Elysium [Army of Lucifer #1]

Chapter Five

© Stephanie Anne and Dee Atkins

Chapter Five

Over the next few days Eleanor was so busy with all the wedding planning, and meeting people, and with her day to day training, that she hardly saw anyone besides Will and Lucien at all. It was rather strange to her. Not seeing Chris. Or the twins. Or any of the girls. Not to mention tiring. With wedding planning in the mornings and training all afternoon by dark she was beyond tired. But her sleep wasn't all that comforting either. Not when dreams started to plague her mind too.

Thoughts of the engagement party, of the attack and the strange wound she had received entered her dreams with little notice, taking over the darkness suddenly, without fault. She once even dreamt of her wedding dress, stained with blood. Will had stood beside her, her hand in his, with a wicked, malicious grin etched upon his face, also covered in blood.

She shuddered, forcing herself to push such images from her whirling mind. But no matter how much she tried she couldn't get that deranged, malicious look in Will's eyes - the dream Will - to leave her mind. It unnerved her to no end. It made chills shudder down her spine. It made her wonder whether that Will - the scary, dangerous and deluded Will - could be under the surface, just waiting to come out. She shuddered once more, telling herself not to think of it, or him. That would never happen. In all the time she'd known him he hadn't ever looked like that, hadn't looked so wicked, so purely evil. He'd only been rude and brash, and now... gentle, understanding. Eleanor wondered whether his new change in attitude was because he, too, had to learn to cope with their newest challenge. He understood how she felt. He couldn't have changed anything anyway. Once Lucien's mind was set there was no telling what he'd do.

"Dear, please turn slightly to your left." Eleanor did as she was told, staring blankly at the mirror before her. Wicked bruises had formed under her eyes, outlining the darkness of her eyes. With her hair pinned up, she was able to take note of her sharp collarbones, a side effect of her loss of sleep. The nightmares were still with her, even in her waking hours. Even as she had pins and needles shamelessly poked into what had to be her wedding dress.

"Dear, please turn slightly to your left." Eleanor did as she was told, staring blankly at the mirror before her. Wicked bruises had formed under her eyes, outlining the darkness of her eyes. With her hair pinned up, she was able to take note of her sharp collarbones, a side effect of her loss of sleep. The nightmares were still with her, even in her waking hours. Even as she had pins and needles shamelessly poked into what had to be her wedding dress.

Every day was the same. Dress fittings, meetings, choosing the decor, more meetings, writing the guest list. On and on it went. Eleanor could hardly keep up with it all. And she was thankful when there was a knock on the door, interrupting the dress fitting session. And when Will poked his head around the corner she'd never been more relieved to see him. They'd hardly had any time to talk at all despite seeing each other nearly every second of the day since they were both so busy with the wedding preparations. So yes, she was surprised to note that she was relieved to see him, happy even. But, her thoughts soon returned to the dream Will, making her nauseous all of a sudden.

She looked away quickly. She cast a wary glance to her dress - not her wedding gown, but an evening gown, for after the ceremony. It was white with pale pink embroidery around the chest, a pink ribbon between the bodice and the frill and gauze skirts. It was of magnificent make, and yet it was almost dull to Eleanor as she stared at it now.

"I am terribly sorry to interrupt such an important fitting," Will began at the door, "but I'm afraid my father has requested my bride's presence." The seamstress waved Eleanor away immediately, signalling that she should leave. She only hesitated briefly before joining Will at the door, purposely not looking him in the eye in fear that he would become what her dreams portrayed, as he led her down the hall. Only once they were far enough away did he speak again. "I must admit I am a liar." Eleanor blinked, looking at him, confused, forgetting momentarily about all that plagued her mind. He smirked slightly. "My father never wanted to see you. I guess I am rather selfish for pulling you away from that. But how can you fault a man wanting to spend a few quiet moments with his bride-to-be."