by Rene Folsom
“Since I knew Jonah was a universal donor, I asked him to donate blood early the following morning. My demeanor told him not to ask questions, and thankfully, he did not. The accident was later that day, making me extremely grateful I was prepared. It was not until they wheeled Delphina past me in the E.R. that I knew what was to be done.”
My father looked over at Delphina before continuing. “In a weak, almost nonexistent voice, she begged for me to save her daughter. She said she was so thankful I was the attending that day and that she relied on me to save her little girl. If my memory serves me right, I believe her thoughts were…”
His words were cut off by Delphina’s soft, feminine voice. “She’s special.”
“Wait, thoughts?” Ella asked, voicing the curiosity I also had with his choice of words.
“Yes. Your mom was able to project her thoughts to me, even though I am not a mind reader like yourself,” he explained. Meanwhile, Delphina sat stone still as she looked down at her hands balled in her lap.
“Why risk it?” Ella asked, voicing more of the many questions rattling around in my clouded brain.
“There was no way I could say no to your mother, Ella. I’ve known her for a very long time and I just couldn’t say no—not to her.”
I just sat back and listened to their story. None of it surprised me much. I already knew my dad asked me to donate. I already knew not to ask questions. And I already knew he transfused my blood into Ella. I knew all these things because of her—because of our enigmatic connection.
What I didn’t know is why he felt the need to risk his safety—his life—all for a woman he met in college. I also couldn’t understand why he didn’t tell me all of this while I sat there, night after night, completely fixated on an image.
“Why did you keep all of this from Jonah?” Ella asked. Her calming technique had kept me quiet thus far and I’m only guessing it is part of her strategy to continue asking my questions in a composed manner. “When he suffered with his dreams—each night questioning his sanity—why didn’t you tell him?”
“I was worried,” my dad quickly answered. “I was worried Jonah’s connection with you was only because of the transfusion and that it would fade away after a while. I was worried once he knew you were in a coma, he would never be able to move on. There was no guarantee you would ever wake up and I just could not see him suffer the way your mother was. It seemed better for him to know you in his dreams. I also knew it was frowned upon for two Soul Seers to be together. I did not want anything bad to happen to either one of you because of my actions.”
As if a switch had been turned on, Delphina blurted out, “How are you calming him, Ella? How long have you been able to do this?”
Ella shook her head, never releasing her grip on my leg. A deep breath drew from her lips before she began to speak.
“I’m not quite sure. All I know is when I touch him, his heart rate returns to normal. I also feel the need to speak for him in an attempt to keep him calm.” Just as she said the last word, she lifted her hand from my knee. I didn’t react with anger or anxiety. The effects of her tranquil touch continued to course through me, keeping me somewhat sedated.
“Jonah,” Ella whispered. “I didn’t break you, did I?”
“Don’t be silly. I’ve never felt better, to be honest. You took control of the situation and kept my barbaric emotions at bay.”
A huge smile made its way across her face as she nodded and looked down for a moment. Such an innocent and sweet expression made my stomach flip in knots.
“It’s absolutely amazing,” Delphina nearly whispered as she gazed in her daughter’s direction. “I can’t believe my daughter has the gift of tranquility.”
“I am amazed as well. I wonder how many other gifts she is hiding,” Divinus added. “Aside from the gifts, we need to keep you two off the radar—especially if you plan to stay together.”
“What do you mean?” Ella asked, worry clearly laced in her voice.
“The Sideri will see this connection between you two as dangerous. The last thing we need is trouble with them.”
“It might be too late for that, Dad,” I admitted as I took a moment to scoot up on the chaise.
“Explain,” he commanded.
“Eve is a dream walker and interrupted our dreams last…” Before I could finish, Ella chimed in.
“Eve is Jesse! Mom, did you know Jesse is a dream walker?”
Delphina held her hand up to stop Ella from babbling. “Ella, you’ve lost me. What are you talking about?”
To kindly interrupt Ella, I placed my hand on her arm and began telling Delphina about our little dream visitor. Both our parents sat there in stunned silence as I told them about how I knew Eve/Jesse and what the encounter was like earlier that morning. Delphina gasped when I mentioned the last little bit about the dream walker holding Ella hostage. I think she knew just how a situation like that could get out of hand very quickly. The potential dangers were very real.
“Jonah, I am so sorry,” my dad said with a shake of his head. Never looking at me directly, he continued defending the decision that changed all of our lives. “I was worried all this would come back to haunt us, but without your blood, Ella would not have survived. Human blood would have been too weak. A Soul Seer’s blood was almost not enough. I was sure we were going to lose her when she slipped into a coma. In order to help Del, I had to distance my involvement and myself. None of you asked for this and if this Eve woman has been assigned by the Sideri, I will let her know I am the only one to blame.”
“I would hold off on that,” Ella said. “I got the distinct feeling from her that she’s still checking us out. I don’t think she has any solid proof of anything yet. Either that or she’s questioning the motives behind the Sideri.”
We all sat in awkward silence for several moments, wondering what Ella was able to sense about others, especially a dream walker.
“What about Dr. Jessen, Dad? I saw him briefly before I fell asleep.”
“Del and I talked to Dr. Jessen about what he saw. We fibbed a bit and told him you have somewhat of an empathetic side to you, Jonah,” my dad explained before Delphina interrupted.
“He didn’t really buy it though,” she claimed. “I read his mind as we were talking to him. He seemed to know what was going on, but didn’t quite believe it was possible. He doesn’t suspect any blood transfusion, but I think he understands you two are connected by more than just your attraction to each other. He seemed to understand why we lied though. I was very thankful for that.”
Ella bolted up and said, “I need to get out of this house for a bit. Jonah, can we—”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go anywhere, Orella,” Delphina sternly interrupted.
“I feel fine, Mom. And Jonah will be with me. I just want to go for a drive.” Ella didn’t wait for a response as she began walking in the house and to her room. Unsure of what to do, I looked to our parents for some sort of reaction before I heard Ella project for me to come on—finally adding a desperate please at the end. I just shrugged and walked inside.
Before I could make it down the hall, my dad grabbed my arm and asked me to step out front with him.
“I’ll tell Ella you just need to chat with your father before he leaves,” Delphina said as she made her way past us.
Once the screen door shut and we were on the front porch, my dad said, “I just wanted to explain something and I do not want you taking it the wrong way.”
I nodded and leaned myself on one of the railings, waiting for him to get on with his confession.
“Delphina and I were more than just friends in college. We decided to go our separate ways because we knew the rules of the Sideri. She is the one who taught me how to block my thoughts so well.” My dad stood in silence for a moment, obviously choosing what he would say next. “I love your mother very much and cannot imagine my life without her. But, when Delphina asked me to save her daughter, there was no way on
Earth I could have—would have—said no to her. I would do anything for Delphina. Breaking the rules of the illusive Sideri seemed like a small price to pay for such a dear friend.”
“Illusive. What do you mean by that?” I asked, wondering if he actually believed these so-called Sideri even existed.
“The only reason I chose that word is because I often wonder how valid the tales of the Sideri are. Yes, we have been raised to believe of their existence. But, I still cannot help thinking they may be similar to the belief of Santa Clause. Are the Sideri’s rules just folklore to keep our kind spread out? To weaken us? Or are they just rumors? These are all things I have contemplated over my lifetime and hope to someday know the answers.”
“Then who is Eve?” I asked, convinced she was sent by someone to spy on Ella and me.
“That I do not know. It is possible she is just an evil dream walker. She might get her kicks from messing with other people’s dreams. I guess, in time, we will find out that answer.”
With a creak, the screen door opened and out walked Ella.
“Mom, I promise I will be fine. Jonah is with me and we don’t plan on going far,” Ella said in a seemingly convincing tone.
“I promise I will call you if anything goes wrong, Ms. Hugh. We may just go to the park or head on over to Lavendine. I’ll be with her at all times,” I said, trying to console her. I knew she was worried, but I was dying for some alone time with Ella.
Me too, Ella thought with a smile as she grabbed my hand and led me to my car.
Chapter Seven
Ten minutes later, we were pulling up to my apartment. Ella didn’t want to drive around. She just wanted the same thing as I did—alone time where her mom couldn’t hear her thoughts.
“I really need to learn how to block things from her,” Ella said as we got out of the car. “Wait, is your roommate home?”
“No. He’s helping take my shifts at Lavendine. He won’t be back for a while.”
“Good,” Ella said as she grabbed my shirt and pulled me into a deliciously vicious kiss. Just as quickly as she started devouring my mouth, she pulled away and led me to my apartment door.
I couldn’t get that damn door unlocked fast enough. I was dying to be alone with her, especially considering the touchy-feely mood she was in at that moment. As soon as my apartment door shut, I grabbed her in my arms and pressed her up against the wall. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around me, laced her fingers through my hair, and continued kissing me like I was the only source of oxygen.
She tasted so sweet and I was jonesing for my sugar high.
Never wanting to waste a moment, I carefully carried her down the hall and into my room—all while she continued to devour my face. Kicking the door shut, I nearly knocked over the pole lamp that stood beside me.
Tell me, Ella projected.
“Tell you what?” I gasped as I pulled my mouth away for some air. She began teasing my neck with her silky lips—an act that made me moan out loud with the need to release this sexual tension between us. Slowly, I walked toward the bed while still holding her against my body.
Ella finally quit her torment long enough to look me in the eye and said, “Tell me you love me.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. Last time I even thought those words, she reacted badly. But, now she wanted to hear them—she wanted to hear just how deep my feelings were for her.
Hesitating to just blurt the heartfelt words out on a whim, I gradually eased her down my body until she was on her feet near the bed.
“Ella, I—”
Before I could get the words out, she grabbed my face with both her hands and forced me to look into her beautiful, amethyst eyes.
“Tell me I haven’t ruined this for us,” she whispered as her worried eyes darted back and forth between mine. “I need you, Jonah. You’re a part of me. Without you, I’m broken.”
“I know, Ella. But what if that’s just the blood talking? What if you don’t feel for me the way I feel for you? What if all these feelings you’re having are because of the blood alone?” All these doubts had been torturing me—racing through my mind like a constant whirlwind of uncertainty.
Ella’s body shook as she lowered herself onto the bed. Sitting on the edge, she wrapped her arms around her torso and spoke in a hushed voice. “It’s more than that. So much more.”
Needing to be on her level and still completely tongue-tied, I knelt in front of her and placed my hands on her trembling legs. Her eyes were beginning to glaze over with tears as she looked at me with anxiety and fear.
“I know how I feel, Jonah. The blood connection isn’t the reason behind my feelings—it just solidifies them even more. The magnetism we have is proof we’re meant to be together. I want you to love me for who I am. After the pain I put you through last night, I now feel like you’d do anything for me—with me.”
“You know I would. You’re my everything,” I said with honesty seeping through each and every word.
“I love you, Jonah,” Ella whispered as a small tear dripped from her eye and cascaded down her soft, trembling cheek.
Reaching out, I swiped my thumb over her single tear and held her face in my hands.
“And I love you, Orella.”
Of course, the natural thing to do was kiss the love of my life and seal the deal. She was mine now and I was going to let her know of that fact every minute of every day.
Yes, yours, Ella thought as she kissed me tenderly.
Never breaking our hold on each other, I got to my feet and pushed her down onto the bed, hovering over her in the process. Allowing her legs to wrap around me once more, I pressed myself into her center to let her know where this was headed if we didn’t slow down.
“Yes,” she gasped as I devoured her neck. I pulled back to look at her lying beneath me. The morning sun was shining down on her through my windows, making her hair shine like a halo of gold.
“Yes what?”
“I want you. I want… this,” she said as she reached down between us and grazed her hand along my length. The feel of her hand grabbing me sent immediate shocks through my body. Just the idea of being inside her had me convulsing.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. A shaky exhale left my mouth as I tried to compose myself, for her sake and my own.
Looking down at her again, I couldn’t get over how bright her amethyst eyes were when she was turned on. She was obviously hearing my thoughts because she bit her lip with a slight hint of embarrassment. I smiled to let her know just how happy she made me.
Deciding I wanted to see her, I rose up off the bed and grabbed her hand, telling her to do the same. We both simultaneously kicked off our sandals and I sat down on the bed to enjoy the show.
Ella stood in front of me with a cocked eyebrow, slightly confused and wondering what show I had in mind.
“Take off your shirt, Ella,” I coaxed as I sat back slightly and nodded in her direction. She hesitated only a moment before finally undoing each button with a slight flick of her wrist. Slowly, she unveiled a white, lacy bra that fit each curve of her breasts perfectly.
Allowing the shirt to glide from her shoulders and fall to the floor, she immediately began to unfasten her bra. I sat back and thoroughly enjoyed the view as she continued to reveal herself to me in the early morning light.
After the bra was successfully on my bedroom floor, she unbuttoned her shorts and let them slide down her legs with a slight shimmy.
Christ, she was beautiful. In front of me stood an angel wrapped in a little scrap of white. Before she could remove the last garment, I pulled her near me so I could touch her soft skin. Her perfect breasts were mere inches from my face and I planned to give them all the attention they deserved.
Pressing my lips to her stomach, I left a trail of kisses up the center of her body. The thrumming of my heart matched hers as she continued to breathe heavily every time my lips touched her silky skin.
Digging her fingernails into the fabric of my
shirt, she began tugging at it—giving me the hint she wanted it removed. I pulled away slightly and allowed her to clumsily remove my shirt for me. Before I could recover from my tee being thrown across the room, Ella dropped to her knees and began unbuttoning my jeans.
I was definitely in no mood to argue. Sitting back slightly, I allowed her to unfasten my pants. Eager to remove them, she began tugging until I finally lifted my ass enough to let her slide them down.
Thank cripes I’m wearing a nice pair of boxer briefs… well, I was wearing a nice pair of boxer briefs before Ella managed to practically rip them off me in two-point-two seconds flat.
She smiled at me in response to my thoughts. Gliding her hand up my thigh, she gently touched the soft skin of my erection with her dainty fingers. The feel of her touching me caused a sharp inhale to hiss through my teeth.
Propping myself up on my elbows, I watched her as she inched her face closer and closer to me. She smiled up at me with the sexiest grin just before wrapping her lips around the head of my shaft.
Throwing my head back, I couldn’t help but moan loudly as my length sank further into her warm mouth. The feel of her tongue swirling around the head of my dick was enough to make me lose control.
You taste so good, Ella thought as she removed me from her mouth and seductively licked the tip with her tongue. Without wasting time, she devoured me again while using her hands in rhythm with her mouth. She continued to tease me with her tongue—switching between licking and sucking just to drive me wild.