by Dark,A. A.
My hand held to my head while I walked to the door. I knew it was locked, yet still, I reached out. When the knob didn’t turn in my grasp, I headed for the shower. Blood was still damp on the material covering my arms. I couldn’t stand that the poor girl’s life lingered on me. I wanted to erase it all. Every memory that was saturated in other people’s blood.
Water poured from the showerhead and I let the black dress fall to the floor. The pins holding my hair back had me pausing as I took them out and clutched them in my palm. My pulse jumped into a frantic rhythm and I was pulling the dress back on before I could stop myself. Had I lost my mind? I must have. What was I doing?
I raced for the door on shaky legs. Nausea twisted my stomach and my hand was trembling as I forced the end of the pin into the open keyhole. Breath all but let me as a click sounded and the door creaked open. “No.” This couldn’t be right? A tear fell and the slave in me turned rigid. I stood at the threshold, unable to move. Unable to escape. Voices talked in the distance and I knew if I were ever going to be free, it was now or never. But where would I go? I once thought Bram was dead. The hope I regained was only short lived before I thought him gone, again. But he wasn’t. My gut told me that. Jarrett had seen him, which reaffirmed to me he was very much alive. I had to find him. I needed answers.
Quicksand seemed to hold to my feet as I shut the door behind me. With each step I made toward the stairs, the walls of the hall gave the impression of closing in on me. Screams in my mind told me to turn back. No one would know I had snuck out. I could still hide safely within my room. But I wouldn’t be safe. Not for long. Whether I was caught trying to escape or West eventually came for me, I was doomed if I stayed.
The men below continued. Their conversation was a hum of unrecognizable slurs. I could tell their voices were raised in anger, but I couldn’t decipher what they were saying. The pounding of my pulse … it was too loud.
In jerky movements, I took in the length of the stairs. I was home; I knew that. A flight went down, opening to a hall, only to wind around to lead to the main floor. Would I be able to make it through before I was spotted? The living room opened up to the front door. How was I going to make it out if I had to pass the people below?
I took a step, cringing and squeezing my eyes shut at the creaking from the wood. The men continued to talk and I held my breath as I tried to keep as quiet as possible. Every other stair announced my escape like an alarm. My arms were trembling so much that I could barely assert my weight to the banister for fear that my good arm would give out.
The second story hallway opened up and I peeked inside, relieved when it revealed no sign of guards. As I rounded the corner, I jolted to a stop.
“Don’t you threaten me,” Master Kunken, exploded. “I did more than I should have. I let you have her. Your wife believed she was going to an apartment and I let her. I just didn’t tell her she was going to the one here. So before you throw Bram’s cousin in my face, you better recognize that I gave you exactly what you wanted. You mention my kidnapping of that little boy one more time and I will rip that Mistress out of her room so fast, you won’t know she was there at all. Do you understand what I’m telling you, Main Master? Either be content with the way this turned out, or you may find more trouble than you bargained for. The boy is mine, now. Come auction day, you will happily hand him over to me, and you will turn your head out of my business.”
“And, Bram? If he’s alive do you really think he’s going to let you make his cousin your meal?”
“We’ve already talked about that. Bram will die for good this time.”
A pause had me keeping still. When they started talking again, I eased down even more.
“If we can find him. My guards have looked everywhere. They’ve been on every floor. They’ve been underground in the storage area. They’ve looked in places no one has clearly been in over a century. He is a ghost whether he is dead or not.”
“No one is that good,” Master Kunken, snapped. “He’s somewhere and we’ll find him. I don’t care if we have to start at the top floor and level it. We’ll bring these walls down until there’s nowhere else for him to hide. Then I will do what you couldn’t and I will stop his heart permanently.”
I swallowed through the fear, pausing on the last step. My head eased out, taking in both sides of the hall. When I set my sights toward the living room, I could see Master Kunken’s shoulder. From the size and width, he was unmistakable.
“Let’s not rush to extremes and start leveling floors yet,” West said, tiredly. “It looks as though Bram’s alive, but he’s not doing anything besides hiding. Let him lurk in the shadows. He’s outmatched and he knows it. As long as we keep the guards on our side and not his, we’ll be good.”
“Delude yourself all you want. We have to have a meeting. I’ll schedule one for tomorrow night. The other Main Masters need to know he might be alive. We’ll get their thoughts and see where and who they stand with. We can decide our next move from there. If they won’t join us, we’ll kill them too.” He paused. “I should go. It’s getting late and I’ve had one hell of a day. Elections grow closer and I’m afraid I can’t risk bringing this mess with me while I’m trying to campaign.”
“Campaign? Wait. You’re going to be leaving for a while?”
“I have no choice! Some of us have to work. We don’t marry and scheme into money. Get some sleep. You look like shit.”
My head jerked back as Master Kunken turned and headed for the front door. When it closed, I waited, listening to West groan. The light suddenly went out and I grew rigid as I tried to decide what to do. He’d have to pass me to get to the bedroom. I couldn’t risk going back up the stairs. Not with the way they made so much noise. And what if he wasn’t going to bed? What if he was coming for me?
I turned into the hall, racing into the first entrance to the right. It was the library. The same place he’d attacked me before. The room was pitch black. I swung through the doorway, crouching against the wall. Footsteps grew closer and I pressed my lips together, listening as they stopped.
The stairs.
“Ugh. Not tonight.”
The words were mumbled as he continued to get closer. I leaned further from the door, flattening myself out of view the best I could.
“No. Fuck that.”
A light flipped on and my eyes widened. At the creaking of the stairs, my pulse accelerated to frightening speed. I stood, leaning toward the threshold as the heavy steps continued up. Two steps into the hallway, West’s voice once again sounded.
“What am thinking? She’s not going anywhere. Dammit.”
The last was drug out from his exhaustion and I lunged back into the room, keeping at the wall as I moved toward the shadows in the back. The footsteps descended, growing closer. When darkness flooded the space once again, I tried to calm myself. Within seconds a softer glow appeared and I knew he was in our bedroom. I tiptoed out of the library, racing through the living room as fast as I could. I pushed on my toes, glancing out of the peephole. A guard was usually always posted at the door and this time was no exception. My heart sunk and desperation left me on edge.
What did I do? I couldn’t just walk out.
Emotions tried to make themselves known, but deadened just as fast. I’d have to kill him. There was no other way. But how without him subduing me first? And what if West heard? Did I have a choice? I couldn’t wait all night for him to take a break. He’d be replaced with another guard. The Main Master’s quarters were never supposed to go unguarded. At least, concerning West. Bram had never had the need for the security my husband did.
A tear slid down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away. Where it had come from, I wasn’t sure. The need to cry wasn’t there. Just the frustration due to all the obstacles I kept coming across. When another streamed down, I couldn’t deny what my mind told me. My soul was exhausted. Inside, I was shattered. Physically, I was here, but mentally, I was more broken than I wanted to acknowledge. The repe
rcussions of the last few months had taken their toll. The only reason I was still able to function was because of instinct—survival. Once the world leveled around me, I didn’t stand a chance. Who was I if not a woman fighting to make it to the next day? What happened when there was no one left to fight but myself?
I wouldn’t think about that now. I’d think about the present. About the blood I had to spill, yet again.
My footsteps were nearly silent as I made my way into the kitchen. I knew the space like the back of my hand. Even with how dark it was, I found my way to the butcher block. The long blade slid free at my pull and there was no point in waiting. I stopped at the door, once again getting the location of the guard. He hadn’t moved from next to the barrier that separated us. His arm was in view, even if I couldn’t see his face.
The knob turned at the rotation of my wrist and I eased the door open as quietly as I could. The speed at which I thrust the knife surprised me. A gurgling gasp sounded and I pulled free, barely managing to shut the door as the guard stumbled away holding his throat. I’d yet to see his face, but it didn’t matter. I lunged forward, burying the knife into the side of his neck, just like I had before. This time, it pushed through, protruding out the other side. Blood dripped onto the ground and the weight of the man fell forward. I immediately spun, racing for the hall that I knew would lead me to the upper floors.
White blurred by as I pushed myself harder than I ever had. The length curved and felt as though it lasted forever. Elevation rose and rooms no longer occupied faded behind me. The lights ended and darkness swallowed me whole. I had no idea where to begin in my search. I had to be on the third or fourth floor now. There were no stairs that led higher. Only different halls that rose in a slow incline. A large opened room appeared as the hall split off in three different directions and I spun in a circle, trying to see what my eyes had adjusted to. There was a sofa and end tables off to the side and the room looked like some sort of sitting area.
My deep pants cut through the air and I whimpered through the throbbing in my head as well as the aching in my hand and ribs. I continued on, going higher. There was an eeriness in the silence. Even alone, I felt as though I were being watched. I didn’t think I was, but I couldn’t be for sure, either.
“Bram?”
I spoke quietly, jogging into an even longer hallway. I was going in a long circle around the mountain. It was disorienting and I wasn’t sure where I was in relation to mine and West’s wing. Was I on the side or directly across from it now? I internally groaned, wishing I would have stolen a peek through the windows.
“Bram?”
Again, I called out. Did he know I had escaped? Did he even care to watch me anymore? He had at one point. West had told me his obsession with keeping tabs on me. What had happened? Why didn’t he anymore? Or if he did, where was the protective Master who used to care for me?
“Bram?”
I braved calling out louder. The echo bounced from the dark walls and I slowed, trying to ease the ache that locked up my side. It was getting colder. Even with the long sleeve black dress, my bare feet and back could feel the bite of winter.
“Bram!”
“Everleigh.”
I slid to a stop, looking around the darkness, not seeing anything. Damn my mind for playing tricks on me now of all times. My hand reached out to the wall while I walked at a faster pace.
“Everleigh.”
Impatience filled the tone and a cry left me, but I didn’t stop.
“Slave!”
The growl had me whipping around to see a silhouette a few doors down. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. Not after all this time; all these false illusions.
“Bram?”
“Hurry up, we have to go.”
I raced forward, throwing myself in his nearly limp arms. The sob that clawed its way free shook my body, almost making me collapse at his feet. Bram’s scent was all too real. The spiciness wrapped around me like a safety blanket while I let him pull me deeper in the apartment. I wasn’t sure how he could see. It was even darker than the hallway, but when he led me through a closet, a light broke through. Thick concrete lined the barrier. I knew when he shut it behind us that it was a secret room. The realization stirred something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
Two chairs were set a few feet apart and there were laptops, two cots, and a small refrigerator. I stared at it all too baffled to speak. Slowly, I turned, meeting the eyes of the man I never thought I would see again. Dark circles rested below and his face was sunken in around his cheekbones. The sight was a knife twisting into my soul. Into the love and protectiveness I’d held for him. I waited for him to take me back in his arms, for something … but it never came. He kept distance making his betrayal all too real.
“It’s true, then.” I wiped away the tears, almost crying again as his hand let go of my bicep and dropped to his side. “Where have you been? Here?”
Bram’s fingers came up to his mouth, but he didn’t speak. He turned, walking to the chair to sit down. The dismissal threw up my walls even more. How could he do this to me? How was it so easy for him to turn his back on me?
“Bram?”
His head snapped over and the slave inside jumped at the anger he projected her way. He was a like a stranger compared to the familiarity I felt toward West. But he wasn’t. He was Bram—my Master. And he had been mine once. Why did that feel so long ago? Like a dream?
“You shouldn’t have come looking for me. It’s not safe for you.”
“Not safe?” My head shook and I inched closer, forcing myself forward until I was standing before him. Standing, not kneeling like I knew he would have preferred. “Not safe compared to what? Do you see me? Have you even really looked at the person before you?”
Bram’s eyes cut up, but lowered just as fast.
“I know you’ve been watching. Am I safer with West? Am I safer with my sick, sadistic husband? Why did you not come for me?”
My volume increased but it didn’t seem to affect him. Bram cocked his head back, staring up at me, hard. Silent. Unfeeling. My heart dropped and … nothing. Nothing but anger at the man I’d put above everyone else. And for what?
“You have nothing to say? You’re not going to tell me what happened after he tried to kill you? You’re still weak. I see that. I know—”
“You know nothing!” Bram flew from the chair, clutching my throat. Where he’d been emotionless before, I watched his mask crumbled while he glared into my eyes. “Three surgeries. Three deaths,” he said, using his grip to slightly shake me. “I think I’m coming back to find you being protected in the Cradle to discover this? My slave … married … tortured …fucking destroyed?” His eyes shut and he pulled my forehead to meet his. “You have no idea what I’ve gone through. What I’ve continued to go through while I caught up on what I missed. God, the rage I feel for what happened to you.”
“But you did nothing to change it.” I pulled out of his grip, swatting his hand away from me at the same time. “Even now, I’m here because I made it happen. Not because of something you did. You haven’t lifted a finger to help me. You turned your back on me.”
“Slave, you don’t understand.”
“You’re right,” I yelled. “I don’t. Have you seen what I’ve gone through for you? For defending your name. For professing my love in ways I knew West understood? I’ve been through hell to prove how much you meant to me. But you … not you. You let me rot, here.”
“That’s not entirely true. Do you think Eleven became devoted to you on his own? That was me! I made that happen at the last minute. I had him watching over you. He didn’t know it was me. He thought one of the guards would help him escape under your roof, but I gave him reason to watch out for you. That guard works for me. Had we not taken action, your life would have been so much worse in the White Room. You’d probably be dead right now.”
All I could do was shake my head. “Eleven? Escape under my roof?” Another betrayal and
one that slit me in two. “So let me get this straight. You had a guard get to him, but you didn’t think maybe to have him help me? Maybe break me free and keep me away from that monster who enjoys making me suffer?” At Bram’s pause, my hand shot up and I stepped closer to the door. “No. You don’t even have to say it. I know, you’re not my savior. I don’t even know why I hold to the thought that maybe you would try to help. You have bigger things to save. Like, this … place. I bet you would have let me die before Whitlock went to ruin. And you know, that’s okay.”
“Slave,” he stepped toward me, but I matched it, putting even more distance between us.
“I’m not your slave. I never was and I never will be.”
“Don’t say that.”
I turned to the door, too numb to feel the decimation that I knew had impacted the innocent girl who kept getting beat down. Who longed for a speck of peace and happiness. The torment that was my life was going to end one way or another. I wasn’t even trying to ponder what would happen between West and Bram. In my moment, I didn’t care anymore. Not for them. Only for myself.
“Don’t leave like this. Sleep here. At least until we can figure out what to do with you.”
Another shock that he’d even consider letting me leave. Had I expected some beautiful reunion between me and Bram? Whatever this was, this wasn’t anything like I had pictured. Bram was so unfeeling and detached. It wasn’t just the tone of his words or his actions, but in his energy. It left my insides colder than they had ever been.
Maybe I had learned to depend too much on myself, but I suddenly didn’t want to stay a moment longer. He was alive. There was a relief in that. And maybe even the peace I had hoped for. But like he said, tomorrow was another day. One that didn’t have him sweeping me into his arms and keeping me as his. Keeping me safe. Whatever moment we’d shared the day he’d gotten stabbed was over with. I knew it just as much as intuition told me a future for us was out of the question.
“Thank you for your offer, but I can figure this out on my own.” His mouth opened and I reached to place my palm against the door. “Don’t worry. You’re secret is safe with me. I’ll take it to my grave. Or … the incinerator. Whatever. Just know no one will ever get the truth from me.”