Let's Play A Game, Alpha

8 - Ghostly Kisses

We entered the 5th floor with silence. Lucian made no attempt at conversation, so neither did I. His head hung low, and he immediately went into some other part of the apartment as soon as we stepped foot inside. I adjusted Flora on my hip. She was nearly asleep. Dried tears streaked down her innocent face; I hated myself for putting her through that.

Everything I did, I did for Flora. She was the only thing worth living for. Family doesn't come often, and I knew I was blessed to even have a sister left. We may not have had a real mother, and a father was certainly out of the question. The perfect family was never used in a sentence in this part of Draycott. Only a few real families were in this town, and most had moved away to a better place.

I went up the stairs and placed Flora gently in her own room for the last time. We at least deserved to sleep in our own beds one last time, before being locked away in Lucian's horrid mansion. Flora mumbled something in her sleep. Her matted hair and red face looked out of place. I had never seen my baby sister look so terrified as she did that night. Her screams would ring in my head forever.

I went back down the steps, my heart pounding at the thought of Lucian. He was a controlling monster, but he cared. Maybe despite his cold, loveless eyes and darkened words, there was actually a heart beneath it all. Flora certainly bought out his humanity just the slightest. His smile when holding Flora was something I'd never forget.

Lucian wasn't anywhere in the lower floor. I checked the kitchen and living room, but his metal grey eyes never met mine. After a couple minutes of searching, I headed upstairs again after turning the lights off.

Mother wasn't anywhere to be seen either. I even ventured up to her room, but it was as cold as the London nights. Clothes and cigarettes littered the generic carpets. The window was open. Cold drafts blew in, giving me gooseflesh. I tiptoed out and locked the door behind me. I sincerely hoped she had left us and would make a better life for herself. Mother's wrongdoing was my father's fault. If he hadn't left, then maybe Flora and I would have had a real family. It was a bit pathetic, to be honest.

I found Lucian in my room, looking at the framed photographs of Flora and I. His hands were in his pockets. Blush crept up my cheeks at the sight of my horribly messy room. Like the rest of the house, it was trashed. Clothes and underwear decorated the floor. I glanced up, horrified to see a pink lace number hanging from one of the arms of the ceiling fan. While Lucian still had his back turned, I jumped up as discreetly as I could. The bra was just slightly out of my reach. The bed was too squeaky to climb on without gaining his unwanted attention. Crouching low, I used my legs to push myself up and lunge for the bra just as Lucian turned around.

"What are you doing?"

I rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet. Red flared onto my face. I was sure I could give some tomatoes on a run for their money. Lucian eyed me weirdly.

"Nothing." I replied meekly. The bra was still hanging there, like a loose thread from a shirt. I prayed he wouldn't see it. His handsome looks were enough. I didn't know what I'd do if he'd start playing with my undergarments.

"Are you staying here tonight?" I mumbled, shoving clothes under the bed with my foot. The air smelled stale, like old bread and cheap perfume. Another roll of horror went through me as I spotted the pink and green cover of my old diary, the one I used to write in when I was 13. Near it lay tubes of empty mascara and a carelessly discarded teddy bear. Could this get any worse?

"Like you even need to ask."

"Then where will you sleep?"

Lucian smiled innocently, but his eyes spoke with anything but. "Next to you, of course."