Chapter 10

Naomi kneaded Tavik's shoulders as instructed. There was a large scar on one of them. She worked her thumb into it and heard Tavik sigh at the action. Her father had encouraged her to become a masseuse. He said her hands were magic on his shoulders. She'd always laughed it off. She couldn't imagine giving strangers massages. It'd seemed too personal. She wondered if she'd ever see her dad again.

A tear hit Tavik’s neck. Before she could wipe it away, he reached back and brushed his hand over the spot. He brought his hand to his face and looked at the moisture smeared across his fingers. A sniffle escaped her. Tavik turned letting Naomi’s hands fall from his shoulders. Another tear slipped down her cheek. She lifted her hand and wiped it off with the back of her hand.

“What's wrong?”

A sardonic smile twisted her lips as she shrugged her shoulders. “Oh, I don’t know—Everything?”

He waved for her to sit. When she took a seat, she hunched over and let her hair fall forward. She had to keep it together. It wouldn't do to completely loose it. Blubbering was not going to endear her to him, but she really wanted to cry. She scrubbed her face and pushed back her hair to reface Tavik. He still sat in his chair. His mask pointed at her. It was like sitting with the grim reaper. He was humanoid but devoid of humanity.

“Do you really have to wear that thing?” She motioned to the mask.

Tavik’s back stiffened slightly, but he merely nodded. She slumped at his response. She folded her arms across her stomach.

“I wish I were home,” she said. She smirked to herself and clicked her heels together three times while whispering for each click, “There’s no place like home.”

When Naomi looked back over at the masked man, she couldn’t help the shudder that ran through her. He just sat there! No fidgeting. No shrugging. Nothing. With the helm on, he was faceless. Emotionless. She was miserable, and he just sat across from her. No comfort. No consolation. No connection. She’d feel better if she were alone.

“It has been a long day. You should get some sleep,” he said.

She nodded and sighed. “Maybe I'll dream of something nice.”

Tavik did not respond. Naomi cast her eyes to the bed and then back to him. The question was obvious.

“I am the lord,” he replied. She snorted. Yeah, he was the lord, but he wasn’t a gentleman. She curled herself into the chair. Naomi knew that she wouldn’t be very comfortable, but other than the floor, there was no where else for her.

He did retrieve a heavy blanket from the chest for her, but as she reached to take it, he drew the blanket back before she could grasp it. “I am going to douse the fire and blow out all the candles. You are not to spark any light within this chamber. I sleep lightly so do not think you will be able to accomplish anything without my knowing. If you attempt to see my face, I will kill you. Are we understood?”

Naomi blinked at him. He was serious about keeping his face a secret. She nodded finally. He gave her the blanket. She wrapped it around her tightly, but the shivers that went through her were not caused by a physical chill. He went around the room extinguishing the lights. She closed her eyes before he was done. Exhaustion was tugging at her, and her creeping sense of hopelessness leached away any wariness she might still harbor for Tavik.

Naomi’s sleep was muddled with half formed dreams and nightmares. She struggled up to consciousness, but it took her a few blinks before she realized she was awake. She couldn't see anything. She flailed out her hand to turn on a light but met only emptiness. She scrunched her brow in frustration. She was still half asleep when she lurched up out of the chair. The blanket made her stumble and grumble. She kicked the blanket loose and cast it aside. She raised both her hands before her as she tried to find her way. She wanted to turn on a light. She knew there was a light switch on the other side of the living room. She went toward it only to bump into a mysterious bed, and the hand that wrapped around her arm made her yelp.

“I did not figure you for such a fool, Naomi. I thought you would wait a full week before attempting this.”

“Let go of me!” She blindly swung at her assailant. She hit his shoulder.

He released her arm, and she fell back onto her backside with a jolt. “Help! Police!” she screamed. A spark of light blinded her as Tavik lit the bedside candle. His mask was in place. The grisly bone and metal face snapped Naomi into the present. She wasn’t in her apartment, and she had just struck the true owner of the room, the one who had vowed to kill her if she tried to see his face, and he'd been serious. He gripped a very large and sharp sword.

“Oh God,” she breathed. This wasn't a dream or a nightmare. She was stuck in this hell, and it was very, very real.

Continue to Chapter 11