Awaken Me

by Emily Gossett

One

  So soft, his lips felt as they caressed my throat. Sending a billion tingles through my body. Caught up in the sensation I nearly forgot where I was, or who was kissing me. All I could focus on was the sensation of his lips. My eyes fluttered open, and a gasp escaped my lips in utter shock. Derek?! How did I get into this situation? I pushed him off me and backed away, disgusted with myself. His green eyes watched me intently. Waiting for me to say something. His hair was a bit messier than he usually kept it, but none the less hot. I backed further away from him slowly, becoming more appalled at myself.

  I didn’t even remember being in a bond dream. Maybe my lack of sleep lately caused me to black out. Yet there he was, standing comfortably before me, using his seductive smile that usually captivated me. Not this time Derek. I could feel my eye brows raised as I just scolded him.

  “ Aimee.” He said as he came closer to me. My body was still not trust worthy. If I could slap myself out of this daze I would. Keeping my arms fully crossed tight over my chest. To give him the impression I didn’t want him near me.

  “You think you can just trick me?” I asked outraged. His sharp features mixed with his deep green eyes made my heart hurt. The sound of the birds brought my attention to where I was, which was in the forest, it was dusk and the trees sang with the wind. Bringing a deep pine tree smell that reminded me of Christmas trees. Why did he always bring me here?

  “ Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it. I know you too well.” Derek said, and he was right. I did enjoy it. The queasy feeling returned, erupting in my stomach, making me feel sick. When would this end? I bit my lip so Derek wouldn’t see my lip twitch.

  “ What do you want?” I asked removing my hands from the tight crossed position to hands on my hips.

  “ God you’re so beautiful. Why must you be so difficult. I have a life for you, one with endless possibilities. You can’t run forever.”

  “ I don’t want a life with you Derek, if I did I wouldn’t of jumped off the yacht.” I said darkly. The scene of Krissy being falling to the floor dead crossed my mind. Sending a shiver down my spine.

  “Alec may be safe for now, but I can guarantee, you won’t be with him.” Derek walked closer to me, he was so arrogant. That small smirk at the corners of his lips began to irritate me. Yet I was helplessly attracted to him.

  I just glared at him, lost for words at the moment. Even in the bond dream, I could feel my burning fire deep within me. Growing hotter, stronger. This was in fact the first time since I ran away from Alec that Derek contacted me.

  “ I also know where you are headed. You should learn to not have your thoughts easily accessible.”

  I knew he did. I wanted him to know, to get him away from Alec. I just smiled at him. He could think whatever he wished, but I knew what I was doing. Or at least I hoped my plan would work.

  “Well say something.” He said impatiently. I could see the anger beginning to pool deep within his eyes. He wasn’t the most patient of men, but then again not many were.

  “I would be careful Derek. “ I said flailing my arms around dramatically. In almost a comical way. Its sometimes hard for me to be serious. Even under these circumstances.

  His features lit up in amusement. “ Is that a threat?” he laughed, which echoed through the trees. I held my ground.

  “ You can take it however you wish, just know this. If I were you I wouldn’t come searching for me.” I smiled and began walking towards the tree’s.I knew that my façade was starting to slip. “ Good bye Derek.” His face was livid, mixed with shock that I spoke to him like that. I barely made it to the trees when he stood in front of me. Grasping my shoulders hard, I felt fear creep up me. After all I did love him, yet knowing what he was capable of, the thought of Krissy, the one he strangled in a blink of an eye, pushed my worrier princess to the side.

  “ How can you throw away six years together Aimee? Have you forgotten our world together, the love I have for you?” his eyes, as cruel as they were, shown the love he truly felt for me. I could see that he loved me. Maybe it was a controlling love, or being despite to own me. I wasn’t sure if his love was the pure love that I felt with Alec. This was dangerous, with an edge of uncertainty.

  I pushed his hands off of me. With a deep sigh. “ bye Derek.” I turned, not wanting to see his face any longer.

  With an almost hesitant movement I closed my eyes. That same sensation washed over me, feeling like the room was spinning around me. Stars bursting in front of me, my eyes becoming focused slowly. An earthy smell met my nose. A built, tan man was hovering over me. Those same green eyes carefully evaluating the situation.

  “ Aimee, do you need water?” Came Marcus’s Romanian voice. It was deep and full of masculinity.

  I sat up slowly. Remembering that we were in France, at the airport. My butt was slightly numb from the plastic chair I was sitting on. Standing up and stretching my legs, trying to wake up the dead leg feeling.

  “ No thanks. How long was I out?” I asked hoping he didn’t know I was with Derek. But the look he was giving me, I knew I didn’t have him fooled at all.

  Eye brows raised. “ How was dear old Derek Sladen? I’m assuming he is well and aware of you not being in the community anymore.”

  I continued to stand. I noticed it was pitch black outside, the windows had a glare to them and I could see my reflection. I looked sleep deprived. My hair was disheveled and my sweat pants were so worn out, I looked homeless. Iva would have hysterics if she saw me. Heck my old self would too at the sight of me.

  “ He knows where I am. He is still hoping that I would come to him.” I began re-fixing my tangled messy bun. “ You don’t suppose that Alec is looking for us do you?” I was sure that he wasn’t sitting in his room.

  Marcus lips twitched. “ I don’t know. You know him better than I do, but from what I gathered about him, I’m sure he won’t ever give up on you.” Marcus ran his hand threw his brown locks. He was looking a bit un-kept as well. A slight shadow of his facial hair was appearing. He still looked pretty sexy though. A few teenagers walked by oogaling Marcus, he was so oblivious to them, it brought a smile to my lips.

  “It would appear that you have admirers.” I said casting a glance towards the girls.

  Marcus turned slowly to follow my gaze and his awkward grin appeared on his face. The girls turned red from being caught staring and with haste disappeared into the crowd.

  “You are so mean.” Marcus said shaking his head.

  “At least I’m never boring… When is the flight again?” I asked.

  “They should be announcing the boarding process soon.” As if he planted the idea in the flight attendants head, one of the ladies got on speaker. It was in French, but you didn’t need to understand the language to know that she was announcing boarding.

  Marcus picked up his back pack and handed mine to me as well. He was holding our boarding passes while casually searching the room for any danger I presumed. I almost laughed out load. Marcus looked at me with a confused expression.

  “Why are you smiling?” he asked as we walked up to the gate.

  “No reason.” I said. Marcus just shook his head at me.

  “You really are bad at lying.” He said as he handed the very short woman our boarding tickets. She smiled at us and her gloopy red lipstick was on her teeth, I held myself together, trying not to make a face. Marcus rolled his eyes at me in his knowing way.

  Being first class had it advantages, we got to sit first and we had a really spacious area, with a bed. I was staring out the window, watching a few travelers walk around the inside of the terminal. I glance over at Marcus who was looking at a map, circling destinations in Florida.

  “I thought I was the boss lady?” I asked sarcastically.

  Marcus raised his eyebrows. “Be my guest, if you know where the werewolves are.” Marcus said in his cool voice.

  “Well where are we going first?” I leaned back i
n my seat while unraveling the blanket.

  “We land in New York first, and our connecting flight to Orlando, but I was thinking. If Alec is following us then we need to loose him. Wonder if we didn’t take the connecting flight but instead drive to Florida?”

  I didn’t think it was a bad idea, after all Alec wouldn’t be expecting that. Neither would Derek. I just need to learn to shut him out. “I think it sounds like a great plan. Who are we meeting first?”

  Marcus put the map down and scrunched his eyes deep in thought. “I found a couple werewolf communities. The non-Rogue ones. They may assist us.”

  A crossing thought came to mind. All my conflicting feelings for Derek, could I actually kill him. Let alone a pack of wolves. I wondered where Derek was at this moment as I was watching the people in first class settle in their seats.

  “What will they think when I show up?” I asked.

  “Not sure to be honest. They don’t spend much time with vampires, there isn’t a vampire community in Florida…” casting his green eyes at me. “It should be very interesting.”

  I gave a half smile. Interesting indeed. I hope they don’t attack me or something.

  I felt the plane start to back up slowly and the flight attendant was showing us the exits and oxygen masks. Glancing out the window, back at the terminal we just exited a few moments ago, my heart almost stopped. Standing at the window by the gate we just backed up from was Derek. The real Derek, I blinked a bunch of times, hoping I didn’t see it straight. But he was still there. In a his usual khaki pants and polo shirt. The amused grin on his face was very visible, or maybe it was to me because I knew him so well. He barely missed us. Would the plan stop and let him on? My heart was racing in my chest.

  As if Marcus could read my thoughts he was at my side looking out the little hole of a window. I could hear the growl build up in his chest.

  One thing I began to pick up the last week I have been on the run with Marcus, was the vibrations, I could sense and feel his anger, but not by physical touch, by the vibrations it sent through the floor.

  Marcus head turned so fast that I would have missed it if I wasn’t watching him. The flight attendant was taping his shoulder telling him to sit down. If only she knew how close her hand was to being snapped off. She was oblivious and just gawked at him impatiently. Marcus took his seat swiftly so that she would buzz off, clearly annoyed.

  “Do you think he is going to get on the plane?” I asked in a small voice.

  “I don’t know, the plane is still moving. Once we are in the air I will patrol the plane to make sure.”

  I was so tense, I could barely control my uneven breathing. How was this possible, I never thought he would be so close to me.

  A flight attendant got on the speaker to make an announcement to my horror. “I have an urgent message for Aimee. Have a safe flight, I’ll be seeing you soon. Love Derek.” She began to say something else as well but my ears tuned her out, I was too in shock at what I just saw. How was this possible?

  Marcus was on high alert and as tense as me. “What are you thinking?” He asked.

  What was I thinking, hmmmm, the man I’m in love with is an evil werewolf we like to call Rogue. I’m a hybrid, being born with both genes, one a vampire and the other a werewolf. Being the first of my kind. Not so long ago I found out my true identity and with difficulty ran away from Alec, my ex vampire boyfriend whom I love deeply still. And Iva what about her, she seems to be the one to find things out last. I felt really bad for leaving without a goodbye or anything, but she did lock me in a room under compulsion. So I was sure she would forgive me eventually.

  As if my life could get any more complicated my father is paralyzed from a vampire bite, and I have to somehow find a cure for my dear old dad. I was thinking my life was madness to the tenth degree. I wouldn’t drown Marcus with my true thoughts.

  "I’m thinking we have a long journey ahead of us.” I said calm and collected.

  Marcus smiled thoughtfully at me. “You should try and rest, you look awful.”

  Thanks Marcus, I thought. He was so encouraging to my self-esteem. I had a witty comeback for him but he was right, I need sleep and I was too lazy to retaliate against him.