Chapter 5

Maybell Smith

Blinking my eyes open, I see nothing but darkness. Getting up fast, I look down to see my hand covered with something sticky, but I can't see exactly what. Suddenly, a spotlight shines down on me and I finally get to take a look at my surroundings. Jumping back in horror, I note the dead bodies that litter the room. 

Paison, Archer, Oliver, they are all there, covered in ice, looking at me like I was their downfall. Looking down I see my hand covered in blood, the same stuff that came out of my mother on that horrible night. I open my mouth to scream and nothing comes out. The door at the other end bursts open and a faceless person walks in.

"You should have just come to me when you got the chance." He lets out this laugh that makes my toes curl in fear.

"Maybell." I spring out of bed and look around. Sitting next to me, in the bed I went to sleep on, is Archer. Looking at me like I had just  told him I'm going to kill him in his sleep.

"What are you doing here?" I cover myself in the blanket like I'm naked and nod at him to get out.

"Sorry, I heard you scream and wanted to know what was going on. Maybe I should have just let you scream, right?" Shaking his head and letting out a snort, he gets up to walk out the door, when my traitorous heart skips a beat at him being gone.

"Wait, please don't leave." I didn't mean to say that, but something inside feels like if he walks out right now, everything that I have built to keep myself alive will come crashing down. 

Looking over his shoulder, he huffs and walks back towards the bed. He stands at the end and stares at me for a moment before it looks like the internal debate he was having seems to subside. Crawling towards me, I all of a sudden warm up. He looks like he is about to eat me, if you know what I mean. Like a predator stalking his prey. And frankly, I find I don't really mind being the prey to his predator. Laying beside me, he wraps his arms around me and burrows his head in my hair. 

Honestly I'm not really sure how I got here, but I now never want to leave. With this man that I met two days ago, in this really comfortable bed. It feels like I finally belong somewhere. Somewhere someone would want to bring me closer instead of pushing me away. 

"Stop thinking, you asked me to be here, I'm here. Go to sleep."

And, the moment is gone, of course he had to be an asshole about it. What is it about men that just can't let something be good for once. Snorting, I close my eyes and finally fall into a dreamless sleep. 

I'm convinced waking up was created by the Devil. I mean really, who in their right mind would want to wake up from a dreamless sleep, especially when they are warm. Wait a second, warm? I blink awake and look around. Memories come flooding back about what happened the night before, and I let out a squeak before pushing the heavy weight that was in my bed, to the floor. I hear a thud, then a groan. 

"Remind me never to stay when you ask." He opens his black eyes and stares at me. He rubs his head and starts to get up.

"Remind me never to ask you to stay." He looks at me and a smile pulls at his lips. 

"Baby, one day, You'll be begging me to stay in the same bed as you. Maybe then we won't just sleep." His voice was already deep from the morning, but right as he said that line, it got two octaves deeper making a shiver crawl its way up my spine. Warmth traveled right down to my core, and suddenly I was speechless. What does one say after that? 

Knowing the effect he just had on me, he walks out the door like none of that affected him. Begging him? After last night, I might just. But, that won't be today. If he wants me, he has to work a lot harder than that. Maybe a bond with him won't be too bad.

Getting out of the bed, I make my way to the bathroom and pull open the shower curtain. My jaw drops to the floor, when I see the marble tile that fills the bathroom. A large bathtub sits in the middle of the room, and when I say large, I mean like a ten person tub. The vanity sits at the other end with the same marble effect at the tile surrounding the tub. In the corner, is the six person shower that actually has six shower heads. What does one do in this bathroom? I squeal and look for the things that will make my morning so much better. Turning on the water to the exact right temperature, I lay the candles and snacks that I have gathered on the tub lining. Lighting the candles, I take a deep inhale and strip down to my birthday suite.

Sinking into the tub, I let out a pleasure filled moan and lay my head against the bath pillow I found in the cabinet. This room was definitely occupied by a woman before, because I had no problem finding the things I needed. 

A thought fills my mind on Archer bringing girls back, and suddenly the zen mood I had going on, disappears as fast as it came. Did he bring someone home? Is that why he put me in this bedroom? Because I'm another one of his many whores? 

Who cares? A little voice whispers in the back of my mind, they're not here now and that's all that matters at this point in time. 

We won't let anyone else come near him. Jumping up I startled at the little voice that came from the back of my mind. Where did that come from. Iv'e known this man for two days and I'm already protective of him. What is happening? Shit, it's this stupid bathroom, it's messing with my brain. Jumping out of the tub, I drain the filthy water and watch it splurge out of sight. Blowing out the candles, I put everything away, and walk into the closet. As I suspected, there are women's clothes in there. Turning bright red with anger, I turn and walk out of the room, in just my towel, to find a man, and possible kill him.