Forsaken (24 page)

             
“Tradition.”

             
“Is there a book somewhere that says no other Sons can dance until Finn Morrison does? ‘Cause if there is, I’d like to find it and burn it.”  He just laughed at me and pulled me out on to the dance floor with our audience looking on.

             
“Just follow my lead,” he whispered to me.  This couldn’t go well.  I expected some sort of cha-cha or rumba or something else equally mortifying, but instead he took my hand and began moving his feet. I immediately understood which dance we were doing.  Shagging is actually something I’d done before, but that didn’t calm my stage fright by any means.  I started to relax a little bit, and got in step with Finn. Under the firefly lights with an empty dance floor, my adrenaline started pumping and I couldn’t believe how much fun I was having.  Finally after ten anxiety filled minutes, other couples came out to the dance floor. 

             
To our left, Ian was trying to teach Phoebe the steps, as she continually ran into him due to watching her feet the whole time.  To our right, I saw something I never thought I would witness; Olivia smiling and laughing.  She was dancing with a tall good-looking guy who was gazing at her as if the sun rose and set in her eyes.  Smiling at my own dance partner, I couldn’t remember the last time I was this happy.

                 Too soon, the lights flickered, announcing the end of the Ball.  I found my shoes, which I had kicked off at some point between The Temptations and The Embers, and started to follow the other couple filing back downstairs to the catwalk, but Finn held back.  He took my hand and guided me to the now empty dance floor.

             
“For my lady.”  He bowed before me and presented me with a single rose he seemingly manifested out of thin air.  Instead of the customary red or yellow, this particular rose was dark as midnight; a rich, soft ebony that reminded me of a raven’s feather.  The embodiment of darkness was captured beautifully in its black petals, but the symbolism of the rose itself lit a startling contradiction between life and death; both intertwined within one fragile flower.  A flower I currently held gently in my hand.  Its sweet aroma drifted up to my nose.

             
“It’s beautiful, Finn,” I breathed, unable to take my eyes off it.

             
“Just like its new owner.” He flashed a dazzling smile down at me and took my hand.

             
He escorted me back downstairs, through the small hallway, and when we rounded the corner, it took me a second to realize what I was seeing.  The other girls had been lowered via the basket of death to the yacht below.  The catwalk stretched out before me with eleven Sons lining the left side. Each held a single black rose just like Finn’s.  One by one, they offered me their flower and nodded their head respectfully.  I wasn’t sure if they were nodding at me or Finn, but it didn’t really matter.  I’d never had anyone show me that kind of recognition.  I was used to hiding in the shadows.  By the time we arrived at the basket, I cradled a dozen black roses in my arms.  I knew my face had to be a bright shade of red from the heat I could feel coming off of it, but I didn’t care.  At that moment, I felt like royalty; a princess swept off her feet by a dark, sexy angel of mystery.  Finn produced a strip of black lace and wrapped it around the flowers, securing them together.

             
“You are too much,” I smiled widely at him.  He narrowed his eyes and stepped closer.

             
“And I’ve only just begun seducing you with my unwavering charm, mademoiselle,” he purred in his horrible British/French accent, his mouth lifting up in a crooked grin I couldn’t resist.  Standing on my tip-toes, I gave him a light kiss.  His arm went around my waist and his other cradled the back of my head as he pulled me to him for a much deeper kiss.  The eleven Sons watching on the catwalk and the hundreds of girls waiting below faded from my consciousness as I willingly drowned in him.  The dark magical quality of the roses in my arms and the night surrounding us folded around me, embracing and warming my heart.  His kisses stopped abruptly as he cupped my chin, forcing me to gaze into his stormy eyes.  My legs suddenly trembled.

             
“I will stop at nothing to protect you, Anastasia.  I want you to remember that.”  The desperation in his eyes and the urgency in his voice tightened my chest with trepidation. I nodded in agreement, not knowing how to respond to his sudden pledge of protection.  What did he think I needed safeguarding from?  Fear quivered in the pit of my stomach, but I tried to push it down.  His shoulders relaxed and his crooked grin returned.

             
“Sweet Dreams, Stasia.” Finn kissed my hand, looking up at me through his long lashes.

             
“Sweet Dreams, Finn.”  I didn’t want to leave his side.  I knew I would feel his absence like a cold wind blowing around my heart.  Reluctantly, I stepped into the basket, steadied myself and met his smiling eyes again.  The winch came to life and I was being lowered.  He became smaller and smaller until I could no longer see him. 

             
“Stasia!” Phoebe broke my trance.  She ran to the basket, but was held back by the Son opening the bar for me.  The deck was pitching back and forth violently, making it difficult to find my balance.  I carefully took several steps before she had her arms around me.  She handed me my clutch, and then looked down at my roses with awe.

             
“Ohhh, how beauthiful!  I’ve nefer theen black roshes before!”  She bent down to smell them and I felt a buzzing in my clutch.  She looked at me with a lopsided smile and poked my shoulder with her finger.  On the sobriety scale, Phoebe would be at the too-drunk-to-be-in-public level. “Youuu are one luckyyy girl, Stasthia.  You bether hold on to him” She slurred at me and I laughed, taking her arm and leading her inside.  My phone buzzed again.

             
“Come on, let’s sit down and have some water,” I cocked an eyebrow at her.  I could tell she was seeing at least four ‘Stathias’ at the moment.  I motioned for a waiter and asked for a very big glass of water and something to eat.  I checked my phone and saw I had a voicemail. 

             
At first, I only heard rapid breathing.  I pressed the phone to my ear. “
Stasia!”
More panting followed by a soft whimper.  “
You were…right…You were right
.
I don’t know what she’ll do
… ” My blood turned to ice as I heard a rustling sound and a hushed whisper, “
The….Fortunate Isle…hurry...ple-.
” A loud smack sounded and she whimpered again before the line went dead.  

             
I stared at my phone for a moment in shock.  It was coming true.  My vision.  It was actually happening.  I yanked Phoebe to her feet and dragged her back outside.

             
“Hey, wherrrre we goin Stasthia?” She looked at me with confusion.  I held both her cheeks, forcing her to focus.

             
“Phoebe, listen.  My vision’s coming true.  We have to help Kira.”  As my words sunk in, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.  She seemed to sober up with lightening speed.

             
“Call Willow.” She was right. I found Willow’s number and pressed call. I prayed she would answer. It was a little after two in the morning. 

             
“Stasia?” I could tell by her hoarse voice that I had woke her up.

             
“Willow!”

             
“Hey-“

             
“My vision’s coming true.” There was no time for small talk, “Kira’s been taken.  We have to do something!” I could hear her sitting up in bed.

             
“Wait, calm down, calm down.  Tell me what happened.”  I told her about Kira’s message. She was silent for a moment which made me highly aware of the unending terror beginning to strangle me.

             
“Are you sure she said The Fortunate Isle?” she asked.

             
“Yes.  That’s exactly what she said.”  I confirmed quickly. “Do you know where that is?”

             
“No, but Nicolet’s poem might.”

             
“What do you mean?” Phoebe was trying to talk into the phone at the same time, so I put Willow on speaker so she’d stop climbing on me.

             
“I figured it out.  What it says.  Hold on.” I could hear her moving papers around, “Okay, listen to this:

most fortunate of isles

belongs to the blessed and true

which of itself and without favour,

slumbers beneath the blue.

anchor off her shore

whilst shifting currents slew

cease the tidal surge

  and arrive her sprites to woo

hidden amongst the mangroves

beyond the blue lagoon

stands the house of thetis

seen only by those deemed true

she
whispers to the creatures

and answers to the blue

the heart of the Isle rejoices

its soul to be
renewed.

             
“Oh my God.”  I stared out at the water, almost incoherent.  “That’s where we have to go.”  Panic broke my trance and I shook my head to clear it.  “We have to go find her!  I don’t know how but-“

             
“Hold on, there’s numbers written on the back,” she stopped me.  I could almost hear the wheels turning in her head. “I didn’t understand what they could mean because they looked so recent.  But now it makes sense.”

             
“What are they?”

             
“Coordinates.  Longitude and Latitude.”

             
“Thath’s perfect!  We just neeth to find a way to geth there!” Phoebe clutched my arm, her eyes wide with fear.  I squeezed her hand and handed her the water to drink.

             
“Okay, I just looked the coordinates up and it’s basically in the middle of the ocean.” Willow said.  I glanced at Phoebe.

             
“We neeth a boat,” she whispered and I nodded.  We were on a boat. But the chances of me stealing this yacht were pretty slim.  Especially with a hundred girls on it and the fact that I had no idea how to drive a yacht.  Phoebe looked around and raised an eyebrow, obviously thinking what I was thinking.

             
“No.  There’s no way we’d able to take this one.” I shook my head at her. “We’d have to find another one somehow.”

             
“Or you could just use mine.” We whirled around at her silky voice.  Olivia was leaning up against the railing, her arms crossed.  Phoebe immediately took off in her direction.

             
“You were listening to us!?  Go back inside you evil bit-“ I clamped my hand over her mouth and stared at Olivia.

             
“You have a boat?” I asked her.  She nodded her head slowly and peered down at Phoebe with a smirk. “And you would let us use it?” I laughed; sarcasm evident in my voice.  She sauntered over to us.

             
“
You
won’t be using it. 
I
will take
you
in
my
boat.” She made sure the distinction was clear.  Phoebe squirmed and muffled curse words came through my hand, as she glared at Olivia.

             
“Why would you help us?” I found it very hard to believe that Olivia would help us sail out in the ocean out of the goodness of her heart.  I wasn’t positive she had a heart.

             
“I have my reasons.” She looked down at her cuticles as if our conversation was boring her. 

             
“Stasia, I’ll get Carmen and we’ll meet you guys at the Marina, okay?” I had forgotten about Willow on the phone. 

             
“Hurry, Willow!  And don’t forget the poem!” I called out to her before she hung up.  I released Phoebe and focused intently on Olivia.

             
“Kira’s life could depend on us.  If you have any doubts about helping us, then tell me right now and we’ll find another way.”  

             
“It’s not Kira I’m worried about,” she stared daggers at me, “but yea, I’m sure.  And if Phoebe and that girl Curly or Cartman-“

             
“Carmen,” I corrected her.

             
“Whatever.  If they cause any trouble, you’re on your own.  Got it?” I didn’t like this one bit.  But from what I could see, this mean self-centered devil girl was the only way I was getting to the Fortunate Isle.