I’ll kill him. Andrew said.
You’ll be killed. Don’t be ridiculous.
He shook her off and knelt down, until he was nose to nose with her. Gwen avoided eye contact with him, ashamed she let him see her like that. Gwen. He set us up. You could have been killed. We went through hell.
For your niece. Gwen said, forcing herself to stare into his angry brown eyes. Gwen heard the rumble of battle grow closer.
And for that I am thankful. It’s the only reason I’m not tearing Pete to shreds as we speak. Well, and for you…
Gwen felt him tugging at her heart. I know.
“Andrew!” Gwen screamed just as Captain Jamison Hookner appeared behind her protector. He was guarded by only one dark mantican, twice the size of hers. Turning, Andrew shoved Gwen behind him and prepared to fight.
Jamison was smiling eerily, stroking his mustache as he spoke. “Well Gwendylon, I underestimated you, and Lily for that matter, feisty little thing she always was but so selfless? I didn’t know she had it in her.” At the mention of Lily’s name Andrew bore his teeth and lunged at the captain only to be faced with the dark animal stopping him in his tracks with his paw. Andrew rose his paw to his chest.
“Don’t bother beast. I’ll be gone before they get here,” with that a portal began forming behind him.
“I just came to say good bye Gwen…for now, and congratulate you on your small, insignificant…victory. The war has just begun princess and while you might have won this tiff, you are sadly mistaken if you think you’ve begun to make a dent in my plans,” the portal grew with every word he spoke. His slicked back hair and refined clothing made him almost appear…human, though Gwen knew it couldn’t be. No human would do to people what they had done in that camp…would they? He sensed Gwen’s disgust. “You think I’m so terrible darling, Pete is no different than me. He kills in the name of protection. He slaughters my people, he puts himself first. He’s just the other side of the game my dear. The side with the prettier covering and the same…guts.” Gwen’s stomach turned at the way he said the word. “Another player killing in the name of protection. Killing for good, killing for evil, it’s all the same in the end isn’t it? Feel free to join me Gwen, on the winning side.” Andrew again snapped at the man. “Down puppy,” he said. “The princess doesn’t have to come. Just remember I warned you.”
The black mantican growled and the hair on his scabby back stood like a black cat on Halloween. He paced bath and forth behind the captain, just waiting for the chance to tear Andrew to apart.
Just then, Tok and Koli appeared in the distance, sprinting ahead. The portal was full size and with a snap of his manicured fingers he ordered the massive mantican through. Reluctantly, the mangy beast jumped inside, vanishing from sight.
Jamison began backing towards the spinning circle, still smiling. “Tell Petren hello for me, and Andrew, I’ll miss your sister’s…beauty,” he said his licking his lips. All at once, her protector snapped. He unthinkingly lunged ahead at the captain, clamping his lock tight jaw, filled with razor sharp teeth, around Jamison’s hand – severing it from his body. The handless man fell backwards into the portal, screaming in agony, until in an instant the portal closed, and silence replaced his raw screams. Andrew held the hand in his teeth, blood spilling from the detached end. Tokala and Koli walked slowly to Andrew’s side, as Gwen backed up behind them. He was full of blind passionate rage.
Andrew. Put it down. Please. Breathing hard, he ignored her.
Andrew. Put. It. Down. She demanded.
A small voice appeared from behind Gwen. Tiger. “Uncle…Andrew?”
With the sound of the girl’s voice, he whipped around, still holding the hand in his bloody mouth. Tiger was horrified and moved closer behind Gwen. He studied the girl and the madness disappeared from his eyes as he dropped the extremity. Suddenly, Koli and Tokala took off in the direction they came.
We have to go. Andrew’s voice finally appeared in her head.
Gwen touched the golden figure eight. What do you mean we have to go? Go where?
He was right you know. Andrew walked closer to Gwen. Pete is like him. They all are. We’re all just players in this sick game. We have to go… Come with me.
Gwen knew he was right. She was a pawn. Pete and Jamison, Jamison and Pete, it was all the same. They would do whatever it took to be in power, no matter whom or what it cost them. In the depths of her soul, Gwen knew he was right. She knew what she had to do. Okay.
Okay? he questioned.
Gwen nodded. She looked at the small spitting image of Lily. She wouldn’t let her become a piece of the game. A tool. A target. I’ll go with you.
Chapter 14
The private quarter in the passenger car of the train was quiet. Not that the whole train wouldn’t be at that hour of the night. Gwen looked at her watch. Quarter to midnight. Another night of no sleep. Hopefully they’d be in London by morning. What was there? She didn’t know. It’d been two weeks since they’d left Everland; Andrew, Tiger and Gwen. Gwen replayed that moment in the forest with Captain Hookner over and over in her head. Did she do the right thing? Leaving with Pete’s daughter without even a word goodbye? She’d never know. Would she see him again? Of that, she wasn’t sure either. She knew they’d search for her, both sides of the game. Pete’s beautiful glittery and shiny side, and Jamison’s ugly tattered one.
She adjusted herself in the red pleather seats and Tiger wiggled her sleeping body beside her. The precious girl had tasted chocolate for the first time that morning. Her big green eyes sparkled as she devoured the candy bar. In the past few weeks, she’d gained a little weight though was still pretty frail. She reminded Gwen so much of Lily. Her black hair, tan skin, pointed nose, and dark eyebrows. All her mother. Except the eyes. Pete’s eyes. Gwen felt her heart ache from time to time looking into those eyes, dreaming of what could have been. She truly felt his love for her was real…shaking her head she pushed his memory from her mind, only to be replaced by another. The collar. She replayed the night before she left for middle earth.
“It’s beautiful.” Gwen gasped.
Andrew wasn’t surveying the glittering blue lagoon below. He wasn’t admiring the rainbow colored sunset, he wasn’t even adoring the glowing waterfall splashing playfully over cliff upon golden cliff and finally into the glistening pool. He was staring at something far more beautiful to him. The way her blue eyes reflected the turquoise of lush foreign plants made his arms feel unattached to his rock hard body.
“Yah it really is. I’ve thought so from the first time I saw it.” She could sense his eyes on her. Gwen suddenly felt self-conscious. She became aware of her pale legs against her denim too short, shorts. Her makeup-less face. She tucked her auburn waves behind her ear as she often nervously did. The temptation gnawed at her body. She wanted him. Wanted him to take her in his strong arms and embrace her, hold her, keep her safe from this world. Safe from her confusion. She wanted him to keep her safe from…Pete. She turned away from the fairy tale laid out before her, to face her forbidden fantasy. He towered over her. His bare smooth chest looked as if it were wrapped in a layer of caramel silk. She could feel his body heat against her bare midriff and thighs. She wanted so badly to touch him. Their eyes met.
Her plump rose lips called to him like an innate prohibited urge, something he felt he almost had no control over. Her hips demanded he hold them, her blue eyes summoning him in.
The setting sun made his tan skin glimmer. His black hair reflected blue. Lifting his hands even with her perfect model like hips, he stopped just inches from them. His hands turned to fists. Closing his eyes he softly whispered, “We can’t.”
“I want you to.” Gwen she whispered back.
“It’s not safe Gwen. Remember what happened the last time I touched you; I won’t do that to you again. Besides, this isn’t how it’s supposed to be. We can’t do this. As much as I want to.” Andrew took a step back.
“No that’s just it. We can n
ow.” Gwen took a step forward and pulled a lime green collar from her pocket. Andrew could smell her sweet cotton candy perfume. His mouth salivated for her lips. “I found it in the refugees and kept it…I thought it might…be useful.” Embarrassed, Gwen looked away. It was just his size. “Must have come from a mantican.”
“There’s a reason it’s this painful to touch you know. It’s to keep things like this from happening. We aren’t supposed to be. I am meant to protect you; our species can’t continue if our kinds end up together. It’s not natural here.”
“I don’t care if it’s natural. It feels right to me somehow.” Gwen held up the collar. “Take it” she demanded. Andrew’s conscience was screaming no, but his heart was whispering yes. He reached out and slowly lifted his large hand up to hers, taking the collar. He put it on, not even wincing as he pressed the needles into his thick neck.
“Let’s test it,” Gwen said, bringing her hand to her mark. “Did you hear that?” she asked.
Andrew shook his head, “No,” he said smiling.
“You’re free Andrew. If we’re going to do this and go back to middle earth, into hiding…I want to do it like this. I want you to get to be….kind of normal,” she said smiling.
“Thanks, I think,” he laughed. Moving closer to her, he took her smooth face in his hands. Sliding one hand down to her chin, he tilted her head up and bent down to meet her lips. He kissed her and their world stopped. Pulling away, he said, “Really, Gwen, thank you.”
Cheeks red, Gwen placed her hand around his neck and kissed him again, hard. His lips were soft and wet. Pushing her back he placed her head onto his chest.
“What are we going to do? Where are we going to go?” Gwen asked looking back to make sure a sleeping Tiger was still cuddled up in her blanket, dreaming away. Caressing her smooth skin with his rough thumb his brows furrowed. “I don’t know Gwen, but it’s time, we’ve got to go.”
The train rumbled a bit and she was brought back to reality.
“Can’t sleep?” he said. Gwen turned to see Andrew standing in the doorway.
She shook her head. “Shhh. They’re out like lights,” Gwen said pointing to her two sleeping brothers in the seat across from her. They’d been so lucky Arthur saw things their way and handed them over. He promised he wouldn’t tell and congratulated Andrew on his freedom. Gwen would always remember the words he spoke to his brother.
“Live it for both of us.”
He motioned for her to come with him. Sliding carefully out from under Tiger, she followed him to the back of the car and out the doors to the caboose. Her hair whipped in the wind as he stood behind her.
“I’m scared,” she whispered, looking up at his green collar placed perfectly around his neck. Thankfully, it was small enough he could cover it with a necklace and it looked somewhat normal.
“Me too,” he said as he caressed her shoulders.
“Do you think we’ll find them there, in London?” Gwen asked.
“The Elite?”
Gwen nodded closing her eyes she felt as if she were flying. Again she shook thoughts of Pete out of her mind.
Andrew shrugged.
“What if we never find them,” Gwen asked pulling his arms around her.
“Then I guess we’ll have to move to our last resort,” he said quietly.
Gwen shook her head, quickly dismissing the idea. “They’ll find us for sure if we do that. You know we can’t.” Gwen felt sick. The last resort. She hated even thinking about going back into the spirit world to find Rynnal and ask him where to find the Elite. She knew it was inevitable one day she would go back for her friend, but they’d have to be prepared for a fight. The minute they walked back into that world, they’d feel her enter for sure. Hollow was in this world now. They had enough to worry about here. They’d start with the Elite. “For now we continue to search.”
“Right. Search, hide, and be normal. Right, Summer?” he laughed at the false name she had chosen for herself. She elbowed him.
“It’s no better than Andy,” she joked.
“Hey I can’t remember anything else okay?” he teased squeezing her tighter. The stars glimmered crystal clear that night. Andrew pointed. “See the north star up there?”
“Mmm hmmm,” Gwen answered.
“Now see the second star to the right?” he asked.
She nodded.
“That’s the only place in all of middle earth that is a mirror image of a star in the sky of Everland,” he explained.
Gwen saw the star bright and twinkling and she instantly thought of Pete.
“Cold? Want to go inside?”
“Yah,” Gwen answered. “I do.”
And the train drove straight on until morning.
***
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading book one in the Everland Eternal series, Darlings! I hope you enjoyed discovering Everland as much as I loved writing it. Stay tuned for the release of book two in the series, and keep an eye on my facebook page for news on my upcoming website. Again, deepest thanks! Facebook: http://facebook.com/AshleyMSwisher
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Darlings Page 24