Sequel: Blanket of Fear ›
Bound to You
Chapter Thirteen
After Gates had interrupted Zack and Eliza, he had told her to get dressed and meet him downstairs before leaving the room quickly. Frustrated, Eliza got out of the bed, pushing a hand through her thick hair as she walked towards the closet to pick out an outfit. Not sure what Zack was planning, she chose a simple outfit consisting of a green tank top, jeans, and some high tops that she found in the closet before she walked to the bathroom, wanting to take another shower.
When she was done getting ready, she walked back into the main bedroom and found the bed completely made and the woman she recognized as Val sitting on the edge of the bed, seemingly waiting for her. She smiled at the woman.
“Hi.” She said, happy to see someone that she somewhat knew. Val returned her smile, and stood up, walking over to her.
“It’s nice to see you back here.” She told Eliza, her voice containing secrets; secrets that Eliza wasn’t sure that she wanted to know. “Zack told me to take you out to buy some of your own clothes.”
Eliza nodded, looking at the floor. She’d heard Gates say something about a man coming to this place in search of negotiations. Did they have something to do with her? And if so, who the hell was it? Why would they be negotiating over her? Val saw her friend’s intense look, and touched her shoulder lightly, bringing her back to reality.
“Hey,” She said softly. “I know Zack’s a complicated guy to understand, and you don’t get everything that’s going on just yet. But now that you know he’s a vampire and actually believe him, the rest is going to come easily. So don’t worry about it, okay? Everything will fit together in its own time.”
Eliza smiled at her friend and nodded. “So when are we leaving on this shopping trip?”
“I thought you’d never ask me that.” Val grinned. “We can leave now. However, Zack only agreed to let me take you out on one condition.”
-x-
Twenty Minutes Later
-x-
“You’re serious about this?” Eliza groaned, unable to see anything out of her eyes. She heard Val’s exasperated sigh; she was clearly just as frustrated as Eliza herself was.
“I’m not, Zack is.” She told Eliza. “This wasn’t my idea, it’s his condition.”
“How dangerous can it be for me to shop? Isn’t it more dangerous if I’m not able to see anything? How is pretending I’m blind supposed to do anything to protect me? It makes me a target.”
“In a human world, maybe you’re right. But you’re forgetting, Eliza. You’re in the City of Evil now.” Zack’s voice said, walking into the room. She jerked her head in the direction his voice was coming from, and she walked towards him, colliding against his chest.
“How the hell am I supposed to protect myself if someone grabs me?” She hissed. “I won’t be able to do anything!”
“That’s what Luka is for,” Zack told her. “He’s your guide dog. He won’t let anything happen to you. He’s your protector when I’m not around. And Val’s no featherweight, either. She’s been with us since she was a little girl, she knows how to fight and how to protect. You’ll be the safest person in the City of Evil with them together.”
“And why aren’t you going, huh?” She demanded. “If you’re so worried about my safety, why aren’t you coming?”
Zack sighed. “I don’t have time for this.” He said, before putting his hands on her shoulders. “I’m not going because I have previous obligations, and they need to be attended to. My world doesn’t revolve solely around you.”
Eliza narrowed her eyes in anger, the blind-out contacts irritating her eyes even more than they already were to begin with. She hated feeling vulnerable, and that’s exactly how she felt now.
“Right, I forgot. It revolves around you.” She said angrily before turning away from him. “Val?”
“I’m right here.” Her friend’s voice said, touching her arm lightly. “We’ll be going now. Grab the harness. Here,”
Eliza let Val hand her the harness, placing it into her hand correctly as they walked out of the room.
As Val carefully led her down the stairs and outside, Eliza’s gut was telling her that something was going on with Zack. He wasn’t being an asshole for no reason. Something was going on, and it involved her.
She could only wonder if it involved Sean, too.
When she was done getting ready, she walked back into the main bedroom and found the bed completely made and the woman she recognized as Val sitting on the edge of the bed, seemingly waiting for her. She smiled at the woman.
“Hi.” She said, happy to see someone that she somewhat knew. Val returned her smile, and stood up, walking over to her.
“It’s nice to see you back here.” She told Eliza, her voice containing secrets; secrets that Eliza wasn’t sure that she wanted to know. “Zack told me to take you out to buy some of your own clothes.”
Eliza nodded, looking at the floor. She’d heard Gates say something about a man coming to this place in search of negotiations. Did they have something to do with her? And if so, who the hell was it? Why would they be negotiating over her? Val saw her friend’s intense look, and touched her shoulder lightly, bringing her back to reality.
“Hey,” She said softly. “I know Zack’s a complicated guy to understand, and you don’t get everything that’s going on just yet. But now that you know he’s a vampire and actually believe him, the rest is going to come easily. So don’t worry about it, okay? Everything will fit together in its own time.”
Eliza smiled at her friend and nodded. “So when are we leaving on this shopping trip?”
“I thought you’d never ask me that.” Val grinned. “We can leave now. However, Zack only agreed to let me take you out on one condition.”
-x-
Twenty Minutes Later
-x-
“You’re serious about this?” Eliza groaned, unable to see anything out of her eyes. She heard Val’s exasperated sigh; she was clearly just as frustrated as Eliza herself was.
“I’m not, Zack is.” She told Eliza. “This wasn’t my idea, it’s his condition.”
“How dangerous can it be for me to shop? Isn’t it more dangerous if I’m not able to see anything? How is pretending I’m blind supposed to do anything to protect me? It makes me a target.”
“In a human world, maybe you’re right. But you’re forgetting, Eliza. You’re in the City of Evil now.” Zack’s voice said, walking into the room. She jerked her head in the direction his voice was coming from, and she walked towards him, colliding against his chest.
“How the hell am I supposed to protect myself if someone grabs me?” She hissed. “I won’t be able to do anything!”
“That’s what Luka is for,” Zack told her. “He’s your guide dog. He won’t let anything happen to you. He’s your protector when I’m not around. And Val’s no featherweight, either. She’s been with us since she was a little girl, she knows how to fight and how to protect. You’ll be the safest person in the City of Evil with them together.”
“And why aren’t you going, huh?” She demanded. “If you’re so worried about my safety, why aren’t you coming?”
Zack sighed. “I don’t have time for this.” He said, before putting his hands on her shoulders. “I’m not going because I have previous obligations, and they need to be attended to. My world doesn’t revolve solely around you.”
Eliza narrowed her eyes in anger, the blind-out contacts irritating her eyes even more than they already were to begin with. She hated feeling vulnerable, and that’s exactly how she felt now.
“Right, I forgot. It revolves around you.” She said angrily before turning away from him. “Val?”
“I’m right here.” Her friend’s voice said, touching her arm lightly. “We’ll be going now. Grab the harness. Here,”
Eliza let Val hand her the harness, placing it into her hand correctly as they walked out of the room.
As Val carefully led her down the stairs and outside, Eliza’s gut was telling her that something was going on with Zack. He wasn’t being an asshole for no reason. Something was going on, and it involved her.
She could only wonder if it involved Sean, too.
♠ ♠ ♠
Eliza's Outfit