Confined

It burned and stunk with the air and when I ran water over it, it only felt worse. I was no where near learning healing and I couldn't let Trish know I had been snooping. Going into the healing room, I found bandage and tape and took care of my wound. She would eventually ask what happened and I would lie, thankfully Trish wasn't the distrustful type and wouldn't search my mind.

I couldn't get the image of the symbol on my hand out of my mind. It seemed so simple yet I couldn't decipher what it was or what it meant. I knew the only way to get my mind off this was to find out whatever I could about Demetri.

Just the thought of him gave me chills. I could almost feel the pressure of his body on mine, the presence his mind had in mine. It was silent though, he wasn't there.

Shaking my head, I pushed through my room. I went to the closet and grabbed my corset off the hanger and a pair of leather pants. I quickly stripped down and redressed. The corset was black leather with silk vinyl patterns and was low cut around the breasts. It didn't tie but rather buttoned up the front. It's figure kept in place by the bones and forced my waist in and my breasts out. I never liked to wear it, but information seemed to flow better when one was more exposed. The leather pants were more difficult to put on. They were so tight and nearly suffocated my thighs. I fixed my makeup by applying more eye liner and even adding red lipstick.

I put my shoes back on and misted to The Mist.The Mist was a local club. It was located under the Quarter in the tunnels. It was the main scene of drugs and alcohol in all of Nidrus. For most, it was the only reason they came to the Third Quarter. By the front door stood a large man. He wore a black t shirt and black slacks. A small line stood in front of him behind a red rope. Raising confidence in myself, I strutted my way towards him. He was dark skinned with black sun glasses on, and I wondered how he could see anything considering the lack of light.

"ID, little lady," he grunted, his voice deep and husky.

"No need for it, I'll be quick," I answered, patting him on the shoulder and forcing the door open. I heard him calling after me, but his voice got lost in the music and I'm sure he got lost in the crowd. Red, black, blue and purple strobe lights circled the whole building. Loud music and a drumming bass sounded through out the room. Just to the right stood the bar that lined the whole wall with neon green and blue lights across the table.

The bartenders of The Mist were tapped into everything. They all seemed to know who, what, when, where, why and how. If anyone needed information, they came to the Bartenders. I sat at an empty stool and waited my turn to be served.

"What can I get for you, sweetheart?" a voice asked. I followed the sound to a Bartender. He stood behind the table with a black tank top and an apron over black jeans. His hair was dark and all swept to one side, poking out in little spikes on the other end. His skin was lightly tanned and his eyes glowed like the blue neon lights behind the bar.

"I need information" I answered quickly.

"Can't help you," he replied and turned away.

"Wait!" I called, hopping over the bar and following after him. "Why can't you help me?"

"Officials are cracking down, information is dangerous now," he called over his shoulder.

He walked down the bar, through the few number of other Bartenders tending to their orders. On the far wall was a door that I assumed this boy was heading for. Once inside, he turned on me.

"You've got some nerve asking for information. You should well know what information can do," he chastised.

"I should well know? You don't know me!"

"Oh but I do. Your Aaliyah Taika, your the only fire elemental in the whole Quarter. Your mother went crazy after your dad died and your boyfriend went missing five months ago. Your a loser in school and thanks to your only friend thinking he needs to be what "daddy" wants him to be, your a loner. Does that about sum it up?" he asked, standing in a way that made it seem like he knew much more than he said.

"I need information," I stated, ignoring the urge to punch him.

"What is it now? The gates? Mason and his new found love for his father? Ethan? Demetri?"

"Demetri." My throat closed as I said his name. Breathing was hard, but I pushed air through my lungs and kept up a facade.

"He isn't missing, if that's what you want to know," the Bartender smiled.

"Where, is what I'm here for."

"That I don't know," he said, wagging his finger in the air. "But I would assume its far from Nidrus. Shit is happening and he was lucky to get out before anything got crazy," he continued.

"What kind of stuff?" I asked, taking a step closer. If I could figure out what was going on, maybe it could hint at where Demetri left to.

"What part of "the officials are cracking down" do you not understand? Go home and do your homework or something. Forget everything you have ever learned from those books in your guardian's room. Be normal!"

"I don't give a crap about the officials. I just need to know whats going on, why everything is changing," emotion was pouring out of my words. One key phrase could tell me everything and I could finally set out to find Demetri.

"I can't divulge that. Seriously, kid. It's not up to me... I'm sorry." And with that he left, taking all his much desired information with him. I did learn one thing, Demetri wasn't missing, which meant someone knows where he is.

Straightening my posture, I realized I was crying. I wiped the tears from my face and excited the back room. Hopping back over the bar, I entered the swarm of people. I tried to avoid the sweaty bodies that seemed to cling together and found the exit. The guard gave me a look but let me leave.

Following the tunnel toward the streets, I opted out for the quick transportation home. I needed to think. When I reached the streets, a large car pulled up in front of me. It was black with tinted windows, one of which was rolling down. Ethan's face appeared in the driver's side.

"What are you doing out here? Do you even know what time it is?" he asked.

I looked up at the sky and saw the darkness with sprinkles of white stars. "Night time?"

"Obviously. Get in, I'll drive you home." It was more of an order than anything else, though his smirk told me he was teasing. Still I climbed inside the monster of metal. "So what are you doing out here, this late?"

"Nothing," I answered. It wasn't a complete lie, considering what just happened I didn't really have anything to do.

Ethan's eyes trailed over me. They took in my attire, lingering around my thighs for a second, then my breasts. It seemed like a battle for him to make eye contact. "What-uh...I mean why are you-uh...dressed like that?" he stuttered, ripping his eyes away from me all together.

"I thought it would help, but yet again, my body has failed me," I sighed, sinking into the cushion of the seat, leaning my head against the cold glass of the window.

Ethan cleared his throat before starting the car back up and taking off at an easy pace. "What happened to your hand?" he asked, pointing to the bandaged hand that rested on my thigh.

"I burned it," I said, hiding my hand behind the center console.

"But you bandaged it all wrong," he laughed, pulling my hand from the seat. He pulled the car over and started to unravel my hand.

"No, its fine! Ethan, leave it alone, its fine!" I told him, trying to pry my hand from his. As I tugged my hand away, he pulled the bandage. My hand flung up and he gazed at my palm.

"How did you get that?" he asked, realizing I was lying.

"Why are you being nosy?"

"Where did you find that?" he countered.

"Find what?"

"That cross!" he pointed to my hand. I could see all of his obnoxious and teasing tones had left completely.

"Is that what it is?" I asked, looking at it. I had never heard of a "cross" before, let alone seen one. Now that I knew Ethan knew what it was, I was determined to pick his brain of everything he knew about it. "What does it represent?"

"WHERE DID YOU FIND IT!?" he shouted, his face turning red.

Fear over took me. He seemed lethal in that moment, like everything had just crushed him and he needed to regain himself. "In my guardian's book, I couldn't open it, it was locked with a spell. It burned me," I answered, cowering into the door.

"You didn't read the book? Or what the cross was for, what is stands for?" he asked, more calmer. His face was turning a shade of pink and the anger faded.

"No, it was locked. My magic couldn't faze it, when I picked the book up, it branded me."

"I need you to get me that book," he told me, he started driving again, faster this time.

"I can't do that! If it did this from just a second of contact, I can't imagine what would happen if I brought it to you!" I shook my head.

"I need to see what it says about the cross," he explained.