Chapter Three

My eyes opened. The light was dim, but I could just about make out my surroundings. I was in a dungeon-like room. I was sitting on a chair in the centre. My teeth chattered as the rain sloshed down through the grill in the ceiling. I rubbed my hands up my arms to try and warm them up. There was a clanging noise as the door swung open and the room was illuminated.

 

The figure at the door stalked forward. Her face morphed into a vicious smirk. I flinched back. She snarled softly. She walked forward slowly but deliberately, her smirk growing bigger with every step. Half a foot away from me, she bared her teeth. An inch away from me, she licked her lips. I shut my eyes but I could still feel the tears falling.

“Enough Vicoretta.” A familiar voice growled. My eyes snapped open.

“Ste.” I breathed.

The girl, Vicoretta, laughed. “His name is Stenaghen.” She stroked his face as she spoke. His face stayed emotionless, like it was carved from stone. I couldn’t open my mouth. I don’t know if I was planning on screaming, or shouting for help or declaring my gratitude, but whichever it was, not one syllable was leaving my lips. He looked at me. His face stayed emotionless. She laughed again - maybe laugh was the wrong word - it was more like a cackle. I tried to stand up, but instantly Vicoretta was behind me slamming me back into the chair. I felt the legs shake under her pressure.

“Vicoretta, let her stand.” Ste commanded. The weight of her hands disappeared. He put his hand out, and when I took it he helped me stand up. My legs shook. The chair seemed a lot more stable than my own legs right now. They refused to move.

“Joanie.” I shook when he said my name, partly out of fear but mostly out of exhilaration. “Are you okay?” I managed to shake my head. “Can you walk?” I shook my head again. He swung me up and cradled me like a child. When he carried me out of the room I couldn’t believe my eyes.

 

The corridor was exactly what you would expect. The walls were made out of grey brick, like the inside of a castle. There was no light except for a random candle or flame that threw shadows in the most scary and awkward places. He carried me into a room that was lit brighter than the corridor. The brightness was comforting, but he was squinting at the light that seemed only dim to me. He laid me on a sofa bed and I sat up quickly. Kneeling down in front of me he looked into my eyes. I got lost in the million faces of the diamond that was his eye. Each face told a different story. I couldn’t help but smile.

“What the hell are you doing here?” He demanded. Suddenly I felt a wave of confidence brought on by his abruptness.

“Your psycho friend kidnapped me.”

“What were you doing out that late?”

I looked down. “I don’t know. I might of been out looking for something.”

“What?”

“You, maybe I don’t know,

“Joanie you hardly even know me.”

“I just wanted to see you.”

“You risked your life just to see me?” I nodded. “You’re an idiot.” He got up and left so I followed him out of the room.

“Fine, if I’m such an idiot, I’ll just leave.” I looked around for a door to get out.

“You can’t.”

“What?” I spun round to face him.

“That’s what you don’t get. Now you’re here, you can’t go. You can’t ever leave.”

“What?” I repeated again, dumbly.

“That’s the rules.”

“What d’you mean? What rules?”

“The Rules of the Clanimae.”

“I’m not a Clanimae, though.” I continued, by voice slow and unsure.

“You don’t get it do you?” His laughed without humour. “You only have two choices now. You stay here, or you die. That’s it. The up side is, you get to choose.”

“But…I…What?” Then suddenly it dawned on me. “What about Lucy?” He looked at me blankly. “My little sister, Lucy. She’s only a baby. I can’t leave her. I’m all she’s got. And Matt, what about him? Tom and Zoey? I can’t just leave everybody I know. Everybody I love!” His face stayed emotionless. I continued to look at him and didn’t even attempt to stop the tears racing from my eyes.

“It’s your own fault.” He said, his voice as emotionless as his face.

“Please, Ste, just let me leave.”

“It’s not up to me.”

“Then who is it up to?”

“Nobody. It’s just how things are.”

“Do you seriously think that I’m just going to stand here and let you tell me that I’m never allowed to see my little sister ever again?”

“I really couldn’t care less about what you are or are not going to do.”

“Where’s the door?”

“You’re not going anywhere Joanie.”

“Sure.” I muttered sarcastically. I said feeling the walls until I found the door. My hand ran over something rough. Almost splintered. Wood. A door! I rushed out of it and frantically looked around the room. I couldn’t see a door but I spotted a window. I realised then that I had no idea where I was. Maybe if I knew where I was I might feel better somehow. I looked out of the hole in the wall and saw a familiar scene. The street that I dreaded walking down but had done so many times on my journey to the shops. Leaning against the wall was a long barrel shot gun, glistening whenever the candle light hit it. It was him. He saved me? The gratitude I felt was overthrew by my hatred for the boy keeping me from Lucy. But why would he keep me alive just to keep me prisoner?

 

Wouldn’t it be better that Lucy knew I was dead rather than wonder every day whether I’m going to come home. I had to get out of here. I couldn’t just sit here, waiting. I don’t even know what I’d be waiting for. Until they got a little too hungry and their next meal seemed a little too long to wait. Was I supposed to just wait? Wait to be dinner? Wait to die? I wouldn’t. I searched around again, just to make sure I hadn’t missed a door. There had to be something, some way of getting in and out. The only way I could see was back to that dungeon room. Just thinking of it gave me chills. I couldn’t remember seeing any doors there anyway. I looked again, getting frustrated now, with myself and my surroundings. As if getting angry at the wall would somehow make it morph into a door.

 

I left the room, cursing silently to myself. I watched as Ste lifted a trap door out of the floor. It swung right open and he dropped easily down it. I tried to imitate his action, but couldn’t quite mirror his fluid perfection. My knees buckled slightly under my sudden weight, but he slipped his arm around my waist quickly to stop me from falling. His arm moved the instant he steadied me.

 

I followed him, every step I took I searched for an exit. The walls seemed to be door-less. I saw a glimmer of light and I rushed towards it. It was a small candle that must have marked out this archway from the rest of them. The archway just led to another dark room. I didn’t notice anybody in the room until a male voice spoke.

“You shouldn’t have brought her here, Stenaghen.”

“I know, father.” Ste said, taking a step towards me. He shocked me by taking a stance that looked almost protective.

“Stenaghen,” A softer, higher voice spoke. “She can’t stay here.”

“I won’t let you hurt her, mother.”

“She means nothing to us. I’d rather her dead.” A high pitched voice that I recognised as Vicoretta hissed. A shiver ran down my spine and Ste rubbed my back reassuringly.

“Kill her.” Another voice joined in. Ste took a step in front of me.

“She does not deserve to die.” Ste almost shouted. “The only reason she went out that night was to see me.” I heard a giggle and my cheeks flushed.

“That is not our problem.” Ste’s father said matter-of-factly.

“Anthogen, help me.”

The voice that I hadn’t known answered, “This is not my business.”

“It was your business when you voted for her to die.” Ste snapped.

“Watch your mouth Stenaghen.” His father reprimanded. He ducked his head.

“I am sorry, but if you hurt her then I cannot stay here.”

“You need to pick a side, Stenaghen.” Vicoretta spat at him.

“I’ve told you my decision.” Ste told them.

“Then take her to your room and make sure she stays there.” His mother almost begged him.

“She can’t stay in there forever.” Ste answered.

“That’s better than death.” Anthogen reminded Ste gently.

Ste shook his head violently then grabbed my hand and quickly pulled me in the opposite direction of the dark room. He pulled me down a corridor I hadn’t noticed before. This made me wonder if I’d missed a door earlier on. Before my mind wandered too much he pulled me through the first wooden door I’d seen since I’d arrived. The room was dimly lit. Ste rushed around the room lighting random candles. I could only just make out our surroundings but his eyes squinted.

 

I didn’t realise I was shaking until Ste placed a steady hand on mine. My teeth were chattering and my stomach was turning. I couldn’t stop trembling, as soon as I realised I was cold Ste passed me his jumper. I slid it on awkwardly and gratefully. He sat me down on his bed and slowly I stopped shaking. He looked at me with hardly any emotion.

I looked at him. “Ste, I’m scared.”

After a long pause he whispered, “I’m not your friend. I don‘t care about you.” his voice was restrained, rehearsed.

“I know.”

“Do you see what you have made me do?” I sat silently. “My whole family, you made me go against my whole family!”

“I know.” He turned away from me. I had no anger left. My heart was pumping adrenalin though my body. I was certain it was the only thing keeping my eyes open. “I don’t want to be here. You don’t need to go against anyone for me. Just let me leave, Ste please, just let me go home.”

“I told you, that isn’t my choice.” He sat on the bed next to me and his head fell into his hands. “I don’t want you here, trust me, but you can’t go home either.”

“Just let me leave.”

“It’s not that easy Joanie.” He growled.

“I don’t understand.”

“Look Joanie, you see how your people have laws.” I nodded. “So do mine.”

“Okay.” I encouraged him.

“Once a human enters a Clanimae property they aren’t allowed to leave. Most Clanimae kill them.”

“But why?”

“Because…” He paused. “A human would notice things.”

“I don’t understand.” I repeated.

He sighed loudly. “It’s simple enough.” I continued to stare at him blankly. “Bloody hell! Look I’m not your friend okay? I’ve already made that clear. I don’t care if you understand or not.” Surprised by his hostility, I could feel the tears beginning to well in my eyes and I blinked hard to stop them from falling. He sighed again, but it sounded as if it was more in defeat then anger. “The more I say, the more I’m obliged to kill you.” He explained.

“Okay, no more explaining then.” I half-joked my voice shaking. He laughed. “I really can’t leave?”

“I am sorry.” He told me, his fairy tale eyes made me believe every word he said.

“But Ste I have a little sister.”

“I can’t do anything. It’s out of my control.”

I just sat there, silently. He sat next to me. “I can’t stay here. I don’t know what to do.”

“There is no other option Joanie. You either stay, or you die.”

“That can’t be the only two options.”

“You have to stay.”

After what seemed like an eternity I spoke “I know.” The answer surprised me. The fact that I had given up so easily on leaving worried me. I bit down hard on my lip when I thought of never seeing Lucy again. My eyes started to glaze over with tears. I’m certain I would have cried, but Ste shocked the tears out of me. He reached over and held my hand. It wasn’t a necessity like it was when he guided me around his house. It was out of compassion, he squeezed my hand gently. I looked at him but he was looking straight ahead, his face as if carved in stone, completely emotionless.

“I hate you.” I mumbling, not exactly telling the truth. He stiffened and removed his hand.

“Nice. Are you hungry?” He asked. I nodded. “Okay, come on.” He pulled me through a maze of corridors, all as dark and cold as the next. He grabbed my hand, there was no compassion in the gesture; it was now as ordinary as breathing. I was still wearing his jumper and with my free hand I pulled it tightly around me. He brought me into a room that I would never have known was the kitchen except for the fact we’d stopped. He began searching through the cupboards and boxes scattered around the room. He pulled items out quickly, knocking other things over. Ste huffed loudly.

He hesitated, “what do you eat?” I stayed quiet, confused and shocked by the question. “Food. What do you eat?” He repeated.

“I don’t know. Food.” I shrugged.

“Crisps?” He asked cautiously.

“Yes.” He handed me a bag of stale crisp. I look at it warily. “Do you…” I paused. “Have anything else?” He looked at me for a moment then began searching again. “You guys eat bread right?” I nodded. “Cheese?” I nodded again. He looked in a hole in the wall. I watched him, worried. He pulled out a metal box. He opened it and pulled out a block of what looked like cheddar. I laughed once. He turned to the sound.

I said quickly. “It just looks out of place.” He half smiled, agreeing. He crossed the room a few times and before I could focus my eyes properly he was standing in front of me holding a cheese sandwich. The bread was neither soft nor hard. I ate it quickly. “Thank you.” I said, because he was watching me. He continued to stare; it started to make me uncomfortable. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. I just…you are a very interesting species.”

“Errm, thank you?”

He laughed. “Your welcome.”

We stayed silent for a while, and then I started to shiver. “Do you want to go back to the bedroom?” He asked me, his perfect eyes beginning to look worried.

“Yes please.” He took my hand again and we began to weave our way through the dungeon-like corridors.

 

What seemed like half way through we stopped. He pulled me back. Ste slammed us both into a small alcove. He put his finger to his mouth, but I wouldn’t have said anything anyway. The air had suddenly dropped a few degrees and a disgusting smell had started to infect the air. It smelt sickly, the kind of smell that makes you gag. I faced inwards and Ste pulled me impossibly closer to him. Even our shadows seemed to have disappeared. I was terrified, truly, but part of me couldn’t help but be exhilarated by the perfume radiating off of Ste. He smelled of nothing I ever had encountered before. He smelt of rainbows and ice cream cones with sprinkles. He smelt of sunshine and happiness. He smelt of strawberries covered in chocolate and Christmas trees with tinsel. It was like a scene of the Sound of Music, he smelt of all of my favourite things. I breathed deeply while trying to be subtle. I looked up at his face and he was too preoccupied with whatever event I was excluded from, to care whether I was enjoying how he smelt or not. That sounded kind of weird. We’d been standing there for almost five minutes.

“Ste, why are we standing here?” I whispered as quietly as I could. He looked down quickly.

“Just wait. Please.” He breathed. “I’ll explain it later.” I nodded. The smell of Ste barely covered the stink that filled the room. He breathed out loudly and released me. I hardly wanted to but I took a step back. He took my hand again and he pulled me quickly towards the bedroom. I was out of breath when we reached our destination. I stood for a while trying to catch my breath. He waited patiently. When my breathing became regular I sat on the bed. He stayed standing but began to pace.

“So, you seem to be in danger.” He said, his tone seemed blasé but his eyes were tense.

“Why?” I asked not allowing myself to worry yet.

“Did you smell something earlier on? It can’t have been pleasant on your senses.”

“Yes.”

“It was a group of Clanimae from out of town.” He swallowed hard. “They aren’t as accepting as my family.”

Accepting? I really didn’t get that impression from his family. “Right…”

“They might…well…kill you.”