Faceless Instincts

The Casualty

"Good, Good... Yes, I'll be there in a few days now." Nikolai's voice hits my ears as the light cracked the night sky.

I opened my eyes to see where he was and found him standing by the window talking on his phone.

At first, I thought about getting up but my wounded and exhausted body said otherwise, hence I pulled up the quilt and closed my eyes again.

Soon I felt him get under the quilt and take a deep breath. Yes, we slept in the same bed but no, there was no cuddling or spooning or anything. Sleeping in the same bed was more of a need than want at this point. Alice had taken the other room and Nikola didn't have any extra bedding. While the temperature was down to one degree, sleeping with a blanket was out of context.

I felt him turn and toss and I faced him, "what happened?" I asked and he looked at me.

"Nothing, police is searching for tanner and they have found someone who could be our possible suspect or at least a lead."

I nodded, "I just hope we can find him."

"He might know something very crucial if they had to abduct him. I mean, if he's the one who left the code then there must be more that he knows."

I sat up and looked down at him, "you are wondering if he knows anything about your mother and Mr Wembley?"

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "can you blame me?" He rubbed his palm on his face, "Kiara, there was a time when my family was known throughout the town because we were perfect."

He sat up and ran his hand through his hair but I held his wrists, "you'll hurt yourself."

He shook his head and continued, "Our family was a perfect picture of how families should be, but now that I am walking closer to this picture I am seeing all the stains and crooked lines, and how dysfunctional, how broken and above all how delusional it was."

"I can't even say that I understand how you are feeling because I can't, but I know that when it all ends you'll be in the clear and maybe it will bring some peace, a closure on how despite everything being so wrong some of it was right, your brother loved you, you mother adored you."

He nodded, "and my father was the biggest crook."

"Nikolai" I whispered and he looked up at me, "your mother wanted you to love her like you loved your father and now you do, that's a happy thing."

"You're psycho." He said and I cocked my head, "for loving the same crazy and insane blood that runs in my family, twice." He gave a crooked yet charming smile as his curls fell on his face and eyes glimmered.

I laughed and shook my bed, "no wonder in that, you people made me go crazy."

He laughed and with lightning speed came forward, "let's see how crazy it gets in future." In a moment my lip was between his teeth as he kissed me and I held him close giggling after a long time.

I was placed breakfast in front of Nikolai as he read through Mr Wembley's records, "so there is a possibility that they didn't have an affair but he was merely helping her with her treatment?" He asked taking a spoonful.

I was silent, it was a trick question. I couldn't say yes, because I wasn't sure but I also couldn't show my doubt as it would hurt him, "I need to study it again to conclude, what do you think though?"

"I think it was it." He said swallowing, "I think someone started a rumour."

I took a seat and watched him as he read and ate, "it's possible." I said finally, "maybe they started this rumour to single out Mr Wembley, no doubt I never met his family because if we go by your mother's letter she mentioned something about it didn't she?"