Forbidden Lies

11

Selena sat silently as Callum calmly walked towards the dark curtains. He subconsciously ran his hand down the soft thick fabric that kept the sun out. The heat radiating from the curtain sent a chill down his spine. It was a very real reminder of his weakness. He snatched his hand away and held it to his chest, as if the curtain had offended him deeply. He quickly composed himself and walked away from the window. The large bed creaked as he gently sat down at the foot of it.

"If you want to see the garden, I can show you at dusk." His voice was stoic.

Selena shifted her body uncomfortably and only gave a sigh as a response. She didn't know what she should say. What could she say? His thin frame carefully pulled itself upright and away from the bed.

"I think I should rest for the rest of the day, but perhaps tomorrow night you can show it to me." She finally answered. Selena sensed that he did not want to show her the garden. A soft breath escaped his lips, perhaps it was relief.

"What about dinner tonight? I will be having company tomorrow, so I am afraid I cannot show it to you then. But perhaps we can enjoy a delicious dinner tonight." He grinned.

"Callum, I appreciate your hospitality, but you don't have to go out of your way for me. I'll be happy to have dinner in bed. I know you work at night, I don't want to distract you from your work." Selena answered honestly. She truly appreciated his helping hand, but she didn't want to take advantage of his kindness.

"I enjoy your company and work will always be there after dinner either way. You shouldn't be cooped up in this room the majority of the day," he said.

"I like this room. I don't mind it." Selena looked around the room and smiled. Something about this room made her feel like she was at home, wherever home was.

"I see. Have any memories come to you from your life?" He asked.

"No but.." Selena caught herself.

"But?" Callum's eyes intently looked at her and it made her shift slightly.

" I've been having these vivid dreams. Not about me but about these two people, its like I am there with them. The thing about these two people is they aren't human." Selena struggled to get the last sentence out, feeling stupid.

"Not human? What are they then?" Callum asked with a peeking interest. His face was expressionless, which only made Selena feel more stupid.

"It's stupid really." She tried to deflect.

"Dreams manifest in many ways, and many times they can seem stupid but may actually have a deeper meaning." He wanted to encourage Selena to hone into her dreams, they may be the key to recovering her memory.

"Vampires and werewolves." Selena rolled her eyes and shook her head. She waited for Callum to laugh at her but instead he stood up.

"Fabled creatures. Imagine if they actually existed? Then your dreams wouldn't seem so stupid." Callum felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Had she seen something? Had she somehow discovered his secret? A moment of panic crossed over him and he looked away in discomfort.

Selena scoffed, "Yea, but they don't. It's just, it feels so real." She shook her head from side to side. She looked up at Callum, and was suddenly taken aback by the way he was now staring at her.

Callum had stiffened up and was now intently studying Selena, searching for any signs of deception. He forced himself to look away, aware of her growing discomfort,

"Who are these two creatures you dream of?" He asked, breaking the tension.

"I don't know", she answered honestly. "They are just dreams," she continued.

"Perhaps. I'll send dinner up to you in an hour." Callum sighed, feeling ashamed about making her uncomfortable. He left silently, before Selena could speak any further.

For the next hour, Selena pondered about their interaction. An overwhelming feeling overcame her that perhaps Callum was hiding something. The way his eyes bored into her made her uneasy. He hadn't laughed at her as she expected, but he didn't dismiss the subject either. What did this mean? A sudden knock from the door broke her thoughts.

Mrs. Allister came in with dinner. She gave Selena a warm smile and set the food on her lap. " Would you like help with anything else? I will be going to bed soon, but as always, just ring the bell and I'll come up."

"No thank you." Selena answered.

"Very well, have a good night's sleep. Tomorrow will be your first day of therapy! Rest up." Mrs. Allister gingerly left the room soon after.

Selena ate her food silently. She took her time eating, for the first time dreading going to sleep. Her dreams confused her more than anything, she wanted a night of peace. Reluctantly, she decided to sleep early in order to be well rested for physical therapy the next day.

Like all the previous nights before, Selena sank into her dreams. Her subconsciousness floated into a dark room in complete silence. In a few blurry moments, a frame appeared before her.

" Where is she!" A man's voice reverberated throughout the room. Selena's vision finally focused and she saw the man behind the voice. The man's eyes were bright yellow and a fierce scowl painted his face. He sat on a throne and the whites of his fingers became more pale as his grip tightened on the arms of the chair. He wore an impeccable black robe with a red embroidered collar. His hair pale yellow, was slicked behind his pointed ears.

"She's in the tunnels my lord." A black-haired man answered. Selena felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity with the two men.

"Get her back by any means, but bring her back alive. She will be dealt with by me. There shall be no leniency for her disobedience." The man in the black robe growled. The black-haired man bowed his head in obedience.

"Do not come back without her, Azriel." The man growled again.

As Azriel made his exit, a woman came in. Like the man with the yellow eyes, she also wore a black robe but her embroidered collar was green instead. Selena gasped as she saw the woman's face.