As a cop, George Parker had tried to get her to confess to him many times over the years, each time she refused, making up excuses. Her own father was one of the top attorneys in Seattle and she was afraid he would get away with it and knew it would be so much worse if she went to the police.
“No, it wasn’t that bad this time. Honest. I should have gotten my paper in on time.”
She saw Dakota bite back the anger knowing it would only scare her more. She had heard his speeches over the years, the earliest being when they had been ten. She knew what he wanted to say, and he knew that she knew.
“So meatloaf? This looks delicious.” She did her best to smile and saw the change in his face from anger to tenderness.
“It is, you know mom, and her meatloaf is the best.”
When she heard the knob turn on her door her heart jumped.
“Anastasia.” His voice sent shivers down her spine and she panicked.
“Dakota you have to-”
The door opened and the anger that her father still wore on his face deepened.
“What the fuck do you think you are doing in here boy?” He yelled and charged at Dakota.
“No!” She lunged for him to keep him away and felt the crack on her cheek. Her head hit her desk and dazed, she felt blood begin to run down her face.
He grabbed Dakota by the throat and reared back to hit him.
“HELP!” She ran to her window and screamed as loud as she could then launched herself on her father’s back. “Get off of him!”
“Get back girl! I will deal with you later!” He shoved her backwards but she threw herself at him again.
“Leave him alone!” She screamed at jumped in between he and Dakota.
He threw her back again and this time she felt hands at her back holding her up.
“Get the fuck off of my son Mitch.”
Dakota’s parents had exploded into the room without her even realizing. His mother was holding her up and his father had his gun pointed straight at her father. She felt bad that she wished he would pull the trigger.
“I won’t say it again. Get. The. Fuck. Off. Of. My. Son.”
Her father released him and stepped back. “What are you going to do Parker? Shoot the ADA?”
“I’ll shoot the man who was holding my son by the throat. A minor, I might add.”
“He obviously doesn’t consider himself a minor seeing as how he was up here trying to have sex with my daughter.”
“That’s not at all what happened!” Anastasia stepped forward, only to be pulled back by Dakota’s mother.
“My son was up here bringing your daughter dinner. Seeing as how you feel it’s okay to beat her and not feed her.”
“What happens in my house is my business!”
“You made it my business tonight. Anastasia, you are coming with us.” She felt the relief at his words but knew her father would never let it happen.
“In case you have forgotten, my daughter also happens to be a minor. She will not be leaving this house. Anastasia, get over here.” Her father’s voice warned wrath if she didn’t listen so out of habit she began to move. She knew he would take it out on her mother if she left and her conscience couldn’t take that. Even if she felt her mother was weak, she was still her mother and she felt that she needed to protect her.
“Anastasia, you don’t have to stay. One word and I will take you to the station. We can get a proper report filed and you will never have to come back here.” George’s eyes were begging her to come with them.
She looked over to Dakota who stood staring at her. “We can protect you Ana.” He whispered.
Anastasia looked away quickly and tightly shut her eyes. “I want to stay here, it was only a misunderstanding.” She whispered, refusing to look at Dakota. She felt Dakota’s mom squeeze her shoulders gently, one last silent beg to reconsider.
“Anastasia, you don’t have too.” Elizabeth’s soft voice caused the lump in her throat to grow and Anastasia held her eyes closed on the tears.
“She already answered. Now get the hell out of my house.”
George stepped closer to Mitch. “I’m coming for you Mitch.” He growled. “One wrong move and you’ll be locked up for good.” They left quietly and Anastasia kept her eyes to the floor, afraid to see the betrayal and disappointment she knew would be in Dakota’s.
“Now what the hell were you thinking girl?” Her father moved towards her after he heard the front door shut. She knew she had hell to pay. He shut the blinds and stepped towards her.
CHAPTER THREE
Later that evening after her parents had gone to sleep, Anastasia curled on her bed and cried. She had known it was going to be bad, but it had been worse than she could have imagined. She knew she would bear permanent marks from his belt and her head pounded from its impact with the desk. Her mother had stood silently while Anastasia received her beating and she had bandaged her just as quietly. She was beginning to hate her mother as much as she hated her father. Her body shook with pain and she felt as though she might die right here on this bed.
She stood to move towards the window. She wasn’t sure she could make it through and into his room in her current state, but she had to try. She was tired of living in fear every day. At least if she got help then the dominos could fall wherever they may. It was nearly six in the morning so she knew Elizabeth Parker would be getting up soon for her shift at the hospital. She could wake George and they could be at the station before anyone realized she was gone.
As she rounded around her bed towards the window she bit back a cry as her door opened and someone walked in. She fell backwards and pushed herself as far into the corner of her room as she could get.
“Please, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.” She pleaded but when the figure stepped closer she saw that it wasn’t her father.
“Oh Anastasia.” The man’s blue eyes were kind, unlike her fathers. In them Anastasia saw pain. “I'm so sorry I was late.” He knelt in front of her and muttered a few words that Anastasia couldn’t understand. The pain in her back lessened and she continued to stare at him.
She should have been afraid she knew, but all she felt was peace when she looked at him. As if somehow she knew he would never harm her.
“Who are you?” She whispered.
“Someone who will make sure you are never harmed this way again.” He moved to touch her face and she jerked back. “Anastasia, please don’t fear me, I swear you will never come to any harm at my hand. I will protect you, but we must go now.”
She heard the noise at her door and her eyes widened. Mitch’s voice was whispered but she would never forget what she heard him say.
“I will take care of her. She won’t ever have the chance to do anything.” Mitch was speaking to someone over the phone and the realization hit home that she didn’t have any other option. She wouldn’t survive long enough to get help unless she left with this man. “I don’t care what he said. The brat has to go she has become a liability. The cop next door has started poking his nose into places it doesn’t belong and if we don’t get rid of her now then we are going to have a dead cop on our hands.”
The man held out his hand and Anastasia reluctantly took it. “We must leave now Anastasia.” He gently pulled her to her feet and threw a bottle of liquid into the corner. She heard it break and a blue light appeared. “Come, please. We are doomed without you and you will die if you stay.”
Mitch began to bang on the door trying to shove it open, but it was being held shut by something Anastasia couldn’t see.
“Anastasia you open this door now!” She heard him yelling over the sound the blue light made.
“We need to go now Anastasia.” He stepped towards the light and after grabbing a photo of her and Dakota off of the desk she followed.
She turned to face her room one last time as she felt the wind behind her pick up and then turned to face the man. He smiled at her and she suddenly felt herself being whisked away. She felt weightless
and the light surrounded her. The only feeling she had was of his hand gripping hers.
“Am I dead?” She asked him. Had her father finally killed her? Was this all some crazy illusion?
“No my dear Anastasia, you are not. You are very much alive.”
Anastasia felt ground form under her feet and she opened her eyes. She looked around and saw that she was standing in a small room. The walls and floor were wooden and light poured in from the open windows. A small desk sat in one corner and large sacks hung from the ceiling. It reminded Anastasia of a small gym just without all the machines. The man squeezed her hand and then let go to walk to the door.
“Welcome to Terrenia.” He smiled and pulled it open.
She squinted into the light and stepped into the open air. Her eyes widened when she saw where she was. Trees as tall as her eyes could see surrounded the clearing where the small cottage sat. Brightly colored birds sang as they flew past her. A butterfly the size of a basketball landed on the stair railing next to her. Its colors were the most vivid shade of the rainbow that she had ever seen.
For the first time in her life she felt a strange peace settle over her. Even the air that surrounded her felt calming. She looked up just in time for a bird the size of a large horse fly by. She jumped back and he laughed.
“Things are a bit different here than where you are from, but it is nothing to be afraid of.” He held out his hand and she once again took it. “You must be starving. Come with me. We need to go by the healer first, she needs to have a look at that cut.” Anastasia lightly touched it and felt the wet. It had started bleeding again.
She followed him awestruck as she looked at her new surroundings.
“What is your name?” She asked him as she watched everything they passed with intensity.
“I'm so sorry I hadn’t introduced myself. I'm Gregory.”
“It’s beautiful here. Where exactly is here?” She asked cautiously.
“It’s hard to explain but I will do my best. You have no doubt heard of dimensions in your studies.” He folded his arms behind his back as he walked alongside her.
“Yes. Its theorized that there are ten separate ones. I took physics last year.” She added when he raised his brow at her.
“There are actually fifteen. Your scientists have yet to discover the others. Terrenia is located in a dimension that runs parallel to yours. The two worlds are only offset by a few hours.”
“How do I know this is real? How do I know I’m not just going to wake up tomorrow morning in that house?”
He stopped and put his hands on her shoulders. “Listen to your heart. What is it telling you?”
She took a deep breath and looked around her. “That I’m really here, but my head doesn’t believe it just yet.”
“It may take some time for your head to come around. It usually takes us all time for our heads to catch up with our hearts.” He laughed and they continued walking.
“How did we get here?”
“Through a portal. I found a way to connect our worlds for a moment, a bridge so to speak. But the bridge only lasts for a short time and then it closes. It is a formula that took me years to develop although I am not the first to be able to do it.
“You said we were all doomed without me, what does that mean?”
“Long ago a seer prophesized that a young girl would be the only hope against the darkest hour that Terrenia had ever seen. It was said, that she would be more powerful then anyone would know and although she would suffer at the hands of evil, she would rise from it with strength.”
She eyed him cautiously. “I think you have the wrong person. I am nobody.”
“Oh my dear Anastasia, everyone is somebody. Don’t sell yourself short, I predict you haven’t even begun to reach your full potential.” He smiled and continued walking. Anastasia focused on taking everything in that was around her. If this were a dream then her mind had desperately needed a respite, the details were astounding.
She saw another clearing up ahead and when they approached the entrance she saw that a small town nestled in its center. Small cottages lined the trees and tables sat outside around a large fire pit. The people outside all stopped and stared at her. Some women smiled gently when they saw the bruises, others just continued to watch her in disbelief.
It took her a moment to realize why they were staring. She stuck out like a sore thumb in her pajama pants and t-shirt. The women here wore long dresses, some with short sleeves and others with longer half sleeves. She could see even from a distance that the fabric would be soft. The men wore long pants and loose shirts. Anastasia felt as if she hadn’t only shifted dimensions as Gregory had told her, but time as well.
She folded her arms, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She was someone who did her best to blend in and now she was standing out.
A small boy ran up to her and smiled a bright smile at her. He was missing his two front teeth and his cheeks were spotted with tiny freckles. He looked to only be about five. “Hi! I’m Brady.”
“Hi Brady.” She smiled back at him and took his outstretched hand. “It’s nice to meet you, I’m Anastasia.”
“Is this her?” He looked up hopefully at Gregory.
Gregory smiled gently at the boy and bent down to whisper to him. “Yes, it is. Remember, though. It’s our secret.” He winked at him and Brady’s smile widened.
“Yes Mr. Gregory!” The little boy motioned for Gregory to come even closer and then put his hand up as if to tell a secret. “She’s really pretty Mr. Gregory.” He said in a loud whisper.
Gregory laughed and stood patting the young boy on the head. “Yes she is Brady. Now go on and find your mom, tell her that Mrs. Annabelle has some herbs for her.”
Anastasia couldn’t help but giggle. “What a sweet boy.” She said to Gregory.
“That he is, and a smart one too. His dad died about three months back and his mom has had her hands full ever since. It’s so sad the number of children who have lost fathers.” He shook his head.
“Do you have any children?” She wondered.
“That’s a long story Anastasia and probably one for another day.” He smiled warmly at her and held the door to a cottage open for her.
“What kind of herbs does his mother use?” She asked. She had done some research of the different properties and benefits of various herbs for a paper she had written in health class.
“Selena is pregnant, about six months along and the baby is still giving her some trouble with nausea.”
“Oh. Ginger or peppermint are best for that.” The poor woman, she thought to herself. Having to raise one child alone must be difficult but she was also going to have a baby that her husband would never get to meet.
Gregory smiled at her. “I think you and Annabelle will get along wonderfully.”
“Well hello there handsome.” A woman stood before a boiling pot that hung over a fire. She wore her light brown hair down her back in a single braid and the lines on her face showed a woman who had spent most of her life smiling. Her eyes were kind and Anastasia immediately felt comfortable. She had learned a long time ago that people’s true natures could be reflected if you only looked in their eyes. Her father had always had mean ones.
“Hi love.” He embraced her gently and gave her a quick kiss. “Anastasia this is Annabelle. My wife, and the village’s healer.”
“It’s wonderful to meet you Anastasia.” She reached foreword and cupped her hands. She watched the familiar grimace as Annabelle noticed the bruises on her cheek.
“It’s nice to meet you too Mrs. Annabelle.” She didn’t know her last name so she referred to what Gregory had called her to Brady.
“Just Annabelle please dear.”
“Anastasia here knows some about herbs.”
“Oh yeah?” Annabelle looked at her a bit surprised.
“Just a little, I wrote a paper for health class.”
“That’s wonderful! Herbs are so great for so many different things.” A
nnabelle turned back to the pot and using a ladle lifted some of the liquid. Anastasia watched as she poured it into a bowl that contained some powder.
“Well I will leave you two alone for a bit. I will be in the yard.” Gregory turned and walked through the door.
“So how was the trip through the portal?”
Annabelle gestured for Anastasia to take a seat near the fire. She sat and winced with pain. Her back was aching from her father’s belt and her head had begun to pound again.
“It was interesting.” She couldn’t think of another word to describe it. “Like we were flying.”
“Gregory said that as well. He said it feels as if you aren’t there one moment but then suddenly you are. He has a way with words that one.” She laughed and knelt in front of Anastasia.
“This is a cream made from Calendula. It will help speed up the healing process and give you a bit of relief.” She gently applied the cream to Anastasia’s forehead and then set the bowl to the side. “Honey I need you to remove your shirt. I need to get to those nasty marks on your back.”
“How did you...?”
“You were hunching.”
“Oh, alright.” Anastasia very gently lifted the shirt from her back and turned sideways in her chair so that Annabelle could reach them.
“Oh honey. You poor thing.” The sorrow in her voice had tears stinging Anastasia’s eyes. “I’m afraid these are going to scar.” Anastasia winced as she applied the cream to the marks on her back. When she finished Annabelle set the bowl back down and knelt in front of Anastasia again.
“Come here dear.” Annabelle carefully pulled her into an embrace. Her heart hurt for the girl.
“Who did this to you?” She asked as she held her carefully.
“My father.”
Annabelle went stiff and released Anastasia. She turned away and placed the bowl on the counter. She handed Anastasia a loose shirt that buttoned up the front and set to bottling the rest of the cream.
“You’re safe now Anastasia.” She smiled at her and Anastasia nodded.
She was surprised to realize that she felt safe. Her mind was trying to sort through everything, and although a part of her kept trying to convince the rest of her that she was dreaming, she said a silent prayer that it was wrong. That she really was far away from her father and that he would never hurt her again.
The Phoenix (The Prophecy #1) Page 2