by Vi Carter
“Let him. Then at least it will be his choice.” John tries to move around me and I side step him.
“The choice has already been made, he only has to remain in there for two more days and the deal will be done.”
Johns face crumbles. I had no idea that what I had asked him to do five years ago had imprinted itself on him so heavily. “We took him down here against his will, strapped him to that bed and injected him with heroin for weeks…”
I cut him off. “I don’t need a recap. I was there.”
“You have no idea what we really did to him.” He’s eyes fill with shadows of the past.
“When he recovered he believed he was in rehab. He has no recollection of that night. There was no other way.”
“Of course there was.” John’s eyes shimmer making my decision for me.
“I will let him go tomorrow. If he remembers so be it,” I say.
John’s tense shoulders relax. “You’re lying.” He sounds unsure.
“You might not respect the decisions I make for my family, but I’m not a liar,” I say and that seems to have John accept what is happening here.
“Take care of yourself John,” I say and he drops his eyes looking deflated with hands hanging at his sides. A part of me thinks I’ve hurt him more than I will ever know.
CHAPTER FIVE
SVETLANA
I know someone is in my room. I’m aware of the closeness of the person, but I remain still, hoping my still form will make them leave, but they only come closer. Air brushes my face and I snap my eyes open. My uncle is too close for comfort. He’s kneeling at the side of my bed, his face as close as the bed will allow his body to go.
“I am changing my mind beautiful Svetlana. I think I will keep you.” His words brush my face and I can’t stop the shiver that assaults my body. I wasn’t anyone’s to keep and staying with him, returning to Czech, seeing Holic again, my odds seemed better in this foreign place with foreign people. I don’t speak or react. He doesn’t seem pleased with my silence.
“We will have breakfast together and I will make my final decision.”
I was a mouse dangling from the cat’s mouth, its belly too full to have me but refusing to let me go.
My uncle gets up off his knees and I roll trying to calm my hammering heart that threatens to smash through my chest like it’s porcelain.
I don’t want to get out of the bed in my small nightdress but my uncle isn’t leaving. His back is turned to me and I use the moment to scurry out and wrap myself in a silk nightgown. When I turn around his hungry eyes soak up any bare skin. He makes me feel naked and my face flames with his horrible thoughts that shine through his cruel eyes.
I walk across the carpeted floor keeping my focus on the table that has been set for two. I hadn’t heard the waiter come in. When I sit down, I wonder how long my uncle has been in my room. He smiles while pouring out tea. I’m not hungry but I know better than to skip a meal with my uncle. He would never starve me intentionally but sometimes he forgot that I needed to eat. Biting into my toast I’m surprised when he gets up and opens the door. “Holic.” The toast feels heavy on my tongue and it takes a large drink of tea to wash it down as Holic steps into my room. His eyes immediately find me. I dip my head and focus on buttering bread that I don’t think I can eat.
“I want you to stay here while we eat.” My uncle sounds happy as he sits back down and I’m confused why Holic has to watch us eat. I’m uncomfortable with having his eyes on me. My back grows tight and I wonder if that was the idea behind my uncle’s decision.
“I’m in two minds about keeping you, Svetlana. So I need to be convinced that you should stay.”
Holic shifts at my uncle’s words.
I keep my focus on my uncle. “I’m not sure of my worth uncle,” I say.
He laughs at me before dabbing his mouth with his white cloth napkin. “Oh, Svetlana.” He leans across the table and I hold still as he touches my face. The gesture is loving and gentle. “Not you. Holic, will convince me.”
This time I look to Holic, the anger in his crystal eyes freezes me. “You know he has a crush on you.” Uncle laughs.
My heart thumps away like a rabbit’s leg in my rib cage.
“Come closer Holic.” My uncle’s laughter is gone as he speaks. Holic moves on my uncle’s command. I heard the warning and so did he. “Don’t be shy. Save her.”
Right now sitting here I wasn’t sure which one of them was the bigger monster, but pity crawled into my heart for Holic. The memory of the pain he inflicted on me erases it quickly and I take a bite of bread before looking up at him.
“She is Czech,” He says and my uncle nods.
When Holic doesn’t continue he pauses before drinking his tea. “You were more convincing yesterday. Have you changed your mind Holic?”
Holic looks at me as he answers. “No I still think she must remain with us.”
My hands coil around the knife. He has no right to say what happens to me.
“You are making Svetlana angry.” Uncle’s words are sung, he is enjoying the discomfort he is causing.
I relax my hand feeling tired.
“She belongs with her people. She will one day be their Queen.” My heart stills at his stupid treacherous words. What was he thinking? I jump as uncle throws down his knife and fork, his plate cracks under the assault. The pepper spills over and tea pours onto the floor. Fear lodges itself in my throat.
“I warned you!” The roar has me gripping the table as I keep my eyes closed.
“I cut your face as your warning, was it not enough?”
“I’m sorry.” Holic’s words don’t hold an apology and I open my eyes as my uncle steps closer to him.
“Svetlana come here.”
I’m shaking my head. I can’t move. When he sees I haven’t moved, he comes across the small space and pulls me from the table, the contents on the table rattles as I’m pulled from it. I stand in front of Holic nearly toe to toe.
“Do you see his face?” My uncle asks.
I nod. When he shakes me I speak up. “Yes uncle.”
The room shifts as he spins me around until my back faces Holic, the dressing gown is ripped from me and the burn in my throat is so sudden that I cough. My uncle is gentle as he moves my hair aside and lower’s the straps of my night dress.
“Do you see her back?” He asks Holic.
Hot tears make a path down my face.
“Yes.” Holic’s word is low.
“You want to touch them?”
I stiffen at the thoughts of his fingers on my skin.
“No.”
Holic’s reply has me catching my breath with relief.
“I put these marks here because she disobeyed me. You think they are your marks. But they are mine. Just like the mark on your face, I might not have put it there, but it was on my command. So if I tell you to hurt her, not to hurt her, don’t look at her. Don’t call her a Queen. Jump up and down. You will do it.”
“Yes boss,” Holic answers and a part of me feels such sorrow for him.
“Cut off your finger.” He commands Holic.
I’m turning and my uncle tightens his fingers on my neck pushing me to my knees. Holic doesn’t hesitate as he places his hand on the table and takes out a large knife that’s strapped to his leg. Spreading his fingers I try to look away but my uncle shakes me. “Watch my power.” The knife detaches Holic’s finger within a split of a second and I choke down on a scream. Holic cries out, sweat coats his face as he grabs a napkin and tries to stop the squirting blood. All I see is red.
“That is my power Svetlana, not yours. Remember you have none.” He releases me roughly and walks out of the room. Holic’s legs give way and he crumbles to the ground. I crawl to him taking his hand in mine. I have no idea what to do, but it’s like watching an injured animal. I just can’t walk away.
“What do I do?” I ask blinking several times as the napkin turns from white to red like I’m a witness to a
magic trick.
“Nothing.” Holic is watching me like he’s not bleeding out on the floor, like my uncle didn’t just make him cut his finger off.
His face softens and his free hand touches my bare arm.
I stand and move away from him. “You need to get someone to look at that, I can’t help you.” I pull my tattered night gown around me as Holic stands up and takes his finger with him. He casts me one final long filled look that sends a tremor skittering down my spine. When the door closes behind him I cover my mouth with my hand pushing down the screams that threaten to pour from me.
***
My uncle has sent up a box that’s wrapped in a large blue bow. The hotel staff member leaves it on the end of my bed. The shower I take is long, and I don’t want to come out of it and back to this nightmare. My new night gown is tightened around my still wet body as I walk to the box. The satin bow opens easily at my touch. Moving the paper aside I take out a red jump suit. I don’t think about why he picked red, or why red lipstick is sitting on my bedside table. I’m a gift. I push the fear aside and focus on getting dressed. At least I don’t have to wear anything revealing. The jump suit is loose on my legs and comfortable and tighter from my waist up. I don’t admire myself in the mirror but brush out my hair and apply the red lipstick. I try not to meet my eyes in the mirror. Lately, I find each time I see myself in the mirror I am becoming more and more like my mother. The pain of her memory still squeezes my heart.
The door opens and my uncle walks in. Dropping my hands to my sides he walks towards me with outstretched hands. I walk into his open arms as he places a kiss on my cheek.
“Svetlana you look breathtaking.”
His compliment is salt on a wound, but I force a smile. “Thank you uncle.”
“We are ready to go.”
I don’t think but slip on the red heels that he has also gifted me. I have nothing else. I refuse to think of my only friend that I left behind. I refuse to think about what is waiting in front of me. I refuse to feel. Instead I focus on the carpet under my heels. I focus on each man as they fall into step around me. I even focus on Holic as he joins us. He is home, no matter how cruel it was. He is home, and I hate him for that. His hand is bandaged fully, but he shows no signs of a man who has just lost a finger.
The jeeps are lined up in an underground carpark. As we walk across the concrete floor, the sound of my heels ring through the space. My heart seems to jump to the sound. My uncle opens the door and I slide in. He joins me, and Holic joins us as well. I have no idea why he has to be around so much, but it didn’t really matter anymore. I keep my eyes on the window and pretend that I am here for a holiday. Mother and Father ride in the jeep ahead of me. Jan is with one of our servants. Everyone is safe. Everyone is happy.
The illusion bursts like a bubble as my uncle speaks. “I’ve made up my mind Svetlana.”
I don’t want to look at him; I don’t want him to be here.
“You will be staying here for a short time. Once my business is done, I will take you home.”
This time I look at him. The heaviness in my chest starts to grow; it’s like a wave that wants to consume me.
“Home?” I repeat. I didn’t have a home. He had taken it all away.
“Yes with me.” He sounds almost confused.
I nod before shooting Holic a look, he’s been staring at me since he got into the jeep while ruining any happiness that I try to find.
“Stop looking at me,” I tell him and he does.
My uncle laughs and I stare out the window.
“Daddy slow down.” The wind whips my face and I’m flying but it’s too fast. My father’s laughter rumbles through his chest. “Don’t worry princess, you’re safe.” Glancing back at him, I laugh. He will keep me safe. He could throw me into the clouds and catch me. He could run so fast that no one could catch him. Right now the basket that I sit in is wide and attached to the front of his bike. The long grass bends towards us as we race down the open path. The heat of the sun is warm on us and even at five; I remember it so well. I remember thinking we were flying, that my father was invincible. That once I was with him nothing bad could happen.
The image washes away as bombs of rain splash the window that I stare out of. My throat burns and I take a peek at my uncle. It douses the memory and along with it the longing. All I feel is the hate and pain; I cling to that feeling for the rest of the journey. It feels like we stay in the jeep a long time. The scenery changes to what I expected of Ireland. Green fields and trees seem to move fast past the jeep. The rain comes and goes, sometimes it’s no more than a drizzle.
When the jeep slows down my heart picks up. We pull into a field where one lone car sits waiting for us. Five jeeps in total pull in after us and I’m not sure if I’m going to get sick.
“Stay here.” My uncle steps out of the jeep and Holic hesitates but I stare out the window. Once the door closes, I shift forward trying to see the driver of the Bentley. Is this the man I was being handed to? I can’t see anything through the black dividing panel, and the jeep is parked at an odd angle that doesn’t allow me to see out.
I twist my fingers together while I wait for my fate. My mind keeps jumping to the worst possible scenarios. When the door finally opens its Holic, his jaw is clenched as he stares in at me. “Your uncle wants you to come out.”
My heart slams against my ribcage and I want to cling to Holic and beg him to help me. The jeep starts to feel smaller now and fear tightens around my throat.
“Svetlana. Everyone is waiting.”
Everyone, as in the man who was going to take me. After inhaling three deep breaths I move to get out of the jeep. Holic reaches out his hand for me to take but I don’t accept it. I step out into a field of green. I’m staring at the ground as I take each step. It’s cold but I don’t feel it completely. The tremble in my body alerts me to the air temperature or maybe it’s fear.
“This is Svetlana.” My uncle says as I finally reach him. The field spins as I raise my head and look into soulless eyes.
“She is my pride and joy and as good faith she will stay with you until our deal is complete.”
The man in the suit nods, but he isn’t focusing on me. My uncle nudges me to walk across the field to him. I feel sick as I take a step. I stare back at my uncle and he gives me an encouraging smile like I’m riding my bike for the first time without stabilizers, not that I’m walking to a strange man who’s taking me away. Holic breaks form and moves across the field to me.
“Holic!” The anger in my uncle’s voice doesn’t stop Holic. He reaches me and grips my arm. “If you don’t come back. I’ll kill Jan slowly.”
I don’t know what I was expecting but for him to threaten Jan isn’t it. He moves back quickly as I find myself in a daze stumbling the rest of the way. A larger man takes me by the arm and places me in the back of the car. I can’t breathe as the reality starts to sink in.
CHAPTER SIX
LIAM
“I think twenty percent is more of a reasonable number, since you now have the most precious thing that I own.” Mr. Novak looks at my car where the precious cargo sits.
“Ten percent set-up costs, Mr. Novak. We have already discussed this. You are more than welcome to retrieve your niece whenever you want.” I didn’t want her. But returning a gift would be an insult.
His smile is wide as he rubs his hands together. “How did you know she was my niece?”
“I’m sure you’ve researched me as much as I have researched you. So I understand her importance not just to you, but your people, and I’m grateful for the gift.”
His smile is gone; I know mentioning her power would annoy him. I didn’t like anyone trying to change our contract at this stage. My trust for him was limited already and now I had zero faith in this man. The blond-haired guy with him had disobeyed him too easily and marched across the field to whisper something to Novak’s niece. He had no control over his men and that didn’t sit well with me.
> “I suggest we all start our work and I will be in contact Mr.Novak.” I nod and turn my back on them making my way to my car. Gregor is driving and I slide into the passenger seat. My eyes flash to our cargo in the back. She’s staring at me, ice-blue eyes that are fueled with hate.
“Do you speak English?” I ask while watching her in the rearview mirror.
She shakes her head. “No English.” Her accent muffles her words and I look away from her, but I understood what she said.
“You need to have Sam keep an eye on Mr. Novak.” I tell Gregor. I didn’t trust the man one bit. He was good at what he did, I just needed to make sure he didn’t screw me over.
“What about her?” Gregor asks looking at Novak’s niece in the mirror.
“I’ll take care of it,” I say.
We arrive home and Gregor stalls outside the hidden arch that leads into the basement. I can’t take the girl into the house. Opening the door for her, she doesn’t move, and it takes me to look at her before she steps out. Her head stops at my shoulder as she walks beside me while glancing around her. Pushing back the ivy, I open the door and she steps in hesitantly. Once the door closes we are plunged into darkness. Clapping, the tunnel comes to life one light at a time. It’s not strong lighting, but it’s enough for us to see. The girl still hasn’t moved.
“Keep going,” I tell her, but she doesn’t move.
“Prosím, nech mě jít.” Her words are heavy with her accent. Touching the small of her back she moves forward. Each step she takes echos loudly in the tunnel. I had given Darragh food before I left, I needed to get him some more. He was still very angry but his rage was easy to deal with.
We enter the basement and the girl stops walking and takes in her surroundings. But I don’t pause and move deeper into the basement. She follows me as we move through the more sterile part of it until we enter my own private quarters. No one has ever stood in here but she will be kept out of sight. I’m not happy with anyone else touching my stuff. The large space we step into has an open area. A living space and a large kitchen fill it. She’s looking around her but I move her to the bedroom. She hesitates at the door before turning and looking at me with wide frightened eyes. “Prosím.” Her red lips release the one word and I step back and close the door. I don’t lock it.