Fated
Chapter 9

Eve

I make my way up the stairs slowly with Dante following close behind. I can’t explain it, but somehow I feel safer with this stranger than I ever had in my own home. All my life I had thought my mother was just strict, but it turns out she was just evil. I turn down the hall and make my way to my room before pausing to look behind me, but Dante is gone and all I see is the light of the moon shining through the windows casting small shadows here and there that skim gracefully across the halls and floor. My heart sinks a little as I let out a sigh and walk into my room closing the door behind me. I make my way to my bed leaving a trail of flip flops and clothes behind me. As my head hits the down pillow I almost instantly drift to sleep.

As I sleep my dreams are weaved with flashbacks from my childhood and flashes of my vision from earlier where I watched my mother rip Sedira’s still beating heart from her chest. I am startled awake by a soft knock on my bedroom door.

“Miss? Are you decent?” comes the sweet voice of Martha through my door.

“Yes Martha!” I shout much louder than intended as I pull my blanket higher to hide my nudity that lies beneath it.

“I have brought you something to eat since you did not come down for dinner miss. I did try knocking, but you must have been sleeping like a rock.” she giggles softly as she places a tray on my bedside table.

“You are too kind Martha and please, call me Eve.” I smile warmly at the sweet old woman who always seems so warm and caring.

“I…Yes miss…I mean…Eve.” she seemed to struggle with it at first, but smiles from ear to ear the moment my name left her lips. “If you need anything more just dial 11 and I will be up as fast as I can.” she quickly exits the room before I can say another word. I begin to wonder if the quick escape is a requirement for living here seeing as how everyone here seems to have mastered the skill.

I do not even attempt to lift the lid to the tray as I find that I have no desire to eat. Instead I stand up pulling the blanket tightly around me and make my way to the large glass doors and onto the balcony. I stand with my head tilted toward the sky as I stare at the stars with the wind gently licking at my face and causing the blanket to flow with its movement. The sound of Dante clearing his throat startles me as I whip around and my eyes fall directly to his.

“I am sorry if I scared you, it was not my intention.” he slowly stalks over to the balcony resting his elbows on the railing as he looks up at the stars.

“I didn’t hear you come in. Did you need something?” I ask as I, too, raise my gaze back up to the night sky.

He sighs deeply as if debating on if he should say what it is that has his face straining to hold back whatever emotions his words will likely carry.

“I…I do not know what I thought this arrangement would entail, but I find myself questioning it now.” He looks over to me, likely trying to gauge my reaction as he speaks.

“What do you mean? Do you no longer want me here?” the thought that this may be true is oddly heartbreaking to me.

“It is not that I don’t want you here Eve. I just cannot keep a living being here against their will in order to settle a debt. You had no say in this and it is not fair to you.” His words should probably make me feel at ease like a slave hearing they are being given their freedom, but it has quite the opposite effect.

“So first my mother doesn’t want me, trades me to you in the search for greater power for herself…and now…now you don’t want me either?” I don’t even bother to hide my heart ache as the words spill out as fast as my tears. There is a large clap of thunder as rain beings to fall from the sky that was clear only a moment ago. Dante throws his arms around me before I can even catch my breath and pulls me tightly to him. I fall apart in his arms with every restrained emotion finding freedom as they wrack my body with sobs. He pulls back and slides both hands up until he is gripping my cheeks with a firm but gentle grasp.

“How could I ever not want you here? I have been with you, in one way or another, from your very first moments on this earth. I have marveled at your brilliance and innocence and felt the heartbreak of your sadness. I will never not want you with me Eve...never.” His words flow out in a heated burst as if he had been waiting to say them my whole life.

“Then what are you trying to say to me?” I whimper as the words come out like a whisper.

“I want you to be mine, but on your terms Eve.” he is panting out the words as we are both now drenched with me struggling to hold up my blanket that feels impossibly heavy. It is like something clicks in his mind as he looks at my grip shifting around the blanket as I pull it further up to my chest and he chuckles. “Come inside and let’s get you dried off.”

I want you to be mine, but on your terms. Those words sink into me as I ponder their meaning while following him back into my room.

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