Where The River Flows Red

Thirteen

Rascal Flatts- What Hurts The Most

    This place is three times the size of the house I grew up in. I followed behind Elijah feeling underdressed already. We hadn't even gone inside but I know it's going to be grand. 

    "Eli," we both stopped and looked in the direction the voice came from. 

    "Sister," he smiled. 

    "That is not what I think it is," she scolded, disapprovingly. My heartbeat kicked into maximum speed when Raven Sterling walked into the light dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt that reads: GO F*CK YOURSELF. "Oh, and who might this be?" 

    "Rae this is Amelia Lockwood," he introduced me. She smiled her eyes lighting up like I was the person she's always wanted to meet her entire life. 

    "Elijah, you were right," she said looking me over. "She's gorgeous," 

    "What?" I asked my face flaring. "Urm... Thank you. I'm... I'm lost words," 

    "She's a fan of your work," he explained smiling at me. Did he tell her I was gorgeous?

    "A fan? I didn't know that was a thing. I'm flattered. Truly I am. I love her even more now," she said. I stiffened like a post when she pulled me into her for a hug. To make matters worse I squeaked when she pulled away. She laughed. "Alright. Why is she here?" 

    "Cass is with Zach. She's in transition," I answered, snapping out of it. "I wanted to stay but he said it wasn't a good idea," 

    "He's right. Zach is a night stalker and Cass belongs to him. Seeing her like that will make him dangerous. It'll take a couple of days for them to come back. You are welcome in my home for the remainder of the time. Take her to my room. You can choose whatever you like," I froze again making her laugh. "Alright. Well, you two have fun," 

    "Where are you going?" he asked before she got too far. 

    "Godrick's having an after-party. Big Kids Only, squirt," she smirked. I laughed at his exaggerated eye roll. Isn't he older than her?

    "Dressed like that?" 

    "I'm taking Lily of course. I'm convinced she's already planned my wedding gown," 

    "Lily Heron?" I whispered. She nodded before walking away. I swooned. "Oh, my god," 

    "Way to keep it together, nerd," Elijah teased, giving me a playful push. 

    "I was not prepared. I panicked," I tried to defend myself. He laughed. 

    "I gave you a fair warning," 

    "You didn't say you lived with her," I groaned, following him around the house. 

    "I said you were going to meet her," 

    "I thought it was a probability. Not a for sure Raven Sterling in a Go F*CK YOURSELF t-shirt thing," 

    "Who geeks like that over doctors? I've never seen that before," 

    "Smart, classy, sophisticated girls who idolize real role models with real contributions to society other than cosmetics and entertainment. Why aren't you a doctor? You're supposed to be older,"

    "Alright, nevermind. You sound just like Cass and I rather not think about her and Zach right now. One thing you'll notice about me is that I am a slacker. I also had other firstborn s**t I had to deal with,"

    I stopped, looking past him. There it is. The massive greenhouse. I followed him as I tried to steady my heartbeat. The two glass doors opened outward without him opening them. They don't look automatic. We walked in and they shut behind us. The smell of different flowers and wet dirt greeted me. It's just as beautiful as in my dream. The colors. We walked right by the pink lilies and over to the gazebo.

    "It's better," I whispered. "I mean. It's the same place but it's so much better in person. Do you know what I mean? Like the dream did it no justice. In-person, it's so much better," 

    "I know exactly what you mean," he smiled. "Come eat before your nuggets get cold," 

    "This place is amazing. You must be really proud of yourself for achieving something like this," 

    "I am," he smiled offering me my drink. 

    "Good because. I am," I squeaked excitedly.

    "You're proud of me?" he asked. 

    "Yes. I mean I don't know you very well but as someone getting to know you. Poof, mind-blowing. I think you should take pride in this," I nodded. He smiled looking around. 

    "They're just flowers," he shrugged. I shook my head. 

    "Not a lot of people know this and I will strangle you if you ever say anything," 

    "Your secret is safe with me princess," 

    "When I was a little girl, I was obsessed with a book. When I was adopted by my family it was the first book I read to Silas. It's called The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. I read them all to him. My dad didn't know we knew but he would sit outside of my room and listen. On my second birthday there, he got me a massive wardrobe. It's the most magnificent thing I've ever seen. When you open it, on the back of the wardrobe there is a painting of the lamp post where Lucy meets Mr. Tumnus," I sat down next to him needing to take a seat. Tears filled my eyes. "When I turned sixteen I found out that he had built and carved the wardrobe himself. Which is why it took him until my second birthday to give it to me," 

    "You miss him?" he asked. 

    "I miss them all," I admitted, wiping the tears away. "I had been proud of my gift but when I found out he had made it himself, it became priceless. He once told me it was just a wardrobe. What he doesn't know is that when I got really scared at night, I'd sleep in there. When things got really hard for me I hid inside the wardrobe and read my Naria collection and it took everything that ever made me sad or scared away," 

    "Raven comes here a lot," he whispered. 

    "This might be Raven's magic wardrobe. These aren't just flowers. They mean something," I said sitting back. 

    "Okay," he smiled looking down at his fries. 

    "Eat," I demanded, he smiled at me lifting the box. 

    "You too," we sat quietly eating. It wasn't weird it was actually pretty comfortable. "Come on. Someone is dying to meet you," 

    "What?" I asked putting the trash back in the paper bag. I grabbed my drink and followed him. 

    "Ready?" he asked and I nodded. He took my drink and put it down with his. 

    "Oh, my god," I said when he turned to face me with a small clay pot. In the middle is the rose he had grown in my hand. Its surrounded by small vines and other tiny buds. It hadn't started to open yet but the red is still really bright.

    "This is Amelia," he whispered, talking to the rose. "She's the one that brought you into this world," 

    "It's beautiful," I put the cup down.

    "She," he corrected. 

    "Does she have a name?" I asked. 

    "No. She's been waiting for you. You have to name her," I looked down at the rose and smiled. He talks to it like it's a person. A small child maybe. "She's headstrong. Isn't afraid of following in what she believes in," 

    "Lucy," there is no other name to describe that personality. "Her name is Lucy," 

    He placed his hand on the leaf and caressed the rose. He whispered something in a language I don't know. He looked up at me and smiled before handing it to me. I'm holding her. She's so tiny.

    "She likes it," he shrugged. I let out a breath of relief. 

    "Good," I giggled, looking at the rose. He took it out of my hands our fingertips grazed against each other. A spark coursed through me giving me goosebumps. 

    "You're freezing," he said putting his hand over mine. It intensified the feeling. He put Lucy back where he had taken her from. "Let's get you inside," 

    After Elijah showed me to the room I'll be staying in, I fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. Peacefully.

    My body shot up. Fear moved through me making me shake uncontrollably. Tears ran down my face. It's hard to breathe. Whatever this is it's not coming from me. The small clock on the bedside table read four fifty-six in the morning. I got out of bed and walked out. 

    The feeling in me is getting stronger. I walked in the direction Elijah had gone last night and as I got closer to his door this feeling in me became cold making me shiver. I tapped on his door. Nothing. I looked around to make sure no one was nearby. I turned the nob and the door opened. I pushed it in quietly and saw him on a massive bed. I walked in, to him struggling. This feeling in the pit of my stomach got ten times worse. It's making me want to cry out or run away.

    "Elijah," I whispered getting a little closer. 

    He didn't respond. A low growling came from the center of his chest. My own fear started to get the best of me remembering his eyes when he was trying to get Zach out of Cassidy's apartment. I took a deep breath and got closer to the bed and reached for him. Before I could make contact his hand came up grabbing my wrist. I tried to pull away. He pulled me in until my face smacked against his chest. 

    "Elijah," I tried to say but my nerves got the best of me and I laughed. He let go looking around disoriented. 

    "Amelia?" he asked looking at me. I sat up covering my mouth with my hand trying to form an explanation in my head. "What are you doing here?" 

    "I... um... You were having a nightmare. It woke me up. I came to check on you and when I tried to wake you up you pulled me on top of you," I laughed at the last part making him smirk. 

    "I woke you? Did I call out or something?" he asked. 

    "No, it was... I felt it. Here," I looked down, putting my hand where the pit that had formed when he told me he was going to stay away from me. Like before, he placed his hand over mine and then his own. "Why do I feel you?" 

    "Just lay with me," he ignored my question, pulling me next to him. I didn't protest. I got under the covers with him and let him turn me into the littlest spoon I've ever been. 

    "We have class in a couple of hours," I reminded him. 

    "Schools not very far from here. I don't get out of bed for another hour," he whispered. 

    "Are you going to answer my question?" 

    "I think you know the answer to that already," he answered pulling me closer to him.

    "What's going to happen to us?" I asked making him chuckle. 

    "I don't know and I don't care as long as you stay here with me," the hour went by in minutes and when he let go to sit up I didn't want to get up anymore. I got out of his bed and went back to the room he had told me to stay in. 

    "Good morning," she greeted.

    "Oh, my god," I shouted jumping back. The knob hit the center of my spine. "Ahhhh," 

    "Amelia," Elijah opened the door hitting my butt making me fall face-first into the carpet. 

    "Oh, honey are you okay?" Raven Sterling asked, running over to my side.

    "Just kill me now please," I groaned.  

    "I am so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have scared you," she laughed.

    "Did you try to?" I asked sitting up trying to rub my back. 

    "No. I thought you were in bed. I was going to wake you up but you weren't there and I was about to freak when I saw you walk in," she looked back at her brother and laughed. 

    "Are you okay, Amelia?" he asked. 

    "Yeah. I got myself pretty good with the doorknob," I pressed my lips together, standing up rubbing my back.

    "I've brought you some clothes and shoes. We are the same size. I just checked. Hurry, get ready. we have breakfast in the dining room," she jumped up and down excitedly before walking out. 

    "I'll come get you," Elijah promised. 

    It took the quickest shower ever and started to get ready. I am so glad she got me something simple. Jeans, a sweater, and a t-shirt. I braided my hair back began to put on the ankle boots she had given me when Elijah knocked on the door. 

    "You can come in," I called back while lacing up the boots. 

    "You clean up fast," he said. 

    "No makeup saves time," I laughed. 

    "Note to self," he smirked. 

    "Did you sleep okay in here?" he asked looking around. 

    "Are you kidding me? This place screams naptime," I beamed, sarcastically. He laughed. 

    "Your room is slightly smaller than this," he shook his head, as I followed him out. 

    "Yeah and it has normal furniture, not gold-lined headboards and silk curtains," I pointed out. He laughed. 

    "Get used to it. It gets worse from here on," he said. 

    "I knew you'd like it simple," Raven Sterling greeted when we got to the bottom of the stairs. 

    "Yeah. Thank you," I smoothed my hand over this sweater. She nodded. 

    "You're very welcome," she said. "Alice had your things brought over. She would have brought your car but she didn't find the keys," 

    "I have them," I said showing her. She nodded. 

    "Okay, so Cassidy is stable. She's home with my parents. Zach, as planned, is not leaving her side. Since they belong to one another, she will be transferring to night classes. She's made her choice," she informed us, looking up at Elijah. 

    "Who didn't see that coming?" he bit out sarcastically before taking a seat at the table. 

    "Eli," she said calmly. 

    "So, what's going to happen now?" 

    "Cass requested a transfer to Cambridge. The Nightstalkers need her there. Zach doesn't like it any more than mom and dad but she wants to go. There's a big opportunity there. For all of us," she said looking at me. 

    "I'm included?" I asked. 

    "Cass named you her best friend. That makes you part of our family now," she smirked. I laughed. 

    "Okay?" 

    "Those in Cambridge are passivists. They make allegiance with the Hunting Parties. She wants you to know that she's okay with you considering them part of your family. She applied for an internship with a woman named..." 

    "Samantha Grey," I offered when she couldn't remember the name.

    "You know her?" Elijah asked. 

    "Yeah, she's my new sister-in-law. She's engaged to Silas. The tall girl that was with us at the party,"

    "Is she safe?" Raven asked looking at me. She sat down next to me, taking my hand. 

    "If I'm being honest, I wouldn't know how to answer that. I just met this girl and I just recently found out what it is my parents really do. I can say that I'll be there. Interns are all on the same floor. If she's working in the afternoon we'll have the same hours. It's a different department so I won't always have eyes on her but I can talk to Silas and my dad," I offered. She nodded giving my arm a squeeze. 

    "Thank you," she said. 

    We had finished breakfast and were walking out to Elijah's car when my phone began to ring. I took it out of my bag. By then it had stopped. My eyes went wide when I saw thirty-six missed calls. I pressed on my mom's name first. 

    "Tobi, baby where the hell are you?" the sound of her voice freaked me out. 

    "I'm on my way to school. What's going on?" I asked.

    "It's Ebony. She's in critical condition," 

    "What? What happened? Where is she?" I asked. 

    "Amelia, where are you?" 

    "Cassidy went through transition last night. I stayed with Raven and Elijah Sterling," 

    "Okay. We're here in the lab. Do you think you can come? Silas is here. We need to talk to you as soon as possible," 

    "Mom?" 

    "Do you think you can get a hold of Godrick Lockwood?" I looked at Elijah. He nodded. 

    "Do you want me to come in with him?" 

    "Yes or don't come at all. The Starks are very upset," the line went dead. 

    "Here," I looked up to see Raven holding her phone out to me. 

    "It's him?" she nodded. "Hello?" 

    "I'll meet you in front of your apartment building. Tell Elijah he'll be following behind us," 

    "Thank you," I said. 

    "You don't have to thank me, baby girl. Whatever you need," he said and hung up. 

    "I'll meet you there," Raven motioned us to go before looking at Elijah. She disappeared after what looked like a brief exchange.

    "Come on. It's going to be a long day," he said opening the door for me. 

    "You drive," Godrick informed me when we arrived. 

    "I have to go up and get my car," I said. There were four black trucks parked along the curb. 

    "No need," he said pressing the button. Alice came out of nowhere and then disappeared. 

    "My lord," Raven appeared from behind one of the trucks. 

    "Hey Rae," he greeted her. 

    "She's easy on the eyes, just like you," she complimented. He smiled looking down at me. My car was brought down. Alice handed me the key and disappeared again. 

    "Godrick," he looked back at Elijah. "You know what this is," 

    "If you have a suggestion I'm all ears," Godrick lifted his hands in a challenging manner when he turned to look back at him. 

    "There really isn't one. We're going into their house. This is going to be hard enough on her," Elijah replied. Godrick looked down at me. 

    "I'm not going in with lethal. Should it come to that I'm going to need you to take her out of there. Raven and I will take care of the rest. I won't be the first to move against them," 

    "Don't let them hurt her anymore," Elijah requested. Godrick looked at him. 

    "You're telling me what to do now?" Godrick asked defensively. Elijah didn't back away from him. He didn't look away like the others did.

    "We have the same goal here. I'm not afraid of you. This isn't the first time we've disagreed," 

    "No, it isn't. This is the first time it means anything to either of us. Get your ass in your car. You better no fall behind. You belong to me and you're going to do as I say even if it kills you. Do you understand?" 

    "Yes, sir," Elijah bit out angrily before lowering his gaze.