The Lovers of Life

CHAPTER XVIII - THE TRAP

"Where you are that's where I wanna be
And through your eyes all the things I wanna see
And in the night you are my dream
You're everything to me"

Love of My Life – Supernatural - Santana

I sat down on the edge of the bed, my hands clutched tightly on my lap. Tears were filling my eyes, my vision was blurred. My bottom lip was trembling as I stared at the statue in front of me. I gulped and tried to ease my breath. Oh, she was beautiful. What could have induced her to do this? I pushed my hair out of my face. I had to do something; I couldn't just sit here and cry! I must do something.

I repressed a sob as someone knocked gently on the door. The door was quietly pushed open. I did not turn around to see who was there; I was staring glassy eyed at the figure standing in front of me.

She was beautiful with wide brown eyes, open and round as though she was hypnotized by something that wasn't here. Her curly black hair seemed to glow. Her mouth was hanging slightly opened, as if she was surprised. She was pale, oh, so pale – too pale.

I reached out to take her lifeless hand. It seemed so cold, but there was something around her preventing me from touching her – it was like a very strong invisible barrier. What have you done?

A candle had fallen to the floor at her feet where it had burned away. I tried to pass my hand on her cheek – it had been so long! – merely to tell her, I was there. But I couldn't touch her at all.

"Anastasia," said someone from behind me.

I turned around. Dalila seemed downright outraged. Azym was inscrutable, though sad, and Helena was gaping open mouthed at Myrrha. As to Julien he seemed broken.

I couldn't believe it. Wasn't the White Tower supposed to be the safest place there could be? And, still, Kayeh had succeeded. I was about to fall when Helena and Julien bounced forward. I cried for a while on Julien's shoulder. I knew nothing would ever be the same again, things would be different, and not necessarily for the better.

"Anastasia, dear, come along," whispered Helena in my ear.

She took my hand and led me out of the room. On the landing stood a man I did not know. He was very beautiful with dark tanned skin and dark brown hair. There was some powerful and all-knowing air about him. He managed a small smile as I walked by supported by Helena. He entered the room, exchanged a few words I could not grasp with Dalila and she locked him in the room with Myrrha.

I was led out of the tower and down roads without end. I wondered briefly where we were going and then I found I couldn't really care. We were deep into a forest now and I was so feeble I couldn't even make out the sky above properly. We came to a halt and everyone took hands. We were forming a great circle, it reminded me of my demons, dancing and singing. I blinked. For a moment, the faces of the friends around me appeared to me like the demons of my childhood. But the next, I saw everyone as they were. Angel, vampire, mortal and star.

The forest vanished around us and I lost balance. I was held upright, however, and I could hear whispers around me. There was light everywhere around me – how it stung on my tired eyes. Dalila was talking with an old man – by the sound of his voice.

"Oh, come on John, give me the key," she said.

"Why in such a hurry?" asked the man called John. "Anyways, go away!"

My eyes were struggling to focus. Then, two monks dressed in brown and wearing shades on their eyes appeared in front of me. One of them had a cane and was eyeing our party disapprovingly from the corner of his eye. The other was talking with Dalila.