by Tarisa Marie
“Believe me yet?” He wonders.
I don’t have a clue what to say or think. Maybe, right now, I am in a coma in the hospital and I’m dreaming. I pinch my arm. OW! Then what I just watched finally sets in, he just healed from a bullet to the chest in a matter of minutes and he either has some pretty neat fire tricks up his sleeve or….or what?
He laughs and smirks.
“What the hell is wrong with you?!” I shout frozen in place.
“Uh nothing. I’m pretty hot. My clothes are stylish, at least I think so. I like to think of myself as a generally nice person as well...”
Suddenly I’m completely calm again. Like as calm as a margarita. Was he doing that somehow? Who knew!
“Even if you were….fae, you say that I am too but I can’t heal like that. There’s no way. I would just bleed and scream in pain and probably bleed out since you don’t have a cell phone and we’re in the middle of nowhere.” I challenge.
“You’re wrong actually. Even though you don’t think you’re fae, you are. It’s why you didn’t die in the accident. You healed. Slowly but surely. You couldn’t die because of it. Most fae children know from birth and learn to access their magic by age five. You obviously were never told about your heritage. You don’t even believe it exists and therefore you cannot access it. But the fae in you, it won’t let you die. Not that easy at least.” He rips a piece of the animal apart and offers it to me.
I take it hastily and shove it I my mouth. God, I’m starving. “I don’t believe you.”
“You must.” He says as if he’s completely sane.
I have to admit that I have no explanation for the way he healed so fast after being shot or for how I ended up in a hospital bed in a cave in the middle of a forest but does that necessarily mean that I believe that he and I are both fae? No.
He said that my parents gave me genes with fae in them. I try and remember something that would justify that but truth is that I don’t remember much about either of my parents.
“If what you say is true, how did my mother and father die in a car accident if they had these fancy healing abilities?” I push finding an error in his crazy story.
“Your father, John, or your mother for that matter didn’t die because of the accident. They were murdered in the water by another fae. There’s been a bounty over your family’s head for generations. It’s hard to get rid of you guys.” He laughs.
“How so?”
“You are the only royal line that can resist the burn of iron. You are also hard to kill because one of you tends to reincarnate when you die.” He laughs but not humorously. “You, Laytah Woods, never live past the age of 22 human years because the fae that killed your parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles, kills you every time you’re born as soon as he finds you. Your parents always tried to hide you whether it be in the human world or in the Amber Evers, that is, until they died. You are very powerful, Laytah. A leader.” He tells while adding more wood to the fire.
“Then how did this other fae kill my family?” I ask him still looking for holes in his story.
“An old sword enchanted and held by someone of your own blood line.”
“Who would want to kill their own family?” I ask incredulously.
“Your uncle. A while ago he took it upon himself to kill everyone in his family so that he could be the strongest fae alive. Most fae are immortal, they live forever unless stabbed in the heart with iron. Your family is different, they can only be killed by the sword handled by your own bloodline. You and he are the last ones left. After all these years he still doesn’t know how to get rid of you permanently.”
“Why didn’t he kill me when he killed my parents so that I wouldn’t be able to come back?” I ask as if it’s obvious.
“The night before, when you went missing for a few hours, someone who knew your uncle was coming for you took you to put a ward against your uncle on you. The ward made it so that your uncle, Jadorn, couldn’t see you in the car and since he didn’t know if you’d yet been reborn, he carelessly assumed you hadn’t been. So…he basically doesn’t know you’re alive. He thinks you’re dead for good because anyone from your bloodline that could pass on your genes and recreate you is dead accept for him. If he had a child he’d probably murder it the second it came into the world. Evil son of a bitch, he is.” He says dramatically.
“Why hasn’t anyone stopped him?”
“They can’t. Only a member of his bloodline can because of the whole sword thing.”
“So why didn’t one of them stop him before it was too late?” I ask like its common sense.
“Jadorn set a bounty on your bloodline because of its power, after he invaded your parent’s Kingdom with an army of lesser fae while your mom and dad were in power over 60 fae years ago. He then crowned himself king. He slayed most of your family that night but your parents and you got out in time and went into hiding. Jadorn believes that there’s nothing or no one out there that can kill him. You’re the last chance that the fae have of living happily again. No one in your family beat Jadorn because he was the only one with the sword. There was only one sword made to represent your family long ago and it must be that sword to kill anyone in your line. Jadorn used the family magic in the sword to protect his Kingdom and ward it from everyone. Even when he left the Kingdom on his killing sprees he would ward himself so that no one could see him. Which is why you never would’ve seen him in the car when you and your parents were in the accident. He could’ve been sitting right next to you.”
“You said I was warded. Why weren’t my parents or my whole family?” I ask.
“Because it’s very hard to ward fae from other fae. Humans on the other hand are easy. Your parents obviously never told you what you were so that Jadorn couldn’t find you by sensing your magic. As soon as a fae believes in magic, a fae can use it. For most fae, this is from the day they are born. Since your magic was suppressed you were easily warded from another fae. Your parents could see you because the ward was specific as to hide you from Jadorn. Of course the invisibility ward only lasted until so long. And in case you’re wondering, the person who stole you for a few hours to put the ward on couldn’t tell your parents because as soon as anyone who wasn’t the caster of the ward knows there’s a ward on someone or something the ward is shattered. Now that you know about your magic, and it is unwarded, you will begin to feel it taking over your body, that is, if you believe in it.”
My brain was still stuck on the part that I could be fae. I shake my head trying to clear it like an etchasketch.
“So who are you? And how would you know all this stuff about me?” I ask incredulously.
“Long story. I didn’t know why you were invisible in the car that day Jadorn came for you. But when I realized that you didn’t know what you were, it all made sense. I know these things, because I just do, it’s a long story for another time.” He fakes a smile and I swear I see pain in his face.
“Well you’ve already explained one long story.” I push.
He’s silent.
“You know I’m not about to give up. And I am the one with the gun here.”
He sighs and lifts a sad gaze up to meet mine. “I know this about you because you are my wife.”
Chapter 4
My jaw drops and my eyes bulge from the sockets.
“We were married during your first life. You’ve never lived this long since that life. You lived for nearly 240 fae years the first time. I thought you were really gone. I thought you were gone forever when your parents were killed 18 years ago because not even I had known you’d been born again and even if you were I thought he must’ve killed you along with your parents in that car and of course there’d be no way for you to reincarnate with them gone. Until this,” he held up the sapphire necklace, “lit up a few days ago when you arrived in this world. I almost didn’t believe it until I found you in some bed in this cave. I’ve spent the last three days trying to figure out what the hell I missed. How y
ou were alive again. That’s when I ran into David Barthelow without coincidence.”
“Who is that?” I ask.
“A very powerful old friend of mine. He’s the one that warded you 18 years ago. He knew I would do it if I was strong enough. He didn’t tell me he did it or that you were alive because he didn’t want me to give away the secret of your existence to Jadorn if he questioned me one day if he somehow got a spark of doubt that you weren’t alive. He knew I wouldn’t be able to hide it. He knew I wouldn’t be able to stay away from you and that I would lead Jadorn right to you. This necklace is full of all of your memories from all of your past lives.” He said and tossed it over the fire to me. “Put it on and you will slowly get them back.” He explains sheepishly with worry in his eyes.
“What if I don’t want to remember? What if I just want to go back to my old life?” I demand angrily. This was all overwhelming and upsetting.
“This is your old life technically.” He frowns.
“You know what I mean.”
“You have to.” He adds.
“Why?” I argue.
“Because I miss you,” he admits.
From a cocky annoying jerk to obsessive freak. He may remember and love me but he was a complete and totally stranger to me. He couldn’t possibly expect me to agree with him or understand. Am I being a little harsh? How could I have ever loved this guy? Obviously I must’ve been a very different person back then, if I in fact am this person he is talking about.
“I’ve always returned this necklace to you once you were old enough to wear it, it’s yours I gave it to you long ago. You’ve always remembered me naturally without it. This is the first time that you don’t,” he says sadly. “When you first saw me on the cliff today, I thought you’d somehow remember me. I thought…I thought you might’ve gained your memories slowly over the last 22 years but apparently not having your magic also blocked your memories from surfacing. I thought you’d at least recognize me. But you didn’t. You were scared of me. I wanted to rush up to you and hug you and…well you know but you were scared of me.” I see pain in his face.
I actually feel for the guy a little even though I don’t understand what he’s going through. He might love me but to me all he is is a stranger. A stranger who seems to have kidnapped and kept me in a cave and is dumping a whole lot of super fucked up information on me. Excuse my language.
“Why did you give me a gun with silver bullets in it if it could’ve killed you? What if I would’ve shot you in the heart?” I demand angrily just remembering. Did he really only trust me with it because he thought a piece of me would remember him and not shoot? Was he that stupid?
“I didn’t think you would actually shoot me.” He answers confirming my logic.
I don’t question further, afraid to hear the answers I’ll get. I’m done with questions.
“I want to go home to Philadelphia.” I say hopefully.
He sighs. “You can’t you have to help kill Jadorn. Everyone is going to be counting on you when they hear you’re alive.”
“I can’t. I’m sorry. I don’t know who I was back then but right now I’m not some savior. I’m a 22 year old girl who has exams coming up. I have to go back to school. Geoff is probably so worried about me.”
“Geoff thinks you’re dead. Everyone does. This is your home. School is not important. Saving tons of lives is,” he argues.
“Well I’ll explain that there was a mix up and I’m fine.”
“No.”
“You mean you won’t take me back?” I ask sadly.
He sighs. “I can’t lose you again.”
“I’m not your wife. That person died a long time ago, like you said earlier.”
He buries his head in his hands and I see him wince. ”You always were stubborn.”
“I am not.”
“Yeah you are. I will take you back to the human world to visit. But you can’t stay there forever. You can say goodbye to this Geoff and gather some of your belongings but then you’re coming back here. You are not suitable for that world anymore. You’ll only cause a threat.”
“Fine. But what am I going to tell Geoff?” I ask him confused. Like what am I going to do? Show up ‘oh hey by the way I am alive but you’re never going to see me again.’? I take one last look at the sapphire necklace in my hand and then toss it back to Damon. “Here. I don’t want this.”
“I don’t know, that’s your problem. Tell him you faked your own death so you could run away with a stud. I’ll play the part of the stud of course,” he half jokes. Yep sarcastic, goofy Damon is back.
I don’t argue because in all seriousness I don’t have a better idea. Anyhow, I’m just agreeing to this so that he will take me back home. Then I will somehow find a way to hide from him for the rest of my life. Like I’m coming back here with him.
“When do we leave?” I ask him.
“Right now. Close your eyes,” he smiles.
Suddenly the sound of busy traffic replaces the sounds of falling water and I’m standing on the sidewalk in front of my dorm building. I cuss. What the fuck? I turn around in a full circle. Where’d he go?
Oh god, please tell me that the whole last two days was some sort of weird acid trip. Like someone slipped me drugs and I blacked out and tripped out bad.
I look down and notice that I’m no longer wearing the hospital gown I was wearing before. I am now wearing black knee high boots, leggings, a black miniskirt that is too short for my liking, and a shirt that shows far too much cleavage. I must’ve been on acid or something if I put this on. I’d never wear this in public.
I run into the dorm lobby and use the public phone there to call Geoff. He answers on this second ring. His voice is groggy like he’s been sleeping.
“Hello?” he answers.
“Geoff, is that you? What’re you doing, sleeping?” I ask him confused as I stare at the clock in the lobby. It’s noon.
“I was up late working the night shift.” He answers with a yawn.
Nightshift? He doesn’t have a job in Philly.
“Who’re you trying to kid, you don’t have a job in Philly.”
“Uh I’m not in Philly. I’m at home. Who is this?”
“This is Laytah why the hell aren’t you at school? Exams are coming up you know and you better not let your marks slip!” God, it’s so nice to hear his voice again.
He’s silent for a moment. “This isn’t funny.”
“What? Hey, get back here to the city. I have the weirdest fricken story to tell you. I think I was drugged last night or something.” I tell him eagerly.
“Nice try lady but my cousin died a month ago in a car accident! What kind of sicko are you?” he shouts upset.
My heart nearly stops. So I was in a car accident. Maybe it wasn’t all a dream. I sure prayed that it was even though in my heart I think I know it wasn’t.
I sigh loudly so he can hear it through the phone. “Geoff, it’s me. You used to eat dog food when you were little and you’ve had a crush on Molly Hartley since play school. I’m not dead…there was a uh…misunderstanding. Don’t tell Aunty. Just get here and meet me in front of the University at five o’clock tomorrow night.”
“Laytah?! What the hell! Is that reall-“ he starts but I cut him off.
The lady at the desk was motioning me to hand the phone back. I guess I’ve used it for long enough without paying.
“I have to go. I’m using the public phone from my dorm. See you tomorrow at 5.” I say and end the call. It isn’t until then that Geoff’s words sink in. A month? He said that I died a month ago. No way. I was away for maybe a week at very most but a month? That’s ridiculous. Then my stomach drops. If he is right, which he always is, that means that I missed every single one of my final exams.
Fuck.
I apologize to the lady at the desk and she shakes her head at me irritated.
“Excuse me. My name is Laytah Woods. I am in room 212 and I lost my key. Do you think you could let me in
? I don’t have any ID on me but I can show you some when we get up to there.”
The lady grumbles something unintelligent and glares at me but grabs her master keys and nods her head at me. I pray that Geoff didn’t clean out my room or something.
When we get up to my room the lady opens my door to reveal my dorm room, just how I’d left it. I almost jump for joy.
“Thank you so much!” I shout and rush in.
“I need to see some ID.” She says bored.
“Oh right sure. Sorry.” I say and open my desk drawer and present her with my passport.
She nods and leaves.
I close the door behind her and immediately start taking off my clothes. I look like a freaking hutchey mama.
“Hey there pretty lady. Don’t like what I dressed you in or what?” An all too familiar British voice says from behind me.
I scream, cover my breasts with the skimpy shirt I’d been wearing, and whirl around to meet Damon’s eyes which were still covered by a pair of sunglasses.
“Get out! Now! How did you even get in here?!” I demand furiously.
He stands leaning against my closet door like it’s no big deal.
“Oh calm down, we’re married. It’s not like I haven’t seen you naked before,” he says calmly.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’ve never been married. Get out!” I shout at him.
He smirks that famous hot smirk of his. Did I really just refer to it as hot? Well I can’t really deny it. It is a hot smirk. He is hot. I admit that much. But that doesn’t mean that I want him to see me naked….or does it? Do I? Surely not. Suddenly I’m not so sure. If he was some hotty from the boy’s dorm would I have a problem with it?
He eventually turns around and I hurry and change into a baggy t-shirt and sweat pants. “Okay, you can turn around.”
He turns around. “You would rather wear that?” He asks skeptically while nodding at my new attire.
“Uh yes, it’s comfy. That was not. Plus I looked like a whore,” I admit bluntly.