The Awakening

by Elle Wolcott

  As I got inside, my phone rang.

  “Lydia, you have impeccable timing,” I exhaled.

  “Hello, lovely.”

  “Iliana?” I’d recognize that voice anywhere.

  “Be a doll and tell my sweet pet to bring me the jewel or I’ll make his sister my newest little toy.”

  “Lydia?” my heart caught in my throat.

  “He has until dusk tomorrow.”

  “Where are you?”

  “He’ll know what to do. You just need to go to him.”

  “Let me talk to her,” I stammered before Iliana spoke again.

  “And don’t think about asking prince beasty to save the day. He doesn’t have what I want.”

  My eyes shot to the kitchen window as Elliot paced around inside.

  “Irene, don’t come,” Lydia shouted in the background. “She’s going to…” Lydia’s voice muffled out as Iliana started to laugh.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  I raced across town to Cole’s house. The large maple tree in the Clarks’ front yard must’ve been over a hundred years old. It towered over the house and swayed in the breeze as its red leaves curled in and fluttered. I parked in the driveway and saw that Christian’s car was gone. He and Audrey had spent the summer planning their annual trip to the coast. I know they had asked Lydia to go, but she decided to stay home this year. Probably to help Cole continue to adjust to a normal life. I wished she hadn’t.

  “Cole?” I called out as I ran inside his house. The first thing I noticed was the broken vase near the key bowl just inside the doorway. A few chips of glass lay on the floor and a few were on the table. I went in further and eyed the living room. Everything was calm and quiet, and there was a brisk and cool air to the emptiness.

  In the kitchen, I quickly noticed a knife on the counter, blood dripping from the edge. I went closer, tripping on the mat that had always been there between the two rooms. One side was folded over and the picture on the wall was turned crooked.

  “Cole?” I shouted, my voice quivering in the silence.

  “Irene?” he answered me just as I was readying myself to ransack the entire house. Behind the kitchen island, Cole sat against the cabinet with his hand on his stomach.

  “What happened?”

  “Is Lydia with you?” His fingers trembled as blood seeped out onto his shirt.

  “Who did this to you?” I grabbed the towel at the oven and pushed into Cole’s stomach. He shouted at me in pain, took a few breaths, then calmed.

  Cole tilted his head and gazed to me with glossed, dark eyes. “I can’t remember anything.”

  “Okay,” I nodded. “Everything’s okay.” I looked over him, checking for other cuts or a reason to why he was bleeding and not healing. But there was nothing.

  “It’s cold-forged iron,” he said like he was reading my mind. Choking out the words, a bit of blood came and rolled along his teeth. Within a blink of time, my heart was in my throat.

  Cold-forged iron was in the journal. It was the same material that my ring was made from, the stuff that incapacitated Cole to the point of tears. Having a blade of the same material cut deep into his flesh was probably the worst sensation imaginable for a faerie.

  “Let me heal you.”

  Cole shook his head. He was weak, and even though he tried to hide it, I could see he was in pain.

  “I’m not going to watch you die.”

  “I’m not feeding on you.”

  “Then take my blood.”

  I stood up and grabbed a knife from the knife block, then I knelt at his side. Lifting my arm toward him, I placed the blade against my skin. Only the overhead light from the stove was on, lending an eerie vibe to an otherwise familiar and inviting home. I’d spent the night there so many times I couldn’t count, but I’d never felt scared until then. There was something looming around us—around Cole—and it was starting to give me the chills.

  Cole wrapped his cool fingers around my arm and pushed it away.

  “Just a little bit will heal you, I’ve seen it happen.”

  “No!” he raised his voice about as good as he could, and I sat back on my heels.

  “Please, let me help you,” I reached over and gripped his arm, and then I saw her.

  Lydia was struggling against someone in the living room. She fell against the wall and then into the entry table. The vase shattered, and then I heard a devilish laugh.

  I gasped and leaned back from Cole. His eyes flashed over mine and I reached out and took hold once more. Now, I could clearly see Iliana standing in the kitchen just over where we were sitting. She held the knife in gloved hands and had Cole by the collar. Lunging forward, she drove the blade deep into Cole’s stomach without a flinch. At his ear, she spoke, “You’ll need this, darling.” And as the vision ended, I watched her set a vial on the counter behind Cole.

  I stood fast and grabbed for the vial. “You need this, don’t you?” Cole coughed, and more blood slid over his teeth. “Drink it, then.”

  With the vial in his hand, Cole twisted off the lid. The blood was gamey and rich with nature, a primal substance full of living energy. After a minute to study the container, and I believe time enough to question whether he was doing the right thing, Cole lifted the small object to his mouth and drank. He licked his lips, sloshing around the blood and giving a bitter face. I watched as the red stained the rim of his lips and painted his tongue.

  Cole choked a bit more and then took in a long breath. He closed and opened his eyes, and they were lighter and livelier. Raising his shirt, I could see that the gash had sealed completely.

  “Thank you,” he breathed. I smiled. I helped him stand, and then waited for him to rinse out his mouth at the sink.

  Cole reached over for the hand towel and grabbed it up after two attempts. He wiped his mouth and a small trail of red appeared on the towel. He shivered and sighed, facing me briefly with his eyes shooting to the floor in an instance.

  “Irene, you know I can’t take anything from you. Especially your blood,” he said as his skin continued to brighten.

  “Sometimes I just want to help you,” I explained. “I wish you could see that.”

  “I do see it,” he told.

  I let out a breath and then crossed my arms. I wanted to do more for him, but he wouldn’t allow it. Even at his weakest, he still tried to resist me.

  “Listen, if I take your blood, then I will desire you more than I already do,” he confessed. “It’s hard enough to fight off my urge to attack you, let alone the influence of blood,” he finished, and I found myself both afraid and invigorated.

  Leaving the room at the most opportune time—as was his norm—Cole walked into the living room and straight up the stairs. I reexamined the broken vase and the crooked picture. I knew Lydia struggled to escape Iliana. She was scared, and Cole couldn’t help her.

  Trotting down the stairs like he had never been stabbed, Cole stepped up to me wearing jeans and a hooded zip jacket. Thankfully, he left his hair a mess.

  “Do you know where she could be?”

  “I can follow her energy, but not from here.”

  “Why?”

  “I can’t feel her.”

  “Does that mean we’re too far?”

  “It means we need to go. Iliana was here two days ago.”

  “You’ve been laying here all this time?”

  He nodded. “Come on, I’ll drive.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  We have to try Bryn’s,” I urged, shutting the car door. Cole backed out of the driveway and headed down the winding road.

  “I’m not letting him near you,” he countered. “He won’t leave until he gets what he wants.”

  “Then give him the necklace.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  “I’m assuming this whole time you were talking about Iliana. About how she wanted it, how you went to Europe for her, how you loved her.”

  “Yes,” he shouted, then cleared his throat. “I was tal
king about her, but she never had it. Remember? I found it for her, that’s how she used me. Or have you forgotten that too?”

  I sighed. “Where did you find it?”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “Okay, but she won’t stop until—”

  “She’s not getting her hands on the necklace.”

  “Fine,” I crossed my arms. “She demanded the jewel, though.”

  Cole shot me a glare that was both intimidating and curious at the same time.

  “She gave you until dusk tomorrow.”

  “I’m not going anywhere near Tristan. Let it go.”

  “Then where are you going? You can’t just drive around and expect her to pop up on the side of the road.”

  “Irene,” he took a deep breath and then let the air out of his lungs slowly. “Right now isn’t the best time for me to let my emotions flare,” he warned. I could see his knuckles turning white as he tightened his grip on the wheel. There was silence, a raging stillness between us as I realized his eyes hadn’t left the road. Tight shoulders and a pressed brow, Cole was in another world. I twisted my fingers in my lap as a clash of thunder roared overhead.

  “I thought the blood was enough.”

  “I need to feed,” his words climbed out from his clenched teeth. I reached for his arm and he jerked back.

  “Let me help find her,” I urged as Cole swerved. Lightning shot further down the road and again thunder clanged.

  “I’m taking you home.”

  “No, I want to help find her.”

  The road ahead disappeared under sheets of water and wind. I placed my hand onto Cole’s arm and an image of Lydia came to my mind. She was squirming in Iliana’s grasp, screaming out in a field of wildflowers.

  “Have you been there?”

  Cole didn’t say a word, but there was a low growl coming from deep inside his chest.

  “How can I see this? Is it the blood? Is it your bond to Lydia?”

  Cole continued to face the road as he tightened and loosened his grasp on the wheel, letting blood flow into his fingertips for the first time in minutes.

  “Cole, she’s in danger!” I shook him. “Listen to me!” My voice rose above the storm, echoed against the clouded, cold glass and caught his entire attention. Then I screamed. Rushing from one side of the woods to the other, without turning her head for a second, went the young, speckled deer with honey eyes—the same one from weeks ago. Cole hit the brakes as she disappeared into the foliage, and I held my breath. Slow, muffled and distant, I watched as Cole struggled to steady the car over wet pavement. His beautiful red car screeched until it hit a tree just on the edge of the enormous drop of the hills, and finally came to a rocking rest.

  My breaths became more frequent; my hands began to tremble.

  “Irene, you need to get away from me,” he warned, his fingers slid through his hair and then tightened at his sides. He sat tall and his shoulders widened. There was a dangerous, unspoken intensity flowing around him. Rain hit the vehicle relentlessly and I considered running. For a brief second, I scanned the forest at my side while reaching for the handle. Then I faced him again. If I let him feed on me, he would never forgive himself for his weakness. And he may not forgive me for putting myself in danger. But if I helped him, then we could find Lydia. I had little time to react.

  I felt my heart flutter as I clenched my jaw. He turned toward me; his eyes homed in on mine, squinting to focus on me and only me. Illuminated, burning brightly in the dark night, his eyes scanned my every inch. He leaned in closer, but I couldn’t move. I had no defense against his hunger.

  Cole’s warmth calmed my chills and trembles the minute he placed his hand on my face. My shoulders lowered, my breathing grew longer and deeper. It felt incredible, like sitting under the sun on a windy April afternoon. I didn’t want to be afraid of him, but something within me—something primal—told me to keep my distance. I wanted to help him live, give him the energy he needed for survival, but he wouldn’t allow it. I readied myself and chose to let him wind me, even if he would hate himself later. But still, through the madness of his trance, he tried so hard to refuse.

  His pain-stricken eyes pleaded to me in one exhale. “Run.” I popped the handle and hit the grass slope hard. My feet caught mud and leaves, and I slid down, falling to my seat and catching twigs in my hands for cessation. My jacket caught the rain while my hair clung to my face and neck. I couldn’t exactly remember when the rain began, but it was so thick then that I could barely see. I ran further; fear returned to my heart—an emotion Cole was all too fond of, as he once demonstrated. Thunder raged across the land and I saw nothing but trees and brightly colored autumn leaves.

  I caught my breath there near the base of the slope, in the heart of the woods, and tried to calm my soul. He hadn’t reached me, but I knew that if I continued to fear him, he would certainly catch up. I wasn’t sure of his powers, but I imagined speed to be one.

  While I thought this over, an ache came to my back and caught my attention. And within seconds it became a stinging sensation that drove clear to my bone. Throbbing in rhythmic bursts, the sharp sting intensified until I fell against a tree and cried out. I had hoped the marking was finished, but my brother was right: it was just the beginning.

  A couple of minutes passed as I stood there trying to abate the pain. In the darkness, I could hear rustling and footsteps, but Cole hadn’t come into sight. I knew he was close; I could smell him. Lurking patiently like a predator, waiting for the right moment, when I was at my weakest.

  Luckily, the pain of my mark settled and, even though my back felt incredibly sensitive, I made it through on my own.

  I stood tall and listened to the rain pour over the woods with a tingle to my fingertips. I inhaled and exhaled deeper and deeper until I saw steep plumes of my breath fill the air around me. Every drop of rain that hit my skin gave me a deeper understanding of how my element worked. It felt like time had stalled. I stretched my fingers out and examined the way the rain moved as I moved. I was lost in the moment, at least until lightning pierced the sky. I stepped backward in awe and immediately felt something firm, something strong at my back.

  Mmm, he cocked his head and grinned at me as I turned to face him. Cole was not himself, not at all. He stood out among the surroundings. His colors were vibrant, his form greatly defined. I could smell his scent, hear his every breath. His eyes were like shadows, his grin slid out from somewhere beyond my imagination.

  “Are you afraid?” he pursed. I shuddered, trying to shake my head. I knew that he knew the truth. I took a step back and felt the leaves crunch at my feet. “I won’t hurt you,” he stepped closer. His hand reached for my face and I withdrew. “I’ve only ever wanted to love you,” he swore. I wasn’t sure if it was him or the creature talking. In seconds, I felt his warmth wash over me and I was flooded by contentment. Orbs filtered in and danced with the rain, and I lifted my chin to his touch.

  “Take it, please,” I begged. “It’s yours to have. I’ve always been yours.”

  Eyes aglow, Cole glared to me with a comforting stare. But it wasn’t just any stare; he was about to wind me, to breathe in my essence and make himself whole again. His eyes were meant to give me peace and keep me from running. His smile was designed to lure me in. And it was working. But beneath it all, and just obvious enough to keep my heart on edge, was the growing satisfaction of the hunt. He had heard my call, my beating pulse, scared and free. He sought it out and caught me in his arms. Now, he was readying to strike.

  The orbs were in the hundreds, blazing red and spinning in rhythm. His eyes, though they were dark and distant just moments ago, had captured the burning hue of the evening sun in July. And for a brief moment, I could swear I saw his aura. A thin blanket around his entire form, tinted red and flowing like the wind, the aura enhanced his silhouette in that deep and foreign forest.

  The air carried with a scent of purity, that distant shore I found so hard to ignore. I wanted to kn
ow it, to see it with my own eyes. To feel the moss on the cliffs and breathe the sweetness of the salted sea below. Tristan’s shore, Cole’s shore. Through my nose and deep in my lungs, the scent lingered until dizziness overcame me. I held fast to Cole before losing my feet, and he, ready and expecting, caught me tight against his chest.

  Cole then closed his eyes and stood without a sound. The orbs froze in motion and the forest grew dark. I shut my eyes, too, waiting for him to finally take what I had so often been willing to give. My shoulders stiffened, my teeth scuffed together; I let my fingers grip his arms as he held me close. His forehead pressed to mine as I could feel the warmth of his breath cascade over my nose and cheeks. Sweet like his scent, his breath gave me more reason to comply. Seconds passed as we stood together in silence, warming to one another as the rain chilled our backs.

  “I love you,” he whimpered. Somehow, he fought through his urges and defeated the desire to feed. I opened my eyes to him as he took hold of my hand. With a smile, he walked me toward the hill, but I pulled back. My feet wouldn’t go any further. My trembles returned, and I was suddenly chewing on my lip.

  “I don’t want to go home, Cole,” I choked out the words, tears filled my eyes. I inhaled in a shudder, “Don’t make me.”

  “Sshhh,” he neared me and pulled my head to his chest. “I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he kissed my hair. “But I can’t be near you right now. I can’t keep pulling myself in and out of dazes.”

  “I don’t mean to cause you pain,” I offered, leaning back and giving him space.

  “It’s not pain, it’s… it’s something else.”

  “Then why can’t I help you? Why do you always push me away?”

  Cole sighed as his eyes fell to the forest floor. He seemed to recoil as he spoke. “You belong to him, Irene.” Cole blinked rapidly, his eyes lifting to mine in time. “I would’ve already made you mine if it weren’t for Elliot. The first night I came home, in front of Lydia and my parents,” he threw out his words as his hands flailed in the air. “It didn’t matter who’d see. I would’ve bonded to you the minute I saw you.”