Cruel Beauty

Chapter 6

I was bored out of my mind. I should be used to that feeling by now, but things have changed. I was no longer locked up in a cell, although this room kind of reminded me of that time.

I haven’t stepped foot outside of this room since I woke up. The room was huge. I even had my own bathroom. There was a closet filled with men's clothing, which suggests that this room belonged to a male. I didn’t like the idea of inconveniencing anyone, but Riley assured me that it wasn’t an inconvenience at all. Apparently, the owner of the room has never set foot inside this room.

Weird, right? I didn’t fight her on the topic, because the truth was I didn’t have anywhere else to go. I was thankful that they were letting me stay here, although I don’t know for how much longer.

A seventy-inch TV sat on the wall opposite the bed, which I spent most of the time watching. It was truly fascinating to see just how much everything has changed over the last decade.

I am currently watching a show called ‘The Vampire Diaries’ and let me tell you, I am obsessed. I have been watching it nonstop for the past thirty-two hours, only taking my eyes off the screen long enough to use the toilet. I haven’t even showered. I probably stank.

Riley has been ensuring that I am fed. She normally stops by for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Yesterday, I asked her if she could bring a bunch of snacks with her along with my lunch, and she did.

I had already eaten everything, and the bed was covered in an array of different wrappers that I’d been too lazy to dispose of.

I look down at the mess I’ve made, suddenly feeling bad. They were letting me stay here for free, so the least I could do was clean up after myself. With a sorrowful sigh, I hit the pause button on the remote in time to see Damon’s handsome face filling up the screen.

With one last look at the screen, I closed my eyes and hit the power button on the remote. That was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my life. With a dejected sigh, I got to work.

I did quick work of picking up the wrappers that were strewn all over the room and disposing of them in a bin in the corner. There was even a chocolate wrapper on the back of the television.

“I wonder how that got there?” I reached up to grab it on my tippy toes when the memory of last night flashed before my eyes.

Ah. I remember it now. It was that time when that b***h Katherine made an appearance in the show. I got so mad that I threw my half-eaten snicker bar at the TV, completely missing my target, but it was satisfying nevertheless.

I finished the chocolate and threw the wrapper in the bin. After that, I cleared all surfaces of empty water bottles, placing them in a neat pile beside the bin because it was already full.

A pleased smile stretched across my lips when I looked around the room to see that it was looking a little less messy than it was a few minutes ago. I stretched my hands over my head and yawned.

With my arms in the air, I got a whiff of something that reminded me of the smell of a dead body. I sniffed my armpits and almost passed out from the horrid smell.

Yup. I needed a shower. Making a beeline for the bathroom, I stripped out of the clothes I was wearing and got into the shower. I turned the water on and jumped away immediately with a surprised screech.

It was freezing cold. After minutes of standing in the corner, I somehow mustered up enough courage to just get it over with. The next time I stepped under the water, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was warm.

My muscles relax under the warm jets of water, and my body sags. I stood there like that for a few minutes, enjoying the feel of water running down my body. It has been so long since I’ve had a proper shower. That painful reminder brought tears to my eyes.

Reaching with one hand up, I ran it along my chest where the wounds that Hunter inflicted once were. I have fully healed thanks to my above-average healing ability. I would have healed sooner, but I had yet to complete my transformation, so the healing process took longer.

One drop. Two drops. Then the floodgates opened. Tears streamed down my face, mixed with the shower. I couldn't tell where it ended or where it began. I just knew that it felt good to get it all out.

I cry. There were a lot of things that I cried about that afternoon—the loss of my mother, my lost childhood, my brother, and the pain I’ve had to endure all these years.

I’ve lost so much, but there was one thing I still had left—hope. I had hope. Before my mother took her last breath, she told me something. I’ll never forget what she said. She pulled me close and whispered into my ear, “Find Julian.” Those were her last words.

“Find Julian,” I repeated, hope blossoming in my chest.

I was free. I know it’s a long shot, but maybe, just maybe, I could still find this Julian person. Maybe they could help me. I can’t stay here forever. Riley said I could stay for as long as I needed, but it just doesn’t feel right staying here. She’s already done more than enough for me. For which I will forever be grateful.

I have to go. I have to find Julian and figure out a way to right the wrongs of the past. It won’t be easy, and I still have a lot of things to learn, but it’s something I have to do on my own. I can’t keep dragging Riley into my mess.

With that thought in mind, I grabbed the bottle of body wash and a cloth, then proceeded to wash off all the grime and hardship of the last twelve years. I scrubbed my skin until it was raw, but even then, I didn’t stop until my overused muscles screamed at me.

Breathing harshly through my mouth, I leaned my forehead against the tiled wall of the shower and let the water run down my back.

Slowly, I trail my hand up my back until my fingers graze a bump, and another, and another. I felt the outline of the scars on my back with shaky hands. A lump formed in my throat as a fresh wave of tears rolled down my face.

It hurt so much. Everything hurts. The pain of the past resurfaced, reminding me of every time that man had visited me in the middle of the night to burn my skin. I could feel the heat from the metal hovering over my skin before he finally sunk it into my back.

It felt as though it had happened just yesterday. I remember everything about that moment—the scent of burning skin, the metallic taste of blood in my mouth from biting hard on the inside of my cheeks to muffle my cries, and the way my body would sag from exhaustion after each session.

My scars burned. I took the washcloth and scrubbed my back in hopes that I could scrub those memories clean from my mind. It doesn’t work. When I close my eyes, I see my father standing over me and he’s holding a metal, the tip of it glowing a bright orange. He then presses the orange tip onto my back with a satisfied smile.

I see his face everywhere. The imprint he’s left on my body will forever haunt me. I turned off the shower and stepped out. Then I wrap a towel around myself, not caring that the water is dripping on the floor from my wet hair.

When I entered the bedroom, my heart leap into my throat at the figure sitting on the bed. I couldn’t see their face. They were clad in black from head to toe, finishing off the look with a black cloak. It looked more like a shadow than a person.

I froze, unsure of what to make of this. Riley was the only person who came into this room, and also the guy who treated my wounds—who I have now learned his name was Mica—but he would never enter without permission.

A shiver ran down my spine, dread settling into my bones. The figure rose from the bed, and without hesitation, walked over to me. They stop just a foot away. Gloved hands reach up and pull the cloak back to reveal midnight black hair.

A gasp escapes me when I see his eyes. His right eye was red and his left eye was white. He was beautiful—the kind that would make even Adonis weep. My heart stuttered in my chest when he leaned in to close the distance between us.