Every Rose Has It's Thorn

Every Rose Has It's Thorn PT 4

Word Count 1,694

My key buzzed against the door and I pushed my way inside, slamming it firmly behind me and collapsing against it until my butt reached the floor. I stayed there, my face in my hands for a few moments as I tried to straighten my thoughts.

“Hard day at work, darling?” Colson’s voice shattered the silence and my head shot up to see him lying on my bed; one leg crossed over the other and his hands set behind his head.

“Are you just moving in now?” I asked, not shifting from my place on the floor.

Colson smirked, “Don’t be like that, little bird.”

“Stop calling me that, I have a name you know,” The stress of the last few days was clearly getting to me, I was talking back to Colson – the bad guy, who could literally break me in half if I angered him.

“Is that what you would like? For me to call you by your birth name?” He asked, moving from the bed and walking slowly across the floor of my room until he was directly in front me.

“I’m confused,” I whispered, mostly to myself. To my surprise, Colson held out an open hand – I cautiously slipped my own into it and he pulled me up to him, my chest pressed flush against his. His hand remained wrapped around my own as he stared down at me, his eyes calculating.

“If you get caught here you’ll end up right back in that cage you liked so much,” I said, trying to ignore his other hand as it snaked across my lower back. Colson paid little attention to my words as his hand left mine and moved my sleeve up to reveal my skin, spotted with blood, he ran his thumb across it as if in deep thought.

Taking in a deep breath he got my scent my blood is like a drug to him. Colson let a breathy laugh escape him, “They have kept you quite the secret, haven't they?”

“You’re quite addictive,” Colson’s voice broke me from my train of thought as I glanced back up at him, his hand leaving my needle pricked arm and swiping softly across my face.

“And you’re a liar,” The statement seemed to catch him off guard, “You manipulated me until I used my powers to free you, this affection or whatever this is that you’re paying me is all a lie. I felt you in my head that first day I spoke with you…I might be naïve, shielded from the outside evils of this world but I am not an idiot,” I paused to catch my breath, “You know about the dead parents, the loneliness; you seen and felt it all when you were in my thoughts and you figure that that’s how you get me to work in your favour. Pay me a few nightly visits, give me the closeness I’ve never had and then I’ll be putty in your hands. Another human slave to aid your retribution.”

Colson’s eyebrows raised, there was a look of something drawn on his face but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

“Oh very good,” He purred, that evil glint returned to his eyes but something about it seemed off, “You must be very pleased with yourself, you’ve got it all worked out,” He abandoned the contact we’d had, dropping his hands to cross behind his back as he took a step away from me.

“I’m just being honest,” I said quietly, fearing how his stance had changed so dramatically.

“Honest?” He guffawed, shaking his head, “This isn’t honesty, this is fear. The most powerful of persuasions, mortals are so very predictable,” He began pacing the length of the room – with the hope I wouldn’t have to use it, I began to dig some strength from deep within my small frame, the tell tale red hot sensation flooding beneath my skin until it pooled between my fingertips.

“What did you expect? You held me hostage and…” My voice cut off, the words getting caught in the back of my throat as Colson turned to lock his eyes with mine. He immediately noticed the ripple of power spilling from my hands and stormed towards me, grasping my wrists in his.