2 Chapter 2 - A Perfect Flower

Her eyes watched him carefully before she looked away as he seemed to busy himself with the flowers. She still felt that small chill that had ran through her when he had been so close to her just moments ago. She didn't have a retort to his words, in fact she found them both infuriating as well as frightening. She didn't want to play games with this man who she was starting to feel was a complete psychopath.

Suddenly she heard the rustle of bushes nearby and she looked towards the hedges that faced the treelines. Something or someone was going to push right through them despite the fact that it would scratch and bite at them, or that it would completely destroy the perfect wall of green. She couldn't help the fact that she tensed a bit afraid of what would come through.

Yet a form managed to push its way through, even as the branches clung to their clothing which was now covered in dirt and blood. Ashley's eyes widened in surprise and slight horror at the sight of Kevin as he came through breathing heavily. He looked like he was trying to escape the devil himself as he stepped through and held no care whatsoever to the damage of the plants.

She felt his eyes looking about frantically and they fell on her with first a look of panic before relief filled his eyes. "We have to get out of here." he said frantically and started forward a few steps. He looked from her before his eyes fell upon the man standing there looking undisturbed at all by his presence though a small frown crossed his features as he saw the damage to his hedges.

Ashley followed Kevin's gaze to the man and she hesitated. She didn't move from where she was sitting, she didn't know what to do. Yet seeing the state he was in, she saw the blood that had run down his front from what appeared to be a wound on his throat she couldn't help her own fear and panic rise further again, the urgency to run grew as she saw she wasn't entirely alone anymore.

She stole a glance back at Nathaniel to see what he was doing now, there were two against one now, could they over power him? Even if they did, what of whatever it was that Kevin clearly had faced within the treelines? She remembered seeing Sebastian and wondered how many were out there lurking.

There was no room for her to try and respond to his words though, even before she could decide within her own panicked indecision she suddenly felt him grip her arm. Her eyes went to Kevin, startled that he had closed the distance between them and touched her. The first thought she had was he was going to try and drag her with him, attempting to save her. Yet instead he pulled her off the stone bench and shoved her rather hard towards Nathaniel, before making a run for it towards the hedged entrance that Ashley and Nathaniel had entered prior.

Ashley gave a small sound of surprise and stumbled a bit trying to regain her balance but instead fell down to the ground in front of Nathanial. Her hands had instantly gone out to catch her and she felt the scrape of gravel across her palms. Even her knees felt the bite of gravel through the fabric of her pants though it was mild compared to that of her hands. She couldn't help that sharp intake of breath when the pain bit into her and she brought her hands to her chest as she sat up.

Still reveling in the fact he had basically thrown her to the monsters to try and save his own skin. Of all the people on the bus, he was the last she would have expected such a thing from. She looked up from where she was on the ground towards Nathaniel not sure what he was going to do, only to see he wasn't there in front of her at all. She blinked, everything had happened so quickly there was no way he shouldn't be right there in front of her.

Yet she suddenly heard a scream and cry of pain towards the exit and she looked over seeing Kevin on the ground with Nathanial's foot pressing down on the back of his neck and the front of his other foot pressing down hard on Kevin's left hand. "If you try and get up you will snap your own neck." The man said with no emotion whatsoever as he watched Kevin go still under him in terror.

Nathaniel looked over towards Ashley again and she stared at him still knelt on the ground where she had fallen. She hadn't seen him move at all, had she blacked out for a moment or so? Or was he really not human like she was beginning to fear. "You are not sitting where you should be." Nathaniel said after watching her for a few quiet moments and Ashley blinked staring at him.

That was what he cared about? This whole nightmare of a moment, and the fact she wasn't still sitting where he told her to was what he took from it? He was literally insane she concluded in that moment as she slowly moved up to her feet and carefully eased back to where he had told her to sit, though she kept her eyes on him before she glanced down at Kevin who had started to just sob now under him.

She looked back up to Nathaniel without saying a word, afraid that words could make the moment worse than it already was. She had never been in a situation like this, with people like this, she had no idea what she should be doing. She had grown up and taken a little pride in knowing how to handle what came her way, but now she was at a complete loss. Seeing the satisfied look that crossed Nathanial's features was the only indication she had done the right thing by sitting back down on the cold stone, other than that he gave no other indication of what he would do next.

"Gretchen, You have offended me." Nathaniel said, finally causing Ashley to suddenly look at him in confusion. She looked around before she went still, she hadn't seen the woman who was now standing not five feet from her. Staring at the woman whose expression was filled with outrage and contempt.

Silence was all Ashley offered the world as she watched the woman who stood there and looked like she was ready to murder Nathaniel. She was beautiful with her long blond hair and perfect complexion. Hourglass body that was accented by the sleek blood red dress she was wearing. Despite the fact that Kevin was covered in blood and filth she didn't seem to have a single strand out of place upon her as she stood there. Her red heels gave her a few more inches in height and allowed her to stand ever so slightly taller then Nathaniel.

"I have offended you? You are there with my new toy under your boot. This may be your estate but the rules are quite clear." She said as she took a few steps towards the man putting her right there within reach of Ashley who almost didn't dare to breathe with the woman there. Instead she went still and hoped that her ability to go unnoticed for once could work in her favor here.

Nathaniel didn't flinch or move as he stood there, though more pressure was pressed onto the hand he was slightly stepping on causing Kevin to cry out in pain under him. "Your new toy laid hands upon what is mine. I am well within my rights under the agreed upon rules." He said calmly while watching the woman. "I can simply kill him if you do not plan to make amends for the offense." he offered casually.

Gretchen seemed to go still as she heard his words and that murderous look turned to one of irritation now as she looked down at the sobbing teen. Then slowly she looked over to Ashley as though aware she was there the entire time and chosen to simply ignore her existence. Ashley glanced at the woman but seeing the look of death she was being given, she quickly looked away.

"You have taken a claim to someone?" The woman said and now seemed to be back peddling as she saw that the situation was not entirely in her favor. "You never take claims…." The woman said with a different level of outrage and now her tone almost a whine as she looked back to Nathaniel.

Nathaniel ignored her words. "Will you make amends or not Gretchen, I do not have all night." he said while he stood there and as if to further his point he pressed further on Kevin's hand and there was a cracking sound as something broke from it. Another scream of pain filled the air around them and Ashley couldn't help the tiny flinch she gave at the sound before she looked away feeling ill to her stomach.

Gretchen's eyes narrowed as she heard the damage placed upon her new toy and watched Nathaniel. "I apologize for the offense Lord Brixton. What may I do to make up for the offense?" She asked finally as she watched him, "You have but to tell me and I will make it so." She said with a small bow of her head.

Nathaniel looked at the woman carefully, completely ignoring the cries below him. Unmoving for a few moments that felt like another long spawn of eternity to Ashley as she too was wondering what he was going to do next. Even if Kevin had thrown her to the wolves she didn't really wish him dead. Seeing Nathaniel finally remove his boot from the back of Kevin's neck and step away from him, she couldn't help the small sigh of relief she had.

Gretchen had yet to move however and was watching Nathaniel, she wasn't going to relax until she learned what he was going to demand of her. Already she was considering the punishments she would lay upon the boy for this inconvenience as well. She had been enjoying tormenting the boy but now he had the nerve to ruin her fun with him.

"Take your toy and leave immediately, as well as I expect you to pay for the damages to my garden." he said finally while he watched her. Gretchen looked at him for a moment and seemed a little perplexed at how simple of a request it was. She eyed Nathaniel carefully as she felt that was not the end of it, it was too easy to do. She went over to Kevin as he was curled up on the ground cradling his hand in pain.

Reaching down she grabbed him by the arm and picked him up, forcing him to stand as though she was handling a small child and not an almost fully grown man. The woman's eyes never left Nathaniel's as she stood there, her grip tight on Kevin's arm. "Very well, We will leave immediately, I will have a gardener here within a day to fix the hedge." she said before she gave Kevin a dark look and shoved him hard in front of her towards the exit.

"Move." her voice harsh and cold leaving no room for argument,he stumbled forward and began to run. She didn't seem concerned with the fact he was running off from her, it was now something else to add as a punishment when she caught up to him. She was in a dark mood now and it was time to really show him what was expected of him as she casually started to walk out of the garden.

"And Gretchen, should I see that toy of yours again. I will kill him. You have been given warning." His words were cold and precise as he had moved now back to where he had before, once again looking at some of the flowers. Gretchen went still at the entrance of the garden and looked at him in surprise and then her face reddened with outrage as she heard him. She gave him an almost murderous look before suddenly she just wasn't there anymore.

Ashley watched the two of them as they had spoken and then saw Kevin running. She was watching Gretchen and when suddenly she just wasn't standing there anymore, she blinked trying to figure out how she was just suddenly no longer there before her. She couldn't stop the cold pit in her own stomach as her eyes slowly went back to him and seeing him casually looking at the flowers like nothing had just transpired.

Her mouth had gone dry and she felt that dryness on her lips. Swallowing a bit she looked away from him and said nothing at all. He almost seemed as though he had forgotten she was there, yet she didn't move, afraid of bringing attention to her if she did. It felt like the air around them had gone still and the night had gone quiet now. There were no screams suddenly ringing out in the distance. Only a quiet calm in the stillness that had fallen once Gretchen and Kevin had departed.

"Do you know what makes the perfect flower?" Nathaniel said finally breaking the silence and Ashley blinked as she tried to register what he just said. She looked back over to him startled and confused by the question as it seemed so random. "Uh...plenty of fertilizer…?" she offered slowly and cautiously.

She was returned with a bit of a chuckle as he turned from the flowers he had been looking over and looked at her. "The correct conditions." He answered. "Anyone can add fertilizer to a flower and it will still wilt and die if not treated properly." He said as he moved back over to his seat and watched her again carefully. "Controlling the conditions in which it grows, pruning back what will hold it back, and molding it's form to exactly what it should be, that is what makes a perfect flower." He said as he studied her.

Ashley looked at him and then slowly frowned as she grew uncomfortable because she almost felt he wasn't talking about the flowers in the garden. "I don't think so." she said and looked away. "I think the flowers that grow wild are better." she didn't look at him though she wondered if arguing with him was wise after what she saw him do to Kevin because of the hedges.

Instead she was given a chuckle in response. "Is that so?" he asked while he sat there and seemed to consider something. "Why is that?" His eyes watched her and she found herself meeting his gaze, yet instead of finding any color there in his eyes all she saw was darkness. She grew uneasy as she met his gaze then looked away again.

"Because the ones in the wild have to be strong and fight off all of the elements and things that try to kill it. They have to struggle to bloom unlike the ones here who are given everything they need and all the chances in the world." She said with a tiny shrug. She looked at the palms of her hands, they still stung and she saw she had scrapes there, they were superficial but still hurt like hell.

Her response pulled an actual smile from Nathaniel though despite the fact that she wasn't looking at him. "Very good." he said as he got up and she blinked looking at him now a bit confused. What did he mean by that? She frowned at him now just confused. Though she didn't linger on trying to figure it out as she saw him coming over to her. While she didn't move from her seat she leaned back a little as if shying away from his presence as he came to stand in front of her.

Without invitation once more his cool hand gripped her chin and made her look up at him as he moved to crouch down in front of her so they were eye to eye. "I expect you to not disappoint me." His voice was low, almost suggestive and she stared at him not sure where he was going to do next. As he moved in closer she froze, eyes wide as she realized he was coming in for a kiss.

Yet before he could move close enough for their lips to touch he tilted her head down with his grip and laid a light kiss upon her forehead. As that intimate moment shifted from what she feared would be violence, to something almost loving. She relearned to breathe before she found her eyes finding him again. Once more black orbs devoid of any color lay there in front of her.

Unable to help herself as she met his eyes and that black void behind them that seemed to pull her deep into them. An endless fall as the world faded from around the two of them within the moment. Her thoughts started to drift away as she was no longer seeing or feeling the world around her, instead there was just a dark quiet that fell like a blanket across her mind.