Haeven (4 page)

Somehow I knew he understood how desolate and
lost I felt so I didn't bother trying to hide it. My lips trembled
and my eyes flooded with tears. There was some strange emptiness
inside me, a sadness that just wouldn't go away.

"Imagine what it would be like to feel that
way every day for the rest of your life. One of my kind has done
something to
you...something...unforgiveable...something...forbidden. It was
wrong for Daemon to take so much from you and worse to give so much
back. I want to help you, Emily; I want to right this terrible
wrong and free you from a lifetime...a lifetime of heartache. You
will never be the same, no matter what Daemon told you. You will
never be the same."

I had no idea how he knew so much and I
certainly didn't want to believe what Herrik was telling me. I
tried to say no, the word stuttered on my tongue once or twice but
I couldn't bring myself to say it.

"Just one day, then," he pleaded "let me try
and help you."

"Why?" I asked completely dumbfounded by his
earnestness that I stay.

"For the same reason you helped Daemon.
 Because it is right, Emily, because it is the right thing for
me to do."

I shook my head then I studied his expression
for a moment; he seemed as though he was being completely honest
but despite my desire to believe him I felt that if I disagreed he
would just force me to stay anyway. I decided to take what I
thought would be the safest approach, "One day, then I can go home,
right?"

"I promise."

A moment later Avery returned with Carah in
tow.

"Emily has given us one day," Herrik began.
"Avery, do you know when Artur is expected to return?"

"He didn't say. I can send for him though;
I'm sure he would put his errands aside under the circumstances,"
Avery cast an odd glance at me.

"Good. Emily," Herrik held his hand out to me
and I slipped from the chaise and moved to his side. He wrapped his
fingers around mine then faced me and after giving my hand a gentle
squeeze he said goodnight. "You'll need to get some sleep and once
I've had a chance to speak with Artur and once you are rested I
will come for you." Then he kissed each of my cheeks and though I
did manage to mumble a hasty goodbye it completely overwhelmed me.
For a split second I was reminded of Daemon again; the way he
looked and the feel of his lips.

Herrik nodded to Carah and quickly turned
away from us. It felt very dismissive and I was confused by my
sudden drop in importance. I looked longingly over my shoulder as
we neared the door and saw Herrik motion Avery to the chaise I had
so recently vacated. Herrik had his back toward me but I could see
Avery's face. It was very expressive as he listened intently to
whatever it was that Herrik was telling him. Herrik seemed to be
giving Avery instructions. He looked confused and maybe even a
little hesitant to hear them but nodded once or twice in acceptance
and understanding.

I followed Carah as she lead us out and back
the way we had come, winding our way down the hallway past the
garden and towards the elevator. This time we went up and after a
number of floors the doors slid back and Carah hurried out. It was
too dark to see much of anything but I heard the click of a switch
and our surroundings were suddenly bathed in light. We were in a
very small hallway; like a receiving area for people getting off
the elevator.

"What is this place?" I glanced around.

"We are on one of the apartment levels,"
Carah said. There was a door directly in front of us, "And this,"
she said as she punched a code into the keypad, "is where you'll be
staying tonight."

"An apartment?"

"It was this or the dorms. Herrik thought you
would be more comfortable here. This way," she said her voice
somewhat agitated as she started leading me away from the
elevator.

Once we were through the front door we walked
down a short hallway that ended in a state of the art kitchen.
There were two islands – one obviously there for food preparation
and one with stools surrounding it for casual dining. Everything
else was fairly standard kitchen fare – a stove, a refrigerator, a
sink, and lots of cabinets and what looked to be a pantry as
well.

Beyond the kitchen the apartment split off to
the left and right. Carah pointed towards the left, "The first room
to your right is the dining room and if you go further along you'll
come to the living area." She didn't take me that way but instead
led me to the right, "Here is the bathroom," she flipped the light
switch and let me look it over briefly, "across there is an
office..."

She started walking again and when we got to
the end of the hallway she opened a pair of double doors and
ushered me through.

"This is the bedroom."

It spanned the entire length of the apartment
and was beautifully decorated and elaborately furnished. It had a
small sitting area arranged around a fireplace and there was a
large television built into the wall above the mantle. On one side
of the room there was a large walk-in closet with a changing area
as well as a vanity tucked into the corner off to the left of
it.

When I looked toward the opposite end of the
room I gasped out loud because there was another of the long glass
walls and behind it a garden like the one I had seen on the lower
level only much, much smaller. It was beautiful and a very welcome
sight knowing somehow that I was still very far below the ground
above. The garden gave the impression of looking through a window
to the outdoors and made the room and the overall environment seem
much more natural.

"Can we go in?"

Carah shook her head, "No, the apartment
gardens are for decoration only."

"Oh," I sighed.

As I looked longingly at the greenery the
lighting within the garden slowly grew dimmer making it seem as
though the sun was setting and night was falling. I watched in
silence for a moment but turned back to Carah when I heard a
strange ring coming from the front of the apartment.

"That's the doorbell," Carah explained and
waved me to follow as we went to answer it.

Carah stood back and let me open it and when
I did I found Avery standing there.

"Herrik thought you might like to freshen up
before you rest. He sent me with these for you," he handed me a
bundle of clothes. "He hopes they will be comfortable for you to
rest in and promises that tomorrow he will have something more
appropriate and properly fitting for you when you wake," Avery
cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. "He would like me to
ask you what sizes you are."

I raised my brows, "Oh, uh, OK. Do you need
me to write them down?"

"No," Avery shook his head, "I'll
remember."

I rattled off all the appropriate numbers and
he nodded after each one of them. When I had given them all he
looked expressively at Carah. She turned to me and said, "Would you
excuse us for a moment?"

I turned and reluctantly made my way through
the kitchen and down the hallway to the bathroom.

I took a long, hot shower and when I was done
bundled my hair into a towel and sorted through the clothes Herrik
had sent to me. I slipped on a pair of boxer style shorts with a
drawstring waist and cinched them tight around my hips. He had sent
several tops as well, mostly t-shirts but one was a silken dress
shirt and when I ran my fingers over it I imagined that it was one
of his.

Smiling I tucked my arms into the sleeves and
rolled them up before fastening the buttons one after the other. I
ran my fingers over the fabric then hugged the shirt to myself and
took a deep breath of the clean, fresh scent it gave off. Once I
was dressed I wandered back towards the kitchen thinking that was
where I would most likely find Carah.

She and Avery were sitting at one of the
islands talking in hushed tones. "I can't imagine why Herrik is
keeping her. And why does he need to consult with Artur? Why
doesn't he just make her forget and send her home? You know Herrik
better than any of us; what is he planning on doing with the girl?"
Carah asked.

I wanted to hear what he had to say so I
stopped midstride and held my breath waiting for Avery to speak. It
was so quiet that for a moment I thought he wasn't going to answer
and almost started walking towards them again.

"I wouldn't be able to tell you; even if I
knew. I can guess though."

"And what is your guess?" Carah demanded.

"She is the closest thing he has to Daemon
right now. If he takes that away from her, well..." Avery didn't
finish the thought and somehow I knew he sensed that I was there
and I was listening. It seemed foolish to try and hide the fact so
I walked into to the kitchen and glanced at each of them in
turn.

"Ah, there you are. It's late," Carah said
with a smile.

"I know."

"Come, sit," she patted the stool to her
right.

I sat across from her instead and as I took
my seat Avery stood up, "Goodnight," he said and without waiting
for a response from either of us hurried off.

Carah watched him go then turned back to me.
She reached across the island and ran her fingers over the cuff I
had made in Herrik's shirt. She raised her brows, "He sent you
something else as well," she stood up and went to the fridge. She
brought out a glass of wine and set it before me.

I shook my head, "Oh, no...I'm too young to
drink."

She gave a soft chuckle, "Yes, you are," she
sat back down, "but you have had an exceptional day and it will be
a busy one tomorrow, too. Herrik wants to be sure you are rested
and this will help you sleep," she edged the wine towards me.

I wrapped my fingers around the glass and
gave it a hesitant sniff. I didn't like the smell of it as I held
it under my nose and was about to put it back down but Carah was
steadily gazing at me and I found myself taking a tiny sip. It
wasn't at all what I expected; I wasn't sure what I was expecting
but certainly not that I would like it or enjoy it in anyway.

I drained the glass without thought and put
it back down on the island.

"Good," Carah hopped up. "Is there anything
else you think you might need?"

I shook my head no.

"Very well. Herrik will send for you in the
morning."

I watched her leave the kitchen and heard the
front door open and close. Suddenly I felt terribly alone; scared
and alone. The events of the day began turning over and over again
in my mind. I buried my face in my hands, "How did this happen?" I
asked myself. "How can this be happening?" I felt more than a
little lightheaded and overwhelmed by it all and decided I had
better make my way towards the bedroom to try to rest. "I wish I
were home!" my mind cried out.

As I crawled into bed I thought about my
family and though I felt terrible for myself I felt doubly so for
what they must have been going through. I pictured my mother and
father and Evan and how frantic they must all be knowing I was
missing.

"It's just one day," I whispered to myself.
"Herrik promised he would help me and then I can go home."

I couldn't imagine what he planned or thought
he might do for me. 
"Why doesn't he just make her forget
and send her home?" 
Carah had asked. "Could he do that?" I
wondered out loud. Avery seemed to have some way of controlling
people; I experienced it myself. "He must be able to or why else
would she have said it? She couldn't have known I was there."

The more I considered it the more the idea
appealed to me. I started to wish that I had never found Daemon and
imagined how differently things would be right now if I hadn't.
Then my heart involuntarily wrenched with longing and I couldn't
stop myself from remembering all that Daemon and I had shared. I
touched my lips and closed my eyes; I tried picturing him but it
seemed to be Herrik that I saw instead.

I started to cry; my head was so full of
complicated ideas. Then something strange happened. I thought I
heard somebody whispering to me, comforting me and as I stifled my
sobs and strained my ears the only sound they caught was the
rhythmic chirping of the crickets in the nearby garden. Before I
knew it the noise seemed to block out everything else and it lulled
me into a deep sleep.

When I woke the following morning I quickly
opened my eyes hoping that it was all a dream and that I would find
myself at home. It only took a glance to realize that I wasn't
where I wanted to be. As I tried to accept the fact I lay in bed
for a few minutes regretting where I was and wondering what I
should expect next. Then I began to realize that I could smell
something cooking and it quickly acquainted me with how hungry I
was and thoroughly distracted me from all my desperate ideas.

"Breakfast?" I wondered.

I slid to the edge of the bed and hopped down
as my belly rumbled hopefully. I cautiously opened my door and the
aromas intensified. Treading lightly I made my way to the kitchen
and there I saw a young woman perhaps in her early twenties or so
standing at the stove with a sizzling pan of bacon on one burner
and a skillet covered with a fluffy pancake on the other.

"Hello?" I softly called.

She jumped and smiling spun towards me, "Oh,
my you scared me! You walk like a cat!" she laughed.

Her happy expression was so intense I
couldn't help smiling back.

She wiped her hands on her apron before
holding one out in greeting, "I'm Penny," she said.

"Emily," I reached out and she gave me a
hearty shake.

She was very pretty with red hair and bright
blue eyes. She had a heart-shaped face and her skin looked so soft
and smooth; like she had been polished to perfection.

"Herrik sent me to make you breakfast. I hope
you don't mind. You didn't answer your door this morning and when I
went back down to tell him he gave me the code to let myself
in."