It was Nick. His eyes were hard, the grey shining from out of the darkness.
‘He told me that they would send you to stop me.’
I stretched my back, putting my hands on my coccyx and leaning forward.
‘Who are you?’ I asked as a yawn overtook me.
His eyes blazed at my indifference.
‘I’m the man that will always stop those in love from being together.’
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. What was he talking about?
‘Nothing can stop love.’
I had never encountered anyone quite so…dark. When we were asked if we wanted to help the planet to become a better place, we had agreed. A soul contract was signed before we even incarnated into a body.
‘You’re one of the warriors, aren’t you?’
I smiled. He was clever. He was powerful. I looked down at my sword. My hand was wrapped around the cool handle. He would never stop us.
‘I’ve heard about a new threat. Is that you, I wonder? What is your name?’
His laugh echoed around the shadows. The back streets of London smelt like a pisshole. I had never experienced the disgusting aroma in all of the countries I had travelled.
‘My name is Nicklaus.’
He stepped out of the shadows. Music from an inn up the road floated to us. He had startled me as I pushed the prostitute against the wall. She had run, screaming from fright. Stupid woman.
‘That didn’t look like a woman you loved,’ he said, interrupting my thoughts.
My smile returned. ‘No. I may have come here to promote love, but there’s nothing wrong with having some fun along the way.’
He clicked his tongue, so I sheathed my sword. We would not fight tonight. I could tell.
‘How do you know you’ve come here to promote love?’
His question was odd. Did he not know who I was? We went by different names every time we came to earth, but our mission was always the same. Love as hard as we could. Show others that love exists so that they could experience it themselves. Since the moment my soul was created, I had known that I would fight this battle for eternity. A love warrior wasn’t something to be taken lightly.
‘I was created with one battle in mind. Win the war on good versus evil. It’s a long, drawn out battle. The balance on the planet is hardly…balanced, right now.’
His eyes narrowed as he took a step closer. The confusion on his face gave me entertainment. It had been a while since I had encountered a true non believer. A man that had been so overtaken by negativity and jealousy that he proclaimed to have his own mission.
‘What are you here for?’ I asked.
‘To stop people like you.’
My head tilted to the side. It was quite a broad statement.
‘And what type of person am I?’
He had no idea.
There was a presence at my back. I tensed, annoyed at the interruption. All of them were there. The energy had changed too dramatically. The man’s eyes widened as my warrior brothers and sisters came into view. Twelve men and women with one goal in mind. Show the world that true love existed.
‘Who are you?’
He held his sword high as the others flanked my sides. We wore the same outfits. Leather hides fashioned into trousers and sleeveless tops for the men, and dresses for the women. The girls’ hair was braided and the men’s was sawn off short.
‘We are the people that are here to stop you.’
‘No! Evil will prevail. You will not win.’
The chuckle that fell from my mouth was echoed by my siblings. The man fell to his knees, grasping his chest. The skin on his arms was paper thin. The hair on his head was sparse and white. It was his time.
‘I promise you that I will come back and haunt you until you no longer exist. Evil will always run through me so I can come back and stop you from achieving your goals. I will never allow you to love another.’
We froze as he choked and fell to the ground. His words echoed through our minds. The battle had been going on for years, but the war had just begun. His evil intent meant that he would come back. He would know us, as we would know him. The man Nicklaus had become our soul enemy.
*
Kerry’s soft singing filtered to me as I woke up. The world spun in my head as I tried to wrench open my eyes.
‘Water.’ I gasped as my tongue got stuck to the roof of my mouth.
The shuffle of movement alerted me that she moved closer. She cradled my head, pressing a cool glass to my lips.
‘Are you okay?’ she whispered, stepping back once I’d had enough.
I nodded but the movement made me nauseous. I had never felt this dodgy coming out of the visions. It wasn’t over.
‘I think I got an answer.’
The memory was so vivid in my mind, it had to be real. It was as if I had just been standing in the alley with Nick, but it had been many, many, years ago.
Kerry smiled down at me. Her hair fell forward as she leant and stroked the stubble on my jaw. ‘You’re still high.’
I smiled. ‘You’re still pretty.’
She rolled her eyes and moved away when I went to take her hand. The dark pulled at me before I could say anything. I watched her as she looked down at me. Her face morphed into someone different but her eyes stayed the same.
‘I can’t believe we get to spend the rest of our lives together,’ she said.
I blinked. Her face moved, changing shape. Again, her eyes kept the same colour and intensity.
‘Father said we cannot marry,’ she sobbed, wiping her cheeks.
I tried to open my mouth. It was stuck shut. She changed again. Her hair grew out and turned black.
‘I love you so much! I can’t wait until our baby is born.’
A blast of love burst through me as she leant down and kissed my cheek. Her heavy stomach pressed against my side. I grinned as the pressure reminded me that I was going to be a father. A father!
‘Why do you have to leave?’ Her scream was loud in my ear as she changed yet again.
The baby bump left and another woman stood in her place. But those eyes…they remained the same.
‘Wait!’ I called, shaking my head to stop the vision from turning.
She froze as her eyes met mine.
‘Who are you?’
Her face crumpled even more. Sorrow filled my own heart and squeezed a tear from me.
‘I think I love you,’ I whispered as she reached for my hand and covered it in little kisses.
‘Of course you do! I should hope so, too,’ she said letting me go. ‘Plus, you don’t really have a choice. We agreed to do this. Now you have your answer.’
My body started to shudder. Bile surged up my throat as heat descended on me.
‘Don’t forget, will you?’ Her voice faded as I leant to the side and emptied my stomach.
Hands pulled my legs to the side, too.
‘Are you okay?’
Kerry’s voice was high pitched. My muscles had taken over. Shaking of their own accord. I was hot, then cold. Sweat popped out on my skin, covering my whole body.
‘I’m cold,’ I muttered.
Kerry put a cover over me. An arm wrapped around me from behind. I turned towards her, pressing my head against her forehead.
‘You were there, I think. No…maybe it was…’
‘Don’t talk. Shall I call an ambulance?’ She was rubbing my back in slow round movements.
‘No. I’m okay. She said that I couldn’t forget, but I can’t remember.’ I laughed.
My eyes closed again. I didn’t want to go back. I had no choice.
‘Taurus?’
The voice was different to the other girl.
‘Over here.’
I turned. Sophie was sitting on Gemini’s bed. Her eyes were different from the girl in my previous dream, but she was similar.
‘It’s good to see you,’ I said, wiping my eyes and sitting up.
My head thumped. The weird sensation h
ad gone. My skin itched. I scratched at it as I watched her. She put her head to the side and smiled at me.
‘I hope you don’t go back on your promise,’ she said.
My eyebrows lowered as she ran a hand through her hair. How did she know about my promise? She was dead. I was dreaming about her.
‘Are you my soulmate?’ I hadn’t even thought of the question before it came out of my mouth.
She sighed as she climbed off the bed. Her body was whole, with no blood on her top. Her eyes were alive, not vacant. It was good to see her looking well. Even if it was only in my dream.
‘One of them, but not your twin flame.’
‘Don’t start all that. Hang on, how do you know about that?’ I shuffled off the bed and stood.
Sophie held out her hand. The skin on her arm was riddled with bruises and pin marks.
‘If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll end up like this.’
I shuddered as she ran a hand down her arm and the bruises disappeared.
‘I know everything, Taurus. Don’t let life ruin you. You’re the only one that can change it.’
She stood and put a hand on my chest. I looked down into her eyes. They were so alive, I had to swallow. I covered her hand with mine, squeezing gently.
‘Are you going to stop doubting?’
Her image started to fade. I held onto her, not wanting her to go.
‘I doubt it…’
She giggled, which made me smile. The sound was carefree and not serious. Unlike the atmosphere.
‘Just live, Taurus. Stop being so afraid of living.’
She vanished. My hand connected with my chest. I gasped in a breath.
An arm tightened around me as I opened my eyes. Kerry looked concerned. Her forehead was creased as she searched my eyes.
‘Are you okay yet?’
I was back. Properly back. My stomach wanted to empty again, but I couldn’t move. I smiled slightly and her forehead smoothed out. I wrapped an arm around her back and pulled her to me, burying her head under my chin.
‘Thank you,’ I whispered before finally falling into a normal sleep.
Chapter Eighteen
‘You can go now.’ My teeth chattered, but not from being cold.
She chuckled as she tucked my cover around me. I bit the sides of my cheek to stop from snapping at her.
‘I don’t want to go. Besides, if I go, who will keep you sane?’
I groaned as the shuddering took over my body. Kerry was not keeping me sane, she was driving me insane. Just one small drink of vodka would help, but I didn’t say it. I wouldn’t show her that I was itching to drink a whole bottle of vodka and roll ten joints.
It had been three days since my last vision. I finally admitted to myself that what my parents had told me was true. I didn’t think too much on the how or why of it all. I just accepted that I was there for a reason.
I turned onto my side as Kerry climbed onto Gemini’s bed. He’d slept at a new woman’s house every day. Especially since I’d been in recovery.
‘Tell me about your childhood,’ I said.
Her gaze darted away from mine. Her throat moved as she swallowed. She fiddled with the mug of tea in her hand.
‘My stepfather was in the army when he was young. He saw some terrible things. He did some awful things, too.’
I nodded for her to go on when she glanced at me.
‘He suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I loved him dearly. He took me in when I was young and adored my mum. After a few years, he started to lose it. He would lash out with his fists when he had one of his episodes.’ Her breath caught as she paused. ‘One night, he got up when everyone was sleeping. He started screaming for us to get out as there was a raid. We jumped up, not knowing what was going on.’
Kerry squeezed the cover in one hand as she stared at the mug.
‘He got out his gun and started to shoot. He was in the hallway of our house. My mum tried to get past him to get to us, but he thought she was a solider. He shot her dead just as I came out of my room.’
Tears hovered on the edge of her eyelids. She shook so badly, she had to put the mug down.
‘Come here,’ I said, reaching a hand out of my cover.
She tried to shake her head as the tears escaped down her cheeks.
‘Come here!’
She moved off the bed and came to me. I scooted back and held up my cover. She hiccupped as she hesitated, so I took hold of her arm and pulled her to the bed. Crawling in, she let me cradle her against me.
‘He carried on shooting, even when I ran towards my mum. He hit me in the shoulder,’ she cried.
Her face pressed into my chest as I wrapped both arms around her. My T-shirt was soaked with her tears as she let her grief flow out of her. I had never experienced anything so heart breaking. How could I feel so bad about my life when people out there had been through the sort of thing that Kerry had? She was strong. I admired her.
‘Do you have a scar?’
She nodded. Her hair tickled my chin. My body no longer shook as my attention was distracted. She pulled back from me and reached up to push her top off her shoulder. A scar from the bullet wound sat on the crease of her arm. She had been lucky it missed her vital organs.
‘It wasn’t the pain I felt from the wound. It was seeing my mum die right in front of me.’
I stroked the top of her head as her face crumpled. An image of Sophie’s vacant eyes came into my mind. I had to blink rapidly to stop tears entering my own eyes. The vision I’d had of Sophie had been so real. I knew she was okay now.
‘I know how that feels,’ I whispered, putting my forehead against hers.
Her eyes opened. Her gaze locked onto mine. The sobbing came from her throat, but she stared at me. I closed my eyes. It was too intense for me. My hand travelled up her arm. I caressed her bullet wound before moving my hand to her neck. My fingers buried into her hair as my thumb stroked her wet cheek.
‘Taurus?’ She whispered my name. A finger wiped away the only tear that left my eye and landed on my cheek.
Hearing her say my name made me move. I leant forward and pressed my lips against hers.
She gasped, but her hand came to the back of my head. A moment of hesitancy followed as Sophie popped into my mind, but her smiling face was pushed away by the face of another woman. Many women with the same eyes rushed through my mind.
When Kerry’s lips parted, I opened my eyes at the same time as sliding my tongue into her mouth. She was watching me with those eyes. A pulse of heat thundered through me. I pulled her flush against me and moaned as the kiss deepened. Her own groan matched mine and a feeling I had never felt before shot through my body.
‘Wait!’ She gasped, pulling her mouth from mine.
My breath was heavy. My chest rose and fell as I tried to even it out. She shook her head as she searched my gaze.
‘What was that?’
‘I’m sorry,’ I muttered, not letting her go.
She smiled gently. ‘No, I mean—’
‘Taurus!’
Someone banged on the door. We sprung apart. Kerry jumped out of the bed and clambered to her feet. She flung the door open as I tucked the cover back over myself.
Aries stood in the doorway. His face was red and his hands were clenched at his side. ‘I think you’ve failed to tell us something.’
My head was spinning from the use of drugs, lust and now Aries’ forceful power.
‘He will tell you when he feels better,’ Kerry said, going to close the door.
Aries slapped his hand on the wood, preventing her from shutting him out. He looked at me. His eyes zoned in on my gaze and held it. He shook his head once and turned away. The door closed behind him. He was disappointed. I could see it in his face. I had gone behind their backs, but how much did he know?
‘Everything’s messed up,’ I said as Kerry wiped her face and sat on the bed opposite me.
Her cheeks glowed when I smiled at her.
The kiss had blown me away. It had never been like that with Sophie.
‘I feel like I’ve taken advantage,’ Kerry whispered.
She flicked her hair over her shoulder as it fell forward. Her eyes were lowered, avoiding contact with mine. I didn’t blame her.
‘No. It was me that took advantage.’
My head started to pound. It was a common symptom I had been having for the last three days. Detoxing was not fun. I closed my eyes briefly. When I opened them again, Kerry had moved to crouch beside the bed.
‘You did not take advantage of me. You’re the one that only lost his girlfriend a couple of weeks ago.’
I laughed. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I held my stomach as she knelt there, watching me.
‘I’m sorry.’ I reached out and took her hand in mine.
Her frowned lifted when I kissed the crease on her palm. ‘Sophie is…would have been…fine with this.’
I let her go. She shook her head as she absently rubbed the spot my lips had just touched.
‘You should go now. I promise I’m not going anywhere. Send Cancer if you’re that worried.’
I needed to be alone. My dreams had been hectic. Even more so since coming off drugs and alcohol. I had to get my head clear and process all that I had learnt about Nick.
‘Okay. I’ll go,’ Kerry said.
She ran a hand over the bristles of hair on my head. My eyes closed at the blissful feeling. Her touch soothed my pounding headache.
‘Thank you. For everything,’ I whispered, capturing her hand as she went to pull away.
When I opened my eyes she was smiling down at me with a dreamy look in her eyes. Her blonde hair was hanging forward, brushing against her shoulders. The image of her was a confirmation of my vision.
‘I like your bracelet,’ she said, glancing at my wrist.
If I needed any more proof, her timing couldn’t have been better.
‘This old thing? I’d rip it off if I could,’ I stated.
She laughed as she squeezed my hand and left me to my shivers.
The events of my dreams were a jumble in my mind. If I had deduced the information correctly, Nick had been an ordinary human until he had been fooled by a man and heartbroken by the woman. He decided that love was awful and he was the avenger for everyone. He had killed people to prevent them being in relationships with the people they loved. He met a crazy old man that helped him confirm that what he did was okay. He was told about evil. His psychotic brain picked up on the excuse and when he met us, he had declared war.
Taurus: Book 3 in a Young Adult Paranormal Romance Series (The Zodiac Twin Flame Series) Page 13