“You will never be my husband! I shall never marry you!” Celine shouted through tears.
“You are distraught so I shall be lenient. But I warn you, Celine, I will not permit this behavior to continue.” Celine stalked away from him, frustrated. Marcus approached her, putting his hands on her arms. “Now, my dear, I suggest we begin anew. Tonight did not turn out the way I desired, but we shall move forward together.”
Celine shuddered as his hands gripped her. She pulled away from his touch. “I shall move nowhere with you,” she seethed.
“Celine, do not be rash in your judgement. You have little choice in the matter. I shall soon become your husband.”
“Never! Get out!”
“I will not be spoken to in this manner! With the life I shall provide you, you should be on your knees thanking me.”
Celine raised her hand to slap him. He grabbed her arm as she swung. “Don’t do anything you may regret, Celine,” he hissed at her.
“I would not regret striking you,” she countered.
He released her arm, throwing her onto the bed. “I shall ignore your comments. You are hysterical. You may thank me later. For now, you should sleep.” He stalked to the door, opening it and stepping out. Before pulling it shut, he said, “Resign yourself, Celine. We are bonded, you and I. Bonded as one for eternity. We are destined. There is no use in fighting. I shall have you, Celine. You shall be mine.”
Celine’s mind snapped back to the present. Marcus’ words echoed in her mind. She lived in misery that night and for many nights after. She now lived in misery again. Two centuries later, her life continued to be disrupted by Marcus. With his latest threat, she’d have to move her timetable up. Despite the danger, she would appeal to Damien again tonight. She prayed he could withstand it. She wouldn’t put his life in danger, but she had to try.
Celine settled on the floor of her cell. She took a deep breath before relaxing. She laid back, breathing deep. “Let’s try this again, Damien,” she whispered.
Chapter 5
Everyone settled in the sitting room. Michael reviewed his work. Millie read and Alexander and Damien engaged in a game of chess. Damien struggled to stay awake, but as time passed, his exhaustion waned a bit. By dinner, he was tired but not exhausted.
Conversation was kept light during dinner. Still, the dark pall of Celine’s absence hung over the meal. After dinner, Damien excused himself to turn in for the night. Millie offered him a sedative, but Damien refused. Given the ill effects the sedative had on him, he preferred to try natural sleep.
He stretched out as he slid under the covers. Celine entered his mind. No, he refused. He couldn’t dwell on her disappearance now. It would prevent his sleep. And he desperately needed sleep. He considered changing his mind, asking Millie for the sedative. He reasoned he’d feel worse with it. He closed his eyes, counting sheep. He drifted off in the mid-seventies.
Damien opened his eyes, glancing around. He recognized his surroundings despite not being in his room. He had been here before, during his nap. The same trees loomed over him. The same eerie silence pervaded the space. His mind sensed more details of the space this time. The features were not as hazy. He noted the lack of color in the place, the strange musty smell. The cold bothered him. He shivered against it.
Noise reverberated around him. He couldn’t understand it, it was indiscernible. “Hello?” he called.
“Damien,” Celine answered, her voice echoing. “Focus, Damien.”
Damien concentrated on the sound of Celine’s voice. He closed his eyes, deepening his breath, focusing his energy. After opening his eyes, he saw Celine standing in front of him.
She smiled at him. “You’re getting better at this,” Celine told him.
“Celine, is it really you?”
“Yes, D. It’s me.” Celine approached him. He reached for her. Her warm hand grabbed his. “You’re freezing.” She pulled him close.
“Celine, I miss you.”
“Damien, you…” Celine snapped her head to the side, searching behind her. “You must go,” she urged, her eyes wide. “I shall come to you again.”
“No, Celine,” Damien argued. “Celine, please. Don’t go! No!”
“Go, Damien,” Celine replied, backing away. “Go!” The vision faded away, the world closing in on him.
Damien shot up to sitting, gasping for breath. “Celine! No!” he called. “Wait!” His body trembled, his hands like ice. He pulled the blankets around him, still too stunned to move. The vivid dream felt real again. The sudden departure of Celine left him troubled. He glanced to the clock, it read 11:03 p.m. He should try to go back to sleep, but he realized sleep would escape him. Still, exhaustion coursed through him, as though he had been steamrolled.
Damien laid back, his heart rate returning to normal. He shut his eyes, searching for Celine. He could not find her, only blackness. He pushed it from his mind, determined to sleep. After twenty minutes, he gave up. He could not sleep despite the weariness he experienced.
Damien climbed from his bed, pulling on his shoes and a hoodie. He emerged from his room, padding down the hall to the foyer. He descended the steps, heading for the front door. Perhaps some fresh air would calm his frayed nerves and soothe him into sleep.
He placed his hand on the doorknob, about to turn it when a voice sounded behind him. “Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?”
Damien jumped, startled. He turned to find Gray staring at him, his arms across his chest. He swallowed hard before responding. “Couldn’t sleep, had another one of those dreams.”
“You look like hell,” Gray replied. “Come in and have a brandy. You shouldn’t be wandering around in the middle of the night.”
Damien acquiesced, abandoning his plan for a walk. Perhaps the brandy and company would soothe his nerves enough to sleep. He followed Gray into the sitting room, finding Alexander and Celeste there. “What the hell is she
