Chapter 7 – The date that ended it all.
“The only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain.”
-Karl Marx
I laughed at his joke, though it wasn’t that good. He smiled at me trying to try. Mark was kind and gentle and didn’t force anything on me. It was awesome. We walked down a disserted street and talked about everything and anything.
“So what do you do in your free time?” He asked, his hand running through his hair.
“I take photos and travel to an African village to feed them,” I smiled as memories filled my head. “Other than that nothing really. I always felt this need to be with Ryne and I confused it for love. It’s just who I am in this disgusting knot of things. You know I actually lived a normal life before this? Well, more normal than it is now. I held a knife to my ex-boyfriends spine in order to get information.”
“You sound angry,” Mark held my hand loosely.
I tightened my grip. “More like regret. I never knew others existed. So I lived on my own for so long. Over 20 years of not a single connection, not a single person who understood. I regret that I didn’t go looking, find someone who knew.”
“Well, you have us now. Every single one of us so you never have to spend a day alone.”
“You promise?” I stopped in front of him so I could stare at the gold in his eyes.
“I promise,” he smiled.
It seems like we stood there forever, just staring at each other. Taking in our details, our flaws, our strengths, our weaknesses. It was nice to have someone to enjoy my quiet. I actually opened up to him more than I had anyone else in my life. Even Ryne, which surprised me a bit.
“So what do we do now?” He asked softly.
“We had dinner and we strolled around empty streets in Paris. We now get to go back home and you get to kiss me.”
“Well,” He gripped my hips. “Let’s go back home then.”
I saw the man raise the gun. I shoved Mark backwards and the gunshot rang in my ears. He was hiding in an alley and I was still out in the open. I sprinted to the side. How many times are these people going to try and kill me? Once I was out of sight, I ported to Mark.
“You leave no cuts,” I hugged his tightly. “Port now.”
I landed hard on my back. I moaned at the pain I would feel later. I heard someone running at me. What the-? I rolled away as a knife was planted next to my face. I spun around and Nicky came at me again. I jumped up and held my arms where she could see them.
“No worries,” I rubbed my back. “I was almost shot and stabbed today. It’s been a good day.”
“What the hell happened?” She asked with a slight irritation.
“First dates never go right for me,” I looked around.
Mark was lying on the floor, moaning. I smiled and jumped from the table to his side. He was holding his shoulder. His jaw was clenched and his eyes filled with pain. I saw the blood seeping from his fingers.
“Go get a Ryne,” I demanded Nicky.
“Why what’s-”
“Go!” I interrupted her.
I brightened the room and realized we were in the dining room. I lay him flat on his back and realized it was his right shoulder that was hurt, not his left. I rested my head on his chest and let out a sigh.
“You’re going to be okay,” I touched his face. “It’s your right side, so we’re not too worried about your heart.”
I lightly pried his hand from the wound and looked at it. I gasped when there was no wound. What the hell? I looked at the wound and then at Mark. His face had changed. There was a blankness to it that wasn’t human. I stumbled backwards and he looked at me. His green eyes were black.
I picked up the knife Nicky used and held it out in front of me.
********
(3 days later)
I paced the room. It was my fault that this happened, I should’ve known it would be too dangerous for either of them. It’s my fault and now Mel was paying for it. The gun shot hit her right arm and now it was turning a sickly, black color. She wouldn’t wake up.
“So I have good news and bad news,” Jill spoke from somewhere behind him.
“I’m an optimist,” I answered, not really caring if she understood what I meant by that.
“We can cure her,” I spun to look at her. “I don’t want to tell you the bad news. You have so much hope in you; I don’t want to rip it from you.”
“Tell me,”
“We’d have to hand her over to the venatores.”
I felt my smile fade and the anger boil in my blood. They put her here and I would make them pay. I would not hand her to them so they can do more harm to her.
“We can’t,” I turned back and took Mel’s good hand. “It’s too risky. They could wake until she woke up and torture her for information about me. I can’t put her in anymore pain.”
“This isn’t your fault,” Mark said from the chair he sat in. “Quit blaming yourself.”
“So we let her die?” I asked.
“You’re the boss Ryne,” Jill said sadly. “You decide.”
“We talk to our spies,” I gave orders. “We get them to find the cure and get their asses over here.”
“That could be dangerous for all of us,” Jill paced. “They could get killed, or could be followed. It’s risky.”
“I wasn’t asking.”
She nodded and left the room. I could hear her voice in the hallway as she gave others orders. I looked over at Mark who had his eyes closed.
“She takes photos,” He suddenly.
“What?”
“She takes photos of things that interest her,” Mark adjusted the way he lay in the chair. “She said you were always doing something so she never got to show you her photos. If she wakes up, she should have her camera here.”
“Why?”
“So she has one thing that hasn’t changed in her life.”
********
“Mark,” I pleaded. “Don’t do this.”
So she has one thing that hasn’t changed in her life. A distant voice spoke.
“Mark,” I looked deep into his eyes. “Come back to me. You don’t get to leave me like everyone else. You don’t get to.”
He blinked and for a spilt second his eyes were normal, but they went black again. He never moved towards me, but I kept the knife in case. It felt like days just waiting for Ryne to show up.
Okay, take in a deep breath. What would you tell someone to do in a situation like this? If his eyes turned normal, keep trying to reach him. That part of him is still there, the part that has a connection with you. Reach out for it.
“You know that I don’t love Ryne, I just confused it with the need to protect him. I thought I needed to be near him, but it just turns out that he needs me. Well, apparently he needs Nicky more. Mark, I need you. Not because you need protection or because you need me. I need you. A need that is selfish and unacceptable but I feel it anyways. You don’t get to leave.”
Again, his eyes went normal and back to black. I felt frustration build up in me.
“Mark!” I screamed.
Melody, come back to me. You don’t get to leave. The distant voice said.
I stumbled backwards and Mark lunged at me. I ported to the other side of the room and kept porting because he was only seconds behind me. I ported farther and farther. I searched every room for signs of Ryne or Nicky. Every bed was made, no dishes in the sink, no dirty clothes on the floor.
When I got into my room, my closet was closed. No mass pile of clothes that wanted to devour the room. I stood there, staring at my closed closet. Something was wrong. I felt a pinch in my arm and Mark stood next to me, digging a sharp nail into my arm. I stood there, hoping my pain would be enough to bring him back.
“Is that the real you, talking in my head?” I asked.
His black eyes flickered towards me and he shook his head no. I
frowned.
“Do you know who it is?”
Once again, he shook his head no. He moved his hand away from my arm and walked to the closet and opened it. There was a doorway sitting there. Was this a dream or was I going to walk into Narnia? I walked slowly to the door, not wanting Mark to freak out. I reached my hand for the knob and stopped.
I knew I needed to leave, to get out of here, but what would be waiting for me? Would I matter out there? I guess you could ask these questions whenever you moved, made a change. Would I be ready for it?
I walked around the empty house and my stomach felt just as empty. Mark followed me from a safe distance and I wished he’d come and hold my hand.
“Go,” He finally said. “You need to wake up.”
End of part 1
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