by V L Friends
Only bits and pieces of what happened, came back to memory. I recalled the faces of both Julian and Sebastian hovering over me on different occasions, the tiny prick on my arm that must have been a needle, and blurry images of scenery and water. The sound of a loud plane engine and voices. The sound of a car. Once I even remember waking up in the arms of a man, hearing his soft husky voice that tickled my ear. He whispered soothing words and I felt safe before I drifted away again.
Taking a deep breath and rubbing a hand over my face, I tried to stand up again. This time I managed to and walked over to the sliding glass doors, opened them, and sucked in a long deep breath of fresh air.
My mind was still so fuzzy as I searched out with my senses for any sign of people and tried to determine if this was dawn or dusk. I tried to concentrate on the sounds of the woods and other rooms in the house, but other than a few faint sounds of scurrying creatures in the woods, it was quiet.
Turning to the door so I could exit my room, my hand went out and gripped the small knob, but to my shock it was locked. What the heck? Was I once again a prisoner here? My stomach turned at the thought and I could feel my emotions stir. This was unacceptable! How dare they pump me full of drugs to make me compliant and then lock me up? Of course, this was all Julian’s doing. I thought he had actually changed.
As I stripped the sheets from my bed, I choked back an indignant scoff. Here we go again! Had he really thought he could hold me here and I would be the passive, compliant little doped-up girl? What about our time together ever suggested I would comply?
After tossing the makeshift rope over the balcony and firmly giving it one last tug to test it, I turned around to pack a few things in a duffle bag. When I turned back, a figure stood in my way just inside the glass doors, chuckling softly. I jumped back, letting out a small yelp.
“So you’re up to your usual antics, I see,” Julian taunted from the now open door.
“Get out of my way, Julian!” I snarled, as if he would actually listen to me.
“Sweetheart, come on.” His voice was sickly sweet and soft as he held out his hands, palm out in surrender. “I am not your enemy,” he continued as he took a step toward me, arms open wide as if he was stalking a wild animal, trying to corner me.
“You drugged me and locked me up!” I bellowed as I slowly moved away, looking to make my break for it.
“Only for your protection. You were fighting and screaming. We were afraid you would hurt yourself and bring attention to us rescuing you. Then it was necessary for us to lock your door only in case you woke up half drugged and tried to run.” He straightened as if he suddenly changed his mind about something. “I see you are capable of rational thought now so…” He walked over to the now closed door that he had closed after he stepped in the room and gave it a twist. He opened it with ease. “You’re free, of course.”
“So I am not your prisoner?” I watched him carefully, looking for any sign this might be one of his tricks.
“Of course not, baby,” he whispered with a frown. He looked sincere. There was something about this Julian. He was different. A sadness was in his eyes. I was confused.
Why was he talking to me with such affection? It made me cringe.
I sighed and sat down on the edge of my bed, looking away. I could not show him my tears.
“Fine! Then no more locking my door!” I said.
He nodded.
After a long pause I looked up to see him studying me with those sad eyes. Those eyes spoke volumes to me, but he never said a word. For a second, I thought he would as I saw his eyes water, but he just suddenly looked at the ground. Was he pleading for me to stay? I could not handle this now. I needed time. The images of him in my head where terrifying. I knew I would forever see them on replay in my mind. I just could not escape this and it angered me beyond any rationality.
“You can leave now.” I know it was harsh. I didn’t want to hurt him. I was just this raw bundle of emotion.
In a flash he was gone and I felt a twinge of regret.
When he was gone I got up and ran down the stairs. I needed Caleb. The house was dark as I ran for the study, switching on lights on my way. I glanced out the windows, realizing it was actually night. When I got to the study I yelled out Caleb’s name. I knew he probably wouldn’t be there, but it brought a sense of comfort to know that I was near something of his.
“Caleb, where are you?” I half yelled the words and began to cry as I sank to the floor between the sofa and his desk chair. I clutched my hands around my knees and began to rock back and forth, trying to push away my worst fear. Had I just found the one member of my family whom I could truly consider my family, only to lose him? Was Caleb dead?
I must have fallen asleep in the study. I awoke to the sun beaming down on my face from the window. I was still curled up on the floor and in the fetal position. When I sat up, my stomach growled a protest. I tried to recall the last time I ate but, truthfully, I didn’t even know what day it was.
I heard the sound of familiar voices calling my name throughout the house. From the sounds of it there seemed to be a small search party. The once-empty house was filled with the sound of servants and a few other voices I recognized.
“Her things are still in her room, so she couldn’t have gone far.” Julian’s voice sounded worried.
“We’ll find her!” That voice sounded familiar. The same voice who I remembered whispering in my ear as he carried me to my room. I couldn’t believe he had come after me after I ran away from him and ended up with Leland.
The thought that he was here made me tremble. He was fierce, powerful, dangerous, yet he was here looking for me. Why was he here? This man, I mean walker, started off being an annoyance to me, and now even the thought of him made my nerves tremble. No one had ever had this effect on me before.
When I walked to the stairs, toward the sound of their voices, before my foot took the first step, I looked up into Julian’s eyes, looking up at me from the bottom of the staircase. They showed both surprise and relief and there it was: a hint of sadness.
“Anaya, I can see that you are angry with me.” Julian spoke as he reached his hand out for me, but I quickly moved from his reach.
It must have been my clenched jaw that gave it away.
“I am glad to see that you are fully recovered from your injuries. Now, if you will excuse me.” I tried to sound formal and distant as I moved to brush pass him.
“Anaya. Please, let’s talk.” His hand went out to brush my arm when I moved past him on the stairs as he whispered to me.
“I can’t now,” I said, choking back tears and frantically trying to get away.
Before I reached the top of the stairs, a tall, dark-haired figure loomed over me. I didn’t have to look up; I could feel his stare looking into me.
I schooled myself and hid my nerves with a polite smile. “Mr. Crane, please forgive me for running away from you without so much as a goodbye.” It was ridiculous to revert to this indifferent formality but I was at a loss. More tears were in my eyes threatening to flow and my voice sounded shaky. Why did he have to be here right now, seeing me fall apart?
“Shh… Shhh.” His finger went to my lips once before he cupped the side of my face in his palm.
“None of that now, Amada.” His words of affection for me in Brazilian were comforting. “You have been through quite an ordeal. Please allow me to care for you.” Before I could respond, he lifted my chin to look him in the eyes. He gave me a warm smile before he leaned down and swept me in his arms. It’s a good thing he did this because I seriously doubt I could have walked. This man turned my legs to Jell-O. I missed the sound of Sebastian’s deep voice as he called me sweetheart in Portuguese. Was I really blushing? My face sure was hot.
As he carried me to my room, Sebastian called back to Julian, who stood frozen at the bottom of the stairs.
“I’ll take things from here for a while, Julian. Why don’t you get this girl some breakfast? I am
sure she is hungry.”
It was like I was putty in his arms.
Sebastian had changed a lot since we first met. He was more relaxed and, well, nicer. I guess I could have misjudged him. Somehow, I suspected there were a lot of things I did not know about him.
“Sebastian, where is Caleb?” I could hold out no longer. He set me down slowly next to my bed, as his face seemed to look sad.
“I will always tell you the truth, no matter what. There has been no trace of his body or any sign indicating that he is alive, Anaya. I’m sorry.”
“But Leland told me Caleb hired him to track me down and bring me to him.”
“Leland?” Apparently, he didn’t know him by this name but quickly made the connection because his expression fell with recognition. “Oh. Oh… yes… him.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Let me shed some light on this for you. Leland works for no one, except maybe Satan himself. There are some who say that this creature was second in command to Lucifer himself. It was Louis, not Caleb, who hired him to get you, and that is how we tracked you down. We intercepted a transmission between the two of them. Leland was letting Louis know that the deal was off and that he had other plans for you.”
“Are you sure? That just doesn’t make any sense to me. He took care of me. He was kind and told me things about himself. I trusted him, Sebastian! He was my friend!” My heart was beginning to feel the twinge again as if I had been stabbed.
“What is it?” Sebastian noticed the look of pain.
“It’s my heart.” When I spoke I could hear my own voice tremble with worry. “It seems to happen every time I think about Leland,” I said and the look on his face was one of concern.
“What did Leland say to you before his death? What did he whisper to you?”
“I can’t breathe.” Even my words were caught in my throat. So much anger and grief were caught there. I had so much pain and it felt like Julian was the source. He took away everyone who I cared for. The agony of my emotional state even made my heart feel physical pain at the moment. I could feel the hate rising in me and the grief was unbearable. I just began to sob uncontrollably. If I didn’t allow the grief to come, hate would take over and I could not let that happen.
Sebastian pulled my crumpled, sobbing body off the floor and held me and tried to console me.
“Listen to me, Anaya, we will get through this. You are strong.”
Just then, Julian entered the room. “Sebastian, we agreed you would not talk about these things! We agreed she was not strong enough! Now go! Leave us alone.” He crossed the room and gently pulled me into his arms. I didn’t resist.
“I am going to see if I can find this angel you spoke of Shane is his name, right?” Sebastian announced as he released me to Julian. “I think Leland may have done some kind of incantation to her with his words. I saw something in her heart. It needs to be pulled out supernaturally.”
“We don’t need Shane,” Julian said bitterly.
Julian hugged me to his chest and rocked me like a little child. I could feel his fear... and his guilt. Then the most peculiar thing began to occur. It was as if Julian was a sponge pulling the grief and pain out of my being and it was going into him. It was like, somehow, he had the ability to read what I was feeling and then took it a step further and began to bear my burden. I am sure he also felt my anger towards him for killing Caleb as well, and deep down a part of me held him partly responsible for the death of my mother. He wasn’t there to protect her, after all. As if things couldn’t get any weirder, he suddenly began to speak to the air… as if Leland was there.
“You will not get her, Leland! You have lost this war... go back to the hell hole you crawled out of. She is my flesh and blood! You have no claim here!”
My tears had stopped and the pain was much less, but it was replaced with numbness. What kind of evil I was about to be subjected to was an unknown but my gut churned at the closeness I had shared with the now dead being. I knew this was a new kind of evil for me to witness and Julian had saved me. Now I knew something was wrong with me inside. I was not feeling the same love in my heart I had been carrying before all this happened. I knew what I had to do. I don’t know how I knew but the words just came.
“Julian, I forgive you for trying to harm me. I know it was not your fault and I forgive you for whatever you did to Caleb. Thank you for saving my life from Leland,” I said, feeling out of breath for some reason, and as soon as the words left my lips a great sense of relief hit me. I needed the toxic anger out of my heart.
We clung to each other in a long embrace. I could feel Julian shake uncontrollably. I assumed it was from the sobbing, as his body seemed to go limp in my embrace. My words released him from his own self-hatred. He was free. I no longer felt the battle of anger and grief, but love flooded my heart once again. Neither of us could let go of the other. It seemed like hours and we finally collapsed in exhaustion. I awoke to the sound of a familiar voice and a familiar hand on my back. I was still embracing my sleeping father, as he was still clinging to me.
“Anaya… are you okay?” Shane was whispering in my ear.
I turned my head to the sound of his voice to see his bright blue eyes like two crystals of light. Looking into mine. Oh, how I missed him!
“Shane! Where have you been? I missed you!” I still had my father held tight with one hand while now reaching for Shane as he crouched down over us.
Julian was still out cold but I gently pulled away and sat up to address Shane, but suddenly no one was there. Was I dreaming he was here?
My head was swimming with thoughts. All of a sudden, I was desperate to find my leather jacket. I sprang to my closet—it wasn’t there—but as I turned around there it was on the chair. I just hoped the object I was seeking would still be there in my pocket. How did I even remember or know what to do? It was like I was acting on instinct. Not thinking, just doing. As I checked the pocket I was relieved to pull out the vial of anointing oil and a note. The vial said oil of joy.
“Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old, together, For I will turn their mourning into joy And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow.”
I recognized that verse from the Bible.
Lastly it said, “God will turn your mourning into joy.”
This lady I ran into, when I was in Salvador, had handed me this oil and note. God was still watching out for me. I poured the oil on my hands and thanked God for watching over me and prayed for my heart to be healed as I put my hand on my heart. As I did this, I saw a vision in my mind of a spike in my heart. This is what Sebastian was talking about. It was the reason I felt the twinge of pain. It must have been a curse Leland had done to me before he died.
I still didn’t understand why God didn’t warn me about Leland. Why did I have to go through all of that? I had so many questions. Where was Shane back then and where is he now?
“I am here,” Shane’s voice sounded from the window as if reading my thoughts.
I looked across the room, expecting to see Shane standing there, but instead saw this giant form with wings hovering just inside the window. He was so bright I almost could not look. This incredible feeling came over me. I can only describe is as my heart felt like it was being messaged and I felt this love and warmth. I recognized those eyes as Shane’s, only they seemed to glow a little more.
“Come.” Shane held out a hand, beckoning me.
I couldn’t move. My legs felt like concrete… and, yes, the image was a little terrifying. So he came to me. The closer he got the more my body seemed to tremble. I could not control it. The glory of God was on this angel. His hand reached to my heart and seemed to reach inside my chest. He grabbed the invisible magical spike and pulled. I felt it jolt and gasped.
“Anaya, wake up... Anaya, are you okay? Anaya!” It was Julian’s voice.
My eyes opened to his beautiful face looking at me as I lay with my back on the ground. For some odd reason, I tho
ught the idea of this young beautiful man being my father was just hilarious. In fact, I began to laugh. I think I was intoxicated.
“Hello, gorgeous,” I slurred. “What are you doing on this fine lovely day?” For some reason I also took to talking with a British accent, or maybe it was me trying to mimic his French accent.
“Oh, dear God… what’s wrong with her now? I think she has finally lost her marbles!” He seemed to be looking across the room at someone.
“Sebastian! Is that you? Good to see you, old chap!” I gave him a playful salute and let out a soft chuckle.
“Oh… umm… He… hellooo?” He was obviously taken aback a little.
“Julian, have you seen my violin?” I tried to get up but found myself stumbling back to the ground. Oh my! I was snickering to myself. “Ya know, it just seems like a violin-playing sort of day… doesn’t it?”