The Year 3000

Chapter 17: Uncontrollable

Scarlett's POV:

Previously:

"I can't change how I feel about you," I said softly, "Please, there has to be something else," I begged.

"No, there is nothing I want more. If you can't change your feeling for me, then I hope for Luke's sake that you're a good actor."

I hesitated, but only for a second. Harry already knew what I was going to say. Leya's words echoed in my head.

I think that you should give him a chance . . . You may not feel the same way, but he truly loves you, and that kind of love is hard to keep pushing away.

Well Leya, here goes nothing.

"Okay."

*************************************

When I woke, Harry wasn't on the couch, or anywhere in the room, which was a relief because I didn't know if I could stand being so close to him. I still couldn't believe that he had agreed to sleep on the couch in his own room. I worried my bottom lip between my teeth as I thought about our agreement. I felt as if I had made a deal with the devil, which I had, but I would do it all again for Luke. He had done more than enough for me. It was time I returned the favor. I just hoped that Harry held up his end of the bargain and released Luke from the dungeons. I sighed as I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I willed myself to become more alert as I stood, wobbling over to the bathroom to go take a morning shower.

A little over fifteen minutes later, I felt clean and refreshed, but the thought of Harry didn't once leave my mind. My smelling like his shampoo and conditioner didn't help. As I walked into the room with nothing but a towel on, I was too far gone in my thoughts to have noticed the figure sitting as still as a statue on the bed. It was only when he cleared his throat did I finally whip my glance over and see Harry sitting there. I swear I must've jumped ten feet in the air in my fright. I was just happy I didn't drop my towel.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, fighting the urge to run back into the bathroom. If it was at all possible, Harry's smirk deepened.

"It's good to see you, too," he said sarcastically, standing up from the bed, showing off his height over me, "It is my room too, you know."

I scowled, me cheeks turning fifty different shades of red. Thoughts of Luke suddenly raced into my mind. I had to know that he was okay.

"Have you released Luke, yet?" I asked eagerly, taking my bottom lip in between my teeth. Harry's smirk fell off of his face, and within the space of two seconds, cocky Harry was gone, only to be replaced with something a lot more sinister.

"You're still thinking of him," he growled, taking a step forward, and I immediately regretted bringing up the subject. Harry clenched his jaw and shut his eyes, trying to calm himself down.

"Yes, I did release him as you asked. He is now serving as a house blood slave for one of the families in a nearby village," he replied without emotion, reopening his eyes to watch my reaction. I felt my stomach flip.

Blood slave.

Luke was a blood slave.

"I told you to release him! Not send him off to be a blood slave!" I shouted, making Harry throw up his hands.

"He's a Rebellion leader, Scarlett! I can't just release him back into the wild and wait for him to attack! He's out of the dungeons, be grateful that he's safe!" he yelled back.

I shook my head at the ground, trying to clear it of all the images of Luke being fed on against his will. Tears began gathering in my eyes, no matter how hard I tried to keep them at bay. Harry was right. At least Luke wasn't in the dungeons starving anymore. I felt Harry's hand on my arm, and I resisted the urge to yank it away. Luke was out, just so long as I pretended to care for Harry.