Hidden Away

chapter 7

Zachary got us a private table on the restaurant balcony, over looking the river. The tingling of piano keys floated up to us as we shared desserts over a pot of earl grey tea. Zachary kept up a soft, soothing conversation that seemed to blend into the distant music. My heart fluttered by the thought of him actually being into me. He kept asking about my life, where I was from, where I lived, about my family and friends. Even as I answered him with lies that I'd rehearsed over and over again with Lucien... one thought kept peeping into the back of my mind. Zachary would never be interested in Echo like this. His eyes seemed wider, more lively, as he leaned forward, head tilted towards me. He sitting against the rays of the setting sun, the warm, vibrant tones reflected on his face. His expression seems more intimate, his brilliance of his gaze focused entirely on me. I could feel energy between us that I have never felt before. Echo would never get to see Zach like this... I... the real me...Echo... I'm nothing to him... this is the best I could ever wish for. My heart shattered in a way that made my stomach swirl unpleasantly. The memories of mine and Zachary's past friendship ran through my head... it hurt... I missed being his bestfriend... I ruined that by falling in love with him... I havent felt this pain since the end of everything we had. Those few weeks were hell... and now were here. As the sun said its goodbyes and allowed the moon to make an appearance, our words slowly died down into a comfortable silence. Well, probably more comfortable for him than for me... even though Lucien And I had prepared a crazy back story for Eliza... Zachary had asked me so many things that I had been forced to come up with lies on the spot. A beautiful orchestra started playing on the bottom floor, so loud I could feel the music through my chest. "They're having a mascarade tonight. The main chamber should be full of strangers with their masks on, sliding in from the night." Looking out of the balcony, I ask "would you like to join me for a dance?" Glancing at him, Zachary just chuckles, shaking his head slightly, as he leaned back into his chair. He was staring at me what seemed to be an expression of utmost fondness. "Having a mask on all the time is rather exhausting, isnt it?" He sneers. "Oh...?" Instead of replying, Zach stood and came around to my side of the table. "Oh!" Bending down, he tilted my chin up so that our faces were separateed by noting but a single breath. "I'd love to get to know you even more... Eliza." The words he said came out as a low, husky whisper, his voice raspy against my skin. My brain melted. I didnt even blink as his forearm slipped into the small of my back, pulling me closer to him. If he leaned forward, even just a little bit more, our lips would touch- "you would enjoy that, wouldnt you?You filthy whore."... huh?! Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the glint of something white and sharp between us. Before I could react, a fluffy white ball shot out of the shadows- "ah!" I squeal surprised and Zachary gasps whom is also surprised. Lucien in fox form, flung himself straight at Zach. Knocking him away from me. Something clattered to the floor. My lungs filled with bricks, when I saw what it was. Black, rusty shackles, with spikes that pointed inwards. What on earth?!... Lucien screamed, and my head jerked up, out of my horrified stupor. And that's when I noticed. Zack has pulled his right sleeve back to reveal a wicked-looking chain wrapped akeund his wrist. The other end was attacked to the black shackles on the floor. "Relying on your familiar to save you, huh?" He chuckles... "how pathetic." In that moment, I finally understood everything. His face was twisted, as if he had stepped something utterly disgusting and putrid. A slug, perhaps, something moist and soft that had been crushed under his foot. And that something was... me. With a sharp jerk of his hand, the sharp shackles flew into the air... aiming straight for me. Lucien started to form. His body stretched form the corner of my eye, twice his size as a human, silver fox ears appeared onto his head and his black and white hair fell over his face. A big fox tail formed right after. I could see him get ready to knock me out of the way. But as the links of spikes and metal spread out before me, like a spider web, I knew it was too late. Even though my whole body was screaming out for me to flee, I closed my eyes and braced for impact.
But as I opened my eyes... I was treated with the night sky. Glowing faintly red from the city lights. "Huh...?" I was floating in mid air, with the rushing river below me. "I'm...flying?" My magic kicked in again! I-I can just fly away?! But before I could do so, a painful yell made my head turn sharply to the left. To the horror, I saw Zach standing at the edge of the balcony we'd been dining at.  We was resting his hand on his hip and in the other hand... "you...!" Chains and spikes wrapped around Lucien, has dark red blood poured from the wholes the spikes created into his skin. His big ocean blue eyes were opened and glittering furiously, but he wasnt struggling at all. Those glowing ruins on the chains... could they be stopping him from using magic? I shuttered when the thought of me nearly getting trapped by those exact chains. Casually, Zachary dangles him over the river, staring at me with that same brilliant smile. "My dear, lovely Eliza.  Deserting me in the middle of dinner? Jow discourteous. By the way, I wouldnt raise my voice of I were an intelligent woman like you." He nodded slightly towards the floor. The sounds of loud music and chatter were still going on very strong. That's right, theres a really loud mascarade going on downstairs. "What a marvelous festival we are having tonight. Eh?" There was no question about it, hed deliberately chosen to have dinner at a place like this! There was a little voice in the back of my head screaming at me to fly away immediately. I... I cant leave Lucien in his hands! Images raced through my head of all the horrible things he would do to Lucien. Is this seriously what I convinced him to leave his home for? Torture at the hands of some twisted sadist? There are so many beautiful things I still need to show Lucien, so many things I want to do with him... hes been alone all this time... he deserves to be happy! His life cant end like this! Not because of me...
"Let him go." Shockingly enough, my voice was quiet yet stable. I was so terrified at this point, my fear had turned into icy bricks inside my stomach, weighing me down. Something so cold, it started to burn. Zachary just gave me an even kinder smile. "Go? This early in the evening? I havent even gotten the pleasure to dance with you yet my dear..." taking a few steps back, he lowered into a deep bow. Then he straightened back up, reaching his hand out to me. "May I have this wonderful dance, my lady?" I stared at him lost. What the hell is he doing?  "We will dance when I wish to, Zachary Smith- on my terms, not yours" I sneer, playing along. "Oh? Is that so. In that case you can just get on your knees and lick the mud off my shoes then." Glaring at him, "what makes you think-" Zachary interrupted me by flicking his right wrist upwards, just a tiny fraction of  an inch. Lucien creamed in pain as the chains tightened around him, the spikes sinking deeper into his flesh. The scream cut our completely as his body went limp. Zachary held his hand open and Lucien fell to the floor with a lound. Clunk. There was a sickening squelch as the chains retracted, wrapping back around zachary's arm. As I stared at Luciens soft face, blood stained his perfectly pain skin and a scream ripped ots way out of my throat. "You're... yoire disgusting!" Zacharys smile just grew wider. "Knees. Now." My entire body was vibrant in rage, but there was nothing I could do... but land before him. Still smiling, Zachary sat down on a chair that might as well we a throne to him. Then he extended a long, shapely leg towards me. I gritted my teeth trying to not let the tears spill out from my eyes. "What's the matter? Why arent you on your knees yet?" Surpressing the roar that was pushing ts way through, I got onto my knees before him. My face felt like it was about to burst into millions of flames. As I stared at the wooden floor pannels, I felt something warm at the top of my head. Zachary was patting me. "What a good girl. You're a good girl, arent you?" I dont know why- perhaps because his voice was so soft and kind- but my tears began to drip onto his shoes. I cant do anything... I'm powerless... "it's ok, Eliza. Dont cry. You dont have to lick my shoes if you dont want to." Caressing my chin, he tilted my tearstreaked face up to him. His fingers were wet and stained with Luciens blood. "Because you're mine now... and I take real good care of my things." Out of the corner of my eye, I see the chains have changed to a single spiked collar. Is he going to put that collar on... me? Even at this distance, I could feel draining all of my energy, like some sort of magical black hole. My magic, it feels so faint. I cant...channel it...  "you're neck is so pretty. But you know what would make it even prettier?" There was no time. Zachary was already stroking my neck. Screw magic, I need to do something right now!