“I’m not going to tell you anything,” Ian said. “I want to talk to your boss. I don’t know exactly what he wants with me or you want me or whatever. I’m sick of everyone and their second cousin chasing after me like I’m a golden fucking snitch.”
This made her laugh. “Always so brash when confronted. I supposed you could try and lunge over here. Suck me dry with that power of yours. You are the leech after all. But you will not. Do you understand?”
Ian nodded. He couldn’t stop himself. Something was very wrong here.
“Now you are going to answer all my questions, aren’t you?”
He nodded.
“Speak every response. I want to hear your words.”
“Yes.”
“Now you know better than that, Ian. I suspect somewhere in that addled little mind of yours, you remember what to call me.”
His head ached, but something about her words—something about the power they carried—made him remember. “Yes, mistress.”
“That’s better.”
She smiled and he could only focus on her face. Her words compelled him somehow. No matter how much he didn’t want to do anything she said, as soon as she spoke, her command was everything.
“I see your resistance,” she said. “You know this will only cause you pain. You will suffer needlessly. You understand you cannot resist me, Ian.”
“Yes, mistress.”
“Better. Much better. Now tell me what you remember.”
Ian told her of his awakening in the hands of Doppelganger and his men, his escape and his subsequent meetings with Stomp, Cyrus and the rest. His limited description of Doppelganger seemed to intrigue her, but not nearly as much as his description of Peach and her abilities. As he started to explain his transfer to the alien world, she cut him off.
“Tell me more about this Peach. What is her full name? Where does she come from?”
“She’s beautiful,” Ian said. “She looks young, but she’s far older than she looks. I didn’t ask where she came from, but she hinted more than once that she was older than she appeared. She was the first person I didn’t feel like a pariah around. She made me feel like a person, while it still felt like the others treated me as a complication in their life.”
“Did she tell you where she came from? Did she ever mention other witches? Or the whereabouts of the coven?”
“I don’t know anything about other witches,” Ian said. “Nothing I can remember.”
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 22-2
The back of the sedan was a bit more spacious than it appeared from the outside. Two rows of seats were inside. With the woman taking up the seats against the wall separating the back from the driver, Ian took a seat directly across from her.
The woman across from him did seem familiar, though older than he remembered. He guessed she was in her early forties. Her blonde hair was pulled into a tight bun. Her blue eyes were framed by designer glasses. She wore a simple skirt and business suit, both in heather gray. Her three inch pumps were the only thing that marked her as anything but a business woman.
She didn’t show any sign of emotion at his presence. He knew her, but she showed no sign of recognition, nor really of interest in his presence. Whoever she worked with—or for—went to great effort to get him here, but she showed no sign of caring about his existence at all. She tapped the dark screen between herself and her driver. Ian felt the sedan move a second later.
She met his eyes. She seemed to study him now. He couldn’t help but feel it wasn’t out of curiosity about his thoughts or feelings. No, it felt like she looked at him like prey.
“Your memory really is gone,” she said. “I can see it in your eyes. What do you remember about me?
A wisecrack rose in his mind, But those words didn’t escape his lips. Instead he found himself compelled to answer her. “I remember your face. But you were younger. You were possessive. I remember your body. I remember being on my knees before you. I was completely infatuated you. I did anything you asked of me. It’s like I worshipped you, but I don’t know why.”
She smirked. “That’s probably a good thing. I don’t think you would have got in this car with me if you had after all. My skills are a unique specialization, sl—” She stopped short, as if she remembered to not use whatever word she meant. “What is it you call yourself now?”
“Ian. My name is Ian.”
“Of course it is. You were always fascinating to me, Ian.” His name slithered off her lips like a serpent. She clearly knew him as someone else. “But we have a long ride ahead of us and you have a lot of answers to give me.”
The woman across from him did seem familiar, though older than he remembered. He guessed she was in her early forties. Her blonde hair was pulled into a tight bun. Her blue eyes were framed by designer glasses. She wore a simple skirt and business suit, both in heather gray. Her three inch pumps were the only thing that marked her as anything but a business woman.
She didn’t show any sign of emotion at his presence. He knew her, but she showed no sign of recognition, nor really of interest in his presence. Whoever she worked with—or for—went to great effort to get him here, but she showed no sign of caring about his existence at all. She tapped the dark screen between herself and her driver. Ian felt the sedan move a second later.
She met his eyes. She seemed to study him now. He couldn’t help but feel it wasn’t out of curiosity about his thoughts or feelings. No, it felt like she looked at him like prey.
“Your memory really is gone,” she said. “I can see it in your eyes. What do you remember about me?
A wisecrack rose in his mind, But those words didn’t escape his lips. Instead he found himself compelled to answer her. “I remember your face. But you were younger. You were possessive. I remember your body. I remember being on my knees before you. I was completely infatuated you. I did anything you asked of me. It’s like I worshipped you, but I don’t know why.”
She smirked. “That’s probably a good thing. I don’t think you would have got in this car with me if you had after all. My skills are a unique specialization, sl—” She stopped short, as if she remembered to not use whatever word she meant. “What is it you call yourself now?”
“Ian. My name is Ian.”
“Of course it is. You were always fascinating to me, Ian.” His name slithered off her lips like a serpent. She clearly knew him as someone else. “But we have a long ride ahead of us and you have a lot of answers to give me.”
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 22. Ian
Every few minutes, Ian’s cellphone rang. It gave him another path to travel, or another means of transportation to take. After a trip on the city bus, a walk down seventeen blocks next to heavy traffic and a rented bicycle ride down the trails of Reinhold Park, he found himself in a large parking area just on the edge of the park. In daytime, he was sure it was a lovely place. But in the dark of the night, it felt dangerous, as if dark things lurked in the shadows around him.
It was clear the journey had one purpose: to throw off anyone that might have followed Ian. He knew the concept well. His past may still be a mystery, but he knew it wasn’t the first time he took action to lose any potential tail. His earliest memories were of being pursued by Doppelganger’s enforcers. But he knew deep down he spent much more time than that on the run.
When the black sedan pulled in and stopped in front of him, he knew this was a moment of truth for him.
I’m alone. I have no help. I’m not sure I can do this. He could feel his hands shaking. I know I should be worried about the voice on the phone, but I have no idea why. Yet I can feel the foreboding that came with it. I have a history with this person and it seems obvious it isn’t a good one. And even though I want to help Phoebe, all I can feel is dread at the thought of it. Why I am such a coward?
The back passenger side door swung open in front of him. A silky feminine voice simply said, “Get in.”
He stared at the open door. His life could be forfeit if he entered. But he knew this was his only chance to save Phoebe. Besides, if they wanted him dead, they would have killed him a long time ago. This was clearly someone’s plan. If he backed out now, she would be lost. Her life would be lost instead of his. And none of the genetic engineering she experienced in space would save her from a torturous demise.
“Get in,” the voice said again. It was familiar, but like the man on the phone, Ian couldn’t place it. “I won’t repeat myself again.”
With a sigh, he stepped forward and climbed into the sedan.
It was clear the journey had one purpose: to throw off anyone that might have followed Ian. He knew the concept well. His past may still be a mystery, but he knew it wasn’t the first time he took action to lose any potential tail. His earliest memories were of being pursued by Doppelganger’s enforcers. But he knew deep down he spent much more time than that on the run.
When the black sedan pulled in and stopped in front of him, he knew this was a moment of truth for him.
I’m alone. I have no help. I’m not sure I can do this. He could feel his hands shaking. I know I should be worried about the voice on the phone, but I have no idea why. Yet I can feel the foreboding that came with it. I have a history with this person and it seems obvious it isn’t a good one. And even though I want to help Phoebe, all I can feel is dread at the thought of it. Why I am such a coward?
The back passenger side door swung open in front of him. A silky feminine voice simply said, “Get in.”
He stared at the open door. His life could be forfeit if he entered. But he knew this was his only chance to save Phoebe. Besides, if they wanted him dead, they would have killed him a long time ago. This was clearly someone’s plan. If he backed out now, she would be lost. Her life would be lost instead of his. And none of the genetic engineering she experienced in space would save her from a torturous demise.
“Get in,” the voice said again. It was familiar, but like the man on the phone, Ian couldn’t place it. “I won’t repeat myself again.”
With a sigh, he stepped forward and climbed into the sedan.
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