Forever - 02

by Lauren Burd

  Forever

  Forever

  Midpoint

  Forever

  By Lauren Burd

  Published by Lauren Burd at Smashwords

  Copyright 2011 Lauren Burd

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  To my friend Lacey for her enthusiasm

  And occasional pestering.

  To my Husband Noah for his encouragement

  And constant reminders.

  To my Editor Lynn O’Dell of Red Adept Publishing

  For her patience.

  Reunited

  I couldn’t help feeling anxious about my trip as I packed before heading to bed. It wasn’t the thought that my dad might react badly that worried me. I was just nervous about lying to him.

  The ring Duncan had given me felt like a ten-ton weight on my hand. I had told him not to go overboard since we weren’t really engaged, but he didn’t listen to me. The beautiful square-cut diamond in its antique setting fit me perfectly. I couldn’t have picked out a better ring if I’d tried.

  “Are you ready?” Duncan asked, coming in to check on my progress.

  I sighed. “Almost.”

  “Is everything all right?”

  “Just nervous.” I stuffed another shirt into my overflowing suitcase.

  “I’ll be right there with you. If you’d like, I can always stay with you tonight and help you finish packing.” He raised an eyebrow in invitation. “I mean, we are engaged after all.”

  I swallowed hard and tried to glare at him, but it was useless. “Thank you so much for the offer, but I would at least like to try to get some sleep tonight.”

  A look of disappointment crossed his face. “I guess I can understand that. Besides, we’ll have the entire flight to Los Angeles to get reacquainted.” He gave me a mischievous grin before sauntering back the way he had entered.

  It took me several minutes to recover after Duncan left. My head was in the clouds as I thought about the few short hours before we had to leave and the long flight alone on the plane. Swallowing hard, I focused on the task at hand and managed to finish packing. I set everything by the door for the morning and, after bathing, I climbed into bed. Tomorrow would be stressful enough without me being exhausted.

  Just as I started to drift off, I heard the door creak. I rolled my eyes beneath my lids.

  “I thought I told you I wanted to get some sleep,” I said, trying not to sound annoyed.

  It took only a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dim light cast by the digital clock on the nightstand, but that was all the time he needed. Cupping his hand over my mouth, he whispered, “Don’t be scared. It’s just me. We don’t have much time. We have to get out of here.”

  The smooth baritone sounded oddly familiar. His voice was like something from a half-remembered dream, and I couldn’t tell if it was real, so it took me a moment to come to my senses. He took his hand off my mouth and tried to grab my hand. I jerked away, unsure of what he would do.

  “Who are you? What are you doing in my room?” I asked in a harsh whisper.

  He pulled back in confusion. “What did he do to you?” The venom in his voice made my blood run cold.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but if you don’t answer my question, I’m going to scream.”

  I should have just screamed. He clearly had no business in the chateau, especially not in my room. His dirty clothing, covered in blood and debris, hung in tatters, and smelled as though he hadn’t bathed in a week. But something stopped me from sounding the alarm.

  “It’s me… Samuel.” He sounded so hurt.

  For the first time since he had entered my room, I felt afraid. I tensed in anticipation for a struggle. I thought about screaming, but that nagging voice in the back of my head stopped me again. I swallowed my fear before responding.

  “Get out,” I said in a firm voice. “I don’t know what made you think I would forgive you for what you did to me, but you’re wrong. Just get out and don’t come back. I promise I won’t tell Duncan you were here. Just stay away from me and my family. I promise if you stay away the Hunters won’t look for you.”

  “Alina…” The pain in his voice was excruciating to hear. “I don’t understand.” He looked like a lost child. He opened his mouth as if to say something else, but no sound came out.

  He slowly backed away. Putting his hand on the dresser to steady himself, he knocked a figurine to the floor. The sound of it shattering was deafening in the late night. After a pause, I heard the sound of feet running down the hall, but he made no attempt to hide or get away. He reminded me of a deer caught in the headlights of a car bearing down on him.

  “Please, Samuel, go.” The emotion in my voice surprised me. Even with my plea, he remained motionless.

  I felt something tickle my cheek. I reached up to wipe it away, shocked to find tears running down my face. Fearing for his safety, I got out of bed and grabbed his arm. He offered me no resistance as I dragged him over to the closet and shoved him inside.

  “Stay in here. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to come out.”

  I shut the door, returned to the dresser, and began to pick up the shattered remains of the figurine. Duncan entered and flicked on the light, temporarily blinding me.

  “Is everything all right?” he asked, concern evident in his voice.

  “Yes.” My heart thundered in my chest. “I got up to use the bathroom and accidentally knocked the figurine off the dresser. Is everything okay?” I tried to sound nonchalant.

  “Yes.” He seemed more at ease. “I’ll call one of the maids to clean it up.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m perfectly capable of cleaning it.” I grabbed a trash can and threw away the pieces of shattered ceramic.

  Duncan helped with the rest, then asked, “Do you need anything else?”

  “No, I’m good. Right now, I really just want to get back to bed.”

  He gave me an evil grin. “Would you like some company?” He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to him.

  I had to resist the urge to pull away. I hadn’t felt that sensation since waking up after my infection. “Thank you, but no. Like you said, we have the whole flight to my dad’s to get reacquainted.”

  “How about a goodnight kiss?”

  I wanted to run and hide. My stomach clinched as he leaned closer. A few short hours ago, I would have jumped at the opportunity to kiss Duncan. But at the moment, I felt as though I were cheating just being in his arms.

  I gazed into his eyes, which sparkled with anticipation, and tried to forget my misgivings. I stretched to meet his waiting lips. As soon as they touched mine, I forgot my worries. I let myself be swept away by the sensations coursing through my body.

  Duncan chuckled as he pulled away, ending the kiss. “You better get to bed.” His voice and eyes filled with implications.

  I smiled up at him, but it felt hollow. As soon as the kiss had ended, all of my mixed emotions returned to greet me. All I could think about was Samuel locked in the closet.

  “I’ll see you in the morning.” He turned to leave.

  “In the morning,” I repeated, climbing back
into bed.

  He turned off the lights as he exited the room, pulling the door closed behind him. He stood by the door for several minutes, perhaps hoping I would get up and invite him back in. I remained in the bed, listening for his receding footsteps. My heart hammered in my chest as I waited to be sure he didn’t return. Finally, I decided it was safe.

  Getting up, I went over to my bags and rummaged through my carryon until I found my wallet, then I headed to the closet. I opened the door and turned on the light. Samuel slumped in the back corner, his head hung in defeat.

  “I don’t know how you got here or how you found out where I was, but if you got in, you should be able to get out.” I squatted in the doorway, being careful to maintain my escape route. “Here’s some money. It’s only a few hundred dollars, but it’s all I have on me.”

  “I don’t want your money.”

  I couldn’t tell if he was angry or insulted. I waited, unsure of how to proceed. I wanted to help him, to comfort him, but I didn’t know how or why.

  He looked at me. “Can you ever forgive me?”

  I let out an audible gasp when I saw his face. “I’m dreaming, right?” I asked, unable to tear my eyes away from him. I had the sudden urge to reach out and touch his face.

  “Not unless it’s a nightmare.”

  I leaned closer to him, forgetting that I shouldn’t be there. He had attacked me, infected me with a virus that nearly claimed my life. The smell wafting from his clothes filled the closet, but a scent mingled with it, reminding me of a warm spring day. I reached my hand out to touch his face. Just before my fingers made contact, I pulled back, hesitant.

  In my dreams, I could never touch him. Every time I tried, the dream ended, and I would wake up with tears streaming down my face. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to wake up this time. Maybe if I didn’t touch him, I could stay with him, my archangel.

  I couldn’t stop, though. I had to know the truth. Samuel remained completely still, but a storm raged in his ocean blue eyes. The breath brushing across my hand seemed real enough. I couldn’t control the trembling in my hand as I touched his cheek.

  I fell back in shock. “You’re real.”

  Staring at me, he slowly raised his hand. I remained motionless, my breath coming in ragged gasps. He hesitated just before touching me. I was in agony. I could already feel his hand setting my skin on fire.

  With trembling fingers, he traced his way down my jaw. “As real as you are.”

  Applying the slightest pressure under my chin, he tilted my head. In a moment of pure ecstasy, his lips found mine. I didn’t hesitate. No conflicting emotions warred within me. It was perfect.

  I threw my arms around his neck, forgetting everything else. Nothing else mattered. Samuel seemed just as eager, pulling me on top of him as we fell to the floor. I barely noticed the sound of fabric tearing as I ripped off his tattered shirt. Rolling me over onto my back, he pinned my arms above my head.

  He pulled away from me, his breath coming in wild gasps. His eyes blazed as he studied me. “As much as I want to finish this, I don’t think this is the time.”

  I stared up at him, dumbfounded.

  “Duncan will probably find out I slipped out of my cell. We can’t be here when he does.”

  I choked back my desire. “How did you get in here?” I asked, trying to figure out how we could get out unnoticed.

  Samuel looked up. I followed his gaze. I had been in the chateau for over a week, but had never noticed the small door in the middle of the ceiling. We exchanged conspiratorial smiles.

  Escape

  I changed out of my pajamas and into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt while Samuel waited in the closet. I grabbed the small carryon from my luggage. It had all my necessities, and most importantly, my passport. I wanted to get Samuel something to wear, but there was nothing in my room, and it was too risky for me to go searching.

  As I walked over to the closet to rejoin Samuel, I laughed. I couldn’t believe I was going with him. My heart raced at the idea of it. I couldn’t find the memories that made me feel so safe with him, but the emotions were undeniable.

  “Are you ready?” Samuel asked.

  I had to remember to breathe. His shirt lay in tatters on the floor, and he stood bare-chested in the middle of the small room. His smooth white skin contrasted perfectly with his mahogany hair. The deep blue of his eyes sparkled in the light and made my heart skip faster.

  My mind floundered as I tried to recall what he had asked. “Um… yes.”

  “I should probably take that.” He reached for the bag.

  I threw it over my shoulder. “I can manage.”

  Samuel smiled, as if he had remembered the end of a joke.

  “Here, let me give you a boost.” He offered me his hand.

  He had already moved the board covering the entrance to the attic, revealing a gaping black hole. I laughed. With a kick off the ground, I left Samuel staring at the spot I had occupied only a moment before. I managed to grab the opening and pull myself through it. Standing up, I peered down through the hole, beaming.

  “It appears you have a few surprises to tell me about.” He grinned up at me. “Now it’s my turn.” With a light kick, Samuel managed to clear the hole entirely. Grabbing one of the rafters, he swung himself to the side and let go to land lightly on the beam where I stood.

  “Show off,” I mumbled.

  He took my hand in his and led us through the maze of beams, ducts, and insulation. I was still in shock at being with him. I knew nothing about him except that he had attacked me, but I was drawn to him like iron to a magnet.

  “Why did you do it?” I asked.

  “Do what?”

  “Attack me? Infect me?”

  He came to an abrupt stop. I heard him grinding his teeth. He took my face between his hands. “I didn’t infect you.” His voice was tense with emotion. “It would never be worth the risk. Apparently, Duncan didn’t feel the same way.” He spat out the last sentence.

  “I believe you.” I stroked his face. He appeared to calm at my touch.

  He took my hand, and we started walking again.

  “I wanted to ask you something.” I knew I should probably wait, but I wanted to know the answer.

  “What is it?”

  “You said Duncan held you in a cell. Why would he do that?”

  “It’s complicated. I think it would be better if I explain it once we’re safely away from here.”

  I couldn’t help thinking about Duncan. If he had lied about Samuel attacking me and kept him locked away, what else had he lied about? I tried to control the panic threatening to choke me. All I could see were the faces of everyone I cared about. Suddenly, they were all in very real danger. I slowed down and started to shake.

  “Alina, are you all right?” Concern and worry etched his angelic features.

  “Yeah.” I tried to throw off my gloomy thoughts. “I’m just worried about my dad and Tabby and Faith and… we need to get out of here.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll get you out of here.”

  He led me to the back wall and over to a small opening in the floor. He quietly removed the board, and we peered down through the hole. It looked like a small storage closet.

  “It’s the servants’ supply closet. I’ll go down to make sure no one is around. If I get caught…” He paused, swallowing hard. “If I get caught, I want you to go back to your room and wait for Duncan. Pretend we never met.” I was about to protest when he put his finger to my lips. “This isn’t up for debate.”

  I nodded, and he disappeared through the hole. I waited impatiently, listening for any signs of trouble. I heard nothing. I swung my legs over into the hole and prepared to jump down despite my promise.

  “Alina,” he whispered.

  My heart started beating again. I jumped through the opening without a second thought, but stopped in midair. Samuel caught me, smiling down at my shocked face. Placing a gentle kiss on my mouth, he sent my heart into overdrive.<
br />
  “How are we going to get downstairs without being noticed?” I asked as he placed me on my feet.

  “Are you okay with tight spaces?”

  “They’re not my favorite thing.”

  Samuel moved to the side so I could see a small rectangular hole in the wall. I frowned. It looked like an old dumbwaiter shaft that had long ago been relegated to the junk heap.

  “How are we supposed to get down? I don’t see any rope or cables.”

  “The shaft is pretty small. Just press your arms and legs against the walls and slowly slide down. I’ll go down first so you can watch me. If I get down there and it’s not safe, I want you…”

  “I know. Go back to my room.” There was no point in telling him I had no intention of leaving him.

  “Right.” After placing a kiss on my forehead, he squeezed through the hole in the wall and began his climb down the empty shaft. It felt like forever before he called back up to me. “It’s all clear.”

  Swinging my legs into the black hole, I braced myself against the walls. I tried to breathe evenly and not think about the walls caving in on me as I scooted down the shaft. Soon, I felt a breeze coming up from below, and I saw a small rectangle of light in the inky blackness. With Samuel’s help, I climbed out of the hole. We were in a small coat closet. The confined space felt surprisingly open after the tight space of the shaft. I was thankful to be in the open again.

  “How are we going to get out of here?” I asked after catching my breath. It was a couple miles to the gate and another fifteen to town. I doubted we could make it that far without being discovered.

  He pointed through the window to an outbuilding about two hundred yards away. “You think Thanos would mind if we borrowed one of his cars?”

  I shrugged. “Do you really plan on asking?”

  He smirked.

  “Do you think we can make it over there without being noticed?” I asked.

  “There’s only one way to find out.”

  Opening the door, he double- and triple-checked that the area was clear. He took my hand in his, and we were off. I hadn’t really tested my physical limits over the past couple weeks. Dr. Williams said it was better to rest and let my body adjust before straining myself. So I was surprised by how easy everything had become. Before my infection, I would get winded just running to my car, but I was able to easily keep pace with Samuel. It made me curious about some of the other changes I had yet to explore.