Crimson Peak [COMPLETE]

Chapter Fourteen

Thomas and I didn't even make it safely to the stair case. Thomas came to a halt in the hallway, stretching his arm in front of me to make me stop walking as well. I was going to ask what was wrong but I could see over Thomas's arm at what exactly was wrong.

I could only assume that the ghost standing in front of us was Thomas's sister, Lucille. She was charcoal black, every inch of her. And she was dressed in a rather fancy dress with a veil covering her face. I was feet away from her but I could still feel the temperature in the house drop. My heart was thumping in my chest and I looked up to see what Thomas would do.

"Lucille," Thomas said quietly. He was looking at her so sadly, his eyes practically pleading with her.

"Thomas." Lucille's voice was hoarse and raspy.

"Lucille, you don't have to do this. Let go," Thomas begged. "Move on."

For a moment, I thought that Thomas had gotten through to her and we were going to be able to leave the house. But we had both forgotten that it wasn't just Lucille involved in this scheme.

An arm found it's way around my waist and yanked me back into the hallway, away from Thomas. I cried out and Thomas whirled around when my arm reached out and hit Thomas's shoulder.

"Thomas, help," I hollered, reaching out for him. I twisted around to see Christian, gritting his teeth at me and moving his arm around my torso to pull me further down the hallway.

Thomas forgot all about his sister, turning towards me and hurrying forward to yank Christian's arm from around my waist. Thomas gripped my arm and pulled me towards him only for Christian to grab my other arm and pull me in his direction. I felt like a doll being yanked between two children.

"Why are you doing this?" Thomas cried. "The two of you don't have to--"

"Don't tell me that I don't have to do that. Don't pretend like you are any better than I am."

"Christian," I whimpered, "please."

His grip only tightened on my arm as he tugged again. "You guys started this. I need this. My parents...they left me nothing. I have nothing."

I frowned. "Your parents? What do you mean they didn't leave you anything?"

"They're dead!" He screamed, saliva flying from his mouth. "The parents you think are mine...aren't mine. John and Elizabeth are my aunt and uncle. They treat me like some kind of street rat; hardly worth their time. I'm alone in this world."

"Alone?" I accused, trying to pull my arm from his grip. "You had me, Christian. I didn't care what you had or didn't have. I...I loved you."

"Enough!" Lucille's shriek echoed down the hall, making the rest of us fall silent. I hadn't realized until then that my head was pounding. "Take care of her," she ordered, "I'll deal with my brother." Without another word, Lucille's body lifted from the ground, her face contorting into a terrifying expression of rage and hatred, and flew towards the three of us.

Thomas was just as surprised as I was and he let go of my arm, causing me to fall towards Christian, who wrapped his arms around me and continued pulling me down the hall.

I was kicking and screaming, fighting to get away from the man I once trusted with my life. I swung my head back, my skull connecting with his teeth, and he dropped me. I scrambled to my hands and knees, trying hard to focus through my increasing headache. But I didn't make it very far before Christian gripped my hair in his fist and pulled me backwards.

I prepared myself to fight again but didn't get the chance. Christian gripped my hair tightly and tossed my head back into the wooden floor. I fell unconscious.

* * * * * * * * * *

It was cold. Too cold. I was pulled out of the darkness as my fingers and toes began to go numb. I blinked a few times only to realize that, wherever I was, it was going to take a minute for my eyes to adjust.

There was a scuffling noise somewhere in the darkness and my heart skipped a beat before falling into a rhythm that was faster than normal. I wondered if I should call out but the thought only briefly crossed my mind before I told myself that it was a stupid idea.

I got to my feet, brushing off my skirts and blinking some more until I could make out vague shapes. It only took me a moment to realize I was in the basement of Allderdale Hall.

The large cement vats were on either side of me and, if I peered into the darkness hard enough, I could make out the shape of the elevator.

"You're awake." Christian's voice rang out through the entirety of the cave and my blood ran cold. It echoed far too much in here for me to be able to tell where his voice was coming from. He could be standing behind me for all I knew. "Good. It's no fun to play with sleeping things."

I'd never heard Christian use this tone of voice before. Whoever this man was, he wasn't the man I loved nor the man I married.

"What do you want?" I cried, taking a cautionary step forwards. I hoped that I could throw off my location by talking as I made my way to the elevator. "What did I do to you to make you hate me?"

There was a quiet chuckle. "I don't hate you, Rose. In fact, I'm grateful to you. If it wasn't for you, I never would have found this place and I never would have thought to make this plan with Lucille. It seems Lucille is the only one that truly cared for me."

I shook my head even though I knew he couldn't see me doing it. "That's not true. I cared."

"Ha! Don't lie to yourself, Rose. You married me because your parents wanted you to."

I made it to the steps leading up to the elevator. All I had to do was get inside the elevator and shut the door before Christian got to me. I was ready to make a run for it when cool metal pressed against my cheek.

"Don't even think about it."