Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
I scamper down the corridor to the bathroom with my hands full of my wash things and pyjamas.
I try my best to avoid looking at myself in the bathroom mirror.
If zombies existed, I would be seriously concerned, since if a guild hunter copped a look at me lately they’d so take me out. And not in a good way.
When I catch my reflection, I shudder. My skin is so pale…there isn’t any pink in my lips or even underneath my nails. With my pale blonde hair and dull blue eyes beyond the obvious poorly zombiism, all I see is the ghost of a girl.
After a quick shower, a vigorous tooth-brush, and a Bert- bag change, I’m ready for bed.
“Is it okay to leave the door open?” I ask Riddick, as I rock from foot to foot in my pyjamas and twist my fingers in front of me.
I feel silly, asking like a child to keep the door to my room open and the hallway light on.
With no windows, the storage room is dark, and I’ve been living in a glass fishbowl for months.
It shouldn’t have been a surprise to me, but I didn’t expect this room to feel so claustrophobic.
The size of it and the lack of light is disconcerting.
There’s no way I will sleep in here without the door being open—there’s no air.
Riddick replies with a small sigh, and ever so slowly he nods his head.
For what must be the millionth time in my life, I wish magic would work on me. From what I can gather, Eleanor communicates with Riddick through a magical mind-link. So cool. I wish I could talk to him.
I take his head-nod as permission and beam a smile at him. “Thanks, Riddick.”
I tug the door, and it scrapes against the bed frame and bounces back.
I narrow my eyes and ram the door with my left shoulder, being mindful of Bert.
Oof. I still can’t get it fully past the bed, but with another forceful shove, I wedge the door against the bed so it’s stuck wide open.
I take a step back to survey my handiwork and rub my now-aching arm.
I smile with relief: it’s much better. The chandeliers in the hallway flood the storeroom with soft light.
Take that, Doris. I don’t mind the lack of privacy.
The bed creaks and groans as I get in. “Woops,” I squeal and flap my arms about in panic as my body unwillingly rolls into the centre of the bed.
Oops. I let out a snort Bob would be proud of and giggle.
Oh my God, I forgot completely about the Homer hole until I lay down.
The dip in the mattress makes it impossible to sleep anywhere else.
I might need a rope ladder to get out in the morning.
I cover my mouth with my hand and continue to giggle, then huff and wiggle as a spring digs itself into my back.
Huh, when I thought about my first night back, I imagined so many nightmare situations.
An uncomfortable bed wasn’t anywhere on the list of penalties for returning to the estate—the scene of my crime—after I stole the little shifter out from under the demon’s nose.
I thought they would relegate me to the same creepy building, the same prison I stole her from.
Or perhaps I’d be kept in some deep, dark dungeon, never to be seen or heard from again.
I nibble my bottom lip.
Yet here I am with a personal guard keeping me safe. It feels almost too good to be true.
The duvet cover is soft, and the pillows are squishy. I run my fingers across Bert’s seal to make sure he is nice and tight. Finally, after more wiggling, I settle on my side, my hands tucked underneath the pillow.
I peek down at Riddick. The huge hellhound is lying in the corridor directly in front of the room’s threshold. I don’t know what he thinks about my antics getting into bed. I grin; he must think I’m a right idiot.
The bright hallway light dances on his fur and highlights his beautiful glossy red coat, making him look extra fluffy. Underneath the pillow, my fingers twitch with the urge to stroke him. Hellhound weirdo, I chastise myself. His full attention is directed down the hallway as he keeps watch.
It’s in quiet moments like this I think of my pup, especially as I’m looking at the hellhound.
No one will talk about her—it’s as if she never existed.
I don’t know where she is or if she is safe.
The shifters are incredibly closed-lipped; you can’t ask about a female shifter, it isn’t safe and the one man who knows would get violent with me if I asked him again, if the look in his eyes is any indication.
Even though I don’t want to, I have to push her to the back of my mind.
If I’m meant to help her or see her again in the future, our paths will cross.
Otherwise, I have to have faith…faith that she’s okay and that the shifters are looking after her.
Heck, I can’t even protect myself…this is crap.
“Please be safe, pup,” I whisper under my breath into the universe. “Please be safe.”
When Riddick continues to feel my eyes on him, he sighs and turns his head to regard me. His solemn green gaze takes me in.
“’Night, Riddick. Thank you for keeping me safe.” He doesn’t acknowledge my whispered words, but he doesn’t have to. His shifter magical energy creeps towards me. It floods the room with gentle, comforting waves.
I sigh, and my body relaxes.
He makes me feel safe. Being metaphysically enfolded in his warm energy is a different type of intimacy, a feeling of peace and protection that to anyone else would be unnoticed, underrated.
I have never felt it before. I close my eyes and let it wrap around me.
It might be my imagination, but I’ll take it.
It warms my soul. I don’t understand why, but I’m grateful.
Warm and safe, I sleep.
There is a deep rumbling growl. My eyes fly open. My throat is burning and the remnants of a scream die on my lips. Immediately, I throw my hands up and cover my mouth.
Oh no. I shake as the tentacles of my nightmare slither away from me. I was screaming. Oh no.
I attempt to sit up, but the dip in the bed makes any movement difficult. I hear another growl and my eyes fly to the door. Riddick’s gigantic form is blocking the doorway.
He is growling at someone in the hallway.
My heart slams in my chest with fear and I give a panicked wiggle, and Bert and my abs twinge in protest as I finally flop and roll enough to get sufficient momentum to scramble out of the bed. My feet hit the floor with a thud and one tiny step finds me out in the hall.
There is a disgruntled crowd of people in the hallway—most of them in nightwear—facing off against Riddick. At the head of the group is Doris.
Oh, heck, it looks like I’ve woken the entire house.
My burning, sore throat tells its own tale.
I kind of hoped that once I’d left the hospital, I would have left the terrible memories behind.
Unfortunately, it looks like that isn’t the case.
I understand why everyone looks upset. I clutch my arms to my chest and rub them.
No one wants to be woken up in the middle of the night by bloodcurdling screams.
I try to step around Riddick’s bulk, but he swings to the side to block me, his soft red-and-cream fur brushing my legs.
As soon as Doris sees me, her eyes narrow and her finger comes up.
“You,” she says furiously, jabbing her finger in my direction.
“You will remove yourselves immediately from my house.” Not your house Doris, our territorial demon master might have some objection to that comment.
I fidget and tuck a piece of sweaty hair behind my ear. “I’m so sorry, did I wake you? I must have had a bad dream. Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to frighten anybody,” I say, mortified. When all I get in response are dirty looks and poorly veiled anger, my eyes fill with tears.
I know most of these people…while they aren’t my family, we have lived together for years. I have never once treated them without kindness and respect. Yet they now look at me like I am a stranger. My heart hurts.
I don’t belong. I don’t belong anywhere.
For a split second, Riddick takes his eyes away from the hallway crowd to check me over. His bright green eyes meet mine, and he looks haunted. Oh, no, I think I’ve traumatised the poor hellhound.
“I’m so sorry,” I tell him.
“You will be,” snarls Doris. She claps her hands. “Everyone else back to bed. I will handle this…this thing.” The half-dozen bodies disappear back down the hall…leaving Doris, two guards, Riddick, and me.
I rock from foot to foot as Doris steps aggressively towards me, her pointy finger heading towards my face. I flinch. Riddick’s low growl rumbles around us and miraculously it has her remembering herself, and she quickly retreats.
I know if he wasn’t here, she would have hurt me.
Her face pinched with fury, Doris pulls her purple dressing gown tighter around herself and crosses her arms underneath her bust. Her eyes flash with the need for retribution.
Oh bloody hell, she is so mad.
“There is an empty room available in the barracks out the back,” she spits.
“It is vacant during the evenings, as the guards are on the night shift with everyone asleep during the day. That means your attention-seeking screams will have zero effect. You have no care for others, Miss Emma. Your behaviour tonight was appalling, and it proves just how selfish you are. You’d better keep quiet during the day—woe betide you if you disturb anyone else.
” Her pointing, jabbing finger is back and I cringe at her words.
“Your dog guard will not protect you if you do.” The guards shuffle and one takes a step back.
The dog in question flashes his teeth. I step in front of Riddick in case he bites her.
Last time I checked, people don’t control what they dream.
But I keep my mouth tightly closed and drop my gaze to the floor, attempting to look properly chastised.
Which isn’t hard to do—I feel horrible. Riddick might not be here next time to keep me safe, and I have to live here.
I don’t want to make this woman my enemy.
God, I am so embarrassed. I already look a mess, and now everyone knows I am a mess on the inside too. Broken.
“Grab your things.” Wow, we aren’t even waiting for the morning. I look at Riddick, my eyes wide with panic. Oh no, what am I going to do? I dare not tell her I’m not allowed to carry anything. Surely she will think I’m making it up to be difficult.
“I will gather Emma’s things,” Eleanor says as she glides up the corridor. I breathe out a sigh of relief.
“Thank you, Eleanor, I’m sorry for the trouble.” Gosh, not a full night has passed and I’ve already been evicted from the main house.
Doris huffs and stomps away. Crikey. I shiver.
I think if she could, Doris would have marched me out of the main house by the ear or with her foot kicking my bottom with every step.
Whew, I am so glad she didn’t dare cross the growly Riddick.
I never thought I would be grateful for John’s intervention, but at this moment I’m grateful for my guards.
“Come on then,” Doris snarls from the end of the hallway. I jump and quickly go to follow her, but I am stopped mid-step by a giant furry body. I blink at Riddick in confusion, and in response he drops his head and licks my bare toes.
“Ew,” I grumble, wrinkling my nose as I glance down at my now-slobbered-on, wet feet. “Did you have to lick them?” I pat his head. “Good point, though. Let me grab my shoes.”