Chained (The Siren Series #2) (4 page)

“
This is the living room.” she
said.

She left me to look around. Sitting on the
sofa were a few people, they chatted amongst themselves, but as
soon as they spotted us they stopped and stared. Without saying a
word to them, I turned and caught up Rhea. At the next stop she
showed me a small kitchen area. Inside was a small fridge at the
side and a medium size table made of thick wood, it took its place
in the center of the room and sitting at the table was Sophia
eating her breakfast. Sophia’s eyes lit up once she saw me and gave
a little wave. We then moved on throughout to see what else this
place had to offer but Rhea came to a stop and turned to
me.

“
I think you’ll want to use our next
facility.” Rhea commented.

Rhea pushed open the door to reveal a
shower area that held small cubicles on either side. I didn’t know
what she was showing me until I could hear flowing of water. I
could not remember when it was the last time I had a
shower.

“
I’ll leave you too it then.” she
smiled.

I jumped straight into the shower. It was
small but I wasn’t complaining if it had hot running water. I
pulled the lever towards myself and out jetted a stream of warm
water. I stood there basked in the warm calming water. As I stood
in the water I could feel everything being washed away like it was
all a bad dream.

I felt so much better after the shower it
was like I was a new person. I dried myself with some fluffy towels
and changed into the clothes Rhea kindly laid out for me. There was
pair of black loose jeans and a tight cream coloured top, it wasn’t
much but at least they were clean. I had been wearing the same
stained torn clothes for weeks and they needed to go, badly. I
threw my ragged clothes into the nearest bin and continued out of
the shower area. My stomach started to growl with hunger so I
decided to go and find the kitchen, if I could remember where it
was. I walked through the cold halls, still trying to remember the
way to the kitchen. As I turned a corner thinking for sure this was
the way, I knocked into someone who gave a little yelp
up.

“
Oh I’m so sorry.” I said.

The young girl didn’t meet my gaze;
instead she bent down and collected her fallen books. She checked
for any damage and brushed off any dirt that stuck to it. Her head
then snapped up into my direction and looked as if she was about to
unleash her anger on me but she quickly held her tongue.

“
I know who you are.” she
said.

The girl who stood in front of me had wild
frizzy chestnut brown hair which she repeatedly kept moving away
from her big brown doe eyes. She looked a bit older than me but I
couldn’t really tell. The girl hugged the book to her chest and
stared at me as did all the others.

“
I cannot believe I’m seeing one up
close.” said the staring girl.

“
I guess everyone knows about me now do
they?” I asked.

“
Well everyone is talking about it and I
mean
everyone
.” she
replied.

“
I bet they want to see the freak, do
they?”

“
How can you say that about yourself? Most
supernatural creatures would kill and I mean
kill
to get a chance to become a Siren.”

“
Thanks.” I mumbled.

“
Oh my god, I’m sorry. I have a bad
habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Let’s start
again, my name’s Amanda.”

Amanda adjusted her book and placed out
her hand.

“
Oh sorry, there I go again.” Amanda
quickly threw her hand behind her back.

“
I’m Ellie, but you probably knew that
all ready.” I said.

“
Yeah, your kinda’ big news around here.
Why don’t we sit in the living room, don’t think you’d want anyone
else knowing your business in the hallway.”

She was right; I didn’t want anyone
overhearing us.

Amanda led the way into the decorated
living room with the plush chocolate brown sofas along with
colourful glass lamps scattered
around the room. The room was empty apart from two of us. She then
threw herself onto the large sofa while putting her book to one
side.

I just stood awkwardly next to the sofa,
waiting for the invitation.

“
You can sit down you know, this is kinda’
your living room as well.”

I took a seat next to Amanda who looked fit
to burst with joy.

“
Go ahead.” I said to her.

“
What do you mean?”

“
I know you dying to ask me some
questions.” I said to her.

“
Really!?” she turned in her seat and gave
me her full attention. “What’s it like to be one? Have you made
anyone fall deeply in love with you? Have you ever used a Siren
scream?” words came spewing out and I felt like I wanted to run
away.

“
Whoa, slow down.” I said.

“
Sorry, but really what’s it like?” she
brought her voice down to normal level.

“
Truthfully? It’s horrible, I hate it.”
I replied.

“
Really? I bet it would be amazing.”
said Amanda.

“
You’re wrong, you’d think differently
when you cannot touch anyone.”

“
Yeah, that does sound horrible.” she
said.

“
It is. I hate it.” I
replied.

“
But I’ve heard stories of Sirens that they
can do anything they want, I wond
er what it feels like?”

Amanda held out her hand
and looked at me with her big
brown doe eyes.

I quickly stood up from my seat. “What is
wrong with you? Touching you could put you and myself in danger,
never ask me to do that again.”

I was done talking with her. I left the
living room with anger slowly bubbling away while looking for the
kitchen again.

In the end I followed the smells of food
to guide me and within minutes I found it. Sophia greeted me with
her usual smile and offered me some food. I decided on some cereal.
The kitchen was not big but it did have the basics. I sat down
beside Sophia and eat my food. For a few minutes we continued in
silence, like we were two complete strangers. I had to break the
uncomfortable silence.

“
Where are we Sophia?” I asked.

“
D
idn’t Rhea tell you?” she replied.

I
shook my head while shoveling the spoon into my
mouth.

“
Well, we are underground.”

“
What!” Milk dribbled down my
chin.

No wonder everything was so cramped, we were
living underground, but how? Was it safe underground? Did we have
enough oxygen?

“
Yeah, I thought she
would have told you. This place used to be
a bomb shelter and it’s now a converted hideout where
supernatural’s can come when they’ve got nowhere else to
go.”

“
Are we safe down here then?” I asked
her

“
Totally safe.” she said with her soft
voice.

“
So these runaways are like me then?” I
asked.

“
Yes, you could say that.”

“
Some of them are very young.” I
commented.

“
That’s the worst part of it they have
nowhere to go since some of their families have been
killed.”

“
By the leaches.” I didn’t need Sophia
to tell me that. Those disgusting creatures have destroyed
everything that is good.

As Sophia and I were talking, a big brute
of a
young man came into
the kitchen. His eyes caught mine and I felt fear. I dug my nails
into my chair as I watched him grab something from the small
fridge. As he left I saw something shimmer with light from his
belt.

“
Who the hell was that?” I
asked.

“
Don’t worry about him, he’s part of
the protectors.” Sophia said.

“
Protectors?” I was completely
lost.

“
Yeah they are an order of people who
protect the supernatural world. You could call them the police of
your world.”

“
But he looks terrifying.” I
replied.

“
Ah, they are kittens really, they put
their lives on the line for us.”

“
Well I feel a little better, I think.”
I said.

“
You should, you are safe here, Ellie.” she
tried to reassure me but the words didn’t offer me any
comfort.

I paused at my unfinished meal and I wiped my
face.

“
Uh, Sophia.” I wanted her full
attention.

“
What is it Ellie?” she
asked.

“
About Rhea’s manor, you got hurt because
of me. I’m so sorry.” I said.

Sophia didn’t say anything she just stared at
me.

“
Please forgive me, please.” I begged
her.

“
I forgive you, but it really wasn’t
your fault.” Her perfect pink lips curved up into a
smile.

“
Of course it was my fault, I made it
happen. If I hadn’t been there none of this would have
happened.”

“
Ellie, I don’t blame you and neither
does Rhea. She was worried sick about trying to find you.” answered
Sophia.

“
I’m glad that she did, it was horrible
down there, Sophia.”

“
I cannot even begin to imagine,
Ellie.”

“
At one point I just wanted it all to
go away and let the darkness take me away.” I said.

Sophia just stared at me lost for words.

We continued with our breakfast in
silence. I finished the last of my cereal and put it into the small
metal sink. I turned around and Rhea stood in the kitchen, waiting.
She always had the ability of sneaking up on me and I think she got
some kind of kick out of it.

“
Ellie, can we talk?” she said
seductively.

I nodded while waved goodbye to Sophia and
followed Rhea down the hallway. We walked together down a narrow
hallway. As soon as Rhea passed, the other residents would stop and
bow or politely call her ma’am. (Should I be doing that as well?) I
tried to keep up with her but my little legs were not quick enough.
As soon as they were done with their bowing they would turn their
gaze onto me and stare in awe, after a while it got very
awkward.

Rhea stopped in front of a large door
covered with engravings of weird symbols that looked like giant
eyes with crosses through them. She held it open while I quickly
hurried on into the unknown room. Inside was a bedroom much nicer
than the one I was in. It had a four poster bed with silk curtains
draped on either side along with matching pillows and cream
coloured blankets. She also had her own en suite (fancy) and a
large make-up dressing table that was covered with unknown creams
and remedies inside weirdly shaped thin glass bottles. (Not that
she needs the beauty treatment). Rhea walked in and sat down into a
plush chair and crossed her legs. I sat down on the other chair
opposite her and I just stared down at my hands
nervously.

“
Ellie.” She began to speak. “You
destroyed my house.”

My heart dropped, does she want to punish
me after what I did
.
“I’m so sorry.” I tried to explain but she brought up her hand and
stopped me.

“
Not many people can do that, I’m
impressed.”

“
So you’re not mad?”

“
No, it’s just a house, Ellie. It can be
rebuilt.” she gave me a reassuring smile and a wave of relief
washed over me.

“
Thanks.” I said.

“
So how are you feeling?”

Rhea’s question threw me. I hadn’t really
stopped and thought how I
was feeling. I just tried to hide my emotions as best as I
could.

“
It’s difficult.” I said.

“
I must say you are dealing with it
very well.”

“
It’s just one of my talents I’ve
developed over the years.” I replied.

“
It is a remarkable talent indeed, even
I cannot read your emotions.” commented Rhea.

I remained silent, awkwardly shifting in my
chair.

“
You are safe here, Ellie. I mean that
this time.”

“
Y
eah.” I mumbled.

“
Ellie, do you blame me?” she
asked.

“
No, never. It’s just things are so
messed up.” I answered.

“
I can understand, it’s all so
different for you now and you have to adjust to it the best you
can.”

“
Yeah.” It was all I could
say.

“
Good. I wanted to talk to you about
certain things that have happened.”

“
Like what?” I didn’t really want to talk
about
things.

“
Well, first. That man who abducted
you.”

“
Oh yeah, he knew you didn’t he, but how?”
I asked.

“
Well I have a long dark history with
Barbus, and that’s how I want to keep it.” She spoke with such hate
for him.

“
He asked for me to join him, but I
told him no.”