Reborn

Chapter Thirty Two

Leah's coldness towards me continued to take me by surprise, though I tried not to let it show. I didn't want her to see that I was bothered by the sudden change in her attitude because when Benjamin wasn't around, she was civil. Polite even. I wouldn't go as far as to say she was her old self because that would be stretching it a bit, but still. I understood there was a reason she was acting so cold and bitter, though I wasn't fully convinced part of that wasn't because she blamed me for what happened with Raven.

It was why she had turned me, after all. She had wanted to hurt Shadow by doing the one thing neither of us wanted for me while, at the same time, hurting me because she really did blame me for Raven. It wasn't that she looked at me and saw her. No, she could cope with that, I was sure. It was because she looked at me and remembered that Raven was dead because of her. Raven was dead because Leah had to kill her before she killed me or Rose. I couldn't necessarily blame her for hurting over that, or even blaming me for that, but it still hurt. She had been my friend until she turned her back completely.

It had only been three days since I was brought to this place and I'd not attempted to escape just yet. I wanted to familiarise myself with each escape route, just in case. I needed to be prepared for anything and as Benjamin's erratic behaviour continued, I needed to be on guard too.

I was fully aware that three days remaining here was pushing my luck considering what Benjamin wanted to do but I had no choice. If I tried to escape straight away, Benjamin could turn around and mark me in an instant, something I was determined not to let happen. If he marked me, it was all over.

It was better to keep him sweet than have him angry all the time. If I could just delay his plans, let him think that I genuinely wanted to be here then maybe he would relax. If that happened, that would be when I'd make my escape.

It was difficult even attempting to keep up with his mood swings. One minute he was polite, asking me questions and such but then, he was staring at me as though he was the predator and I was the prey, like he wanted nothing more than to hurt me in every way possible. One minute he was kind and the next, he had his hand wrapped around my throat, squeezing tighter and tighter. Though his lustful gazes continued, he hadn't touched me again and for that, I was sincerely grateful. I wasn't sure how I'd cope if he forced himself on me.

Truth be told, I was terrified of Benjamin and the strength he possessed. He could easily do what he wanted to me, even if I put up a fight. He was stronger and more deadly than I could ever hope to be because I latched onto my humanity, whereas he didn't. He would much prefer to have none at all, and if it wasn't for the fact I'd witnessed the humanity in him myself, I would have naturally assumed he had none.

I wasn't sure what was more horrifying, to be honest. Knowing that he had a shred of humanity that was slowly making him more unpredictable the longer I stuck around weighing my options, or knowing that he could easy kill the humanity in him and force me to do what he wanted when he wanted.

Either way, my time was running out.

Time always had been a tricky little thing, and I was more convinced than ever that Death was Time's best friend.

I needed to get out.

Still, attempting to escape a crazed hybrid that was stronger and had plans for me that went beyond a simple death, I wasn't sure how I was going to pull it off. His plans for me would result in my death ─ just death in a different sense. I would still be living, but he'd kill the most important parts. He'd kill my happiness, he'd kill my hope and he'd kill my spirit. Death of a different kind but death nonetheless.

Walking past door upon door upon door, I heard a sound coming from one of the rooms. Why I stopped, I had no idea, but I paused, listening intently to the noises coming from the other side.