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Cнαpтer Twelve: Ａｒａｃｅｌｉ＇ｓ Ｂｅｌｉｅｆ

Cнαpтer Twelve: Ａｒａｃｅｌｉ＇ｓ Ｂｅｌｉｅｆ

I'm ushered into one of the seats surrounding the table, the Praetors sit in the order they do at lunch with Charbel at on head of the table and Nix at the other. The rest of us fill in the seats at the bottom of the table. Ada Jane sits on her fathers right and Tesla steals the seat next to her.

Haven slides into the seat on Nix's left and Ashe dives for the chair next to her before one of us can sit down. Rein pulls out the chair next to Tesla and plops down in it before immediately chatting her up, filling up the seats on Nix's right. Merrick slides into the seat next to Ashe and greets her before leaning back in her chair. I go to take the chair beside Merrick but Leon grabs the back and yanks into back, sliding into the chair and pushing it over to collide with Merrick's before grinning at him. Merrick grimaces before gritting his teeth and smiling back at Leon.

I roll my eyes at the two before sitting in the seat next to Leon. I look to my right and see no one at first. I blink and look down then see Luca. She blinks then glares before flipping her hair over her shoulder and turning her head to face my father. Oh great, I've pissed of a eight year old girl. Wait, a 8,000 year old girl? Maybe? Who knows, I forgot how aging worked here. I sighed and closed my eyes leaning back in my computer chair. I tune out the noise of the conversations going on around me and before I know it I've drifted off into a slumber.

-_-_-_-_-

When I wake I'm floating. My clothes are uncomfortably sticking to my skin and my face is pressed against glass. My eyes fly open and I scream. I pound my fist against the glass as a yellow liquid quickly swirls up around me. I start coughing as I inhale the liquid through my mouth and nose. It tastes bitter and I immediately go to spit it out, only to end up swallowing more. My eyes wont shut and the liquid pushes at searing pain through them. My limbs feel heavier every second. Suddenly the glass around me shatters into millions of tiny pieces. My body is thrown forward and I land a good two or three feet away from the mess of glass. The yellow liquid spreads and puddles around my limps body. My long rats nest of black hair clings to my face as I stare up into complete blackness.

My eyes finally close as they suddenly don't sting, my lungs don't feel as though they will implode, and my body doesn't feel heavy. However, my clothes and hair are still soaking wet. I let out a shaky breath and keep my eyes squeezed tightly shut. I let out a impulsive cough and slowly allow my eyes to open.

A face looms over mine as my eyes slide open, black hair brushes against my face, Araceli. A harsh noise comes out of her throat, a cackle. I glare and push myself up on my elbows, my form going through hers. She flickers then reappears a foot in front of me.

She grins, "Hey little Lili."

I raise an eyebrow, little Lili? What was I? A five year old? My hands press against the cold ground beneath me and push until I'm fully sitting up. "Really? Little Lili?" Leaning forward I use the momentum to stand upright.

She grins and leans forward on her toes, "Yes, your new nickname!" Her eyes have a mad twinkle in them as her hair in the high ponytail splays across her left shoulder. She leans back and then skip towards me to grab my arms. She leans back on her heels and I tumble forward.

I look up and recoil in shock. Her image looks solidified instead of the usual flickering of a hologram. My eyes widen and I stumble back in shock. "W-What the hell?!"

Her nails dig into my skin leaving crescents and irritated red skin. "Now now Little Lili thats not appropriate language."

Her left hand covers my mouth and nose while her eyes close. I struggle in her grip and scream against her hand. Her eyes fly open as her lips move quickly, words spewing in another language. Black veins slowly appear around her eyes as I feel my head ache. My skull feeling as if an elephant sat on it. I close my eyes and don't reopen them.

-_-_-_-_-

The second time I wake my body is sunk into a mound of blankets, my head on pillows. I squirm around cautiously and then groan, my head feeling as if it was cracked open. I slowly sit up and look around. I'm laying on a king sized bed in a completely white room. All the furniture, blankets and pillow covers, everything.

"You like what I've done with the place?" A voice whispers in my ear.

I scream and swing around, "What the hell?!" My right fist swings out only to be caught by a hand.

Araceli looks down at me, shes on her knees in midst of the blankets and pillows and such. Her left hand holds mine in a tight grip and she smiles sickly sweet at me before dropping my arm. She pats my head and the flops back onto the bed. Once again her figure is solid. I quickly scramble off the bed and stare at her incredulously.

She smirks at me and waves her pointer fingers around, "I can see the gears turning in your head." She throws her arms up dramatically. "Oh how could I ever still be alive!" She mocks my voice before going back to her normal one. "Surprise, I was never dead in the first place."

I ask the most obvious question. "Then why act like your dead?"

"Because," She groans, "Charbel and Nix have sticks up their asses and want to hide me." She grins at me, "I didn't mean to kill all the other Originals."

My hands grow clammy as I move them nervously. "W-Why am I Praetor of Death then, why not you?"

She rolls her eyes. "I just told you I killed like, 10 people, very important people, and you want me to be a leader over a death group? God I wish your dad and Nix were as dumb as you!"

I glare, "Shut up you stupid hag!"

She raises an eyebrow. "Now thats not one I've heard before." She grins and rolls onto her side and rests her head on the palm of her hand. Her other hand is too busy twirling her black hair. "Ask me a honest question Lilliana. I know you're just dying to."

I bit my bottom lip, "Why me?"

"That's a little conceited is it not?" She grins. "I'll answer it anyway." She crawls to the edge of the bed and slides off of it. "You're fit for the position." She walks towards me and circles around me. "You're strong mentally and physically. You can bear the decisions of life and death. You can be strong enough to lead a whole army with enough training." She stops behind me and pauses. "But mostly," She places her hands on my shoulders. "Because I believe in you." She places a hand over my eyes and the white washed room becomes the darkest place I've ever stepped foot into.

-_-_-_-_-

I feel my body being moved before I realize I'm no longer sitting. I groan and open my eyes only to be met with white again. I groan and close my eyes again.

A laugh meets my ears. "I know my face is a little scary but it's not nightmare fuel."

I open one eye and look up at the person carrying me, Merrick. "Sorry, I had nightmares involving white rooms."

Merrick laughs and closes left eye. "Better?"

I smile softly and nod. "Better."

He reopens his eye and looks ahead, he walking pace slows slightly and his hold on me grows tighter. I lean my head back and stare up at the luminescent lights hanging from the ceiling in rods. I close my eyes and watch as dots swirl around in my vision. I smile contently at the comfortable silence that blankets us.

Merrick breaks the silence. "So your nightmares about white rooms, I guess your going to have an issue sleeping in your own room tonight, eh?" He presses the up button on the elevator and soon the doors open. He walks in and stares at the keyhole before it turns in place. The elevator lights shut off and the elevator shoots up. Once again, my stomach is left behind. "The doors slide open and he walks into a white corridor. "So, instead of you going to that drab room how about I take you somewhere else?"

I look up at him as he looks down at me. "Did you just ask me out on a date?"

He grins, "Maybe, Maybe not."

I roll my eyes. "Fine you idiot." I grin back up at him.

"You should smile more often," He pauses, "It makes this place less drab than it is."

My laughter echoes down the hallway as his joins mine. "And now you're using pick-up lines on me. I think you might give my dad a heart attack."

He shrugs and my body goes up with his arms. "Who knows, but I hope not. We kinda need him."