Chapter 8

Rowan felt someone behind her but thinking it was Adrian didn’t turn around, she was almost ready, he could wait five more minutes for her to arrange herself into a presentable manor.

Putting on her jeans, she was startled when a hand came around and held something over her nose and mouth, she tried to break free but felt her body going slack and her vision was fading. With everything inside her she tried to fight the sleepy feeling overtaking her but it was no use.

She woke up with a start as a god awful smell hit her, sitting bolt upright she banged her head.

“Ow” she said rubbing her head and trying to look around. Where was she and what had happened? Then she remembered. Fear swamped her, engulfing her completely. Someone had taken her form work, she was meant to be meeting Adrian, would he think that she ran out on him? What was she thinking about him for, he wasnt the one in a strange place scared to death, if he thought she had left for the night he would still be safe, probably tucked up in bed right now not caring that she was in danger. Her breath hitched as her eyes started to burn, oh for crying out loud, not now, didn’t she have enough to deal with? Oh My God, what if this was the same perv that had attacked her last night? What was he planning to do with her? Why take her if he only wanted her dead? Her heart raced, pounding fear through her whole body, was he going to keep her tied up and rape her – repeatedly? Wasn’t once enough for him? And now her vamped up vision would show her every fucking detail of her ordeal, in finely turned Technicolor. What had she done to deserve this?

“Good your awake.” A low commanding voice said to her, she couldn’t see the owner he was sitting in a chair with his back to her and the person responsible for that smell was scurrying away from her with super human speed if you asked her.

Turning from the scurrying.. whatever it was she asked.

“Wh... what.. do. Dooo You want .... w, with me?” she asked not able to hide one iota of her fear from him. Her voice trembling so badly she could hardly hear what she was saying.

“I don't want anything from you Rowan, I'm here to set you free.”

Now what the hell did that mean? She had been free, as far she was aware he was the one obstructing that at the moment. She couldn’t talk anymore her fear was chocking her, did he mean he would kill her and that was setting her free in his fucked up perspective?

“Randolph, go and get Miss Rowan something to eat.” The voice said, he still had yet to tell her who he was, should she ask or would that seal her fate, whatever that was. She decided not to ask, the less she knew about him the better her chances were of him leaving her alive, and alive sounded good right now. Yeah but what kind of alive will you be after he is finished with you? She had to say something, anything to get her out of her own mind and the possibilities of what was going to happen to her.

“A drink would be good.” That sounded naff but at least she had said something.

“what would you like to drink?” He asked

“Scotch, a large one” she said before she could stop herself.

The guy laughed at her but ordered the Randolph person to get a bottle. This gave her the opportunity to look round the room, see if there was any way out that she could get to. The room was circular and old judging by the stone work she guessed she was in some kind of turret, no windows that she could see. The only light in the room was candles, lots of them and a fire place crackling with flames and giving off too much heat for this small space, or was she just feeling the heat? She scooted to the wall and brought her knees upto her chin, trying to make herself as small as possible, if there had been a bed she would have been under it in a shot. But this would have to do.

“Don't be afraid my dear, you have nothing to fear from me I promise you. I have been searching for you for a long time. But first before I tell you all about myself you need to eat, you will need your concentration for what I'm about to tell you.”

This guy was nuts, if he thought that she was going to eat anything he gave her, even if her stomach wasnt twisting itself into knots she wouldn’t be able to eat.

“my concentration is just fine, I'm not hungry.” She said wanting him to get on with whatever he was going to do, she’d had enough of her own imaginings, and doubted he could do any worse to her than she had him doing in her head.

“Ah Randolph, do come in.. yes, yes, just put it down here.” He said getting up from his chair and sampling the food. “come come my dear, sit here and let me tell you what this is all about.”

Rowan felt herself move although she was sure she hadn’t ordered that movement. Her body got up on it's own violation and went to the table, her mind screaming at her to stop and go back to where she had been, far away from this weirdo. She sat in the chair Randolph had pulled out, she had not looked at her ‘hosts’ face, she didn’t want to give him reason to kill her, instead she sought refuge in her fingers, twisting them in and out of one another. God her fingernails were dirty, she really needed to get one of those nail scrubber thingies.

“heres your Scotch my dear, I'm sure you will like it it's an old one, very mature and goes down like silk. One of my favourites if I'm honest.”

She took the drink and closing her eyes, downed it one, he had been right she didn’t get the burn she was waiting for, it was as smooth as velvet.

“Good isn’t it?”

Rowan didn’t answer, she was not going to have a conversation with about good or bad with this madman, she pushed her glass away from her, still not looking at him and hoped he would refill it, if she was shit faced she wouldn’t feel a thing.

“I knew you were a girl after my own heart.” He purred.

Yeah right, like he had a heart.

She took the drink he pushed towards her and downed it again. because she hadn’t eaten since about 5pm, and that had just been crisps, the buzz was starting, she welcomed it and couldn’t wait to drink more to numb whatever pain he intended inflicting on her, once he’d finished with the niceties.

“Now now, thats not how you treat a drink this old my dear, this needs to be treated like a fine lady, with respect and appreciation.”

That got her to look at him against her will. She gasped, he had the same bloody eyes as Jake and Adrain. What was it about her that these eyes wouldn’t leave her alone?

“Hmm, I see you recognise me. Don't you?”

“your eyes.” she said it before she could stop herself, even her mouth was against her right now. Her brain, well that had shut down on the last of her gruesome delusion, of what he might do.

“Yes, I know youve met my nephew.”

“Your WHAT?”

“My Nephew, Xavier. He was with you tonight. It’s why I had to have you brought to me the way I did. He is a disgrace to our family and wants you, how shall I put this.... he wants you dead.”

Rowan chocked on her own suliva, as her mouth went dry. Who the Hell was Xavier and why did he want her dead, she didn’t even know him for fucks sake.

“I don't know who you are talking about. I don't know any Xavier.” She finaly managed to say, her voice as dry and her mouth was.

“I think you know his as Adrian, he is dangerous bastard that should have been dealt with long ago. It is my fault for not dealing with him when I had the chance, and now you are in danger and it is all my fault.”

“You can't mean who I think you mean.” She couldn’t put the two together, Adrian had saved her twice, how could this guy be talking about the same person. She still didn’t know his name and he expected her to believe, that he was the one protecting her. Like hell she was going to fall for that, she hadn’t been born yesterday and wasn’t zipped up backwards.

“Yes that exactly who I mean, the same one that attacked you yesterday only to be interrupted by my guard. I wasnt going to contact you they way I had too, I had only just found out about you and I wanted to get to know you slowly, I didn’t want to frighten you but he left me no option.” He reached across the table and took her hand.

 she wanted to slap him, get away from the slimy lying bastard, no way was Adrian out to hurt her. With Adrian she felt safe, not so much with this madman. Her slin crawled where he touched her.

“I am your Father Rowan. My name is Meridian. I have much to tell you, but for now just know that I have always loved you and have searched for you for many years, I will never again let you out of my sight.”

WOWOWOWO, He was NOT her father, of that she was sure. Wasnt she? Wouldn’t she know her own father? She had to admit she wouldn’t.

What he was saying could be true, she had no memory of her parents. The only thing she remembered was the orphanage.

Could this be her father? She hoped not, then something else hit her.

She had liked Adrian and if what this guy ‘her father’ was saying was true, that would make Adrian her cousin. She shuddered at the thoughts she had had about him after the second attack and she had been in his arms.

That was incest. YUCK!

Her heart flipped then hit her stomach with a painful lop. She didn’t want to believe a word he was saying, but Adrian had been there both times she had been attacked, was he trying to lull her into a false sense of security, because if he was, he had done a bang up job.

She had been about ready to give him her virginity for crying out loud.

Should she just play along with her ‘father’ and hope he let her go soon, she would find Adrian and ask him about this guy, If it he was indeed his uncle then she would have to believe what he was telling her. Wouldn’t she? She didn’t want to, everything in her wanted it to be a lie. But what purpose did this guy have to lie to her, why would he claim her as his daughter if she wasn’t?

Oh Adrian had a lot of splaning to do when she got her hands on him. Thats if she ever got out of here.

“I can see you don't believe me dearest, but I can prove it to you.”

“Go on then.”

“You are having trouble with your eyes are you not?”

She had forgotten about them being blood red, with everything else going on who would blame her but that was obvious, so that wouldn’t prove anything.

“How’s that going to prove anything?”

“I can tell you why your having trouble. You are 18 and you are going through the change Rowan. We are not what you would call normal, you are not from here. I wanted to tell you about your culture slowly, carefully because I know it's going to shock you, but in order for me to prove to you that I am your father.... look.”

She did and his eyes turned red too, holy shit!!!!!  

How could she deny his claim now?