Aconite (The Elektita Series Book 1) (12 page)

"Even with
such large amounts of Vero within your body the consequences of merging the
past with the present may be too much." 

Sebastian had
ordered another round of drinks as he prepared to tell me what he thought I
should know. This time a male waiter brought our drinks, wearing nothing but
tight leather shorts. I watched him pass out the drinks even though he didn't
even glance my direction. He even went as far as bowing to Sebastian. That was
a tad creepy.

"Richland
told you that you have had many lives before this one and in one of them he was
your brother." He hadn't worded it quite like that but it had been
implied.

"How did you
know that?" I didn't remember Richland ever actually releasing what all I
already knew.

"I realized
as much when he referred to you as his sister. Then when you didn't even flinch
at the title I knew for sure." That was a relief. I didn't want to find
out I had once again lost a chunk of my life somewhere.

"That makes
sense. Go on," I prompted as I sipped my drink. I had skipped on the Coke
this time going straight for Jack on the rocks. I think this conversation
warranted that.

"When we
first crossed paths your name was Alexandria."  My brain felt fried and
all I could do was stare at him slack jawed.

"You have
heard that name before, I presume." He didn't look at all surprised. Maybe
he thought I had learned it through one of my dreams. He did hint at the fact
he knew I was having them.

"Jo called me
that earlier today. What year was that?" I needed to know. She had called
me Alexandria meaning she knew me all those years ago. He sat thoughtful for a
moment. Was it really that long ago? None of them looked all that much older
than I was.

"It was
seventeen thirty-six, so that would have been two hundred and seventy eight
years ago." He was silent while he did the math. I downed the rest of my
drink, gagging on the ice.

"That was
well before Richland's time." He was so lost in history that he didn't
even react to my fits of coughing. I locked eyes with Richland. He at least
appeared sympathetic.

"I couldn't
even imagine learning all of this over and over again." He leaned over to
whisper in my ear.

"Our families
were both highly respected and devout in their beliefs. They believed that the
Gods had given them special abilities to use against the evil creatures that
roamed the earth. Of course this was after witchcraft ceased to be a punishable
offense. But it did not matter anyway. The wards placed at the edges of our
lands made detection by anyone else virtually impossible. There were three main
families that kept permanent residence in Britain at the time." His
mention of wards ignited a flash back to my dream where I was being publicly
beaten. I didn't want to detour from the history lesson so I schooled my face
to remain the same. Richland must have noticed though because he reached over
and held my hand. It felt odd.

"I'm a
witch." The statement was out of my mouth before I could stop it. He gave
me a look like an adult would give a clueless child.

"When you
were nothing but a child The Elektita declared you to be special; the one who
would bring them eternal salvation."

"The
who?" He made it sound like they were something important.

"The
Elektita, or The Chosen, they were a group of women whom everyone believed
carried the word of the Gods. Whatever they declared must have come straight
from their mouths and one of them just so happened to be your mother." I
thought back to my mother, the one from my dream, she had stood so solemn and
stoic. At the time I had thought it was to give me some sort of respect but now
I knew the truth. She was the one who had put me there. My sisters had been
following her lead. I realized he had stopped in his tale and now had his eyes
pinned squarely on me.

"Are you
remembering something?" I didn't want to speak of my dreams. The thought
of them normally brought back images and feelings from that time far too
strongly.

"A dream I
had not too long ago." I said, betraying my plans.

"What of your
dream?" I didn't want to tell him. I didn't want to relive that time it
was far too painful. All I wanted is for him to keep up his story.

"I was being
publicly beaten. My mother was there with two of my sisters. My father was the
one who wielded the whip." I let out far more than I ever intended. Damn
Jonathon and the Vero. When I am back at full capacity I will find a way to
kick his ass. The waiter from earlier came back with another glass, this time
it was plain water. I took a sip before handing it back to him as he left. I
didn't want the water.

"I think that
is all for this evening. We are all growing tired and I don't want to risk
bringing too much to the surface." What? He had barely begun. He hadn't
even told me what he meant by being a werewolf. I think that would be a rather
important detail.

"No, I need
more information," I demanded. Richland squeezed my palm even tighter. My
hand jerked involuntarily, Richland had squeezed the mark that had been burned
into my palm. Apparently Vero didn't dull that type of pain.

"What is
it?" Richland held up my hand so both he and Sebastian could take a closer
look. I tried to pull free, but I was no match for their strength. Richland
sucked in a hard breath.

"It's your
fault," I blurted out before Sebastian could get pissed off.

"My fault,
how could this be my fault?" He took my hand in his. Sebastian's skin was
much softer but still held hints that they had worked hard for what they
wanted. He gave the symbol a more thorough inspection.

"Would you
care to add something to your story now?" I didn't want to give him the
details of how the mark came to be. I needed answers and if I had to then so be
it.

"Eterna,"
his deep voice was barely a whisper as he traced the raised lines with the pad
of his thumb.

"How did this
happen?” Richland had leaned in blocking my hand from view. I felt like a
science experiment gone horribly awry.

"We need to
take a break. You can stay in my apartment here while you recuperate. It would
be better if you were close while you remained this naive and fragile."
The mark had a name and as a plus he didn't ask how it had been burned into my
hand.

"I would not
be so naive if I had more information." I pulled my hand from their
inspection.

"It is not
safe for you to receive too much information, especially in this state."

"But all of
my things are at the Inn and I have it paid up to the end of next week." I
countered. I didn't want to stay in a night club and I especially didn't want
to stay in his apartment.

"I did not
say that you would be staying here on a permanent basis; just until the Vero is
no longer potent. Richland will retrieve some of your belongings. The room will
remain yours." He looked lost; even though he had since released my hand,
his eyes still flicked to my burn. The marks meaning had worried him and I
didn't like it one bit.

"I will go,
but only if you tell me what Eterna is?" When my hand was burned I felt a
familiarity with the pattern but I couldn't place it. If he could tell me what
it meant I would have one less question floating around in my head.

"It means
eternity." Light and sound exploded behind my eyes. Flashes of myself in a
white lace dress came and went far too quickly. Blood splashed into a gold
goblet that sat in a prayer chamber deep within the ground. The slash against
my wrist was much sharper than I had expected. Frankincense billowed in great
amounts around my body.

"Enough!"
Sebastian's deep anger filled voice cut away the vision instantly. I was in his
arms and we were moving. I couldn't remember how we had gotten to this hallway,
but I was only out for a few seconds so it must attach to the club somehow. The
lighting in this hall was a normal bright white for which I was grateful. I
didn't think my pounding head could take the red fluorescents.

"What
happened?" My voice was cracked and fading quickly. How is it possible
that I keep screaming without the knowledge of actually doing it?

"How can you
be so stupid? This will not happen again. When I say our time is up—It. Is. Up.
Do not disobey me again." His demand was worded with worry but the way he
held me I couldn't see his face. He held me tightly against his body, like a
father would his child. My face sat squarely in the crook of his arm. I took a
deep breath; inhaling the familiar clean scent that I would associate with
Sebastian and something more wild than I would have expected of a business man.
There were no traces of cologne or deodorant. He was pure and perfect. I could
picture the open night sky in my minds eyes; pine trees that rustled softly
with the warm breeze. With my eyes closed he was the land, he was the one thing
that had kept me grounded in times of great desperation.

When I had grown
close to Jonathon he was my home, my love, my calm before the storm, but with
Sebastian I knew he was my heart, my anchor, my passion. In Sebastian's arms I
realized why my dreams had pulled them in as one. Never letting one be without
the other because for all my other lives I couldn't have one without the other.
I didn't need either of them for that answer. It was already there.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

"We're
here." Sebastian's voice came low and reluctant. He sat me carefully on a
large cream colored sofa. I had assumed his apartment would mimic the style of
the club; large dark leather furniture, sleek glass end tables, and a pool
table that took the place of a dinner table. But the room I sat in now didn't
look anything like the picture in my head.

The bright open
space was a stark contrast to my mental picture. Cream and beige furniture sat
around light oak tables. Hand carved scenery had been carved into the legs. The
massive coffee table that sat in the middle had old world carvings on each of
its four legs. Large vaulted ceilings rose over above us with light crown
molding giving the walls even more height. The chandelier that hung at the peak
had to contain a million crystals and the dark hardwood floors mirrored the
sparkles that bounced off each individual crystal. It was breathtaking. How
something this gorgeous could be attached to the night club. It just didn't
seem rational.

"I thought
you said I would be staying in your apartment?"

Sebastian let out
a clearly irritated sound.

"My apartment
didn't seem safe enough. As fragile as your mind has proven to be, I thought it
best to bring you here." So this wasn't attached to the club after all.

"How did we
get here?" I knew I hadn't been out for longer than a minute or two so how
could we have possibly left the club and made it to his home before I woke up?

"Enough with
the questions. You need rest." I could tell by his tone that he meant it.
I wasn't going to get an answer tonight. Another chunk of time had been ripped
away.

"Your home is
beautiful," I said instead. After sitting in an extra-large beige chair
across from me he took in his own house. The look in his blue eyes made it seem
like he was seeing it for the first time.

"It is home.
Richland should be here shortly with your things. The bathroom is attached to
my room and is free for you to freshen up in before bed."  Bedroom as in
singular?

"Where am I
going to sleep?" I was absolutely fine with sleeping on the couch. This
wouldn't be my first time.

"Of course
you will sleep in the bedroom." He sounded appalled that I even had to ask
such a question. So he was going to sleep on his own couch? Because we damn
sure were not sharing the bed. If he really had come from the time he claimed
then his views on women would be drastically different. I struggled to pull
myself from the soft chair before falling back onto the cushioned seat.

"Take my
hand." Sebastian stood over me with his outstretched hand but before I
could take it he had scooped me up out of the chair and stood me upright on the
cool floor. He remained cautious, leaving his hand at the small of my back as I
headed down the hall. The door that led to his room was ornately carved. It
felt familiar as I brought my hand to slide along the raised floral design that
covered the door. He reached ahead, opening the door for me and quickly
shuffling me inside.

A rich oak four
poster bed took up most of the room. Sharp, excruciating pain spider webbed
through my head. I felt more than saw large masculine hands, ever so softly,
run along my naked body. The feel of the cotton cloth sliding over my head was
exciting. The brief darkness fueled the anticipation. I felt the raised designs
of the wooden pole as I latched on to it before my legs gave out completely.
The memory was painful and fractured, disappearing ever so quickly.

When my sight
finally returned I was lying crumpled on the floor. Sebastian was absent
leaving Richland, bag in hand, in his place. I couldn't speak—the feelings far
too close for comfort. My tattoo still remained dormant and the world around me
kept its pace. The Vero worked to suppress my power but gave a path for history
to collide with the present. Myself being its conduit was the downfall of it
all.

"You need to
relax," Richland said as he helped me off the floor. Much like Sebastian,
he helped guide me towards the door but this time blocking me from the bed that
I now knew I once shared with Sebastian. It may not have been this self, but it
was still me. The bathroom was a woman’s dream. Though it was absent of a
shower that I much preferred, a large jacuzzi took its place. Just the thought
of those jets massaging into my muscles took away some of the tension that
hammered at my already sore muscles. Large vanity mirrors lined one wall
bumping into an endless closet. Even the large bowled sinks had my name written
all over them. Growing up in a well to do family had its perks but no matter
how much money my parents made in that little town they would never be able to
afford something like this. Richland sat the bag near the closet and began
running water into the tub.

"You deserve
this after the day you've had," he chirped, leaving me alone in the room.
I couldn't wait for the water to fill the tub. I quickly stripped out of my
battered clothes. Well as quickly as a weak and sore person could and slid into
the steaming water. My body immediately went slack enjoying the feel of the
water rise higher and higher. The tub even had a dip where I could lay my head
back and still remain comfortable. When the water had nearly covered my neck I
used my foot to stop the flow. I didn't want to move; thankfully I could easily
tap the button with my big toe. My muscles melted like butter with the assault
from the jets. This tub is a must whenever I do buy a house of my own.

I sat in the tub
longer than hospitality would warrant; especially this being the only bathroom,
but I couldn't bring myself to get out. My fingers and toes where pruned and
white by the time I pulled myself from its cooling waters. I fished a long
nightgown out of my bag and wrapped my hair in a towel before leaving the
bathroom. If Sebastian was in his room I wanted to be decent, but the room was
empty. I made my way back to the living room in search of my host. The whole
house was empty. The large sparse kitchen didn't even look like he used it. All
the stainless steel appliances were spotless. Even the fridge was empty of
everything but bottled water. It was obvious he didn't stay here much. What was
I going to eat? He better at least buy some groceries. Even though the bath had
renewed my energy, I was still tired so I went back to the bedroom.

I didn't want to
get in the bed, his bed. I paced along the room from one end to the other. What
if it smelled like him and I had another break while he was gone? I didn't
think I wanted to know what the extent of our relationship was. I drew in deep
breaths before finally gaining enough courage to crawl on top of the silk
covers. I couldn't rely on someone being around to handle my problems. I guess
it was a good start that just the sight of it didn't send me back to crazytown.
I crawled up on the bed barely sinking into the firm mattress. My body jumped
with joy at the prospects of sleep. Maybe the Vero would keep the dreams away
and I would finally get a good night’s rest.

The thought had me
cuddling up to sleep quicker than I would have imagined my reaction would be at
sleeping in a strange man’s bed. Sebastian didn't feel strange though. Even
before he told me of our past I had always felt like he was never a stranger. I
knew I hadn't been sleeping too long before the bed dipped ever so slightly
next to me. A large warm body scooted itself flush with mine. Sebastian in
nothing but loose flannel pants spooned his warm body against me, curling his
arm around my chest. Tension zoomed through my body as he let out a content
breath.

"Shh, don't
worry, I just need to sleep." I didn't know if it was exhaustion or what
but I trusted him, letting myself sink into his embrace.

"Jonathon
loved her, didn't he?" I knew he didn't want to talk anymore, but I needed
to know. I needed to know that at least one of the conclusions I had come to
was the truth. I did not love this man, but she did.

"Love is a weakness."