CHAPTER 63: Poisoned
I stare down at the floor as Edmund flicks off the television when another ad turns on, resting Forthright's case after hearing about the gory details of his demise and just the connections he has to The Cordial Matrix, a group who's getting more dangerous by the minute. Edmund stares me down next to him. Marvin and Lorraine left exactly thirteen minutes ago, after watching just what had been found. Parts of Forthright's limbs were found at the bottom of the Sylvan lake, as was a bracelet from an old murder, but not just any murder-Bella Cruise's. Golden bracelet.
Exactly like the one I had found.
Now, all those cases have been opened.
Including Charlize's.
Edmund's phone vibrates on the duvet next to the pillows, while I still sit on his lap at the edge of the bed, he stares at me and studies me, holding me close into his side. I swallow, "I can't believe it." I whisper in astonished shock, yet stoic manner was all that was written against my pale facial features. I felt sick after just watching how much Forthright was tortured. They put those graphics on television, which sickened me more.
My phone vibrates next, the number was unknown.
I ignore it as Edmund leans in, placing his forehead on my temple, "You can't believe that he's dead? Or for the way he died?" He whispers, uncertain as he too sounds hoarse and confused, horror didn't move against his features like it had done to mine when I watched, when I saw what had happened to him.
I shake my head, "Why would they make themselves this public? Why target Forthright out in the open and leave his body behind? Why was Forthright's body found, yet no one could find Bella's?" I ask him, sitting up, looking into silver orb eyes and seeing no possible answer. He was more focused on holding me, rather than attempting to figure out yet another murder in the same investigation.
Edmund's phone rings again.
It was midnight, who would be calling this late if it weren't Sampson? Or Iris.
Edmund shakes his head, "I don't know, but I am unsure whether this was a direct command from the Cordial Matrix. You're right, this is far too out in the open and the way the body was found makes me believe it might have something to do with the Fitzgerald youth." He tells me, moving his head back, fixing a strand of raven hair that dropped down on his forehead.
I could hear my heartbeat thrum like a train on tracks, running and pumping blood by the litre through my veins, making everything feel as though one more break and I'll burst into a pile of ruby red liquid on the rug against the floorboards of this room. Edmund lifts me by the hips and sets me down on the mattress, placing a kiss on my forehead.
"What do you mean?" I murmur, confused, terrified. I shouldn't have been terrified, but I had known Forthright closely, each and every single meeting, or session that had me believing he was the bad guy, the ultimate enemy, to being the Detective trying to protect me.
He curls his arm underneath me and slides me against his bare chest, "Headmistress may have something to do with this. We removed the institute, her ability to make money at the suffering and abuse of others. I wouldn't be surprised if she orchestrated something like this, because The Cordial Matrix could have done something to him a long time ago, and yet they didn't. That includes Mason Wyatt, Claude and Claudius, not one of them felt truly threatened by Forthright. They're fear is being in the known...this contradicts that." He tells me, staring into my eyes, looking closely to see if an understand.
I furrow my eyebrows, "The markings on his skin-you recognised them?" I ask him, I could see it in his stern, overprotective eyes, I could feel it in the grip he had on me. He was afraid almost, but he didn't dare show it, not even to me.
I place my hand on his collarbone, "Tell me, Edmund? Those markings, there are some similar ones on you?" I whisper, hesitantly as I glance down, the scarred tissue against two of his abs. I skimmed my index finger against it, he allows me to as he tenses but remains still.
He nods once.
I close my eyes, "Who are they?"
"There's a specific set of guards for every set of punishment. Or for every set of level, it's how we were graded. On fear and the extent of which we feel, compared to the extent in which we show in our posture, facial expression, a nerve twitch to indicate as such. The headmistress pushed it on all her best warriors, that included Sampson and Christian...and me." He murmurs, the touch of his bottom lip against my freckled nose was eccentric, yet the conversation we were having was very far from that.
He tilts my head up higher, "His wounds were made with similar splicing, similar techniques in the way these kinds of people interrogate. These are highly dangerous people, under oath and order to remain loyal to what they believe is there fanatic, bitch superior of a woman, who thought she could control me, intimidate me. She failed." He says, darkly. The shadows of his closest roam and web behind his eyes, shut doors were unlocking in his head the closer he allowed me in.
I stare up at him, "If that's the case, then what did she want with Forthright?" I whisper.
He stares deeply, "I have theories. None you'll like." He murmurs.
I grip onto his shoulders in fright, "She can't be looking for you?" I whisper in shock.
His thumb smoothes against my cheekbone, "Sampson says he's noticed more tracking leads around the mansion in New York. Your build, even though nothing has popped up about security issues was tampered with. Edison got security footage of a group of masked men looking through files and attempting to go through my own company's district. He recognises a few of them. Ones we fought along side with when I was a teenager...a mid-teen." He says, sitting up on his elbow and and encasing his other arm around my waist, sliding it down the small of my back.
I close my eyes, pulling him down as I connect our foreheads, he slides on top of me, "That's another reason why you wanted to see him." I whisper. He shivers when I slide my fingernails up towards his hair, he presses a kiss to my pale inner arm.
"He and his team can handle the institute. Talon and the rest are at the academy, leaning of what they can about his death and they're trying to locate Dandelion Jewel." He tells me, trailing his fingers up and down my thighs.
I close my eyes with each tantalising tingle it shoots down towards my toes each time he does that, he knows it too as he continues his ministrations against my skin, having already memorised every part of me, he has no trouble knowing my weaker spots, my more vulnerable positions.
BANG!
The door slams open.
"You know what, Melanie? I'm not going through another eighteen years of this bullshit and hiding my feelings-Fuck." The second Kenji looks in my eyes, his churn in disbelief and regret. Edmund gives him a snarling, menacing look as he guards me, shielding me from Kenji in a split second, lightning fast movement.
"If you don't leave, I'll make you pay for thinking you could touch her without a scratch, Kenji." His voice was fatally low and hit just the momentum for Kenji to stumble past the doorframe, he tries to look at me one last time as the door is left open.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Kenji spits, seeing our position. I drop my hand over my forehead, untangling my legs from Edmund's torso as Edmund pulls down my chemise, still completely blocking me from the invasion at the door.
Edmund looked about ready to slam Kenji against the wall, but I flush my chest against his back and stop Edmund effective immediately, "Can we talk about this another time, Kenji?" I mutter, Edmund tenses his back, contracting the muscles there against me. I hear the sound of another door slamming closed at the end of the long hallway outside the room, before the guards from the end of the corridor shock me more when they both step inside and close the door.
I tense further.
Edmund does the same.
Silence filters the air.
I blink in confusion.
Edmund slowly stands, my hands sliding from his shoulders, his stance looked powerful as he clenches his hands into readying fists, "Melanie, I need you to run to the en-suite and lock the door." He orders, lowly as the two guards in front of us pull out a pair of daggers, each. The sound of a knife singing through the air has me gasping when I catch Edmund clutching one hilt of a dagger in his hand and the left guard lowering his hand. I squint at both guards. Before my eyes widen.
Edmund twirls the dagger skilfully, "Lemon. En-suite. Now." He says, one last time.
They looked familiar.
Not the good kind of familiar.
"Wait, are they from-AH!" I ask, before a body is wrapped around mine as he throws us to the floor and shoves me under the mattress as he tackles one male and flips them over the couch with a grunt and a resonating crack. I'm about to pull out of the couch when a callous, gloved hand grabs my ankle and rips me out from under the mattresses. I scream, twirling around and lifting my arm up to block the dagger that was millimetres away from slicing my left eye. I fight against him. I struggle against his strength before hearing a bullet from a silencer be triggered and the sound of sirens in the estate go off.
A bleeding red hole forms in the middle of the male's pale forehead, his dulled blue eyes stare down at me with a deathly emptiness that almost crushes my ribcage when Edmund kicks him off of me, I capture the dagger as the male falls, staring at the silencer in Edmund's right hand while he lifts my entire form up with his arm and checks me strategically for any injuries.
Silver storm eyes shatter my amethyst ones.
He does something next that he hasn't done for a while.
He runs the very fine tip of his nose up the midline of my forehead, "When I say run, you run." He breathes out, clutching me to him with the gun still in his hand as I hear the door bang open. Instantly, Edmund tightens his arm around me while he glares at the door with his other arm up straight and the silencer pointed at Mathias. Who screams and ducks in shock, blocking his arms over his head, concern, adrenaline and fear in his own violet eyes.
No sound is made.
Mathias' eyes widen as he takes in the scene before him, "HOLY FUCKING HELL!" He points at the two now dead body-guards. Just as Mom sprints forward, she stares at the scene, eyes narrowed in concentration as Dad grabs Mathias, gesturing for Marvin and Lorraine.
Mom grabs a hold of my arm, "Melanie, you're alright." She whispers, clutching me into her chest as I feel him rather than see Edmund step forward, remaining close while Hideyoshi moves inside, surveying the men with his own gun in his hand a Mira at the double doors as well, clutching her robe tightly and concern filtering her features as Kenji sprints towards her and the scene. Hideyoshi squats down and checks their pulses.
"These are not my guards. Maximus, get Stevens." He says, still holding the gun in his hand as he nods to me with concern in his eyes. Dad merely tells Marvin to call Jenkins and Dion, as he moves into the room and embraces Mom and I, pulling us into his chest. Edmund stays close behind me, breathing silently with his shoulders moving up and down, telling me he was stressed as he nods to Mom.
"These two were on security detail at the place Charlize held Lemon and I. They're ex-military by the way they use they're weapons, daggers and knives over guns." Edmund informs everyone as a speaker notifies Hideyoshi that the perimeter has been cleared. Edmund pulls me into his arms the second Mom pulls back to look at me. He sighs against my hairline, closing his eyes and clutching the back of my head with fierce passion, he was trembling slightly, whilst breathing me in.
Hideyoshi stares at him, "You recognised them? If they used daggers over guns, where did you get the silencer?" He asks my fiancé with strict precision. Edmund gives him a long look when I lift my head up, I was curious too-besides a fast beating heart and the adrenaline rush of a lifetime- Edmund stares down at me with a vow in his eyes and want on his lips. He cups my cheek, his thumb scanning my face physically as he stares at my left eye, finding his own analysis to ensure I hadn't been touched. He studies my features, as if trying to calculate something. As if something didn't quite seem right as my stomach clenches involuntarily.
I didn't feel right.
He purses his lips, tightening his jaw, "It's mine."
I raise an eyebrow, taking a deep breath, feeling nauseous, "You could've told me you had a gun...a silencer at that in your bag?" I question.
He doesn't say anything, but instead pulls me back into his chest and closing his eyes, flattening his cheek against my hair once he's handed my father the gun in his hand. Dad gives Mom a raised eyebrow from the corner of my hand, she scrutinises Edmund, arms folded, "Hideyoshi, we'll need to go over security tapes and study each badge on your security team. Find out how long these two have been here and whether this attack was planned by a certain Celestial on my hit list." Mom growls lowly, Dad removes the gun, placing it on the mattress as he slides his arms around her waist and pulls her closer, while Edmund sways us gently as he runs his fingers through my hair, tainting my curls and tensing every set of muscles around me.
Lorraine steps around them and moves towards me, staring at the body with round eyes as Marvin gasps, reaching for her, "Lorraine." He says, she doesn't turn as she barrels towards me, I quickly capture her, she breathes against my hair.
"It's been one hell of a bloody chaotic night." She breathes out, squeezing me to her.
I nod, coughing once, "Are you alright? What the bloody hell happened in here?" She whispers, staring down at me and then the body with a bloodied pool of blood under his head.
I take a deep breathe, "I'm alright...I think," I say, still unsure at the course of events flying through my mind like a spinner swirling a never-ending cycle, "The guards...they look like the same ones from the institute." I whisper.
Edmund huffs, "They are. Though these ones were hired by Charlize, not the headmistress." He says, reaching a hand to the small of my back as Marvin takes a seat on the mattress and waits for Lorraine to step towards him before he buries his head into the back of her neck, squeezing her to him.
Edmund gestures me closer into him, "Come here." He whispers.
I do, slowly, Hideyoshi stares at him, Mom answers though, "He's right, I recognise these two from the guards that did make it out alive before Maximus and I infiltrated Charlize's quarters. We need to get smarter in who we hire for protection, including your family, Hideyoshi. I don't want to get you any more involved than you already are." She says to him.
He gestures to the bodies as he looks at her, "You and I both know we're more involved now." He says, strictly.
Dad glares at him, cupping Mom's hip, "She is looking at you and your family's safety, Hideyoshi. Along with our own." He says, harsher than Hideyoshi could speak, or even manage in tone as Mira tries to calm Hideyoshi down, who steps away after making sure I was alright, he looks into his security team.
Kenji glares at Edmund, "There's nothing suspicious about you at all." He mutters, shoving himself to follow his Dad, while Mira sighs in defeat, apologising to Mom and Dad as she gives me a soft look, she turns to Edmund.
"Take care of her." She whispers, turning away towards the door.
I lean against Edmund, rubbing my temple slightly, Mom turns her strict eyes on Edmund, "You have a lot of explaining to do, Edmund. I won't tolerate anymore of this. Thank you for protecting my daughter, but a silencer? A freaking kidding me?" She asks him, folding her arms.
Edmund stares at her, "I was more or less wanting to use it on Kenji when he attempted to get frisky with Melanie in New York."
Mathias coughs, "Speaking of New York, why were you there again, Mel?" He says.
Mom raises an eyebrow my way, "Exactly how long were you in New York for, Melanie? I had only specified you be there for the board meeting, which does not mean stay in the city for four months doing God knows what?" Mom says, slowly.
Dad raises his own eyebrow, only he looks between an exchanged look Edmund and I share, he gestures between us, "This is in regards to his background, I take it, Melanie?" He seems to find the truth so easily, Mom turns to study Dad, while I nod silently.
I felt dizzy.
Edmund still keeps his arm tightly encased and down my back as I fix my gown tighter around me. Burning flames of fire licked against my stomach in a lashing way. My cheeks burning up, heat flaring against the surface of my usually pale skin, making me confused as I blink against my fast beating heart, the heat on my neck was numbing before it started to sting.
Edmund grabs me before I fall face first to the floor as my muscles feel as though they'll shut down. "WHAT THE FUCK?" I hear my brother screech. Mom reaches for me with terror in her eyes as Dad does the same, neither fast enough, but Edmund was. Edmund lifts me in a frenzy as shouts shine in the background of my ears yet I couldn't focus on anything besides the fact I had felt faint and excruciatingly tired.
I scream.
Everything stung, like an overload of pins and needles, drilling into me with no remorse.
Edmund shocks everyone when he places me on the bed, stopping my Father from hurriedly moving me to the infirmary in the mansion. They yell at each other as Edmund moves with precision, grabbing what looks to be a black bag. One of his bags. Words and phrases had blown past my ears as Mom grabs my trembling hand tightly in hers, murmuring words to calm me down. Marvin leaps off the bed, freaked out while Lorraine gasps in her own shock and fear.
Edmund taps a needle with his middle finger. I watch my angered Father grab his forearm and try jolting him away as Mom yells for him to stop, telling him that Edmund knows what he's doing before the pin pick of something on the inside of my elbow, stops my shaking. My eyes feel as though they'll fall out of my sockets in split seconds when the scarring pain escalated into the nerves of my fingers, the shocks I swallowed was an excruciating, deadly experience. My breathing still grows erratic. My entire body felt aflame...as if I was burning from the inside out.
"She's been injected with a serum, a winter flower's venom from the outskirts of New York. A venom used to torture and target the nervous system of any occupant, animal and human. The one who attacked her must have had it on him. Marvin get me ice cold water and a cold flannel." Edmund instructs, gripping my legs when I try to shrink away from them with a gasp at the flaring blind-sided sting against my spine, I felt nothing when the man fought me.
Except for when he grabbed my ankle.
Mom combs my hair back, "Breathe, sweetheart." She whispers as Dad quickly moves quickly, helping me sit up slowly with a glass of water, Mom ties my hair back as I take small, slow sips, beginning to sober up after such a burning rush through my system. Dad rubs my back, gently coaxing me to lie back down on a stack of pillows. I pull my legs up to my chest, feeling the coldness deep into my skin as I gulp down more water. My fingers tremble around the glass as I hold my stomach, feeling as though my insides were churned and skewered. Mom initiates for me to copy the way she breathes, calmer as everyone stares at me with wide eyes.
The glass almost falls out of my hands, but Dad captures it quickly, "It's alright." He whispers against my hairline, I stare at the bedspread as Edmund stands there, an indecipherable expression on his face as he stares at me closely, scared, he was afraid, yet he acted quickly.
Quick enough to save me.
I meet his glassy silver eyes, mouthing a small 'thank you'. He shakes his head at me, gesturing I never needed to thank him for anything almost, I could see the looks of distress in him as he wipes his eyes and turns away from me, to the dead guy on the floor and checks his pockets. I swallow, turning my eyes to Mom, who leans forward, "This is getting far too dangerous, Maximus." She whispers to him, with me in the middle.
Dad nods against my hairline, "I don't know if coming here was the best idea." He whispers to Mom.
Marvin and Lorraine give me gentle, concerned smiles, "Are you alright?" Marvin asks me, I nod slowly, still leaning against Dad, who stares at Mom as if they're having their own mind-linked conversation.
"If this Charlize is anything like I believe she is, she's more dangerous than we thought. I didn't know someone was behind Dark-Wood's decision in murdering my parents and trying to harm us, Maximus. Do you think we should speak with the others-I don't mean bring them here-just talk to them about this?" She whispers, probably talking about their elite, from when they were in high school.
Dad sighs in defeat, "I'll give Ivan a call, and Andrew. Andrew will be able to do some digging on their side. We'll need to focus on finding this girl. She's hurt far too many people in this family for me to just be angry now." Dad says, his tone darkening.
Mom looks down to me, "You should get some rest. We'll talk more in the morning. I trust Edmund will stay, I'll get Jenkins and Dion behind the doors." She whispers, placing a skids on my forehead, I nod gently, whispering an 'I love you' to both of them as Marvin gives me a tight hug, Lorraine squeezes my hand in comfort. I say 'goodnight' as Mom speaks in a soft tone to Edmund, after the guards remove the two dead bodies in the room. Edmund nods, turning back towards me as he reaches his arms underneath me, Mom has his bag and mine, and we move to the room in front of ours.
Mom gives me a gentle kiss on my cheek, whispering to get some 'rest', as she nods strictly to Edmund, she closes the door behind her, giving me a soft smile. I barely speak, I barely move as Edmund places his bag on the bed, removing a small black zip up back, he uses a wet-wipe of sorts as he lifts my ankle gently, not saying a word, he finds the wound where the serum had been injected. He rubs a sort of cream against the skin there, once I've finally cooled down. I can see it on his face, guilt clear in his eyes, "This is not your doing, Edmund."
He purses his lips, still silently working.
After five minutes, he finishes and packs it all away, "I thought I had him. I'd knocked him down and he still managed to get to you, their training was extensive, different from Charlize's general guards. I should have fucking done better and not assumed. I know the way you felt, Melanie. I know that kind of pain. Of course, I should feel guilty for not being fucking strong enough to stop him from being able to get close enough yet manage to poison you. I promise you, it won't happen again." He whispers the last part, placing a kiss on my forehead, he turns around, wracking his hands through his hair and stepping towards the en-suite.
I reach for his hand, "This is not your fault. You saved me, Edmund. There is nothing you should feel guilty for." I say to him, sternly. I pull him towards the bed as he curls his arms around my waist. He clutches me to him like a lifeline.
His lifeline.
"It won't touch you again." He whispers. He vows. He promises.
I watch real wrath churn behind his eyes.
His target...Charlize Celestial. The institute. Everyone who dared to try and hurt me, he'd gladly remove with a sickening smirk. Right now, he was on a sole mission as he grips me tighter, protecting me and shielding me, when he didn't need to. The man I've chosen to give my heart to has a darkness within him, one he'll use to shield me, to show such love for me.
Was it bad that I bathed in it? That I loved the domineering power, strength and darkness in his eyes. Instead of being his light, I felt as though my own darkness spread into his and together...we made a silver and violet storm of shadows, monsters...and devoted love.
Charlize took it too far now.