Promise..
#5 of Lunar
© All characters and storylines surrounding these characters belong to me, Eben Black..
I huddled on the hardwood floor, hidden behind the circular couch while I heard the dull sound of the mobile phone vibrating through the material of the leather jacket. I drew my knees up to my chest and huddled around them. I touched a hand to my head fur and closed my ears, trying to ignore the disturbing sound in the background. A white-furred hand tousled my head fur. I gazed up and saw the looming form of Snow kneeling in front of me. Snow smiled, the edges haunted with a gentle sadness while he gazed at me. He leaned forward and touched his lips to my nose.
"The phone has been ringing out for ten minutes, Eben."
"I know."
"Do you want me to answer it?"
"I want it to stop ringing. I want him to leave me alone."
"Then let me help," he replied as he caressed a hand along my hand, "Let me turn the phone off?"
I considered it and then pondered on what would happen if the phone turned off. Ethan was being persistent. Then again, was it even Ethan? I'd not allowed either of us near the bundled leather.
Snow stood up, and looked across at the ominous bundle. I listened as he padded barefoot, his tail swished behind him as he stood over the leather. He crouched and peeled the leather aside, he buried a hand inside the pocket and then held the phone out so he could see the name or the number. He looked over his shoulder and said, "Unknown number." He straightened up, phone in hand and the leather cascading from the other. I'd watched him walk over and pull out the phone. He punched in a few keys, choosing to turn the phone off. I stood up, a sudden adrenaline made me want to see who was phoning. This could be a terrible coinicidence.
"Hang on!"
"Hmm? You want to answer it?" he asked, holding the phone out.
"I need to know if it is him, and besides, I'm going to need the phone for work." I padded across the polished wooden floor and took the offered device. I punched "answer" and said, "Hello?" into the speaker.
"Eben? Eben Black?" a deep voice asked.
"Speaking."
"Mr. Black, my name is Maxwell Bishop. I am a psychiatrist and psychological researcher based in Hoover, Alabama. I am calling regarding your brother, Ethan Black?" he explained.
I let out a breath I hadn't realised I was holding. "You do not realise how relieved I am, Mr. Bishop," I admitted with a shadow of a smile. I padded across the hardwood floor as I spoke.
"Relieved?"
"I believed you were indeed my brother."
"That does explain your reason for not answering right away, I suppose. Mr. Black I have phoned because I have been treating your brother here in Alabama for the last seven months. Your brother is disturbed, it appears he has been disturbed for some time now. I have been speaking with and attempting to understand the reasons behind his madness."
"Reasons behind his madness? He is somewhat hateful towards our family, me especially, Mr. Bishop."
"He said as much. I understand your mother was murdered a few years back?" Bishop asked.
I nodded and realised he could not see me. "Yeah. She was."
"And your Father blamed you both for her death?"
"Indeed. Our Father then killed himself and I think that affected Ethan more than me."
"You were not as close to your Father, I assume?"
"He blamed us both for our Mother's death, but he hated me because I was gay."
"And you say your brother was closer?"
"My brother and Father formed a small alliance when I came out. Mother was the one who loved me regardless, but Father hated me, and in turn Ethan hated me too."
"So when he passed on, Ethan had lost both parents and needed someone to blame. You were the last of his immediate family and he turned on you?"
"Yes. That's what I believed. Ethan swore that if we ever met again he'd kill me. He moved abroad to get away from me," I explained, "And now I'm guessing your phone call means he's back in London?"
"Indeed. Ethan was being subjected to regular medication to try and supress the vengeance and hatred that was seething inside him, but a week ago he broke out of the institute and was last seen in London."
"He came here looking for me. My partner was here alone," I replied.
"I would advise you do not remain alone in your home from now on, Eben. Ethan demonstrated enormous amounts of anger and violence toward staff and other patients alike."
"What kind of violence? Mental abuse, attacking people, verbal?" I asked.
"There was one incident where he snapped another patient's arm out of the socket and then proceeded to try and remove the arm using a buttering knife," Bishop explained, I imagined he was looking at a file.
"How is the patient?"
"Daniel will recover, but he's lost twenty-percent mobility in his arm and shoulder, and his recovered state of mind has been shattered. He's back on meds and screams Ethan's name in his nightmares."
I paled at that thought. It sounded like the once young, hateful creature I'd called brother, had become a true-blue monster.
I took a deep breath and gazed at Snow. "I'll take time off work and make sure the local police are involved," I assured the good doctor.
"Good to hear. If your local police department manages to capture Ethan, I will be more than happy to have him transferred back here and I will put him on lockdown in a proper mental institution."
"He was in an institure, doc. And he escaped," I replied.
"Some patients cannot be cured or saved, and being locked in an asylum is the best bet. Ethan was never in total lockdown. Send him back and I'll bind him in a cell and chain him to a wall."
"Just like that?" I asked. Snow had propped himself on the back of the couch now, hands kneading the leather underneath while he watched me pace on the phone.
"Just like that, Mr. Black. Like I said, some patients cannot be cured or saved, imprisonment is the best method of keeping everyone safe, including himself," he assured me.
"Thank you for the advice, doc and thank you for the offer."
"Ethan demonstrated a decent side, Eben, but whenever you were mentioned or his parents were mentioned he'd slip and became a wild animal again," Bishop explained, "The pain inside him runs deep and his anger takes over him. He was institutionalised because he was in a public shopping centre, claimed to have seen someone who looked like his younger brother and his mind snapped. He assaulted a dozen people and disabled his girlfriend at the time in the blind anger. He was advised to claim insanity and even threatened the Judge when he was sentenced. He was sent here and for a time we believed we had tamed him, but like I said, one mention of a particular brother, and he'd revert. I believe deep down his houses two different personalities, hence the quick switch. Its uncommon considering his level of madness, but he is a danger unto the world, Mr. Black."
"I understand, Mr. Bishop. I'll be careful. Thank you again," I assured the doctor.
"I do not want to imprison Ethan, Eben. But he is a monster now and a monster that cannot be saved, cannot be allowed to run amok as he wishes. This is not some childish tantrum."
"I understand," I repeated, "Goodbye Mr. Bishop."
"Be cautious, Mr. Black." He hung up and I stood there, lowering the phone and staring down at the hardwood floors.
"Who was that? I'm guessing it wasn't Ethan?" Snow asked as he perched atop the couch, looking at me, compassion in those true-blue eyes.
"It was Ethan's psychiatrist and doctor. He said Ethan was being subdued in Alabama, but escaped and has been headed for London since. He was warning me of Ethan's state of mind," I replied. I padded across the hardwood floor, slipping the mobile inside a trouser pocket while I stepped between Snow's knees. I touched my hands to his knees and kissed him, a subtle brush of lips. "Ethan knows where I live. He knows where I live, and he knows I know he's here now. He'll be watching us judging on his mental state."
"What do you want to do?" Snow asked.
"Phone the cops, phone work, and then go somewhere else," I admitted.
"Hotel?" Snow asked.
"Yes. Lets go to a hotel, somewhere public. Somewhere where I can feel safe. The police will make sure he doesn't get to me."
He held me close, his muscular arms embraced me, one hand smoothing along the line of my tail. "Anything you want. Go shower and we'll phone the police."
I nodded and kissed him again, the chaste brush of lips deepened a little as our tongues caressed one another. I broke the kiss and gazed at him from inches away.
"I love you."
"Eben, I promise not to let him harm you."
I considered Snow for a moment and for a heartbeat I wondered if that would be enough. Could I hide behind my man, while my brother threatened our lives?
And I will make sure Ethan doesn't lay a hand on you. I would make sure Ethan harmed none of the people I cared about. Especially Snow!