Forsaken (book 3) (The Charmer series) (20 page)

Where the blade sits in his chest, a black circle smokes up from his blood.

I can't help but want to cry seeing him like this; this is his nightmare coming true, what he dreams of every night.

"Do something!" I call to Dallah.

But in the shadow of the flame, I see the three of them standing like statues, with their heads bowed down.

Looking to my left, then right, the sisters are still in the bodies of the women, but in their eyes is where I see the truth.

Each sister holds one of my arms and one of my legs painfully as their focus is completely on Richard, excitement in their faces.

"Magic is no use, but try if you must," they laugh.

"Richard!" I call down to him.

The sisters pull at my body, causing me to scream through the pain, but nothing compared to the pain Richard is feeling.

Turning his head to face me, a candle illuminates the right side of his face where a single tears trails sorrowfully down his cheek and to his neck.

"It's not real," I tell him gently, angering the sisters further, "it's a dream, fight them," I ask him with tears of my own.

"Hush, you know nothing Charmer," they spit at me, "Richard, just accept our deal. You break the curse, we get her life, you walk away," they offer sinfully.

"No...
dream...I...wont...go...back..."

Thrashing my body against the cold ceiling, my hair hangs down, removing half my vision. I can no longer see Dallah, Sallack and Angus.

"You won't! Look at me!" I yell to him, but his eyes shut to the pain. "You will pay for this! You think it's bad now, you fucking wait!"

"We will drop her onto you; force the blade to split you in half. Hell awaits you Prince, twisting fire, living nightmares, you will sacrifice all for this slip of a
girl!" One of the sisters asks with laughter.

"No," he sighs.

"No Richard! We can fight it together. Look at me!!!" I plead to him.

"Loosen her sister," one giggles, and soon loosens her grip on me.

"No!" Richard cries.

"Just look at me!" I ask desperately, my tears hitting his face.

"I can't help you Zara," he admits shamefully.

"So I will save you. Look at me," I almost sing to him.

"Don't let me die here!" He begs.

Ever so slowly his head turns up to me, our eyes meeting.

"Don't look away! This is your nightmare; they are playing with you Richard, like they did before. I'm here with you...don't look away!"

"The pain is t
oo real...no nightmare..."

"It is real you fool. She wants your life; she owes it as a payment to the devil. She is no angel; you can see it in her, she plays with your heart, wants to weaken you so that she can take your life!"

"No! I wouldn't do it, I promise I wouldn't!"

"Don't listen to the words of a Charmer, her voice built to make you believe, her body to desire, and the eyes to fall into. Know what you have been thought, you are wise. Tell us you no longer want to be a part of her curse,
then all shall be forgotten," they speak calmly, convincingly.

"It isn't real; you’re allowing this to happen. You will not go to hell, not if you fight this, I won't allow it to happen! I'm here with you, the others have disappeared Richard. The sisters aren't really here in body, they are in your mind,
can't you see it. You are the strongest man I know, don't play the victim. Open your eyes and see this for what it is. I am helpless to you here."

"Drop her on the count of five!" They hiss like snakes in my ears.

"Don't listen to them!"

"Why can you leave me alone, you are always there, needing me!" he hisses to me.

"I can't Richard, I do need you, just this one time I need you to do this for yourself only you," I beg of him.

"I can't." he sighs.

"I will fight for you then; I will save you from this!"

Listening to the sisters countdown slowly, in a frightened tone, not sure of what move I will make, on their count of 4, I relax my body so much so that my body turns to water, slipping through their fingers.

Falling down weightlessly, I see the frightened child that hides inside of Richard, the petrified child.

Closing his eyes and accepting his life to be lived in hell. I stop just an inch from
him, my body heat caressing his body.

Taking a solid painful breath, his eyes open to a look of shock.

"Last change! Before she slams against you!" One sister calls, sounding desperate, knowing that I have fought them off bravely.

Without even saying a single word, I press my lips to his, fill him with warmth.

Opening his lips, my tongue clashes against his, not in a desirable, losing ambition kiss, but a soft, sweet kiss of life.

Holding his shoulder with one hand, I wrap my other hand around the dagger, before pulling, I kiss him harder; give him a taste of passion.

Yanking the dagger from his chest, he grunts into my mouth, to only kiss me back a split second later. My body presses against his smoothly, and my knees fall to his side. Holding his shoulders I pull him up gently from his laying down position.

Opening our eyes together, we break off the kiss and watch each other closely, that is until the women's bodies fall from the ceiling with a thud, ending the moment we had, and causing us to fall back to reality ourselves.

"Thank you," he tells me with his head high and his eyes squinted.

"You are welcome," I smile to him weakly.

"Where the fuck did you go!!" Dallah screams as the three of them shimmer back into the room.

"The sisters took us, played a trick. We need to go," I tell them with a firm nod of my head.

Raising their brows at me and looking at Richard up and down in disgust, I suddenly remember that I'm sitting on his crutch and holding onto his muscular shoulder like a love sick puppy.

"Oh my bad.
Sorry about that," I say jokingly as I get up from him and dust off his shoulder with my nervous hand.

"So...?"

"They have gone, which is what we need to do. Let's go see my father," I tell them with authority, knowing he will have some understanding into what the hell just happened.

Stepping up to me, Angus laces his arm over my shoulder as Sallack takes hold of Dallah's hand. Looking over to Richard, he hangs his head and ignores my pleading eyes.

"Angus, go with Dallah, we will be there in a moment?"

"You're sure sweet?" He questions whilst watching Richard closely.

"Of course," I smile up at him.

When the others have gone, I walk over to Richard where he stands lost in his own thoughts, and I step to stand before him.

"You need to be with us," I say gently.

"I don't need to do anything. This is your mess Zara, you have dragged me in too far, I will not hand you my life like those fools do. You know I'm a selfish man."

"I'm sorry you feel that way, I didn't realise it was effecting you so badly. You are free from ou
r deal. Your life is yours to live. Thank you for what you have done for me over the last few days. Good bye Richard," I tell him with great meaning.

Just as I transport away from him, I hear his
confused gentle whisper.

"She saved me."

It was not meant for my ears, nevertheless I heard him.

Chapter 18

Standing at the foot of my father’s office, we wait for his reaction to our news.

I stand in the middle, whilst Angus to my right, and Dallah and Sallack to my left.

Breathing heavily, he stands from the table, anger boiling in his veins, murder in his eyes.

"They are not workin
g alone!"

"Do you think
it’s him, you know?” I ask, not wanting to use Lucifer’s name aloud.

"
Maybe. Where is Richard?" He asks looking between us.

"The Dark Coven," Dallah speaks.

"You need to stay together! This is vital! Whoever the sister’s are working with want you broken up. The sister’s will follow you, wait until you are at your weakest and strike. You are all too young, naive for their tricks. I'm not saying you are weak, no not weak, but together your strength combined you match their abilities.

"So we all have to live though our most inner fears, our nightmares?" I ask bravely, but inside I dread the answer.

"Child, you have been through enough, I wish there was something I could do," he tells me sorrowfully, "but at least you know what awaits you, you all do. If you are to give into the nightmare they cause, they posses your soul," he says watching us for our reactions.

Sallack and Angus stand with their heads high, showing their strength, Dallah looks as though she wants to kick ass, but me,
I stand alone, frightened for them. Again, because of me, they will get hurt, even killed in their worst way imaginable.

Rubbing my head to hide the tears in my eyes, my father walks from around the table and stands before me.

"What is your worst nightmare Zara?" He asks gently, his warm breath caressing my face lovingly.

"I have many."

"When this is over, you will come here and be away from this war between good and evil."

"Will it ever end?"

"No, but you will be fine, suck it up," Richards voice fills the air.

Closing my eyes and taking a shaky breath, I turn to him, head held high.

"You're back?" my eyes brim with tears and my heart swells with pride for his decision to unite with us.

"I'm a sucker for a fight," he winks.

I don't know what it is about Richard, but knowing that he is apart if this makes me feel strong, I fear less for myself, the others, knowing that we have such a powerful man on our side.

"Richard, glad you could make it. Listen to me, what we spoke of last week, my offer; I put it back on the table?" My father announces, confusing us all, apart from Richard.

"I'll think about it," Richard replies.

"Right, everyone stays together tonight, here. I have to go; I need to find out what is going on, who is behind this. Take care of each other, no matter what, stick together," he speaks looking between us all.

"I shall take Arthur with me, you are alone tonight, no parties," he winks at me to lighten the mood, but it makes me feel even the more sadder.

"Take care," I tell him full if emotion.

"Always child," he smirks.

Throwing myself into his arms, I wrap my arms around him and hug him tightly, needing him to know that I love and care for him just as much as he does me.

"I hope to be back for the ceremony." He says before kissing my head.

Sitting on my bed with Dallah, I ask the question I have wanted to all evening.

"What scares you?"

"Richard," she says with a raised brow.

"Really?
He is what the sisters will use against you?"

"No, I'm not scared of him. There are lots of things that scare me Zara, too many to pick from," she tells me sadly.

"Yeah me to," I sigh and flop down on the bed.

"Do you think they are ok?"

We left the men downstairs, sitting with glasses of whiskey in their hands, their handsome faces deep in thought.

"Yeah be fine," I joke, "how has Julian been? Are you still getting on well?"

"Why wouldn't we be?" She asks defensively.

"I didn't mean any harm Dallah, it's just I haven't had much time to speak with you, let alone see Julian."

"Sorry sweetie. It's just that I'm not sure what I feel anymore, so much has changed since I fell for Julian, I love him, I just don't know if I’m in love with him," she explains with a tear running down her cheek.

Holding on to her hand I smile at her sweetly.

"I'm sorry you feel that way. You know I'm always here for you right?"

"Yeah, I know. When this mess clears, we should go awa
y, somewhere with sun, sea, sand, and no Werewolves, Witches, Vampires, Warlocks, or the bloody Fae."

"WHAT!
Fairies?" I screech at her in shock.

"You are too easy!" She says bursting into laughter.

"You bitch!" I laugh aloud.

"Come on, let's go down for dinner?" She asks holding her sides.

"Um, ok, no more messing though?"

"Scouts honour," she says holding up two fingers.

"Yeah, like you went to scouts," I say sarcastically as we make our way down to the kitchen.

Sitting around a table with Dallah, Sallack, Richard, Angus and myself, we sit in silence, drinks in our hands.

"Do you think they will come tonight?" I ask looking down at my glass of wine.

"We will be ready if they do," Angus tells me sweetly, resting his hand over mine.

"Yeah, if Richard can make it out, we’ll have no trouble," Dallah states, having no idea what happened to Richard.

As silence fills the air again, we hear a tapping, as if someone is hitting their nails against glass.

Looking around the dimly lit room, my eyes fall on Dallah, I don't have to say a word, she shrugs her shoulders at me and Sallack places a comforting hand over hers.

"You are all extremely paranoid," Richard chimes in.

"When there are people we care about in danger, yes we are," Angus replies.

"You used to be such a feared man, now look at you."

"What the fuck is wrong with you! Angus is respected, more so then you will ever know of!" Dallah spits.

Rolling my eyes, I lean back on my chair as another heated argument takes place, for the third time tonight!

Leaning my head over the back of the chair, I stare at the clock on the wall.

10 painful minutes pass before silence takes them again, and it really is music to my ears.

"I'm gunna go up," I smile at them weakly before standing from the table and kissing Angus's cheek.

"I'll come with you," Angus announces as he joins me on my feet.

Nodding my head to him, we walk side by side up to the second floor where our rooms are.

Stopping at my bedroom door, I swing it open and nod my head inside, silently asking if he wants to come in.

Walking past me with a smirk and a wink, he jumps on my bed, removes his shoes and makes himself comfortable.

"I don't trust him."

"Richard?"

"No Ruk, something isn't right, I know he remembers nothing of you, but it's something else," he says with a look of concentration.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure we'll find out soon," I sigh.

"I'm sorry this has happened again. I really thought he was right for you," he sighs.

"Yeah me too," I say with tears running down my cheeks.

Resting my head on his chest, I hold onto his shirt as if a life line.

Angus is a wonderful Vampire, special to me, I care for him deeply.

"You know, when you find the 'one', I'm doing background checks, lie detectors, the lot," I tell him in a serious tone.

"I think I'm passed it sweet, I have only just found my heart, I will not give it away to another," he tells me sadly, but with a smile in his lips.

"You will."

"Why so sure?"

"Just a feeling, always trust your feelings I was told by a great woman," I smile sweetly to him.

"Do you want to know what I see when I look at you?"

"Go on?"

"A sexy, scary, woman, a little like a girl version of Arnold Schwarzenegger!" He laughs.

"Hey! You know, a bit of training and it could happen," I joke.

"I'll look forward to that," he says sarcastically, making us both laugh.

Hearing a knock at the door, Angus calls out in an Arnold Schwarzenegger accent.

"You may
come iinn!"

Walking thought the door with a look of wonder is Richard.

"What was that?"

"Just a private joke," Angus tells him, and his arm pushes down harder on my back to keep me in place.

"Comfortable? Because we have things to discuss!" He states sounding pissed off.

"Right, I'll leave you. Come to me if you..."

"She's fine," Richards speaks aloud and very rudely.

"I will, thanks Angus," I kiss his cheek and move to let him up.

Walking out of the door he calls, "I'll be back!" Causing me to give a real healthy laugh.

"For a thousand year old Vampire, he is very immature."

"No, not immature. He likes to make me smile," I say smiling at the thought of how he makes my days feel bright.

"Don't fall for him now!" Richard accuses, whilst plonking himself down on my bed.

"I'm not falling for anyone, not that you should care."

"Why did you kiss me?" He asks, changing the subject, and throwing me off.

"Why did you let me?"

Raising a brow at me, I sigh before I answer his question.

"I wanted you to think of something other than hell," I answer.

"And you are the opposite of hell?"

"No, just a distraction. Do you think I'm evil?"

"Partly," he answers truthfully.

Rubbing his hands over his face, his eyes meet mine and look at me with such uncertainty, which makes me feel nervous.

"I don't understand?" I say gently, as I'm not sure I want to hear his answer.

"You are a sin to me Zara, the colour of your hair, the blaze in your eyes. It's all a lour to capture me," he says, but sounding as a question.

"If you think that way then that is your fault. I will not apologies for the way I look. I'm not asking anything of you Richard. And I
can promise you that your loving me is a thing I will never want, nor shall you receive, not in that way. I'm not being horrible, so I'm sorry if it sounds that way, it's just that I don't want love, no, to be in love. So you can relax," I finish with a smirk.

"Well, I'm glad that's cleared up. Take your clothes off," he says whilst removing his.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"We are going to have sex," he tells me, looking at me as if I'm stupid for asking.

"Um ok, no we are not! Put your clothes back on and tell me where the hell you got that idea from?"

Unzipping his trousers, he lets them fall to the floor, so that he stands in only his underwear.

My god! He looks amazing! Damn it!

"You said you don't want love, I told you I don't want love. We have the perfect arrangement."

"With is...?"

"
Fuck buddies," he smirks.

"Oh jeez, you’re being serious, ok. Look, Richard, I don't want to look at another man, let alone have sex with...what
are you doing!!!" I screech as his underwear falls to the floor, so he stands before me with all his glory on show.

Jumping off the bed, I pull my robe off the bathroom door and wrap it around his
waist.

"You need to go."

"When I have fulfilled your needs," he says wickedly.

"You mean yours! I'm flattered, but you are wasting your time, I'm a lost cause."

"You will want me Zara, and when you do, I will make you beg."

"Ok, thanks for the heads up, but you should go, like now," I tell him in a serious tone, wanting him to see that I am not joking, or playing hard to get.

"Fine, take this," he hands me the robe back, and turns away from me.

Walking out of the door, the inner pervert in me cannot help but want to see him walking away.

Biting my lip to stop me from screeching, I slowly look around the door frame, and there he is, walking away from my room, naked, and without a care in the world.

Oh my! The butt on him...uh
..seriously hot..wow..!

However, it goes from bad, to damn right horrifying when Sallack and Dallah walk towards him with, stunned by his nudeness.

"Where have you been?' Dallah questions suspiciously.

"Zara's room.
Good night," he says as he walks past their shocked faces, and turns to wink at Dallah, but notices me watching the car crash take place.