Captive: Hopeless

Chapter 16 - Unexpected

Despite years of dreaming about the past, being back in the real world proved a shock to her system and was almost too much to handle, even with an entourage of guards, as if she were a rock star or criminal.

Did they fear she would bolt or attack someone? Bolting was not an option—the mere thought of falling prey to Azera was enough to give her a panic attack.

Every night, she had nightmares of just that happening and invariably woke crying, screaming, or begging incoherently, and her former mistress would love the thought.

The crowds, noises, sudden unexpected sounds, volume, and even pace of everything intimidated and almost terrified her, although she tried to act normal and ignore it all.

***

Although Cat brought Kay to the shops to buy her clothes and other necessities, the vampire was not too happy about it. Shopping with the resident... Kay didn't even know what to call herself, was obviously a task the lady would rather have avoided.

"Breathe, Kay," Cat reminded, leading them through the endless stream of loud, carefree humanity.

The group moved with coherence and ease, and no human noticed them. It was impressive how they anticipated each other, while Kay found it difficult to concentrate on anything but her growing panic.

Cat changed direction and bundled her into a store, quickly pushing Kay into the dressing rooms, making sure they were empty, and then cornering her.

"Get a hold of yourself. These people are no threat to you, and you are safe. This isn't your first trip to a mall. Don't make me have to take you back and explain to Marcus that I could not control you or the situation," she demanded, but Kay only stared at her.

"The last time I was in a mall, my name was Daniella. I was with my friends, and the world was a fairy tale, not a horror movie. I was human, and I knew nothing of monsters," she bit out the words one by one as their eyes measured each other.

"All fairy tales have monsters, Kay, but humans are not geared to focus on those. Instead, they concentrate on the heroes; it keeps them feeling safe. Unfortunately, we do not have that luxury, but the world does not consist of just monsters. Come with me," Cat ordered, and Kay followed her back into the store until they could see through the glass.

"Those humans out there are no threat to you; they're just going about their short lives, doing their own little things. They're asleep, unknowing, their obliviousness keeping them safe. Do you see that succubus over there by the newsstand? He's watching us, and there may be others.

"Even they would not attack in broad daylight, and not even Azera would ever risk exposing us to the world. Humans have evolved and are no longer farmers with pitchforks and torches. They're a danger to us, and no one would dare start a war that we may not win.

"Lulling these mortals back into their false sense of security took a long time, and we need them to remain that way. Intrigued but unbelieving. Now, do you understand that no one will attack us?" Cat asked.

"So, you made them believe that vampires cannot walk in the sun, don't have a pulse, and werewolves can only shift on the full moon?" Kay asked with half a wobbly smile, and Cat almost grinned.

"Yes, we also told them succubi are hideous things underneath their human guise that suck the life and soul out of a man, and they have forked tales," Cat joked.

The tension lifted, and even the uneasiness between them almost settled.

"Now, do you want to go home?" she asked, and Kay grew still.

"No," she finally managed, and Cat nodded, leaving the store with her in tow.

***

Somehow, it became easier as they moved from store to store. A numbness started to set in, and she was less jumpy. With her unease almost under control, paying attention to the world around her became easier.

More time had elapsed since she got abducted than she had guessed, leaving the world the same and yet different.

Kay stopped abruptly, and the guard behind her almost bumped into her, putting Cat immediately into protection mode, but only those who knew her would notice.

"Kay?"

Only when Cat spoke to her a second time did she respond.

"Do you see the lady by the infinity pool, standing near the dolphin?" she asked, and the vampire discreetly glanced in that direction.

A teenager approached the woman with a small glass object. They hugged, and love filled her eyes as she stared at the child, but there was also an ingrained sadness there. She was in her thirties, beautiful with dark hair, and Kay could not tear her glance away from them.

"That woman was my little sister, and the child is the spitting image of her mother at that age. I thought Azera stole maybe five or six years of my life, but never realized how much time she took from me." Bitterness tainted the words.

At that moment, she understood the truth; there would be no seeing her family again and no last goodbye.

"Are you sure?" she asked, and Kay grimaced.

***

"Yes," Kay's flat tone left Cat feeling uneasy. Something inside the succubus had just died, the loss of which was palpable.

"Won't she recognize you if she glances this way?" she asked urgently, and Kay sighed.

"My mother will not recognize me. The Daniella she knew would not recognize herself in me." The words carried a load of dark emotions, all tightly wound and volatile.

Kay glanced at the mother and daughter.

"What's the date?" she asked, and Cat hesitated.

"June third, 2022," she supplied, and the succubus froze.

"They took me on July fifth, 2011," Kay's voice carried no inflection, and without another word, she turned away from the happy little family and stalked off.

The succubus either walked blindly in any direction or remembered the way to the car. Her expression created an unbreachable wall, and they followed behind her, not daring to ask.

Apparently, she had been paying attention because she unerringly found her way back to the car, and a guard opened the door for her.

Kay climbed in, and all the way back to the manor, she stared out the window, neither moving nor speaking. She was unapproachable, and Cat's concern became more intense with each passing moment.

At the house, the succubus exited the car, walked to her room, and shut the door. The guards, arms laden with bags and packages, looked at Cat in bewilderment.

She motioned for them to place everything in the hallway near the door, going in search of Talia, to whom she briefly explained the situation, before gathering her courage to find Marcus.

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