Chapter 36

"Walk with me." 

She heard Tom's whisper gently float past her ear. She stood up anxiously, looking around the table at the others before following him out the back door. He had hardly spoken to her in the first few weeks they had been staying at Mulciber's. She had built up a deep anger as she watched Rosier deteriorate into a robotic soldier. Anastasia had tried to talk to Rosier, but was only met by grunts or one word answers. He had gone from the only one who she could talk to, to Tom's most devout follower. They walked in silence across the field until Tom sat down on top on the sand bank. Anastasia warily took a seat next to him and looked over the calm English sea, watching the tide reveal seashells glinting in the afternoon sun.

"I've achieved something, and I want to include you but I fear you have lost sight of our goal." Anastasia stiffened, refusing to look at him for fear she'd melt under his gaze.

"Your goal. I never wanted to hurt Rosier." She hissed. Tom shook his head.

"Why do you still not see there is reason behind everything I do." Anastasia shut her eyes and listened to the expanse of water before them.

"You broke him Tom." She whispered.

"Incorrect Miss Delaney. I saved him." Anastasia turned to look him. His jaw bone clenched as he breathed in the salty air. "Rosier understands what happened. He now knows what is expected of him, and what is important." Anastasia felt a tear creeping out the corner of her eye.

"What does that mean-"

"This should be a warning Anastasia." Tom turned to meet her eyes. He lifted his hand to wipe the tear from her cheek. "Tying your emotions to another will only cause you pain. I saved him from a life of loving someone who's heart will always belong to another." Anastasia felt Tom firmly place his hand behind her neck, pulling her closer to him.

"How is this saving him? He's a ghost." She whimpered through her tears, once again feeling guilty for something that she didn't even realise she had been a part of.

"His alliance was becoming stronger to you than to me, which would have only led to his death. You need to learn your place in all of this Anastasia. This is your punishment." Anastasia grabbed his hand and threw it from his face.

"What did you do to him?" She shouted, stumbling to her feet.

"I showed him how easy his life is to take. I needed someone to die Anastasia, and I had planned for it to be him. I saved him for you so you can see that I am the one who controls how this story is written. He knows who to serve now. He knows not to succumb to pretty distractions." Tom stood up and followed Anastasia down the sand bank onto the beach. He watched her walk towards the sea.

"Anastasia look at me!" He screamed, but she didn't even seem to hear him. He watched her feet slowly touch the waters edge, only to continue walking. Her dress began to pick up with the tide as she waded into the shallows. Anastasia felt overwhelmed. She knew deep down Rosier had liked her, but she ignored it because she had sorely needed a friend. Tom had taken all of that away. She heard him screaming her name, but she couldn't resist the water's cooling embrace. She dove under a small wave, letting the cold, crisp sea send a shock through her body. Tom watched her rise from the water, her black dress sticking to the curves of her body as she flipped her long dark hair from her face. Without thought he ran in after her, fighting the tide. He grabbed her hand as she was about to dive again.

"Anastasia." He spluttered angrily. She turned to look at him. Her green eyes reflecting the glistening of the water.

"He was my friend. Now he won't even look at me." Her cold calm tone made his stomach twinge. Water droplets trickled down her skin, irresistible to touch. Tom placed his hand on her cheek, and as she tried to turn away he placed another around her waist, pulling their soaked bodies together.

"Now you know I'm the only one who you are allowed to put your faith in Anastasia. I won't have it any other way. I'm making myself immortal. You'll never escape me, I can't let you." Anastasia gasped as the waves hit their waists.

"Why?" She breathed, feeling his heart beat against her chest as he kept his grip. His dark eyes pierced into hers with a type of pain she did not understand.

"I don't want to do this without you Anastasia. I knew from the day we met that we were the same, we're of one destiny. You were nothing. A daughter of an alcoholic thief. Treated like a piece of meat by muggles. Underestimated, overlooked and you still strived for greatness. You'll either be me greatest ally of my greatest regret. No one else deserves you Anastasia. No one else will understand you. To the rest you are worthless, but not to me." Anastasia felt his breath warm her cold skin. She wanted to run, to tell him to go to hell and find a boat that would take her far away, but she couldn't. She couldn't leave his touch, she couldn't leave the possibility of the future he would give her, the possibility of being his.

"You said you'd never love me." She whispered, defeated. As another wave crashed into them Tom pulled her in and forced his lips onto hers. One hand gripped the small of her back desperately while the other moved to the back of her head, his fingers entangling in her wet hair. She felt her arms naturally wrap around his tall frame, as he pulled her into him tighter and tighter. His tongue entered her mouth and she gripped his drenched shirt, clinging on to the moment. The water moved with them, whooshing as they navigated each other passionately. Tom pulled away and leaned his forehead on Anastasia's breathing deeply.

"I can't love you Anastasia, but I want to bring you with me. I need to have you on my side."