“Hey,” I complained as the sprinkles of water hit me.
He just grinned at me. “Aren't you going to come in?” he asked, a bit of teasing to his voice.
“Yes, I'm just waiting-”
I screamed a little out of shock. James grabbed me and hugged me to his warm wet body, then fell back, immersing me in the warm water.
When I came up I glared at him. He just smiled back playfully.
“There. No reason to wait,” he said, still smiling.
I ducked underwater and sucked in a mouthful of the pool water. I came back up to the surface and squirted the water at him and he put his hands up to shield my attack. Then when I was out of ammo, he quickly grabbed me from underwater, picking me up and this time he threw me with a roar. I came back up to the surface to jump on him, but by the time my vision became clear again I couldn't see him. I looked around and he was on the other side of the pool, a streak of thousands of tiny bubbles leading to him.
“Hey, no fair. Get back here!” I called.
He started laughing his booming laugh as I swam towards him while thinking that was fast in my head.
Elane finally dove into the water gracefully and started swimming towards him. She appeared behind him and jumped on his back, and I finally got there and joined in.
It was fun, just being a teenager for once, but I couldnt stop my mind from wandering towards Sam, and it kind of made me worried that I kept thinking of this... I hated saying this but this insanely gorgeous guy, looked like he had anger issues especially with me.
We just relaxed for a few hours after that, occasionally Elane and I would gang up on James, it was pretty funny. Unfortunately in the end he would always triumph, considering he was outnumbered which was really unfair. The pool was also very warm, it was like being in a huge rock bath, but with no soap. Even though it was 18 - degrees outside of the pool house, you wouldnt have been able to tell.
We eventually got hungry and got out around 3:30pm all wrinkly. Once we stepped out of the pool house it was freezing, so we all quickly ran inside to the warm heated house, our towels wrapped around us like blankets. Well at least Elane and I ran, James walked slowly in the freezing wind trying to show-off how tough he was.
The show-off.
We walked into the kitchen and out of no where, I instantly felt a sharp pain inside my chest, it was like something had been jabbed into me for no apparent reason.
“Oh,” I gasped, putting my hand over my heart and bracing myself against my knees.
I think I was having a heart attack.
“Layla?” James and Elane said at the same time.
They were both standing in front of me, one of their hands each on my shoulders.
“Layla, what's wrong?” James asked in a serious tone.
But I couldnt see him or Elane, I was seeing something else, but my eyes were open. I don't think you see stuff when you're having a heart attack.
I raised my hand in front of me, I still had Sams ring on and suddenly everything blurred away and something else appeared. I was driving a car and I could see a sharp turn ahead, so I sped up and I could see my street. What was I doing? I looked in the rear view mirror and it was Sams face, not mine that looked back at me. The pain and anguish was there clearly. I looked at myself... well, Sam, shocked at first, then anger overcame me and I blinked.
I could see James worried face come into view and Elane was staring off into the distance. She suddenly snapped her head up to look at me, confusion and worry in her eyes.
Then we heard tires squealing not so far away. The person driving the car had abruptly stopped, I heard the brakes scream in protest myself. Someone started revving their car out but they didnt start getting closer until I heard another squeal of protest from the tires, and thats when I knew the car was getting closer and closer to the house every second after that.
I was trembling, I felt fear.
What was going on here?
My breath started coming quicker and shallower, then Elane was pulling me upstairs and I saw James walk out the front door. I had a bad feeling about this, I felt like whatever was coming was not going to end well.
“Get dressed, quickly,” she told me when we were in the guest bedroom. “Come and wait for me in the living room up here when you are done.”
She smiled slightly and walked out, shutting the door behind her.
I got dressed and decided that I should put the ring away, so I put it in my pocket of the borrowed jeans and walked out of the room. I waited in the living room but Elane didn't come back up, and the suspense of what was happening downstairs was killing me and making me more nervous.
I got up and slowly walked towards the stairs, but stopped at the top, not sure whether to go downstairs or not.
The first thing I heard was yelling.
“You should not have done that!” It sounded like Sam, he also sounded pissed.
“You will thank me for this one day!” I think Elane, yelled back.
“No, you're wrong, I do not need anybody!” Sam yelled furiously.
“Then why are you still here?” she spat back, her voice was like ice.
There was silence.
“It's not like that,” he nearly whispered.
“Please, Samuel, try to be understanding,” someone else spoke now.
Peter, I recognized, his voice was layered with tension. He must have gotten back from work early or something.
Someone sighed.
“That's my boy,” I heard Peter say, slightly relieved.
“Fine, I will try to be understanding but its just too dangerous, you'll see,” Sam said, he sounded calmer now.
“Good, well James, go get her,” I heard Summer say.
I gasped.
This was over me I realised. No! Why?
James came around the stairs seconds later and saw me instantly, sitting at the top of the stairs. I didn't notice that I had sat down, but James made his way up the stairs warily. I noticed he had changed into a pair of black denim jeans and a white button up long sleeve shirt that emphasized the muscles on his chest and arms too.
“Layla, I'm so sorry you had to hear all of that,” he whispered.
He walked up the last few stairs and came and sat next to me carefully.
I was too paralysed to move or say anything.
He wrapped his big arms around me slowly and I hugged him back, finding my arms.
“It's okay, nobody is going to hurt you. We just need you to come downstairs so we can explain some things,” he murmured to me in a soothing voice while stroking my hair.
“Okay,” I said in a small and disconnected voice.
I felt him laugh silently. “Alright, if it makes you laugh, I will tell you who I'm going to ask out at school on Monday.”
“Who?” I demanded in a whisper.
“Your friend; Rosetta,” he said in a small, unashamed voice.
I laughed a little, but it sounded shaky.
“That's the spirit,” he said, relieved that his plan to cheer me up worked just a miniscule. “So are we going to go down stairs now?”
I thought about that for a minute. I didn't really want to but I guess I didnt have any choice in the matter, there was no escape.
“Yes,” I said, surprised at how determined my voice sounded.
He laughed again. “Okay, let's go.”
He helped me up and held my hand as we walked down to the kitchen. It wasn't the kind of handholding as in you like each other, it was more comforting, like I was his little sister and I had a big brother again.
We walked into the kitchen swiftly and the first thing I saw was Sam, his expression was calm and smooth as he sat down at the table. I could tell he was putting in a lot of effort to keep that face but I tried to swallow the feeling to turn and run for the door.
I saw that he was dressed similar to James. He had blue jeans on and a Grey long sleeve button up shirt. I realised Sam wasnt as small as I thought he was either, he was no Ja
mes but he did look very masculine and broad, you could barely see the teenager in him, only if you looked closely you could see it.
Jane was leaning against the counter, with Elane next to her, both of them expressionless as well, but as beautiful as ever in long tights and skives.
Summer and Peter were sitting at the table on the left. They looked more like statues than people, they were motionless.
I felt nervous and vulnerable, James hand in mine was the only thing keeping me from sprinting out the backdoor within two seconds flat.
He walked me to the table, sat us down in the chairs directly opposite Summer and Peter, right next to Sam. I just looked at Summer across from me, I didn't think I could handle another one of Sams death stares, and James was the only thing between us.
Elane went and sat at the head of the table in between Sam and Peter, and Jane took the other head of table near me and the empty seat. Even this huge oval eight-seater table seemed small right now.
“Okay, let us bring this down to an understanding shall we,” Elane said, breaking the silence.
I looked at her and she was looking right at Sam now. Everyone was.
“Well, I don't think this is a good idea, it is much too dangerous and I think you are not aware of how strong she is,” Sam said, glancing quickly in my direction, then back to Elane.
“You may be right brother, but surely you can see her potential,” Jane said to Sam from the head of table near me.
I didn't have the faintest idea of what they were talking about, but I had a better instinct that told me not to speak, it would only make matters worse.
“That's not what I am talking about,” Sam said, shaking his head.
He looked frustrated.
“Well then, what are you talking about Sam? Enlighten us please with your vast and unlimited amount of knowledge,” Elane said sarcastically, crossing her arms.
There was silence and everybody still had their eyes on Sam, waiting for his answer.
“Elane, let me ask you this,” Sam finally spoke, looking down at his clenched fists on the table. “What exactly did you see?” he asked, his face looked puzzled and calculating.
“Like I said, there are two powerful beings here and we need to find them before the Warrigal do,” Elane answered flatly, seeming a bit suspicious and guarded.
“I know that, but how did you find out about this one?” he asked accusingly, staring at her. “You cannot just expect me to believe that you would just stumble across something like this.” Sam went on, a note of petulance in his voice.
“Yes I can, and that is what I would like you to do.” Elane was having a hard time controlling her voice now.
“No Elane, I know you, and this sort of act from you is unfathomable. You would have some reason for this, why won't you tell me!” he demanded, leaning forward and hitting his fist on the table, his glare murderous but luckily away from me.
“You will never believe me,” she said in a quiet voice, looking down at the table as she rested her hands in her lap.
I was really confused, more than that, what were they even talking about? I was lost before I even came into the room and completely clueless, but I knew somehow I was involved.
I looked at James and he was looking at Sam, his jaw tight, but his hand was still in mine.
“Spit it out Elane,” Sam spat, his eyes burning of anger, but she was still looking down at the table.
Sam took a deep breath and spoke calmer now. “Elane, you wouldn't have seen her unless she gets mingled with us, now what does she do?”
Elane looked at Jane, then she looked at me. I'm pretty sure she could see the confusion and fear in my eyes, but whatever she saw there made her face calmer.
“She doesn't do anything, but I think you should hear it from her first,” Elane said to Sam, but she was looking at me.
Everyone turned to face me and I felt a bit embarrassed.
“Layla, why don't you tell us what you dreamt about last night?” Elane asked in a soft voice. “Tell us exactly what you saw.”
I took a deep breath and James squeezed my hand in reassurance. I swallowed nervously.
Here goes nothing, if they think Im obsessed with Sam then there's nothing I can do for that, I just wanted this to be over so I could leave.
“Well, I was walking in a dark forest, I think... and I suddenly saw a bright light, so I followed it. It led to a river, and by the edge of the river I saw… I saw myself on the ground. I reached out to touch my cheek but it wasnt my hand. I turned and looked into the river and it wasnt my face, it was…” I trailed off.
I didn't really think I could say his name in this sentence.
“Whose face was it Layla?” Elane asked encouragingly.
I sighed. “Sams,” I said in a whisper, meeting nobodys gaze.
I heard a few gasps but I still did not look up, it was too embarrassing and I was scared of how Sam would react.
“And Layla, what did you look like on the ground?” Elane pressed further.
I started tracing James hand, but I spoke carefully, keeping my eyes down. “I was pale, and wet…and I think I was…I think I was dead,” I said in a quiet voice.
It was too quiet in the room, so I decided to look up.
I found everyone was looking at Elane, except for Sam, he was staring at me past James, horror struck. His face pale and his expression irked.
“Can't you see?” Elane asked.
Sam unwillingly turned his head around to face Elane. “She is more powerful than I thought,” Sam mumbled.
“Maybe, maybe not,” Elane was looking at me again. “I have a theory.”
“And what would that be,” Sam muttered sarcastically, crossing his arms over his body.
“I think you have a connection,” she said, so quietly that I had to lean forward to hear it.
Connection?? Of what!
“No,” Sam said darkly, his nostrils starting to flare.
“If you do not see this brother, then you are blind,” Elane replied, looking at him now.
“No, I don't believe you!” he shouted dubiously, his fists clenched as he unfolded his arms.
He seemed like he was… staggered by just the thought.
Three things happened simultaneously in that next second. As Sam finished shouting he banged his fists on the table harder than before and all the windows in the kitchen smashed, I saw it so clearly when all of the pieces came towards me, but then like a blur, air was whistling through my hair and I was upstairs in James arms, tucked protectively into his chest.
He set me down and I heard smashing, yelling and a thud. Then silence. James was still, listening intently to what was happening. My heart was hammering out of my chest, my eyes wide with fear.
“You're okay, you're going to be fine,” James said soothingly. “It's okay.”
He sat me down on the couch and I was trembling slightly, what was going on here? Did I just cross the line into delusional land?
“Stay here,” he said, and before me, his whole eyes turned a full midnight black, evil almost.
Then he disappeared, leaving a breeze of his cologne behind him.
What was that! Where did he just go? Was I freaking hallucinating???
I shuddered and went over to curl up on the recliner, looking around me nervously and warily. I think I was seeing things. That, or I was dead or unconscious. This couldnt be happening, what the hell? Everything bad always happens when Im around; maybe I am just a target for bad luck. I wondered if I should have just given up two days ago when Adam left, maybe everything would have been easier for everyone.
I could hear voices downstairs, then I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and I froze, looking intensely towards the hallway. James appeared with Sam at the end of the hallway, but Sam had a blindfold on and I think James was restraining his arms behind his back.
I was still as a statue, breathing with caution, making sure I didn't make so much as a peep.
James walked over w
ith Sam slowly and sat him down on the small sofa. I saw that he was tensed, ready to spring and so was James.
I wanted to run away, but my instincts told me Id better stay still, so I sunk further back into the recliner. If I moved I knew something was bound to happen and it wouldn't be good... for me.
“Sam, if I remove the blindfold do you swear not to do anything irrational?” James spoke with slow deliberation.
“She's here, isnt she?” he hissed.
“Yes, but I am not going to take the blindfold off until you swear it.”
“Fine, you have my word,” he said, a bit more calmly.
I started to shake. James looked at me solemn and cautioned me with his eyes. He took the blindfold off in one swift movement but did not let go of his arms. Sam stared at me, this time there was no anger on his face as I expected and feared, but curiosity.
I sat and waited for someone to speak, or for something to happen.
Sam hesitated. “Do you know how powerful you are?” he asked in a low voice.
I noticed he had to try really hard to keep his tone calm now.
I just shook my head, worried that if I said something he might get upset.
Sam shifted forward and James tightened his grip. “It's okay brother, I'm fine,” Sam reassured him.
James looked at his brother and then at me. I nodded and he let go of Sam slowly.
I was curious to what he had to say.
“We will be listening Sam,” James warned his brother as he stood up.
Then he walked down the hallway and was gone. Sam turned his gaze back to me and I tried to sink back more into the recliner. I was still afraid of him and the intensity of his stare was making it hard to breathe.
“Do you know what we are?”
“No,” I answered in a whisper, looking into his oddly shaded colour of very light green eyes.
They were somehow hypnotic and I couldn't turn away from his hold.
“Do you know what we can do?” he whispered intensely, looking into my eyes.
“Should I?” I asked.
The Hidden Revelations: First Light Page 7