Blind to Hope✔️

Chapter Twenty One~Steel eyes

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When I woke up, my mind felt fresh. As if I was a robot and someone had pressed the reboot button on me. The memories of yesterday poured in and I was blushing even before my eyes opened. I'd made a fool out of myself.

There was a gentle light pouring in from outside, enough for me to know that someone had decided to let me sleep in. Beside me, to my surprise and shyness was Mr. Blackbourne.

He seemed out of place in Victor's room, his glasses had been taken off letting his features appear softer, gentler. Mr. Blackbourne was also sleeping, his breathing was relaxed even though he was wearing a wrinkled dress shirt and pants, the jacket and tie missing. On the large bed, he was more than a foot away from me, but the intimacy of the place made him feel much closer.

It made me self conscious and I shied away under the covers slightly to hide myself if he awoke.

"Good morning, Miss Sorenson." Mr. Blackbourne spoke without opening his eyes, "Did you sleep well?"

I mentally berated myself, of course he was awake. "I did." It was a small gift that my voice wasn't marred by sleep, but I also spoke the truth. My night hadn't been burdened by nightmares or visions like it usually. But I was also a little confused, I'd gone to sleep with Dr. Green by my side, so why was my eldest Chosen here now?

It was then that Mr. Blackbourne opened his sterling grey eyes and they instantly connected with mine. He appeared well rested himself and sat up his short hair mused, but in my mind these small imperfections made him even more perfect. Mr. Blackbourne read the expression on my face, "Kota slept by your side last night," He informed me smoothly, "and everyone else stayed here as well. However while the others went to school, it was decided to allow you to sleep until you naturally woke up."

"Why did you all spend the night?" I questioned. Had something happened that I wasn't aware of? Or were they taking extra precautions due to Volto?

Mr. Blackbourne's unreadable expression gave nothing away and I sat up from my laying position, the blush on my face sliding away as concern over grew it.

"What happened?" I asked him, had Volto struck again?

His lips pursed, "We identified who's blood was on the car." Mr. Blackbourne told me, "She had several soulmates, just like you do, but they're missing."

It wasn't too hard to make the connections, "Volto has them." Either alive or dead.

Mr. Blackbourne nodded and he reached to the nightstand and put on his glasses, allowing his eyes to relax. "Dr. Roberts wasn't aware that the woman was a pure Angel. But the Academy has an Angel member who can link DNA to a person without needing to have met the person or needing another DNA sample to match it to."

"There was a lot of blood." I recalled and looked up at him with reluctant eyes.

He nodded, but his eyes were softened in slight sorrow, "There was." He agreed and I closed my eyes those words finalizing the idea in my mind. The woman was dead.

I felt gentle fingertips on my face, a soft caress and I opened my eyes, shying slightly away from Mr. Blackbourne's touch, knowing it was making me blush. "Volto won't be free for long." He promised me, but he wasn't in a position to make such a thing. Volto had been around apparently for a few decades and we still had no idea who he was. Why should we be able to find him now?

I knew how this would work out. Volto was after me, he wanted me dead. Right now he was cruelly toying with me, but he'd gotten everything he'd ever wanted. Soon, he'd have me, and he'd use my blood to write some other poor girl a message. I just had to make certain he didn't take my Chosen down with me. The woman's Chosen in my mind had most likely tried to protect her, and suffered the consequences. My life wasn't worth the nine of theirs, and I felt peace as I came to a conclusion.