A Dark Past

A Newfound Revelation

Magalie breathed in deeply, allowing the cold air to engulf her in its bitterness and letting the stench of car fumes distract from her terror.

Seeing his house again was like travelling back in time because even though Charles had changed, this house never would. Its brick walls splayed with ivy and large victorian windows still held their quaint appeal and the rose garden surrounding it teemed with life and the renewed aroma of spring.

She allowed herself a fleeting smile as she thought back to when they had first moved there two weeks after they had got back from their honeymoon in Bora Bora. They were only in their early twenties, college students looking to experience something new and some sort of cruel fate had brought them together. He was tall, handsome, foreign and to her naïve self the most perfect thing that could ever have happened to her.

God, how little she had known. Charles was someone who was always meant to be in charge, always meant to be important. At first she couldn't decipher what made him stand out from the crowd but then when first introducing him to her mother she had placed it.

"You haven't done bad for yourself now Magalie, he's a real winner that one" The older woman had said to her once Charles was safely out of earshot.

She smiled dreamily "Yes he is isn't he"

"Charisma" her mother had told her shaking her head wisely "It's what makes a man"

Magalie had laughed glad to have placed it and so happy her mother had approved of him. But this newfound happiness was shattered by her sister Lorna's creased forehead and worried frown. "I don't know Magalie, there is just something...unsettling about him" she said apologetically trying to ruin everything as usual.

Magalie hadn't heeded her instead telling her "Why can't you just be happy for me?" before storming out of the house. If only she had listened because he had betrayed her in so many different ways it was impossible to name them all leaving her forever wounded and scarred.

Everyone had betrayed her in the end, first her sister who she had caught snogging Magalie's high school sweetheart and then had claimed she was ever so sorry and she hadn't known what she was doing. Then her father when he had died only at the age of 57 to a stroke, her mother had consequently begun drinking heavily unable to bear his demise. Charles had turned cruel and dangerous with the taste of power and now what of Nathan, could she even trust him?

Well she was about to find out she thought as she raised her hand to knock on the door...

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                                                        Holly's P.O.V:

A loud crash awoke her from already troubled sleep and she inwardly groaned, she needed to escape reality if only for a few hours. She clambered out of bed being careful not to disturb John and hurried downstairs to the kitchen. Putting on the kettle she sighed, her piercing headache was back bringing with it a renewed sense of worry. For what she didn't know.

Kat had been gone a week now and she had to remind herself that she was nineteen now and could cope on her own but still Holly felt a terrible sense of foreboding and she just didn't know what to do about it. Staying at a friends house she had told her, which friend? and what house?, how long would she be gone for? These were questions she had still as yet to get answers to.

Even though it was 3 am Holly still couldn't put it off any longer, picking up her mobile she dialled her daughters number praying all the while.

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                                                       Kat's P.O.V:

She awoke to bright blinding light and the loud clanging of the door being unlocked. She blinked rapidly gazing blearily in the direction of the sunlight expecting to see her captor but instead seeing someone vaguely familiar even though she couldn't place him. She guessed he was roughly the same age as her captor but though her captor's demeanour hadn't been at all intimidating (In fact he had seemed almost apologetic about what he was doing) she could tell this was a man you didn't want to cross.

He was by no means a tall man but instead was muscular and well built and though he had his arms crossed casually over his chest and he smiled gently at her obviously trying to put her at ease there was something menacing about his body stance and an almost malevolent glint in his eyes.

"What do you want for me?" she tried to say with venom but after hours without water her voice came out cracked and muted.

"My dearest Kat" he said humour in his deep set brown eyes "I wish merely to have a little chat, I'm sorry for any inconvenience caused by your transport here but it was best this way"

Kat kept silent wondering what information she could possibly give that would benefit him.

He continued on failing to notice her stony silence saying:" I've brought your chair, I think it's best we talk in a more...comfortable setting don't you?"

Kat nodded not trusting her voice to remain steady if she spoke getting shakily to her feet and into her wheelchair outside the basement.

When she reached the upstairs of the building she had been taken to she could tell immediately that the owner was extremely wealthy from the rich tapestries and paintings that adorned the walls right down to the plush carpets on the floor.

She sat down on one of the rich velvet couches for a brief second forgetting that she was kidnapped and being interrogated instead feeling inferior and inadequate in the midst of all the grand wealth.

She immediately was torn back to the situation at hand at the sound of the man's voice. "So Kat, I guess it's best if I begin with introductions and then we can get to the necessities shall we?" "Well I'm Charles and you could say you're father and I used to be...hmm what's the right word for it? Let's see associates." 

Kat felt a tingling sensation run down her spine of trepidation, her father had known him? It just didn't make any sense. "Now I just have a few simple questions I need answering, answer them truthfully and you can go when you want and your father won't be in any danger but be warned there will be consequences if you don't." His voice was calm, and non-threatening but still she felt crippled with fear. 

She nodded and when she looked up saw her captor standing at the doorway and maybe she was just imagining it but she thought he looked insanely guilty. "Ah Nathan there you are, just in time for our little meeting".

Nathan sat down beside Charles clear revulsion in his eyes trying to avoid her pleading gaze because even though it had been him that had kidnapped her there seemed something almost gentle about him and she knew he was her only chance of  her getting out of the house alive.

"Of course you two haven't been formally introduced Nathan this is Kat our dear Simon Kane's daughter and Kat this is Nathan my brother. Charles filled wine glasses from a decanter on the table and handed them each glasses. "Now shall we begin?"