THIS IS FATE

THIS IS FATE 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Since I don’t need to sleep, I roam the halls of Dr Luca’s enormous home for a little while. Before deciding,I’d better make more use of this free time. Earlier when I tried to go back to the dorms,I’d been transported back in the house,what was that about? I’m I tied to this place for some reason? I want to find out. I make my way back down encountering a man and a little girl as I pass a kitchen who don’t seem to notice me either.

“What did we say about sneaking off at night?” The man teases. He looks too young to be the girl’s father which probably explains the joking tone. Besides,looking at the part more carefully,it is clear they aren’t related. The man is a blonde with clear blue eyes and looks like he could play a Viking in some historical romance. While the girl’s deep brown eyes and dark clux would probably stand out amongst the Nordics.

“Whatever. You sneak out all the time”

“Yeah,well I’m allowed. I’m an adult”

“Barely. Kael says mentally you’re 12”

“Yeah,but mentally,Kael is like a gazillion years old,so what does he know?”

The man puts his arm around the girl’s shoulder. She looks a little nervous now.

“You won’t tell him I went out right,Jake?”

The man Jake pretends to think about it.

“Tell you what, I won’t tell Kael but if I catch you one more time, I’ll tell Vesper.”

“What! But she already hates me?”

“She does not. She just has a resting face.”

I wonder how many more people live in this house as I watch the pair climb up the stairs out of earshot. I make a mental note to ask Dr Luca about it later and head outside. I take my time walking around the house,it’s structure even more imposing than I’d previously thought with ivy covered stone walls and dark looking windows that speak of an age long past. It’s proximity to the forest adds to the other worldly fat of the property. When I’ve covered most of the grounds confirming the place is completely isolated, I walk back to the forest. I must have been walking for good 20 minutes when that tugging sensation I felt before awakens and once again the forest dissolves into Dr Luca’s bedroom,though this time instead of reappearing by his desk,I find myself lying on his bed,nothing short of stunned. How come I sometimes go through objects,like with doors and sometimes not. I can feel the weight of a mattress underneath my back though all my interrogation evaporates once I realize how close I am to Dr Luca’s sleeping face. I jump in surprise,having momentarily forgotten that of course he’d be here in his bed. Why do I keep ending in his bedroom? Does the universe want me to watch him sleep or something? He does look much more agreeable when he’s asleep though,I guess. I gasp in surprise as the man suddenly shifts moving his arm so that his hand lands right on top of mine.

I dumbly blink at it feeling the heat of his skin deep onto mine. Our hands are touching like they’re in actual contact.

“Dr Luca?” I exclaim not daring to move or look away from this small miracle.

“Dr Luca wake up!”

The man takes an awfully long time to stir,slowly blinking awake. His gray eyes fall onto me and for a moment,he gives me a surprisingly soft look which kind of makes me forget what is happening. He real is quite a beautiful man. His eyes are an extraordinary dark gray but then…

“What the hell are you doing in my bed?”

Yeah that’s more like him. I don’t care though I’m too excited.

“Look!” I exclaim grabbing onto his fingers. “We’re holding hands.”

“Get out of my room”

“But…”

“Out!”

I wait for Dr Luca to emerge a few hours later,looking unfairly good for someone who didn’t get nearly enough sleep and we discuss our next course of action. Well,he discusses. Meanwhile,I desperately try to make contact with him again to no avail.

“I’ll head to the nearest hospital. They’ll probably have some information about your accident.” He tells me glancing over his shoulder to make sure nobody’s around.

“Why isn’t it working?” I cry out watching my hand go through his arm for the fifth time.

“Maybe I can only touch your hand. Dr Luca give me your hand.”

“Will you stop?” The man snaps moving away.

“Give it to me or I’m singing.” I warned.

“Oh,for the love of…fine.” He extends his hand.

I try to grab on to him but my fingers dissolve around his and I’m suddenly feeling very cold and a drift.

“Why isn’t it working? It did before.”

“Damn Mavy,if I’d known you wanted to hold my hand this badly,I would have given it to you a long time ago.”

I glare at him,disappointment replaced with familiar aggravation.

“It has nothing to do with your hand,stop calling me weird names.”

“We’ll do,now come on Evelin.”

I grin my teeth as I have no choice but to trail after him though I’m left with the urge to smack his head.

“I don’t think I can leave your house.” I explain to him once we get to his car. “Everytime I do,I’m transported back to your bedroom.”

“You mean you can’t come with me? What a shame.” a pleased smile spread across his lips. There’s something seriously wrong with this man for not only disdaining Taylor Swift but also my delight company. I gave him the finger as he drives off before returning inside.

I want to check on Ophelia even though I don’t know where to find her. I look around a couple of rooms including an office and a gigantic library before making my way to what seems to be the dining room. To my surprise,10 different people are sitting around the widespread table for breakfast,amongst them,Maverick,Jake from the night before,the girl Max and Vesper.

“Where’s Kael?” Maverick says as the redhead makes her way to the table.

“He won’t be joining us this morning,please eat.”

I noticed everyone had been staring silently at their plate when they all pick up their forks at the same time after being told to do so.

“What’s he up to? Besides it’s Sunday he doesn’t have class.” Jake asks helping himself with some bacon that looks unfairly delicious. Vesper shrugs taking a sip of orange juice.

“He’s gone into town to check on one of his students.”

“Really?’ Jake drops a piece of bacon.

“She’s pretty,she’s Ophelia’s friend Jake.”

“So that’s a yes?”

Vesper scowls but then schools her features into a more neutral expression. “I wouldn’t know,you would have to ask Ophelia.”

“Is Ophelia okay?”

“She’ll be fine Max.” Jake pats her on the head.

“Then why isn’t she eating with us? Sunday is family brunch day.”

“Family brunch? So are all these people family? Wait! Does that make Kael and Ophelia family? She never once mentioned it to me before.”

“It’s all that b***h’s fault” Maverick suddenly bangs the table making everyone jump including me.

“I told Ophelia not to get close to some human.”

“Maverick that’s enough!”

“But you agree right?” Maverick says looking around the table.

“There’s a reason we keep amongst ourselves. Kael said it was okay for her to make friend.”

“I want to make normal friends.” Max says.

I’m confused,why wouldn’t she be able to make friends? Maybe she’s being homeschooled or something but what does she mean by normal? Jake looks like he’s about to reply when I feel a familiar tug pulling at me and the living room snaps out of view to reveal a busy parking lot. The sound of an ambulance in the distance tells me the massive building by my right must be the hospital.

“Why I’m I here?”

“Renee,what are you doing here?” A familiar voice comes from behind me.

“I thought you were supposed to stay at the house?” Dr Luca walks over to me looking really aggravated.

“It isn’t my fault,” I reply feeling defensive. “I don’t decide where I go.” I pause thinking back on the conversation I just witnessed.

“So Dr Luca,what’s up with your weird family?”

He stops in his track startled.

“Have you been roaming around?”

“We’ll,what did you expect,that I stay in your room?”

“Yea actually,you spend a suspicious amount of time there.”

I roll my eyes. “Are you in like a cult or something?” I asked changing the subject. “Are you the cult leader?”

“Of course not.”

Weirdly enough,the man seems to relax at that,like he was expecting me to accuse him of something worse. He’s hiding something though but he doesn’t give me any room to ask more questions and heads straight for the hospital’s main entrance.

“You’re coming or what?”

Anticipation builds inside me . I’m I about to find out what’s happening to me?