She stretched out her entire body and then proceeded to remove the wrap, letting it float to the ground. A shadow returned with a crystal chalice filled with cool and refreshing water.
Her toes dipped into the water of the pool and a smile formed on her lips. Feelings of peace, happiness, freedom, excitement, and anticipation washed over her.
The water was cool and inviting and refreshing to her body and soul. One foot stepped in, and then the other, and she slowly descended a set of decorative stone stairs into the depths of the water. The pool itself wasn’t deep. It rose to just above her waist. All the negative feelings washed off her. In fact, the best part of the experience wasn’t the touch of the water on her skin, but the impact it had on her mind.
Every little thing bothering her was soon gone, and knowledge raced through her brain at an almost overwhelming speed.
She closed her eyes and sank deeper into the water, practically falling onto her knees. She wanted to be covered in it. Her head fell below the surface, and she was surprised to find she could breathe in the water.
It's a dream, of course I can. A dream she was reluctant to awake from when her alarm clock went off.
Chapter Nineteen
Halyn stomped into Cheyenne's bedroom and pulled the pillow out from under her head. “You're going to be late if you don't get your lazy butt up,” she said before making her way back out.
Cheyenne looked at the clock and saw it was half an hour later than her usual wakeup time. Normally, she'd be scrambling from bed. Her morning routine revolved around having just enough time to get ready before breakfast and classes. Today, though, the last thing she wanted was to be pulled away from the pool in her dream. She tried desperately to go back to sleep, but to no avail.
Reluctantly, she made herself get ready for class. All she could do was cling to the memories of her dream. Hopefully she could return again tonight.
She felt different today. At first she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. Déjà vu, she realized. I've done all this before. Which was silly because this was a new day. Still, she found herself knowing things in her classes she shouldn't have. Information she couldn't possibly have learned before. In fact, she was almost positive she knew more than most of the teachers. As each class progressed, the urge to prove them wrong grew stronger. But like a good student, she kept her mouth closed.
“You look different today. Or maybe I should say you smell different, and I don't think it's because Mommy and Daddy are around,” Denver said to her while in lab.
Her parents weren’t in this class. They refused to be anywhere near Denver for fear of her father murdering him on the spot. Since Denver was observant and had figured out who they were, she decided this was a good idea. He'd most likely only try to antagonize them anyway.
“Why would they change how I smell?” she asked, only half interested in hearing his answer. The sooner they got out of class, the better. She was bored. The assignment itself wasn't hard so much as time consuming and tedious.
“It's an emotional kind of smell. I can't put my finger on it, but did you do something different to yourself recently? 'Cause you smell amazing.”
“New perfume.” She shrugged.
“No, it's not perfume. Smells like elegance, intelligence, and confidence to me. It's pretty sexy.” He shook his head and leaned over her, moving his nose to her neck. A bit too close for her comfort. She winced with anticipation of another bite. He'd already done it twice that she could remember. Being in class wouldn't stop him from doing it again. She moved away from him, trying to remain casual and not let on how much she welcomed the attention. Her desire for him was much stronger than it had been.
“I'm glad you think intelligence is sexy. Maybe you're not a complete and worthless pig after all,” she said.
He shrugged. “I guess it all depends. Brainy chicks aren't fun to play around with. They talk too much. On the other hand, dumb ones aren't worth more than a night or two. They don't think too much about commitment. I don't think dumb chicks are sexy though. Just easy.”
“I guess I won't be giving you anymore compliments,” Cheyenne mumbled.
Denver rolled his eyes. “I'd hate for you to think something nice about me. It would totally spoil our relationship. Imagine if we actually got along. It'd be all wrong.”
“And our relationship is what exactly? Me hating you and you belittling me?” Cheyenne could barely sit and have a conversation with him now. She would have loved to attempt a decent relationship where they could at least be civil acquaintances. For whatever reason, she believed she could be the special friend who understood him better than anyone. But he kept trying to push her away to the point where she was about to give up on the idea.
“Aw, you hate me? How sweet. No, I was thinking about the fire. If it ever burned out, you'd be boring, and that isn't worth my time. Boring people are worse than dumb people. They're worthless to everyone.”
“Heaven forbid I ever become dull then,” she muttered sarcastically. “I think you owe me some information, by the way. The end of the quarter is coming up, and as far as I can tell, I've held up my end of the bargain. How about you give me something now?”
“Not until we're done.”
“I just want you to answer one question.”
“I said, not until we're done.”
“Just…one…question.” She grabbed his chin and forced him to look into her eyes. That was a big mistake, because she completely forgot about the effect his eyes had on her. She fought not to get lost in them. Never before had she been this close and gotten such a good look. A shiver went down her spine and she shook her head.
“Well?” Denver asked. “You have one question you can ask me then, since it's so flipping important. The rest is gonna have to wait until after I get my report card back. Hurry up before I change my mind or Halyn decides to come back from flirting with the jocks.”
Cheyenne glanced over at her roommate, who was indeed enthusiastically flirting with members of the football team. Halyn made a huge effort to flaunt all of her school spirit so they noticed it. She'd be busy with those boys all hour. “Were you feeding on me the other night?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
She wasn't sure what to react to first. The bluntness wasn't expected. She had been positive he'd deny the whole thing. His eyes moved down to the tabletop, as if he were ashamed. This wasn't like Denver at all.
“I asked, what about it?” he snapped.
“I just wanted to know if it was you or if I was dreaming,” she whispered and returned her attention to their project.
He scowled and squirmed in his chair and opened his mouth to no doubt spew a million different responses to her comment. “Yeah, well how many other bloodsuckers do you let into your bedroom at night? I know you want me and all, but wouldn't it be better to have the real thing instead of a fake?”
This time Cheyenne frowned. “I don't let anyone into my bedroom. I don't like having my blood sucked. It kind of hurts and it makes me sick.” She didn't like blood. There was something uncomfortable about the color red in general for her. She hated it.
“Could have fooled me with the company you keep and the type of guys you date.” Her ears may have been deceiving her, but she could have sworn she heard a smidgen of jealousy in his voice.
“I'm not dating anyone,” she said flatly. “Last I checked, I was still single, and I'm kind of liking it. I've got enough to deal with, including all of your petty temper tantrums and whining. And what is that supposed to mean exactly anyway? The company I keep?” The twins are better than you'll ever be.
He shook his head. “It doesn't matter, precious. You're not my type. I'd have to buy you flowers and cards and candy if I was ever going to get with you, and that kind of crap makes me want to puke. I like my guts where they are.”
“Whatever.”
“My turn for a random question for you,” Denver said. He glanced over at her warily before deciding to continue. “Have you ever
had a dream where you felt like you had been reborn?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Maybe, why?”
He shrugged. “I was just wondering what you thought about it all. Do you think it's possible? To be reborn and reformed?”
“You're getting kind of deep here.”
“Just answer the question.”
“I said maybe.”
“Maybe as in yes?”
“Maybe as in, it's none of your business.”
“So that is a yes then. I was just wondering. I don't suppose you want to see something cool later today. It'll give you a chance to ditch all of the preps and parents who are trailing you like vultures.”
“Fine, whatever will get you to shut up,” she mumbled. She then blinked at the realization of what she’d just done. Being alone with Denver was always a bad idea. “Wait a second, I—”
“Too late. You already said yes. Trust me, it'll be worth your while. I won't bite you again. I mean, unless you want me to. I just think I have something you'll appreciate, especially after the dream you had earlier that was a lot like mine.” He smirked.
“How do you know about my dream?”
“It's none of your business. I'll find you after your last class.”
“Oh, I'm sure you will,” she said under her breath with a deep sigh.
Chapter Twenty
As promised, Denver found her after class while she was on her way to the dining hall. She wasn't sure how she was going to excuse herself, but as always he had a plan for every situation and gave her the perfect excuse to feed everyone else. She walked to their usual table but didn't sit down.
“I just wanted to let you know I'm going to eat elsewhere today. I need a little space. So much is going on, you know?” She gave them all a weak smile. Jewl beamed, but the twins both frowned.
“Are you sure you don't want some company? We can be quiet. I have duct tape for Anj if needed,” Zes said.
She shook her head and laughed. “I'm sure. All I'm going to do is find a nice spot to read. Get some fresh air. I just wanted to let you guys know so you didn't think something happened.”
“Thank you, it's much appreciated,” Anj said.
Making sure to smile at Zes, she waved. “I promise I'll see you tomorrow.” He nodded and waved back before going back to devouring his food. She left the dining hall to meet Denver in the courtyard. Her parents had made plans for later that night. They were attending some sort of alumni meeting and would be back to collect her in a couple of hours. This gave her just enough time.
He waited for her underneath the angel fountain. She would’ve thought him to be the impatient type. Instead she found him staring up at the statue as though he had all the time in the world. She risked a glance up at the fountain as well, and once more, she could have sworn it was in a slightly different position than before.
“Ready? 'Cause for now, you're not being followed,” he said.
“I'm ready, but can we make this fast? I want to get this over and done with.”
“Yeah, no problem,” he said with a wide and toothy smile. She couldn't take her eyes off his fangs.
He led her down the path to her dorm and then off into the forest onto the hidden trail she and Zes had followed a few days before.
“I hate to burst your bubble, but I've already seen this,” she said with a smirk. “So—”
“No, I promise you haven't.” Denver tugged at her shirt. “You might have seen the gate, but you haven't seen what's inside.” He led her into the gazebo and checked to make sure they still weren’t being followed.
“I told you, I—” She stopped speaking as Denver found a small and barely noticeable button camouflaged above a rose carving in one of the stone pillars. Once pressed, there was a soft clicking followed by an equally quiet rumbling.
The next thing she heard was the distinct sound of stone scraping against stone. In the middle of the floor, stairs began to appear in a circular pattern. They descended for ten feet or so. The hole was deep enough to be dark but not so deep she felt as if she were in any danger.
“Is that your bat cave?” she asked.
Denver laughed. “I don't like bats, sweetheart. No, this is about the dream. That's what the smell is on you. You smell like the dream. That's how I knew we were sharing it.”
How much she should trust him, she wasn't sure. It seemed too far fetched to be true. At the same time, it had to mean something that he knew about the dream when she hadn't told a soul.
“I'll go first and I'll trust you to follow me. I promise I'm not gonna do anything bad.”
“'Cause nothing you do could ever be bad,” she said and pushed her way in front of him with defiance.
“Right,” he said, a small smirk forming on his lips. It didn't take long for him to catch up with her on the stairs.
“How long have you known about this?”
“A long time, but I've been here a while too. I guess you could say I've had a lot of time to explore.”
“So what's down here that's so cool and important?”
“You'll see.”
Cheyenne huffed and stepped off the stairs and moved to the center of the floor. Off to her right was a tunnel with a decorative stone archway depicting cherubs, fruit, flowers, and cute baby animals. The darkness enveloped everything else, and a draft of warm air blew past her every so often.
“I don't suppose you have a flashlight?” she asked.
“Got your interest, I see. Maybe someday they'll get electricity installed,” he teased and pulled out a lighter. He walked over to the archway and paused at an oil lamp on the wall. Carefully, he lit it so they could see farther down the tunnel. Every few feet was another lamp, and he stopped to light those as well.
She followed him, nodding absently as she took in her surroundings. This wasn’t what she’d been expecting at all. And while she should have been more wary of the situation, she felt a peace similar to in her dream. But how did he know about the dream? How did he know about any of this? She wasn't buying his exploring excuse. As her eyes adjusted to the lighting, she noticed the tunnel walls depicted a mural lined in gold and encrusted with jewels.
The left wall told the story of a beautiful young woman with dark hair in her prime, and a hideous-looking young man with deformed facial features and a disproportioned body. The woman was surrounded by trees and flowers, while the man was in a dark and desolate desert. They stared at each other with great longing, their hands outstretched toward one another.
The second half of the mural was of the young woman lying with a different man. He was also beautiful, with dark hair and blue eyes. They lay in a garden—a garden that was identical to the pool from her dream. Dividing the two images was a large heart surrounded in gold. The right wall contained a simple image of a garden filled with animals and plant life. Her heart pounded faster at the sight. It felt all too familiar, and she wished she understood why her gut turned in knots. Why did she feel so much longing for this place?
At the end of the tunnel, she felt grass underneath her feet. When she looked down, she saw the most luscious and full grass imaginable. Dare she even think the thought, but it was greener than Denver's eyes, something she thought impossible. They were in a cave, but it wasn’t like any cave she had ever seen. Vines with purple flowers branched from the tunnel and deeper into the darkness before them, and small shrubs also appeared.
“Ready?” he asked her, holding the lighter up to his face so she could get a good look at his excited grin. His eyes sparkled in the light, and she had to fight from swooning on the spot.
“Yeah,” she said. Hopefully she hadn't agreed to something horrible.
He walked forward, gesturing for her to stay back with his free hand, and approached a massive lantern some fifteen feet away. Carefully, he lit the contents. There was a bright and blinding light followed by a flame, and the entire cave was lit up.
Plants were everywhere. The flowers were larger than she, and massive trees decorated t
he inside completely, covering the stone walls. So many colors. She couldn't believe it was real and had to pinch herself just to be sure. The plants all sang praises in unison, creating a nearly deafening chorus. Denver motioned for her to join him. The deeper she stepped into the cave, the more peace she felt, and the more persistently the plants called to her.
“We hoped you would find us.”
“We have missed you. Tell us your stories.”
“Hail to the most beautiful goddess.”
Her hands reached out to touch one of the giant flowers and stroke the petals, their texture smooth and inviting.
“You will sleep as never before on my blossom. I will keep you safe and guarded,” it told her.
She declined the offer, wanting to explore even deeper. “Where are we?”
Denver stood behind her, letting her lead the way. He watched her with great interest. There was something slightly unsettling about his smile, but she ignored it. When was he not unsettling?
“The research I did called it a gate to heaven. I'm not sure where the door is, but it could be like the Garden of Eden or something. I thought you'd like it, though, since you're into that whole plant thing. You know, 'cause—”
“Is this your way of wooing me with flowers?” she asked him, teasing of course, but she couldn't resist the jab, if only to lighten the mood.
“What? No!” He moved past her, and as she followed him deeper into the cave, she could hear the sound of moving water. “Enjoy your plants,” he mumbled and began to pull off his T-shirt.
Cheyenne stopped to stare. She hadn't thought much about what he looked like under his clothes, but now she couldn't help but be impressed. He was in amazing shape, almost to the point where his chiseled body didn't seem natural. What really drew her in was a scar curving around his left abdomen and trailing halfway up his back.
“Yeah, I know. I'm a stud.”
“What are you doing?” she asked.
He rolled his eyes. “I'm going to swim while you gawk at the floral arrangements. I'm not into flowers. I don't like to get my clothes wet, so I’m stripping, duh. If you want to be Miss Prissy, then turn around and stare at a giant rose or something. Let me know when you're done being girlie.” He pointed ahead at a small pond of water. A tiny stream flowing through a crack in the cave's wall fed into it.
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