by Lauren Burd
Getting out of bed, I stumbled over to the closet. I flipped on the light, thankful Raul had at least opted for running water and electricity in his time-warped residence. I found a robe that looked surprisingly like a dress and slipped into it. I wasn’t sure if I was allowed out of my room at night, but I was pretty sure I wasn’t allowed out in a nightgown at any time.
Opening the door, I peeked into the hallway. It was a little hard to see with only a couple of lights on in the entire corridor, but it didn’t smell as if anyone was around. I stepped out and took a few cautious steps toward Samuel’s room. I knew better than to do this, but I still felt bad about earlier, and I wanted to apologize. I hoped he was still awake as I raised my hand to knock on his door.
I heard the creak of hinges and froze, expecting the door to open.
“I take it you couldn’t sleep, either?” Duncan asked as he approached, making me jump.
“No,” I answered in a breathless whisper.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You didn’t scare me,” I lied.
He shrugged. “Did you want to go exploring with me?”
I bit my lip. I knew better than to go wondering around the strangely confusing place with Duncan. The smart thing to do was to lie to him, go back to my room, and spend the rest of the night tossing and turning.
“Sure.” I took his arm.
“Where should we go?” he asked as we rounded the corner.
I shrugged. “Let’s just wander around. It’s not like we know where anything is.”
The house was eerily quiet as we followed one passage to the next. The place reminded me more of a labyrinth than a house. We would occasionally open the doors, discovering enough bedrooms to hold a small army.
“Do you smell that?” I whispered after we turned down another long corridor. It smelled of a soft musky odor. It wasn’t unpleasant, just different.
Duncan shook his head, but we froze to listen for any signs we weren’t alone. The smell became stronger before we heard the voices that accompanied it. Panicking, I fumbled for the handle on the nearest door. It wouldn’t budge. Moving quietly, Duncan tried the next door as the voices grew louder. Thankfully, the knob turned, and he pushed me inside, closing it silently behind us.
Leaning against the door, we strained to hear as the two people passed.
“I can’t believe the master let those people come here. Did you see the way those women were dressed? It was disgraceful,” a female voice said.
“That’s the way women dress now,” a male voice answered.
“You liked those revealing clothes,” she accused.
“They have their appeal.”
“Hopefully, they’ll be gone soon, and we can go back to normal.”
“I think it’s refreshing to have the change.”
“You say that now. Wait until someone gets it in their head that a change would be good. You do remember what happened last time someone thought that?”
“I remember.” The fear in their voices crossed through the barrier standing between us and made me cold.
“Would you like a drink?” Duncan asked from behind me.
I rolled my eyes. “Did you hear anything those two were saying?”
“So that’s no to the drink?” He took out two crystal glasses and poured the amber-colored liquid in the decanter into them. He held one of the glasses out for me.
“I don’t know. Do you think this is Raul’s office?” We hadn’t been given permission to make ourselves at home, and I had a feeling Raul might not take kindly to our exploration.
“Live a little,” he encouraged.
I took the glass and stared at the fluid, knowing I shouldn’t be doing this. Lifting the glass, I placed it to my lips and tipped it back. The burn and warmth it left in my mouth and down my throat felt familiar. I tried to cough, but it came out as more of a gasp.
“How is it?”
“It’s good. Just a lot stronger than wine.”
“Raul has pretty good taste in brandy.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
With Duncan’s encouragement, I finished off two rather large glasses of brandy. I was feeling warm inside and strangely comfortable.
“I didn’t know you could play the piano,” I commented a little too loudly as we walked down the hall with bottle in hand. “I just know there are white keys, black keys, and pedals on the floor.”
“That’s more than I knew when I started to learn.”
“Shhh…” I said, trying to get him to lower his voice, but we both ended up giggling instead.
“What was up with you earlier? You seemed pretty ticked most of the night.”
“What do you expect? You looked like that…” He made a gesture toward me. “And I couldn’t even say anything or do anything.”
I opened the door to my room, or at least it looked kind of like my room. Everything looked the same in this place.
“Can I come in?” Duncan asked.
“I don’t know.”
“I promise to behave myself.”
“Just for a little bit, then you have to go to your room.”
Duncan stumbled inside and over to the bed.
“So why couldn’t you sleep tonight?” I asked.
“This place is weird, and Raul is a freak. I kept thinking he was going to come into my room and attack me.”
I laughed a little too loud, and Duncan put his finger to my lips to shush me. I shook it away. “From what Lucina told me, that’s exactly what we need to be worried about. Apparently, Raul is a little warped from being alive for so long.”
Duncan put his finger to my lips again. “You’re going to wake everyone up,” he warned.
“I thought you were going to die,” I said around his finger. He moved his hand over to my cheek, and I leaned into it. “You really scared me.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll try not to do it again.”
He leaned closer and put his cheek to mine. My heart began to drum against my ribs. He followed the line of my jaw down toward my mouth. I opened my eyes and stared into the deep forest green of his. Moving his hand under my chin, he pulled my lips to his.
I was swept away in the sweet sensation. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me onto the bed with him. It was hard to breathe as he crushed me against his body. Pulling away, he gave me the chance to catch my breath as he traced his way down my throat before making his way back up to my mouth.
I fought with the buttons on Duncan’s shirt, but when I was about halfway down, he grabbed my wrist. He pulled away, breathing heavily, and I gave him a questioning look.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“You have no idea how much I want to do this, but I can’t.”
I was in shock, unable to say anything.
“If we do this, you’ll regret it later and hate me and yourself for it.” He let go of my wrist and moved to the edge of the bed. Gazing longingly at me, he reached over and stroked my cheek. I leaned into his hand, but he didn’t respond. Standing up, he walked over to the door, and after a quick glance back, he left.
I sat and stared at the door in stunned silence. The room felt empty and cold with Duncan’s sudden departure. I pulled my knees up to my chest and rocked back and forth. He was right to leave, but knowing that didn’t make me feel any better.
Garden
I awoke with a splitting headache. Light peeked through the cracks in the curtain covering the fake window. I closed my eyes against the glare and rolled over, but the movement was too fast. Running for the bathroom, I barely made it to the toilet in time before I began throwing up.
“Are you all right, miss?” Mary asked from the door.
I should have been mad at her for coming into my room without knocking, but I was grateful to have someone there to help me up after I finished. “I’m fine,” I answered, flushing the toilet. I was already starting to feel better.
As my head cleared, the events from last nig
ht gained clarity. I wished they hadn’t, though. I hung my head. What had I been thinking getting drunk with Duncan? I should have known better. What would Samuel say if he found out? My stomach clenched tight.
“I’ll run you a bath.” Mary came into the bathroom and went over to the tub.
I shook my head. “I’ll shower, but thank you.”
“Do you need my assistance with anything?”
“No. I’ll be fine.”
“Then, I’ll go and lay out your clothing for the day.” Mary turned and left the room, giving me at least the semblance of privacy.
I pulled myself up off the floor and got into a hot shower. By the time I finished, the pounding in my head was gone, and my stomach felt only mildly upset, but it had nothing to do with the brandy. I dried off and opened the door to the bedroom.
Mary waited near the dressing table. A beautiful purple paisley dress lay on the bed, along with the fifteen layers that went underneath it.
I sighed. “Do you know where the clothes I wore here are?”
“I believe they are being cleaned.”
“Is there something else I can wear besides that?”
“If this dress doesn’t meet your approval, I can pick another for you.”
“The dress is beautiful. It’s just that… I’m not used to being so confined in my clothing.”
Mary seemed uncomfortable, so I added, “Don’t worry about it, Mary. I’ll wear the dress. You have to forgive me. I’m not used to any of this.”
“It’s fine, mum. It’s been a while since we’ve had visitors, so we haven’t updated the wardrobes.”
“Call me Alina at the very least.”
Though I might have to wear clothes better suited to a movie set, I could at least be addressed like a normal person. Mary appeared to brighten at my request and set to work putting me into my costume for the day.
“When will breakfast be served?” I asked as Mary piled my hair onto the top of my head and put enough pins in it to keep it in place in hundred-mile winds.
“My master usually likes to eat at around nine.”
“Are we confined to our rooms until then?”
“No, mu… Alina,” she corrected. “We’re all done.”
I breathed in relief. I needed to speak with Duncan before breakfast if I could.
I stood and checked myself in the mirror. The effect was striking, but the discomfort hardly seemed worth it until I remembered Samuel’s and Duncan’s reactions last night. I also had to admit that playing dress-up held at least some appeal.
“Thank you for your help.”
Mary stared at me as if I’d just told her the sky was green. “Um… you’re welcome, miss.” She gathered my dirty clothing and left the room.
When there was a light knock on the door I automatically assumed it was Mary returning because she forgot something. When I answered the door, I found Samuel standing on the other side, looking handsome in a dark gray tweed suit. There was just a hint of blue in the fabric, bringing out the color of his eyes and making them shine.
“Good morning. You look beautiful.” He leaned down to give me a kiss, and I turned my cheek to him. I mentally kicked myself, hoping he didn’t pick up on my hesitation.
“Good morning.”
“How did you sleep?”
My cheeks warmed at his question. I did my best to keep my voice steady. “I tossed and turned for a little while, but then I got up and went exploring.” I tried to keep my answer as close to the truth as possible without revealing too much.
“Why didn’t you wake me up? I could have kept you company.”
“You didn’t get any sleep in the car on our way here. You needed the rest,” I deflected.
“I would have preferred spending the time with you.”
“Well, if I have trouble sleeping tonight, I’ll be sure to wake you up.”
“Good morning,” Duncan said, joining us in the hall. I jumped slightly at his approach. “What are the two of you discussing?” He sounded completely normal.
“Nothing much,” I answered a little too quickly. “We were waiting for you to join us.” Samuel’s expression clearly showed he wasn’t waiting for anyone but me. “I need to talk to the two of you about something.”
They gave me questioning looks.
“Lucina came to speak with me last night and let me know why we came here, or at least some of the reasons we came here.”
Duncan did a good job of faking surprise. We hadn’t discussed anything in detail, but he knew I’d spoken to Lucina. Samuel took on a more serious air and focused as he waited for me to continue.
“Apparently, Lucina and Raul have a complicated past, but she and Thanos believe that he would agree to an experiment.”
“What experiment?” Duncan asked. He probably already suspected the answer.
“They seem to think that Raul would agree to me trying to cure him.”
“You told her no, right?” Samuel asked, clearly upset at the prospect.
“I didn’t tell her anything.”
“You’re not actually considering doing something like that? We don’t even know if Dr. Williams was telling the truth.”
“I think that’s the reason for the experiment,” Duncan interjected.
Samuel glared at him. “What if it doesn’t cure him? What if it hurts him instead? Have you thought about how someone in Raul’s position would react to that?”
“I don’t think this the time or place for this debate,” I said, watching one of the butlers walking down the corridor toward us.
“Mr. Vega asked that I come to see what is keeping you.”
“We’re sorry for the delay,” Duncan answered. “We lost track of the time.”
The butler appeared doubtful. “If you will follow me, I will show you to the breakfast room.”
When we entered the breakfast room, everyone was already seated and waiting. Samuel repeated Duncan’s apology as we were seated. The relaxed atmosphere from the previous night was replaced by an intensity that made it nearly impossible to speak.
“Did you sleep well, Miss Taylor?” Raul asked as I finished chewing a bite of pancake.
“Yes, thank you,” I lied.
“How about you, Mr. Michaels?”
“Very well, thank you.” Duncan kept his eyes focused on Raul then returned to eating without any sign of discomfort.
I forced myself to keep eating, even though my appetite was gone. I felt Samuel’s and Raul’s eyes on me, studying my reaction. Raul obviously knew that Duncan and I had gone exploring. I was thankful he didn’t announce it in front of Samuel, though. I would have to do some pretty fancy footwork to keep him from finding out.
We finished our meal in silence. Raul hardly took his eyes off of me. I felt like an insect under his glare. Samuel wasn’t thrilled by his overt attention to me, either.
“Miss Taylor.” Raul called my attention as we stood up from the table. “I was wondering if you would like to join me for a tour of my home.”
I looked nervously at Samuel. His face was a mask, but judging from his stiff posture, he wasn’t happy at the idea of me alone with Raul. Duncan didn’t appear concerned until I saw his eyes.
“That would be wonderful,” I reluctantly answered.
“Would you mind if I join you?” Samuel asked.
Raul smiled, but the expression was cold. “Thomas will show the rest of you around. We’ll join you once the tour is finished.”
It appeared as if Samuel would insist, but Duncan and Lucina intervened, and he allowed them to lead him away.
It was unnerving watching them leave and being left alone with someone I barely knew, someone who was unstable and searching for answers I might not be able to give. He offered me his arm, and I grudgingly took it.
I patiently waited for Raul to tell me the real reason for my tour and separation from my friends. He was strangely quiet as he led me through winding corridors, occasionally pointing out rooms or interesting artwork. Ther
e were some very impressive sculptures and paintings, but I was growing restless as we got further away from everyone I knew.
We eventually came to a set of large French doors at the back of the home. The detailed carving etched into the wood magnificent. The scene showed a garden with a lone man standing in the center next to a picnic set for two. He appeared to be waiting for a companion, but I had a feeling she wasn’t coming.
He placed his hand on the handle but hesitated before opening it. “I want to show you something. It’s been a long time since anyone outside of my staff has seen this room.”
I was shocked at what was on the other side of the doors. It was the garden from the carving. Beautiful flowering shrubs and grasses crowded next to winding paths. Trees stretched from the floor to the ceiling, casting soft shadows on the ground. Frosted glass covered the ceiling, allowing the sun to shine in. It was astounding; the fact that we were underground and in the middle of the dessert only made it more amazing that such an oasis was there.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s unbelievable. How did you do this?”
“A lot of time and money.”
I chuckled at his joke, but Raul’s face was a mask.
Memories
“How much do you know about Immortals?” Raul asked as we followed the path around the edge of the garden.
“Not much. I mean, I know some the stories about how a few of the people I’ve met became Immortal and how it happens but—”
Raul held up his hand. “You already know more than most. Usually, new Immortals are lucky to find out the full story of the one who infected them. Most of us have learned to keep our histories private.”
“Why? Wouldn’t it be safer if the people you infected knew what was going on?”
“Safer for whom? The reason I ask is Thanos has given me some very interesting information about you. Now, if what he said is true, it would make you very powerful and place you in considerable danger.”
I shot a glance back the way we had come and wondered if I would be able to make it to the exit before Raul grabbed me. My chances would be slim in normal clothes and non-existent in my current outfit.