Author’s Note: I struggled immensely with this chapter. I hate Malakai’s introduction. Hate it so much.

Chapter Seven, Dead on Arrival (Song: Human by Goldfrapp)

Bella swam up from the depths of unconsciousness, her body coming alive in slow, stuttering intervals. Her head pounded considerably, throbbing in time to a strange tugging on her wrists. She groaned when a particularly strong tug jerked her body in a sudden and awkward direction.

The tugging immediately stopped. She heard clothing rustling and weight settle onto the bed next to her. A warm hand brushed against the side of her face, displacing some loose strands of hair that had fallen into her eyes. Bella felt a hot breath upon her cheek.

Dark, coming back to gloat.

But when she opened her eyes, it wasn’t Dark’s beautiful, predatory face staring down at her in the darkness of the room. It was someone else…someone different.

Bella squinted at the darkly-shadowed man beside her, feeling strangely weak muscles tighten in apprehension.

“Well, never thought I’d be breaking into my own house—much less finding you here, of all places…You said you wouldn’t ever come back,” the intruder said, his lighter flickering on once again.

Bella stared back at him within the small circle of light, eyes devouring the familiar lines of his face, the dirty-blonde curls upon his head. She knew him—knew that jaw, that razor-glint in the eyes, that fox-like grin upon his lips. She somehow knew he was nothing to fear…could feel it in her bones.

The memories hit her with a painful jolt.

He was a…friend…of her family. She remembered he had always been there when she was growing up—watching her, helping her when needed, keeping his distance when equally needed. She knew that he was older than her. How much older, she could not remember. But then again, she still didn’t even know her own age…

She remembered him, but his name was slow in coming—lost in a lingering fog.

Self-hatred pooled within her at the inability to remember such an important thing when faced directly with his regard. She wanted so badly to just remember, remember everything.

He quirked an eyebrow at her silence, leaning in closer. “Come on, Camille…I can tell you have something to say, so just go ahead and say it. I know you want to,” he added with a smirk.

Bella was still trying to process who he was and the idea that he had called her Camille…again. Was that truly her name? It felt like…it felt so familiar, yet so strangely wrong at the same time.

The man shifted next to her as his lighter flickered out. “What, are you giving me the silent treatment now? I mean, I expected the usual bit of the cold shoulder but this is growing a little ridiculous, don’t you think?”

She could tell he was trying to bait her and she felt heat flood her cheeks in a surprising bout of indignation. Could the man not see that she was chained to a damn bed!? What exactly was he expecting out of her, considering the position she was in?

She wasn’t exactly in a position of omnipotent knowledge right then and opened her mouth to tell him that. Before the chance even presented itself, though, a soft laugh broke the silence and then he darted in, pressing his lips to hers.

Bella went to push him off when suddenly she realized he had already withdrawn, leaving her lips tingly and warm. Resentment whirled within her at his sudden, yet subtle assault. Was everyone to take advantage of her?

“Lord, Camille, I can feel your temper from right here.” A large, warm hand came to rest on her cheek. “I’m so glad I found you. I can’t tell you how worried I’ve been.”

The voice was smooth, the words intimate; his very manner and presence as familiar as the rain. Someone had been looking for her…He had been looking for her. And if he had been looking for her, then who else might be looking for her?

Something about him…something was…

“Malakai?” she asked hesitantly, a name—a warm, enticing flicker of memory—appearing from the fog within her mind.

“Malakai? I’m hurt. You used to call me Kai, you know, before.” He shifted beside her, a hand sweeping down her side and then back up, dragging fabric in its wake.

Before? It was always going to be about The Before.

Bella shook her head and pushed his hand away, for though memories of him were present, his touch was still strange and foreign. She brought her shackled hands before her and raised them into a chilling parody of a prayer position. “My wrists. Can you—”

“No. I’ve already tried.” Malakai said immediately, his hands returning to her, this time coming to rest on the thick metal encircling her wrists. “Whoever put these on you prepared for this—they planned it. You must tell me what’s going on. I’ve been looking for you for months.”

Months?

The word seemed to echo down the empty hallways of her mind. But she couldn’t remember anything! It wasn’t fair!

“Camille?” The lighter flicked on once more and the sharp features of Malakai’s face were twisted in a look she had not seen yet—worry. So far, he had seemed too carefree, so…removed from the situation. Or maybe it was her that was removed?

None of what was currently happening felt real. But it felt real enough when Dark was there with her, glaring with that tilted gaze of his, saying things that cruelly made her face her own short, bittersweet mortality. It felt more than real when he made her bleed…

“Camille? What’s wrong?” Malakai asked again and Bella exhaled the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding.

“Camille…is that my name?” She asked, heart beginning to thud painfully in her chest.

The lighter flickered out again, and Malakai paused at her words. A long silence passed before he said, “Yes,” and then was silent again.

Uncomfortable, Bella struggled to sit up and after a brief failed attempt, was finally helped upright. She was glad, then, for there being no light in the room because she could not look at him—did not see what look might be upon his face at that moment.

“I can’t remember,” Bella muttered finally, into the silence, answering his unspoken question.

“I don’t understand. What’s happened to you? What do you mean?” Malakai questioned her, voice demanding as he suddenly pulled her tight to his body.

“I only remember waking up a few weeks ago…and you. I don’t know what happened and hardly know what’s going on now,” she admitted, shuddering at the feel of his hot, damp breath upon her neck.

“I’m so sorry I hurt you, Camille,” he breathed in response, an agonizing guilt hidden in those sudden words. His hands tightened around her and she could feel the suddenly tense muscles of his arms flex. “I never meant for you to—”

The door to the room abruptly slammed open and lights flooded the room around them. Bella flinched in anticipation, knowing that Dark had come, had seen an intruder within his captive’s prison cell. And indeed, Dark stood in the door, black hair tangled and eyes glaring murderously at Malakai beside her.

Malakai, in turn, stared back at Dark for a long, strange moment before suddenly rolling from the bed. “You!”

Dark sneered at him, “Yes, me.” He spoke to Malakai but stared at Bella as he spoke, eyes sweeping over her still-shackled form possessively, as if looking for something… Marks on her body, perhaps? Signs of maltreatment? The idea was ludicrous, yet…

The air in the room became oppressive.

Kai took a step towards Dark, voice dripping with unconcealed disgust as his hands clenched tightly at his sides, “I should have known only you would be capable of something this sick and twisted!”

A knife appeared suddenly in Malakai’s hand, catching the light like quicksilver.

The tension in the room heightened as Dark stared back at him, seemingly unimpressed. A grim smile came upon his face and then, from his side unseen, he raised a gun and leveled it on Malakai’s chest. “Yes, well, you should have.”

Bella jerked in panic as she saw his finger curl inward on the trigger and screamed, “Dark!” just as the gun went off, a strangely anticlimactic sound for the horror that she felt spreading through her. What would she do, if Malakai died? If Dark had just killed a man from her past, the only thing and the only one she could remember?

Malakai jerked backwards and fell on to his side, clutching his chest and wheezing. She couldn’t see any of the damage from her perch on the bed and pushed her self, albeit weakly, over the edge to the floor. Tears made hot trails down her cheeks as she dragged the chains with her and crawled over to Malakai, who was now slumped limply with his back towards her.

She heard footsteps from across the room and ignored Dark’s presence as he came closer. Bella reached out a shaking hand and touched Malakai’s arm, found it warm and solid. She pulled herself closer to him, unable to hold back hopeless sobs as she went to roll him over.

Strong hands grasped her arms and pulled her up and away from Malakai’s body before she could get a glimpse of an injury. Bella thrashed her limbs as Dark pulled her away, whimpering when his grip grew cruel.

He shook her until her teeth rattled and then gripped the back of her hair. When she just screamed loudly, he pulled her flush with his body and forced her to look him in the eye. Bella could feel the slight snap as strands of her hair broke in his grasp. “Listen to me, you little demon. It was nothing but a tranq,” Dark’s calm voice said, and nudged Malakai at their feet, rolling the other man onto his back. “You shouldn’t believe everything you see,” he said, strange sounding in the echoing room, “Eyes can lie to you, ears betray you.”

Bella tore her eyes from Dark’s and looked down at Malakai. There was no blood, no gaping bullet wound. Indeed, though, a small tranquilizer dart sat squarely in the middle of his chest.

And he still drew breath.

Bella felt relief flood her and she slumped within Dark’s grasp, losing sight for a moment. Dark held her up as her legs went weak. She let her head rest upon his chest as seemingly all her strength left her.

He hadn’t killed Malakai. He’d had the perfect chance and he hadn’t done it. Maybe he wasn’t a total monster. After all, if Malakai had never come looking for her, this never would have happened.

Dark backed them up to sit upon the ledge of the bed, keeping an arm firmly around her waist the entire time. As she waited for the dizziness and horror to pass, she watched Malakai breathing deeply on the floor, feeling it slowly restoring her own sense of balance.

Dark said nothing for a long time until he suddenly withdrew from her and stood. He looked down at her, his eyes a black abyss that seemed to feed upon the light. What kind of man was he?

How far, Bella wondered, will Dark go to keep me?

Her voice still thick with tears, she asked, “What are you going to do to him?”

Dark glanced at the man on the floor and then shrugged. “Depends on what you’re going to do for me.”

“I’m not doing anything for you! You can’t even keep a deal!” She spat, fear and anger intermingling at what he might be implying. At what he might want.

Dark’s eyes met hers again. “Then he was already dead on arrival,” he announced, and from the closed expression on his face, he didn’t look like he cared either way what happened to Malakai. And that scared Bella.

Could he really just kill someone that easily? Was he that cold-hearted?

Dark noted her silence with a slight smirk and leaned down towards Malakai.

“No!” she shouted, “Wait!”

Bella couldn’t let him do it, couldn’t have this man who embodied her past just be…snuffed out like a candle flame.

Of course, as she knew it would, her exclamation gave Dark pause and he glanced at her.

Her lips trembling, she swallowed and then raised a shaking hand to the open neck of her shirt. She clutched the fabric there, filling sick with apprehension. “Name it,” Bella said, “I’ll—I’ll do what you want.” And then she inhaled shakily as she met Dark’s gaze.

Never in any description would she ever have said that Dark had warm eyes. They were completely black—an icy obsidian that took in light but gave none forth. They were cold and unyielding. Yet at that moment, the look in his eyes was different. There was a heat in them, scorching and fierce, that Bella had not seen before.

Something seemed to pass across Dark’s face as he stared at her, a shadow of emotion that was gone to quickly, and then he grinned. “That’s exactly what I thought you’d say,” Dark replied.

Bella could do nothing but try and swallow past the lump in her throat. She watched as he turned and picked Malakai up in a fireman’s hold, slinging him carelessly over one shoulder. He started for the door, leaving Bella behind.

She managed to scramble to her feet and winced as the chain rattled noisily to a heavy heap on the floor behind her. “Wait!” she called, “What are you going to do with him?”

Dark paused in the doorway to sweep an assessing glance back at her. “I’m not going to hurt him, if that’s what you were thinking,” he announced, a strange challenge in his voice. “I’m going to lock him away in a safe place for now. Until you help me decide what to do with him, that is…”

Bella looked at the strong curve of his arms, the dark confidence he wore about him like a mantle. What power was she, to be able to stop Dark from doing what he wanted?

A sharp laugh cut through her thoughts. When she looked up, Dark’s gaze was heavy on her. He had noticed her staring.

“We’ll get to that part later, pretty,” he murmured, lips curling slightly at the corners, and then he was gone, and the door was shut.

She shivered, standing there staring at the closed door. She felt so strange when he looked at her. Terrified yet exhilarated, distrustful and yet dreadfully attracted all the same. Bella didn’t understand what was happening to her.

And if what she had promised—well, she would discover soon exactly how far Dark was willing to take this twisted little reality of theirs.

Lightening continued to flash outside and the light sent strange shadows across the brightly lit room. Bella backed up and curled up on the end of the bed, lying on her side facing the doorway.

Minutes passed. Time curved.

A door opened and Bella’s eyes shot open. She must have fallen asleep waiting on Dark to come back for her. And yes, there Dark was, standing in the door watching her.

She sat up quickly, feeling more alert than she had earlier. Perhaps the drug was wearing off. Things weren’t as fuzzy-looking either.

The light in the room was different too, though thunder now shook the house violently. She marveled at how she had slept through the noise.

“What a waste,” Dark started suddenly, “If only I had known he’d come crawling through the window like a little rat. How clumsy of me. I won’t be as careless again.”

“Maybe if you knew how to keep a deal you wouldn’t have to worry about being careless,” Bella snapped, hands clenching the fabric of the comforter tightly.

Dark stepped into the room, letting the door fall shut behind him, and she noticed then that he was carrying something—a small bundle of cloth. “Bella, I most definitely can keep a deal if you can.”

He stopped in front of her and held out the cloth to her. “Put it on,” he said.

Bella looked at the bundle in front of her and could not meet his eyes. As she reached out and took the material, her hand brushed his. Suddenly, her heart was beating hard.

“I’ll be back to get you,” Dark said as he unchained her and then left, locking the door behind him.

When he was gone she let shaking fingers unravel what appeared to be a long, silky black dress. There was only one sleeve and the back was open except for intersecting black strips that would hug the dress to her body. When she shook it out more, she noticed that along the back side of it, an open panel about a hand span across tapered down the outside edge of where her back thigh would be.

Her skin would be showing from the shoulders down to a full view of her right leg—from behind. Bella cringed.

When she finally put the dress on it felt light and perfect on her body, and the slit down her back thigh wasn’t as bad as she thought it could have been. In fact, just the merest few inches kept the slit from breaching indecency.

It was a beautiful dress—fit for someone who had the bold confidence to actually wear it. And though it fit, she felt strange in it—as if she had perhaps worn something like this in The Before, but now no longer found the same comfort in it.

Nevertheless, she was wearing it and knew that Dark would put her in something much worse if she complained. Bella didn’t want to know what might be worse than this skimpy dress that fit her like a second skin. She really didn’t.

When she was done changing, she nervously folded her clothes and laid them in a neat pile away from the outside wall of the room. She waited silently at the end of the bed as the minutes ticked by slowly.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he returned. He left the door open behind him and stood there for a moment, staring at her like a wolf might to its prey. A muscle twitched in his jaw and then he crossed the room towards her. It was sure and confident stride—and it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

Bella stood up, watching him approach. She admitted that he was beautiful, dangerously so, and unfortunately for her something within responded to that. Whether she liked it or not.

He stopped in from of her, just a hand span apart and reached out.

Dark slid a hand down the outside edge of her ribcage, fingers splaying across the slick fabric. She jerked slightly when his hand cupped her hip and he pulled her closer.

“Tell me, Bella…what do want out of life?” he asked, running his other hand through her hair slowly.

She took a shuddering breath, wondering why Dark had to ask such pointless questions. Had he not said the world was ending? What was the point in asking her any of this? She didn’t want to play these games.

But then again, if he was asking and the world truly was ending, then why not answer his question truthfully? What harm would it do to her now? She frankly didn’t think anything could destroy her like true death eventually could. And would.

Bella took a deep breath and answered, “To be myself, my true, inner self—and not what other people want me to be.”

There was a long silence as Dark stared at her, black gaze unreadable. Then, finally, he said, “You are more yourself than you ever have been, Bella. You just don’t know it yet.”

She tensed, hearing the name he had given her upon awakening. Not Camille. Bella. But she wasn’t a figment of someone’s imagination—she was a real, live person with a real name!

And she would never want to be someone that was made up by a madman.

“My name’s not Bella,” she told him suddenly, eyes burning back at his, “It’s Camille.”

It had to be…

Author’s Note #2: Thanks to everybody that has been reading, reviewing, or just plain waiting on me to update! I greatly appreciate all the thought you put into your reviews!