Second Life

by Emily Reese

  “Hailey, what kind of girl was Erica? Typical college freshman?”

  “No. Not at all.” Hailey’s voice sounded dull, muted. “She always had something to say, always sticking up for the underdog. She joined this social awareness group that helped victims of sexual assault. She was working on something for her criminal justice classes, talking to the women at shelters and stuff. I don’t really know. I never asked. I was too busy having fun.” Despite the monotone response, a tear slowly trickled down her cheek. “I should’ve asked. I failed her.”

  “Who could tell us more about what she was working on?” Elliot asked.

  “Her parents. She talked to them almost every day.”

  “Do you need anything else, Ms. Wallace?”

  “No, I don’t think so.” Despite what awaited us outside, I couldn’t wait to leave the poor girl alone to her grief.

  “Hailey, I want you to listen very carefully to me.” Elliot’s voice came out calm, and yet there was a resonance to it I hadn’t heard before. “You did not fail your friend. You will never forget her, and you will never give up hope that she might come home someday. But you will forgive yourself. Every time you want to punish yourself for Erica’s disappearance, you are going to remember how much she loved you. You are going to decide to live for her, until she can do it herself. And if she has moved on, you are going to dedicate your life to making hers mean something. Do you understand?”

  Hailey nodded.

  “Good girl. We’re going to leave. Once we are gone, you’re going to go to sleep, and when you wake up, the only thing you will remember from tonight is that your mourning is over.” He gently kissed her on the temple, then went to the door. “After you Ms. Wallace.” He held the door and waited.

  Dumbstruck I walked to the door, glancing at Hailey as I left. No one was home behind her eyes.

  In the elevator I finally found my voice. “How did you do that? What did you do?”

  “One of my super powers.”

  “Will she be all right?”

  “I hope so. I did the best I could.” Elliot examined his shoes, refusing to expand on his apparent mind control.

  “And she’s not going to remember us?”

  “No.”

  “That’s…” I struggled to find the right words. “That was extraordinarily kind of you.”

  “I’m not completely heartless,” he replied with a small smile. The elevator dinged, the sound wiping away all the tenderness from Elliot’s face. “They’re still out there,” he told me. Grasping my hand, he pulled me from the elevator and to a hidden spot to the side of the exit.

  We’re going to run, he told me silently. Do not let go of my hand for any reason. Fight if you must, but don’t take any unnecessary risks. When he looked down at me, I nodded.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  We almost made it to the car. We were so close, Elliot let go of my hand to reach for his keys. That was all it took.

  The next moment, his body flew sideways, landing several feet away. Two sets of hands grabbed me, one arm each. A quick elbow to the gut of one freed my right, but before I could take care of the other attacker I felt a tiny pin prick just behind my ear.

  Ice shot through my veins and like a switch being flicked off, I lost all feeling in my body. I crumpled to the ground, a puppet with her strings cut.

  “Got her!” a male voice yelled. They jostled me around, my erratically shifting view the only clue to my movement. Three men came into view, the closest the only face I could make out.

  “Works quick, doesn’t it?” He leaned over me, cocking his head to further inspect me. The light from a nearby street lamp illuminated him, showing he was not only bald but completely hairless. Not even eyelashes. Scars crisscrossed his face, giving him a perpetual sneer. “How’s Trevor?” He asked one of his compatriots.

  “Gone,” another answered. “The Council guy took him down while he was midair. Dude’s impressive.”

  “Impressive, but dead, right?” The one above me asked. My eyes watered and my chest constricted at the thought.

  “Can’t see why he wouldn’t be.”

  “Double check.” This guy must be the leader. Whoever, whatever this guy was, he creeped me the hell out. I was willing to bet he was a vampire, but his appearance would definitely make him stick out, something my kind avoided at all costs.

  A moment later a dark form sailed over us, landing with a thump somewhere to my left. Something warm splashed all over my right side, and I winced inwardly. Nothing good splashes on you like that.

  “Reave, shit!” I heard one yell, followed by a crunch and a thump. The leader looked up then back down at me, tracing a finger down my cheek.

  “Until next time.” He was gone before he finished speaking.

  A moment later, Elliot’s face came into view. He looked bruised and bloody, but alive.

  “Claire! What happened? Are you alright?” He was checking me all over, frantic, until he looked to the side of my neck and hissed. “Jesus. Okay we can make this work,” he said more to himself than me. Despite his injuries, he picked me up and carried me to the car.

  “I know you’re scared, Claire, but you’re going to be fine. Just stay calm. I’ll get us somewhere safe and we’ll figure this out.”

  Believing him was no easy feat.

  The next thirty minutes were the longest of my life. Elliot found a hotel and checked us in, carrying me inside despite the looks we might attract given our appearance. He gently laid me on the bed and smoothed my hair away from my face.

  “Do you remember my ring?” he asked leaning close. He waited and I wanted so badly to laugh; how was I supposed to answer? I couldn’t even blink. The same thing occurred to him a moment later and he smiled. “They hit you with the same thing, I don’t know how much. You’re going to be out for at least a day, maybe longer depending on the dosage.”

  Thankfully it wasn’t too much; I felt my eyes widen ever so slightly in panic.

  “Good, that’s good, Claire! You’ll probably only be out until tomorrow then.” Can you hear me? He continued in my mind.

  Yes! Yes! Apparently I was back to yelling again – Elliot winced.

  “Okay. I want to go back and see if I can find out anything about who attacked us. But I’ll need to leave you here.”

  What? No! What if they come back? I can’t move, I can’t—

  “I wouldn’t leave you if I didn’t know you would be safe. I’ll ward all the windows and the door. No one will be able to get in until I get back.” He continued to stroke my forehead, my hair long since back in place. Calming as it was, it barely put a dent in my anxiety.

  Wards? What the hell does that even mean? How will it keep them out?

  “Another super power.” He smiled kindly in an attempt to reassure me and it worked… barely. “I’ll explain everything I can later, but I have to get back to the bodies first. It’s only a matter of time before someone finds them.” He pulled the covers up to my chin and leaned over me again. “Do you trust me?”

  No! I screamed. I did not want him to leave me.

  “Then this is when I start proving to you that you can. I’ll be back soon.” He stood and left my vision, muttering something before I heard the door shut behind him.

  I screamed his name in my head over and over, yet I received no response. His footsteps faded down the hall, leaving me alone.

  Elliot! Elliot, please. Please come back!

  The words became a mantra I chanted while the minutes ticked by. I heard humans in the rooms around us, moving around, talking. I tried to focus on their sounds, hoping it would distract me from the terror of my helplessness.

  Frank and Edna were in the room to my left. They were complaining about their son in law and ready to head back to Florida.

  Elliot, Elliot, Elliot, Elliot…

  Jordyn was above me. She was on a business trip, but meeting a friend for drinks later.

  E
lliot, Elliot, Elliot, Elliot…

  There was a couple below me. As far as I could tell, their names were “Baby,” and “Oh, yes!”

  Elliot, please. Elliot, Elliot—

  Almost there, I heard him say.

  Elliot! Where are you?

  Pulling into the parking lot now. Stop yelling.

  A riot of emotions washed over me. Part of me wanted to kill him for leaving me despite his “wards;” the rest of me remembered how it felt thinking he was dead, and how good it was to know my protector was almost back. I remained silent, not knowing which way I wanted to go with things.

  A moment later I heard footsteps approaching our door.

  Is that you? I asked panicked.

  Yes. A second later the door opened and Elliot Pierce was once again leaning over me, smoothing back my hair.

  “All done,” he told me with a smile. “No problems, I take it?”

  No. I guess your superpowers worked… again.

  “Don’t sound so disappointed,” he laughed, then winced.

  Are you okay?

  “Still a little banged up from earlier. We’re not all immortal. You look awful, by the way,” he told me seriously.

  When was the last time you looked in the mirror? I groused.

  “I can actually hear you giving me a dirty look,” he chuckled. More wincing. “Let’s get us both cleaned up.” He left and turned on the water, the sound making me tense up… at least mentally.

  How do you plan to pull that one off? I don’t know you well enough to shower with you, Pierce.

  “Don’t worry,” he called back, “I’m a perfect gentleman. I’ll get cleaned up, and then we’ll get you into the tub.” As if all was settled, he went into the bathroom and shut the door.

  Alone in the dark, once again.

  Isn’t that your thing, seeing as you are a vampire? He shot back.

  Eew. Don’t talk to me while you’re naked!

  Even over all the sounds in the bathroom I heard him laughing.

  I hate you, Pierce. I really do.

  Awfully fickle, aren’t you Buttercup? A few hours ago you were confessing your love.

  Just hurry up.

  Words could not express how badly I wanted to throw something. Maybe crank the hot water and flush him with cold. Steal all the towels from the bathroom and put them in the hall — the possibilities were endless, if only I could move.

  A few minutes later light flooded the room, Elliot exiting the bathroom in a towel. As he crossed in and out of my field of vision I got a good look at his back.

  How many scars do you have? I asked shocked at the road map of reminders old wounds had carved into his back. The room was silent, Elliot having paused in whatever he was doing. I’m sorry. Not my business.

  “No, it’s fine.” I heard the brush of clothes as he continued dressing. “Like I said, I don’t heal as fast as you do. Scarring happens.”

  But you were healed up from yesterday.

  “I still heal faster than humans. It’s part of the reason the Council employs as many of us as they can find.”

  For your super powers, I supplied.

  “Remember the sponge?” He asked, referencing the explanation he’d given me earlier in regards to his nature. “It really does pick up everything when it leaves the host body.”

  So what, you used to be someone who could read minds and move super-fast? Someone with superior healing and whatever that voodoo was that you worked on the best friend?

  “Not all at the same time. This kind of perfection takes lifetimes to achieve,” he came back into view with a quick wink. “Let me get your bath going.” Dressed in only a pair of jeans, Elliot returned to the bathroom and started the water.

  “Alright, Buttercup,” he said on his way back, pulling back the covers on the bed. His hand went to the button of my jeans but he paused, bringing his face back up to mine. “Joking aside, this is your call. Your clothes aren’t in great shape, and you have blood and… other stuff on your skin and caked in your hair.” When I didn’t answer, he continued. “I asked you to trust me earlier, trust that I would come back and that nothing would happen to you while I was gone. And here we are, just fine.”

  I don’t like this, I told him and sighed internally, but I’ll probably hate wallowing in grossness more. And you’re right, you did come back. A quick thought had me feeling even more awkward, but I voiced it anyway. Can we keep some of the lights off? I mentally slapped myself in the forehead, feeling stupid.

  “Whatever will make you more comfortable.” One quick movement and the bedside lamp turned off, leaving us in the shadows from the bathroom.

  Elliot removed my pants quickly, and when I read his emotions, it surprised me how unconcerned he felt about stripping someone he’d only known for a few days.

  “I don’t see as well in the dark,” he answered, shocking me. “But trust me, it’s necessary.

  Can you not listen to me, I asked quickly, hoping to get him out of my head before he heard any errant thoughts I might have about the situation. Hardly any clothes between the two of us. Wait! LALALALALALALALALAAAA –”

  “Out as requested,” he informed me. There might’ve been some humor in his voice, but I couldn’t say for sure. “I’ll only listen if I ask you something, deal?”

  That would be great. Thank you.

  “No problem.” Then he was at my feet, removing my socks. “Jesus, your feet are freezing, even for a vamp!” Any smart retorts I kept to myself; he would only hear me if he asked me a question, and he hadn’t. A moment later, he was at my wrist, carefully removing my jewelry. Despite my disadvantage, he proved true to his word; he was a perfect gentleman, never letting his hands linger but always gentle.

  My shirt went next. Elliot cradled me while he slipped the ruined blouse over my head, allowing me to get another whiff of the post-rain scent that was exclusively his.

  “I can’t tell if your underwear is messed up in this light, but it doesn’t matter. I’ll get you some new ones when I go out to replenish our wardrobe.” He left momentarily and I heard the faucet shut off. “Ready?” he asked when he returned.

  Might as well be. I caught another one of his half smiles when he bent to pick me up. He carried me into the bathroom and, with a little maneuvering, had me settled in the tub.

  “Ooops,” he chuckled when the water sloshed over the side. “Can’t tell you the last time I took a bath. Are you comfortable?” he asked once I was settled.

  Really? If I could’ve snorted, it would’ve happened.

  “Okay, as comfortable as you’re going to get?”

  Sure. Stretching across me, Elliot reached for the miniature toiletries, and in the process brought his shoulder in contact with mine.

  “Agh! Always with the cold!” he griped. “Let’s just sit here a minute and let you warm up. You okay with that?”

  I’ll probably make the water cold first.

  “No problem.” Moving to the front of the tub, Elliot first let some water out, then cranking the faucet to the hottest setting, turning the water to near scalding.

  We were both silent while the tub refilled, the steam surrounding us in humidity and silence.

  I sat there, my mind running a mile a minute. It was a weird feeling: my body being relaxed while internally I was the polar opposite. Worse still, all I could do was sit there and stew – Elliot wouldn’t be listening per my request. As if called by my thoughts, I felt the back of his knuckles trace up and down my shoulder.

  “Better,” he said, my body and the water somewhere closer to the same temperature. Gentle fingers started at my temples and ran through my hair, stopping when the met a tangle. “I’m going to try to get this gunk out. If it’s alright with you, I’m going to listen in. Don’t want to get anything in your eyes. Will that work?”

  Yeah, I answered, defeated.

  “What’s with you?” He squirted on some shampoo and began to lather. �
�Most people I know like to have their hair washed. Especially women.”

  I’m useless. I can’t even close my stupid eyes if soap runs into them. I hate this.

  “I’ve got your eyes. The rest of you will be moving around before you know it. Leaning you back to rinse,” he informed me. He covered my eyes tightly with one hand while pouring water with the other. When my makeshift bind fold moved, Elliot’s smiling face greeted me. “All good?”

  Yes, thank you. I appreciate this – you taking care of me while I’m such a gimp.

  “I got you into this mess. I won’t leave you hanging.” Elliot’s forehead creased into a frown but quickly vanished, no doubt remembering I would see it. “What do you think about the roommate?” he asked changing the subject. His big hands massaged conditioner into my scalp and the ends of my hair while he talked. “Did she give us anything useful?”

  She definitely peaked my interest. Erica sounds like someone Collin would want to break. Very similar to Mike’s sister Meghan. I paused for a minute, something nagging me about my words. Then it hit me. That might’ve been the first time I spoke about Collin without having a physical reaction to the memories. No chills, no nausea, just logic.

  “Everything okay?” Elliot asked when I didn’t continue.

  Yes. Sorry. Got a little sidetracked.

  “Something you’d like to share? Rinsing again.” A hand covered my eyes again while he poured.

  It’s nothing important. Anyway, I think we should go see Erica’s parents. We might get lucky and they’ll be able to tell us about her project, who she was talking to. We could go by some of the shelters, talk to some people… The more I talked the worse I felt.

  “You don’t sound very optimistic.” I felt a wash cloth wipe at my cheeks, then move to my neck and shoulders. Despite his hands never dipping below my collar bone, I was hyper-aware of every movement he made. “Claire?”

  Hmm?

  “Why don’t you like the idea of retracing the girl’s steps? You didn’t answer me.”

  Oh! Uh, it’s just that… I became distracted as he washed down the length of my right arm. It might take too long. We only have a few days left.