Fade Into Black - Shadows of the Night 5

Chapter 55

Hi,

First of all, thanks for all your comments guys! This last week was really crazy and I couldn't respond to most of your comments, but I did read them :-) 

Anyway, we're moving, no, racing on! I hope you like the chapter :-)

Lara

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Chapter 55

Someone had been in my mind. Might still be there right with me, this very moment. The thought made me want to throw up, tear myself out of that constricting shell of my body. Who could have-

I stilled. A small change in the atmosphere. A whiff of motion.

Alexander was back, appearing in front of me like an apparition materializing out of dust and air. His eyes were on me. Again I was hit by that peculiar sensation of intimacy, as if his eyes were like a set of cool hands pressing into tender skin.

He lifted his right hand, palm up. He'd keep his word and would really hand over one of the artifacts. Up until now I wasn't sure if he really would. Blue light caught in the golden ring in his palm, reflected like a halo on the ceiling. One of the magical artifacts he stole from me.

"There you are, Anna."

The sound of my name on his lips tore through me like a shower of hot-cold lightning.

I took the ring, wordlessly. The odd sensation settled the moment the gold made contact with my skin – powerful magical residue that worked its way up my fingertips like a small electric shock. I could only imagine what would happen if I really attempted to use the ring.

Did Alexander know that the artifact contained this sort of magic? Had he felt it too? Would he really just hand it over if he as much as suspected?

I shook myself mentally. There were things I had to do. I had to get out now. Find out what ha-

He grabbed my wrist the moment I was about to turn and walk away.

"What are you going to do now?"

He was breathing. His fingers were wrapped around my wrist, messing with my senses. Once again I was caught up in that sensation of standing in a magnetic field someone had turned upside down. The power of the grave called to me in ways it never had. His presence was enough to confuse, entice and mesmerize, not because he was a vampire, but because he was Alexander.

I was too close. I licked my lips, thinking.

"Giving you information about my future plans wasn't part of our deal," I finally said, staring at the black curtain.

He laughed and for the fracture of a second his hand tightened on my wrist before he let it slip through his fingers. An odd blend of dismissal and caress that sent me off balance.

"You do always have to do things on your own, don't you Anna?" He said softly.

I closed my eyes and stormed through the curtain of oil, leaving the Blue Room and Alexander behind. I knew very well I could never outrun him and the truths I discovered about myself.

* * *

ANDY

"I said, I need to talk to him. Now."

George smiled. "And I need to take a sip badly. Ain't happening either, boy. Or are you volunteering?"

George and whoever else was serving Alexander in this shithole started calling me "boy" ever since Victor Crawford did. Not that I cared. Much.