Falling Awake (19 page)

“I’m fine,” I said, latching onto his arm for support, and pulled myself up.

“What happened?” he asked, scrutinising my face for any sign of injury.

“I just got a little dizzy that’s all, and lost my balance. Probably from staring up at the window for so long.” He looked up at the window then back at me like he didn’t believe a word of it, but he didn’t argue with me.

“Oh no,” I cried. “My phone.” I bent down and picked up the shattered phone. Cracks spread across the width and length of the screen like a million spiders legs, and I cursed under my breath.

“Is it insured?” he asked me, taking the phone from my hand and giving it the once over.

“What do you think?” I asked bitterly.

“Hmm sorry about that,” he murmured, handing me back my phone and shoving his hands in his jeans pockets.

I spotted Mellissa emerge from one of the archways. “I’ll see you later Nathan,” I said, leaving him standing there without even so much as a thanks for helping me, but I really didn’t care I was so pissed.

“Look at this,” I pulled the smashed phone from my pocket and thrust it at Mellissa.

“Oh my god, what the frick?” Her eyes were wide as she took the phone turning it around in her hands. “How…?”

“I dropped it. I dropped the damn thing. It still works, but I can’t see a freaking thing.”

“That is just my idea of hell. I’m so sorry. I’m sure your dad will pay to get it fixed for you though,” she said, attempting a smile of encouragement. “You can always borrow my phone.”

“Yeah thanks,” I muttered, putting the phone back into my pocket.

“And you dropped your phone why?”

“No, not why. I didn’t mean to do it Mellissa. It was an accident.”

“Okay, keep your hair on. I was just asking.” She shot me a look of death.

Mr Kelly rounded us all up to make sure everyone was back, and told us we would be going upstairs for the final part of the tour, but I could only think about what I had seen. Who was that woman? Was it me? She looked like me. I got the awful feeling it was my dead body, and I really hoped I didn’t just see my own death. I had to tell Caleb about my dreams. I hadn’t even thought about mentioning them up until now. I didn’t think they held any significance, or I didn’t want to think they did. It was one of the two- most likely the latter.

At last, we explored the towers upstairs and got up close and personal with the famous, humongous cathedral bell, before being able to go outside and walk around on the balcony. I stood just under the gargoyles and looked out over the city of Paris where the Eiffel Tower glittered to life with a show of a thousand diamonds in the distance. Strobe light’s bounced from the crown, cutting across the night sky. I was speechless, the scene was so perfect.

The river spread out below me lit up by glowing spotlights, and lamps, and I sucked in a breath at the beauty of this magnificent city. I’d truly never seen anything like it. I would have taken pictures had my phone not been completely shattered.

“I am so getting this on video,” Mellissa said next to me, reading my mind.

“It’s pretty right?” I said, unable to do anything but smile.

“It’s so pretty. This is the ultimate selfie.” She videoed herself and the scene before us, until it was time for us to head back to the bus. Walking to the entrance of the cathedral, I heard a little clatter next to me but I ignored it, assuming it was nothing, and headed outside with the rest of the group. Everyone was huddled around by the doors, as Mr Kelly chatted with the tour guide, and we waited for stragglers who needed to use the toilet. I put my hand up to brush my fingers through my hair and felt my earring was missing.

“Shit. I’ve lost my earring. I thought I heard something drop back there,” I said to Mellissa.

“Want me to come with?” She was watching back the video she had just taken.

“No. I know where I dropped it.” I pushed my way to the front of the group and tapped Mr Kelly on the shoulder. He smiled down at me. “Sir, I dropped my earring in there. Mind if I go and get it?”

“Yes, go on. Hurry though, we’ll be departing soon.” I thanked him and pushed through the heavy doors hurrying down the aisle, the pattering of my sandals bouncing back off the nearly empty halls as I went. There were only a handful of visitors left inside. I caught the glint of my golden earring shining up ahead, and I ran over, scooping it up, and secured it back in place. I stood up to leave and a hand clamped tight over my mouth, suffocating my scream, dragging me forcefully back. I instinctively kicked out but I was no match for whoever was holding me. One hand was over my mouth, and there was an iron grip around my waist pulling me away from the main area of the cathedral, and backwards through the arches. My legs hit every slab of concrete on the way up the damp, narrow, winding staircase.

We finally stopped when the moonlight broke through the dim glow of the staircase, and we were on the balcony at the very top of the Cathedral, where I had been only moments ago.

“Don’t Move,” A masculine voice threatened, through gritted teeth. “Or I will break every bone in your tiny little body before you even have a chance to open your mouth and scream.”

The hot sticky hand peeled away from my mouth and spun me around viciously. I grabbed the railing of the balcony to stop from falling right over the edge.

I stood face to face with a boy who wasn’t much taller than myself, and even though he appeared youthful on the outside, his steely yellowing eyes held a depth of age hidden inside them. Age and pure evil.

“Who are you?” I breathed, still gripping onto the railing.

“You’re worst nightmare.” His mouth pulled up at one side in a sneer. “I’m not here to play games. I’m here for you, and I’m not leaving without you. He burned fiery daggers into me with his eyes and they flashed to black as if a film had been pulled over them. He definitely wasn’t human, or just a boy. He was here to hurt me; I could feel it surging through every bone in my body. It pulsed in me like a live current, and I knew he was responsible for it.

A small gust of wind picked up and ruffled his shaggy black hair causing it to fall over into his eyes, and with minimal effort, he blew it away with one puff of his breath, then quicker than my eyes could register; he advanced on me. He moved swiftly, a dark blur in the moonlight, and the next thing I felt was a sharp pain in my upper left thigh. I staggered to the floor gripping my leg and let out a ragged scream. Only no sound came out of my mouth. I had been completely muted.

“Keep it down will you?” he ordered, with an amused but wicked tone.

“Someone might hear us.” I opened my mouth to curse him, but I was once again met with only deafening silence. Pulling my bloody hand away from my wounded thigh, I wrapped my fingers around my throat, clawing at it frantically and tried once again to speak. It was a wasted effort and no sound escaped my throat.

What was happening to me?

Tears spilled over and ran down my cheeks, dropping heavily onto my bare bloody legs as I tried repeatedly to find my voice.

“You can’t speak,” he said, with the same wicked tone that held underlying amusement from seeing me suffer.

“And I’ve stabbed you.” I robotically looked down to where my blood was now pooling around my legs, and saw a four-inch wide gash in my thigh, deep red and black in colour, with bright red blood flowing heavily from it.

“You won’t die,” he smiled. “Well, not yet anyway. Not until I want you to.”

I wiped the hot tears from my eyes, probably leaving streaks of blood across my face, and sniffed back the sobs that should have been noisily tearing through me.

“I just wanted to test out a theory, and unluckily for you- you didn’t disappoint.” He rubbed a hand along his jaw, and turned his savage, piercing black eyes on me.

“Pity for you though, because now you’re coming with me.” He whizzed over and hauled me up by one arm. I pushed all of my weight onto my right leg, and soundlessly screamed in pain as he dragged me over to the farthest end of the railings.

“Those amateurs…and Michael.” He spat the name out like it was a disease. “They were nothing but a mockery. They thought they could take you for themselves and offer you up to our master as a hostage. Fools!” He bellowed. “But you’re boyfriend dealt with that for us. How kind.” He held his hand up over where, I’m sure instead of where his heart should be, there was surely a black void in its place.

“I tried to take you that day you were left alone. I wasn’t going to kill you, just knock you out for a little while, but once again your nifty little boyfriend showed up and I hadn’t come into my powers then. I wasn’t as strong as I am now.”

He swung me around so I was nose to nose with him, and I pushed my head back as far as it would go. He gripped my arm so tight, I thought it would shatter any moment under his strength.

“If you bit me now, your teeth would drop out from the blood that now flows in my veins. Go on do it. I dare you,” he taunted me, with a sick grin on his face.

“You probably think your boyfriend’s something special.” He widened his eyes and made an O with his mouth. “Oooo, a fallen angel, how mysterious.” Suddenly his face hardened and his eyes narrowed, slicing into me, the darkness seeping out of them full force. “Well I’m a demon angel. The top of the pecking order.” His grip bit down into my skin tighter and I squeezed my eyes shut.

A loud thump sounded behind me.

“Going somewhere Sabre?” A voice asked us coldly.

Sabre swung around in the direction of the intruding voice, his grip loosening on me a fraction, and a dark, tight smile spread over his lips.

I looked up. Ressler was crouched in front of the railing with one hand to the floor, and he straightened himself, standing up. I tried in vain to call out to him.

“How original,” Sabre said with boredom. “Ressler, come to save Caleb’s girl have you? You do know that she’s Caleb’s right? And not yours? Well actually, she’s mine now. Oh I will miss this complicated little love triangle ever so much.”

“I won’t let you hurt her,” Ressler growled. A roar of laughter bellowed up from Sabre and he began dragging me backwards, putting distance between Ressler and us.

“Are you kidding? It’s a bit late for that. She’s bleeding everywhere you idiot!” he boomed. “So say your goodbye’s; she’s mine now, and you can’t stop me you feeble little angel.”

My head swam with dizziness from the pain as I tried to hold onto the vision of Ressler, and I slumped, caught by the rough pull of Sabre as he righted me, pulling his arm in around my waist and pulling me further back.

“Don’t try and stop me Ressler. This is bigger than you. Bigger than you could ever understand. And you’re not strong enough.”

“I’m every bit as strong as you,” Ressler shot back, slowly advancing forward.

“Ha! If that’s what you think, you are even stupider than I thought.” I felt a sharp sting in my waist and I glanced down through blurred vision at what looked like a knife blade piercing my skin. I whimpered in silence at the stinging sensation and prayed to god that he wouldn’t push the knife any further in, but my prayers were in vain as the knife slowly twisted into me, and I doubled over in agony.

“Stop!” Ressler shouted. “I know what you’re doing. You don’t need to. I see it. Just leave her alone. I won’t try and stop you. Just take her.”

“Blood and water,” said Sabre. “Do you know what that means?”

Ressler swallowed hard. “Yes.”

“Say it,” Sabre hissed through his teeth.

Ressler looked at me in apology, as I stood there helpless and in agony. I couldn’t wish for unconsciousness to come soon enough.

“Divine,” he said under his breath.

“Sorry can’t hear you.” It came out in a sing song voice. “Louder please. This is quite a significant moment in history.”

“Divine!” Ressler shouted, clenching his fists.

Sabre sighed and brought his hand up to stroke my hair as if I was his pet. “Ah, Music to my ears.”

He gave a shriek of dark laughter and pulled me backwards.

“You’ll be seeing me again,” he warned Ressler, and my vision decreased more as we entered the dreary staircase, and I succumbed totally as Ressler faded from my sight. I could almost swear I heard him say, “Not likely,” but I didn’t know what was real anymore.

We barrelled down the winding passageway, Sabres boots pounding hard on the concrete, and I was beginning to feel queasy. At the end of the staircase, we came up short and I was thrown from Sabre’s grip. I rolled across the cold marble floor banging my head on the corner of a wooden pew. I felt the darkness crowding in on me, and I fought the urge to close my eyes. Eventually, I gave myself up to the abyss of nothingness, and Let myself fall under.

Pria…Open your eyes

My eyelids fluttered at the sound of the voice and I moaned in response.

Pria wake up

I lifted my head gingerly off the floor, and with every ounce of effort in me, I scanned my surroundings. There was no one there, but I could hear a scuffle going on nearby. I hoisted myself up onto one arm, and slowly dragged myself across the floor. I could see Caleb and Sabre over by the alter. What was Caleb doing here? I forced my eyes shut and let them spring back open.