Imperceptible [Edward Cullen] •book 1

Chapter 23

Suns may set, and suns may rise again:

but when our brief light has set,

night is one long everlasting sleep

Let's Live And Love: To Lesbia - by Gaius Valerius Catullus

A light is being shone onto my face. Irritably, with my eyes still closed I try to move my head blindly away from the source. Unfortunately, that doesn't work as the light follows my head's movement. Groggily I peel my eyes open only to be met with someone shining their phone's flash light onto me.

Just as quickly as my eyes open the flash light is turned off and I'm left blinking rapidly trying to regain my bearings. I'm lying on a couch that's far too comfortable to be my own. My eyes lazily glide to the floor. My mind recognizes that the plush carpet that covers the ground is unfamiliar, but my body feels too heavy to react strongly enough.

''Good, you're awake.'' My eyes flit from the ground to the voice. A tall, dark-skinned guy, who looks to be probably a few years older than me is leaning against the timber wall directly before me holding a smartphone between his hands.

''Who the fuck are you?'' I can't control the shake in my tone as I stare him in trepidation.

"My name's Elliot. there's no need to panic-."

''Where the fuck am I?'' Ignoring his words, I quickly rise and look at my surroundings. My eyes bounce off the bare wooden walls. There's a large screen TV mounted on the wall that's playing muted infomercials.

As I stare at the stranger after taking in the unfamiliar surroundings I come to one conclusion

''You've kidnapped me.'' I state rather than ask.

He scoffs. ''Tyra was right, you are very presumptuous.''

At the mention of Tyra's name, it dawns on me that this must be the person that she told me to expect, this revelation, however, does not make me feel any less hostile towards the situation.

''Oh, excuse me for thinking that getting abducted and being held against one's will wasn't the very definition of getting kidnapped.''

''Hey, it's not like this is an ideal situation for me either, but if my boss tells me to do something I got to do it.'' He shrugs, plops himself down on a recliner that looks like it's seen better days, pulls out his cell phone and proceeds to play a very loud game of Candy Crush.

I pull the sleeves of my shirt over my wrists at an attempt to fight the chill that just creeped down my skin at the memory of Tyra telling me that Mr Carter was not somebody to be messed with. ''Your boss? Mr Carter?'' I ask, trying my best to sound indifferent.

He looks up from his phone and sends me a grating smile. ''So, you're not just a pretty face.'' He says sarcastically.

This motherfu-

''Where is he then?'' I ask between clenched teeth.

''He's got some personal things to sort through. Don't worry he'll be here soon.'' He mumbles, focused intently on his phone.

I try to keep my breathing under control as sheer frustration grows within me.

So, I was snatched seconds away from finding out whether or not I needed to open a can of whoop ass (which, considering my physical strength, probably would not go so well) and the big, scary, apparently no-nonsense boss isn't even here?

I wait before answering, counting to ten in my head to avoid saying anything rash.

''Tell me why you're keeping me here now? Why not wait until Mr Carter gets his shit together before abducting me?'' I ask passively.