Rebellion (Risen Series Bk1)

Chapter Three: The Bonnie

Atanas had been gone too long. I'd given him some money and he'd insisted on going shopping alone but now I was worried something had happened.

"I hope something's happened." I muttered to myself, pouring a glass of vodka, drinking it like water.

Hopefully he'd been murdered or captured again and I could replace his presence with a cat. The odd thought had my brain stuttering for a moment, he'd only been here two nights, was I already used to having another being around? Had I been more lonely than I thought and not realised until Atanas arrived? Maybe I did need a cat, or a therapist.

The door handle suddenly rattled, stealing me from my thoughts and I watched the door open, leaning over the counter to make sure it was my captor.

I watched in abject horror as Atanas led a female into my space. I never brought mortals back here, not to feed on, not as friends, not even to fix anything in the flat.

"I need to feed." He whispered as he walked past me, leading the woman who looked no more than a girl to the couch.

He was wearing new clothes that he'd gotten from Gods knew where, black shirt and black jeans, perhaps dark colours were a vampire thing, we couldn't exactly blend into the shadows wearing neon pink and yellow.

I grabbed his arm, stopping him, "This isn't how I do things, I don't like my home being...contaminated by this part of our lives."

For a moment, he looked understanding before he shrugged, "It's not safe for us to be hunting until I am at my full strength, if I'm spotted and recognised, we'll both be in trouble, trust me."

Releasing his arm, I decided to ignore him, going back to my drink on the kitchen counter, glaring right back at the woman who stared at me.

"Who is she? I'm not into threesomes." I heard her mutter to Atanas which made me roll my eyes.

"You and me both darling." I grumbled against the glass of vodka, stiffening when I heard Atanas laugh.

"Don't worry about her, she's just a pet, no where near as beautiful as you." he assured her.

My heart clenched, the glass shattering in my hand, the sound masked by the girlish giggle the human let out. I grabbed the bottle of vodka and stomped my way back to my room, stopping to glare over at Atanas.

"Just don't get blood on my couch." I snapped, stepping through the door into my sanctuary.

Perhaps a shower would help calm me down and get rid of the tention in my shoulders. I grabbed a towel and existed again for the bathroom, making a show of not even glancing in their direction.

I locked the door, sighing as the light flickered on and off before slowly buzzing and then busting. Standing unimpressed in the dark, I takes around the small cupboard above the sink until I found candles and a lighter, making my own light. At least it gave the room a more mellow feel, it's orange glow already helping in relaxing me.

Turning the shower on, I then started to strip, catching the white scars of my past in the mirror. I threw the towel over it, hiding my reflection from sight.

The water was hot over my cold skin, too hot, but the burn was pleasurable and I didn't bother turning it down. I washed quickly, my short hair not taking much time to clean, and used the rest of the time just standing and daydreaming until the water went cold.

My main thoughts were of Atanas, of what trouble he was going to drag me into. I had done my damnedest to stay out of trouble and off the radar and now I was hiding someone that was the reason the council had the radar.

To help Atanas was to betray the council and Atanas was proof of how the council dealt with traitors, but it wasn't like I had much of a choice. Unless I somehow managed to tell the council about him, then he'd would be their problem and not mine. They would come, take him away, kill him or imprison them again and I could go back to my life. I tilted my head up, letting the water run over my face, knowing that option was far too dangerous because Atanas wouldn't let me out of his sight and I didn't want to know what he would do to me if he caught me trying to go against him.

I yelped as the water suddenly went cold and froze as I heard the unmistakable laugh of Atanas. Jumping out the shower, I quickly wrapped a towel around me, only then realising I hadn't brought clean clothes through. Not that it mattered, Atanas would be to busy fawning over the beautiful mortal that was on his lap on the livingroom. I picked up the dirty clothes and opened the door, scampering through to my bedroom, struggling to keep my gaze ahead and not peak into the livingroom to see what they were doing.

Atanas was stood in the middle of my bedroom and I hissed at him, my fangs dropping.

"You're not allowed in here, you may have the rest of the house but this room remains my private space."

He laughed, "I was just snooping, I haven't touched anything, I promise, but you can learn a lot about a person from their bedroom."

The smell of blood was on him yet there wasn't a single smear. His eyes raked over me, a frown marring his features as he looked at my legs. I suddenly felt far too self conscious, knowing the towel didn't hide the patterns of scars on my body. Not wanting to let him know how another seeing them effected me, I kept my chin high.

I was ashamed of the scars, they were signs of how weak I'd been, how helpless, how I had been under the broken and controlled. His eyes on me while he was standing in the middle of the only place I felt safe was a violation I wouldn't stand.

"Get out. Now."

His eyes flicked back to me, sympathy in their depths and my body slumped. I didn't want his sympathy, it was the exact reason I hid the scars from view, sympathy was another way of them thinking you were weak. Atanas already had me under his control, he didn't need to pity me as well.

"Please leave."

The pleadingly desperate tone must have hit him because he nodded and past by me, his arm brushing against mine. I shivered, goosebumps appearing where his skin had touched mine. I didn't relax until the door was shut behind him.

I dropped down, my bum hitting the floor harder than I meant it to, my hands fisting in my hair. Maybe this was all some horrible dream...more like a nightmare I was living.

"You'll need to hurry and get dressed, we have people to visit tonight!" Atanas called through, making me groan again.

Begrudgingly, I got to my feet and dried off, tugging on the first clothes I saw.

Atanas was looking through the collection of books against the far wall of the livingroom when I finally made myself come through. He picked up my copy of Pride and Prejudice and snorted.

"Hopeless romantic?" He asked, barely tipping his head in my direction.

I folded my arms, feeling indignant, "Lover of the classics." I retorted.

He finally turned round and studied me with a raised eyebrow. I felt self conscious and quickly looked down at myself to see what was wrong, finding nothing.

"You're ready?" He asked.

I nodded and headed for the door, feeling his presence close behind me. It was magnetic yet I wanted to be as far from him as possible. He didn't give me that luxury however, he walked by my side as we made our way towards the docks, his body twisting ever so slightly in from of mine if anything other walked past. I wondered if he realised he was doing it, if he realised he was telling the creatures of the night that to get to me, they'd have to go through him. Not that I needed his protection, most in this area new who I was and few would dare attack. I hadn't made it as far and as long as I had without knowing how to fight.

The sign for The Bonnie creaked as it swung in the wind. To any mortal, the place would have looked deserted, no light filtering from the window, no noise or sign of people. Only people like us could walk through the veil that shimmered and let us through. A few creatures lingered by the door, smoking and laughing, pretending they weren't eyeing us up.

A small growled warning from Atanas soon had their eyes diverting. He pushed his way into the pub, his head high, his walk almost regal. I wondered what I must have looked like, scurrying in behind him, eyes darting around like a frightened deer.

The smell of smoke was heavy, tobacco and weed drifting from the corner of the dim room. If Atanas wasn't here, I might have tried to get some, smoking curbed urges that I had a difficult time ignoring otherwise.

The Bonnie was a sanctuary for a multitude of creatures; Laoch, Vampires, Wolves, Ailill (elven), witches. You name it, and they skulked around this area of town. This was a place for underground deals, trades, a place full of secrets and runaways but it was far from unknown by the council or elders of each species. Even the over all leaders, the police of all things supernatural had eyes here, Breandan was proof of that for he himself was Laoch, though I wasn't sure whether he'd left his homeland for work or if there were other reasons.

Breandan was behind the bar nos and when he spotted me, his grin was contagious. Perhaps I lied to myself when I said he was barely a friend.

Atanas gently urged me forward and I pushed my irritation of his treatment aside to greet my friend. Breandan lifted me up over the bar, squeezing me into a tight hug and pecking my cheek.

"I haven't seen you in a while but you can't possibly be here to order more drink, you can't have finished already!" He laughed, putting me back down, already preparing drinks for me.

"I'm not finished yet, I'm here on...business, I guess." I stumbled awkwardly, my eyes flicking to Atanas who was glaring at the Laoch.

Breandan leaned in, passing me a shot of vodka, whispering conspicuously, "Is the tall, dark, handsome and threatening one with you?"

I tried not to laugh, I really did, but the way Breandan practically drooled over Atanas had me amused and then oddly jealous.

"He's with me." I replied, trying to keep the irritation out of my voice by Breandan knew me too well.

"Are you in some type of trouble, Shylah?"

His attitude shifted, his aura going from care free and relaxed to ready to defend in a split second. He'd been brought up a warrior and in that moment, I could tell.

I placed a hand on his arm and gave my brightest smile, "Nothing I can't handle, you know me."

His eyes narrowed and I kept the smile on my face. I didn't want to know what Atanas would do if I gave it away that he'd threatened my life.

"Exactly, I do know you and you're not one to keep company." He argued, "You know if you need help-"

"She doesn't need help." Atanas interrupted, his arm slipping around my waist, making me freeze.

Breandan eyed his arm then looked at me, his glare breaking out into a grin, "Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't realise Shylah had a lad. You have to understand, everything she's went through with men before, I'm a tad overprotective. Gods even I worry I'll set of one of her panic attacks if I do something wrong."

Cringing, I was annoyed that Breandan had let something about me slip out. Hopefully that comment would pass by my captor and he wouldn't ask further questions, I didn't need him trying to delve into my past. For a second, Atanas glanced at me and the way that Breandan was watching him let me know that my friend wasn't so easily convinced of our relationship.

Yet, I had to hand it to Atanas, he knew how to play people. He smiled at my friend, tugging me closer I to his side and his hand burned where it touched the bare skin of my side.

"I understand completely. We're taking things slowly, the last thing I want to do is cause her more pain." He agreed, "We're here to talk to Una, she's an old friend of mine. Tell her it's Atanas."

Breandan looked at me again, doubt still lingering in his eyes until Atanas had the audacity to place a soft caress of a kiss to my temple. I stayed deathly still, my body reacting in a flood of heat that caught me off guard.

It had been an age since I'd been touched like this and still it had never been with my consent. I'd promised myself it'd never happen again unless on my terms and I resented Atanas for taking yet another part of my freedom from me.

Breandan smirked and winked at me before disappearing to find his boss. When he went through the door, I shiver Atanas away, giving him a glare.

"How dare you!" I hissed, my anger growing when he chuckled and strokes my cheek.

"I couldn't have him suspecting me as he was and we obviously pass as a couple. Though I have to say, you fall a little short of my usual women." He drawled.

It stung. It shouldn't have but it did, his words sliced through me and all the insecurities I had about myself started seeping through new cracks in my armour.

"You've been imprisoned in a hole or cave for the last century, I imagine any woman is a step up from the corseted human whores I'm sure kept your bed warm." I snapped, quickly downing the shots that Breandan had lined up for me.

"You really do have a tongue on you." He said tightly, gripping my arm and yanking me to his side.

His lips brushed against my ear and my breath caught in my throat, "Behave for the rest of the night and I'll let you keep it. If you're lucky, you might get to use it in a way that pleases me."

"Am I interrupting?"

Una stood behind the bar, her eyes widening slightly as Atanas turned to face her. She was a fierce looking woman, tall and slim built but with a firmness to her that kept everyone in line. Her hair was dark, wild and curly, her eyes a piercing green that glowed like the elven, the Ailill. I had my suspicions about her heritage but all the proof there was, was still just rumours.

I'd never seen her look so flustered before, she was staring like she'd seen a ghost, her hand going to the bar to steady herself.

"It is you." She gasped, still looking disbelieving.

She looked him over again, her hand lifting and reaching out to touch his arm before snapping back.

Atanas smirked, releasing me. He leaned over the bar, propping his arms on the surface.

"Did you miss me, witch?" He asked flirtatiously and I didn't miss the blush that stained her cheeks.

Una eyed me and then nodded to the door she's come through, "Let's go somewhere we won't be overheard..."

She seemed to think about something before she leaned in and whispered, "Before someone with a vendetta realises it's you."

Atanas nodded, grabbing my upper arm and dragging me behind him and through the door. Rage bubbled up at being manhandled in a way all to similar to the way I had been in my past. Pushing down the memories that surfaced, I allowed him to tug me along like a disobedient puppy.

He'd pay for that, I promised myself.