by Willa Alders
“I don’t want to tell you, no one needs to know her name.” he said looking away and I could see the shame and disgust in his eyes the minute I asked her name.
“I’d like to know, Archer, I really would. I don’t want to meet her but I do want to know her name sometime.” I said.
“I know but I don’t want you to know that. Trust me in time all will be told. For now let’s just enjoy this moment ok?” He asked his face saddened then hardened at the same time then back to soft again.
“Why?” I asked him.
“Because beautiful she is evil, and I don’t want anything or anyone to be associated with her. Especially not anyone that I care about and love, trust me when I tell you that it is better if you do not know.” He said touching my face.
“But…” I started to say and he cut me off, as he cradled my face in his hands and began kissing me softly.
His lips were gentle and moist. His hands lingered around my face caressing my cheek. I was beginning to get lost in him when I reminded myself of what I needed to do. I knew that I had to get him to tell me soon even if that meant me telling him who and doing what we were doing now- this getting lost in him certainly wasn’t helping anything. I stopped for a brief second when my phone buzzed. He groaned a bit but stopped when his started buzzing as well.
“Sam.” We both said knowing he wanted us to meet him.
“What’s your sister’s name?” I asked again trying to get him to answer. Even though I feared I already knew who it was.
He smiled at me and bent back down and began kissing me again which meant he wasn’t going to answer me at least not right now. I would get him to answer me eventually. I kissed him back again this time allowing my mind to concentrate on just this moment. Sadly though it didn’t last too long because Sam buzzed our phones again.
“Come on beautiful let’s go. Trust me you don’t want to know.” He said grabbing my hand as we headed back to his car.
We drove back to Sam’s and hung out with him and his date as well as Avery and Madison. Madison rolled her eyes at me which I in return just smiled. I liked the fact that she didn’t like me but I knew that eventually if Avery stayed with her I would have to make her like me.
I mind-spoke to Avery. Have you tried to figure anything else out about Archer and his sister? He shook his head as Sam brought food in and we watched a movie. I cuddled closer to Archer the whole time worrying about my fears coming true.
I worried about who his sister was, and what she did to him when he didn’t follow every single one of her commands. I worried that his mom was Sam’s once love. I worried about that a lot. I worried about a bunch of little things. Then during the movie I saw the reel flicker really quick and disappear. That wasn’t good because I didn’t get a chance to see anything let alone focus on anything out to kill me. After the movie Archer and I went to my bedroom at Sam’s.
“Archer?” I asked him as we went toward the bed.
“Yes beautiful?” He said in return sitting down.
“Do you trust me?” I asked him.
“Yes and I love you, what is it beautiful.” He asked me again.
“I want to tell you stuff about me. Stuff that you deserve to know about me.” I said looking down.
“Whatever it is beautiful makes no difference to me. I love you. I will always love you. Nothing will ever change that.” He said kissing me softly as we lay down on the bed.
I tried to stop him but I couldn’t. I couldn’t resist giving in as the kiss got deeper and more passionate and lingering. His hands caressed me and as mine roamed him. Once again during the kiss I was zoomed back into the movie reel. It flickered and I heard her talking again and him consoling her. I heard it clearer now, clearer than ever before. Archer’s hand was moving along my side, I was trying to focus on the movie and not what he was doing now.
I couldn’t though as the kiss got even deeper and more passionate and the more it did the quicker the movie reel went. I couldn’t keep up. My kissing must have gotten even more intense and rougher because he began matching me. I knew it was because I was trying to keep up with the movie reel and what was going on. Then as we became one making love I was forced into watching the movie reel or at least trying to the girl screamed and it flickered to something else. It was Archer he was down on the ground; a girl was swinging a bullwhip I assume and hitting him on his backside. He dropped instantly and laid there unable to move. The guy came over and punched him in his gut as the whip was brought down several more times. It was absolutely horrid, I tried to scream at him but I couldn’t. It became so bad his body was battered and he was so helpless I felt a tear come down my face.
I knew the girl was his sister I just did knew it because who else would do what she is doing to him right now. The only thing I didn’t know was who she was exactly or if I knew her. It didn’t take long for me to figure out because the movie reel was getting close to the end so I was watching even closer now. Her voice startled me as it riveted through the room as she picked Archer up and catapulted him against a wall without even laying a hand on him. She moved him with her mind. Archer slammed into the wall and fell limp onto the ground unable to move. His body was lifeless. I stood there in terror unable to do anything but just continue watching. Just as I thought that the worst was over I was dead wrong. Next thing I knew the guy she had with her who had just beat Archer came rushing up to Archer immobilizing him. I caught a glimpse of Archer’s face –his face even bloody, I could still read him. He was filled with pure fear. Just like that the guy turned around and it was someone I didn’t expect –Carter!!! This could only mean one thing! His sister was…. I couldn’t even finish my though because I heard her voice pierce through my head as screamed my name. “ARALYNN!!”
I heard her wicked evil laugh as she turned around as the reel pulled away from her. I saw her in full flesh now. She winked at me as she flew toward Archer bringing the whip back down on his back. He was silent the whole time until she hit him and he let out a bit of groan. I couldn’t take anymore of this. I ran over to him stopping when I got right in front of him. I was shielding him.
“Kilyn, you will let him go.” I screamed in the reel.
Then the reel flickered off and I screamed in agony. Archer moved off of over me and touched me gently. His voice was calm.
“Aralynn I’m so sorry beautiful did I hurt you?” He asked me softly.
“No, I’m ok. That just felt good.” I said trying to catch my breath and cover up what I just saw.
He kissed me again. “Are you sure nothing’s wrong beautiful? I’m sorry if I hurt you.” He said rolling to the side of me and lifting his arms up.
“You didn’t. I’m sorry if you thought there was. It just became a little too much that’s all.” I said softly. “Stay here with me?” I asked quietly snuggling up to him.
“Yes beautiful. I’m sorry still. I love you.” He said wrapping his arm around me.
“I love you too Archer.” I said back kissing his chest as I laid there with my eyes closed.
I knew now who is sister was. I knew now who was out to kill me. The movie reel showed me all of it, all of it made me sick. My best friend was Archer’s sister who tortured him. Not to mention she led a double life, she wanted me dead. I felt myself swallow hard. At least now I had an answer. He didn’t have to tell me. I knew who his sister was, and I could tell Avery, Carmina and Caleb. I just hoped I could tell them it was my best friend Kilyn. I couldn’t believe that. I was so angry I wanted to cry. I wanted to cry for him mainly, but I couldn’t. The only thing I hoped for the moment being is that it wouldn’t be too late to save us both. I hoped that we would have time to tell each other who we really were.
I hoped that as I drifted off into sleep……
CHAPTER 13 ARCHER
Aralynn had asked me who my sister was and all I could come up with was that my sister was evil. Really! That was all I could say was evil really, I thought to myself. I wanted to smack myself because of h
ow stupid that sounded and because all I muttered out was the word evil. That was the truth at least a portion of it, but the fact was I wanted nothing more than to say my sister’s name to Aralynn. I wished I could. It didn’t come out that way, just the word evil which did fit Kilyn to a tee. I sighed, hoping that she would drop the subject and not ask me again who my sister was. Since I couldn’t seem to get her name out anyways, I knew though she probably wouldn’t drop asking who my sister was until I finally told her. I could try doing something to get her mind off my sister and stop her asking for now so I went for it.
I took her face in my hands cradling it as I bent down placing my lips on hers gently. My hands caressed her face as our kissing became deeper. I knew the passion was growing between us and I knew that I had to tell her my secret too. Her phone buzzed she ignored it which meant it was one person –Sam, as we continued kissing each other softly, until my phone vibrated. Then we both sighed Sam as always interrupting us in a moment.
“Sam.” We both said. It was the same text; we turned and started heading up toward my car.
She kicked a rock and looked down then looked back up with me. I knew instantly what she was going to ask me and I didn’t like it. She smiled and then it faded away as she asked me. “What’s your sisters’ name?”
I stopped in my tracks and turned around. I smiled softly and bent back down to cradle her face and kiss her again. I knew it wasn’t good to keep shutting her down like that. I knew that I would have to tell her soon, but right now just didn’t seem right. She kissed me back as well this time her kiss wasn’t as lingering. I knew we both didn’t need to get too deep because we needed to go to Sam's. Either way it was a good kiss whether it was lingering or not, still good as always. Then I grabbed her hand as we walked up to the car.
We drove to Sam’s and hung out with him and his date, as well as Avery and his date that was at the house earlier. We said hi, and ate and watched a movie. I wasn’t thinking about the movie during the movie though. I was trying to figure out what she was thinking about. Sadly I already knew what though. She was trying to figure out my sister was, her face was easy to read. I wish she would stop but then again I thought if she could figure it out then I wouldn’t have to tell her who my sister was. I wouldn’t have to tell her what I was either she would just know. Then at the same time if I didn’t tell her, and she figured it out on her own I knew there was the possibility what Lona and my mom warned me about would happen. She would be mad, I hoped she wouldn’t figure it out, and would let me tell her on my own. Either way her figuring all of it out on her own or if I was telling her definitely wasn’t going to be easy. This wasn’t going to be an easy choice at all to make. We got up and headed toward her bedroom at Sams’ after the movie. Once we got in the room we went to the bed.
“Archer?” She asked softly.
“Yes beautiful?” I asked stretching and sitting down on the bed.
“Do you trust me?” She asked looking me in the eyes as she scooted over into my arms.
“Yes, and I love you. What is it beautiful?” I asked her again looking back at her and holding my hands out to her.
“I want to tell you stuff about me…” She paused. “Stuff ...that you need to know.” She said finishing up and looking back down toward the floor.
I knew what that was but I decided to humor her. “Whatever it is beautiful makes no difference to me. I love you. I will always love you. Nothing and I do mean nothing Aralynn will ever change that!” I said as she sat down and I said then I began kissing her softly as we both laid down on the bed.
I could tell she was thinking about stopping but couldn’t. I knew that we had to tell each other I knew it, but for now I wanted to be with her and only her. Just in case my telling her went bad and I lost her; I wanted to have this perfect moment in case it was my last with her. I kissed her deeper as things got more steamed I lingered my fingers in hers; I began to move my hands down her sides. I was wrapped up in what was going on when I saw a quick glimpse of what she was seeing. Kilyn was striking me with the whip. It was bad I could tell then just like that the reel disappeared as I pulled my lips off hers for a quick second to catch my breath.
The next kiss was softer and instantly I was zoomed back into what Aralynn was seeing. She was seeing the bullwhip coming back down on me and my sister. She saw me there helpless. I knew what she was seeing wasn’t a past event because I saw my sister throw me up against a wall as Carter turned around. That was when my kiss stopped instantly. I looked down because I heard her scream in the vision “Kilyn let him go.” I now knew that what she was seeing was the battle and worst of all she knew for sure what I was.
I kissed her once more and stopped. I touched her face and her arm gently looking at her she was shaken up pretty bad. I knew she had seen more than what I did and I knew whatever she saw was way worse than the glimpse I had just seen. I knew this because what I saw was enough so I could only imagine what all she saw.
“Aralynn, I’m so sorry beautiful did I hurt you?” I lied softly trying to play it off.
“No. I’m ok. That just felt good.” She said catching her breath. She was trying to make me think she was ok and what I was doing felt good.
I knew what I was doing felt good, for the both of us. I knew that but I knew she was only partially collecting her breath from feeling good, and the other from the scene she just saw. So I decided to try to be as human as possible, with my response. I smiled and kissed her again.
“Are you sure nothing’s wrong beautiful? I’m sorry if I hurt you.” I said no longer wanting anything like that tonight. I rolled over and lifted my arm up for her to come lay on my chest.
She scooted over toward me laying her head on my chest. “You didn’t. I’m sorry if you thought there was. It just became a little too much that’s all.” I said softly. “Stay here with me?”
“Ok beautiful. I’m sorry still. I love you.” I wrapped my arms around her.
“I love you too Archer.” She said back laying there in my arms.
I laid there with her in my arms that was perfect. This was far better than anything else. Despite the fact that I knew she knew who my sister was. It didn’t matter that she may be mad at me when I finally told her. This was still the best thing I could ask for was having her lay here in my arms. I loved her and she knew that. So deep down I knew it all would be ok although I could feel the pit rise in my stomach at the same time.
I could feel the feeling like I was going to puke coming up. It made me sick that she knew who caused all the pain and hurt I felt and obviously the pain would feel soon. It made me sick because I didn’t want to see her hurt because of me, and now she was hurting because she knew that I would get hurt. I knew when it would be ...SOON…..THE FINAL BATTLE. I thought. That was when it was going to happen I just knew it. I shook my head and kissed her softly then I closed my eyes and tried not to think about it right now. I decided to enjoy the rest of the night with her sleeping together in each other's arms.
The next morning I woke up wide awake, I kissed her forehead and she looked up smiling at me. I smiled back at her as she got up. I got up pulling my pants on and my shirt. She went into the bathroom and came back in a pair of sweats which still made her look good.
“You ready for tonight?” She asked sitting down in front of a vanity.
“I’ll be ready beautiful. I’ll let you go, I have some things I have to get and do before tonight. I’ll pick you up about six ok?” I asked moving her hair out of her face.
“Ok, see you tonight.” She smiled as we headed out in the living room to the door.
“Later beautiful.” I said kissing her and heading out the door. I got in my car and drove off.
I drove slow thinking about last night. I was heading outside of town to Eden’s Cliff because the bluffs and Salem Woods were becoming too suspicious I thought to myself. I needed some space to be alone and clear my head; a place where I knew that I truly be alone. I didn’t want Aralynn to see
me there by accident or for Kilyn to randomly show up and see me there with my mom. I couldn’t let her know we were plotting her take down. I knew no one would hear me as I reached Eden’s Cliff and got out and walked up to the top of the hill. I had thought my mom’s name knowing that she would show up eventually. While I waited I took off running to the edge of the cliff stopping just before I went over the edge. I wanted to be faster. I wanted to be stronger; I wanted to be more than what I was right now. After a bit I thought of moving the tree in front of me as I took my hand and heaved it off the side of a cliff. It was good but wasn’t good enough.
I instantly thought about everything that had happened last night and about what Ara had seen. That was enough to get my blood boiling to make my abilities better. I didn’t get the chance to do anything because I heard both my mom’s voice and Lona’s voice behind me. I turned around my mom was gliding above the ground and Lona was walking beside her they were talking about Aralynn.
“Good morning my dear boy, are you ready for tonight?” My mom asked hugging me.
“What’s tonight?” Lona asked.
“Sam is having a masquerade party tonight. Aralynn and Archer are attending tonight, and tonight’s the night that he is telling Aralynn.” My mom said softly.
“Yeah well about that, I’m going to tell her but I know that the attack –the first one at least is going to be tonight sometime during the party when we walk away from the crowd. I don’t know when though I just know the bears are coming tonight. Then to top it off she had a premonition last night of Kilyn hurting me during the final battle.” I said taking twisting my hand as a stick came off a tree and landed on the ground.
My mom’s smile faded as she looked at me and then looked at Lona. They turned away and said something in a hushed voice and nodded so I couldn’t hear them. I figured they were talking about Aralynn as they turned back around and Lona came to me then.
“You will tell her yes?” She asked putting her hand on mine. I nodded and she said. “Very well. We will do what we can for now. Let me get my mate to come for an hour to help train you. I’ll be right back, Vida will you please tell him the importance about his name.” She said smiling as she turned away diving off the cliff.