins around, and for a second, I’m sure I see the red energy float around her like a ghost.
“I now wonder how I ever lived before this. I feel like my life was on hold until it changed. This is what I’ve always been looking for, Raine,” I answer her.
“Come on, let’s go and enjoy our new life. We have a party to prepare for. Do you like dresses?”
* * *
“I don’t know about this,” I tell Raine as I try to tug down the skin-tight mini-skirt with no luck. The top I’m wearing is less of a top and more like a cut out of one. It has a built-in bra, holding up my boobs tightly with a long slit in the middle, and it only goes down to my ribs, leaving half of my stomach bare. Raine has insisted on me borrowing her knee-high boots, with some fluffy socks because they are a little big. My blonde hair falls to my waist, the purple tips fading as I haven’t had a chance to dye them. A lacy choker wraps around my neck, the black matching my eyeliner and making my nude lipstick pop. “I look like my older sister,” I admit, because this is something she would wear. I could just imagine her face if she saw me in this; she would be so happy.
My heart pangs with a longing to see my sisters that grows with every day.
“Well, you said no dresses as you don’t like them or wear them, so I did what I could. Luckily, I’m a clothing goddess, because you look hot!” she says, squealing with happiness and making the hundreds of sequins on her dress shake.
“So do you,” I tell her because, hell, she looks amazing. Her short mini dress is covered in rainbow sequins, and she has a small black throw hanging off her arms. With her curled red hair, little makeup and high heels that could kill a guy, Raine is nothing short of stunning.
Bethany would love her. She’d love I had a friend that pulled me out of my box house of normal. At least that’s what Bethany called my reluctance to dress up for boys and break any house rules at the foster homes.
I called it being practical, but right now? Right now, I itch to be anything but myself, even for a little bit of time. I want to be more than Anastasia Noble.
“Let’s go, bestie,” Raine says, hooking her arm in mine and pulling me at full speed through her apartment, passing Shadow sleeping on her rug in front of her fire. Kiwi is sitting on a bird tree in the corner, and I’m not sure she is even awake. We are out the door in seconds, walking down the dim street as the sun sets behind us. Raine stops in front of a library.
Wait, a library?
“Is a library your idea of a party, Raine?” I ask, curious. “I mean, I love a book party in my pyjamas as much as the next girl, but—”
“The library is just a good place to hide from Hugh. He would never look for illegal parties in a library,” Raine chuckles, tugging me through the door as she laughs. The library is on two floors with little metal staircases curling up to the next level. We head around the check-in desk at the front, and I stare at the stunning paintings on the walls. They are of dozens of animals running together, painted to perfection. The library is silent as we pass dozens of bookshelves and many desks until we get to a door at the back. I make a self-reminder to come back here later on and check out the romance department.
Which, in my opinion, is the best part of any bookstore.
Unless they have bookmarks, because those things are addictive to look through. Raine knocks the door four times in different places, and we wait as the door is tugged open, a stranger’s face popping out. He has messy black hair hanging over his face, a lip piercing, and I would guess he is about sixteen.
“Raine! You brought the new girl, I see. She best be good at keeping secrets,” he jokes—I think, anyway.
“Trust me, I’m the best,” I answer before Raine can, and they both laugh with me. I’m not joking at this point in my life, but I’m not thinking about that right now. Raine walks through the door first, taking hold of my hand and leading me down an empty, dimly lit corridor until we get to another door. This one is on the floor though. Raine presses a button on the wall, and to my surprise, the doors electronically open and a glass-walled lift slides up, the doors slowly opening.
“The lifts are all over town, hidden in important buildings. They are meant to be secret hiding places for important familiars in power in case something goes wrong, but this one leads to the basement, and in the basement is the best party in the Familiar Empire,” she tells me as she steps into the glass elevator. I step in next, my heart beating loudly as the glass doors close and Raine presses the down button. “Familiars travel from the capital of the empire to come here.”
“What is the capital?” I ask as the lift plummets us into darkness.
“Somewhere you don’t want to go, Ana. The Familiar Empire has its secrets, and my dad is scared of them,” she tells me in the dark, her words feeling the tip top of an important story, but I never liked scary stories in the dark. “But we aren’t talking about serious things tonight. We are having fun.”
“Fun, I can do,” I tell her just as light blasts into my eyes from the nightclub the lift stops in the middle of. “A nightclub,” I whisper, but no one hears me as the doors open and the heavy and loud music beats around me. The flashing lights are a mixture of colours, spinning around the room and over the dancers, the bars, and the seating in the corners of the room. The dance floor’s surface catches my eye as I step out onto it, seeing it sparkles like a million diamonds.
“Good,” Raine shouts to me as her dress catches one of the lights, and it flashes off the sequins. In seconds, Raine is leading me into the dancers, and I laugh as we actually have fun, dancing until our feet hurt and sweat is trickling down my spine.
“Let’s get a drink!” Raine leans in to suggest, and I nod in agreement as she takes my hand and weaves through the dancers until we get to a bar. Before I can take another step, something draws my eyes to the left, where they clash with Alexander’s as he stares at me, looking shocked. He is sitting at a circular table with two women pressed to his large arms on either side of him, and two guys sit in the other seats at the table. Raine tugs my hand again, and when she sees I’m not moving, she follows my gaze. For some reason, a burning jealousy flitters in my chest when I see those women touching Alex’s arms.
What the hell?
I don’t get jealous over Alex. It’s Alex, for god’s sake.
“Never seen him down here. We should say hello,” Raine shouts to me, and before I can tell her that’s a very bad idea, she is dragging me over until we are stood in front of their table. It’s only then I notice they have an empty bottle on the table that is spinning around. It comes to a stop, pointing right at me.
“We are playing truth or dare, lass,” the guy sat at my side shouts. “Looks like it’s your turn, if you wanna join us.”
“Truth or dare, Tassie?” Alex asks. Somehow his voice is strong and loud but feeling like a secret whisper between us as he leans forward. Then I really notice what he i
s wearing, a tight black shirt with a few buttons undone, revealing the muscular chest I know he has. His hair is slightly styled, and it makes him look more handsome.
I’m just annoyed at him.
“I never agreed to play,” I say, feeling his gaze drifting over me, and my cheeks burn.
“Then go,” Alex curtly replies. “Or make your choice.”
“Enjoy your night, Alexander,” I snarkily reply, turning around and heading into the dancers, wanting to lose his judgement, to lose the way he looks at me and the way he makes me so mad.
I won’t even touch the burning jealousy that I felt seeing those girls holding onto his arms, or the fact he likely came here to get laid.
What is wrong with me?
I close my eyes and listen to the sensual music, letting myself just drift off into it for a moment. Lifting my arms into the air, the heat blasts against all of my skin as I dance, moving my hips in time with the beat. It’s freeing. It’s what I needed in order to escape for a second. Two hands fall onto my hips, and I open my eyes, expecting to see Alex.
But it’s not Alex.
“Liam, what are you doing here?” I ask as he holds me closer to him, never once letting me break the movement of the dance. It always feels like more when it’s us together, the way our bodies are perfect for each other’s. The way he holds me pressed against him, his green eyes flashing in the moving lights every few seconds.
“I wanted to stand at the side and just protect you. Then I saw you…and here I am. I’m powerless when it comes to you,” he warns me. It’s certainly a warning, I can hear it in every single word. When hands rest on my waist, and someone stands behind me, I’m confused as I turn my head up and see Alex. He doesn’t say anything as he rests his head next to mine, and then somehow I’m squished in the middle of them as we dance. Feeling every inch of their hard bodies pressed into me. Feeling how they effortlessly control my body and how I don’t want the song to end.
And hell, is this a dance that I will never forget.
They sensually move my hips as Alex strokes his hands up my ribs and pushes my arms into the air, stepping closer somehow. I close my eyes, and I just enjoy the moment, two powerful men with me in the middle, controlling my body, dancing with me and turning me on more than I thought was possible.
The song ends, and then suddenly I’m alone, missing the feel of their bodies pressed against mine. I turn around, looking for either of them, but I can’t find them anywhere.
Somehow I know I’m not alone anymore. Not with them around.
Not when they are trying to steal my heart.
A day I will never forget.
“There you go,” I say, wrapping up Miss George’s arm and tying the bandage up in the way Estelle has trained me to do. “I’m just going to get the doctor to double-check my work. Okay?”
“Thank you! I feel so silly,” she says, shaking her head of curly red locks.
“Well, I would suggest asking for some help before attempting to cut a tree down next time. I’m sure you could find a builder to help.”
“I will! I’ve learnt my lesson,” she chuckles, and I grin at her as I walk out and pull the curtain closed behind me. My very tired feet shuffle down the corridor before Estelle comes out from behind a curtain.
“You look tired today, Anastasia,” she says. “Though you don’t usually work on weekends, and I’m so thankful you came in today. We need to find another nurse as it can’t just be you.” Sadness flickers in her eyes for the nurse that died, and I sadly smile at her. I don’t mind working the extra day.
“Even though we didn’t stay out that late, I didn’t know Raine snores. It was a long night,” I admit. “But I’m totally fine to work. I just finished up with Miss George and wondered if you could double-check my work.”
“I will do, certainly, but I think it’s best you go home. Why don’t you borrow my car as I can walk to my home from here,” she suggests. “It’s a quiet day, and I was just going to carry on with paperwork for the rest of it.”
“Are you sure?” I ask.
Estelle tugs out some keys from her pocket with a tiny deer soft teddy attached to them. “Perfectly. Go home and get some sleep. Tomorrow is a new day.”
“Thank you, I owe you,” I admit, taking the keys. “I think I should bake a cake for you later tonight and bring it in Monday. What’s your favourite flavour?”
“Chocolate, but do rest,” she says, and I nod, turning around and walking to the door. I find Estelle’s car around the back of the building, and I’m thankful it’s a Mini Cooper, nothing too complicated to drive. I get into the seat and glance around, wondering where Shadow is. I know it’s a little early for me to be leaving work, but he is usually outside here. Knowing I’m worrying for no reason, I start the car and drive off. I switch on the radio before realising they don’t have signal out here, and carry on down the path. As I drive down the endless road, headlights suddenly appear around the corner. The headlights are so bright I can hardly look at them in the rear-view mirror as the car gets closer.
“Someone’s in a rush,” I mutter to myself, gripping the steering wheel tightly and making a mental note to move out of the way when they get too close. I look behind, shocked to find the car seconds away from me, and before I can do anything, he slams into the back of me. I scream, the wheel slipping from my fingers as everything happens so quickly. I feel myself almost flying as the car spins and rolls off the road, the glass smashing, my arms grazing harshly against the glass as the air bag blasts out in front of me. Something flies through the window, and hits me hard in the face, and I hear my nose make an awful crunching noise as the rolling comes to a stop, leaving me hanging with only the seatbelt holding me up. Surprisingly, nothing much hurts, but I know it’s only a matter of time before the shock wears off and everything will hurt.
Right now I need to focus on getting out this car safely. My hands freeze as fear floods me with only one thought coming to my mind.
This is how my parents died. Just like this as the car set on fire. A panic fills me that makes me feel like I’m suffocating.
I need to get out.
My breaths come out in pants as I taste blood in my mouth, the metallic sting reminding me that I’m alive and I need to focus. With a shaky hand, I reach for the seatbelt and click it, letting myself fall down onto the hood of the car. I crawl out through the broken window, my hands cutting into more glass that I know is going to hurt later. Just as I get out of the car, the world suddenly blurs, and my body gives in even when my mind doesn’t want to.
Eyes that are as bright as the sea.
I smile as I watch two beautiful people dance to a song I’ve heard before. It’s not that old, but it’s haunting and melodic. The woman has blonde hair, all curled in waves around her shoulders. She has on a deep purple ball gown that is covered in tiny sparkling diamonds. In a posh suit, the man she dances with is tall with short blond hair and blue eyes. He smiles at her softly as they spin around with each other. The room is made of pure purple glass, with bright lights shining from outside that show the detail of the glass that has swirls and many patterns in it. There are no other dancers, and as the song ends, the man steps back and bows. As he rises, an arrow flies out of nowhere and hits him in the centre of his chest, blood splattering all over the woman in the dress.
Everything freezes in the second he looks down.
And then there is nothing but screaming.
“It’s enough for what we need. Shame they don’t want us to take her right now,” a voice I don’t know drifts into my ears. But I’m so tired I can’t wake myself up, even though fear is pulsing through me, and all I want to do is shout for Shadow.
Shadow, I need you. Please.
“Not yet. Her blood is all they want, to make sure,” a female voice replies, but I don’t know who they are. There is a long pause where I’m sure my mind drifts to sleep before I wake up again.
“We need to get out of here before help or her familia
r comes. Push her back near the fire,” the man says, and everything goes black. When I open my eyes, I’m on my own, the smell of smoke filling my nose. I turn my sore head to the side to see the car is on fire, the flickers of embers bouncing onto the leaves right in front of my nose.
A hand grabs my arm and pulls me away, though I just stare at the fire as my whole body hurts. A hand smacks against my arm, and it takes me a second to realise my arm was on fire and someone is putting it out. Only when a hand cups my cheek do I look up at the man who saved me.
My man in a cloak. This time he is closer, and his eyes are not so hidden under the thick, worn black cloak.
“You have eyes that look like the sea,” I say, and I giggle. What is wrong with me? The giggling doesn’t stop for a long time as the cloaked man just stares at me.
“You have a concussion,” he all but growls, sounding younger than I expected as he stands up. “Help will be here soon for you.” As it almost goes quiet around me, I panic and sit up, everything spinning a little as I see the cloaked man walking away from me.
“Wait!” I shout, and he actually stops. “Who are you? Why have you been following me since before I was even a familiar?”
“If you want answers, try looking at the people you live with. They came from the same place as me after all and we cannot be trusted,” he sourly replies, and in the blink of an eye, he is gone.
“Wait!” I shout into the trees, but nothing but the flickering of the flames behind me makes any sounds.
I hear a pain filled howl just before I pass out again.
Lies are also words unspoken.
The beeping of a machine wakes me up, the familiar smell of bleach and the infirmary letting me know where I am before I’ve even opened my eyes. The light is bright as I open my eyes and dig my hands into the fresh sheets covering me.