Beyond the Eyes: YA Paranormal Romance

by Rebekkah Ford

When my alarm clock went off the next morning, screaming in my ear, I groaned and smacked it, then drifted back to sleep.

  Nathan and I were somewhere in Europe, walking across an old stone bridge, blissfully happy. The sky was gray, and there were quacking ducks in the river below us. We stopped in the middle of the bridge. He took my hand and bent on one knee. He opened his mouth to say something, but then a loud beeping noise came out. I awoke with a start, heart pounding.

  “Damn alarm.” I switched it off.

  Nathan sat up and yawned. “What’s wrong?”

  I looked at him through bleary eyes. “I was dreaming we were in Europe, and I didn’t want to wake up.”

  “One day we’ll be there, love,” he said in a British accent. “And it’ll be smashing.”

  I giggled and covered my face, shielding it from the bright, gray light streaming through the gap between the curtains directly at me. I wondered how long he stayed in Europe and all the things he’d seen, so I asked.

  “I’ve lived there most of my immortal life,” he said. “And I’ve seen almost everything.”

  I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and squinted at him. “Like what?”

  He scratched his head and yawned. “I’ve seen Notre Dame Cathedral, the Roman Coliseum, Stonehenge, and so forth.”

  “Now I’m jealous,” I pouted.

  He leaned me across his lap, and although he had pillow creases across his cheeks and looked like a four-year-old who woke up from a long nap, he grinned. “There’s no need for you to be jealous, because I’m going to take you to all the places I’ve been, and we’ll explore new places together.”

  I smiled, but then a thought occurred to me and it faded.

  “Are you okay?”

  I got up and remained quiet for a moment before I asked, “Did you have a companion with you?”

  He stepped out of bed and stretched. I averted my gaze, only to find him standing in front of me, making me jump.

  “There’s never been anyone before you, if that’s what you’re hinting at. And I’ve only been in love once . . . with you.” He softly kissed me, making my heart skip several beats. “I have some really good friends,” he continued, “but I’ve spent most of my time alone, exploring, learning new things, tracking, and observing dark spirits.”

  I placed my palm on his bare muscular chest, and every fiber in my being longed for him. I dropped my hand and turned away, busying myself by gathering my clothes, feeling the hot blood pooling in my cheeks. When I rushed by him, heading to the bathroom, he stopped me and brushed a finger down my cheek. I looked up. His eyes were bright, which made me crave him even more.

  “Nathan, you know we can’t do this until I’m over the …” I didn’t want to say or think about the nasty thing I was on.

  “I know.” He brushed his finger on my cheek again. “But when I touch your red cheek, it’s almost like I can touch the fire burning inside us now.”

  “Okay, well …” I stammered. “I’m going to get dressed and stuff.” I rushed out the room straight into the bathroom, immediately splashing cold water on my face. In my mind I chanted: grandmother, grandmother, grandmother, hoping it would work for me like I heard it worked for guys who wanted to get rid of their boner. I felt like a dork doing it, but a minute later my breathing went back to normal, and I was able to finish getting ready, all the while wondering how this day would turn out.