Shadows

Offers and declarations

 “Do you want to go home?” he repeated

“I don’t have a home” I said grim

“What about your parents?”

“What about them...”

“Surely they’re worried” he propped himself up on his elbow 

“No they aren’t”

“How can you be certain of that?” he questioned, tilting my chin upward so I would look at him

“They left me in London that night” he seemed taken aback by that statement for he said nothing, his gaze remained fixed on mine but as I glanced down at his hands I noted that they were once more curled into tight fists 

“Your parents just… left you” he snarled through gritted teeth “What if I had killed you that night?” I cringed but I don’t think he really noticed, the question was not aimed at me but more rhetorical… but he was right… what if I had been killed in London? Would they have really cared?

“I don’t know…” I finally said “I really don’t…”

“I might just go pay them a visit” I automatically reached out and grabbed his hand, I ignored the fire that burned my cheeks from the hand to hand contact but made myself stare at him, determined to change his mind… but I could muster the words… I could not think of a reason why he shouldn’t… which truly scared me.

“Don’t”

“Why?” finally noticing the hand on his, his nostrils began to flare… was he nervous?

“I don’t want you to hurt them…” I removed my hand from his and rolled onto my back, staring absentmindedly at the plain white ceiling above

He rolled over the top of me “I wouldn’t do that” he stated as he lowered himself down

“Why?”

“Because it would hurt you” my cheeks gushed scarlet, I tried to wriggle free but he lowered more of his weight on me, not hurting me but enough to pin me down “Vicki… I…”  He was cut short by a loud bang outside, it sounded like it was coming from down the hall but fast approaching, and he rolled off me and sat up on the bed, settling one arm over me in what I believed to be a protective manner.

“Where is she!” a woman screeched, I rolled over to Dante, buried my head in his chest, tucked my feet up and clung to him tightly, he in return wrapped his arms around me and whispered soft soothing sounds… it didn’t exactly work…I felt genuinely terrified at the moment… needed to be out of there… needed to feel safe.

  The door to my room flew open and I heard a scream that rippled through my bones, it was obviously Candice, hell bent on a revenge that had no meaning or purpose… why is it everyone I knew except this family and Seth hated me to my very core… wanted to see my punished… wanted me to be hurt.. Wanted to feel mind shattering pain. I knew she had lunged at me because I had flown off the bed and landed with a crack on the floor, I winced in pain but as I looked up I gasped in shock as I saw Candice’s face still covered in dried blood, being pushed down into the bed as her body was restrained by Dante

“Get off me!” she screamed “You should have killed her… she should be dead!” I scrambled even further back from them both until my head came into contact with one of the wardrobes… I clung to it and closed my eyes, trying to regulate my breathing but it was a futile effort… I was close to a panic attack at that moment

“Candice…” he moaned as he struggled to restrain her “What’s gotten into you!?”

“She… should… be… dead” she growled, I opened my eyes at that point