CARDENIt’s been three days since finding her and Zayne’s been unavailable. Business to attend to. Privileged and much more important than anything Order related. But is it more important than the nightmare girl?When he’s finally ready to speak he calls for Oliver and I. My mission is his mission and I’m fine sharing the responsibility of the nightmare girl with him. He’s more laid back and playful in stressful times. The opposite to my hard strung, strictness. Rules are meant to be followed. To Oliver, rules are meant to be broken.“She didn’t seem that harmful. If anything, she seemed terrified.” Oliver nudges me with his elbow as we make our way to Zayne’s office, “and your charm didn’t work as well as we thought.” His cocky smile breaks into laughter.I roll my eyes in frustration. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe charming the monster isn’t the way to go. Maybe a more aggressive approach, a way she has to be familiar with, is the way to go. All I know is that once Zayne gives the okay the
ASHTONThe sun slowly starts to set and I instantly get restless. The doctor’s words rattle around my brain. Another ‘thing’ that I can’t see. What? Of course, everyone here is cryptic and not forthcoming with information. But they’re not the only ones.Winston is hiding something too and I’m not sure I’ll ever find out what. The pain of possibly never going back to Mysteria eats at me from the inside out. Addison, my only one true friend in life, is now so far out of reach. She’s in a house with a murderer and whatever the hell Winston is and I’m locked in a complex full of...who even knows what.Against better judgment, I explore. It seems that I’m going to be spending a lot of time here in my little mini house, so I should get acquainted with it. I find a bathroom, simple but has everything one needs for being locked in their room, and a bedroom with a large plush looking bed and a dresser.Then there’s the fact that there’s only one tiny window in the entire suite, in the bedroom,
The door slowly creaks open to reveal a lone man sitting at a table, an empty chair across for him. I’m positive that’s meant for me.“What is this about?” My lips have a hard time forming the words that race through my head. An interrogation? Another show?By the twitch in Carden’s feet, he knows that I’m more than willing to wait them out or attack. You put a cat in a corner and the claws are bound to come out. We stare off against each other, but all I achieve is giving myself a panic attack from all the crazy ideas on what the hell these idiots are going to do to me. Are they going to haze me like I’m in some stupid fraternity? Are my chances of surviving significantly reduced if I don’t cooperate?“Sit.” Zayne requests.“No.” I snap back. I’m not sure if I can speak to him like I talk to Winston, but I do. I square off against him, daring him to do something.“First lesson on being an Order soldier. Listen to commands. Now sit.” His voice is stern and unlike Winston he seems like
ASHTONA click of a lock brings my feet to a halt. Instantly, I turn on the person. It’s Carden sneaking in again. He doesn’t show an ounce of emotion toward my anger and disdain. In fact, he taunts me with a smile. A half-cocked, half-assed, joke of a smile.“If you are here to see if I cut my own hand off in disgust, you can leave,” I wave the marked hand in the air, “it's still attached, thanks to there being no knives in the kitchen.” I don’t acknowledge that I have a blade in my bag. I’m saving that for something dire…if that day ever comes.“I came to get you for dinner.”I stare at him blankly. Dumbfounded by his words. So simple, but so tormenting. “Dinner.”“As Zayne requested. You do remember that conversation don’t you?”“Not really.” I joke. “I tend to block out mediocre conversation when traumatic events are at play.”“Give it a few days and it’ll feel better.” If this is him being nice, I’m not up for it.“What will feel better exactly? My ego or my hand?”“You’re hand,
CARDENIt’s initiation day. A huge milestone for every wanna be Order soldier. Except she isn’t a wanna be Order soldier. She’s a teenage girl that hates being here, hates being told what to do and probably hates doing the right thing.“Do you think this is the best route? Marking her...permanently? What if-”Zayne interrupts my doubt, “there is no other choice. She will appease The Order.” She is an obstacle to him, a pit stop before the finish line. Without her there is no finish. Without her we may lose. “Go retrieve her.” He orders.Oliver bumps into me on my way to her room. He knows. “Good luck. She’s gonna be pissed.” He slaps my back before dashing away. He’s more than pleased to be playing the good guy. The guy that doesn’t sneak up on her. The guy that doesn’t give her orders.I linger outside her door. Debating about knocking, not knocking. I’ve grown to enjoy the shock and anger on her face when I barge into her room as if it were my own. Except I don’t see her horrified f
ASHTONCurtains. I never knew how much I miss curtains until being in a room with none. How is it that the only window in the entire suite is in the bedroom where it proves to continually torment me. The rising sun shines freely into the room at an ungodly time and my only escape is underneath the thick comforter. There’s a violent knock at the door followed by a creak of said guest letting themselves in when I don’t respond. I hold back my groan, thinking that I can hide from him. But my thoughts are just silly daydreams as the bottom of the blanket at my feet bunches up before being whipped off the bed completely.I shriek and recoil into a ball. My eyes ablaze with shock. “What if I was naked?” I shriek at Carden who stands oblivious to the mortification of what could’ve been.“Feeling so relaxed that after a mere two days of being here you would be caught without clothes on? I would love to see that.”“What exactly would you love to see?” I swing my legs out of bed still dressed
ASHTONThere’s a twinge of loathing as I look upon the mansion-like house. Clearly this man isn’t a sore loser and he’s not paying because he doesn’t have it. He’s not paying because he doesn’t want to.Carden hops out first and opens my door, he lingers next to it waiting for me to exit. I don’t budge. He wastes no time with making demands, showing me who’s in charge. “Let's go.” It isn’t me.My feet drag as the three of us walk up to the front door. Oliver is the one who knocks once we reach the door. Each crack vibrates through my body. Carden steps closer to me sensing my twitchy behavior. Does he think I’m going to run? It’s not that I don’t want to, but I won’t make it far.It takes several long moments before this so-called criminal answers the door. I’m just about ready to suggest that they may not be home when the door creaks open. Idiot.There’s a tangible change in Carden as his stare shifts from me to the stranger. His voice is monotone and emotionless as he becomes a sold
ASHTONCarden and Oliver block me in between them. Always present, always aware. But they’re not the only ones. These streets demand your full attention.The last time I walked these sidewalks, I was scoping out potential clients. People desperate enough to summon a demon, stupid enough more like it. West River was never the wealthiest and not all crime here is supernaturally induced. Some of these people are just cruel.I’ve had my run ins and I would prefer not to have more. My mother had me set up these people for failure and then she conned them out of nearly everything they had. Am I the reason there are so many demons here? Or was my mother drawn here because it was already infested?Carden guides us down the streets and I trust his judgment as best I can, but when we reach the seven hundred block of Parker St. the line is drawn. My feet come to a halt. Are they trying to kill me the first time out? Oliver notices my indiscretion first. “Tired already?” He asks.“I’m not going