Chapter Four #2
Heading toward the barred exit, Victor unlocked it and slipped into the stone corridor.
Closing the door, he sighed with contentment.
“You know, this all could’ve been avoided if you’d only accepted who you truly are, Henri.
But...you turned your back on becoming my equal.
You spat in my face at my offer, and I’ve finally accepted your choice.
You want to be the good guy? You don’t want to be the monster?
Fine. I shall ensure you’re as weak and as worthless as all the others who think they’re better than me just because they follow stupid laws made by wolves ruling a society of sheep.
I will make you so far beneath me that you will become dirt beneath my shoe.
You will know what it feels like to be truly powerless, and then...
then we shall see if you please me enough to live or... ”
“Or what?” Henri spat.
“I still have a buyer waiting on a heart, don’t I?
I could give him yours instead of Ilyana’s.
Hers is safe for now. And Peter is my spare—just in case something unforeseen happens to Ily, and I need another bargaining chip over you.
Oh, don’t look at me like that. I’ve seen the friendship blooming between you two.
” He tapped his nose. “You forget I am omniscient. You live on my island. You fraternise with my jewels. I know all things. I’m also aware that you wouldn’t go to the same lengths for Peter as you will for Ily, so I warn you not to push me too far.
We wouldn’t want her to have an unfortunate accident now would we? ”
“Fuck you.” Henri gave him the finger. “You’re a dead man. I don’t know how and I have no idea when, but one day, I will wear your blood.”
“You’re getting repetitive in your old age. But I will accept that you have a vivid imagination. Or is it a hallucination? I can’t tell.”
“It’s neither.” Henri grinned like a madman. “It’s a prophecy.”
“Prophecy?” Victor smiled so wide, so sick, shivers darted down my back. “You know what? I think you might become my favourite, my sweetling. I’m so going to enjoy breaking you.”
Casting his eyes to mine, he bowed. “Ilyana.” He blew a kiss at Peter. “Peter.” His cold, predatory gaze landed on Henri. “Henri.”
With a whistle and a wink, Victor stepped away from the bars. “See you soon, my pets.”
And then, he was gone.
* * * * *
My body believed it was the dead of night.
My mind convinced me the moon was shining, the stars were twinkling, and I ought to be fast asleep like Peter and Henri.
But I couldn’t.
I hadn’t slept well since Victor’s visit a few days ago.
Or at least...I think it’s a few days ago.
I did my best to count down the hours and scratch a mark on the wall, but with the ever-flickering light and the one meal given to us appearing at random times instead of regimented, it was impossible to know for sure.
Peter lay on his side, bundled in his dirty blanket, shivering like we all did. He mumbled in his dreams, his face scrunched up and filthy. Reaching across our touching pillows, I brushed away his hair and rested my equally dirty palm on his temple.
He settled immediately. Just like Krish used to do if he snuck into my room because he couldn’t sleep.
A prickle shot down my spine. The uncanny knowledge of being watched—
Glancing at the bars, I braced myself to see Victor or one of his awful Masters. I had no idea when he was coming for us or what would happen when he did but his promise to see us soon kept echoing in my ears.
But nothing.
The corridor remained as black and as empty as usual. A rat scurried past, its long tail whipping behind it.
Sucking in a breath, I looked across to where Henri slept.
Only...he wasn’t asleep.
His gorgeous grey eyes locked on me, dull and full of pain but brimming with love and affection. “Hey...”
Licking my dry lips, I smiled. “I thought you were asleep.”
“I was.” Swallowing his groan, he shifted to sit upright.
“But I felt your stress, and it gave me nightmares.” Leaning back against the frigid rock wall, he scrubbed his face with his hands.
His nails were black with dirt and dried blood, his beard thick and hiding half his handsome face.
A few threads of silver glittered around his mouth and temples, matching the silver in his eyes.
We’d all aged down here.
The perpetual dark seemed to march us far quicker into a grave.
Even the darkness within Henri hadn’t made him immune to the ravages of healing and hurt.
I knew he was older than me.
I knew he would only get more handsome with age.
But as we sat in the dark waiting for death, I wondered if any of us would hit forty if we didn’t manage to escape.
“How old are you?” I whispered.
He smirked. “Do I look that decrepit?”
“No.” I laughed softly, sadly. “Just...I’ve never asked.”
“I turn thirty on January the first. According to my mother anyway. I don’t have a birth certificate. Not that I’ve seen anyway.”
“The first of January is your birthday?” I blinked.
I coughed. If I needed any other signs that Henri was my twin flame, this was it.
I’d read that some were born on the same day.
Didn’t matter if the years were different—if you shared the same day, it was yet another cosmic union between a single soul that’d been split.
But I don’t know if I was born on January first...
Oh my God.
Yet another synchronicity.
Another push from forces unseen but so much bigger than us.
He frowned, studying my face. He knew without asking. “You’re January the first too?”
I gave him a small shrug. “I celebrate the first, but...I’m like you. I’m not entirely sure if that’s my true date, seeing as I was found and adopted. I was found on the fourth of January, but my father figured I looked a few days old, so he chose the first for a new beginning.”
Henri didn’t speak for the longest moment. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to all these strange similarities between us.”
“I know. Me either.”
He shivered dramatically. “It’s eerie but cool.”
“Isn’t it?” Tears ached. My nose itched. What would I give to tell my parents about the profound connection I’d found on this hellish island? I’d give anything to hug my brother and tell him everything the Vedic mystic said had come true.
You’re destined to destroy each other.
I flinched.
That part would never come true. Being together was the reason we hadn’t been destroyed.
Even Victor was wise enough to use our bond to prevent us from such destruction.
He’d used me as a pawn to keep Henri sane.
And used Peter as a pawn to keep me in line.
And despite knowing that my presence had only condemned Henri to pain I couldn’t begin to imagine, I was incredibly grateful that in that part of the prophecy, the astrologer was wrong.
God...what’s going to happen next...?
My eyes flicked to the bars again, begging to see something I hadn’t noticed in the thirty-six days we’d been trapped: a forgotten key. An axe to chop our chains. A guard that was on our side, sneaking down here to break us out.
A single tear escaped.
I swiped at it.
Henri sucked in a sharp breath. “God, Ily. Please don’t.”
I nodded and forced an overly bright smile. My voice broke, betraying me. “I’m fine.”
“Fuck, you’re killing me.” He drove both fists into his blanket. “I’d give anything to hug you right now. To hold you. Kiss you.”
“I know.” Sitting taller, I ran my fingers through Peter’s unwashed hair. “Just a weak moment, that’s all.”
Silence fell for the longest time before Henri forced a smile. A sinful, sexy smirk that was far too lighthearted for this sullen place. “You’re still driving me mad, little nightmare. Still filling me full of things I’ve never felt before.”
His old nickname for me could’ve been insensitive...but that was the point. Teasing each other. Trading jokes and stories. Taking the heavy and transforming it into light.
It was how we’d survived this long. Being normal. Being together. Not letting this prison choke us.
“I’m okay.” I gave him a half smile. “Truly. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Did you meditate today? That always helps.”
“I tried, but I can’t seem to calm my mind enough.”
“Me either.” Resting his head against the stone, he sighed. “I just want it over with. The waiting is driving me insane.” He closed his eyes, and silence fell again.
I studied him, searching for signs of fever or regression in his strength.
I longed to check his pulse for myself. To press my ear against his chest and listen to how strong his heartbeat thundered. I needed it to be strong. I needed him to—
“You’re still worrying about me,” he groaned, his eyes still closed. “I can feel it. I told you...stop that.”
I laughed quietly.
It didn’t surprise me that he’d sensed me.
The connection between us no longer shocked or fascinated us.
It was just there.
A link made of love. A bridge between his soul and mine.
I dreaded to think how much that bridge would torment us when Victor’s training began.
Which led me back to my horrors and everything I wanted to say to him but didn’t know how.
Now’s the time.
It might be the only time.
We would never destroy each other, but...watching each other be hurt would definitely achieve it.
“Henri...” Taking my hand off Peter’s head so I wouldn’t feed him my fear, I scrunched up the blanket in my lap. “I need...I want you to promise me...”
When I didn’t finish, Henri gave me a soft smile. “You want me to promise you that I won’t fight back. That I’ll do what he asks so he won’t—”
“No!” I sat upright, my heart drumming. “No, not at all. I-I meant...I don’t think I’ll be able to watch Victor use you. Don’t give in. Don’t give him what he wants.”
He scowled. “But if I don’t, he’ll hurt you.”
“He’s already raped me once.” I braced my shoulders with bravery I didn’t feel. “I didn’t watch then, and I won’t watch in the future. It’s just sex—”
“Just sex? What the fuck are you saying?”
“Let him have me instead of you. My body is equipped—”