by Sara K
“What am I doing here?” She asked weakly. The dark eyes never blinked.
“You were in great need of healing.” His voice was pleasant and soft. Her green eyes were beautiful and already he felt as though he had known her for centuries.
Slowly, Clara pushed back her hair and bit her lip. “Are you a doctor?” she asked again her voice just above a whisper.
Michael answered truthfully, “I am Michael Cole Edmund. I am a healer. What is your name?”
Although he had not spoken much, Clara had already started to feel weak by just hearing his voice, she did not want to tell a stranger, or trust him by telling her name but something in his voice compelled her. “I’m Clara Paige and I don’t need a healer.” Michael stared straight at her making her shiver as if he was looking into her soul.
“You have tremendous need of healing, Clara.” He said solemnly, the physical and mental wounds on her would not heal for a long time, he was aware of what she was not.
Clara frowned at his words for a long moment, ignored the question, and asked. “Is this a hospital?” She asked puzzled. How did she end up here? Surely, no one was around when she was running from the house.
Michael paused before sitting on the edge of the bed. “This is my home, Clara.” His gentle words made her shudder in denial, she will never be safe from Brett, he was probably looking for her as she lay in this strangers bed. Panic stricken she tossed aside the blankets. “I should really go, thank you for everything.” Where the hell were her clothes? She winced as pain tore through her side, with every breath she took her lungs ached as if damaged.
Michael grasped her wrist, bringing her down on the bed as she crawled over the mattress to get away; he saw the instant fear on her face along with the paleness. “I cannot allow you to leave, Clara. You are under my protection.” He allowed his dark eyes to bore into her green ones, saw the blink of tears that tore at his heart. She trembled, his hands rested on both of her arms, tight with every movement of escape she made to leave.
Clara froze. “Please, let me go, I feel well.” His eyes terrified her, his strength was enormous she felt it through the way he held her bare arms.
Michael read her thoughts easily since he had taken her blood; the memory was very close to his mind, the taste still fresh on his tongue, his hungry gaze rested on her beating pulse that thumped rapidly in her neck. He looked away surreptitiously, ashamed at his selfish action earlier. “It’s not safe out there.” The words sounded harsh even to his own ears. He was aware that she was terrified of him, knew nothing of his race or their existence. He thought of her as a child lost and alone in a lonely, dark world. She shivered uncontrollably, his eyes narrowed and skimmed down at her nude body free from the warm blankets he had wrapped around her.
Clara wanted to cry out. To scream so someone heard her anguish and come to her rescue, she felt trapped and vulnerable as his arms gripped her wrists gently. She saw the way he looked at her, and in her mind she knew what men were like, soon she would be beneath him just like Brett and he would take her. She didn’t want to believe that someone as beautiful as this stranger would be capable of such an act. It was pure evil and horrible. There was so much self-hatred inside her; she didn’t think she could live with some more.
Michael pressed his lips together as he studied her thoughts, a mixture of turmoil and confusion, she didn’t trust men, didn’t trust anyone not even herself. She didn’t know what to make of him. He almost smiled that she thought him beautiful. He felt the connection, so strong between them, when he examined her mind he found no sexual attraction from her, only the troubled thoughts in her mind.
Michael bent his head towards her ear. “I’m different, Clara. Like no man you have ever encountered before.”
Clara felt dizzy with his warm breath on her ear, making her tingle all over; she took in a deep breath and lifted her tearful pleading eyes to his. “I don’t care; I don’t even know you I just want to leave. Please I want to go back.” She shifted again on the bed ready to dash towards the door.
Michael lifted his head, his forehead inches away from hers “Where would you go?” His voice was pure velvet drawing her attention to his lips.
“That’s none of your business.” Clara snapped at him. “I can go wherever I damn please.” The sudden lie tugged at her heart; of course, she did not have anywhere to go except back to Brett. Then the cycle would start again. She nearly burst out laughing at the irony in the situation. Michael watched her silently before he spoke. “Why would you give all this away.” he gestured all around him. “For sheer torture.”
“You know nothing about me.” Clara snapped angrily, she blinked to clear the tears. “You talk as if we’ve know each other for years. I only met you and already you’re keeping me prisoner.” How dare he control her? She was furious beyond understanding, trapped in his bed, in his home with a virtual stranger.
“I have known you for a long time; I strived really hard to find you.” He trailed a finger down her arm. “Unfortunately I found you in the dreadful and the most fearful situations of my entire existence. We still have not discussed it yet.” Clara felt confused; he had said ‘existence’. What did that mean exactly? And why would he want to find her. What was she to him, just someone who he had pitifully saved in the river? Now he was talking as though she was an object in his possession. “I don’t want to talk about it.” she said out loud. What a nutcracker. “I just want to go home. Away from here.” There was a desperate pledge in her eyes.
“This can be your home if you want it to be.” His voice brushed over her skin making her shiver. Clara reached behind her with one hand and grabbed the blanket, drawing it around herself. “I don’t understand what you mean.” The seriousness in his eyes made her think he might be insane, she was no one special. She was worthless and had no value. Moreover, what beautiful, rich, elegant man would want to be acquainted with a poor, slut like her?
Michael rubbed his thumb over the pulse in her wrist. “You are very special to me. When you first connected with me I knew I had to protect you.” Clara froze as those words sank in, she had no idea what he meant but the sad tone touched her deeply and brought fresh new tears to her eyes. Would a lunatic speak with such high emotions? It was a possibility if that man was seriously obsessed with a woman.
“Do not ever risk your life, Clara.” He said harshly, his voice trembled with furious emotion. He allowed his fingertips to touch her face, caress her cheek, the outline of her lips. She was his charge. An innocent. He had protected many innocents over the last few centuries. It was his sole purpose in life. Yet he never expected to fall in love with a mortal.
Clara closed her eyes drowsily at the gentle softness of his fingers on her face, she felt herself drowning once more, immediately she pulled herself away. “Please don’t.” She backed away slightly to escape his hands.
Reluctantly Michael dropped his hands, sensing her anxiety. “I promise not to hurt you.”
Clara closed her eyes drawing in a sharp breath “I don’t understand anything you’re saying, none of it makes sense. I don’t even know you.”
Michael felt the terror in her mind; he let his fingers stroke her forehead “You have known me for months. I was your saviour in your nightmares and in your dreams. I was your companion at night. Did you not feel my presence in your mind? Drawing away as much pain as possible, the happy thoughts, the ideal world that your dreams presented. As far as I was, I was with you at night, regrettably not during the daylight hours. Did you think I was not aware of the horrendous ordeal?” His voice was eloquently soft, he saw her tears leak from her closed eyelids, and when she opened her eyes, they were filled with utter sadness.
“It’s not true!” She sobbed searching his face for answers. He had described to her accurately everything she had dreamed, she remembered now the same dark eyes, the same features except in her dreams she had seen him smiling with joy, which had erased some of her dark memories temporary. He had been the rel
ief in her mind when she thought she would go mad, every night she dreamt of him, her mysterious friend. How could he have been real but someone in her imagination?
Michael removed the tears from her eyelids. “It is true, my love. I guarded you at night, shared your memories and thoughts and your pain.” Every sharp twinge of torture touched his soul, until it bled a little. The horrible images always in her mind, constantly she thought of them, so whenever he touched her mind he found what she thought the memories vivid and very clear as the ocean. Clara sobbed loudly, her world broke apart suddenly all over again, and she didn’t want to hear his soft, coaxing words. Or listen to his beautiful voice. “You know nothing of my pain.” She clenched her teeth together and spat out her bitter words. “Don’t think you can fool me with your talk.”
“Did you not dream of me, Clara? Did you not find my presence soothing?” he whispered the words softly but they fluttered on her bare skin. She attempted to crawl away but this time he grabbed her around the waist as she struggled breathlessly. “Do not fight me, my love. You know what I say is true.”
“Let me go, I can’t do this. I know it was you, but I don’t want to care.” She struggled against him, despite her injuries she fought until the pain in her thigh increased and her throat tightened.
“Do not struggle, Clara. You are not healed.” His voice was calm and steady as he regarded her with those dark brown eyes. Clara eased herself of the bed and into a corner.
“Clara.” Michael took two steps forwards, the lines of stress clear on his face. She sat huddled in the corner, her knees drawn up her face small and frightened like a little child. She clutched on to the blanket like a child clutching a toy and rocked backwards and forwards in slow motion.
“Don’t come any closer.” She warned her voice hard and severe. “Don’t think for a second I will trust you so don’t play on my feelings.”
“I cannot let you leave this house. Stay as long as you like.”
“What are you? Who are you Michael?” Clara stared at him curiously.
Michael paused before continuing. “I am an Immortal, not human. I am from a different race, species that have existed for a very long time. We are now almost extinct. We were sent into the world to rid it of evil, to save humanity from threats from vampires and preserve the human race.”
Clara stared completely dumbfounded, it sounded as if listening to a read out story. “That’s impossible, no one lives for ever.” She rubbed her temples. “I’m finding it hard to believe.”
Michael strode forward desperate to hold her, she was shaking. “That is expected. My species hardly make the front pages of the news.”
Clara lifted her head “Don’t come any closer; I will leave whether you like it or not. If you come after me I won’t forgive you.” With trembling fingers she reached to open the doorknob, her fingers felt numb, her body drained of energy.
Michael stayed still, his watchful eyes taking in her every move, every action. The blanket she clutched in her hand did not cover her body. “Don’t disturb me; you are a monster like those in stories that live forever. I thought I was crazy. Guess I was wrong.”
“If you leave I will find you, Clara.” He warned, strolling forward. “It is pointless to escape from me.”
Clara’s blood boiled, her anger washed over “Shut up, don’t tell me what to do!” she screamed the words at him. “Every time you mention that you sound just like Brett, so dominative, so in control. Every time he controlled me, raped me it left me useless, helpless to try to stop it. And you know what I thought I deserved what he did; in a way, I thought it was my punishment. He was the animal whilst I was the helpless, vulnerable prey that lay beneath him every time. It made me sick with grieve, you know something else he warned me that I can never escape from him, and so I wondered whether death could part us. I hated him so much, he ruined my life.” With every word, her voice grew louder and louder, fire burnt behind her eyes, she saw Michael come forward a worried expression on his face. He called her name and she directed her anger and frustration on him. The pain behind her eyes was unbearable the tears were boiling hot on her cheeks, her body felt hot. He kept coming towards her his arms outstretched. Clara lifted her head as a bolt of lightning hit the ceiling lights repeatedly; she fixed her eyes on the light until it crashed to the floor.
Michael whizzed through the air towards Clara as the chandelier came crashing down, he lifted her in his arms at the same time controlling the chandelier until it landed silently on the floor with bits of glass scattering on the marble floor. He had seen her do something utterly amazing, that scared the hell out of him, and she could have injured herself in the process.
“Clara.” He lowered them both to the floor. Her head wobbled back and forth, until she slumped with exhaustion in his arms. Michael felt her warm skin beginning to cool down, he was amazed since he had no idea she was capable of moving objects with her eyes. Worriedly he carried her over to the bed and placed her among the sheets, her skin was very pale; she was drained of energy. He regretted taking so much of her blood, the only thing he could do was supply her with his blood to help her heal. He lifted her head placing it in his lap, tearing at his wrist he allowed few droplets to drip into her mouth. He believed his blood flowing in her veins would strengthen her bond to him, make her accept who he was. Despite the upside to his plan, there was also a heavy price to pay.
Chapter 5: The TRUTH
The smell of fresh toast and coffee aroused her from a deep sleep, her mind felt separated from her body. She fought the strong cobwebs that were tangled in her mind. Opening her eyelids, Clara realised her surroundings where she had been for God knows how many days. She had lost track of time, of days. She allowed her eyes to adjust to the dim light, she blinked to clear her vision, before the broken chandelier came into her view, the image flashed before her eyes and she remembered the drastic thing she had done.
For the second time she realised she was not normal. No one could move things with their eyes, or do so much damage. It was impossible. No, it was extremely, utterly impossible. Yet when she was so furious at Michael she had allowed her emotions and thoughts to control her, and she had directed the storm in only one direction. She vaguely remembered falling into strong arms, which shielded her from harm’s way. Did he give her drugs? She did not feel like herself but someone out of touch with her own body.
Clara sat up in bed and glanced around, finding herself alone. Where was he? She did not miss him but curious of his whereabouts so she could escape. On the side table rested a marble platter filled with food, she almost smiled when she saw the how regular and normal the food was. She suddenly found herself starving and reached for the tray, she couldn’t remember how long it had been, days, weeks. Probably days but she wasn’t sure. Hungrily she ate the toast, the fruit and gulped down warm freshly brewed coffee.
Whilst chewing, Clara thought of her next plan, as much as she liked the comfortable bed, her gut told her to run as fast as she could. She would not stay in his heaven like place; she had no idea who Michael was. He could be an axe murderer who lured women into a false sense of security and then murdered them one by one.
The determination in his eyes frightened her and what had he said about keeping her against her will that she could never let that happen. She would rather have died than become his slave, or Brett’s. If she decided to go back, another surreal incident will have Brett calling the authorities and sectioning her in the mad house. She had already hurt him, what if she had killed him. She was a murderer then, as evil as him. She had to go back and check on him, to see if he was all right.
Placing the tray on the table, Clara threw back the blanket; her feet touched the wooden floor, the cool air swept past her bare skin. She wondered where her clothes for, bending on her knees she desperately searched for her clothes instead came across a white silk shirt. Clara grimaced as she held the shirt in her hands deciding whether she should wear his shirt, hurriedly she threw it over her head; it
was bigger than her resting just above her knees. She tried to ignore the way it felt against her skin, after a quick dash to the bathroom, Clara meekly threw opened the door and stepped into the corridor, suddenly she felt afraid of the silence that surrounded her, what she needed was a way out, to find the first point of entrance and escape. She approached a small window and glanced outside finding it pitch black. Her heart shuddered, her body shivered. It was night-time. Was this her second night, third or maybe fourth. She paused and rubbed her head feeling frustrated and feeling the sting of tears behind her eyes.
Every time she hesitated, she drew him nearer to her, she wondered whether he lived alone in this big a house, there was no one else in sight. A sudden gust of wind blew from the right nearly knocking her down with its strong strength.
Clara stammered against the wall took several steps until she was able to see the dark sky. The wind blew again carrying a hint of evil. As Clara emerged behind a white Pillar, she saw him then. He was faced with the most unimaginable creature, one she expected to see in comic books and movies, except what she was faced here was nothing but the sickening realism that the monster was a vampire with large fangs and a disfigured face. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out as the vampire lunged at the dark figure who was Michael standing atop the balcony. She saw Michael evaporate into mist and then appear behind the vampire, her heartbeat vociferously so loud she feared Michael would hear it and would glance her way, instead his eyes remained glued to the vampire as he attached. Clara sunk lower to the ground, her face hidden behind the pillar, she had no energy to stand up, her legs felt weak. Her whole body shivered uncontrollably. This could not be happening.