Rise From Darkness (15 page)

Chapter Twelve

“Where am I?” Gaby could barely speak. She raked her sandpaper tongue over her teeth and attempted to swallow but there wasn’t enough moisture.

“You’re at our house.” Sammy took a washcloth and blotted her brow.

The cool cloth soothed her aching head. “What happened?”

“Rest dear. We’ll fill you in later.” Grace approached the bed and sat by her side.

“Water—” Gaby rasped.

Grace signaled Sammy out of the room.

“Sammy will bring you some. Do you remember anything?”

“No. Not really.”

“That’s probably a good thing right now dear. I’m not sure how long you’ll be with us. It’s better you rest for now.”

“What do you mean?” Fear bubbled up inside at her words.

“You were wounded, child. You’ve been very sick and need rest.” Grace stroked her hair out of her eyes.

“Wounded? How long have I been out?”

“It was an accident dear. You’ve been out for days.”

“What aren’t you telling me?” Gaby tried to sit up but she couldn’t. Suspicion crept in. “What’s going on, why am I stuck?” She looked down to find her body secured to the bed with large leather straps.

“I’m sorry about that. We had to keep you from hurting yourself.” Grace’s smooth tone provided no comfort to Gaby.

“Hurting myself? Where’s Alex?”

“He’s at your home caring for your father.”

“My father? Is he hurt?” She pulled against the restraints, panic rising as she strained to free herself. “No, my father will move us. He can’t know I went out with Alexander or we’ll be packed and gone by morning.”

“Don’t worry about that right now. Everything is going to be okay. You just need to relax.”

Relax. How was she supposed to relax? Her father would tear them apart if he knew they were involved. Wait. Something wasn’t right. Alex -
Forras
- a fight- mother.

“Alex…h-he…killed m-my mother.” Tears started to stream down her face. She looked down to see a strange bubble form on her skin. “W-what’s happening?”

“Calm down. You must calm yourself, it’s the only way we can save you.” Grace stood over Gaby and placed a hand on her shoulders. A sense of peace overcame her for a moment. She took in a calming breath and relaxed back into the bed.

“Save me from what?”

“Yourself dear…yourself.”

Fear and anger warred against peace. Peace lost.

“I’m scared. What’s happening…w-why am I…?” Her body started to shake and her eyes burned.

She tried to reach up and grab Grace. She wanted to hit her, shake her, scratch her, kill her. Why did she want to kill her?

“Here’s some water.” Sammy leaned down to hold the glass for Gaby, but she took the water in her mouth and spat it at her. Gaby tried to bite her but Grace pulled Sammy away.

“Where is he?”

“Who child?” Grace touched her hand.

“Alex. I want Alex.”

“I can get him.” Sammy headed for the door but Grace held up her hand to stop her.

“You can see him soon.” Grace smiled at her.

Why did she smile? Was she in on it? Did she help murder her mother? “You! You helped him, didn’t you? It’s your fault my mother’s dead. You killed her. Murderer, you’re all murderers!” Gaby’s voice was deep and full of hate. She could hear the power she now possessed. She tried to break free from the straps. It’d be so easy to kill them all. Make them pay. They should all pay.

****

Alexander searched the house. Every cabinet he opened, every bed he looked under, he found another bottle. After he threw all the obvious paraphernalia away, he started searching less conspicuous places. The inside of a cookie jar revealed a sample size bottle of whiskey under some cookies, the bottle of water tucked in the back of the freezer was vodka, and the bottle of coke hidden behind some crackers in the pantry was spiked.

The pattern seemed to reveal he was a hard liquor man. Whiskey definitely his drink of choice, but anything would do. Alexander even found a bottle of peach schnapps in the back of his sock drawer.

Did Gaby know how bad his addiction was? He entered Bruce’s room and covered his nose from the stench of vomit and urine. He’d propped Bruce up on two pillows to sleep. His eyelids fluttered only to close again.

In a strange way Alexander welcomed the task at hand. Cleaning the room and caring for Bruce gave him something to focus on instead of Gaby suffering and hating him at his home. The connection he had from the first day he met her had changed. It was muted, dark, instead of happy and longing. The worst part was he couldn’t hold her hand, caress her face, or kiss her forehead without her wanting to claw his eyes out. Not that he didn’t deserve it.

He bent down and picked up the clothes Bruce wore the night before and put them in the washing machine. Where, of course, he found another bottle of liquor hidden behind the detergent.

A loud thump startled him and he ran back to check on Bruce. He was sprawled across the floor face down.

“Come on man. Let’s get you back in bed.” Alexander tried to lift him but Bruce shoved him and cursed.

“What the hell are you
doin
’ in my house? Where’s my daughter?” Bruce spit and wagged his finger at him.

This was it. He had to tread cautious. “Sir, you’re in no condition to be around your daughter.”

“You son of a—”

Alex remained calm and focused. “Sir, let me help you back to bed.”

“Get your hands off me. Where’s my daughter?”

“She’s safe.”

“Safe? Are you
sayin
’ she isn’t safe around me? I’m the only one she’s safe with.”

“I’m sorry sir, but for now I’m not telling you where she is, not until you calm down and sober up.” How could the man in front of him be Gaby’s father? He wasn’t there to judge, but there was no way he was going to let Gaby move back in with him like this, if she survived. Still, his patience was being tested.

“Sober up? I’m not drunk. Who do you think you are
comin
’ in my home and
insultin
’ me?”

“I meant no insult it’s just that—”

“It’s just what?”

Alexander glared down at the drooling and shaking man. If he weren’t Gaby’s father Alexander would just lift him up and throw him across the bed. Maybe scare the demon alcohol out of the man when he spread his wings and ranted about his sin. Yeah, that would sober Bruce up quick. It would also blow any chance of Alexander ever seeing Gaby again. Assuming, she’d ever agree to see him after what happened. How did things get so screwed up?

“Listen, you can sit there all day in your own vomit or I can help you up.”

His red swollen eyes cast down. He raised a hand and scrunched his face, gagged and dispelled more fluids to the side.

Alexander stepped back and took a quick breath through his mouth trying not to get sick himself. With a sleeve covering his mouth, he made his way to the bathroom and retrieved paper towels and a damp washcloth.

“Come on, take my hand.”

“I can do it myself,” Bruce snarled. He slipped and fell back repeatedly until he gave up and raised his hand to Alexander.

Without a word, Alexander helped him to the bathroom and put him in the tub. Bruce appeared confused until Alexander turned on the cold water and hosed him off with the sprayer, clothes, and all.

Bruce twisted and fought but ultimately he was too weak to defend himself.

“Here, dry off and change while I work on cleaning up your room. Fresh clothes are on the hamper.” Alexander left the bathroom with the mouthwash in tow as a precaution.

After changing the sheets, he slipped his cell phone from his pocket and dialed home. It only rang once before Sammy’s cheerful voice answered.

“How’s it going over there?” Sammy asked

Alex ran his hands through his hair. “I can’t believe she’s had to live like this. He’s in a bad state.”

“You shouldn’t be there. What if he finds out—”

Alex sighed. “He won’t. How could he possibly figure it out?”

“Still, be careful.”

“I will. How’s Gaby?”

There was a long defining pause. His heart pounded faster.

“Oh God, please…no…I—”

“No Alex she’s alive. I’m sorry. It’s just that, well, she’s not herself. She’s so angry and confused. I don’t know how Grace can stand it. I wish I could do more, but Grace says it’s better if she stays with her.”

“I wish I could be with her. I wish, I wish I hadn’t—” his voice broke.

“Don’t blame yourself. You didn’t mean for this to happen.”

A fissure ran through his chest threatening to break every rib under the pressure of guilt. “I should’ve told her the truth. I should’ve stayed away from her.”

“Who are you talking to?”

He spun around to find Bruce leaning against the door jam.

“I’ve
gotta
go. Call
ya
later.” Alexander hit end on his cell before Sammy could even respond. “I was talking to my sister.”

Bruce took a step toward the bed and almost toppled over. Alex steadied him and helped him back into bed.

“Why are you here?” Bruce held his belly and he looked up with pleading eyes. “You need to tell me where my daughter is.”

Alex focused on remaining calm. “I’m sorry sir, but I can’t.”

“You can’t or you won’t?”

“Both, sir, it’s best for both of you.”

“No, I’m her father. She needs to be home.”

Alexander squatted down to the linoleum floor and started to clean up the mess. “No offense, but do you really want her to see you like this?”

“She’s my daughter, I have a right…” Bruce’s snores filled the room.

With the exception of snorts and grunts from Bruce, the silence in the house would have been deafening. Trying to keep his mind off Gaby, Alexander checked three more times for hidden bottles, cleaned the bedroom and bathroom, and started another load of laundry.

He spent the next twenty minutes pacing the floor until he couldn’t take it anymore. He looked in on Bruce one final time and took off for his home.

He landed on the beach and walked up the front steps.

Grace exited the front door, arms crossed and eyes set. “What do you think you’re doing? You know you can’t be here. It’ll just aggravate her condition.”

“She still hates me, doesn’t she?” Alexander sunk onto the white wicker love seat on the front porch.

“She doesn’t hate you son. If she did this wouldn’t be so difficult for her.” Grace put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“It’s all my fault. All of it. Why do I hurt everyone I love?”

Grace set next to him and took his hands in hers. “You need to trust she will get through this on her own. I know it’s hard for you, but you have to stay away. You can’t help. Trust her. She can fight this on her own. She’s a strong girl.”