by Willa Alders
“Ok, I figured it was someplace special for you, and there are a number of reasons why I wanted to bring you here.” He said taking a sip of his pop.
“What’s that?” I asked as our food came.
“It’s been two months, since we’ve been together.” Archer smiled.
I about choked on my food, because it didn’t seem like it had been that long. In fact I was sure it hadn’t but then I thought again. It had. It sure didn’t seem like it. Which was good, for the both of us, except then I felt sad because I knew if he wasn’t immortal I shouldn’t feel this way, I tried to remind myself that. It didn’t work I was too focused on the here and now.
“It is?” I asked him. “Wow that’s bad the girl is supposed to know these things, not the guy. It sure doesn’t feel like that long.” I said to him.
“No it doesn’t beautiful you’re right. It just feels new every day and right, everything is like it is supposed to be.” He smiled at me as he put money in for the bill.
We got left as we headed off the boardwalk to the beach. His hand was locked in mine. He stopped me right by the ocean as the waves splashed our feet. He pulled me into him hugging me so warmly. I looked up at him as he leaned his face into mine kissing me softly and passionately for a few moments and then stopped. It was nice to have a kiss with him that wasn’t shared interrupted by the movie reel or by someone. I could get used to this.
You’re right, it does feel right.” I whispered to him as we walked along watching the water.
“Good, because I love this.” He whispered in my ear.
“I do too, but Archer you don’t know everything about me. I’m not all good. I do have secrets.” I said stopping and turning to him.
“Everyone does beautiful, and with everything I will learn yours in time when its right and you will learn mine. Secrets are good sometimes.” He said to me.
I looked him dead in his eyes. “Yes, but not when they interfere with what you could want in the future.” I said as my eyes started to water a bit.
I was trying to tell him what I was, or give him a hint, and at the same time I couldn’t. There was something stopping me from saying the words to him. The pit welled in my stomach making its way to my throat. The next thing I knew, I felt the wind sting on my face and then I realized a tear had fell from my eye. Archer pulled me into him again holding me close.
“Shh, beautiful, don’t worry. There is no need to worry about what the secrets are, they will reveal in time. Everything does, and no matter what we will be ok. Let’s not focus on that. Let’s just focus on the here and now. The here and now, right now with me and you is all that matters. I have the most beautiful thing right in front of me and that’s all I need.” He said wiping my eyes off and kissing my cheek.
“Ok, I can do that but Archer my secrets could destroy us.” I whispered to him again.
“I won’t let a secret destroy us. I just won’t. Trust me Aralynn. Can you do that?” He asked and I nodded. “Good I said it won’t change anything sweetheart, I know that in my heart and you do too. Don’t you?” He asked again and I nodded again. “Good then, don’t cry. I said focus on the here and now, with me, ok.” He said kissing my forehead. “Besides I do have the most beautiful things in front of me right now.”
“What’s that the ocean or the sunset?” I said sarcastically trying to force the bad thoughts out of my mind.
“No. You’re funny. It is quite beautiful though, but not as beautiful as you. You are the most beautiful thing there is, and ever was especially to me.” He said leaning closer to me and pulling me closer to him. “I love you, no worries. Nothing will make me love you less.” He said as he put his lips to mine, kissing me deeply.
“I love you too.” I whispered as he kissed me again then we headed back to his car.
CHAPTER 10 ARCHER CONTINUED
The ride home was quiet she had one hand in mine, her other hand around her amulet, and her shoulder laying on mine from across the seat. I smiled, glad that she loved the amulet, and was in love with me. She wanted to be right near me. So I drive home listening to her say a few things every now and then. This time we took the back roads instead of the highway in case of the cop.
Occasionally I would say a few things but not often. My mind was on a lot of things but mainly about what she had said earlier about secrets. Before I knew if I told her my mine it would destroy everything, then two people say it wouldn’t. I knew it deep in my gut then it wouldn’t but I did lie to her. I told her it would be ok. Sadly the truth was it wouldn’t when she found out it would hurt her, but I knew she would forgive me. Hopefully at least, then we could move on to fight my sister and when, and move on with our destiny together.
I laughed a bit silently at her worrying, then changing the tone as quickly as she did from serious to sarcastic. When I told her I had the most beautiful thing in front of me. Her sarcasm had made my night. I loved her for loving me, and I knew that only good would come from what I had said, especially since we were just focusing on the here and now. We pulled up in front of her house. We got out and headed into her room. I shut the door behind me, and she locked it.
“Do they know I am here?” I asked looking out her window.
“Yea, they thought I may bring you home. They’re out anyways. I won’t be in school tomorrow I’m sorry. My cousin is going to be in Marblehead for the day so we’re all going to see him. So since I won’t be here tomorrow to hang out with you like we planned they are making up for it by letting me have this night with you.” She smiled at me taking off her jewelry.
“Oh, well I was going to tell you I wouldn’t be there tomorrow either. I am going to visit my mom at the cemetery.” I smiled at her, and lying. I was going to see my mom just not at the cemetery.
“Ok, good. Don’t want you to be too bored.” She said leaning in and kissing me.
I kissed her back gently. She walked away and grabbed a remote to turn on some music. It was definitely rock but nothing I had heard before. She snarled a bit at the sound of it, then she hit a button on the remote and it changed to something slower and softer. I laughed in my head because I knew what she was wanting.
“Would you like to dance with me?” I asked her. She nodded.
I held out my hand as she took it in hers, then I wrapped my other arm around her waist. That was one thing I was good at dancing, just never had a chance to use it until I had gotten with her. We moved slowly to the sound of the music her eyes locked on mine then she laid her head on my chest as we moved slowly to the music still. We danced for the next couple slow songs. I twirled her around a few times at the end of the final song.
She leaned up and kissed me. I pulled her closer to me, as I put my palm on her cheek.
“Archer, I got to tell you something.” She said as we stopped dancing.
“What’s that beautiful?” I said as a lump grew in my stomach. I was hoping she wasn’t trying to bring the secret up again.
“Nothing but I like being with you.” She said.
“Good, I like being with you too beautiful.” I said as she leaned up and kissed me.
Her kiss became longer and deeper. She pulled away for a moment then took my hand and led me toward her bed. She sat down and I sat down next to her kissing her again. Her hands lingered on my arms, and my chest. I kissed her deeper then she pushed me back so that I was lying on her bed. I smiled at her as she slid my shirt off then her lips lingered down to my neck. She kissed my lips softly as I closed my eyes. It was causing me to want what was about to happen even more. I hoped she didn’t stop.
She moved back up as her fingers traced the scar I had on my chest from my sister. Then she kissed me again and again. I flipped on to my side sliding myself over her kissing her softly. She slid down my pants so I was just in my boxers. Her hands roamed all over my body. I kissed her continuously and then moved to her neck as she slid off her shirt and her pants as well. I lowered myself down so we were just merely a few inches away from each other
.
Her body tensed up, a bit as we became one again. It was simple and amazing. It was better than the first time, and the first time was really good to begin with. Her body was entangled with mine as we were engulfed in each other. Afterwards I laid there with her in my arms; she looked up and smiled at me.
“Stay the night?” She asked. “I’ll set my alarm so we can get up and you can go see your mom.” She said.
I kissed her head. “Yea beautiful, I’ll stay if you want me too.” I said she smiled.
Then she pulled the covers up so they were covering us. She laid her head on my chest as I wrapped my arms around her. She turned on the TV on as we laid there. I whispered to her. Then I laid there as she wrapped her arm around me. We laid there cuddling when eventually we fell asleep as she was laying my arms the whole night. I didn’t see anyone in my dreams that night, and when I did dream it was just of what my future would be like without Kilyn and being with Aralynn.
In fact when the alarm went off, I tried to ignore her alarm as she snuggled closer to me. It was early at about 5 am. I grunted as she got up and went to the bathroom. She showered and got dressed. She came back out and kissed me. We headed out into the living room; Caleb and Carmina were already up and in the kitchen. They smiled and waved at me. I did the same back. We walked outside to my Chevelle.
“I enjoyed last night. Thank you.” She said smiling at me.
“I enjoyed it as well. As I do all the time. Thank you.” I said to her.
“You’re welcome. We will have to do it again soon maybe some place quieter next time.” She laughed as we looked up. Avery and some redhead came out the door. He walked her to her car, kissed her goodbye then she left. He looked our way and shook his head then headed back inside.
“You’re brother really still doesn’t like me.” I said to her.
“It’s Avery like I said quieter place next time, like the condo or somewhere.” She smiled at me.
“Yeah we will.” I said pulling in her close to me. I hugged her then kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you later beautiful.” I said kissing her lips then getting into my car.
“Later deal.” She waved as I drove off.
Kilyn hadn’t texted. I remembered her order saying not to come home. Trust me I didn’t want to go home and take her the chance of her being there so I decided to head to the cemetery earlier than expected. Maybe my mom would show up earlier, I had hoped. Or maybe the Lona girl would show up. I drove to the edge of the cemetery and parked my car and waited on my mom.
It was only six by the time I got there, so I knew I could wait a while. Somewhere in it I dozed off, because the next thing I knew my mom was in the car with me whispering my name. Then when she touched me I jumped so quick that I smacked my head on the top of the car ceiling.
“Sorry my dear son, are you alright?” My mom said to me.
“Yea, been through worse you just kind of startled me.” I said looking at her and touching my head.
“I’m sorry. Would you like a drink?” She said handing me her mug that smelled like coffee. I nodded no. I didn’t like coffee at all.
“I didn’t know the dead drank coffee.” I said to her.
“Not dead, angels and yes my dear boy there is a lot of things that we can still do as if we were alive son. So have you told her yet?” She asked taking a last sip then snapped her fingers and it was gone.
“Not yet. How’d you do that?” I asked her pointing to where her coffee had been.
“Archer, you need to tell her. I’ll show you how to do that. We can all do that if we try. It’s something you need to be shown once then you do it.” She said floating out of the car.
“I know mom and ok. What first?” I asked getting out of the car with her walking along behind her.
“We need to block and cloud your mind completely at all times so that your sister can’t get into your thoughts and if she does, she won’t really know what you’re thinking. A clouding chant will make it like you’re thinking the way she wants you to think and you’re really not. My dear boy clearly you we need to do this because your aura is so bright pink right now it’s not even funny. I don’t even have to intrude in on your thoughts to see how you feel. So clouding your mind is most definitely is the first task at hand. She laughed stopping.
“Ok how do we do that?” I asked her pulling out a lighter flicking it on and off.
“We don’t son, I do, here.” She said handing me a sheet of paper. It had a chant on it. “Think it in your head as I say it.”
I looked skeptically but did it anyways. I was saying the chant in my brain. Let my true thoughts of my heart be neither seen nor heard. Let them be masked, from the one who wants to see. Let the clouds of the vision move forth, to cloak what I do not want one to see. Cloak my mind. I said looking at my mom. She looked at me then I took the lighter and burnt the paper.
“Good son, now it’s my turn. Shield my son; shield his thoughts from his sister or any other Abaddon. Cloak his mind, his body, and his spirit. Shield it, and replace thoughts of what they want to be seen. Cloak him, and protect him.” She said handing me a bottle of liquid. “Drink this as I burn my paper. Then your thoughts will be concealed.” She said.
I took the liquid and twisted the cap off it. The potion was strong and tasted horrid. I swallowed it quickly so I didn’t have to taste it then my mom burnt the paper. I looked at my mom as she snapped her fingers again then the bottle was gone.
“That should do your mind. Simple but it works, we have tested that chant before, and it does well even without the potion. The potion just makes the chant stronger. I am sorry about the taste. The Kintana hasn’t quite figured out how to make potions taste good yet. I do promise you though son that it does work. So next on the agenda is training.” My mom smiled walking to the part of the cemetery where there was broken gravestones.
“We all know you that you are gifted with the same ability I had when I was alive. We both can control objects with we can slam those objects into things or into people with a single thought. The only difference though between my ability to do that and yours is that I could control mine with my hands where as you control it through your mind. Trust me my dear son, the fact that you can control your ability with your mind alone is such a great asset. It keeps your opponent guessing because they cannot predict your next move. The downfall is we don’t know where your ability stops. You see when I was alive I could move anything from a small object like a stick to something big like a skyscraper with just one swish. It was easy for me but for you I don’t know what you can move. From what I’ve seen I know you can move chairs and other small things around, but what about the big objects? The Kintana and I are both curious my son. We want to know what all you can move. We want to see if you can move an object like a tree, a car, a train, a building if need be and what it would take for you to be able to do it. Do you know what all you can control? ” My mom asked.
I shrugged. “Probably can I have really tried anything that big before watch.” I said looking at a huge split gravestone. I looked at it and hurtled it toward a tree. Then I took another one and did the same thing.
“Good son. Clearly you have no issues moving gravestones. Come on.” She said as I flew with her to the edge of the cemetery where there was a pond in the middle of it in the woods in the part of the cemetery that no one went too. “Uproot the tree and throw it into the lake.” She said. I looked at her puzzled. “Come on. Do it.” I looked at her then shook my head.
I looked at the tree thinking hard about uprooting it. Nothing happened. My mom just smiled at me, and I continued trying to uproot it and throw it in the water. Nothing still happened. I was getting beyond pissed.
“Son you are not channeling your emotions. Our abilities are in sync with our emotions and we have better control our abilities if you can focus your emotions on the task at hand.” My mom smiled as she whisked her hand uprooting a tree throwing it into the water with little effort. “See. I was channeling my
emotions.”
It was frustrating to me to see my mom who was not alive anymore in one way shape or form just whisk something so easily and calmly. I thought about doing it and couldn’t. Then I thought about each time I hurdled something at someone like Carter I was mad and upset. Suddenly what my mom said started making sense that our abilities are channeled in with emotion, so I decided I was going to get pissed. I started thinking about Kilyn wanting to kill Aralynn, and the pain she would inflict on me if I didn’t succeed.
Instantly my blood boiled as my eyes flickered black. I smiled because thinking about Kilyn was working. I was completely consumed by rage at the thought at Kilyn wanting to kill the one I loved. With that thought weighing heavily on my mind I knew what I had to do to uproot the tree from the earth. I had to believe the tree was Kilyn and just like that the tree uprooted. I shook my head and it went straight into the water. I hurtled ten more trees into the water. After the ten I let out a deep scream that scared birds out of a tree. My mother came up and put her hand on my shoulder.
“It’s ok Archer. It’s ok, it was just a thought. Breathe son, breathe my dear boy.” She repeated. “It’s ok. It’s just a thought.” She said turning me around so that her hands were on my shoulders.
She had to look up at me, but she was trying to calm me down. My eyes were flickering back and forth still and I couldn’t see straight. There was two of my mom then there was Kilyn was standing in front of me with the bullwhip. I was losing my grasp on reality. I couldn’t calm down the scream didn’t help. I was breathing but it was doing no good still. This was going to be bad. Right before I completely lost it my mom’s voice started coming into my head in small waves. I focused on only her voice.
“Calm down, son calm down, breathe. It’s ok Archer.” She soothed hugging me. “Archer it’s your mom. Calm down.” Her voice said even more soothingly.
Surprisingly it worked. My eyes stopped flickering so fast, and my sight was coming back to me. Kilyn completely disappeared from in front me. I was able to see my mom again. I was able to see the light, the sky, and the trees around me. My mom was standing there in front of me. Her eyes were very warm.