Chapter 4 River
1922 Words
When I woke up next, I was on something soft. I groaned and rolled my head to the side, noticing the plushness that was laying under my head. The room was dark, lit only by a dim light coming from underneath the door. I blinked, trying to clear the fog from my vision and my mind as I looked around. I gripped a soft, silky fabric in my fingers and looked down at it. I was laying on dark, forest green satin sheets with a heavy quilt tucked around my body. I was in a bedroom, laying on top of a massive bed.
I scooched around on the soft mattress until I could wiggle free of the quilt, sitting up on the bed with a groan. I hissed in pain, wincing as my muscles stretched and my aching bones cracked. I tried to swing my legs over the side of the bed, but my head swirled and my stomach lurched so violently that I had to grip the edge of the bed to keep from passing out or vomiting.
Just then, the door quietly opened up and the same woman from before entered.
“Hi, I don’t know if you remember me, but I’m Vix. I got you out of the Tower….err, the jail.” Vix said,
She was a tall, beautiful woman with long raven colored hair that was tied back in various braids. Her blue eyes matched those of the dark man.
“Do you have a name?” The woman asked.
Awh, so this was just another tactic to learn my name. Act like she was my friend, my savor, and get me to loosen up, let my guard down.
I just glared at the raven haired devil.
“Well, you don’t have to tell me. The doctor was in to see you, but I didn’t want you to feel invaded so I asked if she would come back once you were conscious. Would it be okay if she comes in now?” Vix asked.
I glanced towards the door quickly and then my eyes shot back towards Vix.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Vix sighed.
She knocked once on the door and then a woman with short blonde hair entered the room. She was wearing tight looking dark blue pants and a cornflower blue long sleeve shirt. Her hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail and the hint of a tattoo was visible on her neck, it looked like two serpents facing each other.
“Hello, ma’am. I’m Dr. Monroe. I came in earlier while you were sleeping and saw that you are malnourished, dehydrated, and heavily bruised. I would like to set you up with an IV to get you some fluids and check to see if there’s any internal damage from the bruises.” Dr. Monroe said,
“No s**t we're malnourished. You’re people are the ones who did it.” Lavender snapped in my head.
“We don’t know what they’ll put in that IV, it could be anything. We can’t let them, no matter what.” I said,
“Agreed.” Lavender nodded.
“No.” I struggled to say as the doctor moved closer to the bed.
“Ma’am….” The doctor looked at me in concern.
“No.” I croaked, my voice hoarse and dry.
“She’s afraid that you’re trying to drug her, right?” Vix said, c*****g her eyebrow at me.
I just glared.
“Oh, right, well, I guess that makes sense,” Dr. Monroe frowned, “You need water and nourishment in order to get your strength back. Take small sips of water, too much and you’ll likely vomit. We’ll have the kitchen make you some broth, take small sips of that as well.”
“I’ll test it first in front of you, from the same bowl or cup, so you know it’s safe.” Vix offered.
I refused to respond.
Dr. Monroe looked at Vix and whispered,
“If she doesn’t eat or drink, she won’t get better, and if she doesn’t get better….” Her voice trailed off.
“I know, he’ll kill us both,” Vix grumbled, “I’ll get her to eat and drink.”
Dr. Monroe turned back towards me,
“Can I at least check you for injuries?” She asked, shuffling forward again.
I scrambled back in the bed and pulled the quilt around me protectively.
“No.” I croaked again.
“You could be bleeding…..”
Before she could finish that sentence, there was an earth shaking roar from somewhere outside the room. It wasn’t like a werewolf’s growl, no, it was so much more deadly than that.
“Shit.” Vix grumbled, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose.
The door to the bedroom flung open, slamming against the wall, and the dark man stood on the other side. His hands were balled into fists, his face positively murderous.
“Why is she still in pain?” He demanded in a thunderous voice.
“She won’t let me near her, she won’t take an IV. She’s afraid we’ll poison or drug her.” Dr. Monroe said,
“Is that true?” The dark man’s eyes snapped towards me and I cowered under his glare.
“She doesn’t speak except to say no.” Vix said,
The dark man let out a dreadful sigh that ended in a growl.
“Out. Everyone get out.” He demanded and they fled from the room.
Leaving me alone with the dark man. He just looked at me with his harsh glare and scrutinizing eyes for a long time.
“You are going to die, do you understand that?” He snapped, “Do you understand English?”
I blinked at him twice.
“Answer me.” He demanded.
I nodded.
“Good. You need food, water, and medical attention.” He stated.
I shook my head.
“It’s not poison or drugs or anything harmful. Dr. Monroe is only here to help you not die.” The dark man's face twitched with impatience.
I c****d an eyebrow at him as if to say, and I should believe you why?
“Okay, your skepticism is fair. You are obviously not naive or unintelligent. You escaped my men twice when you were in a fit state, and I have no earthly idea how, unless you’re like a seamonkey and grow two sizes when watered and fed,”
I’m fairly certain this man doesn’t joke, so I was trying to figure out if he actually thought sea monkeys were real or if he was attempting to lighten the mood. Either way, it was disturbing.
“You have no reason to trust what I’m saying or to trust my men. I’d be disappointed if you did because it would mean you were dumb, and I’d much prefer you to be smart,” He continued,
“Why does this man give a damn if I’m smart or dumb?” I asked Lavender, but she didn’t respond.
“You’re not going to change your mind, are you?” The dark man grumbled, staring me down for a long second.
He yanked open the door again and yelled for the doctor. A minute later he returned with some medical equipment and I felt my heart rate increase.
“Relax, okay? I won’t force you to take anything.” The dark man said, keeping his distance from the bed.
He started fiddling with the stuff on the tray, pulling out an IV kit and stabbing himself with it. I winced when the needle poked into his skin and watched as he attached the tube to a bag with clear liquid. He hung the bag on an IV pole and then opened the line. The clear liquid rushed through the tube and into his skin.
“It’s just saline to hydrate you, see?” He held up his arm and wiggled his fingers.
I watched his face for a minute, waiting to see if he reacted at all. He pulled out another bag with a yellowish liquid and repeated the same procedure.
“These are vitamins to help get nourishment into your body.” He explained.
I studied him as the yellow liquid filled his bloodstream and he didn’t react at all.
“I’ll give you the same exact bags and when you need a new one, I’ll test it on myself first each time. Will you consent now?” His voice sounded annoyed, but there was something else in his eyes.
“Lavender?” I asked my wolf for her opinion.
“I….I think we should trust him.” She whispered.
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I….I sense something in him.” Lavender sounded confused.
I gulped and pulled my arm out from under the quilt, holding it out for him.
“That’s a yes?” The dark man c****d an eyebrow and I nodded, “Do you speak?” He asked as he pulled out a fresh IV kit.
I nodded.
“Just not to me?” He slowly moved towards me.
“I….” I cleared my throat painfully, “Don’t know you.”
The dark man looked at me, his eyes pulling together almost as if he were in pain. He abandoned the IV kit and went back to the door, calling out again. A second later, he returned to the room with a cup of water. He took a sip himself and then sat it on the table beside the bed. He looked from me to the glass of water.
“You should drink some, it’ll help your throat.” He said,
I reached towards the cup with a shaking hand and picked it up, but my fingers were too weak to hang on to it and it slipped right through my grip. I gasped and waited for it to shatter, but it never did. Instead, the dark man’s hand gripped the glass and saved it from hitting the floor.
“Can I help you?” He asked, crouching towards me.
I wrestled with myself for a second, glancing between the scary man in front of me and the cool glass of water that I so desperately wanted. I really didn’t want this man anywhere near me, but I was too weak to take the glass for myself so, finally, I nodded. I winced as I sat up in bed, pressing my back against the pillows for support. The dark man watched me closely, his face remaining expressionless.
When I looked ready, he leaned closer to me and put the glass to my lips. I winced at the feeling of the cold liquid on my cracked lips. I tilted my head back and sipped the water slowly, like the doctor suggested.
“Do you want more?” The man asked as I pulled away from the glass and licked my lips.
I shook my head.
“My name’s Calix.” He said, sitting the glass down on the table and going back to the IV kit.
“Tell him your name.” Lavender said,
“What?” I was shocked by her request.
“Tell him your name. He’s….we’re supposed to trust him.” Lavender’s voice had a little more energy to it than before.
“How do you know?” I asked.
“I just know.” Lavender said,
“River,” I choked out, “My name is River.”
- Writer
