Aon

Chapter Seven

I was abruptly awakened by the blare of a car horn and shot upright in the back seat. I winced away from the light that hit my face and rubbed away the cramp in my neck as I looked around drowsily. Where am I? How long have I been asleep?

It took a minute for me to remember I was still in the back seat and that we were on the road heading for New York City. The car was almost at a standstill with the early morning traffic barely letting up. I rubbed my eyes to adjust them to my surroundings as I stood and carefully made my way through the car. When I looked to the side, Marcus was fast asleep in one of the bucket-seats yet and Jacob was at the wheel. I hesitated before carefully stepping over the gearshift and slipping into the passenger seat.

Jacob glanced to me quickly before looking back ahead. “Sleep well?”

“Yeah…” I peered around in confusion. “Where are we?”

“New York.” He mumbled as he watched a car from the rear-view mirror.

I leaned forward in my seat and looked up at the tall buildings and down at the cars that stood bumper to bumper. It was fascinating –yet, terrifying all at once. How could people stand the traffic jams and the hectic lifestyle of New York City? It’s like a jungle, only made of metal.

“Is it always this jammed?”

“Not always, it should be smoother later on. You have to remember, everyone’s trying to get to work yet.”

“Gees,” I mumbled as a Taxi Cab swiveled between two pickup trucks to get through faster. “I would hate to live here.”

“I wouldn’t mind it.” He said honestly. “It’s a splendid city, traffic jams and all.”

I couldn’t see myself living here longer than a few days. I would go mad with the horns blaring and the constant flow of noise. I prefer the steady rhythm of Pennsylvania than the streets of New York City.

We sat in silence as he maneuvered his way through traffic calmly and happily. I would have gotten annoyed and blared music to drown out the constant horns that sounded at every little movement of a car. I grew tired of the scenery and began to pull at thoughts from the last two days.

Two days? Has it only been that long? It feels much longer with the constant curve-balls they throw towards me. I have said this once and I could say it a million times. I wish I was back home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I would give anything to be at work with Angie, or to sit alone in my apartment during the weekend.

My thoughts dug deeper into these past few days; into what they have told me and what I have seen so far, until the nightmare was suddenly brought to the light once more. I sent a quick glance back at Marcus and where he sat, searching his throat for that pulsing Pendant before looking ahead. I watched Jacob in hesitation until he eventually felt my gaze and looked down at me in confusion.

“What’s wrong?”

“Thanks.”

“For what?” He seemed baffled, shooting a quick glance towards the road before meeting my gaze.

“For the night before…”

“What I do?”

I fidgeted and shrugged. “You came to check on me when I had my nightmare.”

He seemed truly startled. He swallowed harshly, eyeing me as if I were insane.

“I didn’t –I mean.” He was truly flabbergasted. “Are you sure that was me?”

“You said-” I stopped puzzled as I cast a glance over my shoulder at Marcus.

“What was the dream about?” He said suddenly anxious. “If I had known you had nightmares at night. I would have stayed in your hotel room instead of Marcus.”

Instead of Marcus…

Instead of Marcus?

It wasn’t Jacob that came in to check on me? It wasn’t Jacob that spoke with me and comforted me? It wasn’t Jacob that pulled me into his embrace to sooth me? It was Marcus!

I was stunned to silence as Jacob eyed me warily. Than who was who? Wasn’t it Jacob who whispered into my ear while Marcus donned the Pendant from his throat? Or was it vice versa? It couldn’t have been Marcus… Maybe Jacob just doesn’t remember; Marcus wasn’t capable of having a kind bone in his body. It has to be –it couldn’t be –oh God, please don’t let it be true!

“What was the dream about?” He almost demanded in an even tone.

I snapped my attention back to him puzzled. “I –It was stupid, don’t worry about it. It’s nothing for you to be alarmed over, just a stupid dream. But thanks anyway –if it was you.”

My stomach churned at the thought of it being Marcus who comforted me. Yet, my skin crawled at the thought of Jacob being the man I should fear. I made an excuse to go to the back, claiming the horns and gleaming hoods of the cars were giving me a headache. I didn’t know who to trust. My sensor –or whatever it is, I just know it wasn’t working right at the moment. I didn’t trust either of them anymore, both were in the role of the man in the black cloak. They both would be held as the evil twin until I have evidence or truth to put my dream to rest.

It was an hour before Marcus stirred and looked around with relief at the sight around us. He cast me a short glance before stretching and heading up to sit with his brother. I reclined behind one of the bucket seats, where I could be out of sight and yet peer at them from an angle neither of them could see me from.

Who was who? Clearly Jacob wasn’t mentioning the conversation with Marcus. It appeared they were looking for a place to stop for gas and food. They had it planned that Jacob would run in for food while Marcus got the gas, but it took several minutes before the plan could be executed. It took a half hour to find a gas station and to weave our way to the pump. They both got out at once and I found myself alone in the back of the SUV.

Here it was. An opportunity to break free and get away before they realized I was even gone. I scouted the area carefully as I quickly crawled between seats and pressed my face against the glass to see through. Traffic was at a crawl, I could easily slip between cars and get to the other side before they even realized I wasn’t in the car. I had to get away like Alexander said, to find someone like myself. I put my hand on the doorknob and almost popped the handle, when I remembered something, “If you get a chance, get away from them and get with a fellow Aon”. What does that mean? Do I wait until I’m with the Sledge Sisters to get away from them? Or am I supposed to run now and find someone just like me? But how would I do that? I don’t have the strength to see what the difference is between an Aon and mortal yet. I won’t be able to tell for a while.

I sighed, crawling into the back seat and leaned back into my seat. Of course, I couldn’t run. Not only was I stuck somewhere in New York, but I was miles from home. I have to wait until I get to the Sledge Sisters. They should be able to help me.

I was surprised when Marcus was the first to get into the SUV, apparently Jacob was still inside the building getting food. He situated himself in one of the bucket seats and outstretched his legs in front of him to relax. It was the perfect moment to ask him if he was the one who came into my room that night. But by the time Jacob came back, I found I shouldn’t ask, not yet at least. I needed to wait for signs, for actions that would show me who was truly the one I should fear.

Although it seems idiotic to fear a dream like I did. It felt like a sign that my dream was what is to come. Somehow, it was a part of what was happening around me, lurking in the shadows where my sensor could pick it up only in my dreams. I have heard that people or more vulnerable when they are asleep, and I wondered if that was how my ‘sensor’ worked.

I shoved it away for the time being when Marcus handed me a coffee and a bag of plain salty chips that would tie me over until later. I ate slowly and forced myself to relax while I savored the flavors of the chips as we geared ourselves back onto route. If I am to be running later, I need to save all the energy I have for then. We traveled for almost thirteen hours, from seven that morning, to eight in the afternoon. I could feel the tension rise as nightfall approached and we began to run out of time. Not one of us said a word as we watched the time tick by, of course traffic leveled out, but we had a long way to go yet. For most of the trip it seemed all of us were on edge, waiting for the timer to run out before making it to our destination.

We turned down the suburb part of town somewhere in New York, where standard sized mansions stood on almost an acre of land each. All the mansions were dark, no one appeared to be home as we cruised slowly down the road. I almost asked if we were late, when both twins sighed in relief at the sight of a red Convertible parked in one of the mansions parking lots.

The building stood tall and wide, its mouth wide but sealed shut by two large heavy doors. Only one light was on in the lobby of the mansion, where a small head peaked out the window before ducking away.

Once again, just like before at Kaden’s, Marcus pulled me out of the SUV and draped his heavy arm over my shoulders. It was pitch black out and only a few stars lingered above. The crickets croaked in the distance and a constant warm summer breeze bristled by. Jacob walked ahead of us towards the porch in area, but Marcus held us back a bit.

“Remember, you are Jessica Rogers.” He muttered.

I nodded as we reached the entrance of the home, both anxious and nervous of who the Sledge Sisters were. The door flung open before Jacob could knock, and a woman stood at the entrance in all black and murmured to him. I couldn’t see her face, but as soon as she saw Jacob, she waved us in quickly and fastened it after us. The woman only met my gaze for a second, when her mouth popped open and she stared in horror. She was a tan skinned woman, with hazel eyes and silver black hair that reached her shoulders. She was short, with wide hips and descent curves for a woman in her mid-thirties. Her black strapped dress hugged her figure and stopped just below her thighs. The heels she wore would have killed my feet. I haven’t worn heels since I was little girl running around in my adoptive mom’s heels when she didn’t notice.

“It’s you.” She whispered in horror.

Another woman identical to her appeared at her side and peered at me with the same horror and shock.

“It is her.” Her twin mouthed stunned. “It can’t be…”

The first woman grabbed my face and peered at me in both horror and rage.

“What the hell, Freewood? You brought her here? Do you know how dangerous that is? Did anyone follow you?”

“What are you talking about, Sledge?” Jacob fiend confusion.

“You know who the hell I’m talking about, Freewood. Anyone, anyone can see her mother’s eyes and her father’s stern mouth. She practically radiates with royal blood! Don’t play dumb in front of me. You know who she is, dammit.”

“The last of the blood line.” Her sister said in awed horror. “And you brought her here. She’s the only royal blood that still walks this earth in body. She is Eleanor Adela Foster, anyone can see that. Even an asshole like you can see that.”

“Why did you bring her here?” The first roared. “Do you know what will happen when the Legions learn you brought her to us?”

“I know, Sledge. But we had no other options.” He frowned once his facade crumbled. “The Legions are swarming Pennsylvania. We couldn’t just leave her under the identity she had. Paul and Penny have already seen her.”

“So, you brought her here?” The other shrieked and grasped her sister’s arm. “The Legions will now come after us! We all are in danger. I’m sure some Legions are lurking around these grounds as we speak. If they were to hear that our new ruler has risen from the ashes to defeat them; they would surely kill not just her, but all of us. Do you know what damage you have done bringing her here?”

“Calm down, Debbie.” Jacob tried to sooth the other sister. “No one knows she’s with us.”

“Penny and Paul do! You do remember who they are, don’t you? Do you know what rank they have with the Legions? They’re the son and daughter of two different royal blood lines. They can get the Legions to do anything they please.” Sledge glowered at me before turning to her sister. “We have to get out of town tonight.”

“What about her?” Debbie said baffled as she gestured to only me. “We can’t just leave right now if they’re watching, suspicions will rise. We should do it tomorrow, when its daylight and everything is visible. If we leave now, they will be able to follow us undetected.”

“You all are panicking for nothing” Jacob tried once more.

“Oh, we are? What does Kaden say about this? I’m surprised he left you cross the border with such cargo. She is an important piece to our alliance and we can’t have her flashed around.”

“Kaden doesn’t know. No one does. She is currently under the name of Jessica Rogers to Kaden and anyone else from now on.”

“You need to hide her.” Debbie shook her head as she paced. “If she’s killed, then all of our hard work will be wasted. Do you know what powers she has hidden in those veins? She has abilities and arts that have not been exercised since her parent’s death seventeen years ago.”

I fidgeted before adding in. “Might I ask what you’re all talking about?”

She looked to me startled. “Don’t you know? Didn’t they tell you? You’re a visionary and Aon mix, your dreams are a part of the future. You sense what other Aon’s cannot, the good and the evil, the emotion and the feeling behind the person’s thoughts. You link your soul with others, peeking into theirs without need of consent like we have to. You are a strong being, stronger than the Legions could ever be. And that is why we need you, why you have to rule in your parent’s place. You are the key to set everything right that has been made wrong.”

“And what has been made wrong?”

She held my gaze as she walked up to me and gripped my shoulders tightly.

“They are changing.”

“Who?”

“The Aons.”

“How?”

“They are becoming Legions to save their skins. And if Aons are Legions, then there is a risk all of the Aon Clans being wiped out in the process of their domination against us. Once we are gone, the Legions will be left to prey upon anything and anyone. You have to see, Eleanor, you are the cure to all that has been wronged. You are the key to this puzzle.”

I swallowed harshly in shock and horror as my insides gnawed on themselves. I didn’t answer as she turned to the twins and grabbed my elbow.

“From now on, I’ll be her bodyguard. Foster will be under our watch and command. You two are no longer needed. I and my sister are more than capable of caring for the cargo until we reach safer ground.” She looked to her sister. “Take the Freewoods to their rooms for the night. We’ll set out at dawn.”

Marcus and Jacob stood fuming, their eyes locked on both sisters in rage as Sledge jabbed a finger down the hall. They stalked to where she pointed, casting me a lethal glare as their mouths pinched shut. I shuddered from their harsh gaze as I suddenly realized there was no such thing as a good and evil twin. They both were evil.

Debbie released my elbow once they were out of sight and gestured to one of the two large staircases.

“Don’t worry, you are under new management. Those assholes won’t be carting you half-baked around the world anymore.” She smiled as she began towards the right-hand staircase.

I followed behind her in wary, continuing to glance over my shoulder in worry until we disappeared down a wide hall on the second floor.

“By the way, the names Debbie Sledge. My sister down there is Debby as well but spelt with a ‘y’ instead of an ‘ie’. It was the only way to tell us a part. If someone called Debby or Debbie, we both turned our heads. So, after a while, we just started calling my sister Sledge to limit the confusion.”

I nodded in understanding as we entered a new hall.

“But back to subject; I, my sister, and the Bennett family were your parent’s closest bodyguard and friends. They trusted you with us and the Bennett’s, it was our job to care for you after their deaths. But I and my sister couldn’t keep you, we knew nothing about caring for a three-year-old toddler. The Bennett’s were a married couple, with a six-year-old son. So naturally, you went with them under the false name of Anne Bennett. After the Bennett’s death, at age nineteen, Liam Bennett took over guardianship and protection of you when you were thirteen years of age. You weren’t discovered to be the Foster’s child up until the death of Liam, it was then, when you were discovered that all the Legions went on search party for you. With a little help from us behind the scenes, you were able to live undetected for nearly two years. But now Paul and Penny are after you. You will need a new name and place of living until you are ready to take your parents place to the throne. Don’t worry, I can see you’re not ready. You do not possess the power your parents did at your age. If you had, you would have been able to see through the facade the Freewood brothers were spoon-feeding you.”

She pulled open a door and I stopped to look at her.

“I knew some of it was lies, but I didn’t know which was the truth and which wasn’t. Alexander Young had told me to get away from them and join the next Aon I met.”

She smiled gently and patted my cheek just like a mother would have.

“We have much to discuss, come.”

We entered a large room, far greater in mass than any room I’ve ever lived in. With walls that were a kiwi green and golden patterns painted against its surface, and the floor was of solid oak that thudded beneath our feet. A large king-sized bed was positioned in the middle of the room, with a large vanity for clothes and assortments placed off to the side. Attached to the room was a personal bathroom and a walk-in closet that would probably take days to search through.

She turned to me after I had my fill of the room and shook her head in sorrow.

“They are not to be trusted. Hasn’t anyone told you?”

“I don’t know anything!” I exclaimed. “All I know is what they have told me and the latest information you just gave me.”

“What all have they told you?”

I told her everything I could think of; from the day all this happened, the dreams I’ve had all my life, until lastly, pulling up here tonight. She listened in silence until I finished.

“We need to get you as far away from them as we can.” She said urgently. “I haven’t trusted them since Liam’s death. We all believed the Freewood Twins to be traitors to the Aon Clan. When you leave here with us we must run and never look back. Listen to your dream, Foster, it is not just a dream but a truth to everything.”

I pondered her words silently, digesting this news before whispering.

“How do you know they are traitors?”

“I have heard stories, Foster –not good ones either. Some of our men have come among the missing these last few years, and it’s just recently we’ve been able to watch them more closely. We have been closing in on them, but I find it quite odd our new ruler has suddenly fallen into their hands.”

I kneaded my temple as I slouched into one of the cushioned chairs.

“What do we do? I don’t think they’ll let me leave without a fight…”

“Exactly, I will speak with my sister after this. I believe once the Freewood Twins are asleep, we should sneak out and head for Canada. It’s our safest option right now. But for now, wash up and change your clothes. It will be a long journey and I don’t know how long we’ll have. We are not safe here, Foster, especially you. You are important to our kind, if you were to die. There would no longer be our kind and there will no longer be hope.”

“But how will we make it to Canada without them tracking us down?”

She smiled smugly. “We’ll make it. Those two bastards don’t know where your parent’s estate is, which lies miles from here somewhere off grid. It is a place protected by the strongest of force fields, where only an Aon can find. Once we have discovered your family’s estate again, you will finally be able to unlock everything you will be and everything you are.”

She left me after that –alone in a gigantic room to think for myself. It was the first time I had been alone since Friday morning. It felt oddly comfortable and relieving to be alone. I didn’t fear for the moment, because I knew I would be under true protection. With no more doubts and worries of who I should fear and who I shouldn’t. I felt a sense of discovery of who I truly was from the history I was just given.

I stood from the seat and looked through the drawers until I found a pair of dark denim jeans and a baggy cream-colored shirt I could wear. I didn’t care for jeans; I would have rather had a pair of sweats, but they didn’t have anything else besides shorts and skirts. I washed up in the bathroom, washing myself twice in memory of Kaden and his gang, and once because of Marcus. It was as if the warm water unknotted everything in my body and released everything I had bottled up since the alley in Pennsylvania.

I turned out the lights in the room and curled up on the bed, but it wasn’t to sleep. It was to relax until they came for me. I waited and watched the digital clock on the nightstand tick by until four hours passed, then two more, it was now three O’clock a.m.

Where were they? Why hadn’t they come for me?

I sat up and seated myself at the end of the bed to watch the door in wary. Something didn’t feel right and I suddenly felt restless. I couldn’t sit still long. I could still see the hall light from beneath the bedroom door and everything was silent…

In the break of dawn, there was a thunderous bang and a bloodcurdling scream that echoed down every hall of the mansion.