Eternally Dark

chapter 14: visions

My view changed, suddenly I was floating above the room watching. I watched myself pushing through the crowd to get to Caecilia, as she introduced me, James coming up and taking my hand, Caecilia announcing James and I as mates. Then my eyes rolled back and my body collapsed, in a blur James caught me and gently lowered me to the floor. Maria rushed to me as well, holding a pencil and paper, of which she handed to James before moving down beside my limp body.

“Take her to my office,” Caecilia said, then turned back to the rest of the room, “Please clear a path for the girl!” The crowd hesitated for a split second before parting. James carried my body into the office, Maria closely behind him. Then my view changed again.

“Why are you back here?” Asked the impossibly tall man, Victor. I was back in the empty dark hallway, on the opposite end of the man.

“I haven’t chosen to be,” I replied,

“Who are you girl?”

“I’m Elizabeth,” The man shook his head,

“I don’t want your name! Tell me who you are!”

“I-I’m,” I took a deep breath and found the answer, “I’m a human mate, who became a Destined.” The man moved towards me, stopping roughly three metres away from me.

“I see why you’ve come to me, we will talk more next time you must return to your watching,”

I was back above the ballroom. People were yelling now, with Caecilia trying to answer as many of the questions as she could, while I clung tightly to James' arm. It was strange to be seeing what was happening from an outside view.

“Why is she human?” A man shouted,

“What happened to her?” Called another,

“Quite!” Caecilia yelled, then in a more normal voice said “Ask your questions one at a time-”

Then it felt like I was falling. I opened my eyes, James was holding my hand sitting on the edge of the couch watching me. I moved to sit up, before James could stop me.

“You okay?” He asked, moving onto the floor in front of me, taking hold of my other hand.

“All good,” I croaked out. “Paper?” He nodded and moved out of the way. I grabbed the pencil that sat on the coffee table in front of me and divided the page into three sections. In the first one I drew myself midway through collapsing, in the second one I drew Victor in the hallway and in the third section I drew me clinging to James’ arm.

“Need this one to happen,” I said, pointing to the last one, “Now,” I pushed myself up and off the lounge, James caught me, stopping me from falling over.

“No, you need to rest,” He said. I shook off his hold and began walking towards the office door.

“You coming?” I asked, my voice now fully back. Both Maria and James sighed and followed after me. I took hold of James’ arm and let Maria lead the way back out into the ballroom and up the front to where Caecilia stood.

The rest played out just as it had in the vision.

“Quite!” Caecilia yelled, then in a more normal voice said “Ask your questions one at a time-” She was cut off by Nathaniel. In a sudden blur he grabbed me, and ripped me away from James. I pulled out of Natheniel’s grip and spun around, I caught the fist he was hurtling towards my face and twisted. A loud pop filled the room closely followed by a scream. I -at inhuman speed- moved behind him when he tried to throw another punch, I kicked in his knees and pulled his arm up painfully high on his back.

“I thought I taught you last time. Don’t touch me!” He pulled against my hold so I pulled his arm further up his back. Thankfully it seemed no one had noticed me moving at vamp speed.

“Elizabeth,” Maria called. I let go of Nathaniel and walked back over to James, and Maria.

“What the hell,” Nathaniel said standing back up,

“Nathaniel, that’s enough,” Caecilia sounded angry now, “Here is what’s going to happen, we’re all going to go back to the party. You will treat Elizabeth here with the respect she deserves as a member of this clan, and not how you’ve treated her so far.” Slowly the people in the room spread back out, throwing curious glances my way.

“Hey, you okay?” James asked, giving my hand a squeeze.

“Yeah. I’m fine,” I gave him a smile, to try and prove it. “Actually is there anything to drink that isn’t you know,”

“Yeah there are, stay here I’ll go get us some drinks,” He let go of my arm and disappeared into the room of people. Since Maria had returned to socialising I was on my own now, being buried in the not so casual glances almost everyone was giving me. A handsome looking man walked over, he was wearing a clean navy blue suit, matching tie and a white shirt.

“That was quite the show you put on there,” The man said, he had a faded accent that I couldn’t place. “I’m Joseph by the way,”

“Elizabeth,” I gave him an awkward smile, “And the show wasn't intentional,”

“Almost never is my dear,” True, “You know it’s harder for them to gossip about you if you’re talking to them,”

“Probably, but I’m just waiting on James he went to go get some drinks,”

“He may be a while, there isn’t much that’s human friendly,”

“Makes sense, but try adding under eighteen friendly to the requirements,” Joseph raised his eyebrows, in surprise.

“Really?” I opened my mouth to answer, but before I could James returned, handing me a wine glass -that looked different from the others- full of red wine.

“Not as of,” James began, then checked his watch, “Two minutes ago, Happy birthday Liz,” He gave me a quick kiss. I looked down at the wine in my hand, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. drinking it was obvious, but was I to down it or sip it or what? Finally I decided to simply have a mouthful of it. I could hear James trying not to laugh.

“What?” I asked, not entirely sure why he was laughing.

“Nothing, it’s just how long it took you to try it,” I shook my head gently,

“a*s,” James put his hand over his heart and opened his mouth in fake surprise

“Me? Never,” I noticed that Joseph had left, some point during our idiocy. Oh well.

For the rest of the night James and I slowly moved around the room, talking to several groups of people. Though we had to leave around three a.m, since I’d ended up having one to many glasses of wine. James helped me back to his apartment, had me change into the oversized tee-shirt and tucked me into bed.

“Night,” He said, kissed my forehead and went to leave the room, but I grabbed his hand making him look back.