by annie nadine
CHAPTER 35
Two days passed with no sign of Eli. Baden had looked for him and came up short every time. Annie was stooped in the guilt and pain of it all and nothing helped to bring her out of her misery.
One day, when Baden was with Annie in her room trying to comfort her, there was a knock at the door. They both froze and stared at each other for a moment then Baden disappeared back to the trees. Annie ran to the door in hopes to see Eli but was disappointed when she opened the door to find Garrick standing there.
“Miss Belle, Mr. Brighton has requested that you meet him in town,” he said and handed her a small slip of paper. Confusion clouded her face as she took the note and unfolded it. There was an address and a time sprawled across the paper. She looked to the clock on the mantel then back to Garrick.
“This is in twenty minutes,” she said bemused.
“Then it would be best to leave immediately,” Garrick suggested.
He seemed grim but Annie hardly noticed. She slipped on the nearest shoes she could find, which were a sensible walking shoe, then followed him to a waiting carriage. Her day dress was simple and white but suitable enough for town. He helped her into her seat in the carriage but did not join her. She did not query why, as she was too concerned with meeting Eli. So off she went to try and rectify the situation.
In her rush she did not have time to tell Baden of her plans but he followed closely behind.
The moment the carriage stopped, Annie jumped out without waiting for the driver to assist, and she rushed to the address written. She was already a few minutes late and she was fearful that Eli would leave before she arrived. Without knocking she ran into the building and stopped when the place was dark and empty. Dilapidated would have been the best word to describe it, absolutely nothing but cobwebs and dust lived in the place. Her breathing was heavy from her rush to get there and it took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. She heard footsteps off to the side and before she could be overcome with fear she looked and saw Micah coming toward her.
“Micah, where is Eli?” She asked worriedly.
“He asked me to meet you here so I could direct you to him,” he said convincingly. She did not consider the fact that the last time Eli and Micah had spoken, Eli had tried to kill him. Everything was overshadowed with her thoughts of Eli at the moment and obvious details went by unnoticed.
“Why?” She asked as he placed his hand on her back and led her out the door she had just come through.
“He wanted your meeting to be private. This is to change the trail of any who may be following,” Micah explained easily enough. Though he had meant Baden she thought he was referring to just anyone in particular that was in the area that Eli considered dangerous.
Micah helped her into a carriage she had never seen before that was waiting just outside the building. He took the seat next to her and drew the curtains so no one could see in. Without warning, the seat adjacent to them lifted up revealing Garrick. He stepped out of the concealed space and brushed himself off. Silently he placed himself on the now closed secret compartment and acted as if he had been sitting there the whole time. Annie looked at him, astonished by his sudden appearance. She waited expectantly to be enlightened.
“Soon everything will be revealed. However, for the time being we must take you to a location where you are safe,” Garrick explained ambiguously. Annie gave up before she even began asking any questions.
Baden hid across the street and watched as Annie had been swept away by Micah. He moved to intervene but stopped short when Eli suddenly stepped in front of his path.
“I think it is time you and I caught up?” Eli said letting every bit of his hatred show.
“As much as I would love to do that, I must be off. If you had not noticed Annie was just taken by Micah,” Baden said as he stepped around Eli.
“Just another excuse,” Eli accused. Baden turned to him, deciding not to hide his own loathing any longer.
“The more time we waste here the more time he has to hurt her. Feel free to try and ‘take me down’, or whatever it is you plan to do, after Annie is safe.” Baden turned to walk away but was stopped by Eli’s hand grabbing his arm. Trying to compose himself for Annie’s sake he turned back to Eli.
“Has he really taken her?” Eli asked, his face now pale and his eyes fearful. Baden simply nodded. There was something about Eli’s reaction that wasn’t quite right to him but he wasn’t focused on anything other than Annie at the moment, so he didn’t try to decipher what it was. “Then let us find her. How good are you at tracking?” Baden gave a look as if to say, seriously? “Then lead the way,” Eli demanded.
“Try to keep up,” Baden said. He didn’t try to hide the fact that he thought Eli would be a burden and that he would rather ensure Annie’s safety on his own. With their awkward provisional truce agreed, they were off.
After a short time of travelling the carriage pulled over to the side of the road and Micah jumped out. He turned to Annie as he held the door open theatrically after his exit and smiled.
“All good things come to those who wait,” he said reaffirming what Garrick had said earlier. She rolled her eyes and he laughed as he closed the door. Then the carriage was back in motion.
“Where is he off to?” She asked knowing she wouldn’t get an answer.
“Somewhere other than where we are,” Garrick said. With a frustrated huff Annie settled back in her seat and prepared herself for a long trip, just in case. She had no idea where they were going.
To her surprise, shortly after their stop, they pulled over and Garrick assisted her out of the carriage. She looked up and realised they were at the Westwood estate, where she had discovered what Baden was.
“We have some of your things in the carriage along with some food. Do not look so glum, our stay is intended to be a short one,” Garrick assured and started to help the coachman unload the trunks.
“Oh joy,” Annie said under her breath. Little did she know that her stay would be much shorter than anyone had planned.
CHAPTER 36
Baden and Eli ran through the trees of a forest that was roughly forty minutes out of town. Micah had left a purposely strong scent for his trail and Baden followed it easily. Eli stayed close behind but struggled to keep the pace with Baden. Eli was astounded at how strong Baden was. What he didn’t know was that Baden was running much slower than he was capable of for his sake.
As they ran Eli was starting to wonder if he could actually do this. All he had to do was get Baden into the house and the rest should be easy. Except for the fact there was another indestructible snatcher in the house that he was about to step into, with his estranged and volatile brother. Eli pushed out his doubts and continued forcing his body to move. This was the first time ever that he had felt puffed.
Baden slowed to a more manageable pace then stopped shortly after. Eli hid his strained breathing so Baden wouldn’t know he was tired. They crept up to a small clearing where the cottage resided and crouched behind some shrubs.
The cottage was covered by the canopy of the trees but rays of sun filtered through, ironically giving it a heavenly presence. The trees grew around the structure, without imposing on its space, and it became part of the forest. If you weren’t looking for it as you passed you might actually miss it. The ground was covered in a sea of fallen, dead leaves. The cottage itself was in quite good shape; it was small but quaint and made entirely of wood. If it didn’t house an unstoppable, murderous soul snatcher it would actually be a nice place to stay.
“I did not know it was this close,” Eli whispered to himself. Baden looked at him as if he were strange.
“What?” He asked. Eli internally panicked but kept himself composed.
“I just did not think Micah would keep her so close,” he lied easily. Baden found the explanation plausible enough, and took Eli’s anxious feelings to be concern for Annie, so he turned his attention back to the house.
Eli momentarily closed
his eyes in relief then refocused on what was going on. Baden couldn’t feel Micah anywhere close by but he could feel another snatcher’s presence inside. He wasn’t too worried, he would be able to deal with him easily. The only thing he was curious about was why he couldn’t feel Annie. Eli spoke before Baden could think too much on it.
“I will go in first,” Eli suggested hoping that Baden would refuse him. He had no back-up plan if he didn’t but Eli supposed that was what a bluff was.
“No, I will go in and you follow up behind me,” Baden said. Another bout of relief filled Eli. Baden started to move and suddenly Eli panicked. This was it, he was about to completely and utterly ruin his brother’s life.
“Baden, wait,” Eli said stopping him with a hand on his arm. Baden looked down to Eli’s hand and he moved it away.
“What?” Baden asked impatiently.
“I…I…” Eli paused to try and think of what he was trying to say. Baden was becoming impatient and raised his brow to hurry Eli along. “I just want you to know that I regret coming back the night you turned.”
Baden was shocked by his brother’s words because he could feel the truth behind them.
“That…” But when Baden tried to think of what he thought of the apology he gave up. There was no use in talking about it now. “Can we discuss that later?” He asked wanting to focus on the task at hand. Eli nodded and let it drop.
Eli started to feel guilty. He had just apologised for what he had done years ago, and had really meant it, and now he was about to do the same thing. As they crept up to the house Eli found no use in playing it over in his mind. He just had to do what he had to do.
When Baden reached the door he slowly turned the handle. Eli used the noise to cover his movements as he pulled the dagger from his coat. His hand was shaking and as much as he willed it to stop it wouldn’t. The door swung open and there was nothing but blackness inside. Baden could easily see through the shadows but there was nothing there.
After assessing the situation Baden stepped inside the long forgotten home. As soon as he was over the threshold Eli raised his hand that held the dagger. After a moment of hesitation he saw a figure move in the shadows and there was no more time. He had to do it now or the imprisoned soul snatcher would expose him.
“Baden,” Eli called from behind before he could take a step away from the door. As Baden turned to him Eli thrust the dagger into his chest.
With regret in his heart and guilt in his soul, Eli betrayed his only brother once again.
Baden staggered back a few steps, not from the force of it but from the unexpectedness. He looked down and held onto the dagger with both hands. Now realising where he was and what had happened, he looked up at Eli with utter hatred burning in his fiery, blue eyes. Why had he not read Eli’s soul more closely? He would have felt the deceit more clearly.
Eli quickly moved away from the threshold back outside, keeping his eyes on Baden the whole time. Their eyes locked whilst Baden slowly pulled the dagger from his chest. In a movement faster than even Eli could see, Baden threw the dagger and it sliced through Eli’s skin into his shoulder. Eli fell to the ground from the velocity of the throw and the pain was instant.
Baden stepped up to the doorway and stood behind his invisible partition. Eli looked up to him and all he could see on Baden’s face was sheer detestation. Nothing would ever remove the odium of what had just happened. They would never reconcile and it would always be Eli who threw the dagger first.
“I could have killed you but I did not for one simple reason, you will find Annie and ensure she is not in harm’s way. You will come back and inform me that she is safe. Do you understand?” Baden growled the words through gritted teeth.
“Do you not understand? This was all a plan to do this to you. She is safe!” Eli said as he started to pull the dagger out of his shoulder. Pain drenched his voice. It had gone so far in that it was difficult to pull out.
“No, you do not understand! Micah will stop at nothing to get what he wants and he wants Annie. You are a fool for trusting him to be part of this,” Baden yelled. Eli pulled the dagger out and could barely contain a scream. Why hadn’t Baden been hurt as much? Eli staggered to his feet and gripped the bloody dagger in his hand.
“Why would I come back here and tell you?” Eli asked feeling weak from his wound.
“I have heard a few whispers along my travels and it is said that there is a way to be freed from the restriction on this place. It is my promise to you that if you do not ensure Annie’s safety, and inform me of it, then I will kill you the day I can step out of here,” Baden threatened and his words were like nightmares. “You know that I can kill you but you however cannot kill me…think about how that fight would end.”
“And if what you heard of escape is merely rumour?” Eli asked bluffing. Who knew if anything anyone heard anymore was true?
“Then I will find another way to get at you until you wish you were never born.” Baden was fed up with the time wasting and if he hadn’t been restricted by the house Eli would have been dead by now.
“How did you find out that you could not be killed?” Eli asked. “I did not find out until after you were turned and you were long gone by then.”
“Sorry to break it to you but information that the trackers believe is purely between them is not. In fact, most of it is common knowledge in the snatcher world. You are far behind,” Baden said impatiently. “Now go,” he ordered.
Eli looked at him for a moment longer before slowly moving away from the house. As he walked, his wound started to heal so he started to run. He just had to get to Annie now, to make sure she was safe. The more he thought of Annie the faster he ran. How far away was the house? Had she really gotten there safe or was there something he overlooked in his plan?
All these questions swam through his head as he made his way to her, hopefully to find that she was well.
Baden turned to find Stewart standing at the end of the hall. He was shorter than Baden and a little stocky but still muscular. His hair was wild and golden brown. He stood with his arms folded and Baden could tell he had just witnessed the encounter with Eli.
“Stewart,” Baden addressed him as if they had already met.
“So you are Baden Brighton?” He asked which confused Baden. Stewart must have realised what he was thinking because he answered Baden’s unspoken question. “There are those who know my location and they tend to share news of the world’s events. Word spreads quickly about you when you are noted as the strongest snatcher ever to exist.”
“Apparently it does,” Baden commented. Ironically, for someone so strong he was feeling completely defeated.
“You have not truly heard of a way to escape from this place have you?” Stewart asked though he already knew the answer. Baden sighed before he answered.
“No, have you or any of your visitors?” Baden asked feeling hopeless. Stewart shrugged.
“What has been rumoured to work has been tried and has failed. There are those who still seek the answer but so far there is none,” Stewart said and this time he actually looked a little defeated himself. He dropped his hands to his side and relaxed his stance.
“Then I suppose you and I should become better acquainted,” Baden offered feeling uncomfortable with the situation.
It seemed that it would turn out to be a rather long existence for Baden after all, longer than he had anticipated.
CHAPTER 37
Eli ran up to the Westwood house and burst through the door where Annie was planned to be. Garrick ran to the entry with a dagger ready but dropped it as soon as he saw it was Eli.
“What is it, Sir?” Garrick asked confused. He looked to Eli’s shoulder and saw the wound.
“It has healed,” Eli assured him before he could become alarmed. “Is Annie here?” He asked looking past Garrick to search the rooms he could see within his view.
“Yes. Where else would she be?” Garrick thought Eli wasn’t making any sense.
“Baden told me to check on her. He believes Micah cannot be trusted,” Eli explained looking back to him.
“Baden?” Annie asked as she stepped out of one of the rooms close by. Garrick and Eli both turned to her, surprised by her sudden appearance. “Where is Baden?” She asked. Eli and Garrick looked to each other but remained silent.
Annie walked up to both of them and stood between them, facing Eli. She had her arms crossed and looked at him with the fiercest look she could muster.
“Tell me, Eli. Where is your brother?” She asked. Garrick took a step back to remove himself from the situation. Eli looked at her and found he could not say anything. What was he going to say? How was he going to justify what he had done?