(Damian’s POV)
When we finally made it to Red Creek, I unbuckled Raven and cradled her feverish body to my chest. I’ve never seen a familiar reject the Reaper’s Bond before, and if she didn’t give in soon, she’ll die for good.
Jack opened the door to my room and I laid her on the large bed. She groaned and curled into a tight ball. “Stop fighting it.” I pleaded. She cried out in pain, “Get out of my head!” Who? The Bond? I felt her forehead and snatched my hand back from the heat.
“Jack, she’s burning up. Get a cold cloth.” He left the room and I gripped her hand. “Give in and this will all be over. Promise.” She shook her head violently. “I’ll never obey you!” I couldn’t tell if she was yelling at me or the Bond. I forced more of my energy to her and I felt the fever falter slightly. Jack returned with the cloth and placed it onto her forehead.
After about an hour, her fever broke and she became still and quiet. This frightened me. I felt the side of her neck and didn’t feel a pulse, but that was natural for a familiar. Jack leaned over her worriedly. “I can’t tell if it beat her, or if she beat it. But only time will tell.” I nodded and he left.
I tried to feel for the Bond, but couldn’t. “Come on, Raven. I can’t lose another one.” The memory of Lauren was still fresh in my mind, and was just as painful. I couldn’t help her, and she died.
A tear fell down my face, but I wiped it away as the door opened again. Rose, Sebastian, and Jack entered and examined Raven. Rose placed her hand on my shoulder, “She’ll be fine, Damian. But you need to rest. Your energy is low, and I doubt you could even stand from your chair even if you wanted.”
I frowned, “I could so.” I tried to prove a point, and jumped up from my chair. As soon as I did, the room started to spin and I fell. Jack and Sebastian helped me to my feet and Jack placed me onto the bed beside Raven. “Rest.”
I hated showing weakness in front of a familiar, and more so taking orders from one. “Know your place, familiar. I will do no such thing, until I know she’s okay.” Jack apologized and bowed. Rose had a spark in her eye that I knew too well. “You will rest, Damian, or so help me, I’ll make you.” I flinched, and she smiled. “We’ll leave you to it then.” They left the room and I turned onto me side to watch Raven.
She seemed so peaceful compared to earlier. I brushed a lock of hair from her face and got as close to her as possible to connect our health. Already, I could feel myself getting stronger, and before I knew it, I was asleep.
(Raven’s POV)
Forever, it seemed as if I was floating in darkness. It was pleasantly cold, but there was absolutely nothing in sight. After a while of floating, a skull symbol lit up the darkness and I was soon consumed in pain and burning. It felt as if someone had set my entire body on fire from the inside out. But there was something so unnatural about it, that I had the urge to fight it off. A choice maybe?
Since it started though, there’s been a tiny voice in the back of my mind telling me to “Stop fighting and accept the change.” What change?
Soon, the fire grew hotter and hotter, and a scream finally escaped my lips. I tried to open my eyes, but couldn’t. I couldn’t even tell what was going on around me. All I knew was fire.
“Stupid human! Stop fighting the change!” I shook my head hard and the voice intensified. “Obey me!” That was the last straw. “I will never obey you!” The voice roared in my head and it felt like the world was going to shake apart, until something cold grabbed my hand.
Whatever had my hand, sent its coldness through my body and began to put out the flames. When the fire was finally gone, I was able to rest, and it felt like paradise.
When I was finally able to open my eyes, I found myself on a large bed in a dim lit room. When I tried to get up, I found that something was holding me down. I looked for the source, and saw a muscular arm wrapped around my waist.
I removed the arm carefully and crawled of the bed. I looked over at the still sleeping owner and nearly feinted. Damian.
Before I had time to think about the possibilities of what had happened, the large wooden door creaked open and a man peaked his head inside.
“Ah, you’re awake.” Jack entered the rest of the way, took my hand, and led me into the hallway. He was wearing a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and flip-flops. I looked around, and was awestruck. The floor was marble and the walls are onyx with the occasional portrait or light fixture. “Dark place.” I thought.
“Where am I?” He looked down both ends of the hall, “You’re in the Castellan Mansion in the forest.” I nodded calmly, but inside, I was screaming. I pointed to myself and the door. “Did we….?” He laughed whole-heartedly and had to catch his breath. “No. But it is considered an honor if a familiar is chosen to sleep with a Master.”
My heart stopped. “Familiar? Master?” He nodded. “You and I are familiars. Master Damian is….well….Master Damian. I’m sure he’ll teach you familiar manners once he wakes up.” I tried to take it all in, and found myself hyperventilating. Jack held my shoulders, “Breathe. Just….breathe. It was difficult for me at first also. You’ll get used to it.”
He took my hand again and led me down the depressing hallway. At the end, there was a single door on the right, and on the wall on the other side, the portrait of a girl smiled at us.
I stopped to examine the painting. “When you’re done staring, come into the kitchen for breakfast.” I nodded, waved, and heard him go through the door. The girl in the painting was strikingly similar to me. She could have been my sister for all I knew. Her hair was the same black, and the only difference was our clothes and her moss-green eyes.
“That was Lauren.” I jumped and looked around to find Rose and Sebastian. Rose wore her hair straight to her waist and a red sundress. Sebastian still wore his black suit. What is it with that guy?
“Was?” She nodded sadly. “Yes, she broke our number one rule, and the Council had her killed.” Wow. What could she have done that was bad enough that she had to die?
As if Rose could read my mind, she answered. “Many years ago, she caught young Damian’s eye. He fell in love with her, and wasn’t thinking normally. I think your generation calls it….love struck?” ’Your generation’? Who speaks like that anymore? “Anyways, Damian brought her home to meet the ’family’, and she wandered into places she shouldn’t have. She saw too much, and the Council of Aegis had her destroyed. Damian was torn.”
I looked back at the smiling girl and shook my head. Maybe that’s why he’s so sour. But what does that have to do with me? Rose smiled. “You know, for a familiar, you have the loudest thoughts?” My jaw dropped. “You can hear my thoughts?” She nodded and giggled. “It’s hard not to when you’re practically screaming them at us. But, it has everything to do with you, Raven Mathews. Damian believes that you might be the reincarnation of Lauren Williams, even though I don’t believe it myself, but that’s Damian’s business, not mine.”
Rose took Sebastian’s hand and together, they left into the kitchen with Jack. “So I’m here because of her?” The girl seemed to mock my anger with her smug smile. I took a deep breath, and joined everyone through the door.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I know it's been a while, but here it is! Heart wrenching stuff, yeah? Well, let me know what you think, vote, comment, or whatever else people are doing these days. I DO read ALL comments and respond.
