Indignation (9 page)

“Who is she?” He nods toward Alyssa. He needs to divert the man’s attention away from his real motives for being at The Jag.

“That is the Proelia
.
She satisfies Hades.”

Julian raises his eyebrow. They call her Proelia, meaning ‘battle’. “How does she satisfy Hades?”

“She has no difficulty holding the cursed Katana.”

“Explain.” He has no patience for the follower’s dramatic tone.

“The Katana of Selene. It is blessed with her blood, but no mortal or immortal could touch it without being taken to the underworld, except her. The
Proelia
is the only one.”

“I can see.” He notices how the follower, battling her, cowards away from the Katana. Of course she would be able to touch the Katana of Selene. She is what her past has brought.

“My king.”

He turns toward the follower. “Yes?”

“Do you wish to send a message to Hades?”

“Actually I do.” Julian right hand wraps around Jag’s throat in a fluid motion.  He strangles the follower five feet off the floor. “Tell Hades I’m one step closer.” He drops the follower on the floor, not bothering with the body that won’t move.

He hides in the shadows of the corners, observing Alyssa’s movements. Hades is interested in her. They don’t know that the Proelia is his, and he doesn’t share.

Making the Dent

“I want answers, Hans. Find them at once or you will have to deal with me, understand?” Julian threatens the lycanthrope through the phone.

“I will personally find them, my king.”

“Good. Now go pay Jag a visit. I have unfinished business with him that needs to be cleared by midnight.” He disconnects the call without further explanation.

Julian isn’t a man of patience. He doesn’t like that Hades has his eyes set on Alyssa, and he doesn’t know the real reason why. It couldn’t be because she is able to hold the Katana of Selene without disappearing into the underworld. He is able to do the same. What does Hades really want from her?

Julian’s hunger for answers ends when he sees Alyssa holding Brandon’s hand in a carefree manner. The love shows in her violet eyes that are covered by her hazel colored contacts. The students pass him with caution as he continues to stare at the entwined hands of her with that human. She’s shadowed by her own lies. She acts like the possibility to be normal is a reality that can be achieved. Her act is easy to see pass. He knows her for who she really is. She’s a betrayer.

Her eyes meet his. The connection is inevitable, but as his revulsion for her shows, so does her anger. She pulls away from Brandon’s grip, ignoring his pleas, and jogs across the parking lot to stop in front of him.

“Is there something you needed?” He asks rudely.

“Yes, I do.” She takes a step closer to him without fear. “I want you to stay away from me and my friends.”

“Your presence doesn’t please me either.”

“What are you doing? Are you trying to hurt me by hurting the ones I love?”

“Love is a powerful word. You know nothing about it.” He stated.

“I know that you were the one who attacked Jim.”

He crosses his arm. “A man never lets a woman fight his own fights.”

“Jim is more of a man than you’ll ever be!” She yells out.

He uncrosses his arms and takes a large step toward her, his body pressing against hers. He could practically smell the fear radiating off of her. “I would think before talking to me in that manner. I’ll let you off with a warning, Alyssa. Don’t let it repeat again.”

She takes a step back, shaking her head. “I don’t know what game you started, Julian, but I’m not playing. Stay away from us.” She walks off toward Brandon. Her eyes never look back. She meant every word. She’s doesn’t want to play his game. Too bad that she doesn’t have a choice.

Alyssa spends hours talking to Jim. His company is sweet in many ways. “What do you want to do, Jim-Jam?” She teases him with the nickname she gave him when their friendship took a toll.

“Rest. I’m tired of watching endless LMN movies.”

“LMN movies are the best. How can you get tired of it?”

“Most of the movies are based of psychopathic women who kill men for joy.” He rests his head on the pillow. “It’s the show ‘Cheaters’ meets ‘Deadly Women’, except these women are actually attractive.”

“That doesn’t even make sense.”

“What? That the women with a serious case of insanity are hot?” He raises his eyebrow at her.

“Not that. You know what I’m talking about.”

“It makes sense if you think about it.”

“I am thinking about it.”

“Thinking about what?” Brandon enters the room to their surprise.

“Jim is making fun of the LMN movies we watch.” She explains to her best friend.

Brandon frowns at Jim. “What? Those are the best!”

“Not you too.” Jim sighs.

“I told him they’re the best.” She stands up from the bed and stands next to Brandon, her arm entwining with his buff one. “You see Jim-Jam? Brandon and I have great taste in movies.”

“You two are meant for each other.” Jim laughs.

Hours had passed when Jim decided to go to sleep, and Brandon decided to go home. To Alyssa, the house feels so quiet and lonely. Her parents are away on some business trip. She goes into her bedroom and stares out the long window. The haunting night calls to her. The whispers of the wind enchant her to remember.

When everything is so quiet, so dark, it causes all her memories of Julian to reappear like a movie scene. Whenever she thought that she was able to stand through those dark nights alone, she would just stand to look out her window.  Every single time she would, he would step out of the shadows like a stalker stalking its prey. Most women would have found that a little frightful, but she loved it. She looks out the window hoping that he would appear like he once did, but she knows better.

The Julian she knew isn’t who he is anymore. The Julian that would protect her from the night is gone. He’s been replaced for some man who suffocates her with memories. Who doesn’t care about her, or even harming those around her. As much as she wishes she can hate him with all her being, she can’t. Hate is something that is too hard to get rid of, but if she tries to say it to herself maybe, just maybe, there is hope to hate Julian. Hating him will be better than loving him. She knows that for sure. She sighs. There’s no man stepping out of the shadows. It’s just her and her memories.

After roaming around the house with nothing to do, Alyssa decides the best way to get rid of any thoughts on Julian is to go out and dance. She grabs her car keys to her black and grey mini cooper convertible. She drives downtown to a club called The Strike. She happens to find the perfect parking space close to the entrance. Lucky for her, she didn’t have to wait in the long line. They knew her, well they knew her body. She doesn’t have the perfect body, but according to men, she’s their fantasy girl. She doesn’t care; they are only after one thing.

Monster, the bouncer, lets her pass with a smile. “Thanks Mon, you’re such a gentleman.” She winks at him. His lustful gaze never leaves her body until she disappears inside the club. She doesn’t like those stares men give her, but her fear has gone down since she started to fight. She knows that if she ever is in any danger she can easily escape or do some damage.

The club blasts in sound with the beat coming from the DJ. She clicks her boots to the beat from bass hunter. She loves the feel of having control over her body when the rhythm hits her ears. She makes her way to the dance floor. She catches the stares of a few horny men, and envious women. She just shrugs it off, ignoring the men that are obviously pleased with the view of her swaying her hips in a seductive manner. It must be her outfit tonight.

Alyssa is wearing a grey long shirt with purple patterns that shows off her shoulders and compliments her violet eyes that she didn’t bother to cover. Its sleeves are long and stop just below her elbow. She has black shorts on, but with the length of her shirt, it makes it seem like a very short dress. The shirt itself could pass as a short dress actually.

She has on her favorite pair of dark purple boots that compliments the patterns that run around her waist. Her hair is filled with waves down her shoulders, and her bangs are perfectly placed on each side. Her makeup consists of think eyeliner that brings out her eyes. She could really make something considered as slutty look more seductive than licentious.

She strolls to the bar.

A bartender approaches her with a smirk. “How can I help you, beautiful?”

“You can start by giving me a shot of Tequila.”

“Do I need to see some ID?” He rose is eyebrow teasingly.

“Not if you want my number.”

His eyes roam to the peak of cleavage she shows. “Then I’ll go get your tequila then.”

“You go do that.” She fakes a smile. She rolls her eyes as soon as the bartender has his back to her. She doesn’t find the bartender attractive. All the men that look at her like a piece of meat make her stomach knot in revulsion. They don’t even bother to hide their stares. It disgusts her.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my personal bad girl.”

She turns to the voice. She grins when she sees its Ian, the club’s DJ. “Well if it isn’t my personal stray dog.”

He chuckles. “I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

“Has it ever crossed your mind that maybe I don’t want you to see me?”

He flips the bangs of dark brown hair. His grey eyes are trying to enchant her.

As if that will work, she thinks to herself sarcastically. “You’ll fall for me one day. Mock my words.”

“And be another of your projects? I don’t think so.” She refers to his personal hobby. He likes to make women fall for him to later reject them.

“I have a feeling that you might be the girl to change my ways.” She would have believed him, if it wasn’t for the over dramatic way he said it.

She rolls her eyes. “I hardly doubt that. I’m more, or as, screwed up as you when it comes to the opposite sex and love.”

“So you’re love unstable?”

“Love unstable? As weird as that sounds, yeah I am.” She confesses.

“Maybe we can be love unstable together?” If he only knew that her love problem comes from a man, most of the town’s population feared, he wouldn’t be persistent. “Somewhere private?” He asks with hope filling his words.

“Here’s your shot, beautiful.” The bartender interrupts them.

She turns toward the man. “Thanks.”

“So you two know each other?” The bartender motions to her and Ian.

“She’s my girlfriend, Bran.” Ian calmly throws his arm over her shoulder to push the fact.

“Really?” Bran asked rhetorically.

“No. Not really.” Alyssa drowns the shot to her system. She slips under Ian’s arm to leave. “Ian is my annoying stray dog. I let him off his leash, hoping that he would run away, but to my bad luck, he keeps coming back.” She explains.

“I will always come back to you baby.” Ian laughs.

“I will always leave. Bye, Ian. Bye, Bran.” She waves at them before turning her back to them.

She bypasses the crowd and makes her way towards the middle of the dance floor. She hates dancing on the side of the dance floor. The dance floor is like a stage, and if she’s on the side she can be pushed off. She started dancing when the song abruptly changed from Katy Perry’s ‘E.T’ to Britney Spears’s ‘Bad Girl’. Her eyes scan to DJ stand.

“This is for all the bad girls tonight, and my personal bad girl.” Ian says through his microphone. His grey eyes connect with hers. He really does know how to bring attention. DJ Ian is a very mysterious man. The fact that he said ‘my personal bad girl’ has the club looking around for the mystery girl that has his attention.

Alyssa shakes her head at him.

‘Dance with me?’ He mouths to her while everyone distracts themselves with the music. She looks away, pretending that she didn’t see him asking her to dance. 

She moves her body to the chorus of the song. Suddenly an arm slips around her waist from behind. She grins.

“You ready to be my bad girl?” Ian’s husky voice whispers to her ear.

“A girl like me will bring you to your knees.” She says while Britney sings the verse.

He leans his head on her shoulder. “Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.” She ignores his teasing manner and dances to the song her dedicated to her.

She’s a different person when she’s at The Strike. The music frees her. The people surround her, covering her seclusion. Their voices hide her memories. The lights dim her view. The Strike is her personal therapy. Maybe for tonight this man can take her mind off of him. Off of Julian and her past.

<><><>

Julian makes his way up the curved staircase to the top floor to have a better view of the dance floor of the club. As Alyssa’s Elim, he has to follow her, and make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid that could get her in trouble. Out of all the places he thought she would go to, this club was far from his train of thought. He can see her making her way towards the middle of the dance floor. She looks different than what she does every day. He can see it. Annalisa. The glint of danger in her eyes. The way she observes the smallest object in sight. The way she moves with grace and has men stare at her wanting to bow down to her. Alyssa and Annalisa. The same woman he fell in love with and the same woman who he now hates.

Her exposed legs show how tall she is, but small and fragile compared to him. Fragile is a long stretch. She’s far from it. She can fight to death and be the winner. Her looks are deceiving. She can win between battles with a siren. He had fallen in love with her angelic voice. Her body of a goddess. Her heart as kind and soft as a rose petal. He admired her strong front like the Goddess Athena. He cherished her compose manner when in being in the most complicated situations. He loved the violet in her eyes that matched the crystals of his crown. If anyone would have told him that his lover would be the loss of his crown and the death of his life, he would have killed for making such accusations.