Witchling (Chronicles of Witchood) (8 page)

Aiden tilted his head slightly to the side as he waited for me to finish my sentence, which I held and the suspense of what I intended to say grew.

“Unless?” he asked finally.

I narrowed my eyes. “Unless what your brother said about you is true.”

Ethan hadn’t really said anything to me, but that didn’t matter. The mere mention of Ethan brought a change of expression onto Aiden’s face, and it was then that I realized I had just discovered his weakness.

“What did he say to you?” he asked, almost too quickly and he regret
ted it. I could see that he wanted to take it back but couldn’t. He turned to walk away but I grabbed his arm.

“Don’t you dare run away from me,” I commanded.
Aiden looked down at my hand and then at me. He hadn’t expected me to be so daring. I released him. He bowed his head.

“I apologize for my rudeness. Please, let me take you home.”

I sighed. There was no winning with him. Aiden’s mood changed quicker than anyone I’ve ever encountered. The rain lightened its downpour and I made my dash across the parking lot to his car. Within moments, I was in the passenger seat.

I barely had time to blink when Aiden was in the driver’s seat and pulling his seat belt over his body.

“This isn’t fair,” I complained, “you stalk me, you pretend to be a student, and you still won’t let me in on your secret.”

“I already told you my name,” he said, “is that not enough?”

“No, it will never be enough.”

Aiden started the car and the engine purred to life. “You ought to be scarred of me, I’m not good for you.”

“Yeah, tell me that, now while I’m sitting in your car again.”

Aiden started driving. I refused to let us slip into silence.

“That person you killed,” I started, “what was he? A doppelgänger?”

“How did you know?”

“I’ll tell you after you answer my question.”

“Yes,” he said after some time.

“And what are you?”

“Why are you so
persistent?”

“Because I’m a girl. It’s what I do.
Answer me, Aiden Winters.”

Aiden refuse
d to speak and he drove until he reached my driveway.

“Take care, Amelia,” he said. Aiden leaned over me and pushed open the door.
My heart pounded against my chest as his body momentarily pressed against mine. He unbuckled my seatbelt and waited for me to get out of his car. I blinked and turned my face to look at him. He adverted his eyes and avoided looking at me, it was as if he was ashamed.

“Fine,” I said, “take care, Aiden.”

I got out of his car, ran up the front door and shoved my house key into the lock. He waited until I was inside, only then did I hear his car drive away. I watched him leave from the living room window.

I sprawled myself down on the couch and closed my eyes. I didn’t know what to do. Ethan wouldn’t talk and Aiden
flipped from one person to another within a blink.

An urgent knock sounded at the door and interrupted my thoughts. I pulled myself off the
couch and went to answer it. I gasped at the sight that greeted me. Lydia’s adoptive mother stood on the other side, her clothes drenched in blood and with the rain all over her face. There was a large gash across the nape of her neck and the open skin looked like it had been mauled by some vicious animal. Her dark skin was bruised and beaten, her lips broken.

“Amy,” she managed to utter
with relief as she collapsed into my arms. I barely kept my balance.

“Luke!” I screamed. I knew he was in the house. My brother didn’t make a sound and I knew he must have had his headphones on. “Help!”

Chapter 8

Rick, Karen and Lydia arrived at my house at approximately the same time as the ambulance. Luke was beside me as the paramedics hauled Anna, who was barely alive, away. Lydia went in the ambulance with her while the rest of us followed in Rick’s car. I sent my parents a text when they didn’t pick up their phones.

We waited with Lydia in the hospital foyer as the doctors operated on her mom. One of the nurses reported that she had internal bleeding and an emergency operation was needed immediately. Rick filled out the forms for Lydia as Karen and I held her in our arms. Even though Lydia and Karen did not
recognise it, I knew that whatever attacked Anna was the same one that attacked Lydia.

About an hour later, Karen’s parents arrived. They just got off work and saw their daughter’s
frantic message. Page and James was both surprised and confused as neither of them expected to see Anna ever again. My parents arrived about ten minutes after.

We sat for what seemed like forever and it was Jess who came out of the operation room to talk to us. Lydia was still shaking despite our efforts to comfort her. I didn’t blame her though, if it was my mom, I would have reacted the same way.

“It’s bad but she’ll be alright,” the emergency nurse reported.

All our hearts sighed with relief. We expected worse. Jess turned her attention to Lydia. “It looked like whatever attacked your mother is the same creature that
attacked you. Are you sure you don’t remember what it looks like? Or where you were when the attack happened?”

Lydia shook her head. Her mind was completely blank about the entire event and I knew she was not lying. Lydia had no reason to hide the truth from us. I instantly thought of Ethan and Aiden.
They would know something about the attack on Anna and Lydia.

I went home in mom’s car and Luke sat in the backseat while I sat in the front. Dad followed us in his car. I looked out the window, my eyes glazed by the streetlamps that provided little light through the thick rain.

“Do you think she’ll be alright?” I asked.

I was speaking to mom but it was Luke who answered. It was then that I realised how
disturbed he was by the sight of the blood and bruises. “Who? Anna or Lydia?”

“Anna and Lydia are strong,” my mom said, “They’ll both be fine.”

The car slipped into silence and I watched my brother’s hazy reflection in the side view mirror. He looked pale, or maybe it was just because of the dim light. I felt sorry for him as I remembered that he was still only fourteen and didn’t know what I knew.

None of us had the stomach to eat dinner that night and retreated to my bedroom when we got home. I dumped my bag on the floor in front of the dresser. The empty book I stole from the library slipped out, its covers opened. I picked it up but could not find anything different or significant about it. The book was just a book, and yet sometime it felt as if it was trying to be more.

My phone rang and when I looked at the screen, the incoming number was unfamiliar. I answered it.

“Hello?”

Silence ensued on the caller’s side.

“Hello?” I tried again and moved from my bed to stand by the window. Perhaps the rain was making the reception bad. “Can you hear me?”

I frowned when the caller hung up.

“Weird,” I found myself saying.

I looked out my window and my skin suddenly pricked up with fear. For half a heartbeat, I thought I saw something glint in the dark, like the eyes of something demonic. The memory of Aiden’s transformation just before he kicked me out of his car returned to me and I wondered it if was him. But my gut told me that it was something else, something dangerous and definitely not Aiden. My fingers instinctively found Ethan’s number. I pressed the phone to my ear as I stared at the spot where I thought I saw the eyes.

“I’m busy. This better be life and death.”

I felt relieved by the sound of his voice, despite his angry tone.

“There’s something outside my house.”

“I know.”

“What?”
I hadn’t expected that reply from him.

“Keep your window closed.”

“What is it?” I attempted to peer outside but the light in my room prevented me.

“You don’t want to know. Isn’t it past your bed time?”

“Is it the same creature that attacked Lydia and Anna?” I pressed on.

Ethan didn’t reply. “Go to bed,” he said.

“No. I can’t sleep with whatever it is outside my house. I can almost see it.”

“Almost isn’t the same as can.
Now, go to sleep. Don’t worry. I’ve got Aiden on its tail. You’ll be safe. Now, if you’d excuse me, I have to go and help my brother before he accidentally kills it.”

Ethan didn’t hesitate to hang up on me. The line died and there was nothing else that I could do. I could have rang him back, but didn’t.

I turned off my lights and went back to the window. I stared out into the darkness and searched for the eyes I thought I saw. No, I did see them, those big black eyes that glinted with life and not just a figment of my imagination. Ethan had confirmed that something was definitely outside.

I stared into the darkness but the rain helped the night hide its monster.
I hated not knowing. It made me feel helpless. I stayed at the window for what seemed like at least an hour, my eyes glued on the drenched yard below and my ears pricked up with alertness. But despite my efforts, I still couldn’t hear or see anything.

I jumped when my phone buzzed with a message. I looked at the lighted screen and saw that it was Ethan.

Seriously, go to bed.

His message was not very compelling, especially when he just told me that there was something outside, along with Aiden, who was going to kill it.

Another message came in. I looked at my phone again and saw that it was from the number that had rung me before I decided to call Ethan.

Listen to him, Amelia.

The message baffled me until it quickly dawned on me that it might just be Aiden. Surely, the brothers are communicating with each other. There was no other possible explanation. I stepped away from the window and went to my bed, but I did not go to sleep as instructed. Instead, I remain seated with my eyes staring at the darkness outside.

~

I didn’t know when I fell asleep but I must have. It was obvious enough for me to quickly deduce that I was dreaming. The forest returned like a long lost friend who I had abandoned for more pleasant dreams that I can’t remember. The trees shivered their branches above my head as they attempt to wave and hail my return. Even the gentle wind that stalked the dreamscape kissed my cheeks and hailed my return. It was as if they missed me. I certainly did not miss them.

It felt strange to know that I will e
ventually walk towards my death, except this time, I knew the Winter brothers.

I walked down the familiar track and half way towards the execution ground, I found Ethan, the once mysterious blonde young man that almost drove me mad with curiosity.
He wore his usual leather jacket and dark jeans, his shoulders broad and strong, his hair cropped short. I called out his name but no sound came out of my mouth. I was not allowed to communicate with him.

Ethan did not turn around and remained still, his eyes transfixed on something in the distance, just beyond the trees. I realised that I didn’t remember this part of the dream. I usually skip
ped right to the part where I was about to die.

I walked up to Ethan and reached out for his arm, but no matter how many steps I took towards him, I could never quite touch him. It was as if he was off limits. Someone called out my name in the wind. I turned around and thought the voice sounded familiar. It was a male’s voice, deep and sultry.

“Aiden,” I whispered.

I turned back to face Ethan, only to find Aiden in his place. He looked at me, his eyes filled with pity and sorrow. I didn’t understand it.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said to me. His green eyes were like emeralds caught in the light. My legs became rooted as Aiden stepped forward and lifted his hands up to my face. I felt his soft palms against my cheeks and my heart in my ears. For that moment, the forest melted away and I was alone with him.

“This is a dream,” I told myself. “And I’m going to die soon.”

Aiden shook his head. “It doesn’t have to be that way. You have to trust us.”

“Who? You and Ethan.”

Aiden did not reply as his seemingly solid body became incorporeal and started to fade. He turned into a ghost and his hand disappeared from my face. I watched as the wind blew his existence away.

“Aiden,” I called out.

The path to the execution ground returned and I felt compelled to walk down it. But Aiden’s words caused conflict in my head and his touch seemed to linger on my skin.

“This is a dream,” I repeated. It started to feel like a chant, a protective spell that would somehow prevent the second half of the dream from happening. I’
ve never done it before and it felt rather liberating to have some sense of control.

The wind ran her fingers through my hair and sent it flying out in front of my face. I saw
the dark brown strands turn red with blood and I felt something seep out from the top of my head. My hand touched the warm sticky substance and quickly realised that I was bleeding. My head throbbed and everything suddenly felt real.

At first I panicked but then remembered my mantra.

“This is a dream. This is a dream. This is a dream.”

The forest floor swirled as the wind fanned a flame to life. It snaked around me and blazed up to lick my skin with its hot tongue. My skin burned at its touch. I cried out and attempted to move away but only to stumble into the fire behind me.

“This is a dream,” I told myself. “Wake up Amy, wake up!”

I must have screamed
but it was stifled by a firm hand over my mouth. I woke up to find Aiden’s face looking down at me. My bedside lamp was on and its light contoured his magnificent face. Wide eyed, confused and frightened, I stared at him. He placed a finger to his lips. I nodded and he slowly released his grip over my mouth.

I breathed heavily and found my skin covered in sweat.
Aiden shuffled to the edge of bed as I sat up.

“Everything’s alright,” he said gently.

Aiden reached out and brushed my hair from my face. His soft touch sent a wave of shiver across my skin.

“How did you get in?”
I bumbled out the question. “My window is locked.”

“Front door.”

“Of course,” I whispered.

Aiden stood up and made his way towards the window. “I should go.”

“Wait. Don’t leave. Please. With the attacks, the dreams and your lack of cooperation, I don’t want to be alone.”

“Lack of
cooperation?” Aiden turned and looked at me with furrowed brows.

“You know, with you not telling me what you are and all. It has to do with my dream, doesn’t it? You being here.”

“It’s only a nightmare.” Aiden turned his face towards the ground. I felt a shadow of guilt in his darkened green eyes and knew instantly that he had something to do with it.

The nightmare gripped at my skin, like an invisible sheet that clung on so tightly that it made me sweat.

“Aiden Winters,” I commanded, “look at me when you speak.”

“Amelia,” he started. The way he said my name made me flush with heat and my head started to spin. I didn’t know what came over me as I felt dizzy. Aiden saw the sudden change in my demeanour and he quickly rushed to my side. He placed his arms around my shoulders and
cradled me, his skin cool as shaved ice and he smelled of fresh snow. A thought popped into my head and a part of my brain told me that I was starting to hallucinate. Are vampires always this beautiful?

Aiden placed his hand on my forehead. “You’re heating up,” he said with a worried expression.

“What are you?”

“Now is not the time, Amelia.”

“Then when is the right time?”

“You need to cool down.”

“You’re avoiding my question again.”

“You woke up before your nightmare was complete and now you
r body is paying the price,” said Aiden. He waved his free hand and the blanket over my body lifted up and folded itself in half at the foot of my bed.

Aiden placed me down on my pillow and went over to my dresser where a snuffed out candle sat.

“So I was right,” I whispered, “it was you.”

Aiden clicked his fingers just above the wick. Sparks flew down and a small flame came to life.
I pushed myself up and regretted it immediately. My head spun and I felt suddenly sick. Aiden returned to my side and placed his palm slightly below my neck.

“I’m going to put you to sleep.”

“I don’t want to sleep.”

“But you must. It’s the only way I can help you.”