Chapter 52

Sighing, I plop down on the wooden steps and stare into the vast woodland surrounding us. Cole comes and sits beside me. The two of us sit in silence for a while. I lean my head against his shoulders and close my eyes. I have no fear of Cole. I truly believe, even with all the odds stacked against him, that Cole is a good man.
“You know, I understand why Chris does not trust me. I am my father’s son, after all. I didn’t always live with my father, you know?”
I open my eyes and move my head so I can look up into his dark eyes.
“I once lived in Florida with my mother. She was the best mom anyone could ask for, loving and caring. She was fun and carefree. We spent countless hours on the beach. We would build sandcastles. Mom used to say sandcastles are like our lives, we can put our hearts and souls into making them perfect, but with the hands of time they will crumble and fall. I never understood what she meant, until now.
“Disneyland was my favorite. Both the rides and characters. Mom loved the rollercoasters and the excitement of the make-believe magic.” He stared off into the distance for some time as if thinking, before continuing, “When I turned ten, we began to run. I never understood why, or from what, for that matter. We moved around a lot, staying in cheap motels. By the time I turned thirteen, my father’s men had caught up with us. We were forced into my father’s realm. With the portal being closed it was a very painful experience. When it came to me, my mother would not follow his rules and questioned his every move. He would remind her that he was the one who set her free, and he was the one that allowed her freedom. I learned that before my mother was pregnant with me, she was a slave at the castle.
“One day at dinner, my mother challenged father over the plans he had for me, he liked to taunt her with the dreadful things he wanted me to do. My mother could do nothing but sit and listen. Then she lost it and tried to stand up for me. He didn’t like this and snapped her neck. Then he sat down to eat as if nothing had happened. One of the servants moved forward to remove her body, but my father wanted her to stay where she was. For over an hour I stared at her lifeless body. I swore I would avenge her death one day. As the years wore on, I realized the only way to gain my freedom was to obey him. I lost myself to the darkness around me and to my father’s ways. Then you came along, with memories I had tried so hard to bury.”
The undying sadness of his heartbreaking story pulled at my heart strings. To see your mother murdered by your own father must be the worst experience ever. Yet, despite this, there is still kindness in his eyes.
He runs his finger gently and tenderly down my cheek. His eyes take on a tender look. He moves slowly towards me. My mind screams for me to move, but my body refuses to obey. He presses his lips to mine, causing a slight flutter in my stomach. He takes my stillness as an invitation, pressing his lips harder. My mind screams at me to pull away, but my heart likes the warm fuzzy feeling spreading over my body.
His tongue finds its way into my mouth. The jolts of excitement bring me to my senses. I push him away and leap for the log cabin. Once inside, I head up the open staircase, looking for a room to hide in. I fling open the first door and throw myself onto the bed, burying my face into the pillows. I let out a muffled scream. I can see why Cole did the thing he did. No one has ever shown him kindness. He has mistaken my friendship for more.
***

The ensuite bathroom door opens, and Chris steps out. A white towel covers the lower part of his body, leaving his toned muscled chest exposed. I take in a deep breath at the sight of this Adonis.
Water beads form on his broad shoulders, and his wet tousled hair looks inviting. The urge to kiss him becomes strong. It wasn’t that long ago I had my tongue down Cole’s throat, and now I look and lust after Chris. I feel disgusted with myself, I try to turn away, but my body has other ideas.
My face heats with the embarrassment of staring at him. The burning desire in his eyes causes me to lick my lips.
The door opens forcefully, gaining my full attention. Cole stands there, looking from me to Chris.
“What the…?” Chris demands his voice filled with hatred.
“You have a guest downstairs,” Cole snaps. He then turns and leaves, slamming the door behind him. Chris pulls clothes out of numerous drawers and walks back into the bathroom. I lay back down with no desire to go downstairs and find out who’s there.
After a few minutes, Chris walks out of the bathroom wearing a pair of dark jeans and a dark blue top. He rests his hand on my back. “You are coming?” he asks in a small voice.
“No, “I reply, lifting my head a little. He looks down at me with sad eyes and nods. None of us really understands what’s happening and the weight of everything is holding us down and opening a doorway for heartache and loneliness to creep through.
“By the way, where are we?” I ask as he reaches the door. This room and these surroundings feel very familiar. Blurry images flash in my mind, but I can’t grasp enough of them to make sense of anything.
“This was my old home before we moved to Enchanted Falls. We are in the mountains. We can’t go back to Enchanted Falls just yet. We need answers first.”
***
Voices carry up the stairs and through the small gap in the door. I can make out Misty’s voice. Knowing everything is okay, and we are not being bombarded by various demons, I go in search of clean clothes. A nice restful sleep sounds appealing. Today’s been yet another long day. The sun has already begun to set, and the sky is slowly turning black.
I find a white t-shirt and a pair of shorts, which I quickly pull on. In one corner of the room is a small table with a kettle and some things to make a drink with. I make a quick cup of tea and sip it as I look out over the towering trees. As I do everything unexpectedly starts to become blurry.
Four children run in and out of the trees laughing and screaming in a playful manner. Each armed with a water gun. Carefree and full of life they roll around the ground. I smile as I watch their happy little faces. A little blonde girl trips over a tree stump and grazes her knee. One of the two dark-haired boys’ rushes over with a look of concern on his face. Then, a little black-haired girl sits beside her, throwing her arms around the tear-filled blond girls’ shoulders. The other dark-haired boy bends down and gently takes the girls leg in his hands while the other boy holds her hand.
Their caring, loving nature towards each other brings tears to my eyes. This group of children love each other, that’s for sure. You can see it in their body language and their actions. I long for love like that. The ever-present loneliness inside me grows stronger.
The little boy’s hand glows a faint blue. I gasp as the blond girl’s eyes come into focus; their unnatural brightness startles me.
Warm arms wrap around me. The familiar smell of cinnamon and the outdoors creates a sense of safety. I lean back in his arms, watching the vision of my younger self fade away.
Once I was loved and cared for. Ironically, by the same people who would later lie to me. Once I had the life I can only now dream about having. Family and friends, safety, and love. But the war between the Angels and Darkness tore us apart. A war that destroyed my mother and turned my grandmother’s heart to steel.
I turn around and bury my head in Chris’s chest, wanting to feel loved, if only for a moment. For just one moment, I want to forget about the world around me and the lies that keep on spinning.
He strokes my hair and plants feather like kisses on my head. The urge to kiss him arises, but I refrain.
Taking an attentive step back, I look into his baby blue eyes. “I need to know the truth. I need to know everything. It’s time I try and understand the world I’m in now.”
He nods his head, lifts me off the floor and carries me over to the bed, where he gently places me and tucks me in like a small child before climbing in beside me.
I rest my head on his chest and entwine my fingers with his. Even though I enjoyed kissing Cole, my heart pulls me towards Chris. The feelings I have when Chris is around is strong. The electric current zapping between us makes my blood sing.
“I don’t really know where to start?” he says, running his hand softly down my face, stopping at my chin and lifting my head to look at him.