Three
“Sophie?”
“You startled me, Jorgie. What’s wrong?”
He rubbed one eye and walked over to her, disheveled from sleep and dragging his stuffed bear. “I had a nightmare. Can I sleep with you?”
“Sure, kiddo.”
He crawled up on her bed and snuggled down beside her. She tucked her blanket all the way around him, making sure his feet were all the way under. She pressed her face into his curly hair and inhaled.
“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked quietly.
He shook his head and hugged her tighter. She stroked the back of his dark, wavy hair over and over slowly until he dozed back off.
The peace he embodied caused her to relax and drift back to sleep.
“Sophie!” Lacey’s urgent whisper jolted her.
She opened her eyes, taking stock of the moonlight. It was almost the dead middle of the night.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, trying not to rouse her brother.
“I don’t know exactly, but I think it’s serious.”
“Is there danger?”
“I don’t know. Get up. Leave Jorgie here.”
Lacey headed out of the room. Sophie heard it then, the urgent voices coming from the floor below. She shifted, trying to extract her arm from under her brother. He made a little whine in his throat. She kissed the side of his head and smoothed his hair again. He settled back into deep sleep.
Sophie belted her robe over her pajamas and headed down the narrow stone stairs from her bedroom to the main living space in their home at the top of the mountain. The scene hit her hard in the stomach. Tristan was there, his face bloodied like he’d been in a fight. Callen leaned against the wall, holding his ribs gingerly as if they were broken, his face was swollen and bloodied as well.
“How many were there?” Sabra asked Tristan.
“I don’t know for sure. At least ten. They came out of the shadows and just attacked. We didn’t know they were there. If we went over some boundary line, we didn’t know it. They never said anything…” Tristan’s voice broke. “All we did was try to defend ourselves…and now Ansel’s dead. He’s dead!” he looked past her mother and locked his gaze on her. “Sophie…”
The plea in his voice tore at her heart. She came forward. He clasped her tightly against him. She held him back, trying to offer whatever comfort she could. He let go and took a step back from her, wiping the tears from his cheeks.
“I will go to the Dryads at first light and get to the bottom of this,” Sabra said.
“Please don’t go alone,” Callen’s voice was adamant. “It could be dangerous.”
Sabra gave him a half smile. “Don’t worry. And before we know all the facts, let’s keep this to ourselves. Ansel’s killers will answer for this, make no mistake. But the actions of one or a few doesn’t mean we have a problem with the dryads. Give me your word, both of you, to remain silent and not stir up rumors.”
“Yes, ma’am.” They said together.
“But…” Callen began to argue. He fell silent at the flash in Sabra’s eyes. She reached out and grabbed him by the throat, her hand elongating into a nightmarish beast claw.
“Don’t question me. When have I ever backed down from spilling blood that needed spilling? Trust me. I will find out what happened.” She let go of him, her hand shifting back to normal. “Go home. I’ll meet with you again in the morning after I go see the dryads.”
Callen nodded and left immediately. Tristan hesitated for a moment and pulled Sophie against him again for a second, then he left too. The heavy double doors shut behind them and Sabra slid the bolt through the handles.
“Where’s papa?” Lacey asked.
“He’s with Ansel’s family.” Sabra paced, her eyes tunneling.
The stress hung in the air like a bad smell. Sophie stood next to her sister and leaned her head on her shoulder. Lacey began trembling. Sophie stiffened and grasped her sister as she collapsed in a fit of tears. Sabra came over and Lacey shifted into their mother’s arms.
Sophie backed up, her stomach twisting into a painful knot. The emotions coming from her sister surrounded her, sank through her skin, and made her heart feel swollen.
“He was my friend.”
Sophie turned away and tried to disconnect herself from everything. She sank down on the couch and put her head in her hands.
“Go back to bed. Try to sleep,” Sabra told Lacey.
Lacey hung her head and shuffled to her room and shut the door. Sabra came over and reached for Sophie’s hand.
“What can I do for you?” her mother asked gently. “What are you feeling?”
Pain. Guilt. “I’m fine, mom. Don’t worry about me. You’ve got enough on your plate.”
“I wish I could help. I wish you would confide in me. I see you on the edge of opening up sometimes only to have you retreat the next second. It only makes me worry more because I don’t know what’s troubling you.”
“I’m sorry. Please don’t worry. Please. I’m fine. I promise.”
“Just tell me one thing. Help me understand.”
“I wish I was like you, mom. Everyone calls me tame. I guess I am. I’m not wild, or brave like a she-wolf should be.”
Her mother frowned and squeezed her hand. “Have I ever made you feel like that?”
“No. Not you or papa, but—“
A knock sounded on the double doors.
“I’ll get it,” Sophie got up.
She unbolted the doors and opened one side.
Tristan stood there alone, looking at her intently. He’d changed his clothes and all the blood was gone from his face. His shoulders slumped and his dark hair hung into his bloodshot eyes.
“Tristan…”
His gaze beseeched her. “I’m sorry, Sophie. I just…I’m heartbroken. Please come with me for a little while. Lend me your company. I hurt so much.”
She exhaled, the weight of his request burrowing into her shoulders. “Alright. Give me a moment to change out of my pajamas.”
He nodded and she closed the door again.
She turned to her mother still sitting on the couch. “He needs me. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, perhaps the rest of the night. Don’t stay awake because of me…Jorgie is in my room, by the way.”
“No problem honey. I won’t worry about you.”
She slunk into her room and changed her clothes silently so she didn’t wake her brother. Clad in jeans, boots and a sweatshirt, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail and headed out. As soon as she came back out to where Tristan stood, he grabbed her hand and began pulling her swiftly away. They made their way all the way from the top, through the halls that snaked around and around down the heart of the mountain to the ground level exit without saying a word to each other.
“What are you doing?” a guard asked gruffly.
Tristan pulled her close to his side and smiled suggestively at the guy. “Just going for a little run in the moonlight, if you know what I mean.”
The guard smirked and nodded for them to pass. Annoyance picked sharply at Sophie. She was pissed off Tristan would say that. It was embarrassing not to mention untrue, and if he was so heartbroken how did he manage to act like an ass?
He pulled her outside by the hand and led her around the back of the mountain where it was hard to walk. You had to climb over boulders and watch your footing on slopes covered in gravel.
“Where are we going?” she asked finally.
He stopped and turned to her then, pulling her close to him and kissing her mouth. When she tried to pull away he tightened his grip.
Exasperated, she pushed on him and turned her face to the side so she could breathe. “Stop it. Give me some space.”
Sorrow swam in his eyes, diving deep, filling them up. Guilt poked at her. He let go and walked a few steps away. His shoulders slumped and he sat cross-legged on the ground. Maybe she didn’t understand. He was hurting. She was supposed to help not make it worse.
Sighing, she sat next to him and rubbed her hand over his back. He put his head in his hands and his shoulders began shaking with tears.
“I’m sorry. What can I do to help? Do you want to talk about it?”
His head snapped up and he looked out toward the Wood. “It would be so easy to kill them all. That’s what we should do before they have the chance to really grow in numbers.”
Sophie recoiled from him. “Why would you say that? Kill them all? The Dryads are peaceful.”
“Peaceful? We were jumped tonight for no reason. Ansel is dead! The rest of us barely escaped. They meant to kill all of us.”
“Maybe there’s some mistake. Maybe it was an accident and in the dark, it just seemed that way. I mean, why would they attack you for doing nothing? That doesn’t make sense.”
An odd expression of patience and contemplation came over his features.
She frowned. “What?”
He raised his eyebrows. “Nothing. Just listening. You’ve obviously thought it through. Please continue.”
“I…I haven’t thought it through, I was just thinking that—“
“Ah! You haven’t thought it through. Maybe you should before you open your mouth and try to tell me I don’t know what I know.”
Inside she reeled back from him. “Why are you being mean?”
“I’m mean? Me? I just lost one of my best friends. I asked you to come out to comfort me, but I guess that’s asking too much. You’re the mean one, Sophie.”
She looked away. Was he right? Was she mean?
“I’m sorry,” the words came out of her automatically.
“Are you?”
“Yes. You’re grieving. I wanted to help lessen the pain, not make it worse.”
“You can make it better. You can make it all better, baby.” He grabbed her hand and pulled it over to his crotch.
She jerked her hand back. “No.”
“See how mean you are? I don’t even know why I bother with you. You’re cold. And you piss me off on purpose.”
“What? I do not!”
He grabbed her ponytail. “Oh really? I’ve told you before I like your hair down. You put it up just to deny me what I like.”
Confused and infuriated, she stood up and began to walk away.
“Sophie, wait!”
She turned back. He rushed up to her and went down on his knees, wrapping his arms around her waist, and burying his face into her sweatshirt. “I love you. Please don’t leave me. I know I don’t treat you right. I don’t know how. Please.”
“I’m sorry,” she said again. “I don’t think I can continue in this relationship.”
“No Sophie. I know you’re the one for me. We should tell your parents of our intention to mate right away.”
“Didn’t you hear me?”
“It will be the biggest ceremony our people have seen in a thousand years. It will be perfect. I promise. And I’ll make you happy. I swear I will.”
She tried to wrench his arms off, but he didn’t budge. “Tristan stop! I never agreed to mate with you.”
“Yes, you did.”
“No. I didn’t.”
He chuckled and got to his feet. “I like when you play games with me.”
A spark of fear lit her insides. Maybe if she could mollify him she could get away. “Just…Just give me some time to think about it. Okay? I’ll answer you in a few days. I’m just not sure.”
He smiled. “Okay. Of course. I know you’ll say yes.”
“I’m tired. I think I should go back home now. Will you let me leave?”
“You’re not my prisoner. Of course, you can leave.” He pulled her close and kissed her mouth. “I love you.”
When she didn’t answer he pinned her with his gaze. “I. Love. You,” he said again forcefully. He stared directly into her eyes.
Everything inside her wanted to pull away. “I love you, too.” Her voice was tiny. Why had she just lied like that? She didn’t love him. Why did he stare at her and pressure her like that? What did she do now she’d said it? How did she get away from him? Did she even know how she really felt about him? Did he see and understand something between them she didn’t?
He kissed her again and let go. “I’ll see you later.”
“Okay. Goodnight.”
She felt on the verge of tears as she walked away from him. What kind of a trap was she in? She could figure it out once she was home, with her family’s support around her. That was it. She couldn’t be alone with him, he was too confusing. Walking alone over the rocky terrain she focused on trying to hurry without falling.
Suddenly, Tristan grabbed her from behind. “It’s later, baby.” His mouth was against her ear.
Before she could struggle, he wrapped his hand around her wrist and stretched her arm straight up into the air as he lifted her off her feet. She kicked back at him but then he slid her hand into a crevice in the boulder next to her. The rock sliced into her skin as her body weight dragged her hand down till it was stuck. He let go and backed up. Sophie cried out in pain, hanging by her wrist. She could almost touch the ground with her feet if she stood on her toes.
He watched her struggle to gain some footing. Slipping and gaining no purchase she was pulled down harder. If he left her like this, the rock might slice her wrist just right and she’d bleed to death, the bones of her hand might shatter, or at the very least, her hand would never work right again.
“Oh, that must hurt. I could help you if you asked.”
“Help! Please!” the pain was beyond anything she’d ever felt as her arm pulled out of socket.
Lazily he picked up a fist-sized rock and set it under one of her feet. She couldn’t get her balance on it as it tottered under the ball of her foot.
“Oh dear, I don’t think that will work very well.” His voice was calmly amused.
“Please! Please!” she cried again, her mind muddied with the pain.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up one stingy inch, enough to slightly ease the weight pulling her down, but not enough for her to free her hand. She fisted her free hand in his hair and pulled as hard as she could. He hissed and let go of her, dropping her back down hard.
“Listen to me!” he shouted over her cries. “If you want to get loose, you’re going to have to hold on to me, not strike at me. If you try to hurt me again, I’ll gag you and leave you here, where no one will find you until well after you’ve died. Understand?”
Desperate she nodded. “Yes! I understand!”
He leaned down and put a different rock under her feet, barely bigger than the last one and more wobbly.
“Wrap your arm around my shoulders,” he instructed.
She did but she was just as stuck as before only now there was a small amount of relief in her arm and hand.
“That’s some better, huh?”
“Get me down. If you leave me here, and I die, you’ll be lucky if my father kills you before my mother has the chance.”
“Shh…I have no intention of leaving you here. So don’t force me to. Just relax and everything will be all right. Everything will fall perfectly into place, you’ll see.”
“Get me down! Now!”
“Not yet, baby. I have something to teach you. I’m going to show you how I can love you.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” she growled as he unbuttoned her jeans and worked them down over her hips. Without any other choice, Sophie was forced to hold on to him as he raped her. She retreated down into herself until she was barely lucid. The feel of him as he pressed on her, the smell of his hair as it brushed her cheek, his breathing, and the sounds of his pleasure all blurred in her consciousness. When he was finished, he got her down, fixed her clothes, wrapped up her hand, all as she watched from the recesses of her mind.
He clapped his hands loudly in her face, she blinked but otherwise didn’t respond.
“Hmmm…” he pursed his lips, grabbed her dislocated arm and jerked it roughly. That woke her up. She cried out again as the bones ground together and popped back where they were supposed to be. She straightened up, trying to regain some fragment of her dignity.
“You’re dead, Tristan. You know that don’t you? I hope it was a good time. I hope it was worth your life.”
He slapped her in the face and pinned her again to the boulder with his body, squeezing her injured wrist tightly with his hand.
“You don’t understand at all. Listen to me. You’re mine. You’re not going to leave me, and you’re not going to tell anyone what I did to you tonight.”
“The hell I’m not.”
“No, you’re not because you’re a coward. That’s one of the things I love about you. I’m your master and I’m quite certain I just put a baby in you, which was the point. That’s why I came back tonight. I knew you were in a fertile state. So you are going to mate with me, like it or not. You’re stuck with me forever because I’m the father of your child.” He eased back from her. “And when you go home you’re not going to tell anyone because if something happens to me, bad things will happen to other members of your family. I’ve already made sure of that. Especially Jorgie…just let that sink in. If anything happens to me, a dark shadow is waiting to avenge me and this person already enjoys watching Jorgie. He thinks he’s such a cute kid.”
Tristan smiled his most charming smile and touched the tear running down her cheek. “Yes, Sophie. Take it all in. I know you’ll protect Jorgie. You might not love me, but you love him and love sacrifices.”
He turned and walked away from her. She watched him go, not moving as he vanished into the darkness. Alone, she leaned back against the rock, her heart beating painfully fast. Being raped was nothing compared to his threat to Jorgie. The thought alone of something bad happening to her brother caused her more pain than what radiated through her hand, up her shoulders, and between her legs.
Shaking, she tried to stop breathing so hard. Murderous rage layered on top of humiliation, guilt, and fear. The pressure built and pushed under her skin until she was sure she would shatter into a million jagged splinters. She had to move. She had to release this terrible urge inside.
Instead of running home, Sophie charged through the shadows, her destination unknown. She didn’t see where she was going, she just ran, some instinct taking over her feet while her mind momentarily lost its shape. It had to come out, whatever it was. She had to purge it.
She continued to run until the darkness around her grew absolute. She stopped dead, the air around her moist and mineral. Sophie held her breath and just listened to the black space. The sounds of water dripping and running bounced around her. Unless she was very much mistaken she was in a cave. How deep had she gone before she stopped? She turned around, squinting for some faint light to show her the entrance.
Her pupils dilated, adjusting after a moment. The cave wasn’t large, but there was a tunnel at the far end shrouded in a darkness so mature her eyes couldn’t process it properly. A thin stream of water ran down the wall, pooled and snaked along the crevices in the ground toward the mouth of the cave. She spread her hands out and grabbed the shadows. They clung to her palms like mud. She smeared them on her face and arms. Here in this void, in this womb of hate, she would transform. Whatever was pushing under her skin to get out began to quake, rushing to the surface. A new pulse began. A different rhythm, a new heart formed beside her old one.
Her entire skeleton cracked, every bone down to the marrow, split apart like new cells. Only when these new bones started to push to break free of her skin did she begin to scream. Smoke poured from her mouth as ribbons of green light undulated from her eyes. Sophie put her hands on her chest, the color of her soul clinging to her hands. She reached inside and pulled out the thing trying to get out of her. Once she had a hold of a thread and tugged, it came straight out of her core in one gagging heave. Raw, unnatural life pulsed in her hands. Disgusted, she dropped the black mass to the ground. It pooled and rippled like a misshapen puddle. A figure rose up from it.
The silhouette stood in front of her like a terrifying reflection. It was her. The exact size and shape of her, like her own shadow cast on the wall. Then it breathed.
Sophie gasped and jumped back. The dark thing opened its glowing green eyes and smiled at her. It surged forward and grabbed her by the throat. She clawed at its hands, as it choked her.
“Shhhh…” it crooned. “Sleep.”
The darkness turned to full velvet as she passed out.