Thrills: Vol.2

by Jason A. Joseph

  When Adriana noticed her eyes were open she bent down to hug her younger sister. Tears were in her eyes. “Oh Sarah.” She breathed, as soft as the whistling wind. Even Drake’s worried gaze softened as his eyes met Sarah’s.

  “We were so worried about you. You said you’d be with your friends.” He seemed too relieved to be angry with her. So it wasn’t a dream. She dismayed, and the fear that was becoming all too well-known to her resurfaced.

  “No. It wasn’t a dream, Sarah.” Adriana’s voice spoke, and for a moment her sister seemed to be sad. “I used to think it was one too. I’m so sorry.” She said, and Sarah gazed at her arm, seeing a gash that looked bad, and was still covered in muck.

  “What’s going on?” Her voice was strong this time, knowing she wasn’t crazy. Sarah’s eyes landed on Drake’s.

  “You’re not 18. It shouldn’t be affecting you yet, Sarah. Mother and father were supposed to be here.” He pleaded with her, as if something terrible was happening to her.

  “Just tell me!” She screamed, and a light nearby shattered. Adriana flinched, but Drake’s resolve hardened, as if he knew exactly what they had to do.

  “You’re a shifter, Sarah. We all are.” And his words didn’t seem to make sense, but then Sarah started to think about all of the fairy tales that her parents used to read to her, and she shook her head.

  “Those are just stories, Drake. Tell me what’s really going on.” But Drake just shook her head, and Sarah really did already know.

  “It’s true, Sarah.” And as she said it, Adriana paled, and Drake clenched his fists. A rock flew through the window, and Sarah saw clouds rolling in for the first time that day. Thunder clapped in the background, and Sarah’s throat went dry.

  She noticed the glint on Drake’s hair, a blue black that is as dark as night, or a raven’s feather.

  “You’re the bird that’s been following me.” She accused, looking at her brother, but he only nodded, looking at the rock that was thrown.

  “I was worried about you.” It was all he said, and usually Sarah would be mad, but for now that was enough for her.

  “Tell me the truth. The whole truth.” She looked between her siblings, not wanting any more secrets. Too scared to handle anymore secrets, and something in Sarah was changing, hardening. Whatever comes, I will handle it. I can.

  She crossed the room to pick up the stone. It was pure black, with a red rose painted on it. She looked at her brother puzzled, and tears filled Adriana’s eyes. Sarah settled back on the bed, ignoring the pain in her arm. The gash can be taken care of later.

  And so Sarah listened to the tale of a family feuding for a marriage. She listened as her brother told her of the other family’s cruelty towards women, how they’d torture them, all in the name of calling them wife. He told her of their family dissolving the contract as they heard the news, and protecting the daughters thereafter. The tale continued with each generation going to catch the next, and the fight continuing.

  He told her how her sister was almost taken, but her modeling job saved her. How being in the public eye mean that she was safe for the time being. Sarah listened with rapt attention, knowing that no such career could cast a protective blanket over her. Adriana turned her eyes away, and Drake shook his head, but Sarah continued to listen. They told her how Arthur was fated to be her husband if she was caught, but it shouldn’t have been initiated until she was of legal age for the time, eighteen.

  He told her how their parents were away, getting stronger and trying to get help, trying to find a way to end this feud. As she listened, Sarah knew exactly what she’d have to do, and exactly what she couldn’t tell her family. She was scared, but she now knew. And knowledge was power.

  After the conversation with her brother and sister she waited. She stayed inside the house. It was a month until her eighteenth birthday, and a week before her parents were supposed to be home. There was no way that her family could protect her that long. Even after eighteen, none of them knew exactly how to protect her yet. Adriana got lucky, and only dad protected her mom. She needed something that would stop this.

  She saw how scared her big sister was, scared that she wouldn’t be safe from Arthur’s older brother forever, and she came to the realization that there was something drawing her and Arthur together since they first met. His eyes had captivated her, and her feet moved her towards the spot where she fell last. There was a force drawing them together that was far larger than her family could understand. However, Sarah also saw the beast inside of him, the cold calculating beast that saw her as property.

  She left another day pass in quiet silence, and then another. She made her brother and sister think that she was waiting for their parents to come, even going so far as to tell all of her friends that she was sick and couldn’t come out. Draven had come beating on the door, but he didn’t stand a chance when Drake sent him away. She remembered hearing his frustrated growl as he got on the motorcycle to ride home.

  Something was bothering her about the events, but Sarah continued to chalk it up to nerves until the night of the third day. That’s when she said she was going to bed early, and she texted Draven telling him to stop harassing her brother, and that she was safe. The message would be seen as a little odd, but in case she didn’t come back she didn’t want her friend to worry too much.

  When she heard her brother’s door close and the lights go off in the house she looked out the window. Opening it up fear washed through her again but so did determination. She knew what she had to do. That fear had transformed her into something stronger. She was on the second floor, but she’d made this jump a thousand times in her youth, and tonight would be no different.

  Lowering herself out of the window with her pack on her back she let herself drop. The jarring feeling of landing was what she expected, but it wasn’t what she got. Arms encircled her, and a hand came around to cover her mouth. Sarah wanted to scream, but she was effectively cut of as she was dragged backwards out of the driveway. She fought, but she was no match for the arms that held her.

  Hot tears streamed down her face, and Sarah wanted to give into despair for the first time, but she couldn’t. She had stayed up every night except for three to four hours to sleep, hoping to avoid Arthur coming into her dreams. She screamed at whatever god was listening. Frustrated that she couldn’t get her powers until she was eighteen, so she truly had nothing to fight with, but then her back hit metal.

  Metal? Leather? It was a motorcycle, and her eyes met Draven’s. For a moment she was panicked, but then softened as he smiled at her.

  “You’d wake up your brother.” He said almost apologetically. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him. “What’s going on, Sarah?” He asked her, coaxing her to look at him, but tears threatened to spill down her cheeks once more.

  “You wouldn’t understand.” Her voice croaked, and she looked up at her bedroom window. She saw Draven shake his head, but what she saw next made her blood run cold. Arthur was across the street, and seeing her with Draven had made him break out into a run.

  Draven followed her gaze, his eyes landing on Arthur. He didn’t even have to ask Sarah what was wrong when he threw her on the motorcycle and kicked it into gear. They sped off, leaving Arthur far behind, but when she looked back he wasn’t even there.

  “Who was that guy?” Draven said, but he didn’t sound as curious as he should be. Sarah pushed that to the back of her mind, trying to sink into the comfort of his arms.

  “Someone trying to hurt me.” Was all she said, and Draven smiled at her.

  “Then we’ll have to take you somewhere safe, won’t we, little dove?” He smiled at her, and Sarah just kept watch, scared that Arthur would pop up at any moment. It seemed like they had rode forever, and being in Draven’s arms made her idea seem so foolish.

  They eventually stopped, and it was at an abandoned looking house. He explained that it was his place, and Sarah started to relax as she was led by the hand into the home. Something was
nagging at the back of her brain, but she didn’t say anything about it, wanting it to go away. She felt safe in his arms, and she wanted it to stay that way.

  When they entered the house they were greeted with silence. Everything seemed eerily normal, and Sarah told herself that it was just nerves making her nervous. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Arthur isn’t here. He led her to a couch, and he pulled her bag from her.

  “What’s this?” He asked, going through it, and she started to protest, but knew it was useless. Draven was too worried about her to truly quit even if she yelled at him.

  “I was planning to end this.” With her words he pulled out a white gown and a knife.

  “You planned to kill him before you married him?” He questioned, quirking an eyebrow at her. “You think Arthur would succumb to such a trick?” He asked, and Sarah just sighed.

  “You don’t have to make it sound so stupid, Draven.” She snapped at him, but the nagging sensation became worse. She looked around, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Draven took the knife and put it up in a drawer, locking it away.

  “You don’t need that, Sarah.” He said, calmly. She looked at him angrily.

  “You don’t know that! Arthur wants to make me his possession! You don’t understand!” She was getting angry at him, but something was wrong, and she could no longer ignore it.

  The look on Draven’s face was unfamiliar, a smile that seemed so cold and cunning that she couldn’t even match it to any expression she had ever saw on him. She scooted back on the couch, starting to get frightened. Something is wrong here. What is it? She started to replay the conversation in her head again and again. Then it hit her.

  “Draven?” She asked, looking at him, and he tilted his head at her, telling her to continue. “How did you know his name was Arthur?” She said, her voice barely above a whisper, and she hardly heard it above the pounding of her heart. A deep, eerie laugh resounded through the room, coming directly from Draven’s throat, and two fangs showed prominently in his mouth.

  Sarah felt like she wanted to scream, but before she could jump up he was on top of her, pinning her to the couch. His breath smelled rancid as he held her there, his face too close to hers.

  “Oh Sarah. You’re so naïve. So very damn naïve.” He cooed at her, touching the side of her face. “Just like Adriana.” He was pressing into her now, and Sarah realized just how stupid her plan truly was. She wasn’t prepared to handle anyone, not Arthur, not Draven, but what she couldn’t understand was why.

  “Why?” She croaked out through tears, her wrist bruising as he held her. She looked at him, trying to find any trace of the friend she had come to know and crush on the last few months.

  “Because you’re legally mine. Your sister wasn’t ready to take the responsibility, so it’s yours. Arthur is too soft hearted. He should find someone else. He would never treat you in the family manner, and that’s just wrong.” He cooed to her, seeming far too gentle with the words that struck fear through her heart. The enemy wasn’t Arthur. The idea puzzled her, but she didn’t have much time to think about it as her hands were forced behind her back.

  She was secured with zip ties, and Draven seemed to take pleasure in making them cut into her skin, skin that was already showing signs of bruising. “You’ve given me so much trouble. I knew I couldn’t wait until you were eighteen, but I tried for you, you know. I tried, Sarah.” His voice had become gentle, and that scared her even more.

  “Good thing everyone thinks you’re asleep. That’ll give us time to get this binding over with, and then you’ll come home with me.” His hand reached up to caress her face, and she tried to squirm away. It just made him mad, and a harsh crack resounded across her cheek. Her vision started to swim.

  “Don’t you see that I tried to wait?!” He screamed at her. He got off of Sarah, marching over to a closet which he yanked open. A body fell from the closet, and bile bit at the back of her throat.

  Dead eyes stared back at her, lifeless and blue. Blonde hair was matted in red, blood. Dirt covered her face, and her dress was torn open. Nicole. She thought, shaking her head violently as if it would make the scene any less real. Cuts were all over her body, and stab wounds marked areas they should never have touched. Her legs were bruised by the thighs and her ribs looked cracked, her foot handing at an odd angle.

  Sarah wanted to throw up, but she couldn’t. Tears streamed down her face, and anger boiled in her heart, stronger than even before.

  “She was your friend.” She spit at him, but Draven just shook his head.

  “She was a distraction.” His voice was deadly soft, and that frightened her, but her anger overcame her fear. She screamed, but not with words. It was an animal’s scream, guttural.

  “I did it so I could wait for you. I wanted to get my anger out. So you could have a reprieve.” His voice remained soft, as if he wanted it to be sensual. “It’s all for you, Sarah. I even have your parents here.” And with those words it felt like Sarah’s heart stopped. He smiled at her and nodded.

  “So they could see you married. I thought you’d want it, Sarah. It’s kinder than any of my ancestors. You should be happy.” He told her, but she wanted nothing more than to die at that very moment, or to at least be dealing with Arthur again.

  Sarah couldn’t stop looking at the dead body of Nicole and thinking about what Draven said about her parents. She didn’t dare ask if they were dead, too scared of what the answer might be if she did. She was scared that something would go horribly awry or that it’d put ideas in his head.

  Why? She kept asking herself. Draven is my friend. He was lonely, moved down here to finish school. His parents. He doesn’t have parents. How could any of us as known. For god’s sake he’s probably not even eighteen. Not if he was after Adriana. Looking at him now, Sarah could tell that he was related to Arthur, it was in the face and eyes. His bone structure was similar, but he did look older. Sarah wanted to smack herself for not being able to see it before.

  Draven had stayed silent, watching her for a moment. She tried to ignore his eyes boring holes into her. “Aren’t you happy?” He asked, and in his tone there was a hint of a threat. One that froze her tongue in fear, too scared to answer the question. Too scared to scream at him all the hateful things she was feeling. Too scared to even say no.

  “Your parents are here. I showed restraint. You even have a dress.” He looked at her, his voice rising as he spoke, but then evening out as if he willed it to do so. “You should be happy.” And Sarah was transported to all the times that Draven got angry or frustrated, as yet another guttural growl came from his throat. She should have known there was something wrong with him, but she tried to force the thoughts from her head, knowing blaming herself or anyone else wouldn’t get her out of this situation.

  Sarah was retreating deep within herself, not wanting to deal with the situation, but a voice called out in her head that she had to. Some deep will to survive that even her fear couldn’t suppress. She wanted to cry and bawl, especially as her eyes still could not move from the lifeless form of her friend, but she didn’t dare. Something held her tears at bay, and she tried to hold her head high.

  “Where are my parents?” She asked, trying desperately to keep her voice level as well as her thinking. Though, something told her to not look him in the eye. You don’t stare an animal down if you’re worried they’ll charge. You submit. She reminded herself, even though it killed her to not let her anger out. Instead, she let her anger leech away into a place that could bottle it for now, in a place where she wouldn’t have to feel it and ruin everything.

  “Now you want to know? You’re ungrateful and yet you still expect me to be nice to you.” Draven seemed frustrated. “Why, Sarah? Why do you vex me? Your sister never vexed me so, but then again that’s why I waited for you. You have fire! Your sister doesn’t, Sarah.” His voice became almost caring, and it sickened her, but she wouldn’t show it.

  “Please, Draven.” She implored him, lett
ing a little bit of the desperation show, hoping it would soften him a little. He smiled at her, but shook his head.

  “No, no, Sarah. You weren’t grateful enough. Look at what Nicole gave up for you, to let me wait for you. Look at what I did. I took out my anger so I wouldn’t take it out on you! Aren’t you thankful?” He asked, glancing at her. His voice once again a cool calm.

  Suck it up, Sarah. For you. For your parents. She wanted to pull her eyes away from Nicole, feeling it was all her fault, repulsed by what happened to her. However, she knew that would only make things worse for her and her family, so she drained those emotions away.

  “Of course I’m grateful.” She said, thoroughly sick with what she’s saying, but knowing it had to be done. Draven seemed to relax and went to stroke her cheek.

  “Maybe I misjudged you. I always knew you’d be better than your sister. Of course you can see them, Sarah. It won’t be a problem. But it’ll be at the wedding. It should be tonight. You were prepared. You even have a white dress.” He said, motioning to what she brought.

  “Now that that nasty knife business has been put at an end, and Arthur won’t be bothering us, it’s best to get us married. It’s a shame that your siblings won’t be here for you, but we’ll rectify that later. They can see us happily married.” He continued to ramble. “There’s no reason for you to fear. Pain and pleasure are something that go so well together, and I won’t mistreat you all the time, not if you know you’re place.” His eyes settled to hers. “You know your place, don’t you Sarah?” He cooed at her, and she nodded, lowering her eyes to the ground even though a fire burned so deeply in her that she felt as if she could spit acid in his face at that very moment.

  I have to get through this. I have to get them through this. She looked at Nicole again and then away, looking at his feet. I’m sorry, Nicole. But she buried those thoughts as quickly as she could. There will be a time for apologies later. She looked up at him, and he was still smiling, stroking her head.