River & Christian: Amber Eyes Series 5

-This book is the fifth book of the Amber Eyes series and it is completed.- -River POV-  *Beep, beep, beep* I am starting to wake. I can hear a monitor beeping and faint voices of people.  “Was it a success?” A familiar female voice asks.  My eyes are still closed. They still feel heavy but I can hear them.  “Yes, mistress.” Doctor Edison says. An old man all too familiar for my liking.  I can hear the woman smelling me. “Oh! I can smell her scent. It has changed and it is so enticing!”  “Finally!” The lord of the Manor-as he likes to be called- says. “Progress!... but... will her scent always be like this now?”  “Yes. She will need rest now. Tomorrow, we will enter the final phase.” Doctor Edison says.  I can feel someone tugging on the belts that constrict me as they all walk out of the room, chatting with each other.  (It is probably Dan getting me ready to take me to my room.)   An older man with barely any hair left on his head, but the little he has is all white. He has a big physique and bright blue eyes. As a child, I was mesmerized by them, and being that he was always one of the few who treated me well, I took a liking to him. He feels the closest to someone that cares just a little for my wellbeing along with Miles. But even though if it’s just because it is his job, it still feels nice.  My mother brought me here when I was seven. She was sick and dying but that’s a fate that falls to many female rogues who are alone in the world. At least that’s what I have been told. They told her they would take care of me and they have. I don’t go hungry and I have a roof over my head. I barely remember her and I have no recollection of any other family members.  “Up you go little lady.” Dan says sitting me straight on the bed.   I wobble feeling light-headed. I manage to open my eyes. Two guards walk over and grab me by both arms. They get me off the bed and basically drag me to my room since I am too weak to walk. I can’t ever really walk properly because of all the sedatives and medication they always give me when it is my turn with doctor Edison.  “Miles... I want to see Miles.” I whisper yearning to see a familiar face.  “Oh sweet girl, you will. Once this is all over, you will get your reward.” Dan says.  Miles, my best friend, my partner. We have been together since he first arrived here. We are the same age. He arrived here when we were nine. They made us partners. Everyone gets a partner.   At times, we were allowed to mingle in the courtyard with all the other wolves that reside. I remember Sarah, she was a motherly type. She used to take all the young ones and teach us about everything she could. But not anymore, I haven’t seen anyone in two years.  “Be gentle.” Dan says as the men lay me on the floor of my room.   A tiny cubicle that I have been constricted to for the last two years. I haven’t been allowed to leave it, not once. I haven’t seen Miles in two years either, or anyone else other than Dan, the vampires, Edison and the guards.   They always say that I will see him when all this is done if I am good and I have been. I do everything they tell me. But two years is too much.   And it’s all thanks to the mistress. She would only come here maybe once a year before, but then two years ago, she arrived hurt, and then for some reason, she decided to put me here. They have been experimenting on me ever since.  I lay on my back looking at the ceiling. I feel a bit better now. Less dizzy.   “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine... you make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away...” All I have is this. All I have is the song my mother used to sing to me.  ‘And you have me.’ Ariel says. My wolf.  I smile. ‘Yea, and I have you.’   I sing the lullaby over and over until I fall asleep.  ---  I am woken up and startled when the door opens abruptly. I quickly sit up.  “Meatloaf today sweet girl.” Dan says bringing a tray of food.  I give him a smile. “Thank you, Dan.”  He puts it down and kneels. He always keeps me a little company when it is dinner time.  “Dan?”  “Yes?”  “Last time, you said you'd tell me about Ariel.” I say.  “Ah yes. The name. Ariel means Lion of God. It is also the name of an Archangel.” He sighs. “But of course, most people relate the name to that mermaid movie.”  “What is a mermaid?... What is an archangel?” I ask.  He smiles looking at me as if he was looking at a child. “No need for you to know little one. Do not trouble yourself with such things.” He says. “You’ll get even more confused.”  ‘Lion of God... I like that.’ Ariel says.  When I finish eating, Dan takes the tray.   “I wonder what Miles wolf’s name means. Could you tell me what does Thoth means next time? Does it have a meaning?” I smile. “Could you tell Miles what my wolf’s name means when you see him?”  Dan stops at the door before closing it and looks at me. His eyes have a glint of sadness. He nods. “Yes, sweet girl.”   He closes the door. “Lock cell fifteen!” He shouts at the guard across the hall.  The cell door locks and I am left there alone.  … There is nothing else for me to do.  “... You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...” Sleep eventually takes me again.   ---  Screams wake me. Sonya, a she-wolf is being taken to doctor Edison. She always acts like this. Actually, all the others act like this. I know I am too compliant.   I am not an i***t. I know I am a prisoner here. But I will get to see Miles once this is all done and that is all I need to know.  “You shitheads!! I will kill yooouu!” She shouts as they force her down the hall.  For someone who is drugged, she sure gives them a hard time. They never drug me when I head to the lab because they know they don’t have to.  After Sonya passes, I hear footsteps walking to my cell. That ugly scent that I have gotten used to, hits my nostrils. “Hello, my jewel. How are you feeling today?” Her face comes into view through the small opening of the door.   “Mistress Lavinia, I am... well.” I say.  Her hand slides through the opening and cups my chin.   “You are a pretty little thing. How old are you now?” She asks.  I don’t know why she asks. She knows. “... Eighteen.” I say.  She nods moving my face from side to side, looking into my eyes. “You really have no idea how special those eyes are. Do you?”  I scrunch my face in confusion. It is true that I have never seen any other with the same color of eyes as mine. Amber color. But I don’t think I am that special.  She smells the air from where she is at and her eyes roll as if she is savoring my scent.   “You should have died with the first treatment you know? Like all the others. Everything we have done here, we’ve been able to accomplish because of those eyes.” She says.  I am confused at this.  She lets me go and walks away. “You are my special jewel.” Her voice echoes through the hall.  ‘She is one weird lady.’ Ariel says.  ‘... Yea.’  I sigh. “Time for a little walk. They will be coming for us later again.” I say to Ariel.   I start walking in circles in the small room. I close my eyes but making sure I don’t hit the toilet in the corner and start daydreaming.   I see myself and Ariel running through the woods. The sun hitting our face... moonlight or even the rain. Anything that is of nature.   I have only shifted three times since I got Ariel. The first time was because I turned fifteen and I automatically shifted, I couldn’t help it. The second time, Ariel still didn’t understand our situation and she wanted to come out, so she forced herself out. We paid for that one with a beating. It’s rare that I get punished since I always follow the rules. The third time was because one of the medications they gave me made me lose control so I was not at fault.  ‘I wish we could just bust out!’ Ariel shouts irritated.  ‘Then what will happen to Miles? We’ll never see him again and he will be here all alone.’ I say.  She sighs. ‘I know.’  The lights suddenly go out. It’s what they do when they are telling us that it’s time for bed. I lie on the floor with my blanket and quickly go to sleep.   …  ‘Wake up child.’  “... What?” My eyes open feeling groggy. I don’t think I have slept more than an hour.  ‘Did you say something, Ariel?’  ‘No, but I heard it too. A soothing woman's voice.’ She says.  I hear other voices in the hall.   ‘Did it come from out there?’ I ask Ariel putting my ear to the door.  ‘I... I don’t think so.’ She says.  I hear Dan’s voice out there. He is talking in a hushed tone to someone else.   “It is cruel to tell her such things. That boy died a year ago.” He says.  “It keeps her compliant. Besides, do you really want to break her heart now?” I recognize doctor Edison’s voice.  ‘Who do you think they are talking about?’ I ask Ariel but she stays quiet.  ‘Ariel?...’  “It is cruel.” Dan says. “And the way that boy died... was even crueler.”  Edison sighs and my eyes widen when I hear what he says next. “Miles was of no importance. You need to look at the bigger picture here.”  …  … ...