Indignation (27 page)

She makes her way up her room. It seems as if years have passed since she has been in her room when in reality it has only been a couple of days. Her phone beeps in alert. She opens the text message to find it’s from Julian. He’s asking her where she is. She quickly texts him back that she’s at the mall.

Julian has not lost control since that day horrific day. He has changed somehow because of it though. He treats her like an equal, well most times at least. He has become too overprotective of her. It is annoying, but she will need to deal with it. It comes with loving him. She still doesn’t want him finding out that she has come alone to her house without any of his guards. Maybe the Elim guards will cover for her? She scrolls down her contact list until she finds the number. She calls the number and waits for an answer.

“Hello?” The Head Elim Guard’s deep voice answers.

“Hey Nathaniel.”

“Is something wrong? Do you want me to come inside?”

“No. If Julian calls you, can you please tell him I’m at the mall? I don’t want him worrying over nothing.”

“Sure. I’ll tell him. Actually he’s calling me now. I’ll cover for you.”

“Thanks Nathaniel.”

“No problem Alyssa.”

She retrieves her phone back into her jean pocket. Before she has a chance to lie down on her bed her phone goes

Off again. This time it’s a call. She rolls her eyes knowing who is can be. Julian needs to lie off and let her breathe. She understands that his first priority is to keep her safe, but enough is enough. She’s not going to die by going to her own house.

She’s surprise when she sees that it’s not Julian who’s calling, but Brandon. She quickly answers it. “Hey, Brady.”

“Aly, long time no talk.”

“It’s been just a few days.” She smiles at nothing.

“Few days are a lot.”

“Whatever.”

“So how’s the mobster?” He sarcastically says.

She rolls her eyes at his sarcasm. “Julian’s not a mobster.”

“The amount of guards he has says otherwise.”

She silently curses Julian’s indiscretion. “Not funny.”

“Alyssa, are you okay? Are you sure Julian is harmless now?”

Ever since the sleepover she had with Jim and Brandon, they have been very supportive of her newfound relationship with Julian. They don’t’ agree or like it, but they respect her decision. They had suspected it to happen, but they thought it would be later than sooner. Her friends still worry about her, especially since she has been missing too much school. She is being cautious on Julian’s state. She wants to make sure that will be fine before she goes back to school. The good thing is that she is caught up on all her assignments thanks to Nathaniel, who helped her stay awake all night last night.

“I’m fine Brady. You tell Jim that too. I promise that will try to visit you both tomorrow if I can.”

“When are you coming to back to school?”

She pinches the bridge of her nose. “Whenever Julian gets better. He’s really sick and I don’t want to leave him alone.”

“Alright. I have to go, but call me if you need anything Aly.”

“I will, Brady.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Her phone chimes, this time she knows its Julian. She quickly turns off her phone. Julian needs to give her space. She loves him, but it seems like every time she tries to step foot out his sight, she’s in immortal danger. If he was someone else, he would tell him to find a nice girlfriend to go bother instead of her, but she is the girlfriend. It’s ironic.

Alyssa slams her annoying phone on her bed stand. She lets out a breath of relief. Now that no one is able to interrupt her, she can finally just take a nap on her bed. She can finally enjoy the familiarity of her home. She jumps on her bed. Her eyes close from exhaustion.

A loud bang fills her ears. Alyssa sits up. She confusingly scans her room, but she can’t find the reason for that sound. She is about to dismiss it when another sound is heard. This time it’s the sound of glass shattering to the floor. No one can possibly be inside her home. Nathaniel is outside. He would have told her or not let them in at all. She finds this strange. Then panic rises inside of her. Can Julian be right about her being in danger that’s why he always panics when she’s not with him? Who would want to harm her? She’s not a danger to anyone. Alyssa grabs the Katana of her mother that she left behind.

She doesn’t really remember anyone who would harm her or follow her, other than Hades. Her own uncle is interested in her, but she doesn’t know why. Julian doesn’t know, or won’t tell her either. She silently opens her door and cautiously moves down the hallway. A tear of paper echoes around the hallway. She turns around, figuring out if it’s coming from behind her. The hallway is empty. Only she is here with her thoughts. She will be fairly annoyed if she finds out she’s dreaming, or having some kind of illusion.

Something inside of her is pulling her towards the staircase. She stands tall on the top set of stairs, opening her senses to warn her. She scans around the view from the top of the stairs. Her Katana is firmly placed in front of her, ready for attack. She’s about to take a step down the stairs when a she feels shoved. Her body falls down merciless down the flight of stairs. Losing control of her Katana, she feels it pierce the side of her arm.

Alyssa holds her bleeding arm when she finally reaches the bottom. She takes a sharp breath from the pain. Her eyes scan up the stairs to find herself smirking. No, not herself, it’s someone else. The leather warobe hugs the woman’s body tight unlike Alyssa’s sweats. Her pale skin matches hers. The way the woman’s light brown hair is straight down her side makes her waves look less natural. Alyssa’s violet eyes are a couple of shades lighter than the woman’s dark purple ones. She can tell the difference, but they are almost identical. It’s like looking at a mirror and seeing her reflection.

“What-?”

The woman maliciously grins.
“
Abyssus
.
 
Hello, sister.”

“Why do you look like me?” Alyssa demands an answer.

The woman walks down the stairs with a dark look on her face mixed with amusement. A dagger is held up to her chest with admiration. Before Alyssa can stop her, the woman takes her hand roughly and slices the palm of her hand open. Alyssa’s scrunches her nose from the sharp pain her arm feels at the movement. Her blood drips to the floor. The woman in front of her wipes the blood that resides on dagger with her leather pants.

“Vos es venalicium per Dagger of Selene.
My name is Annalisa.
”

“That can’t be possible. I’m Annalisa.”
 

 Annalisa laughs darkly. “You will never compare to me. I am the chosen one while you’re just a failed clone. Selene was stupid enough to you create you after me. I am thankful though. You will lift a weight off my shoulders,
sister
.” She spits out.

Alyssa is more confused that she has ever been. Annalisa isn’t her. It’s her twin sister? This all seems like a nightmare, but the punctures caused by Annalisa feel real. “This doesn’t make any sense. Everyone says I’m Annalisa. They all told me I’m her-you.” She corrects.

“Children also say that there are monsters in their closet. That’s not true either. The monsters are the parent that created the weak child. You ever show your weakness to anyone. You do and you die. It’s that simple.” 

“Julian says that. He always tells me to never show weakness.”

Annalisa closes her eyes at the mention of his name. “Julian.” She whispers with longing.

Black tear drops drip down the blade of the dagger in her sister’s hand. “The dagger its-”

Annalisa’s head snaps back from her trance-like state. “It’s waiting to enter Julian’s heart again.” Her voice is filled with pride.

Alyssa stands up from the floor with difficulty. Her eyes widen at insinuation. “You killed him? You’re the one who killed Julian?”

“You’re too weak to do it yourself. You always hid between the portals like the good girl you were created to be. I had to be a slave to two powerful beings who never acknowledged me as their daughter.”

“How are you proud of that? You killed him. He loves us and you killed him. You’re the one that betrayed him, not me.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. He doesn’t love you. He loves me. I’m the Annalisa he fell in love with before his fall. It has always been me. You just have taken my place until now. I’m here to claim what is mine, but not before you come with me to find Selene’s transcript.”

“I’m not going to go anywhere with you. You stabbed me twice after pushing me down the stairs. I don’t think I really trust you even if you are my long lost twin or whatever.”

“You see, I was hoping you would say that because unlike Julian, I don’t give a shit.”

Alyssa is confused when her sister’s malicious grin reappears. She feels the crush of her skull before she falls to the floor with a thump. Her last view is Annalisa’s laughter radiating off the walls. She now wishes she would have listened to Julian. He was right. She was in danger all along.

<><><>

Annalisa orders Merlin to transport them into the car without being noticed. He follows her orders instantly. The sorcerer always does as he’s told, especially when it comes to the dangerous beauty. He has been her consort for a very long time after Julian’s fall. If it wasn’t for him, she would be dead at the hands of Dias.

Her father never acknowledged her as his daughter, only Alyssa. She has no jealous for her weak sister. There is nothing to be jealous about. Annalisa has strength, a manipulative mind, and the love of Julian and Merlin. Who would dare compete with that? Alyssa has only had the acceptance of Selene and the protection of the God. Annalisa has so much more.

“You’re a very cruel woman, Annalisa. I would have never treated family like that.” His coffee brown eyes remain on the road before them.

“Alyssa is not family. She was my temporary replacement until I found the Dagger of Selene.” She takes off her leather jacket and throws it to the back seat. Her chuckle sounds too dark when she thinks about Alyssa being stuffed in the trunk of the stolen Honda.

“Julian will wonder where she is.”

“Julian will wonder where I am, not her. I’ll come back to take my place beside him again.”

Merlin’s arm flew from his grip on the sterling wheel. He may be a sorcerer, but he looks nothing like it. His buff arms are wide with the muscles he has. The tight black V-neck shirt he wears lets the outline of his abs show. His neatly tape cut dark hair seems too neat for his messy nature. He has the looks of a god. Julian will always win compared to him. Julian has something that Merlin will never have. That’s power and ambition. Merlin would be better off with simple woman like Alyssa, who expects nothing but what she gets. Annalisa wants more, so much more. She wants power and revenge. It’s something that she and Julian share. They both are meant for each other, created for each, and will be with each other. She will make sure of it.

She looks out the window. She rolls her eyes at his jealousy. He might have been allowed in her bed several times, but he will never be anything more to her than entertainment. Julian is who she will forever want to be with even if she ends up killing him in the end.

The downside of her schemes is that for anything to happen between her and Julian, she will need to have Merlin on her good side. He’s the only one who can hide them from Dias’s view. If she could do everything alone she would. If only everything was only so simple.

She turns to him with a seductive smile. “You know I only want Julian to satisfy the curse, right? I will never truly love him.” She lies.

“I know.”

“I love you Merlin. Only you.” Her lies just seem to be coming out like a memorized dialogue. Her acting skill has always been her best feature.

“I love you Annalisa. You’re the only woman who has my heart.”

“And soon your soul.” She jokes. He laughs along with her. If only he knew that her plans involve her actually having his immortal soul.

He holds her hand with his large one. His tanned skin contrasts her pale color. “Alyssa will never help you by threats and fights. She isn’t that type of girl who gives into her fear. You’ll have to have a different tactic with her for her to be more cooperative.” He smirks.

“You mean like a sob story she just can’t refuse to say no to?”

“Exactly. She will also be more willing to help if you convince her that Julian would leave her if he were to find out about you. Claim your undying love for him and make her believe it.”

She loves that plan. Alyssa is too weak to refuse. She has observed enough to know that her sister would do anything for Julian. “Merlin, this is why I have you around. You never let me down.” She turns his face roughly towards her. Her lips connect with his in a passionate caress. She will have to get rid of Merlin soon, but why not enjoy his mind while it lasts? 

Message

Julian angrily stomps to the living room of the Pike home where Alyssa has been kidnapped. A lot of Elims stand to take the barking orders from Dias.

“I want my daughter found!” He threatens every single one of them. “She is the heir of my throne and you all have sworn to protect her to your deaths. I want all Elims form the continents to search. I want Hermes to send a message out to all the gods and goddess from the Heavens and Underworld to search as well. Everyone will search until she is found. If she if is found dead I will have everyone transferred to the Underworld to have your souls taken by Hades. Out!”

All the Elims rush out to search except Miranda, Gabriel, and Nathaniel, the Head Elim Guard who is recovering from his head wound.

Julian grabs the Head Elim Guard by the collar of his shirt. “What happened?”

Nathaniel glares back at Julian. “She told me to cover for her because she wanted to go visit her house. I came with her. I heard things breaking inside. Then when I tried to come in I saw a sorcerer. He hit me with something and I blacked out.”