The Sanctuary's beginning (book II)

Exploring

Arachne
I slowly creep out the door of our new room. We've been here a few weeks and haven't ventured out yet. The boys all tell us to come out whenever we're ready, that there's a lot of things we haven't seen of the house yet. Right outside our room is the grand stair case and then the front door. I can see a separate room in the distance but decide to go into the next door I see. I pull the sleeves of the sweater I'm wearing over my hands and put one arm over my vulnerable side. As I enter I see another room cut off from this one. I peek inside and see a boy with purple hair working on something. Around the room is all kinds of posters with information on them. A cabinet with different herbs, plants, bottles. Containers hanging in the air with things spilling from them. Filing cabinets and desks and... a printing machine...?
"Come on!" I startle at the yell. A bang echos through the room and I slowly peak around the corner. Inside is the kitchen it looks like. I can see a large dining room in the next room. Standing at a large island is a tall, lean boy. His skin is as pale as mine, but with a more... deadly tone. His hair is a red as fire. He's leaning over a laptop, a scowl on his face. I slowly walk inside and stand a few feet away, just watching him. He's only come to our room to greet us a few times. He tsks and glances up to see me standing there. "Oh," he clears his throat, "I thought you were Lepple." I shake my head, "do you need something then?" I peer at the laptop,
"What are you doing?" I ask and come around to glance at the screen. A shipping image comes up,
"I'm trying to order blood bags." His body tenses with something,
"For...." He looks up at my face from the computer and I'm stunned when his eyes meet mine. They're such a vibrant red, a color that draws you in. But his eyes seem tired no matter how bright they may be. Little black lines spread along his face and I notice the whites of his eyes are beginning to darken as well.
"For me?" He says like it's obvious.
"I didn't want to assume your kind." I say lowly, "are there no more of those or someone to feed from?" I gesture with my head to the empty blood bag on the island. He glances at it and shakes his head.
"No, I mean... that's the last one. I was trying to order more because Sir is away at the moment and I didn't realize I was so low on them. And everyone is asleep... I hate bothering them sometimes."
"What about the purple haired boy?"
"Lepple? No, well I don't always like to feed from him. His blood is special... sometimes I don't like the afteraffects some of their blood leaves on me. I have a few that I'll always feed from. I thought I could order on my own, but this damn computer." He huffs and leans against the counter with his back. "I'm sorry, you don't need to hear this. What is it you came in here for?" I look around the room with a shrug,
"Ash is asleep so I thought I'd come explore." He Hims and glances around as well.
"Well, there's not much. The other boys make it sound so magical." His eyes become distant for a moment before he blinks back, "I guess it's better than where we all have been. Well, this is the kitchen, I'm sure sir told you you can have anything you want and can use it as well. There's a list you can add things to on the fridge. I'm the next room over is the dining room where we all eat most meals. The large bay windows give a good view of our back yard. Out there are our gardens, play sets, pool, and what not. The deck-,"
"What are play sets?" I interrupt him. He looks at me and then begins walking. With a hand he beckons me to follow. He takes us into the room with a beautiful oak table with many seats. A wall full of floor to ceiling windows helps illuminate the room with the moons light. He opens a door on one end and turns to look at me. I hesitate staring into the night. What if this is a trick? What if the men are just outside waiting to take us back? Ash is sleeping, he would never know. No, what if he's just trying to distract me so the men can get ash first?!
My breath hitches and I take a step back. I hiss low in my throat and my hand clenches on my side. Ares looks back at me with something like understanding or maybe pity.
"Arachne, right?" I tensely nod my head, "this is my home. But this is also your home now too. I wouldn't be showing you this if it would hurt you." He glances behind me, "and I'm not putting Ash in harms way either. Our land is very hidden from others. I promise." He holds out a pale hand. His long nails are black and his fingers adorn many rings. I slowly breathe out and grab his hand. His small smile makes my breath hitch. "I am sorry if I have rushed you." He pulls me to him. I look down into his red eyes since he is a little shorter than me, "I am not always thinking of how others feel or how I come off to them." He pulls us outside onto a large deck. There's a couple tables all with umbrellas and chairs. A few boxes sit with things coming out of time.
"Do you bar-bar....?" My mind can't think of the word, "um, cook meat?" His chuckles fills my chest with warmth,
"Oh barbecue. Yes we do. We often eat outside if we can. The grill is very good at cooking more than meat and next to it is a large cooler. There's usually always something to drink inside. Now we have to add what you and Ash like as well. Though I suppose we'd have to test that, huh." He pulls me down a few steps. My bare feet hit the cold grass and my gaze is immediately drawn to it with a small gasp. The paleness of my feet is a harsh contrast but the black lines that adorn my body fits in perfectly. I lean down, not thinking of the hand in mine, and lay my hand upon the soft blades.
"How soft," I say almost in a whisper. Ares crouches next to me.
"Sit down, Arachne." I fall on my butt and soon lay back. Ares releases my hand so I softly fist the blades beneath me and stare into the dark sky. There are small holes that twinkle at us. "We can enjoy out time out here," I hum. "Anyways, the play sets were all specifically designed for any of our quirks. Like the garden is for Bambi as he's a deer so he naturally likes the earth and he quite enjoys it. There is a running track with different obstacles down in the woods for Phoebe because he can shift and do what he likes while being safe. I have a few things to hand from in my bat form. Sir wants to put something in for you and Ash next. So you can embrace your powers." I turn my head to look at him. He's sitting up with one knee bent and the other laid straight. He picks at the seams of his shorts and stares ahead of us.
"Embrace them? We won't be punished or hurt?" His head snaps to the side,
"No." I inhale deeply, feeling that word deep within me. "This place is different. Sir wants us to embrace ourselves and never hide or hurt ourselves again. You and Ash will never be hurt again. Please believe me." I sit up and shift closer to him.
"We'd been in that place longer than I can remember." He's silent as I speak, "no matter what they did to us they would keep us alive. If we tried to hurt them they'd hurt us worse. If they didn't get the results they were looking for they'd become angry and do harsher experiments." My inhale stutters and my hand grabs my side as phantom pain comes in waves. "But here has been so different. I am still scared it is all a dream." His hand finds mine amongst the grass,
"It is not a dream, it is real. You're safe now and we will all make sure it stays that way. I was weary when I first arrived here too. I had to cut back on being so addicted to drinking human blood. It caused me a lot of pain and I failed more than won for a few months. But they never hated me, they never judged me or made it harder for me. They supported me in their own ways and we can support you guys too. Why don't I show you around some more?"
"I would like that."