Taken

[imaginationswoes]

Airy didn't remember when she decided to stay with Antonio and Nathan. It started with one night and then the next day which slowly bled into a month. There were still times that she felt like she was being followed but she was comfortable and she felt safe. At least as safe as you can feel living with a vampire and his cute stand-in. It was an odd relationship but Airy really liked them both. She could laugh again and she was finally in an environment where she could accept the part of her that she'd been running from.

She tried to suppress her powers but even when she slipped no one was mad at her. More often than not they were just worried or laughing. It was a good place to stay but Airy couldn’t help but get the feeling that her situation was fleeting.

She had gotten a text from Nathan asking for coffee, which wasn't unusual, and since she failed at making it at home she ran down to Starbucks. At this point she knew what he liked; he drank coffee at least once a day which made it impossible to forget and it was the least she could do since he put up with her most of the time. She bought him this crummy bracelet about a week before and it was just as lame as she thought it'd be but he was wearing it so he must have liked it.

Airy enjoyed walking through the city streets though she was always careful about letting her mind wander. With so many people meandering by she could blend in like a single pixel on a 25" LG screen. She smiled at those she made eye contact with which usually weirded them out and caused them to look away. She has begun to watch the people more than the impressive height of the buildings. Some people always kept their gaze down while others stared straight ahead as if they were the only ones on the street. Airy noticed that those who ignored the people around them were usually wearing nice clothes, probably on their way to work or some important meeting and couldn't be bothered with strangers. Some people she smiled at seemed to brighten as if recognition from another was all they needed to make their day better.

The path to Starbucks was easy. She had walked it almost every other day for the last month though she was usually with Nathan. The line was short and as Airy stepped inside she smiled pulling her jacket off in greeting to the heated warmth of the store. She had a small allowance of cash that Antonio gave her since Airy’s whereabouts are currently unknown; at least as far as the government was concerned. When she reached the cashier she smiled handing her the twenty. "Morning, can I get Nathan’s usual and a White Chocolate Mocha?"

The woman was a pretty young blond who Airy saw at least once every few days. She laughed at Airy before ringing her up with a few light punches of her keyboard. "Airy I know what you always get. Where is your handsome friend today?"

Airy pursed her lips lightly. "He’s not mine and I’m not really sure what he’s up too. He just said he wanted coffee." Apparently going to a coffee store a lot meant that there was room for teasing.

The girl raised an eyebrow before passing the two empty cups down the line to be assembled. "Sure he isn’t."

Airy rolled her eyes and walked towards the pickup counter. She plucked one of the green stiry things from the clear plastic container and then two of the cardboard pieces that are supposed to stop the coffee from burning your fingers. She watched as they made her order, zoning out in the direction of the menu. "Airy." Her attention snapped back to the man behind the counter.

She smiled taking the two drinks and then placing them on the counter so she could get that weird cardboard holders around them. "Thanks." They still felt hot.

She slipped from the shop looking at the lines of cars that made their way through the streets. She doesn't really understand why anyone drives in this city. She moved back to Antonio's apartment her eyes on the cars and the frustrated drivers edging to lean on their horns. She wasn't looking where she was going which in New York was a very bad idea. She crashed into someone dropping both cups of coffee to the ground. One block away from the safety of the high-rise she called home... she was so close.

"I'm so sorry!" Airy looked up her eyes widening when she recognized the familiar face. "D-Darren?"

The young man in front of her was the same age as Airy. His hair was a rich dark chocolate brown and his eyes were a watery unforgettable blue. It was impossible for anyone to forget the most attractive guy from Island Falls, Maine. She felt heat rise to her cheeks and her heart flutter nervously in her chest. This wasn't really the time for her to suddenly fall back into a high school mentality. "What are you doing in New York?" Her mind was working overtime and still coming up blank.

"Airy?" She can't tell if he's really surprised or not. "It's alright. I didn't think I'd see you here." The coffee hadn't spilled on him. It only got on the outside of her jacket otherwise it covered the ground in a sleek layer of glimmering caffeine. Darren smiled taking a handkerchief from his pocket and helping Airy wipe some of the spilled coffee from her jacket.

"Uh... yeah. Just hanging out in New York." It was weird to see him here and talking to him.

"We should talk or catch up sometime." He smiled that stupid charming smile she remembered from high school.

"We're talking now." Airy felt like she was currently the definition of awkward.

Darren chuckled softly. "At least let me buy you the coffee you just spilled. I think there is a Starbucks around the corner."

"Yeah." Airy really didn't need the people at Starbucks seeing her with this guy though she supposed it could be worse; like showing up with no coffee for Nathan. He was a little grumpy without coffee and she wasn't sure if it was the taste or the caffeine that soothed his nerves.

"Who are you thinking about?" Airy snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at Darren who was now inches from her face. She took a half step back feeling that unmistakable warmth rise to her cheeks. "AH! No one.. Just coffee.." He didn't seem convinced and looked somehow disappointed.

"Why do you ask?" She turned assuming that he'd follow as she made her way back to the coffee store. Small talk was good, easy, even though there were a lot of topics she wasn't looking to get into.

Darren clicked his tongue impatiently. "I was hoping you hadn't met any guys yet but it looks like you have." He did sound disappointed.

Airy turned ready to say something when Darren pulled her into an alley, just out of sight of those walking by on the sidewalk. Of course this was New York so anyone who saw them did nothing about it. The cold brick pressed against Airy's back as Darren pressed closer. "There was never a time to talk to you in school. You were always surrounded by your friends." His breath brushed across her cheek and for the moment Airy was stunned. "You really are beautiful Airy." He slowly leaned closer his lips inches away before Airy slipped from his grip. The only way to step away was to move deeper into the alley which wasn't ideal but space between them felt good.

"Whoa! Wait. What are you doing? I'm not interested in this. Sorry." She stepped to walk past him only to feel his hard grip grab at her shoulder.

"I wish it didn't have to be like this then." She tried to pull away, her arm slowly tingling as his grip around her tightened. "I would have made it worth it." Airy turned, her usually bright emerald green eyes glaring at the boy. She was ready to step on his toes and shove her elbow into his ribs only he acted first. His lips locked against hers; heat and shock flared through her frame. Her fingertips and limbs slowly begun to go numb as she pushed herself away from him.

"What did you-" Her words cut off, her vision began to twist, its edges blur, and then her legs buckled under her own weight. She felt strong arms lift her while a soft voice whispered against her ear.

"I found you."

Comments

Rescued: Cont

[imaginationswoes]

[Why did I write this in first person?]
I got to know Seth and Belle very well over that week. The only reason I knew it was a week was because I saw Seth for seven days and then Belle would start rambling about the day. It was nice to know what time it was again, and each day I felt a little bit more human. Seth was nice. He never entered my room without asking and usually stayed by the door way, knowing that he was deep inside my personal thoughts already. I couldn’t really hide anything from him but then he didn’t try and hide things from me. I knew he’d keep my secrets to himself and he even shared parts of his past to help me through. We bonded in a way that was beyond anything I was used to and I quickly became comfortable around him. Apparently this was a problem come the end of the week.

Seth stood in the doorway; the room had started getting a little bit more color. The sheets of the bed were now a light blue and my pillow was green; I like cool colors. The flowers never seemed to grow or die though a few of them kept pulling my attention towards them. I found one that reminded me of Antonio, I laughed when I realized it was in a dark corner of the room. I also found ones that remind me of my parents and best friends from home, those were beneath the cube just like Nathan’s flower was. I didn’t have a lot to do in my own head so I started naming the flowers after people I knew. At one point I also tried to climb the ladder but I only got halfway up before I started to feel sick. The cube I didn’t touch… it felt fragile.

My thoughts were drifting and a light cough from Seth pulled my attention back towards him. “I’ve repaired and disconnected everything I could but…” He sounded momentarily unsure of himself. “Your defenses are two weak. I can come in here easily as could Cairn. We need to fix that.”
[I need to fix that.]

Airy’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. She didn’t understand why that was a bad thing if it meant they could help wake her up but then she remembered Talia and the way that had made her feel. Airy swallowed a lump in her throat and then nodded her head. What do I need to do? Seth relaxed at Airy’s acceptance. He felt as if this all might be too much for her but so far she was holding herself together. The only reason Airy was able to be strong was because she didn’t feel like she had a choice.

“I’m going to put guards around your mind and when Carin returns he’ll most likely want to test you.” He paused, feeling unease as he explained. “The guards and the compound will keep you safe but you’ll need to train your defenses.” It sounded as if it would take a long time for her to do but for now she didn’t complain or comment. “It won’t be easy Airy. Living like this is very hard and you’ve been hurt by one of the most dangerous kinds of people. You won’t be alone but you’re going to have to be strong.” Seth knew how strong Airy could be but she had to believe in herself which wasn’t the sort of thing Airy made a habit of doing.

“Are you ready to wake up?”

Airy nodded her head however her fingers tightened around her blanket. When she was in her room she usually sat on her bed. You could see everything from that seat and it felt like home. She was reluctant to leave but she was also tired of running. If she stayed in her own thoughts too long she’d probably end up dead.

Seth turned to leave but Airy rose quickly to stop him. She didn’t move from her bed or risk trampling her flowers but the movement was enough to make Seth turn back around Will I be able to come back here?

He smiled this time, his expression warm. Suddenly Airy can imagine this man as a father and it was no wonder that Belle was such an angel. “This is you Airy. It goes where you go and with practice you’ll be able to come back here.”

Airy let out a slow breath and then nodded. She rose, carefully stepping around a few new buds that had risen from the ground, and made her bed. She didn’t make it in the traditional sense. The pillow was crooked and the blanket just tossed loosely on top but the stuffed Clydesdale was placed lovingly on the pillow so that it was comfortable. With this done Airy glanced outside the window towards the familiar back yard; for some reason it was snowing outside. With her silent goodbyes said she turned towards Seth and smiled.

I’m ready.

Before he replied everything began to fade. Seth swirled into a black haze and the white of the walls and the bright green of the grass seemed to follow. For a moment Airy found herself in a swirl of color which slowly began to fade to a blinding white. She closed her eyes moving a hand to shield them from the harsh rays emitting from the bulbs overhead. She was lying down and slowly became aware of her extremities.

A familiar voice, Seth, echoed next to her but it sounded distant now. “Take it slow.”

Airy’s fingers lightly stretched and flexed before moving to rub at her eyes. Vibrant green orbs shined up towards the ceiling as it came into focus. “Her eyes are so pretty!” The voice was bright and happy and almost immediately after she heard someone else. “Quiet little one. Let’s wait outside.” There was a disgruntled sound from Belle but her and her mother left the room and Airy could hear their footsteps recede into the hallway.

The room she was in was small but the bed she was laying on was comfortable. Her clothes had changed and she wow now wearing a pair of light blue pajamas that had monkey faces on them. Airy didn’t try to sit up but she did turn her head to see Seth sitting on a chair next to her. Her lips parted as if to speak but there wasn’t a sound. Instead a sharp pain pressed against her throat making her fingers move to her neck in a frantic motion. There wasn’t any pain inside her head and now she was feeling the end result of her time in Amadeus’s keep. Seeing the frantic panic that rose to Airy’s eyes Seth lightly placed a hand on her shoulder. He spoke quickly and quietly. “You’re still healing. Airy please calm down.” She could feel her heartbeat racing as panic took hold of her. Her whole body ached and her muscles were stuff causing them to lock up when she suddenly jerked away from Seth.

“Listen to me. Airy, Listen.” He grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look up at him. “It’s okay. You’re safe. You’re still healing.” His voice was a little harsher than she remembered but she listened knowing that Seth wouldn’t lie to her. She slowly relaxed and let herself be pulled down and onto the soft bed. “Just listen.” His voice was back to the calm gentle tone she was used too. “You were taken and we rescued you. I’m sure Rachel has gone to get Antonio so you don’t have to worry. Your voice will take a little longer to heal. You had to be awake before we could address it. My wife had changed your clothes for you and she’ll be back to help you with anything you need.” His hand moved to a bedside table that Airy hadn’t realized was there. “I have a pen and paper here for you to write. It’ll be slow but you’ll be okay. I know you are waking up in a strange place with strange people but we won’t be able to let you out of this room until we are sure that you are okay.” Seth looked into her eyes so he could see the sincerity in his words. “My family and I are the only ones able to come in and out of this room. Antonio will be able to stop in but he can’t step into this room. It’s warded more than the others to keep you safe. It’s my ward which is why my family can come and go. Do you understand?”

Airy felt a sinking feeling in her stomach but she nodded. She still felt trapped but she trusted that Seth was there to help. After all, she knew him very well.

There were a few seconds of awkward silence that unsettled her. She slowly sat up and Seth placed a hand on her back to help lift her into a sitting position. She noticed that the comforter covering her was purple which made her smile because it was most likely Seth’s idea. She didn’t think he’d share that information with anyone else. She looked over towards the pad of paper and scribbled down a note before passing it to Seth. The note had one word and then a questions mark: Music?

Seth smiled and then shook his head. He should have figured she’d ask for something like that over food, a trip to the bathroom or anything else. “Yes. I’ll get you music. You’ll have to use a CD player though.” A radio or internet signal wouldn’t work with Seth’s barrier set around the room. So Airy set to writing a few CD names down and then wrote little notes asking if the band’s new album had come out yet. “Rachel and Belle will be back with food, clothes and will take care of you for the night. I think Belle wanted a sleep over.” He didn’t really want to leave Airy alone considering this would be her first night awake.

Footsteps then sounded by the door and Airy looked up at the door. Seth turned and rose from his seat suddenly very quiet now that they weren’t alone. It was Antonio and as much as Airy wanted to leap from the bed and give him a hug she just couldn’t move. Her lips felt weak and everything ached. He stood just outside the door staring over at her. He looked relieved but there was another expression there that Airy didn’t understand. She reached for her paper and pencil and then quickly scrawled a question across it. She held it up so that Antonio could read it: Where is Nathan?

That didn’t seem to be the right question to ask because Antonio’s expression shifted again. “You focus on getting better. We’re all busy here but I’ll try and stop by okay?” Airy felt suddenly numb but nodded her head. She was happy to see him but she knew they couldn’t really talk yet. Antonio was then pushed aside as Belle wiggled her way back into the room. Seeing the little girl for the first time made Airy smiled brightly. She flipped the page on the pad and began to write: It’s nice to finally meet you Belle. Belle giggled with joy when she read it. “Me too! I have so much more stuff to tell you.” Belle was a cute kid, her eyes were wide and she had one braid along the right side of her cheek. Her hair was lighter than both of her parents but she had her father’s eyes and her mother’s nose.

Rachel then stepped into the room, after whispering a soft word to Antonio who then disappeared. Airy missed him already but she got to see him which was at least something. Her attention was then pulled towards the tray in Rachel’s hand. She smiled food and instantly her stomach grumbled in response. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had eaten anything.

It looked like a simple meal, chicken broth and some Jell-o. Airy assumed Jell-O was the feel better food. With it was a glass of water and some small pieces of chicken. With her throat hurting she didn’t really want to eat the chicken but at the same time her stomach wanted something solid inside of it. Airy gravitated towards the tray feeling the hot soothing effect of the soup as she drank it. It was gone in two quick gulps which earned her a disapproving stare from Rachel. “Eat slowly; you’re going to make yourself sick.”

Airy just nodded and ate slower feeling her stomach rumble and beg for more when she was finished. Rachel smiled brightly at her. “I’ll get more, Belle try not to bother Arianna too much.” Airy cringed at the use of her full name and now silently wished she hadn’t told Antonio that. The next week passed really slowly. Seth brought in a boom-box as promised which still ran off of 8 D batteries. Airy would go through CD’s and softly play music while Seth would set to work. Rachel was the one healing her throat which was a long process. Any time that Airy tried to say something Rachel would give her a disapproving look, it reminded her of her mother.

She asked a lot of questions but everyone seemed reluctant to give her answers. Airy assumed they were waiting until she could speak or something so she tried to exercise patience. Except that she wasn’t patient. In between healing Rachel would make Airy get up and move around. Her muscles were stiff and sore which meant that she had a series of exercises to do every day to get her body back to being used.

When Airy was alone she began to inspect her body to look for changes or marks. Her bruises were healed and her bones were mended. She didn’t actually remember being aware of her own state for a while so it all felt strange. Sometimes she’d just stare at her hand and wonder if it really belonged to her or not. Eventually she found one scar left over from her ordeal. It was placed at the curve of her neck; two mangled puncture wounds. She remembered Antonio telling her that vampire fangs didn’t leave a mark on the skin; they were small and healed easily after a few hours. Airy felt ashamed about it and whenever someone’s eyes were draw to it she’d pull her long chestnut hair over her shoulder to hide it.

It wasn’t really so bad having the Flores for company. Flore was Seth’s last name. Airy felt as if she was part of their family and she knew that they worried whenever they had to leave her alone. She tried her best to smile however the expression never reached her eyes. There were too many unanswered questions and to many things pressing on her thoughts. She’d sometimes just stop and shut down; even with Belle continuing on like nothing was wrong. Airy could tell that they were handling her like she was broken which made her feel even worse. She generally tried to keep a happy disposition in life but it was just so hard to keep smiling. She felt like she constantly had to force herself. During that week her powers remained dormant and she thought for at least a little while that they might have been taken from her. She didn’t really know how to feel about that. Eventually she asked Seth who shook his head and assured her that it’s all in her mind.

That was not a comforting thought.

She tried to sleep most nights but found herself lying away with a softly snoring Belle curled up under her arm. When she did fall asleep she had nightmares and would wake to scream silently into the air. Airy began to dread sleeping.

It took another week and Rachel’s smile said everything she had been hoping for. “Your throat is healed.” Airy didn’t know what to say and after a few soft whimpering like sounds she wondered if she still remembered how to speak. Rachel and Belle didn’t push her and they began to leave her on her own for longer periods of time. She’d see them during meal times and very slowly Airy began to talk again.

When she thought she was alone she’d begun to sing; only she didn’t know that others in the building could hear her. One of her favorite sounds was ‘Music of Life’ which she learned sometime in elementary school and now sang on those rare moments she started to feel better. “Listen to the sound of the wind, the sound of the rain falling on the trees… the bugs birds and bees humming as they please. It’s the music of life and they all make a sound… playing on in the world. So come hear the music of life.” Airy hummed softly as she shifted on her bed. “I don’t think those are the words at the end.”

After a short conversation with herself she’d sing the verse again this time changing the words slightly at the end. It never did sound right but it was nice to be able to listen to her voice again.

That day Belle came bounding in with a smile which no longer overwhelmed Airy. “You have such a pretty voice!”

Airy blinked and looked over at her. “What do you mean?” She was pretty sure that no one has heard her sing.

Except she’d be wrong, “You have been singing all week. Everyone really likes it!” Airy was happy it was just the two of them because the embarrassment she felt after learning that everyone could hear her was enough to turn her face scarlet.

She fell back on her bed hiding her face under her pillow. “I’m never leaving this room.”