Stunned I turned my attention back to the mysterious woman’s face. I don’t know what I expected to see, but I definitely didn’t expect to see acceptance and comfort and a look that no one but my mother was ever able to give me. One that warmed my heart and made it ache.
“Follow your heart, Iníon, and you will always do what is right. No matter how wrong it feels at first.”
Still holding my hand, she came forward and lightly kissed my forehead, tenderly, just like my mother always had. Before I was able to stop it, a drop of moisture made its way down my cheek.
There was another blinding light, a flash so bright I turned away to shield my eyes. When I felt the light dim, I turned back and she was gone, and I was alone in the empty field.
I spun around looking for anyone, a direction to start to move it, a comforting path, anything. But now that I stood here completely alone, the dark forest seemed closer than before, more imposing. Dark. Sinister. Looming.
I abruptly felt enclosed, trapped and smothered. Like the walls were closing in on me and I had no choice but to stand here and watch them looking forward to crushing me. Claustrophobia was never my thing, never something I had even considered frightening, but it was there, pushing at me, knawing at me. Hoping to get my attention. It felt like standing in a room so pitch you couldn’t make out your hand in front of you, but for whatever reason, in the corner you couldn’t see, you could feel something there, watching you, moving closer.
But just knowing that I was being forced to feel that way made me, well it made me angry, so I pushed back. Doing exactly what wasn’t expected of me and I loped into the forest.
I ran fast, not knowing were I was going or even if I was headed in the right direction. I ran hard, ignoring the branches that clawed at me as I ran by. Half the time I think I ran with my eyes closed. When I finally slowed, when I couldn’t take reunning any longer, feeling no immediate danger, I opened my eyes and knew where I was, I was standing in a familiar forest.
Walking a little further until I reached the path and followed it. Something inside me telling me where to do, even though I knew I was heading not toward the road but deeper into the forest. But something was telling me to go this way, my instincts not someone else’s will, was pushing me. I tried my best to trust in myself and moved forward with purpose.
I walked for a while down the windy path and finally the woods started to thin, letting more light through the dense trees. At some time during my walk, the sun at set turning my day into a beautiful night. As I reached the clearing and saw the moons reflection across the water, I knew where I was.
I padded over to the edge of the lake and bent down to play my fingers in the cool water, until I felt someone approach behind me.
I stood up, but didn’t turn, as a felt a familiar tingle trail down my skin.
“I’ve been waiting for you.” His words tried for calm and confident but shook with unease.
I smiled, as my heart soared to hear his voice, then I remembered. “I shouldn’t be here.”
“He can’t hurt you here.” He gripped my shoulders and searing heat raced through me, followed by his lingering emotions.
“It’s not me I’m worried about.” I turned around and looked up at him, letting every emotion play a story on my face. What I saw in his eyes was only sadness.
“Please, Kamdyn. I can’t explain. I have to go.” Going up to my toes, I kissed him on the cheek, putting all the feelings I had for him into it, and without turning back, I walked away. Every step I took away from him made the ache in my heart throb. I forced my every step on heavy legs to create the distance I needed. To keep me from turning around and running back. Whatever force had brought us together, I could feel it stretching like a giant elastic band between us, the pressure making it that much hard to keep moving.
Stinging tears burned the backs of my eyes but I forced then away, unwilling for him to hear even a single tear fall. The second I swallowed them down, it started to pour.
I woke up to find I was in my bed. No, not my bed, my loaner-bed at Halo’s. And I wasn’t alone. I didn’t need to turn over to know who was behind me with an arm casually draped over my waist. I shook my head and started to make my way carefully out from under the covers when his arm tightened around me and a gentle laugh escaped around his pillow.
“No, not yet. It’s still early.”
“You shouldn’t be here to begin with.”
He laughed again, “You only said you wouldn’t share my room. You said nothing about yours.”
I humphed. “It was implied.”
“Well, next time be more specific. Until then, let me enjoy your punishment.” He pulled me back down against him. “I promise I won’t bite… unless you say I can.” He lightly nuzzled the back of my neck and I felt my face burn.
“Mmm… I can smell you blushing. Does that mean it’s time to eat?” He let out another playful laugh and teasingly grazed his teeth over my skin.
It was strange, the Halo that I thought I knew, who made me uncomfortable, who did horrible things to people, and me, who seemed every bit evil, was gone. In his place there was someone deep and lost and confusing and I couldn’t just let it go. There was more. The only way to push for more, to get to the Halo I didn’t know, was to keep him guessing and as much as I knew doing that would be more at my expense than his, my heart told me it was right.
My heart started to beat erratically at what was rattling around in my head.
I laughed goodheartedly, “Sure, if you’re hungry.” I kept my voice sounding as neutral as possible, still facing away from him and willing my heart to slow. Hoping he would put it off as anticipation, or something.
His body twitched in surprise and I had to forced myself not to smile. He lifted himself up on one elbow, his hand playing over the bare skin of my stomach.
Bare?
I felt myself flush again and inhaled deeply. “May I inquire at to why I am missing my shirt?” I lifted the covers and peered under. “And wear the hell are my pants! Why are my pants gone?”
He swallowed a laugh and shrugged. “Didn’t think sleeping in jeans was comfortable.”
“And my shirt?”
All I received in response was a smile.
Suddenly filled with dread, tentatively, I reached behind me and got a handful of bare thigh. “Please tell me you have something on.”
Placing his hand over mine, he pulled my hand up his thigh until I reached a thin edge of fabric. Sighing in relief, I hastily pulled my hand away. And instantly I could feel his frown at my back.
“We don’t need to get that personal.”
“You’re right, we don’t have to, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop trying.”
He snaked his arms around me again and pulled me up to splay across his chest. “Now, about my breakfast, that is if the offer is still on the table.”
I gave him a wicked smile, another unexpected reaction, based in his widened eyes. I got the barest of a glimpse before he pulled my mouth down to his.
I couldn’t resist tunneling my fingers through his beautiful thick hair. He infuriated me with his inability for bedhead. I took my frustration out on said wonderful hair by baring my fingers deep and pulling at the roots. His chest deep growl sounded more satisfaction than anything else.
His arms tightened around me, fingers teased beautifully over my shoulders and back, coming to rest over the clasp of my bra. With what could only be a beautifully practiced snap of his fingers, the support slacked and the straps slipped off my shoulders and down my arms. Tugging lightly on one side, he pulled the small piece of fabric from between us.
He growled against my collarbone as the thin material fell to the floor.
Around three that afternoon I heard a knock on the door, knowing Halo couldn’t answer it in the shower, I got up and padded to the front door. I opened it to reveal Jayson and Lauren . At first, I was so excited I ran into Jayson’s arms, but when I pulled away I saw the expression on his face.
On both their faces.
“What’s going on?” I asked. I knew, of course, but I asked anyway.
“Why don’t you tell us.”
“There’s nothing to tell.” I lied, looking away. What else could I say?
“Bullshit, Trystie!” Jayson yelled. “Kamdyn has been moping around all day. He called me yesterday. He told me what happened. Now why don’t you tell me what happened. What the hell are you doing here, with him?” He stopped and took a step closer, grasping my hand. “I know you and this isn’t something you would do. Just… just let me know what’s going on. I’m worried about you.”
I took a step back and glanced up at Jayson’s eyes, determined and worried. I took another step back, my eyes flicking over to Lauren. A mistake. She alone knows exactly what had happened with Halo. We had had this conversation. She knew everything. My eyes locked with hers. I willed with all my strength for her to say nothing. I begged with my eyes, concentrating so hard I felt my head start to slightly shake.
Jayson saw the exchange, however brief it was, and grabbed my arm spinning my attention back to him. “What the hell is going on? There is something you’re not telling me.”
“Please,” I said looking back at Lauren. “You don’t understand. Just let it go.”
I knew the pain I felt was reflected in my eyes. I was trying so hard not to show it. My finger started to burn and for once, I welcomed it, welcomed the pain. It helped push back the tears.
“Why are you here?” A voice said from the doorway behind me.
Jayson made a noise that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. What the hell was that?
“Why do you think? We’re here to take Trystie home.”
Halo put a heavy hand on my shoulder and I flinched. “Trystie, do you want to go home?” His voice was so hard and heavy. He was back to being the old Halo. I definitely didn’t miss him.
I looked back up at Jayson and Lauren, showing them a confident front and I smiled and if they were looking hard enough, as hard as I tried, I know it didn’t reach my eyes.
“No, I don’t want to go yet.” I replied, then turned away and, brushing hard past Halo, back into the house. Unable and unwilling to see anyone’s expression.
I didn’t hear the remainder of their conversation; I ran up to my room and locked the door behind me. I knew it wasn’t going well when I heard a door slam and heard Jayson’s truck peel out of the driveway. Again, I felt the burning start on my finger and I reached down to gently rub the stone’s of Kamdyn’s ring.
I couldn’t stop it as the tears began to fall. This time, when I felt the pressure building in my eyes, I let them come. I cried for my parents. I cried for Kamdyn. I cried for everything I thought I had and lost. I cried to get it all out because I wasn’t going to allow myself to do it again. I couldn’t. There was no point in holding on, no point in trying. It felt like every time I had someone worth the world to me, I lost them. My fault or not, they were all gone. There is no one to save me from my life. I could only move forward. It might be in a complete daze, but at least I will be moving somewhere.
A knock came at the door some time later.
I ignored it.
It came again, Halo’s pleasing voice followed. “Trystie, can I come in?”
I ignored it.
“Please, Trystie, let me in.”
I said nothing. I knew very well if he wanted in he could destroy the door with ease and let himself in. But he also knew that things would be much worse if he decided to do so. Instead, after all the knocking and begging he was going to do, I heard his footsteps retreat down the hallway.
Closing my eyes, the tears continued, again. I let them fall. I opened my eyes one last time and glanced out the huge window overlooking the pond and saw it had started snowing. My arm sizzled and burned as I felt the ring flare again, this time, when I closed my eyes, I willed them not to open again.
When my eyes focused, I was standing in a familiar empty field, completely surrounded by that same dark, ominous forest. A strong breeze picked up, spinning around me and blowing my hair around my face.
The woman with beautiful auburn hair and icy eyes appeared again, this time she had a crown made of vines wrapped around her head.
“Come to me, Iníon.”
My attention was pulled away from her when I felt something on my arm. When I shifted my gaze, I saw that the vine had started to climb up my arm, twisting over my elbow and to my shoulder. When I lifted my arm to watch as the vine grew, a big black bird, a raven, landed gracefully on my arm.
The woman smiled at me, eyes sparkling. Then she slowly disappeared, leaving the raven and I alone, staring at each other.
He regarded me with a twist of his head and, oddly, I was filled with a sense of love and comfort. Even though I knew I was alone, I picked up my head to look around, and saw no one.
My eyes flicked back to the raven, who gave one last look of longing, lifted his large black wings and took off. I watched him, his great wings flapping hard, graceful, stirring the air, until he disappear. I was still staring at the spot where his shape had disappeared from my vision when I noticed I was alone in the field, again. That’s when I caught I caught sight of a large black feather drifting slowly toward me.
The second I caught it, I startled awake, only to find the same feather perched beside me on my pillow. Smiling, I closed my eyes and drifted back off to sleep.
Chapter Twenty Three
I woke up in the morning to find, thankfully, I was still alone. I quickly decided not to spend the entire day in my room, and got up and took a beautifully hot shower and got dressed. It wasn’t until I opened the door to the hallway, intending to tackle the kitchen, when I noticed the hallway was different.
It was much darker, with no windows and large candles placed sporadically along the walls for light. I could no longer be in the same house.
I stepped back into the bedroom and looked around, everything was the same. Same bed, same bathroom, even the view of Halo’s backyard hadn’t changed. Confused, I stepped back into the hallway. Halo’s house was big, but I could at least see the ends of his hallways. These halls were very dark and long, with no real ending I could see. Dark colored vines of bright red roses grew in heavy patches along the walls and ceiling, curling lightly around the thin candles. The floor was made of a dark stone I couldn’t identify but was so shiny I could see my reflection below my feet. My heart pounding in my chest, I stepped further out into the hall for a better look, when movement caught my eye.
“Ah, you’re awake.”
I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. “Excuse me?”
“You are Trystessa, yes? My name is Devlin. I am here to take you to the King.”
“Umm…” I glanced around completely lost. “What?”
“The King. He would like to see you now.”
“Where am I?”
“You are in Faerie. In the sithen of the Unseelie court. The King has been patiently waiting for you to rise.” He leaned a little closer and whispered. “It is not something that happens often, I suggest you not lose his good grace and appear before him at once.” He lifted his elbow to me. At a loss for words, I took it, hooking my arm through his as we proceeded together down the winding halls. I was lost in the dark corridors before we took ten steps from my door. It didn’t help that the walls seemed to be shifting and molding around us.
Since there was no hope of finding my way back, and therefore no reason to really focus on where we were going, I finally took in the appearance of the man I was currently walk beside, who I managed to completely disregard when we first spoke, due to, well shock? Confusion? Insanity?
But it was still no excuse for my rudeness.
As we walked, I took him in. Strangely, I saw him but there was something like a ghost of someone else lingering over him, trying to mute out his appearance. I concentrated on the one that was underneath, and watched as the ghost wavered and evaporated.
&
nbsp; Devlin, I think that was his name, was devastatingly handsome, now that I could see him. He was about six feet tall with long, wavy, brownish hair that looked to have strands of gold woven through it. And he had these vibrant emerald eyes that even from my side view were mesmerizing. From my view, I thought I noticed the rings in his eyes, but I couldn’t be sure. He had sharp features, a good nose and a strong chin. He looked like he was in his early twenties and had a fierce presence about him that was all too alluring. His broad shoulders swayed as he walked with confidence, a walked that also showed his defined muscles even under the loose fabric of the shirt. I could tell by his movements that he wasn’t entirely comfortable in his clothing, a t-shirt and faded jeans, but they looked good on him. If he hadn’t looked so uncomfortable, he would have looked completely normal, well, besides the fact that he looked like some ancient roman warrior.
I caught a slight shimmer slide over his body just before he cleared his throat. “Trystessa, even here it is not polite to stare.” He spoke without taking his eyes off his direction.
“I…I’m sorry. You’re just, well, you’re beautiful.” There was just no other way to say it. Immediately after the words left my mouth, I was completely embarrassed. A flare of heat settled in my cheeks.
To make it worse, he laughed. He laughed so loud that it echoed off the walls of the empty hallway. When he stopped, he turned to me, looking directly in my eyes. “How do you know I am not making myself look this way?”
Beautiful Nightmare Page 33