by Jones, L. A.
She chanted this five times before opening her eyes. There, as if he were still alive and well, stood Adrian.
"Holy crap!" Aradia cried out.
It was all she could do from leaping back in fright.
"What's wrong?" the apparition said.
He looked just as he had when Aradia had first met him. He even wore the same outfit: a dark blue polo shirt, jeans, and brown loafers. In spite of his illness, the apparition appeared tall with broad shoulders, a thick goatee on his round face, thick glasses, with curly black hair.
Aradia's eyes grew wide while he just raised an eyebrow.
"I know you don't I?" he inquired.
Aradia didn't say anything because the back of her hand was still clamped firmly to her mouth.
"Oh yeah now I remember," Adrian realized, "you're Roy's ex-girlfriend: Arcadia."
This seemed to snap Aradia back to reality.
"My name is Aradia," She snapped, "and I am not Roy's ex-girlfriend. I am his friend."
Or at least I used to be, but she kept that to herself.
Adrian just stared at her. "So what do you want from me?"
Does he know he's dead? Aradia wondered but decided not to push it. "I wanted to talk to you about the last year."
"What of it?"
"Did anything weird happen?" Aradia asked while trying to sound casual.
Adrian shook his head. Aradia sighed heavily.
However, after a moment passed Adrian lifted his head again. "Actually, now that you mention it there was something..."
Aradia's ears perked up. "Yes?"
Adrian shrugged. "I don't know if it is important or anything but a few years ago one of my doctors started giving me this new medication. I started feeling weird ever since."
"What new medication?" Aradia asked.
Adrian shrugged. "It was for my...drinking problem."
Aradia's eyes widened. "You drink?"
He sighed, "it's where I met my wife. A drinking rehab center. I know people advise against it...but you can't stop yourself from falling in love can you? No matter how inopportune the timing."
"Do you think your wife had something to do this?" Aradia inquired.
"Do with what?"
Should I tell him he is dead? I mean he has a right to know.
However, staring at the man and how innocent he looked made Aradia think twice.
"To do with you getting sick," Aradia explained tentatively. That's a compromise right?
Although Adrian nodded and then shook his head. "No, I don't think so. It's like I told you my doctor gave them to me."
"What was the new medication anyway?" Aradia asked. "What did it look like?"
Adrian shrugged. "They looked like small white pills..."
Aradia felt her heart stop.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Luckily, Aradia had read in the same book how to sever the tie between the spirit called. The last thing she needed was a ghost haunting her. All she had to do was close her eyes and chant in Latin five times, "Mea quaestiones respondit. Gratias ago ob auxilium dea monstrante viam. Requiem hoc anima in pace. Ita ut sit!"
My questions are answered. I thank the goddess for her help in showing me the way. Rest this soul in peace.
So may it be!
A gust of wind blew in from nowhere and in a swirl of misty smoke the apparition disappeared. Aradia started breathing heavily and even had to bend her head to prevent herself from throwing up.
I think I am getting a little better at this, Aradia thought to herself, I mean before I would just pass out for weeks but now I can actually stay awake.
However, she couldn't help but add as she wobbly got to her feet, it still drains me quite a bit. Ah well even Superman had a weakness I suppose.
Aradia was still breathing heavily as she thought about what she just learned. Is it possible? Is it really possible that Adrian was taking Rage and that is what killed him? But how? More importantly, why would his doctor have it? Furthermore, why would his doctor give it to him? Didn't he realize what it was?
Whether it was to help Melina or not, Aradia decided that there was something strange going on and she needed to find out more.
"Hey babe! Where you been?" Saul greeted as she walked through the loft door.
Aradia sighed heavily. "Listen Saul, we need to talk."
Saul stiffened and a mask of alarm almost twisted onto his face. Luckily, he managed to recover. "About what baby?"
Aradia groaned heavily. "For one thing stop calling me 'babe' or 'baby' okay? You sound like Austin Powers!"
Saul grinned.
Aradia couldn't help but smile but still she was determined to ask her question. "This drug 'Rage' where did you get it?"
Saul shrugged. "Around. Why?"
"Where exactly?"
Saul heaved a heavy breath and stared at the ground. After running his hand through his hair he said, "Look I will make you a deal. I will tell you where I got the drugs and I will even show you where I got them as a well. In exchange for one thing."
Aradia hoped Saul didn't hear her gulp. "What?"
Saul's gaze raked her from head to toe. "You let me take you shopping."
"I cannot believe we are doing this," Aradia murmured.
Saul didn't answer, he just pulled Aradia along the dark road. It was past two in the morning and the streets were eerily quiet. The only light that could be seen were the ominous beams of light from the street lamps. They were suppose to be for safety so Aradia thought it was ironic that the lights made the street seem more spooky. What was also ironic was that their final destination was the boutique Aradia had been admiring the previous day.
"Welcome to Selene, one of the most fashionable boutiques in Salem," Saul explained.
"Then why is it located here?" Aradia asked. A tilt of her head towards the trash and rat infested streets indicated and explained her reasoning.
Saul paused. "Well...I am guess property prices are up and beggars can't be choosers."
Aradia didn't looked convinced so Saul hastily changed the subject.
He turned to Aradia and took both her hands. "If you are going to be what you want to be you need to learn a few things."
He looked over at the iron bars. "Like how to get what you deserve."
He smiled once he noticed the lock. "Or more appropriately how to take it."
Aradia could see where this was going. "No way Saul! No way! That's stealing."
"So?"
"So?" Aradia repeated, "so?! Stealing is wrong! I can't do it."
Saul spun around and said, "yes you can do it! Furthermore, you can do it and you won't get caught!"
Aradia raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"
Saul chuckled softly. "Think about it Aradia. You can unlock locks, defuse security cameras, probably melt bullets before they even touch you, and so much more. Your fingerprints are not in any database. Hell! Since you are technically not human you probably won't even have any finger prints. At least none that can be proved in any court. You can even convince the judge to let you go just by using mind control..."
"Whoa! Whoa! Hold on there Saul," said Aradia. She held up hands to stop him. "I know I am human but that doesn't mean I can't abide by human laws. Furthermore, I can't control minds I can only read them if and only if I make physical contact. If I touch somebody and look it into their eyes than I can read their minds. Other than that there is no other way for me to do it."
Saul appeared to be disappointed but it passed after a few seconds.
He just shrugged again and said, "C'mon Aradia! Let's just do this! This is only one shop and you need clothes for our trip. We won't take much and we won't take any money."
"But Saul..." Aradia began.
"Look!" He suddenly seized her by the arms and looked her in the eye. "Think about it! You are not human Aradia. You never were and you never will be. Therefore, human laws and ethics mean nothing to you. You are a hidden and hiddens abide by only hidden laws."
&nbs
p; "And law number one," Saul said as he turned towards the lock, "is do what you want when you want to and we both know what you want to do right now."
Aradia stared at the lock and took it into her hands.
"Do it baby!" Saul whispered in her ear. "Be a hidden and obey our laws."
Aradia hesitated.
Saul was beginning to lose his temper. "Obey me!" he rasped.
Like a reflex, Aradia stared at the lock and in an instant it unlocked.
Aradia still stood uneasily at the threshold. Saul just grabbed the bars and pushed them up. Sensing her hesitation, Saul decided to force his hand. He broke the door knob off the front door and triggered the alarm system!
Aradia had been too spaced out to see him do it but the alarm shocked her back into reality. She pushed pass Saul and rushed into the store. Her head darted from left to right for the alarm box but she couldn't find it. At least not in time to shut it off before the police came unless...
She spread her feet apart and held out her arms. She closed her eyes and the tips of her fingers began to glow white. She was trying to sense the energy of the electricity in the store. It took her a few minutes but soon she was able to not only sense but hear it. She could hear it as if it were a small heart beating. She curved her fingers and the shrillness of the alarm began to slow until finally it stopped. The lights to the store then flew on and lit up the store as bright as day. Aradia opened her eyes and started to breathe heavily. She felt as if she was going to puke! Luckily, she was able to stop herself. She spun around, determined to get the hell out of the store. However, the gleam of the diamond necklace she had been admiring from before caught her eye. She knew she shouldn't but she went towards it. She stared at the necklace like a child would stare at candy.
"Take it," Saul whispered.
Aradia only hesitated a few seconds before grabbing it. The next few moments she didn't hesitate at all. She practically ran through the store grabbing everything that caught her sight. She became as giddy as a little girl on Christmas day twirling around with her arms filled with stuff.
Once they got back to the loft, Aradia spent the next two hours trying on everything she stole. Saul just laid down on the couch and watched her as she spun around in all of her outfits. Until finally she made her decision. The outfit consisted of a black lacy halter crop top with ties in the front. Her pants were leathery and had rhinestones on the top. She wore a belt that also had rhinestones on it but what made it extra special were the two roses that were attached to the side.
Aradia didn't know if it was because she was a hidden or not but her hair always grew back extremely fast. At least on the top of her head, the rest of her body Aradia was thankful to say was slower. Although she cut her hair four months ago it had all grown back by now and hung around her face like liquid fire. When she stood in the mirror, an exquisite looking goth girl stated back at her.
"Dear lord," she muttered, "I don't even look like myself."
Saul said nothing.
Aradia then tried to put on the diamond necklace but was having some difficulty with the clasp. This is when Saul finally got up and went to Aradia. He took the necklace from her hands and effortlessly fastened it behind her neck.
"You have such a beautiful neck," Saul crooned.
"I bet you say that to all the girls," Aradia murmured, "and it would be no surprise being a vampire and all."
Saul chuckled as he put his arms around her stomach. He then slowly put his chin on her shoulder. Aradia thought it was weird that she could feel Saul and yet in the mirror she couldn't see him.
"Is it hard?" Aradia asked, "Being a vampire?"
Saul snorted. "Believe it or not, it sucks!"
"Why?"
"Because," He said as he cupped Aradia's chin, "we are forced to be trapped in time and watch everything we love die. We feel like killers and act more like animals. Animals have it all well and good but only because they don't have ethics. Us? The entire time I am eating someone I am debating should I let her live or not? I mean I could hypnotize her into forgetting which is what I usually do. But for christ's sake, I could kill her as easily as one would tear a piece of paper in half. I don't think you understand how intoxicating it is having that kind of power."
Saul let go of her and Aradia turned around to face him. "I mean yeah we stay young and beautiful but see what it costs us?"
He turned from her and hung his head. "Every romance we have is doomed. I mean people always say you will love them forever but I can assure you that that's bullshit! Eventually, you go your separate ways. Every time! Sometimes its because you found someone new or you just get bored. So imagine an eternity of bad break-ups! Not really appealing eh?"
"It goes without saying we can never have a family at least not in the traditional sense. We can never have children or anything. Not even a dog! Because chances are you might eat it or somebody else will! But what sucks even more is the power struggle!"
"Power struggle?"'Aradia had definitely not been expecting that.
Saul chortled darkly. "Do you know what it really means to be a vampire? It means you have endless spare time! You have to find something to do for an eternity so the most bored vampires end up engaged in power struggles. They build up armies, mobs, and god knows what else. It's not so bad at least until they decide to start recruiting. Although I wouldn't call it recruiting when it's more like being forced. All of sudden you are being threatened or used as cannon fodder and god knows what else. So that's the kind of life you can look forward to as a vampire. An eternity alone as a tool or trying not to become another casualty."
Is that Dax how lived? Aradia thought and then shook her head trying to banish him from her thoughts. She shouldn't be thinking of Dax. Not anymore. He had used her, played her, and then broken her heart. He didn't deserve to be in her thoughts. He didn't deserve her.
Besides Aradia had moved on, she had started anew. She had to focus on her new life now. Her new life now consisted of her being here on her own and with Saul. Aradia stared up at Saul who smiled back at her. There were many things about Saul that were similar to Dax but it was as if they were the sun and the day. There had been a time when Aradia could easily compare Dax to the sun. Irony is that I still can because if you are not careful the sun can burn you.
As for the night, it can be scary but it's comforting and cool. It can protect you. It can help you. It can never burn or hurt you. As if to prove a point, Saul reached out to touch Aradia's cheek. His skin felt cold and soothing against her own.
"So beautiful," he murmured, "so exquisite!"
He moved closer to her as Aradia enjoyed his caress. "You are so special Aradia. There is nobody in the world quite like you. You are one of kind. The most special and beautiful woman of them all."
He took both of his hands under her chin and tilted her up to look at him. His black eyes stared into hers like all consuming pools of darkness.
"And you are mine!" This is what he whispered seductively as he claimed her lips with his.
In spite of them living together, their body contact had been limited to Saul touching her lightly. He would put his arms around her and sometimes kiss her neck but that would be all. The time at the club had been their first kiss. However, this was how Saul had planned it. He knew that Aradia's rape had made her cautious but most of all traumatized. There's no telling what a man's touch could do to her. In order to get her to trust him or at least his touch he would have to limit it.
Gaining her trust had been easy but getting her loyalty was another matter. Saul, however, was an expert in procuring female alliances. In fact this had been his job before he was recruited into Keon's platoon. He had joined the coup because he wanted more. He had received it when he was appointed Keon's second in command. He had enjoyed the new power immensely but that didn't mean he didn't miss his old job sometimes.
Aradia stood stock still as Keon thrust his tongue into hers. A part of her wanted to push him away but...Ever since the rap
e she had hated a man's touch which sometimes led to intimacy problems with Dax. She couldn't deny that that may have been why Dax had cheated on her.
She finally shoved Saul away. "I am sorry but after what Henry did to me..."
She couldn't finish the sentence and turned away.
It was hard but Saul was able to rein in his anger. A part of him wanted to strike Aradia for denying him but such a move would be counterproductive. However, Saul knew from experience that the ultimate way to win a woman's loyalty was to get her to bed. He couldn't afford to put off winning her loyalty anymore. The Sovereign wasn't known for extending his deadlines. He had given Saul the end of the summer to convince Aradia to join their cause. If he wasn't able to do it by then...
He shook his head. Tonight, he realized, tonight I must get her to bed. I must win her loyalty.
He then walked up slowly behind her. So it's a good thing that I am not a novice at such matters. I know what to say and how to make her want me.
He softly put his hand on her shoulders and began to massage them.
"Saul, please!" Aradia pleaded.
"Shh!" Saul said as he placed a kiss lightly on the back of her neck. "I know that you don't want me to do anything and I won't Aradia."
His hands slid down her arms. "I won't do anything to you Aradia, I promise."
"Then stop touching me!"
Aradia tried to struggle but he caught both her hands and folded them into front of her stomach. He then placed a kiss on the side of her neck. He slowly ran his tongue over her ear as he trailed more kisses down her neck. He wrapped his finger around the halter top strap and slowly pulled it down. Kissing her bare shoulder as it was revealed.
"Saul please!"
"Sh! Aradia, I love you. I love you so much. You are an amazing woman. You are perfect in every way. You are the most gorgeous woman I have ever met." His lips never left her skin as he whispered all this to her. In his experience, words helped to lower a woman's guard. He knew that in spite of the rape, Aradia would eventually crave a man's touch. All he had to do was be gentle with her, reassure her confidence with compliments, and stroke her animal instincts with his hands.