END ROADS

CHAPTER 32: HELPLESSNESS

I had no idea how long Elia kept talking, or what she was doing as she spoke. What I know is that I slept off mid-way. I was in darkness for so long, no idea how many hours or days. I felt nothing, saw nothing smelt nothing for days. But I remember there was a time I woke up…well with only my ears working and my nose a bit. I detected four scents, Lavender, rose, pine and grassland. Surely…grassland that was a crazy scent.
“Hey, Elia how is she now?” Ari…I tried to match with the scent…rose! How lovely
“Better than yesterday I guess, I managed to take away the physical pain that was making her numb, but still, we have a long way to go since she ended up becoming like a terminated robot” Elia…grassland…yeah she wasn’t like anybody else
“Am at fault here, I wish I never made the stupid suggestion!” Sandy! When will the little kid…wait not little she was seventy something could not stop blaming herself! Yeah she smelt lavender…way too mature…sure she was…knowledgeable than I was.
“Don’t blame yourself, if it was any other person, this would have not happened. It is just that she is different” Elia consoled her, luckily she stopped the blame game.
“So Adelyn are you mad at the girl for what she did to you?” Elia went on
“Am not sure what I should feel, clearly I was an asshole for making her life hell in hell. Not to mention her pathetic childhood. Am sorry for what I did but am pretty sure we can never get along. We will be minding our own business when she wakes up. To be sincere, she was very successful in pulling the rug beneath my feat” Addy answered emotionlessly…pine! What a masculine-like scent she had.
“I feel sorry for her too” said Ari “but she scared the hell out of me that day. I almost jumped out of my skin”
“The whole coven was terrified…Steel as well, it is just that some people don’t wanna show their fear. Didn’t you see his hands shaking when she had leaned into him? If it was anyone else or her in any normal way he could have pushed her away!” Sandy explained, what a smart kid she was…speaking like Solomon himself
“Sure and was what she was saying about him true?” Asked Addy
“Certain…it seems she is able to read minds when she has powers. It is too natural for her that it seems to her and everyone as common knowledge and finding”  she paused “her case is different from Grey’s, for Grey he can distinguish what is actually there, plans of the mind and thoughts. For her that skill of discerning is not there, she combines it together as intentions and actual plans. Imagine she can kick your ass for betraying her when you were only thinking of it with no intention of even doing it” Elia said, they laughed shortly
“Strong!” Exclaimed Sandy
“Sure, she can read a vampire’s mind…which is hard for Grey. You can shut out Grey as well but you can’t do it to her…like am pretty sure Steel doesn’t let his thoughts scatter all over since he is very secretive, is it?” Addy asked
“Sure” they all agreed.
“So tell us how was the experience was, when she attacked you. You know you are the first one to experience her wrath” Elia sounded playful and mature…I wanted to wake up and see her already
“Well, her presence instils fear, her aura screams death and pain. She knows exactly where to hit. When she is fighting you she controls your body and behaviour such that your reaction and screams suit her desire of the required outcome of her torture!”
“She hypnotizes you when fighting you?” inquired Sandy in a worried tone
“She doesn’t, it is like something that is part of her. Being above! Being in control and the rest submitting and meeting her desires and expectations accordingly!” Addy confirmed
“That is…terrible…” Elia whispered.
“It is, but I saw something in her eyes…she was fighting, yet unaware of what she was resisting and that there is something she was trying to resist in the first place. She was holding back too as if her main goal was to send a warning and instil fear which she successfully did and not kill. That should not sooth your hearts…because she could kill me in a snap if she wanted to…she just wasn’t in the mood of doing so or…I wasn’t supposed to die that day!” Addy explained in a serious affirmative tone
They were silent for a long time. Sandy was the first to speak in a shaky voice.
“And the way she spoke, you could say she was omniscient! Then again her voice was certain, dangerous, venomous and instilled fear. Did you see all the elders were silent no one interrupted at all. It was as if she was at her right place, everyone being under her power and mercy!” her voice was trembling “it was as if she was born to be there, everyone under her, and she the top!”
“And the way she had demanded Shem and Derek to take Addy away…it was way too natural. They didn’t look hypnotized at all, it was more of showing royalty to her…and why in the first place?” asked Ari in confusion
“And you guys didn’t see her wound heal, her blue eyes were enchanting yet terrifying. When I stared into them they were hollow, fierce and dangerous. It was as if was drowning into an abyss with nothing to hold on to. It was very terrifying!” Addy stated silently
“That was surely a real and unforgettable trauma for you! And the funny thing is…she has absolutely no clue of what she is, where her powers came from and all those things. She is as blank as we are as well!” Elia was actually trying to extinguish the chilly air that was chocking everyone.
“I wish she doesn’t get her powers if she would terrify the both of us in such a manner!” Ari stated sounding distant
“Me too” Sandy agreed in terror as well, there was silence again then Addy spoke up.
“And why was she so small in front of Grey?”
“You can’t deny that he was terrified as well, I saw fear and uncertainty in his eyes when he approached her” Sandy confirmed.
“But she was…tamed by Grey so damn easily and I was like. Wow Grey, which spell was that?” Ari made everyone laugh
“It was so easy” Sandy chimed in
“She broke down and lost her glory when he refused to confirm whether he cared or not. She got pissed really quick” Ari expounded
“Love birds, I noticed how intimate they were. And he cried yet again for her!” Sandy said
“Let Grey not hear you saying that. He is too overprotective when it comes to her. Am worried and surprised…this is the first time I have seen Grey so vulnerable because of someone, let alone a human who was meant to die in the first place. He has considered her a lot since arrival. Not even Regina put on his shirt and lay in his bed…healthy or sick!” Addy sounded as if she was deep in thoughts.
“Could she be his mate? He has been so lonely for a whole two hundred years finishing another in two months’ time!” Ari asked.
“We can only wait and see. So what about him…Grey and his men? Have they arrived yet?” Elia asked
“I heard from Jayden that they are around a hundred km away from where the rogues have camped. The rogues broke into a university and kidnapped fifty students whom they are using to threaten the three closest covens. Spikes, Flames and this one” Addy explained
“What do they want?” asked Elia
“A place of belonging…they want to be owned into the covens again. It is what their leader is saying. So the humans are for inciting the leaders and soldiers of the three covens into meeting them. You know we try our best to exist without causing trouble to the humans. That is why we have a few humans in each coven who are willing to be fed well and provide their blood willingly. To avoid attacking humans. We seek our mates early enough to avoid hurting the humans so we drink from each other. So the rogues are bending this peaceful existence and want to harm humans whom we are so careful to keep out of picture in order to force us to take them back. It is complicated…”
“So who is this leader?” Elia inquired
“Dominic!”
“Dom…like hell, that bastard!” Elia scream…this sounded…personal
After a long silence Elia spoke “He is the one who severed the bonds uniting him with his mate…” she chocked “and coven he left with his disciples who severed bonds as well and followed him. He wants to return now? After a whole sixteen years?” Elia was going to scream
“He must be regretting what he did” Addy spoke quietly
“But he left his fuckin’ mate alone! Abandoned, rejected. Did he fuckin’ care what it feels like to be rejected by your mate? Who is actually your second chance after the first one died in war, ha? And the pain? It almost killed me! I was lonely, rejected, unwanted, hopeless and helpless. I took three fuckin’ years to accept he was gone, recollect myself and move on. I don’t want to see him, ever. Please if you call Grey tell him to kill him so well that he will not be recognizable. He should die and be forgotten!” Elia was furious I could only imagine her beautiful face shadowed in anger.
“But Elia, what if he has changed?” Sandy asked slowly, carefully.
“I don’t care!” she screamed on top of her voice “I want him dead, am well suited with my loneliness!” she inhaled sharply “I need to breath, keep an eye on Becky for me!”
The door opened and shut. Silence prevailed.
“I have a feeling that it wasn’t Dominic’s choice to abandon his mate and coven just like that. He was royal and the best warrior we had in Flakes coven. He changed and hated being a vampire all of a sudden, the next minute he has severed all bonds and left!” Addy said silently
“Maybe, someone was controlling him, someone more powerful or someone with black magic or one of the forbidden skills.” Suggested Ari.
“We can’t tell. We just wait” Addy said
They sighed in unison and went silent.
Just wait? That was not fair, it was clear in Elia’s voice. She was lonely and yearned to be loved but couldn’t get over the fact that Dom betrayed her. It could be possible he was controlled or something like that, and now he is free and back to his senses he wants to get back where he belongs.
Seriously, if Dom didn’t have another intention beside getting his mate back and a place of belonging it was worthy giving him a second chance. It was treason to the vampires yes, but no one is perfect at all, he deserves a second chance if he was ready to change and make amends.   Good thought Becky, but you are in a coma with only your nose and ears working…yeah and your brain of course. But of what use are those senses.
I sighed internally laying still. If only I could know what Dominic was planning! I could save his ass before Grey kicked it. I know he was pretty good at that no doubt.
I stayed silent lying on the bed not bothered to listen to whatever the three girl were talking about. I hoped and prayed to whatever god that was out there to make things work out in the best way.
As soon as I drifted to sleep, I found myself in darkness. Stranded in a forest with giant trees, bats flew around in the dark I could see nothing, except from feeling dirt and twigs beneath my feet. Fear crept in my nerves. I stepped back out of fear tripping over a prop root falling backwards. I sat up pushing myself backwards as I heard twigs breaking…footsteps approaching from a distance. My back hit a tree trunk, I begun trembling and sweating.
A glow emerged from my left, lighting the spot I was. The ground of the forest was filled with twigs and dry leaves. My toes dug into the dirt, my white legs bare only dressed in Grey’s white shirt.
A long shadow emerged before me catching my attention. I looked up to meet a silhouette of a female figure. She was tall and elegant, a red dress peaking beneath the long black cloak she put over it. I could barely see her face that was concealed by the huge hood over her head.
“Where am I?” I asked in fear
“Wrong question...you should have asked what you are doing here” her voice was so melodious unlike the presence she was carrying.
“Who are you?” I asked again.
A sickening silence followed.
“Felicity…long time no see” she answered pulling down her hood!
My heart gave a loud thud…Felicity was a perfect definition of evil, terror and disaster. She …no, not again I was not ready to do something else that will tear off my senses and leave me helpless. I scrambled to my feet making a run as fast as I could go. Her evil and irritating laughter’s followed my tracks, the further I went the louder they became and fear. I was checking if she was tailing me when I bumped into someone. I checked to find she was the one standing in front of me. I collapsed to the ground backing off.
“You….you…”
“Don’t bother, I want absolutely nothing from you, there is barely anything you can offer!” she crouched in front of me “I want to warn you early enough before you annoy me and make me list you down in the book of the wanted. Don’t do anything in the favour of Dom!” she said in a relaxed manner with a cunning smile dancing on her lips.
“Why? Why are you interested in Dom’s affairs? And… wait how do you know this?” I questioned suspiciously
“Dom is or rather was evil and evil is meant to remain evil, which is my duty here, keeping evil…evil. So don’t be the goddess here trying to bring people to salvation. Let your sweetheart kill him for good…or be killed himself what does it matter? Coz anyway he is the only obstacle to your true powers. How I know this, it happens to be my nature in poking my nose in other people’s affairs. Can you blame me?” she answered nonchalantly
“Wait, wait what do you mean by obstacle” she stood up and straightened her back and began walking around me, I stood up out of caution “good question. Felicity…she is evil and rejoices in what is evil. Can you blame me? I need disciples of course so I learnt the skill of taking chances. If any being got a chance of being evil, I grab it and never let it slip away” she paused in front of me glancing at me with a smirk “you are a handy object here and chances of having you in my cocoon are almost a hundred percent. If only I could pluck out the only obstacle on my way then I could be at peace” she answered.
“And the obstacle is Grey?” I asked brows furrowed.
“Sure he is, but he is hard to kill, he can’t die by my hands, I wonder what will be able to get him on his knees” she sounded thoughtful “for now that is not my worry. Flora will come trying to convince you to go help Dom, please don’t, for your own good”
“Am not letting Grey be the bad guy” I said silently
“That won’t be the first he will be killing, he has killed many…guilty and innocent so please just stay in bed and wait for him to show up with bloody hands for you to clean”
“That’s ridiculous!”
“Absolutely!” Another melodious voice chimed in, Felicity and I turned to find Flora standing a distance away in a sky blue dress.
“Flora?” I called in a question.
“It’s me. Now if you are done listening to that wrecker, please come we have a family to unite” she said. Well, this two were a perfect definition of irony. One was a sweet talker but evil, the other knew no gentleness but good. Well, I took a step towards Flora but Felicity stepped in front of me.
“Not so fast baby girl, what did we agree?”
“I can’t remember making an agreement with you Felicity!” I retorted back
“Oh, really?” she was trying to make me agree to her demands but I couldn’t.
“Don’t get yourself stained sister, she chooses…forcing will only cost you” Flora said smiling dangerously at Felicity whose eyes burned with rage.
“I want to help Dom, but am just in bed helpless could you have a way Flora?” I asked in the most convincing manner I could.
“No!” Felicity barked
“Keep that beak sealed, will you? Follow me little one we got some work to do” Flora turned around and began leaving, I tried to follow but Felicity grabbed my upper hand roughly.
“You are going back to bed and wait!” she was threatening me?
Flora turned around with a mischievous gaze in her eyes. She looked at Felicity then at me “Maybe without your pretty feet, you can start behaving”
She squatted ad touched the forest floor with her index finger. A crack raced from beneath her finger towards Felicity’s feet. A puddle of mud formed around her feet plastering itself around her legs up to her knees. She looked like a statue with feet made from mud. The grip on my hand loosened. I stepped away staring up at Felicity who was frozen.
“Is she okay?” I asked worried that I was the cause of it all.
“A few days, then she will break free!”
“Get me out of this Flora” she growled her lips barely moving.
“You know I can’t, just relax. No one shows up in the black forest. So…you are safe!” she said beckoning me to her side “Come on Becky let’s go”
“You are stronger than Felicity?” I asked with interest.
“Same level…the difference is intelligence” she increased her pace walking deeper into the forest I followed closely
“Where are we going?” I asked panting
“To get you a body…if you don’t know this is just your soul wondering in the forest. Your body is back in the coven. We can’t risk sneaking you out. So we are getting you someone’s body instead!” she said halting I almost crushed into her back.
“We teleport there now”
“Why?”
“You can’t find out where we are going. That is not necessary” she grabbed my wrist in the next second we were in a cemetery extending into the darkness with billions of gravestones. Chills cascaded down my spine making my feet freeze in the dirt.