Chapter 5

 

I hadn’t really slept, but that wasn’t a new thing for me. For hours and hours, I’d walked this room. At home I’d go walk the street, or the odd roof top, but in this room I could almost get up to a full run around it without getting dizzy. It was quite fun, I decided.

Mitz had come to see me early, or was it late, being that it was close to night time now? How did they tell the time here? Was there a clock to label whose day was when? I would have to find out. She’d taken me to the kitchen and made me breakfast. Imagine that. She had even remembered three pieces of toast. I could like being here, I decided. We’d talked about hair and clothes. She agreed to help me find a new color, once we decided how to remove the red. That hadn’t been in my head when I’d dyed it, the thought of removing it.

Since I’d wandered from the kitchen, I’d come to my room and stayed. I knew the halls, from inside my head, but not what was behind doors. Daxx had always told me not to look behind closed doors, so I didn’t.

Mitz had given me a box of hair clips, there were so many, every shape and size. I tried all of them and when I couldn’t decide on one, so I put all the little ones in my hair, now my hair was pulled up and it was like a tiny story was being told. Butterflies and small flowers all over my head.

When someone knocked on the door, I almost ran to hide in the closet, but forced my feet to go see who it was instead. I opened it a crack and then flung the door wide. “Daxx.” She smiled at me and held up a black leather backpack.

“This was sitting outside your door.” She smirked.

I took the bag from her and closed the door. “Did someone drop it?”

“I don’t think so, there’s a bow and a tag on it.” She went into the closet.

I looked at the bag and there was a little rainbow-colored bow. The rainbow. Flipping the tag that hung from it over, I read ‘from Victor’ in neat handwriting. Victor had gotten me a new pack. First the hair clips and now a pack. I’d never gotten this many gifts before in my life. I hurried over to my worn denim pack sitting on the bed. It had seen a lot of life, I’d had it for many years now. Smiling, I pulled off the pretty bow and tucked it into the little pocket on the side of the new pack. Opening it, I debated whether to sort through my old one now or…

“We have to get you changed to go to practice.”

I looked at Daxx, coming out of the closet holding up some clothes. I looked down at my new boots and the black dress I was wearing. “What do you practice?” Picking up my old pack, I put it into the new one and closed it quickly.

“Fighting skills.” She held up some bright red yoga pants and a black tank top. “These should work. There’s a pair of running shoes in there that might fit, too.”

I took the clothes she held out and then looked at her. “I don’t have fighting skills. I’m more of a run and vanish person.”

She smiled. “I know, and for you that’s probably the best thing, but we could work on a few moves that can help you to get away and vanish.”

I chewed on my lip for a moment and thought about how I felt about that. It wouldn’t hurt to know things like that. “I’m not very strong.” I confessed.

She shook her head and motioned to the bathroom. “You don’t need to be. Go change.”

 

When we stepped into the room, I clutched my new pack to my chest. It was a gymnasium, only much bigger. I shouldn’t have been surprised, nothing here was of a normal size. Turning, I saw that all of the men were here and, if it were possible, they looked bigger than they had the last time I’d seen them.

Daxx gave me a nudge, so I wouldn’t stand in the doorway, although I wasn’t sure I wanted to move, but did. Quinton smiled at me and turned to say something to Rafael who then looked over at me and gave me a smile I couldn’t resist returning. He started walking over. I don’t know why he was carrying a big stick with him, but it was taller than I was.

He held out his hand and I took it, I trusted him. Pausing, he grinned as he looked at the little fingerless leather gloves I had on. I don’t know why I put them on, but they matched the black shoes, so I decided I had to wear them.

“Come on, we’ll see if anything here will work for you.”

I followed along behind him, trying not to feel nervous, but I did anyway. When he stopped, I looked past him to see a wall of weapons. So many, all lethal looking. “Are we going to war?” I asked him.

He chuckled, “It doesn’t hurt to stay in shape.”

I looked at the swords and blades in front of me. “I guess you could carve any shape you like with those.”

“Too bloody for you, cutie?”

I glanced beside me to see Chase standing there. “I’m not really the fighting type.” I told him. “I prefer to vanish instead.”

He nodded. “I can see that about you, but what if you need to get away first, so you can vanish?”

Quinton and Troy came over to stand beside him. Here I was again, being looked at by too many eyes.

“The eyes,” I nodded and set down my new pack and opened it. “if they can’t see me vanishing it’s easy.” Reaching into my old pack inside, I pulled out my little spray bottle and held it up smiling, surely, they’d understand that.

With a curious expression, Quinton held out his hand for it. I handed it to him.

“Pepper spray?” Rafael asked.

I shook my head. “No, I’ve never tried that, is it effective?”

Quinton sprayed some on his hand and then sniffed it. He coughed. “Vinegar.” He said smirking at me.

I nodded. “I got some in my eyes once and then realized the perfect use for it.”

Victor came over and looked down at me. “You spray vinegar in their eyes to get away?” He glanced at my new pack and his mouth twitched like he had to suppress a smile.

I grinned, wondering if his gift was to remain a secret. Not knowing I didn’t say a word about it. “Yes.”

“That would do it,” Chase snorted.

Shaking his head, Rafael took the bottle from his brother and gave it back to me. “It’s a good one, but a little awkward to stop and get it out to spray someone.” I watched the others nod. “After we warm up a bit, maybe we can come up with a few moves that will make sure you’re never caught.”

I nodded. There had been times I would have been thankful to know something like that.

“Talk, talk, talk people. Too much talk. Who’s feeling brave today?” Daxx said, twirling two small wooden swords.

Michael pushed between the others and grabbed a large wooden sword. “I guess it’s my turn to take on the huntress.”

Troy chuckled, “I’d love to watch my mate flatten you.”

Quinton laughed, “like she did you?”

Arius appeared beside him, his long pretty hair pulled back in a braid today. “As she did you if I recall correctly, Quint.”

Faking a growl, Quinton pointed a large wooden sword at him. “Like I’m going to do to you.”

Even though they were talking about fighting, I couldn’t help but be warmed by those vibes again, that connection they had.

As the others moved over onto the large mats, Victor looked down at me. “Take a look,” he motioned the weapons, “and see if anything feels like you may want to try it.” He rolled his shoulders and glanced at his siblings, “after I warm up, we’ll see about showing you some moves.”

I looked at the assortment of weapons and then back to him. “I will look.” I smiled at him, and gave the others a nervous glance. “Thank you…” I motioned to the new pack by my feet, “for the new pack.”

He inclined his head in that fancy way of his, “You’re very welcome. The other one looked tired.”

Nodding, I bent down and picked it up. “It was tired.”

“Victor, come! Let me kick your ass.” Chase called out.

Smirking, he glanced at him over his shoulder before he looked back to me. “Later, I’d like to sit down and speak with you. We have much to discuss.”

I didn’t know what much he was referring to, but I loved the way he said it. “Yes, let’s.” I told him trying to sound as stuffy as he did.

He grinned at me and then gave me that little nod of his before turning to go to his brother.

I stood there, watching. So much movement all at the same time. I knew they loved each other, as families should, but the sounds of wood hitting wood was jarring. It would be something to see if I could take in all of it at once. Turning, I looked back at the massive wall of weapons, nothing there felt like I had any inkling to try them. I didn’t like violence, I know there was a need for it under certain circumstances, but that didn’t mean I had to be part of it.

Sighing, I hugged the bag and looked around. Off to the side, away from the commotion were three large knotted ropes hanging from a beam near the ceiling. I smiled and swung the pack around to put on my back. I may not be a fighter, but climbing was something that I loved so much, even the chaos inside my head didn’t interfere while I did it.

Moving over, I looked down at my new gloves and then rubbed them together. Fate had told me I needed these today, and now I knew it was more than they matched my shoes. I grabbed the middle rope and did what any sane person would do and tugged on it. Of course, it was almost as large as my hand and even if it were loosely secured I didn’t have the strength to pull it down.

Grasping it, I looked at the first knot and decided it was going to be a bit of stretch with my lack of height, but I knew I could do it. I closed my eyes and thought back to a time I was being chased, there was nothing like that fear to inspire some nimble moves. Huffing out a breath, I pulled myself up so I could get my feet to that first knot. After that it was as easy as running up stairs.

As I reached the top, I kept going until I was sitting with my feet dangling over each side of the beam it had been secured to. Looking down, this was much better, I could see all of the brothers and Daxx at the same time.

From my new perspective, it was like watching a warrior’s dance, their deadly moves were graceful to view. I’d seen Daxx fight before, she’d saved me many times, but to see her now with short swords… I’m sure they had a pretty name, but I didn’t know what it was… she was graceful and fearless.

Troy and Rafael were trying to attack each other and the speed and moves they made, even for being so large, was fluent and almost beautiful, although I doubted they’d like that description much.

I moved my eyes to watch Chase and Victor, again both engaged in the smooth movements that looked like a carefully choreographed combatant’s ritual. I suppose with the sheer number of years they had lived, they’d had many hours, more than I’d been alive, to polish and practice being graceful giants, but it was still impressive.

I looked over to watch Leone fight, I still didn’t know why he had been afraid of me, but to see him fight, I knew he had no fear of battle. His moves, like his brothers were sure and steady.

“Victor! Are you having a stroke? I was in full swing and could have taken your head clean off.”

I turned to see why Chase was yelling.

Victor stood there, with his arms at his side looking up at me. I couldn’t tell for certain, from this far away, but if I were to guess I’d say he was unhappy with something. As his eyes were stuck on me, I wondered what I could have done to make him unhappy.

Chase turned and looked around and then up at me. He smirked and cocked his head to the side. I realized then that everyone else had paused in their mock battles, and were staring up at me. Too many eyes. Feeling nervous and unsure, I gave a little wave, again not sure what the proper response should be.

Maybe if I just sat here quietly, they would all stop looking at me. Daxx dropped her wooden swords and started walking over to the ropes. I don’t think they’re going to look away, I thought and glanced around me to see where I could hide. There was nowhere to escape their observation.

Looking to the floor beneath me, Daxx gave me an odd smile.

“You know you’re supposed to climb up and down, not park at the top.” She told me.

I looked at the beam I sat on. “I like it up here.” I nodded down to her. “No one ever thinks to look up when they’re looking for you, they always look on the ground.”

She nodded slowly, “I’m sure you’re right.”

Rafael came over to stand with her. “Crissy, you know that talk we had about doing things that give me a heart attack?”

I frowned, not sure why he was asking me about it now. “Yes, I do.”

“This,” he motioned to the rope in front of him, “would be one of those things.”

I’d never had friends before and I truly treasured his friendship, even though I didn’t understand how climbing a rope could do that, I didn’t like the idea of causing him stress in any way. “I’m sorry,” I called down softly, “I’ll come down now.” I nodded when he smiled up at me.

I looked at the beam between my legs and then the rope I’d used to reach it, realizing once again I’d done something without stopping to think the ending through. Getting up was easy, down presented me with an obstacle. Not wanting to admit to Daxx I’d done it again, I kept my voice inside my head and leaned over to reach the rope I needed to get a hold of.

I hadn’t taken into account the weight of the pack on my back and it tipped with me and caused me to lose my balance. In a complete panic, I reached out for the rope and tried to keep my leg over the beam at the same time. When I stopped, I was upside down holding the rope beside my head and one knee bent over the beam. The weight of the pack was trying to pull me to the floor, so I squeezed my eyes closed and focused on holding on to the rope with all the strength I had, as I moved my leg from the beam to right myself.

It took me a few breathless moments, and I’m certain I stopped breathing when the weight of my body swung around, but I was finally right side up again, hugging the rope between my thighs. I opened my eyes to see the ropes on either side of me moving and looked down, Rafael was coming up one and Victor the other. Chancing a look where Daxx had been standing, I saw everyone there, all eyes on me, again. So much for practicing being invisible was the only thought I had before the two stressed out men were looking me eye to eye.

“I’m okay.” I tried to assure them.

“I’m going to take your pack off.” Rafael told me in a quiet tone.

I nodded and hugged the knot tighter in one arm as he slipped it off my shoulder. When it was off the other one, I grasped the rope with both hands and stared at my new gloves. I was happy I had them now and could have looked at them all day to avoid turning to look into the green eyes that I knew were on the other side of me, and they wouldn’t be happy.

“Go down with Victor, okay?” Rafael said slowly.

I nodded, but continued to look at my gloves. My nails would look pretty if they were purple, I thought. I wondered if Mitz had nail polish. Out of the corner of my eye I looked at Victor, he didn’t look mad like I thought he would, he looked scared. Maybe he didn’t like heights, and I’d made him come up here. That made me feel bad.

Turning, I looked at him, “I’m sorry.” I told him in that soft tone Rafael used with me.

He nodded slightly and I felt his hand on my back, “Grab a hold of my neck, I won’t let you fall.” His voice was softer than Rafael’s had ever been. I looked to his eyes, and in them I saw something I’d never seen before. I wanted to look longer, but figured he’d get impatient if we hung up here while I analyzed the emotions I was seeing.

Letting go with one hand, I reached to wrap it around the back of his neck. I glanced up to see his big hand gripping the rope I was on, it looked small in his. Taking a deep breath, I let go with the other hand and locked it behind his head using my wrist.

“I’ve got you,” he said quietly in my ear. “Swing onto my back and wrap your legs around my waist.”

Leaning back a bit, I gave him a wide-eyed look. “I don’t think my legs are long enough to fit around you.”

Serious green eyes looked back at me. “They will.”

Trusting he knew what he was talking about, I did what he said and then paused when I hooked my ankles together, they did fit.

“Hang on.” He said abruptly.

I chewed my lip while he climbed down. His soft calmness was gone, I could feel something entirely different as he went down the rope in half the moves it had taken me to climb up. When his feet were on the floor, I released his neck and dropped to the floor.

Rafael was there and held out my pack, I took it and quickly hugged it against my chest while I stared at Victor’s heaving, large chest. Quinton mumbled something about grey hair under his breath as he walked away. I turned to see Troy was hugging Daxx, and wondered if she was okay. The others were shaking their heads, but were finally moving away and not staring at me. Without lifting my head, I moved my eyes until I met very upset green ones. “I’m okay,” I told him hoping that was all it would take. I doubted it, but it was worth a try.

His jaw clenched a few times as he looked down at me. He opened his mouth and then closed it again. His eyes were now red and somehow the color suited the vibes coming off him. “Why…” His lifted one of those big hands and waved it around, “What possessed you to do something as reckless at that?”

I frowned, if he thought that was reckless, he didn’t know my life at all, which of course he didn’t. “I like climbing. I’m good at it.” I nodded.

His big hands grasped my shoulders and gave me a little shake. “You could have fallen to your death.” He growled at me.

His fangs did not look as interesting with that tone. Emotions started slamming me and I tried, I really did, to not feel the fear, panic, and anger all at once. Feelings I had promised I’d never feel again. Large fingers tightened on my shoulders.

“It’s completely mind-boggling that you have managed to survive this long…”

His voice was too loud. I don’t know what happened, I was standing there shaking, fighting to calm down and the next minute I was slapping his hands off me and shoving his chest. He didn’t even budge when I did. “I have survived without help since I was old enough to comprehend the words…” I swung my pack and hit him in the chest with it, “Freak. Of. Nature.” It dawned on me the voice screaming was my own. Eyes huge, I glanced around to see so many eyes on me. No, no no. Covering my mouth with a shaking hand, I back away from him. Turning, I swung the pack to my shoulder and bolted for the nearest door.

 

I found my way back to the room without a moment’s hesitation. Grabbing my other bag, I stuffed my boots and other clothes into it and then pulled the dress over the top of what I was wearing. I had to go. Needed to go. Rushing into the bathroom, I grabbed the little box of clips Mitz had given me and jammed them into the bag too.

When Daxx came running into the room, I stood there facing the door holding my pack in one hand and bag in the other. “I want to go the apartment now.” I nodded, trying hard not to cry. I don’t know why I would, just that I was scared. I hadn’t felt like that in years and so many memories were crowding into my already too full head. “Please. You said when we came if I wanted to go back to say the word.” I frowned, “I-I don’t know what the word is, but I’m saying it.” She was walking toward me slowly. “Just…” Letting go of the bag, I rubbed my hand over my forehead, trying to keep the feelings out, “Just for a while.” I nodded. “I’ll come back and find Emil, like I promised I would.” I took a deep breath, “I will.” I nodded again, she had to understand.

“Okay,” she finally said quietly.

I was blowing out breaths, trying to stay calm. It was too much. Too much. “Now?”

She came over and rubbed her hands down my arms. “Yes, just take a few deep breaths and calm down. I don’t know if it’s bad for you to do this when you’re this upset.”

I swallowed and took a deep breath, releasing it as slowly as I could manage. I nodded. “Okay.” Almost gasping, I tried again. I grabbed my bag again, needing to know I had it close.

“I’m going to hug you, just close your eyes and I’ll take us there.”

Nodding, I rested my head on her shoulder and did as she asked, squeezing my eyes shut.