Vision

Chapter Thirteen

Edited

My limbs stretch under the blanket before I swing my legs over the bed, but as I pull free from the comforter, my bare legs stop me in my tracks. The feel of the sheet that lays over my body brings goosebumps to my bare skin. Oh crap, oh crap...oh crap. I bolt out of bed and grab my bra and underwear that are still on the floor and walk over to the full length mirror.

Scouring every inch of my body, I search for something. I don't know what, but if what happened last night happened, I'm sure he left marks. I spot a pinprick on my arm, fingertip bruises that wrap around my biceps, but the icing on the cake is the mark he left on my neck. Right there in the curve leading to my shoulder. A red splotch made by the mouth of the devil himself.

The red slightly sore hickey that Colton left is huge. Damn vampire. I think I would prefer a vampire over him. He's marked his property and I'm disgusted.

That's when I see the open door reflected in the mirror. I expected to see Amelia spying on me, but the shadow was too large. I scramble across the room gathering whatever clothes I can find. My panic is for nothing though as no one comes in.

Finding better clothes, more concealing clothes, I enter the hallway, which is completely empty. My retreat down the steps comes to a halt as I see Colton waiting at the bottom. Was he the flash of a shadow I saw pass my door?

"How was your night?" He asks, extending his hand to me, urging me to finish making my way down the stairs.

Slowly, regrettably, I obey the command, but I don't answer until I've reached the last step. Nearly face to face with my attacker. My so-called friend. "I don't know, my perception of it leaves me nauseous and completely void of details, but I'm sure your view of it is the utter opposite."

I catch him grind his teeth. It gives a hop to my step. Marching past him, I make my way to the dining hall. Or so I thought. Two steps past him, I'm jerked back as he grabs my arm. "A turtleneck, huh?"

Meeting his stare head on, I tell him the bitter truth. "Yeah, I feel exposed for some reason."

"That won't last for long, love." He goes as far as to wink at me. Does he truly believe that?

"Oh I think it will, monster. I'll never love you Colton. This could've turned out so differently, but this? Kidnapping? Assaulting? I don't even know who you are anymore." One forceful tug has my arm yanking free.

I should march back to my room, but I know better than anyone that isn't an option, so I head to the dining room expecting to see Amelia, but the table is empty.

Colton must see my searching glance. "She is fixing herself up. She'll be down soon. I didn't think you liked her very much, let alone showing concern for her absence."

I ignore him. I'm not concerned about her absence the way he thinks I am. She could be my ticket in getting out of here. If she disappears, I could be stuck here forever.

We start eating without her, but when Colton's eyes rise from his plate, I know she's finally arrived. And with a single glance, I know exactly why it took her so long. Why she had been 'fixing' herself up.

Her hair is swept across her face hiding half of it from view. She had a very different, but still traumatizing encounter with Colton. She doesn't look at either of us and when he asks her simple questions she answers them immediately. A well trained, terrified dog.

The food goes down without me tasting a single bite. Half of it is still on my plate when I rise to my feet. Amelia comes to a stand as well ready to escort me back to my room.

"Don't lock the door. She can roam if she wants." Colton shouts at our retreating bodies.

I brightened up instantly at the thought of being able to roam. Amelia sees my excitement and she's quick to shut it down. "Oh don't worry, you won't be able to get out. This place is under lock and key."

Amelia starts to take two steps at a time. I have to race to keep up with her. She's pissed and I expect her to ignore Colton's offer of leaving my door unlocked and lock me in, but she enters the bedroom.

She softly closes the door as I shuffle into the room. Is she up to something? Is she going to beat me down because Colton beat her down? Why did Colton beat her down anyways? I'm sure it has everything to do with me. "I'll help you."

Struck speechless, I'm not sure if she's telling the truth or playing with me. She senses my dismay. Looking me straight in the eyes, she flips the hair out of her eyes to reveal a massive bruise that spreads across her eye and cheekbone. My mouth drops wide open, my hand tries to cover my slack jaw, but it's too late. I know she sees the look of horror plastered on my face.

"Why did he do that to you?"

"It was my fault," said the loyal puppy. "I snuck into his room before he came to see you last night. I tried to stop him...I tried to get him to look at me the way he looks at you. When he refused, I was angry and insulted you, he..."

"He's a monster." I blurt out. She knows it, but even with her offer to help me, I can see that she's nervous. "You just said this place is under lock and key. How do you expect to get me out without getting another beating?" We both know that if she gets caught helping me escape she's as good as dead.

Her emotionless eyes burn through me. "Sometimes you have to put your life in danger to do what's right. It's not going to be easy and the closest thing with a phone is about three miles that way," she points in the direction behind her. "If you see a car, great, but there aren't that many out here." With that said she walks to the door. "Just wait for my cue."

All I can manage to get out is, "When?"

"Soon." Before I have a chance to ask how I'll know my cue, she answers, "you'll know when."

She wasn't my friend and I know there's more to her reasoning than feeling sorry for me. She wants me out so Colton can see her for her and not some servant. But you better believe there will be some repercussions when Colton finds out that I am gone and that she was the one that helped me.

How well can she lie? Hopefully well enough to survive.

She leaves me and I stay holed up in my room for as long as I can. It's easy to grow anxious. Every tiny noise makes my pulse quicken and my stomach clench. The sun sets in a blink of an eye. Nightfall is terrifying.

I stay up as long as I can before my heavy eyelids force me to sleep. A deep, comfortable sleep. Until an arm wraps around my waist. I struggle to not have my body tense up. Maybe I can pretend to be sleeping. Maybe he'll leave me alone.

He doesn't. The minutes pass by slowly and my heart is beating so hard that I'm becoming breathless. I need to get rid of him. Compliance isn't something I want to convey. I shouldn't taunt him but I do. "Peter."

For the first time he recoils from me. It's a victory that I hang onto. But it doesn't last. Did I just imply that Peter and I are closer than we are? Yes. But it's so worth it. I'll apologize later.

"I know you're not sleeping and I know you know that I'm not that fucking asshole." His words hiss through his clenched teeth. Tossing me onto my back, he sits on me, pinning me down. I barely get a breath in before his hands wrap tightly around my neck. "It's pathetic how you think he's so perfect." He leans down, our lips nearly touching, "He's got a side piece and his business trip was really just a mini vacation with her."

His words make my heart ache, but Peter and I aren't together, so why do I care so much? He was being a good neighbor. Yeah, we went on a date and I apparently thought it meant more, but I'm a big girl. I can accept rejection. Or Colton is flat out lying trying to make me feel as if I have no one. Trying to convince to stay.

But even if I don't have Peter. I still have Lillian, Dylan, my parents. I'm not entirely alone and not nearly desperate enough to turn to him.

He removes one of his hands from my neck to grope at my clothes that I still wear. When I try to fight back his hand that's still wrapped around my throat tightens. As I gasp for breath, his other hand backhands me for good measure.

The fear. What's about to happen. It weighs on me. Heavily. Unable to get enough air into my lungs, I hyperventilate myself into blackness.