Chance: An Action & Adventure Romance Novel (Sacrifice) (12 page)

She stares at me for several long moments before a look of disappointment crosses her face. It only lasts for a second before her steely resolve takes over again, but I caught it. The last I knew was that The Order wanted her to join our team, and I know Angelo has been searching for her. Going against my better judgment and damn near every rule we live by, I reach into my pocket and pull out one of our cards. The cards are usually very vague with only our names and contact numbers on them. But on the back of the card I scrawl out the address to our compound and hand it to her.

“
What's this?”

“
This is where you can find us when you are ready to join us.”

“
I'm not joinin' you.”

“
We shall see.”

Reaching forward I grasp the desk pinning her down, and pull it back, freeing her. She rubs her hip bones and extends both hands towards me with her palms up.

“
I want my guns.”

I pull her weapons out of my waistband and hand each one back to her, and watch as she slides each one into their holsters. I've said all I have to say, so I simply turn on my heel and walk towards the exit of the room. As I reach the door she calls out to me just as I figured she would, but her question surprises me.

“
Are you all... like me?”

“
Elioud?”

She nods and waits for my response.

“
Mostly, though some of us are Nephilim.”

I do not give her a chance to respond. Walking out of the room I head back to the barracks, collect the personal computers and leave the facility.

Dora

Dark tendrils cascade down my body shrouding me completely in darkness. I try to brush them off but there's no use, I know what's coming. A deep man’s voice cries out in excruciating pain and I realize I know that voice. That's Aiden. Oh god! What have I done!

I tumble out of my bed and onto the floor.
Oh sweet Jesus it was just a dream.
I'm wide awake now and my heart is still pounding in my chest. I would never willingly use my abilities. The Sapient used to try and convince me that they were a gift from god. They would say that the darkness only proved that God wanted me to cleanse the Earth of something. This seemed to be anything, or rather anyone that they didn’t agree with. I always knew the Sapient were the bad guys. And I know it was obvious considering they kept me locked away, but they just didn't
feel
right to me.

Aiden felt right. Actually, everyone here did. There was something so genuine and so real about these people that for the first time in my life I have hope.  Not hope just for things concerning myself, but hope for them, too. Even if I was to never see any of them again, I would still hope that they had a happy life. My life has been cruel and full of pain and guilt. I see the way they look at me. They wish I hadn’t endured any of it. Why? Because they are good people. Good people do exist.

A laugh bubbles up from my throat and I can't stop it from sounding throughout my cell. It isn't as if I'd want to try.  It’s happy laughter, something else I've never had before. Climbing to my feet I turn on the light and sit down at the desk where the laptop is. No one seems to be online, but looking at the clock I can see why. It's only two in the morning. It's been two weeks since Aiden told me he was going to get me out of here and I know he is just as frustrated as I am. Well, almost. He's not the one locked in a box. He said that The Order has yet to answer him. He also said that it was strange because they are usually quite quick with their responses.

Something catches my eyes on the computer screen.  I look down and there is a flashing icon that I've never seen before.  After clicking the icon a box pops up and I can see myself on the screen. Someone is taping me? Waving my hand in front of the screen I notice for the first time that there is a little glass eye at the top of the laptop screen.

Another box pops up, but this one has a message.

C
: Do not be afraid child. We are merely keeping an eye on you.

Dora
: Who are you?

Watching the clock I realize that it's been ten minutes and this mysterious and slightly alarming person is not going to respond to me. I close the chat box still wondering who this 'C' person is and awkwardly close the laptop, careful not to look at the camera. That's just weird. I'm already locked in this cell that has cameras of its own. Why watch me through the computer?

When I turn away from the computer, I can't stop the scream that escapes my lips. Standing just inside the door of my cell is Damiano. He's scary on normal terms but turning around to see that he somehow silently got into my cell is a whole different level... Not to mention the weird computer thing. Are these people
trying
to scare me to death?

“
How did you get in here?”

Damiano turns his body slightly and tilts his head towards the door. His longish white hair is free and at the tilt of his head I can see his entire face. He really is very handsome, even if it is in a broody scary-man kind of way. His size alone is intimidating to me but it's his eyes that get me. They're black now, but the last time I saw him they were a different color.  It's his gaze that keeps me rooted in place. It's as if he's constantly assessing the situation, or worse, assessing me. He remains silent, just standing with his hands in his pockets and staring at me. After a few minutes of this I absolutely
have
to break the silence. It's freaking me out.

“
What do you want, Damiano?”

“
I wish to speak with you.”

“
Oh...kay. Then perhaps you should speak?”

At my obvious sarcasm Damiano's ever hard face breaks and a smile spreads across his lips causing my heart to stutter in my chest. He really should do that more often, it suits him.

“
Ask your questions,” Damiano prompts.

What is he talking about? What questions?
  “
What?”

“
You have questions; I am here to answer the ones I feel are appropriate.”

Huh... That's rather pretentious of him. Whatever. He's giving me an opportunity no one else has. I might as well take advantage of it. He's putting me on the spot so I can't think of anything to ask.

“
Who are you exactly?”

“
You may call me Damiano.”

“
Right. But
who are you
?”

He doesn't answer me. He simply stares back at me impassively. Okay, next question.

“
What does The Order really do?”

“
They protect those of us who are of the bloodline,” Damiano responds.

“
From The Sapient?”

“
Yes.”

“
Why do The Sapient hate us?”

“
Now,” Damiano pauses, “that is a difficult question to answer.”

“
Would you try? I'd like to understand.”

Damiano shifts away from his position at the door and moves to sit on the edge of my bed. Tonight has been strange, but seeing him sitting on my bed, elbows resting on his knees while he's staring at the floor clearly in deep thought, has me wondering if I've finally lost my mind. This is a man who I've come to learn avoids conversation or human interaction of any kind. Why is he here to talk to me, in the middle of the night, when I have nothing to offer him? Before I can question it any further he speaks and captures my full attention.

“
Many lifetimes ago, there was an ordinary village filled with ordinary people. Life was not easy for these people, not as it is today. They had to work for their sustenance. In this village there was a man named Tomaal. Tomaal was very prominent in this community. Not because of his hard work and dedication. No, but because of the fear he instilled in those who sought to disobey him. Having lived in this village his entire life he had grown quite possessive over a young beauty that was called Xanthia. This girl had no intentions of being Tomaal's possession, but that mattered not. Her parents were pleased with his interest in their daughter, but they did not see what was behind the facade.”

“One night Tomaal escorted Xanthia to a local establishment and quickly realized this was not a good idea. You see, Xanthia was very beautiful, and when they were out in public she caught the eye of most men. Tomaal did not like this. In his eyes she was his and no one else’s, not even to gaze upon. Tomaal dragged her out into the night but not far enough away so that her screams couldn't be heard. However, they were heard. They were not heard by Patrons, but by a man simply passing through.  This man had no intentions of staying in that village until he saw Tomaal raise his hand in anger and strike
the beautiful Xanthia. The hit was so violent and so malicious that Xanthia was forced to the ground leaking her precious lifeblood into the dirt beneath her. The wanderer could no longer watch this horrific scene. He had to intervene. Just as Tomaal was going to strike her once more, the wanderer caught his arm and spun him away from Xanthia causing Tomaal to lose his footing and land in the dirt. I think that is what they call poetic justice. The unknown man however did not think this justice. Not as he watched Xanthia lift her pained gaze to his. Unable to control his emotions, at that moment the drifter lunged at Tomaal. When he did, Tomaal instantly knew something was not right. This drifter cleared the distance between them far faster than any mortal man could have. One word was all it took to stop the drifter in his tracks.”

“‘Please,’ Xanthia had whispered, softly begging him not to attack Tomaal. Not because she did not want to see him hurt, but because she knew that if he did, Tomaal would not rest until he made his life a living hell. The drifter helped Xanthia to her feet, but does not let her trembling hands go. They stare into each other’s eyes and it was as if something had snapped into place, like two pieces of a puzzle finally joined.”

“Thus began Xanthia and the drifter Daethan's bond. From that night on they were inseparable. Daethan was nothing like Tomaal. He sought to earn her affection, not win it or claim it, but to be deserving of it. Each night as they were forced to part, Xanthia would wonder where it was Daethan went at night. He was not from her village; therefore she knew none of the locals would offer him shelter.”

“Weeks turned to months and their love continued to bloom, but their affections stayed pure. Daethan would often steal a kiss, but nothing more. He believed her to be the purest soul he had ever met and he loved that about her. They were so consumed by their love that neither of them noticed that sitting in the shadows was the ever watchful and jealous Tomaal. He watched Xanthia fall progressively more and more in love with Daethan and it caused his unhealthy jealousy to manifest itself into obsession.  His obsession was not just with Xanthia. Now he was obsessed with Daethan as well. He wanted to know how he was capable of such speed, such raw power. Tomaal wanted this for himself.  He was determined to find out
the truth, even if it meant losing Xanthia. After all, what was the love of one woman to raw power?”

Damiano stops speaking and tilts his head to the side staring at me.  I can see his lips are twitching like he's amused. Taking in my own demeanor, I blush. I've got my knees hugged to my chest while I'm still sitting in the computer chair. I've been hanging on his every word so the fact that my mouth is dry tells me that I have been gaping at him. Reaching over to the desk I take a sip of water and turn back to him.

“
So, what happened?”

He shakes his head in mock disbelief, but I can see one side of his mouth is slightly lifted. Like he wants to smile.

“
One night after Xanthia watches Daethan walk away from her parents’ house she creeps out into the night after him. She's careful to stay back far enough so that he won't notice her. She watches as Daethan enters a barn she knew had been abandoned for years. Through a small window she watches as he lights a candle and lays down on what looks like tattered remains of various blankets. Her heart aches for how he's forced to live. But she's taken aback when she sees that he is not upset by his surroundings. He's smiling. Xanthia quietly enters the barn taking Daethan by surprise. He's delighted that she is there and proceeds to show her. There love making turns into soft confessions of devotion to one another. Daethan explains to her that he smiles because he has her heart. That night they fall asleep in each other’s arms, but as fate would have it, it would also be their last. In the deep of the night the barn quickly becomes an inferno trapping both Daethan and Xanthia inside. Daethan was determined to Xanthia out alive.  He held little concern for his own safety, but what he should have considered was that Xanthia felt the same way. A support beam snaps and as if she knew it was going to happen, she pushes Daethan out of the way. The beam pins her to the ground just as the fire becomes even too hot for Daethan to withstand. Xanthia accepts her fate. She kisses him one last time and makes him promise her with her last breath that he will escape. He had no choice. He had promised his beloved Xanthia. She was gone. Taken from him.”