Deadly Eternities

CH6: Concentration

       CONCENTRATION || 06

      “Get Braelyn out of here, Adrien; I’ll be okay dealing with her without you for a while!” Lord Cochran shouted to his son as he threw a steel rope towards the bear. “Don’t bother with the tapestry, the flames will go when she does.” The large vein in his forehead stuck out as he pulled hard on the rope; it tightened around the bear’s waist and sunk into the thick black fur. He managed to pull it a few yards away from Adrien, myself and the crevice.

      Adrien jumped with surprising ease over the wide crack in the floor. He looked me in the eye as he landed beside me, “He won’t be able to hold the bear back for long, you’re going to have to run now.”

      I quickly nodded. My stomach twisted as we jumped over the crack; I could see floor a number of meters below us. Behind us, the bear roared with ear shattering force. I looked back with wide eyes; my hands shook as I pictured it to be close on our tails. But, thank God, it didn’t appear to be pursuing; Lord Cochran still held the tight grip around the bear’s waist.

      Adrien slammed the door behind us, and we ran, panting with exhaustion, through the kitchen and into the living room. Cole dropped his book and ripped out his earplugs as he saw me fall onto the sofa. My jaw was chattering and my breath was speeding up.

      “Keep her on a tighter leash.” Adrien hissed at Cole. He sat down on one of the chairs across the room and crossed his legs.

      Cole frowned as he looked between the two of us, “What the hell happened?”

      I gulped, “I-I heard someone . . . screaming.” My voice shook as the shock of what had happened began to settle like burning rocks in my brain. “So . . . so I went through t-the door by the kitchen . . . and then there was a bear.” I wiped at my eyes with my sleeve. “And then it c-charged at m-me. And then . . . then the floor broke.”

      His eyes widened, he jumped up off the couch, leaving his book unattended, and sat down beside me. “Oh my God, are you okay, Brae?” He flicked a tear of my cheek.

      Adrien looked angrily between the two of us, “If she’d damn well listened to Vera, none of this would have happened in the first bloody place. Your damned powers are out of control, Braelyn Vincent.” He stood up, and gave me a cold glare with his pale golden eyes. They looked so out of place as they contrasted with his reddy-brown skin. “Do not go through that door, ever again, Braelyn Vincent.” He spun around without a second glance and stormed off.

      Cole’s jaw dropped, “Dick.” He muttered under his breath as the heavy metal door to the other room slammed shut once more. He sighed and then looked back to me, “Brae, what happened?”

      I shrugged, my jaw continued to quiver as I attempted to hold back tears. “The bear tried to attack me and I freaked out.” I leant into his chest, “It was like when the stuff blew up at Mom and Dad’s. It felt like electricity was coursing through my body . . . And then the floor pretty much disintegrated between the bear and I.”

      He nodded and held his arms around my waist. “You weird little thing.” He whispered with a soft laugh as he played with my hair. “Your glass of blood is in the fridge, would you like me to get it?”

      “Yeah, please.” I sat up so he could move and then lay back against the arm of the couch. I hugged a cushion around my middle. The sofa arm rest was not nearly as comfortable or nice smelling as Cole.

      He soon returned with the glass of dark red liquid. He handed it to me as he sat down. I thanked him and brought the glass to my lips. I took slow sips, wanting the heavenly, berry-like taste to last as long as possible. My body began to buzz with energy as I took deeper sips. The slight headache that had been starting, and the dizziness from lack of blood, vanished. Sooner than I would have preferred though, the glass was drained. I sighed and stood up. I took the empty glass over to the kitchen and sat it in the dishwasher.