Taken (Page 27)

“Hex Lotion is what I use when I want to go out into the sunlight. It keeps me from burning and disintegrating into the ground.”

“Really? You can’t go outside?”

“No, I can go outside. I can go out at night when the sun goes down, without the lotion. But, if I go out in the sunlight, my skin will start to burn and smoke.”

“That’s scary. Has it ever happened to you?”

“It’s only happened once, and it was the most painful experience of my life. After that, I’ve never forgotten to put the Hex Lotion on.”

Benji pulled up his sleeve and pointed to a scar on his arm. “This is what happened. It’s been over a hundred years since the accident, but the scar has never faded.”

“Over a hundred years?” Rachel asked in confusion.

“Yes! Can you believe it? I think it’s a sign from my ancestors, so that I don’t forget again.”

Rachel looked at him and then reached out to touch his scar. She put her finger on the patch of raised, bumpy skin and felt the heat, still escaping from the burn mark.

“It’s hot!” Rachel said.

“Yes, the heat is slowly subsiding. It used to burn my hands ever time I touched it, but now, it’s just warm.”

“I’m sorry,” Rachel said with concern.

“Let’s go, I want to show you more,” Benji said, changing the subject.

As they walked down the long narrow hallway, lit up by flickering candles, Benji took her hand. A chill went through her body, and she became excited. It was the first time he’d touched her in a romantic way since the covered bridge. She could feel his fingers caressing her hand as they walked down the long, endless corridor.

Then, all of a sudden, Benji stopped and pushed open a large, heavy, arched, wooden door.

“Come in,” he said.

“What’s this room?”

Rachel stared at the four-poster metal bed, with antique paisley linens and bedspread. The bed was perfectly made, and looked as if it hadn’t been slept in for years. There were no windows in the room, which could have led to the musty smell that infused the bedroom.

She started to cough at the smell, and then put her hands over her mouth.

“Are you ok?” Benji asked.

“Yes, I’m sorry, I just have a tickle in my throat,” Rachel said.

Rachel walked to the other side of the bedroom to get a tissue from the en suite bathroom, when she saw something moving. She let out a shriek and then ran back into Benji’s arms.

“Don’t worry, it’s just Beethoven,” Benji replied, laughing.

Rachel’s heart was pounding and the hairs on her arm were standing straight up. She looked back at the moving ball of fur and then realized it was a dog.

“Is this yours?” Rachel asked.

“Yes, this is Beethoven, our Siberian Husky.”

“What do you mean our?”

“It’s my family’s dog. He’s been with us for 145 years.”

“What? Dogs don’t live that long, do they?” she asked.

After she asked that, she realized it was a dumb question. It was clear that everything inside the walls of this castle had the ability to live forever.

“Yes, he’ll never die,” Benji said smiling at her.

“Whose room is this anyway?” Rachel asked as she looked around at all of the old family photos in picture frames.

Rachel saw Benji get tense and weird. He began looking around the room as if he were trying to come up with something to say.

“It’s my parents bedroom,” Benji responded.

“Where are they?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Benji snapped.

She’d never heard this tone in Benji’s voice before. It was as if she asked the question to reveal all of their coven’s secrets. She didn’t realize her question was inappropriate, but apparently, it was.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

“It’s fine. I just can’t answer,” Benji said as he blew out the candles in the bedroom and turned to walk out of the room.

For the first time, she felt scared to ask questions. She didn’t want to offend Benji or ask the wrong thing. She walked quietly with him back out into the grand entrance foyer and then watched as Benji applied Hex Lotion. She so desperately wanted to talk to him, but remained silent and just observed.

“Let’s get some fresh air,” Benji said as he opened the large stained glass double doors that led out to the back of the house.

Rachel couldn’t believe her eyes as the wide double doors opened. She was mesmerized by the panoramic views of the Hudson River glistening in the sunset. She stepped out onto the wraparound marble balcony and took in the sights and sounds. She could still hear the crows soaring above her and the smell of the smoke coming from the chimney scattered in the air.

Every time she smelled the smell of smoke coming from a chimney, she immediately thought of Christmas. For a minute, she felt like it was Christmas day and she was sitting in front of a burning fireplace, smelling the same smokey smell, and feeling the warmth and love of her family around her.

Benji grabbed her by the hand, which forced her to snap out of her daydream.

“Hold on tight!” Benji said.

She put her arms around his neck and said, “Are you ready?”

She didn’t know what was going on, but was feeling up for anything. The day had been full of interesting surprises, so she was ready for whatever Benji had to show her next. She held on to him tightly as Benji stood on the railing of the balcony.

“1, 2, 3,” Benji counted, and then he jumped.

Rachel felt her feet follow his into mid air. She felt like she was skydiving, and suddenly feared for her life, as the two of them neared the ground fifty feet below. As they came close to crashing, she saw Benji sprout large white wings and begin to fly back into the sky.

Rachel couldn’t believe it. Was she really flying above Lyndvia Castle on Benji’s back?

The wind was blowing through their hair as he flew them around the castle, pointing to different parts of the grounds. She could hardly pay attention to what he was saying, as she was still stuck on the fact that they were flying.

They flew higher and higher, then their speed slowed down. Benji said, “Get ready to land.”

Rachel held on as tight as she could, as the two landed on a large branch in one of the pine trees that surrounded the long driveway of Lyndvia Castle.

Catching her breath, she said, “Wow! I had no idea you could do that.”