by Cege Smith
David knew that he was focusing on the wrong things. He needed to be figuring out a way out, but then it would hit him again that even though he thought he was twenty-nine, he was in fact almost a century old. How was that even possible? Then the never-ending circle of thoughts and diatribes would begin again. He wanted to remember, if for no other reason than to regain some semblance of who he was.
The pacing made him even warmer, so David stopped to lean up against the wall in his favorite corner, which was as far away from the fireplace as possible. His eyes had just closed when he felt that cool breeze again. It hadn’t come by in so long that he had almost forgotten what it felt like, and he sighed. What caught his attention and brought his thoughts back to the present was when the breeze continued for more than thirty seconds.
His eyes fluttered open, and then widened. There, next to the fireplace, was a window. A window that had not existed when he retreated to his corner. It was open, and gaily bright yellow sheet curtains lifted inward in response to the cool air wafting into the room. David moved quickly across the floor and peered at the window. He couldn’t see anything beyond it, but the breeze was there nonetheless. His cracked lips hurt as they broke into a smile, but he didn’t care. Tears formed in the corners of his eyes and he stood tall, turning a full circle, allowing more of his feverish skin access to the breeze’s icy tendrils.
It was like the cool air crystallized his thoughts as well. He was ashamed of himself for having thoughts of giving up. Ellie needed him. He had to find a way out. He had to find her.
“Lovely, isn’t it? Refreshing.” The voice came out of nowhere and David whirled around to find a man sitting in one of the chairs next to the fireplace. David felt as though he had seen the man before, and he squinted at him.
“Who are you?” David growled. He tried to size the man up. He was broad shouldered, and his dark red hair was longer, curling against his collar. Even with the heat in the room, the man wore jeans, a white collared shirt, and a lightweight gray jacket. Not one drop of sweat covered his brow. David would guess that women would find the man attractive. All of David’s senses were on high alert; this man must be dangerous if he could appear in David’s closed room.
“I thought it was time that we got reacquainted,” the man said, smiling. His teeth were straight and blindingly white. “We’re old friends, although I’m not surprised you don’t remember.”
“Says who?” David asked.
The man gestured to the other seat. “Sit. I just want to talk, David.”
David snorted. “You know as well as I do that is just a fancy parlor trick. I can’t sit in that chair. It’ll just disappear.” He crossed his arms. He wasn’t going to look like a fool in front of this man.
The man flashed his smile again and shrugged. “I assure you that it is as real as the chair I am sitting in, but I understand why you don’t believe me. Things here are...tricky. You do whatever you think is best.”
It was like the man was testing him. His familiar attitude was grating, but this was the first person that David had seen since he was imprisoned there. He needed information, which meant he needed to play nice. David reluctantly left the window, but was relieved to find the breeze seemed to be staying put. He stepped to the chair. Fully expecting to land on his butt on the floor, David fell into it. He was greeted with the softness of a cushion cradling his lower back.
He bit back a groan of delight. The man across from him watched silently, but his eyebrow was cocked as if to say “See, I told you so.”
Although he wanted to savor the moment, David knew that he needed to focus. He had been without any comfort for so long that making the chair real was likely a diversion to put him at ease. He had no intention of believing the man’s friendly intentions so easily. “I’m sure you didn’t stop by just to make sure I was comfortable,” David finally said. “Why don’t you tell me what you want?”
“So brash. Almost rude actually,” the man said, steeping his fingers together in front of his face. “Not the reaction I expected at all given our history. Plus I would have expected a kinder reaction considering I saved your life.”
The memory exploded in David’s mind. He saw the confrontation with Lillian and Joseph, as they were preparing to kill Ellie. A robed figure appeared next to Ellie and whispered in her ear. The cowl of the cloak had shifted just before the figure disappeared, and David caught the briefest glimpse of the man underneath. It was the man sitting across from him.
David’s skin began to crawl. Ellie explained who the man was; not really a man at all, in fact. David wanted to get as far away from the demon as possible, but where was he going to go? He was trapped in a room with no way to escape. The fact that the man seemed to think they already knew each other was frightening. Who had he been before? David was frustrated again at his amnesia.
“Ellie saved my life,” he said softly. “I’d like to see her. I’m worried about her.”
The man nodded sympathetically. “I understand why you’ve been worried about Ellie. I can assure you that she is safe and being well taken care of. I suppose I owe you a thank-you as well considering you brought her to me. But then again, we’ve always worked well together, haven’t we?”
David’s mind raced. There were too many things that he didn’t remember, and too many things being thrown at him that made no sense. The man made it sound like they were partners, but there was no way that he would have drawn Ellie into this madness. Was there?
When it became clear that David wasn’t going to respond, the man sighed. He stood up and moved around the chair to stand behind it. Then he leaned over and braced his hands on the back.
“I was hoping that by now you would have dredged up a few memories of your time from before. That would have been helpful considering we have a lot to do. But since Lillian’s little magic spell there seems to be holding much better than I would have ever anticipated, we’re going to have to do things the hard way. You were never a fan of the hard way.”
David had no idea what the man was talking about, but his interest was piqued when he heard that his memories had been deliberately tampered with. Logic said that perhaps they could be untampered with. Maybe he could get some answers after all.
“My name is Mikel,” the man continued. “I’m your host here, but we were friends once too. You helped me with many of my special projects.”
The man’s grin made David uncomfortable as did his emphasis on the word “special.” “So where is here?” David asked. He had to play it cool.
Mikel waggled a finger at him. “That is an excellent question, David. Here is a fairly relative term. To ensure we’re clear, when I say here, I’m referring to the waypoint that you know of as the Bradford mansion.”
“What’s a waypoint?” David asked.
“For the purposes of this discussion, let’s just say that a waypoint is a gateway to another place,” Mikel said.
David’s assumption had been correct. “Is that where we are right now?”
“Not exactly,” Mikel said with a sly smile.
“I’m not sure I understand then,” David said. Mikel was freely giving up information, but David couldn’t believe anything he said. He sensed that the only truth Mikel would tell him would be truths that served his own purposes.
Mikel waved his hand in the air, dismissing David’s comment. “Here. There. That doesn’t matter. What I think would matter to you is where is Ellie.”
Her name made David’s chest tighten. His feelings for her had not diminished one bit during his time in the room. He was anxious to see her and make sure she was unharmed.
“Ellie is all that matters to me,” David said firmly. “I will do whatever you want to keep her safe.”
Mikel returned to his seat in the chair and looked completely relaxed. “I am so glad you said that, David. Because on the topic of Ellie’s safety we are in complete agreement. I’m sure you know that she holds you in very high regard. It almost makes me a little jealous.”
David was certain that there was much more to the story that Mikel wasn’t telling him. And the familiarity of the way that Mikel said Ellie’s name worried him. It was friendly and...intimate.
“That includes keeping Ellie safe from you,” David said.
Mikel threw back his head and laughed. There was a note of shrillness deep within the noise that scratched down the back of David’s spine. “You amuse me, David. You always have. Which is good for you because you do not want to ever be in a position where I am upset with you.”
Suddenly, David found himself pinned against the back wall, choking for air. Mikel’s fingers were wrapped around his windpipe and David’s toes were barely touching the ground. David felt his skin warming underneath Mikel’s fingers, and then it started to burn. He cried out, unable to help himself. Then he was free and he fell heavily to the floor. He grabbed at his throat and winced as he found the raised skin. He glared up at Mikel, who was watching him with a small smile on his face.
“At some point I am confident you will remember that threatening me, or things that are important to me, is not your wisest course of action. Consider that a gentle reminder. I can see that you aren’t ready yet. I’m going to leave you to think things over a bit longer. Perhaps next time, you’ll be more amenable to talking with me.”
With that, Mikel was gone. And the window was gone. And if it was possible, the room was hotter than it was before. David slowly got to his feet and stumbled into the bathroom. In the mirror, he could see the clear outline of five fingers across his throat, burned into his skin.
David started to shake. He was afraid for himself, but now more than ever, he was afraid for Ellie.
CHAPTER FOUR
After hearing Jeffrey’s toast, Ellie was stunned and speechless. As if sensing that she was on the brink of a devastating epiphany, Jeffrey refilled her tea cup and left the room, saying something about making her dinner. Ellie barely acknowledged him. Her mind was full of the implications of what he had said.
It was true that Ellie didn’t have a lot to return to her previous life for, especially if David was here with her. Whether she cared to admit it or not, when she was taking care of the mansion for Lillian it had quickly started to feel like the home she always wanted. It was frightening how the house resonated with a place deep inside her.
The walls vibrated with a warm energy and a promise of something far grander than her small little life. There was a part of her that wanted it, that craved that feeling that she belonged. What did that mean for her? What did that mean about her? She shuddered to think that the mansion and its inhabitants had exploited her weakness and used them against her so neatly. There was so much more that she didn’t know about herself and that idea scared her.
She tried to still her hands as she reached over to grasp the tea cup, but cried out as midway to her lips the cup was upended. Just before it hit the carpet, a hand appeared from nowhere and caught it. Ellie found herself staring into the greenest eyes she had ever seen. A red-haired man was there beside her and set the cup gently into her hands. He smiled.
“You are looking a bit lost,” he said.
The voice was familiar, but Ellie couldn’t quite place it. The man was so close to her that she could smell his aftershave. It reminded her of citrus and wood. Though it wasn’t unpleasant, she scooted down toward the other end of the couch.
“Thanks,” she said. “I’m not usually so clumsy. Do we know each other?” It seemed a silly question given the circumstances, but Ellie couldn’t shake the feeling that she knew him from somewhere.
The man settled on the edge of the couch, giving her plenty of space. Ellie tried to figure out where he had come from. Strange things happened around the mansion, so figures appearing suddenly should have been nothing new to her. Ellie had seen ghosts emerge from its walls. Was he another ghost that she hadn’t met yet? He just smiled at her.
“I’m sure Jeffrey is going to be right back,” she said as she carefully placed the tea cup back on the coffee table. Could someone run from a ghost? She craned a look over her shoulder at the door leading to the hallway, willing the old man to appear.
“I’m so sorry. I have such bad manners of late,” the man said. He stood and offered his hand to her. “Ellie, I’m your host. You may call me Mikel.”
Ellie was on her feet backing away from him before he even finished saying his name. He followed her with a small smile on his face, like a panther stalking its prey. Ellie’s back hit the bookcase, indicating she had reached one of the walls. She couldn’t go any further, but she slid down the wall toward the corner, never taking her eyes off of Mikel.
“Ellie, it hurts my feelings that you are acting this way,” Mikel said as he continued to slowly approach her. “I have done nothing to you to warrant such a reaction. I saved your life. I thought we were partners.”
Ellie shook her head. “Where’s David? What do you want?” She reached the corner where the bookcases met and by this time Mikel was standing right in front of her. He leaned in and put his arms out on either side of her. Ellie stood as still as she could. She didn’t want him to touch her. But his eyes wouldn’t let hers go.
“Oh, Ellie. You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you,” Mikel said. He studied her face and Ellie felt faint. She had no idea what to do. While it was true that Mikel had not harmed her, he had maneuvered her into a lose-lose situation. He had a hand in Jake’s death. He was the enemy.
Then she saw it. It was so transparent that she almost missed it, but it was there. Mikel had an aura, an aura that burned bright red all around him. Ellie didn’t have to be even slightly gifted to understand what that meant and it only confirmed what she already knew. Mikel was dangerous, and Ellie was in trouble.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Ellie said. Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Of course you do,” Mikel said. “You may not remember right now, but lucky for you I am a patient man. I have all the time in the world. You and I made a deal, and now I’m ready to collect.”
Ellie felt the force of his gaze push deep inside her, as if he was trying to squash every bit of resistance he could find. At the last moment something burst in her mind and compelled her to duck under Mikel’s arm. She bolted back to the center of the room.
Taking a deep breath, she spun back to face him and was shocked to find that he was right behind her. He moved fast. She put up a hand but was careful not to actually touch him. “Stop,” she said.
Mikel cocked his head as if he misunderstood her. “What?”
“I said, stop,” she repeated. Ellie had no idea where the will to resist him was coming from, but she knew that he was someone who likely always got his way. She had to fight back, because if she gave in to him now she’d be lost forever. Even though Ellie didn’t know her purpose yet, she understood that based on his words, she had some kind of leverage. Leverage she could use to negotiate. This was the time to do what she had to do to gain the biggest advantage for herself. She knew she was gambling, but Ellie was ready play the game, for her and David’s sake. She had to be.
Mikel took a step back and Ellie felt a small flash of satisfaction. He hadn’t expected her to fight back. He thought she was weak. And for most of her life she had been, but the stakes were too high for her to back down.
“You made a deal,” Mikel said soothingly. “I know that idea may scare you, but a partnership with me is hardly a bad thing. I am going to give you everything that you ever wanted, and what I ask for in return is so small it’s hardly worth mentioning.”
Ellie had a feeling that “small thing” was going to give her nightmares. She nodded. “I know. I made a deal to stay here and help you. In exchange, you would spare my life and David’s by getting rid of Lillian and Joseph. But surely you don’t think that my agreeing to help you was any kind of acceptance of who you are and what you do.”
“Ah,” Mikel said, shaking his head. “It’s a bit late to be negotiating, Elli
e. I already saved your life. And your precious David’s. You will do whatever I ask like a good little girl.”
Ellie felt a flutter of fear in her stomach because she knew that he had a point. In that last terrifying moment, as she was staring at Lillian and knowing that she was about to die, she didn’t have time to understand what the consequences of her decision would truly mean for her. She had to achieve an understanding with Mikel; otherwise, she might as well be dead. Which gave her an idea.
“I am sure that things would be much easier for both of us if I go into this willingly. You need me. You’ve said it yourself. I won’t fight you on anything as long as you agree to a few small conditions of my own.”
Ellie paused to let her words sink in. Then she put on her most charming smile and perched on the arm of the couch. She let her leg swing casually, and said a silent thanks to Roni for forcing her to learn to use even a small part of her feminine wiles. Although Mikel was something far darker, he walked in a man’s body. She had to assume that he had the same human male weaknesses.
Mikel seemed unsure of himself for the slightest fraction of a second. Then the smile returned to his face and Ellie’s stomach sank. “I would agree, Ellie, that things are much easier for you if you willingly participate. You forget that I hold all the cards and currently, you hold none.”
The meaning of the threat was obvious. Mikel had David. The last thing that Ellie wanted to do was put David at risk, much less put him in a position where his life was held by the thread of Ellie holding up her end of the bargain. But living life as a slave to this demon wasn’t really a life at all, and Ellie hoped that her gamble would now pay off. She needed to push and find out the real boundaries for her here.
Ellie turned and fled to the fireplace. She threw her hands into the fire. Immediately, the flames licked her skin and caught like a million hungry mouths but she bit her lip to stifle the scream. Then rough hands were dragging her away from the fire and she felt the tingle of a cool mist calming her burned skin. She looked down and saw that her hands rested in Mikel’s grasp. She shivered and looked up. He was staring intently at her.