by Jenna Bernel
Henry reluctantly looks over his shoulder at the guys, unsure of what to do, as I'm positive this wasn't a part of the plan, but I tug him away anyways, not caring one bit about everyone else's plans for my life. A few hundred yards later, he begins to relax his shoulders and clasps my hand tighter, seemingly relieved to get away from that tension-filled encounter, which only fills me with confidence over my choice to exit the situation. I'd like to do right by him; I owe him that much, and so much more.
"Where to?" Henry finally asks, as I clearly have no clue where I am or where I'm going. I aimlessly walk us down the beach, biting my lip like I'll find us a way out of here in no time.
"Do you have somewhere I can shower and change?" I ask, stopping momentarily to look down at my beautiful gown. It's so lovely, but the tightly woven corset top is starting to feel confining, and I already feel trapped here. It's too much. There's too much makeup on my face and hairspray in my loopy waves. I just want to take a hot shower and wash this night away.
"You'll stay with me." Henry squeezes my hand with reassurance as he gently redirects us away from the ocean. I try my best to smile at him but it falls flat. I can only nod, closing my eyes with gratitude for his help. I can still feel the guys watching me intently from afar, wondering what our next move is. Henry redirects us and begins to pull me along as he leads me off the sandy beach and into reprieve.
Chapter 2: Block the Light
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. The water does wonders to relieve some of the tension in my shoulders. I've been in here too long. I know I can't hide in here forever. I look down at my hands, which are now barely visible through the clouds of vapor, and see that the tips of my fingers are wrinkled like raisins. My shoulders sag, knowing I can't hold off any longer, so I reluctantly turn the spout, extinguishing my steamy escape.
As I towel off, I wipe away a spot on the fogged mirror of Henry's bathroom to inspect myself. I look well, pretty, even, with freshly washed hair and clean skin. Still I stare, searching. On the outside, everything seems normal, but I know inside something just isn't right. I quickly look away, not wanting to work myself into an overanalyzing frenzy and ruin my relaxing shower. That is a worry for the morning, and I'm too exhausted to think about it. I gingerly step out of the bathroom to find Henry smiling at me on the couch.
"Feel better?" he asks, setting down his book.
"Much, thank you," I say, and reluctantly sit beside him. Normally, I wouldn't consider myself shy, but I feel a bit awkward sitting here wrapped in this short towel. Henry is like my little brother, and even Evan, whom I'd consider my boyfriend, has not seen me like this. I swallow, realizing Alec has—more than once, in fact—and an unwelcome flutter hits my stomach as I recall his eyes on me. It's so vivid in my memory that I swear I can smell his rosewater scent in the air.
"Here," Henry says, regaining my attention. He sets a duffle bag between us on the couch. I look down, scrunching my forehead at the familiar bag from my closet, and look at him questioningly.
"Alec dropped this off for you. I didn't look inside, but he said it would get you by for a few days." Henry looks at the floor, knowing I will only take away one thing from that sentence.
"Alec was here?!" It hadn’t been my imagination; the bag left his cologne’s scent lingering in the air.
"Yes, only for a minute. He knows you need space right now. He just asked me to give this to you and to warn you that he will be by in the morning."
"No! How does he even know I am here?" I say, shaking my head in frustration.
"Ha! Well, give the guy a little credit, Dani. It doesn't take a detective to figure out we came back to my cottage," he teases, and I smile, feeling a little foolish.
"Oh, right. Well, he can knock down the door for all I care. I'm not going anywhere with him," I say, and Henry eyes me with slight pity but he can’t hide his private smile. I know I probably sound like a petulant child; Alec has a talent for bringing out the stubborn brat in me.
"You know I'll always be on your side, but I don't think there is much I can do to help. He majorly outranks me," Henry says apologetically, but I can tell he thinks I am being harsh.
"And who outranks him?" I can't help but ask. What does he mean by rank? Clearly, much like the vampire world, it is not a democracy here.
"Your fath— I mean Christoph, the Golden Ring, inherits, but only by a technicality, certainly not by power. And obviously you've noticed that Roman very much wishes he were the boss of him." Henry laughs quickly, trying to recover his word slip on calling that man my father.
"Oh…" I say, more confused than ever, but that is enough information for one night.
"What time is it, anyways?" I ask, changing the subject. I look outside and realize that the sky is still the color of raspberry syrup, but it feels so late. My eyes get heavier by the second.
"It's almost three in the morning, you should get some rest," Henry says, understanding I don’t want to talk anymore about anything of importance.
"But it's—"
"That's Caliontre; the sun never completely sets here. But I have dark shades in my bedroom to block the light. Come with me." Henry takes my hand and picks up the duffle bag, then leads me down the hall past the bathroom to his bedroom.
"Strange..." is all I can muster, wondering what other magic this place of light holds.
"Here we are." Henry sets my bag on his bed before grabbing some clothes from his dresser and turning to exit.
"Henry, wait. I can't take your bed from you," I say, shaking my head in protest.
"Stop. I'm not going to even entertain this argument. The sofa bed works fine for me, and you have had a really rough night…or week, from what I hear."
I close my eyes. True story.
"And so have you, I imagine. Are you OK? Like really OK? How are you doing here?" I ask, feeling protective of him again. He smiles reassuringly and walks over to give me a hug, but hesitates when he looks at my towel. I blush. I forgot I was still in it. Obviously he is as uncomfortable as I about walking around in front of him like this. I smile and give him a half hug while holding my towel tightly to put him at ease.
"I'm good, Dani, I promise. Of course I miss my family, but I've been able to contact them, so that's made it easier. And really, I like it here. We've all become a little family of our own. It's a special place, Caliontre. I like the freedom I have here, exploring this island and my powers," Henry says as he begins to exit again.
"We?" I have about a dozen more questions from what he said, but that's what pops out.
"Yes, we're all here safe because of you. Your twenty-two turned." He winks, but I just look at him bewildered. They are all here. Except for Eli, I sadly realize. I never dreamed all my turned would be able to live in the same place together, let alone that I’d ever get to see them again. It feels like a small victory for the evening.
"Does this feel like home?" I ask, genuinely wanting to know the answer because no place I've ever been to quite feels like home to me.
"Well, I can't speak for everyone else, but it feels that way to me. I'll let you sleep and we'll talk more in the morning. Good night." Henry waves as he closes the door and I take in a sharp breath, not knowing I'd been holding it, then a second later there is a knock at the door to warn me of Henry's reentry.
"Daniella, I know you're really confused right now, but I'm so happy you're here. It's an honor to have you in my home," Henry adds with a tilt of his head before shutting the door again. I collapse on the bed and look at the ceiling, trying to take it all in. How odd. Why so formal all of a sudden? I wonder. Then the whole ranking thing comes back to me. Ugh, this place is weird, and I'm sure tomorrow will be no exception.
Obviously I have a lot to learn, but tonight denial will do just fine. Sooner or later I'll have to face the light…literally. I twist my head to look out the window. The light in the sky is the most perfect color of raspberry syrup, and it reminds me of the time I made breakfast for Alec after we spent mo
st of the night in a lip lock, but it was so much more than just a kiss. I quickly shake the memory away; even thinking about it feels like I'm cheating on Evan.
I can't help but break out in a little relieved smile. I am glad to know my turned are here, and I can’t wait to see them. Urgh, Alec will probably dangle them like bait until I agree to talk to him. I had escaped in the shower, but this is his territory. Of course I can run, but there is no way I can hide.
Chapter 3: No Escape from Pancakes
“Wow, did you make raspberry syrup?” Alec says, licking the drops off my finger.
“You like?” I ask before trying the flavor for myself.
“Hard to say when you taste just as good. I’m going to need another sample.”
I smirk when he scoops a big dollop from the saucepan. “Hey, that’s sticky!” I squeal with laughter when he swipes the syrup along my neck and across my lips.
“No worries, I’m very thorough,” he says slowly, then starts kissing the hollow of my collarbone. I arch into him and my insides swirl with fevered sparks as he trails his hot mouth up my neck, lighting me up until I can’t catch my breath. I drop my wooden spoon to the floor, unable to keep holding it when he dips his tongue gently in my ear. I moan as I shudder against him and he crashes his mouth to mine in response. I wrap my arms and legs around him, my heart beating out of my chest trying to physically connect itself to his. He kisses me endlessly; you could stop time with our kiss.
“Nope, sorry, chef. You taste much better,” Alec whispers in my ear as I pant breathlessly from our passionate embrace, thinking I’ve never been happier than I am in this moment.
*****
"Good morning, beautiful." The sound of Alec's voice abruptly jolts me out of my dream and I shoot upright in bed.
"Whoa whoa whoa, Dani. As much as I want to see all of that glorious bod, I'd prefer if it is out of your own volition and not by default."
Alec's eyes are squeezed shut and he holds two coffees up in front of him. I'd fallen asleep in the tiny towel and it had come undone as I rose.
"Gah! What the hell, don't you knock?!" I quickly wrap the towel around my bare body and scrabble under the covers of Henry's bed.
"Decent?" Alec inquires, eyes still shut.
"If you don't wipe that smirk off your face, I'm going to punch you blind and you won't have to worry about closing them ever again."
Alec's lips twitch as he presses them tightly together, trying desperately to heed my warning.
"Is that for me?" I ask, looking at the two coffee cups still in front of his face so I know he isn’t peeking. He holds one out for me and I extend an arm from under the blankets to grab it.
"You can open your eyes," I say, rolling mine as I take a sip of the warm, earthy liquid with a hint of cinnamon. Damn, how does he know me so well…
Alec opens his eyes, still trying to hide his smirk as he sits tentatively on the bed and takes a sip from his own coffee.
"Need an energy boost, do you?" I ask sarcastically, leaning back onto the headboard and making sure to take the blankets with me.
Alec shrugs. "I still like the taste, and besides, I'm in Caliontre. I'm Nephil here…at least, I like to remind everyone that I am. I think it makes them more…comfortable."
"I see." I suddenly feel pity for this man who looks more vulnerable than me, and I am naked. Is he accepted here? Does he feel as much of an outcast freak as I do? A little pang of guilt sets in when I conclude my own answer to that question, remembering why I felt so connected to him in the first place.
At least I can feel more than annoyance, irritation, and hate towards the vamp at my bedside, which is truly a relief to know. I don’t want to be like we were, but I don't want to be like this either—so angry. Somehow it just doesn't feel…right. Oh, who am I kidding? It downright sucks, and he's never going to give me full disclosure on his missions if I don't figure out a way to stamp down this darkness and play nice.
"What are you thinking?" Alec says, interrupting me from my thoughts, and I look out the window at the beautiful bright sky, recalling my dream. The sky is so clear and baby blue, you'd think it is a painting.
"I'm thinking about raspberry syrup," I say, taking another sip of my delicious coffee. It is doing the trick to wake me up, but what is the magic potion to get me out of this gloomy fog?
Alec laughs. "I think about that all the time." He obviously knows exactly what I mean by the reference. Shoot, I really don’t mean to go down this road, it's just that the dream has me rattled. I try not to think of us that way anymore; it hurts too much to remember what we lost. My life is complicated enough, and this is not a good way to start the day.
"When can I go home? Evan will be worried sick." I don’t say it to be cruel; it is the truth. Although you wouldn't think that, considering how Alec's face just crumpled, but I don't know how I'm going to explain this away.
"First off, you just got here. You're here for good reasons, and not even I will break the rules to teach you how to get back. Secondly, I already told you that I am taking care of your absence, so don't keep questioning me, Dani. I’m tired of it. When I say I'm going to do something, I do it, and I have never proven otherwise," Alec says, raising his eyebrows like he is daring me to contradict him, knowing I am quick to spew some snide remark about Eli.
His look is full with such power and confidence that I am at a loss for words and I uncharacteristically shrink back, looking away to focus on my coffee. If I can’t play nice, I guess I have to go with the classic: shut my big mouth before it gets me into trouble. I guess he's lucky he caught me in the morning still groggy and vulnerable after that dream.
"So what are you doing here besides trying to catch a glimpse, you perv?" I say jokingly to quickly relieve the tension.
"Hey, I was a perfect gentleman. I always am," he says with the worst fake hurt impression I've ever seen, and I almost spit out my coffee on him when he looks at me, genuinely wondering if I bought that. There is a beat of silence and then we burst out laughing. For the first time in a long time we laugh together.
Chapter 4: Unwelcome Keepsake
Alec manages to drag me out of bed once my coffee kicks in, and I reluctantly agree under the condition that I won’t see my birth father. He promises that it is only a town tour, and I can’t deny that I am dying to have a look around Caliontre. As we walk, I feel underdressed in my paper-thin t-shirt and tattered jean shorts amongst all the beauty. I try my best to ignore all of the stares, paying close attention to the meticulously ornate pattern carved in the limestone sidewalk, but I have a feeling it has nothing to do with my outfit and this will unfortunately be something I have to get used to.
"They're just excited to see you in person. Ignore them," Alec says under his breath, confirming my theory, but that is easier said than done. I feel like a celebrity in Beverly Hills trying to take a leisurely stroll, but there is nothing leisurely about it when every person you pass gawks at you and tries to take not-so-discrete pictures while whispering with their companions as they point and bow toward you. Seriously, who bows? What is that about? Did I miss the memo and in fact transport to 17th-century England?
I do my best to politely nod at the strangers like I have any clue what I'm doing, but I just feel awkward. I'm from Chicago. People don't curtsy or even nod to a stranger unless they're on Prozac. If anything, I've been given the finger more than I've ever received a friendly wave by a passerby. It makes me think of Eli and his teasing goodbye gesture. My mood sinks at the thought of him.
I try my best to ignore the ache snaking its way through my veins and almost instinctively hook my arm with Alec's, paying attention to the scenery around me instead. He looks down at me, curious about the reason for the sudden closeness that I've all but forbidden since we split. I pretend not to notice his sea-glass eyes burrowing deep and pulling out my thoughts without my permission again.
I see a small smile tug at his cheek as he pats my hand knowingly. He thinks I need him. He's
pleased I'm "catching on." He's wrong. If Evan, or Eli, or even Kate were here, I'm sure they could keep the darkness at bay too. Alec is my next-best stand-in; for now I guess it'll have to do. I always thought of myself as brave, but the idea of experiencing that inward drowning as my heart turns to ice and the excruciating pain lances my insides… It is a torture that truly terrifies me. I don't know if I can survive it a second time.
Ignoring my fear, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. The air smells like the sea. I focus my hearing on the waves crashing in the distance as I memorize every detail of the birdsong I can hear close by. Henry was right: It is special here. I even feel more powerful here somehow, more attuned to my already heightened senses, and my skin holds more of the ethereal glow I noticed on Henry last night.
This place looks like a seaside community out of a storybook, but with a powerful energy under my feet with each step that I can’t understand. The houses painted with pastel colors are quaint looking with their white plantation shutters, pillared porches and potted flowers. It feels warm but not muggy like you'd expect in this heat. I bask in the sun and am thankful right now, more than ever, to be a daywalker vamp even though I am not in vamp form now, but since I have been turning involuntarily more and more, at least it is a relief to know I can still enjoy this stunning seascape.
Alec turns at the corner, tightly holding my arm locked through his, and I follow suit. Someone rides past us on an adorable bike that looks straight out of a ’50s movie. He smiles as he passes and then his face flushes bright red when he sees me. He instantly loses control of his bike and crashes into a tree a few feet past us on the sidewalk.
"Oh my God!" I run over to check on him. "Are you OK?" I pull the bike off him and he scrambles to his feet.
"Of course, Princess, thank you. I'm so stupid with this clunky thing," he says, embarrassed, straightening himself out before he bows.
