Precious Anathema (17 page)

“
You know, I have waited
a
long
time for
one of
you
to
mess up and find yourself
trapped
in here with
me
, but I
never
expected it to be
you
. I can’t very well
take all my
anger
and frustration out on the
one
that can
save
me now can I?” And then he was
standing before me, and since my brain wasn’t working as quickly as
it normally does I threw the rock as I realized what he had just
said. The sound of the impact told me that not only my strength,
but my aim was dead on today, I just prayed as I jumped up that he
wasn’t dead. Blood poured from his head, and I put my hands on the
cut as hard as I could.

“
Please wake up; I am so
sorry I didn’t realize you weren’t going to eat me. Please be ok.”
His eyes opened and he smiled up at me.

“
I am awake, but I haven’t
been ok since my first day here. I really hope you are not another
nightmare, I can’t take much more.” I sat down beside him and moved
my hand from his head, covered in blood I wiped it on my tank top
and tried not to make eye contact with him. “Wait, did you say you
weren’t sure if I would eat you or not?” I shrugged my shoulders,
still not looking at him.

“
Down here I am not sure of
anything; I’ve been covered in spiders, had my hair catch fire and
met my Dad so excuse me if I am a little less trusting than usual.”
He ripped a chunk of his shirt at the shoulder to put on his head
and gave me a nod.

“
Are you hungry Delilah?” I
had just realized that he knew my name, how could he know my name?
And why was he being so nice to me after what my sperm donor of a
parent told me I expected him to tear me apart. I stood up and took
a deep breath before I spoke.

“
Justin.” He flashed his
eyes at me quickly before realizing he had responded. I screamed
and smacked him. “You really
are
evil aren’t you? I don’t mean
shit
to you do I? I am
scared
and
alone
down here
and
you
are going
to shape shift into the
one
other human being that can
save
me just to
trick
me?” I pushed him out of the
way, not feeling guilty anymore for bouncing that rock off his head
and walked away as he spoke behind me, I never looked
back.

“
At least now you
know
who
you are
looking for! I
will
get out of here Delilah
with
or
without
your help!” I left him hoping that the spiders
would eat him as I made my way down the hall I had just ran
through, only this time I saw a new door.

“
Ella, wait honey!” I
turned to see Kali standing in the hall before me. I thought I
would break down right there, was it really her or another one of
Justin’s tricks? “I only have a minute; it’s trying to push me out
so listen to me carefully.” I walked closer to her, wanting nothing
more than to hug her, knowing that I couldn’t or it may send her
away. “You need to find a way out, and release the souls trapped
down here when you leave or something bad will happen honey. We are
trying to find out what that is, Freya is going to come through,
but you have to collect everyone and it won’t be easy to gain there
trust. They must leave hell with you, even your father and I don’t
know what that will do, but I don’t care as long as you are safe. I
will be back, we all love you and were working hard honey, just
keep moving.” I saw her fade and ran to her crying, as I reached
out my hand she was gone and I fell to the floor in a heap. I was
emotional but my fall was from something else. I looked down to see
my legs, I screamed again. They were coiled up under me, no bones
like pieces of cooked spaghetti. I fell back on the floor and began
to laugh, I had to laugh knowing that this was supposed to scare
me, but I knew this would happen at some point. I lay there looking
up at the ceiling, still laughing when I heard a laugh behind me. I
looked quickly to see Lukin again, I thought that I had made it
clear to the sperm donor it wasn’t going to work and fell back to
the floor, ignoring the evil laugh that crept closer.

“
I have been
waiting
, years of
torture and
punishments
have
all
been worth it
now
that I have found
you
.” The sound of his voice was
different, it was dark and cold and I froze as I realized it was
not Justin at all, this really was Lukin and I couldn’t run
away.

FIFTEEN

“
You don’t understand, I am
not who you think I am. Please don’t hurt me.” He grabbed my hair
and started to drag me across the floor as I screamed

“
Shut up Witch, I
know
exactly
who
and
what
you are.” He
dragged me into the doorway and a bright light felt warm on my
face. I had to close my eyes from the sting. I swore I felt
sunlight, he let go of me laughing. “By the looks of those legs I
don’t have to worry about you
running
away right now,
stop
crying
Bitch
I haven’t
even
begun
yet.”
I opened my eyes and sure enough I saw the sun, I saw trees, and
then I saw the Lechuza staring back at me beside him. I screamed
and tried to get up from the ground, he laughed harder and walked
toward me, bending down close to my ear. “I
think
you have met Cora already?” He
grabbed my shoulder and propped me up next to a tree, I was being
stared down by the very thing I had been determined to prove was
good, and sitting here in hell with her I started having my
doubts.

“
How does she get in and
out of here?” Lukin sat down beside the bird and ran his hand
through his thick, dark hair.

“
She can’t tell me, it’s
all part of this hell we have been wrongfully sentenced into. She
can’t transform into her human state in here so I can’t ask her.
The only reason I know it’s her is because I was with her when she
failed to break the curse and was turned into this.” I thought
about what he said, if he was with her then that meant he was over
a hundred years old, but didn’t look a day over his mid-twenties. A
million creepy thoughts began to run through my head, one of which
would make sense as to how he could survive down here without food,
but the fact that we were now in direct sunlight put a wooden stake
through that idea. I had no choice, I needed to be blunt and ask
the scariest question of my life.

“
Are you going to kill me,
or torture me because I can’t take much more down here so just tell
me and get it over with please I am begging you.” Lukin stood up
and walked, barefoot standing in front of me and then he kicked his
bare foot, moving my leg. I looked down and saw that my legs had
returned to normal, I could run, I could get away. I just sat there
by the tree staring at him.

“
I think you
know
the answer to that
or you would have tried to run, I am
not
happy about this arrangement at
all, let me get one thing
clear
to you. I
loathe
the whole lot of you freaky
Bitches
and if it weren’t for you
getting me the hell out of here I
would
have killed you in the hall, I
am
not
looking
for a
friend
or
even a conversation, I
will
address you as
Bitch
and you
will
answer if you want my
help.
You
make
me
sick
because
I
know
that deep
down you are
nothing
but a
Grace
woman. Do I make myself
clear
to you
Bitch
?” I choked down the urge to
start crying as his cold eyes burned a hole through me, I had never
met a person so angry in my life, and in truth he had every reason
to be pissed off so I nodded my head to agree to his
terms.

“
Is this some kind of crack
in the spell?” Lukin sighed and ran his hands through his hair in
frustration as he sat across from me on the ground.

“
Do you really not know
anything about this place?” I shook my head again, but he
questioned my motives for being here. I couldn’t really blame his
as his eyes burned through me, I felt such sorrow and pain for him,
my heart ached, and the sky became dark and I heard the thunder
roll in as a tear fell down my cheek.

“
You have every right to
hate me, but I swear to you I don’t know anything about this place
or why it’s here other than stories that have been told to me in
the past few weeks.” He lowered his head, I think he wanted to
believe me as the rain began to pour down on us, but his anger
fueled his heart and he picked his head back up to look at me with
dead eyes.

“
I am not falling for any
of your tricks, now make it stop raining I know it’s because of
you, it has never rained in here before.” I couldn’t help but smile
inside as he spoke; if it had never rained then I could use my
powers in here. I quickly began thinking of all that I could do,
and how it could help us get out. He suddenly had my arm in his
hand and dragged me onto my feet to stand next to him pointing at
the sky. “Make it stop, make it stop right now!” I couldn’t make it
stop, I had no control yet.

“
I can’t, I mean I don’t
know how. I am scared and sad and it just happens I don’t mean to
do it.” He grabbed my face with his other hand and pulled it close
to his with his fingers digging into my cheeks, staring through me
with fire in his eyes he growled.

“
Make it stop
NOW
!” I just cried, and
it rained harder. As the snot poured from my nose the thunder shook
the ground, I closed my eyes as I choked a little from the sobs and
lightning took out a tree near us, making me scream and as he threw
me to the ground with a hard hand I saw a look of fear wash over
him. I backed up and wiped my face, taking deep breaths the rain
fell softer and softer until it finally stopped. The sky stayed
dark, the sun wouldn’t come back out for us because I was so
scared. I sat, shaking inside from everything that had happened in
the past weeks, it all struck me at once and I felt as though I
couldn’t breathe, I had to stop it from taking over before we had
an earthquake or a tornado. I was panicking and I had to remember
to breathe.

“
I have only known I was a
witch at all for the past few months since my mother died, you
don’t have to believe me I honestly don’t really give a shit if you
do or not, but neither of us will ever get out of here if we don’t
help each other and you know that as well as I do, so if you want
me to answer to Bitch than you will have to put up with a rainstorm
time and again, understand?” He glared at me but didn’t speak as he
walked to stand by Cora. I wished that Eris had been able to teach
me how to talk to animals that would come in pretty handy right
now. Realizing that I still had a chance to learn I jumped to my
feet making Lukin jump out of his skin.

“
Bitch, don’t move so
fast!” I glared at him knowing that I held the ace for our next
move, I wasn’t panicked anymore, I wasn’t scared of him, I
was
the
chosen
one and he was
about to find out what that meant.

“
You are going to stop
calling me that if you want me to answer do I make myself clear?”
He didn’t respond, I continued. “I have an idea to get us out of
here, I need to project myself back into the house, when I come
back we will be able to ask Cora for help.” He just looked through
me, as I closed my eyes.

*

“
She’s gone, we can’t help
her now and no one has ever escaped before.” I could see everyone
in the dining room as Selene was speaking, no one had the same
clothes on and Xander had a sexy scruff on his face.

“
Kali!” I screamed in
excitement and fear as she turned and her face lit up.

“
Ella, how did you do
this?” Everyone turned and a mix of happiness and then pain as one
by one they realized I wasn’t really here at all.

“
I don’t know how long I
have but Eris, I need you to teach me how to speak to the animals,
I need to know to get out.” Freya pushed by everyone and took my
hand.

“
How are you doing Ella, I
am so sorry for any harm the past weeks have caused you.” I let go
of her hand as I looked at everyone, it had been a matter of hours
since I saw them in the dining room I knew it.

“
No, Freya I have only been
gone a few hours since I was here last. I just saw all of you.” My
voice cracked as I spoke and watched everyone’s face change, I knew
I was the one mistaken. I looked at Xander and saw him exchange a
look with Selene, did I just see that? I tried to put it out of my
head and grabbed Eris with fearful tears in my eyes. “Please Eris,
please show me now.” She smiled at me and then I heard her voice
without her moving her mouth as she looked at me.