“You’re not ready,” he said. “You shouldn’t have come back here.”
“I had to.”
“Why?”
Prudence turned, wiping the tears from her eyes.
Bastian squinted. “Why did you have to?”
“I just did.”
She walked towards him.
“Prudence? What’s going on?”
She put her hands to his waist and then rose up to gently kiss his lips.
What is this? His mind whispered to her.
What do you think? Hers whispered back.
He allowed her to take his hand and they left the room together.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Their wedding night. Their wedding night.
How he had waited. How he had dreamed of this marvelous encounter.
She accepted him. Accepted her place in his heart.
He glanced back, and looked at her sitting pleasantly on top his bed … shoes off. Legs relaxed. And he turned back to the mirror where he was taking off his robe … wondering … how he could have ever thought about taking her against her will…
True love, that was what he wanted. To pleasure her body as well as her mind. And yet the journey here had not been easy. To control his violence. His temper. Well … maybe he hadn’t done such a great job of that after all. But even still. She was here. She knew she belonged to him.
Bastian carefully removed each of his gloves. He set them down on the dresser, his eyes poised on the ring which beheld his finger. He drew a line around it. Massaged the area. There was comfort here. A comfort he’d never understood before.
He turned back to face her. Just to see if she was real. If he wasn’t dreaming once again…
“I’m sorry,” Bastian said.
“What for?” Pru replied innocently.
“I’m sorry I hurt you.”
He dropped his pants and kicked off his shoes. Bastian walked calmly, firmly towards the bed.
“Why don’t you get underneath the covers?” he suggested.
Prudence nodded.
She climbed onto her knees and began unzipping her dress from behind. Bastian got onto the bed and helped her.
The pair now naked, they entered the warm covers of the bed as he suggested. Pru tilted on her side, her head just above the pillow. Bastian looked into her eyes.
“I want to be sure,” he said.
“Sure of what?”
“That you understand me.”
She nodded solemnly. “I understand you.”
“And do you love me?”
Pru hesitated. “Why does it have to be in words?”
“It doesn’t.”
Her fingers touched his hand.
Something … something didn’t feel right. She was … forcing herself into this…?
Bastian sat up further. “I don’t want you to do anything that you don’t want to do.”
Pru stared back blankly.
“I’m serious.”
She put her hand behind his neck and stroked his hair.
Bastian melted. He could feel her warm body burning through his coldness.
He… He had to touch her…
He had to touch all of her.
Bastian rolled on top of her and spread her legs apart. He kissed her deeply as he thrust inside of her, again and again and again.
There was no one else.
No one else in this forever.
This was the start of everything. The future they’d only dreamed of and imagined.
And Prudence loved him as he loved her.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Or not.
While Bastian was drifting away to sleep in the dark of the room, Prudence was wide awake. She tentatively lifted his hand and away from her breast and took hold of his wedding ring.
She paused.
Looked at him sideways from across the pillow.
His eyes were closed and his breathing deep.
Pru wondered in that moment, what it would be like if she just put his hand back around her. If she allowed herself to fall asleep. Could she forget it? Could she forget what he’d done?
Reese appeared in her mind. His strength. His grit.
What would he say to her now?
Pru pinched her fingers together, and dragged the ring away from Bastian. She then pushed the covers back a little and stood upright on the floor.
Bastian rolled over to his side.
Pru shivered, afraid he was about to wake up.
When he didn’t she quickly moved towards her discarded clothing and got dressed. She stuffed Bastian’s ring in her pocket, and took her own off while she was at it and stored them together.
Pru opened the bedroom door and closed it behind her. She hurried along the corridor and rushed to the landing where there was a staircase leading down. She entered the living area where there was the fireplace with blue and pink flames – looking around – trying to navigate herself. It was hard to remember where the entrance was exactly.
Pru went to the door at the far end of the room and exited there. She walked down a narrow corridor for a bit before it opened out into an oval shape. Now she had three paths to choose from. She looked down each of them, nothing about their appearances giving much away. Pru picked one at random and then continued on her way.
A shuffling of feet up ahead.
Pru spotted one of Bastian’s servants, a tall gentleman in a dark suit, walking across the open pathway, unaware of her presence. Pru peeled round the corner and her eyes followed him to another wide staircase, leading down once again. She had a feeling she was heading in the right direction.
Once the coast was clear, she started to follow him – but it soon became apparent Pru hadn’t been careful enough –
“Madame?” Phillipa’s fretful voice rang out from down the corridor. “Madame…?”
Pru turned towards her. “Hi there. Did … Bastian send you after me?”
Phillipa shook her head. “I heard you moving past my room. Is there something you’re after? Some food perhaps?”
Pru sighed. “I’m trying to find my way out of here.”
“What for?”
“I – I must go back to my … my place –”
“Why wouldn’t you just ask the Master to teleport you there?”
“I don’t want him to know until I’m gone.”
“Oh. I see.”
Pru grabbed hold of Phillipa’s wrists. “Can you help me? Do you know where a portal might be?”
“I might,” Phillipa said softly. “But I’ll be punished if I help you.”
“Well, you should – you should come too.”
“How – how can I?” Phillipa trembled. “He will just find me and bring me back here.”
“No, you see, there are – there are people who –”
“Who what?”
“Some people will help us. I – look, can you just trust me? Trust me it will be okay.”
Phillipa stared at her. “I don’t know … I really don’t…”
“You can’t waste your life here,” Pru said. “You owe yourself that.”
Phillipa swallowed. “Okay. Let’s … I’ll show you the way out…”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The doors to the palace opened. The iron gates parted. Gears turned, and wind howled and all at once it seemed that the palace had awoken and all its servants were full of incessant conversation. It was only when Prudence looked back at it, did she truly see that no one was following them and they were alone out here. In the dead of night.
Phillipa crouched at the forest’s edge and touched the earth beneath them.
Pru stood beside her. “What are you doing?”
“Shoosh.”
Pru glanced down skeptically. She couldn’t figure out what she was doing.
And then… She heard it.
The sound of a small horse trotting towards them.
As Phillipa stood up, the beautiful creature with white fur and a silver mane stalked f
orward, eyeing them carefully.
Phillipa approached the stead and placed her head against his muzzle, whispering to him.
Pru wasn’t sure what she was to make of it.
Phillipa turned back to her. “Python will take us to the other side of the forest.”
“What do you mean?” Pru asked. “Are we supposed to –?”
“Yes,” Phillipa said leading her to the horse. “Go on. Touch his fur. Let him know who you are.”
Python’s blue eyes pierced Prudence. She touched him lightly.
Python stepped back briefly and lowered his head.
“He’s okay with you,” Phillipa said. “You get on first.”
“What? How –”
“Please, before he finds out we’re missing.”
“Okay…” Pru murmured.
Phillipa helped her onto the back of the horse, and then joined her shortly after.
“You hold onto me,” Phillipa said. “I’ll hold onto Python.”
Prudence complied. Without word the horse took off at blinding speed, the trees and wind and rain racing by them.
As Prudence clung to Phillipa she noticed how thin she was, how weak. It frightened her because she was now supporting Prudence’s weight in a way … and at the speed the horse was going they would surely be injured if they were to fall.
Thankfully, they did not fall. The journey itself was fast – no more than ten minutes – they were there – on the other side of the forest. Prudence could see the beach, and the platform where she’d stood with Bastian when he asked her to be his valentine.
Python had slowed down and was trotting alongside this platform, coming to stop beside a series of steps. Phillipa got down first and then helped Prudence down. She put her face into his mane and whispered to him again.
Prudence stepped back. She was light footed. Dizzy. She listened to the sound of the ocean’s waves hoping they would centre her. It was a bit optimistic.
Phillipa turned to her. “We’re almost there now.”
“At the portal? Where is it?”
“Let’s go up and see.”
They moved past Python who remained stationary, and then made their way up the steps to the platform. Prudence followed Phillipa across it, until they were nearing the edge of the island’s maze.
Phillipa stopped where the hedges parted.
“Through here,” she said.
Prudence stood beside her. “This maze is the one from the painting, isn’t it? Back at the palace…?”
Phillipa nodded.
“I don’t want to go in there,” Pru said. “I’ve got this … this horrible feeling…”
“We don’t have a choice anymore,” Phillipa said. “We can’t go back. He’ll kill us.”
“Are you sure there’s a portal…?”
“I’m sure.”
It made sense enough. This was where Pru had first arrived in this world. Before the lighthouse. Before the dress on the bed. She’d arrived through here. Would this mean she’d be in the maze in her time if she walked through? Where was the portal exactly…?
“Go on,” Phillipa urged her.
“Okay,” Pru whispered. She closed her eyes. “Here goes.”
She put her feet out, and stepped underneath the labyrinth’s archway. She took a few more steps, her heels tapping against the concrete. There were no audible sounds. No change in temperature. She couldn’t tell whether Phillipa was still behind her.
Pru opened her eyes.
She was still here. She hadn’t crossed yet.
She turned back around.
Phillipa hadn’t moved. But her expression had changed somewhat.
“What’s that look for?” Pru whispered. “Are you … are you coming?”
She walked towards Phillipa but was immediately knocked down by an invisible barrier.
“No,” Prudence moaned, sitting up. Her fingers reached forward, trying to penetrate the air. “No, no, no, no…”
“If you ever find your way out of there, you better hope the Master’s not around.”
“What do you mean? What are you talking about?”
Phillipa reached into her shirt and produced a switch blade. She slashed at the sides of arms, blooding spilling about everywhere. The blade hit the ground.
“Fucking hell!” Pru shrieked. “What are you doing? Are you crazy?”
“I know what you’ve been up to, Prudence,” Phillipa said. “I know about Reese.”
“Yes, yes, I was telling you all –”
“We’ll see what Bastian has to say about this.”
“What?”
Phillipa turned around. She began walking away.
“Hey!” Pru cried. “Phillipa! Come back here! Phillipa!”
Phillipa did not come back.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
I’ve seen this already, Prudence thought to herself. I’ve seen where the exit is. I can find my way out of here. I can. I must…
She stepped away from the deceiving entrance and set forth down the darkened pathway. Thunder and lightning crashed in the sky, and the wet bite of the chilly rain hit her hard. In the distance she could hear Python galloping away – at least she thought she could. She still couldn’t get over what Phillipa had done. It was out of nowhere. She really thought she could trust her. Why … why on earth would she want to remain as a slave to that monster?
For the same reason you wanted to be his wife.
“Shut up,” Pru said out loud.
She trudged further, somewhat aimlessly down the maze’s path, choosing her ups and downs, lefts and rights, at complete random.
Soon I’ll find my way out. By morning at least. This has to lead somewhere…
A portal, hopefully. She couldn’t tell whether Phillipa had meant to say that there was still a portal somewhere inside this maze, or if the entire thing was a trap. Perhaps Phillipa didn’t even know herself. Perhaps only Bastian knew.
For so long … darkness. Little more than lightning strikes to guide her.
And then Prudence noticed some strange glowing colors up ahead. Pinks and greens and purples. Flashing in sequence. A portal … perhaps?
She followed them.
Soon the lights were in her path. And it did appear to be a portal or at least a telekinetic barrier of some kind. She approached it cautiously.
As she stood in front of it, she noticed it emitted a low humming sound. She couldn’t see what was on the other side of it – it was too dark. It may have been the other side of this part of the maze, or … perhaps it was somewhere else entirely.
“What the hell,” Pru muttered.
She reached forward and put her arm into it.
Cold. Gooey.
Sticky.
She brought the rest of her through, and was covered with an uncomfortable substance or residue. She looked up hopefully towards the other side, and saw she hadn’t been transported anywhere. But… Something was moving…
“Oh shit,” Pru whispered.
A gigantic red and blue spider was moving quickly down the path towards her. She screamed out in horror, realizing that the portal was merely an illusion, and now she was trapped in its web, her feet frozen to the ground.
“Help!” Pru squealed. “If anyone’s there! Please … HELP!”
The spider advanced on her, it’s sharp teeth dripping venom within it.
Pru closed her eyes.
This was her end. Her fate. Her destiny.
But… No.
No biting came. No poison. No devouring.
Pru opened her eyes and saw the spider was retreating.
There was something behind her.
“Hello…?” Prudence called. “Is … is that you Bastian?”
A hand reached down and pulled her up from the ground.
It wasn’t Bastian’s.
CHAPTER TWENTY
The sky’s sunlight was cruel. Its depiction of a beautiful day, was a lie.
Crashing … Crashing …
Cras
hing back to earth –
The slam of a car door and footsteps on the charcoaled concrete. He zipped up his leather jacket and straightened his shades. He walked up along the grass towards the maze’s entrance, past the Valentine’s Day sign, and entered. This day at the end of winter was hot and piercing, unlike any before or since. He knew it had to be this way, and yet … there was so much he didn’t know. So much that was still to be explained.
He walked slowly round to the maze’s centre, or roughly around where it should have been. No sign of her. No sign that she’d ever been here. He knew if she didn’t show it wouldn’t be the last time he’d come back here, but this was surely the last time with hope.
A year had passed since Bastian had been with Prudence.
A year since their wedding night.
A year since she’d disappeared.
A year to the day.
He looked around as someone moved through the pathway in front of him, but then saw that it was a stranger, the smile deflating. It was okay. He had this. He still had hours until he was sure she would show.
What happened to you? His mind screamed. Please just answer me. If you can hear, say something.
But of course there was nothing.
No reply.
Silent as the air.
Bastian looked sideways, touching his finger, the one that’s ring was missing. He knew all too well that she had taken it. And a step in that direction was a step away from his heart.
“She’s deceived you,” the servant girl’s words echoed. “She’s betrayed you.”
“No,” Bastian whispered.
“She’s gone.”
NOOO!!!
Bastian stepped forward, breathing in deeply.
There were no more words inside him.
Nothing to think. Nothing to feel.
Until she found her way to him, the world was dead.
“You,” a voice cried out accusingly. “It’s you.”
Bastian turned. Facing him was a woman in her mid to late twenties. There was something about her that was familiar. Something he recognized.
“What did you do to her?” the woman demanded.
Bastian stared at her. “You’re … you’re her friend. You’re Prudence’s friend…”
Vampire's Labyrinth (Vampire's Valentine Book Three) Page 4