Acheron
Sylvin did it. She was ours, and without any bloodshed. Of course, Malik noticed as soon as she was gone. He almost had her too; if it were not for my flames and sufficient distraction, this whole plan would have failed. I enter my bedroom, her sleeping form sprawled across my bed, the chain around her ankle rubbing her skin raw. I smile wickedly and sit in a chair by the window, staring at her. She should be waking up soon. I sat for hours, getting impatient. I take out my cell and dial Sylvin. "What the hell's wrong with her? Why isn't she waking up?" I ask. He clears his throat before answering, "Umm, it may be a little while, sir. I had to double the dose. She wouldn't go down with just one," he explains. I sigh, frustrated. "Very well, if it couldn't be helped," I say, aggravated. I hang up and leave the room, attending to some other business. I have someone watching the camera I put on her, and they'll let me know as soon as she wakes up. The end of the day flies by, and I think back to her. Why haven't I been told she was awake? I pull out my phone once more. "Darious, what's going on? Is she not up yet?" I ask, my patience thinning. "No, sir, nothing yet," he replies. I let out a frustrated breath and hang up. I am now regretting putting her in my room. I head up the stairs toward my room and enter. What was he talking about? She was definitely awake. I bet he didn't even come in here—he probably just sat and watched the monitor. Ugh, people are useless. I studied her closer, tears dripping down her face and into my bed, leaving behind a huge wet spot. I shake my head and click my tongue disapprovingly. "Now, now, crying will get you nowhere, sweetheart," I say coldly. She jolts and turns her head to look at me. "Why?" she mumbles, choking back a sob. "Foolish girl, did your mother never tell you what you are or even what exists in this world?" I ask, already aware of the answer. She shakes her head no, tears still rolling down her cheeks. "What do you mean?" she asks. I walk up to her and ignite my hands with my blue flame. Her eyes widen, and she gasps, scooting herself backward, the chain clinking as she does so. "This is the power you possess, and I will do anything it takes to grow it. I'll let you be for today, but tomorrow we try everything to get it to awaken," I say, clenching my fist. I am not waiting a year and a half for her to be 18—not if I can help it. She curls herself into the corner of the bed as I lay down next to her. "You should sleep. It's gonna be a long day for you tomorrow," I say, closing my eyes. "I need to pee," she says quietly. "What's stopping you? The chain is long enough to reach around this entire room. The bathroom is over there," I say, pointing. I feel her weight lift off the bed, and the chain rattles around as she walks over to the bathroom. After about 10 minutes, I get suspicious as to where she is. I get up and follow the chain to the corner of the bathroom. She sat with her knees pushed up to her chest and her head in her hands. I shake my head and return to bed, happily falling asleep.
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Audra
I wake up, and the first thing I notice is the chain around my ankle. I try to remain calm as I collect my thoughts from last night. Okay, Malik definitely saw me being dragged away. But how did I end up here? It was like magic had transported me here just by stepping through that mist stuff. I'm sure I was remembering it wrong. I lift my head up slightly, looking around. I was in the same bedroom I saw last night. Okay, so they didn't move me. That would make me easier to find. I just have to keep my head down until someone comes. I lay there for hours, crying, until someone came in. "Now, now, crying will get you nowhere, sweetheart," a man says coldly. I jolt up, surprised, and turn my head to look at him. "Why?" I mumble, choking back a sob. "Foolish girl, did your mother never tell you what you are or even what exists in this world?" he asked. I shook my head no, confused, tears still streaming down my face. "What do you mean?" I ask. He walked up to me, and suddenly, his hands ignited with a deep blue flame. My eyes widen, and I let out a surprised gasp, scooting myself backward, the chain heavy and loud as I do so. "This is the power you possess, and I will do anything it takes to grow it. I'll let you be for today, but tomorrow we try everything to get it to awaken," he says, clenching his fist in front of his chest. I back myself into a corner at the top of the bed, pulling my knees up to my chest. He lays down opposite me on top of the covers. "You should sleep. It's gonna be a long day for you tomorrow," he says. I think of a way to get away from him, so I come up with the oldest trick in the book. "I need to pee," I say quietly. He nonchalantly responds, "What's stopping you? The chain is long enough to reach around this entire room. The bathroom is over there," he says, pointing toward a door. Well, this is not quite what I had in mind, but it would do. I pull myself off the bed as the chain rattles around while I walk over to the bathroom. I sit down in the corner as far as the chain could comfortably reach. I pull my knees up and set my arms on them, resting my head on top. I doze here and there, but I woke at the slightest noise. It was a long and hard night.