by Dakota Lake
I heard rustling in the kitchen and Kenzie stuck his head round the door.
“You're back.” I said smiling, curious about where he'd been.
“Yep. What you doing?” he asked.
“Seeing how many of these titles I remember. Last night I recognised the programme Shasta was watching.”
“That's good. Right?”
“Yes but it's not helpful.”
“It's going to take some time, one step at a time. It's not going to come back all in one go. And the longer we can keep you away from Em and his witchy woo the better chance you have of getting your memory back in full.”
“Yes but how long before Cam finds another way to have my memory obliterated? What about this Maite I've heard him talking about? What if he finds her?”
“Will you stop worrying. If he can't find her now it's because she doesn't want to be found. She's not just going to pop up next week, Maite is like this dark forest myth, not many people have seen her and not many people believe she even exists. She lives in some rickety old tree house that can magically move where ever she wants it to.”
“So how do you know about her?”
“Ryu and her go way back. That's all I know. Now would you get your butt in here.” I walked into the kitchen to see the middle isle counter was covered in bags.
“What's all this?” I asked peeking inside a bag.
“Your clothes.”
“What? Where did you get them?”
“Copeland Harbour, which is the next town along. There's this store called Dark Threads you'd probably love it. I think Senka gets a lot of his stuff from there.”
“What do you want me to do with them?”
He laughed. “I want you to try them on. They're yours I just bought them for you. You said it yourself no more dresses.”
“Yes. But I wasn't being serious. Obviously before I went back to the manor I was going to change back into my dress.”
“No you're not. You hate those dresses along with that bed sheet you call a nightdress. Oh I got you some jammies as well.” he said pulling out some cute little shorts and vest tops.
“Toothbrush,” he said handing it to me. “You're always over here so you might as well have your own toothbrush in the bathroom.”
“Kenzie one problem...” I was about to say Cam but Kenzie jumped in.
“It's cool, you're just going to tell him these are Shasta's.”
“Yeah right. Since when does Shasta wear anything like this?” I asked pulling out a pair of red All Star Converse hi-tops.
“Then you tell Cam that I pulled these out of our attic. They are from when Shasta went through that phase of clothing a few years back. He's not likely to remember, he didn't even notice when she chopped all her hair off a while back.”
“I thought we were meant to be pretending and carrying on like normal? This screams I know something's wrong. Screw you and your dresses. That's what he's going to think.” “Then let him fret it for a bit.”
“What if it backfires and he locks me up?”
“Then I'll have to break you out and I'm sure Senka would help.” Kenzie smiled pulling out a denim jacket with Aztec print on the shoulders.
“Senka would help with what?” said a deep voice.
I looked over and saw Senka standing in the doorway.
“Err hi Senka,” Kenzie said as surprised as I was to see him.
He hadn't even knocked. My heart fluttered just from the sight of him and my body suddenly turned into a trembling mess. I side stepped towards Kenzie, half panicking half trying to hide me bare legs. Standing in a vest top and panties in the middle of Kenzie's kitchen was probably the reason behind the angry eyes Senka had focused on Kenzie. I side stepped again but my foot caught on the edge of the stool and I managed to fall sideways into Kenzie.
“You are the clumsiest person I have ever met.” Kenzie said casually pushing the jacket back into the bag.
“What is she wearing?” Senka asked.
“Clothes.” Kenzie said casually laughing it off.
“What's this?” Senka asked grabbing the bag from him.
“Did you buy her clothes?” Senka asked, his tone was angry and not in the mood for games. “No.” Kenzie replied.
“Mackenzie.” Senka said in a warning tone stepping around the counter towards him. “Hey....” I said quickly putting my arm out protectively in front of Kenzie.
“Did you get your memory back?” Senka asked finally looking at me after tearing his angry eyes away from Kenzie.
“No.” I looked sideways at Kenzie.
“This is your call,” he said raising his hands up. “I'm gonna step outside for a smoke and I think I'm gonna hop over to the manor, see if Shelley will knock me up a Pâté sandwich. Give you two some space.” he said hedging passed Senka.
I picked up the toothbrush and dug around in the bags.
“Ruby what's going on? I've been looking for you everywhere and don't say you've been here or on my floor cause you haven't.” Senka said.
“I will explain everything just give me one minute.” I said.
He grabbed my arm, looking down at Kenzie's vest I was wearing.
“It's just a vest Senka, I borrowed it. One minute. Please.”
I walked into the small toilet room but didn't shut the door. I changed into a sleeveless floaty black shirt and a pair of distressed jeans that fit perfectly. Then I slipped on the hi-tops and threw the tags in the trash can. I brushed my teeth and left the brush in the pot. I casually kept looking in the mirror at Senka, he hadn't taken his eyes off of me the whole time. I walked back into the kitchen feeling so self concious as Senka gaze continued to make my insides feel fluttery. He sat on the stool with his elbows propped up on the counter. His hair was styled up today and he had on his trademark black jeans and boots with a black T-shirt with the sleeves cut off. All I had to do was look at him and it instantly sent heat to my cheeks. I walked over to him and he turned slightly on the stool towards me, even sitting on a stool he was taller than me. He brushed my hair over my shoulder and ran the back of his fingers down my arm.
“Start explaining.” he said linking his fingers with mine.
We sat in Kenzie's back garden talking for over an hour. I sat on the brick wall and he sat on the swing chair listening carefully as I explained everything. I even told him I'd been inside his head twice, he didn't look cross though when I'd told him, he smiled a little. I think he already knew something strange was going on when he passed out twice in my company, considering fallen angels rarely slept. He never said one word, I kept waiting for him to say something but he just smoked two cigarettes in a row and looked down at the floor. At one point he leaned over and started picking at his boot. I wasn't sure what to make of it, he was being so quiet. I told him about Jessie and he looked over at me curiously but didn't stop me or ask me any questions. I explained everything up to the point where I'd woken up in Kenzie's bed this morning. I tried to explain to him I wasn't avoiding him, it was only because I didn't want him knowing what I was up to. I hadn't told him about my feelings for Jessie, even I couldn't explain feelings for someone that I couldn't even remember. And I skipped over the part where I'd kissed Jessie during our shared dreams. When I'd finished explaining I gulped down my glass of lemonade waiting for him to speak. He didn't for a while, he looked out across the garden watching a small robin bathing in the birdbath. “There's one thing I don't get.” he said not looking at me. “This Mack guy, Jessie whatever. I vaguely know his name. But I still don't understand how you two knew each other? You said he was friends with Micah and your brother Seth, whom I have spoken to on many occasions at the club and Micah who everyone knows. But why would Cam take Jessie and hide him in Hell, why not your brother? I mean that would make more sense, if he wanted to keep one of them as a bargaining chip, why not keep your brother? Sure you'd be pissed when you found out he'd been keeping him down there against his will, but why Jessie? There's more to the story you're not telling
me. Cam's smart he's obviously planned ahead. He's taken everything into account and he wouldn't go to all the hassle of keeping Jessie down there if he wasn't important to you? Cam already knows you'd marry him without a second thought if it meant freeing Jessie. But the question is why would you do that for some fallen guy that was apparently just friends with your brother and Micah?” He stood up and started walking towards the door.
“Where are you going?” I asked hopping off the wall.
“I have stuff to do.”
“What that's it? You're going. You don't have anything else to say? Any ideas about what I'm supposed to do from here?”
“Ruby I will help you and do whatever it is you want me to do and I will do it without hesitation because I love you. I love you so much but you should already know that, I don't have to tell you. You know the way I feel about you, it's the reason I didn't take your memories. I could never do that to you. But I can tell when you're lying. I know he means more to you, he wasn't just your brothers friend looking out for you. And the reason I know that is because every time you say his name you look as though you want to cry. You're hurting inside for someone you can't even remember. I'm gonna take a random stab in the dark and say Cam knew exactly how you felt about him and he knows you would do anything for him and that's the reason he's got him locked up somewhere. He's keeping him as the back up encase he can't find Maite and you suddenly get your memory back and demand to be released.”
His cell buzzed and he checked the display. “Cam,” he said waving it around. “Yes,” he said answering his cell. “No I'm in HP. Sure give me twenty minutes.” he hung up and slid his cell back into his pocket.
“Anything important?” I asked.
“No. Staff meeting type thing he wants me at.”
“What's HP?”
“Heaven's Point. Anymore questions?” he asked with a sullen tone.
“Senka please don't be like this.”
“Then don't lie to me. I still can't believe you kept all this from me. You should have told me.” “I was scared. I thought you'd tell Cam. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to tell you so much, you have to believe me. It's being eating at me for so long. But I didn't want to bring you into it, I didn't want to involve you. I don't want anything to happen to you because of me. If he finds out you know all this and you haven't told him. The same goes for Kenzie and Shasta everyone's at risk keeping my secrets.”
“Nothing is going happen to me, Cam needs me too much. Not that he'd admit it. And the same goes for Kenzie and Shasta, Cam can't do everything on his own. And just for the record I would have never told him about us, about what we do when we're alone or what we talk about. He has asked about you many times, whether I think you're remembering anything. But I keep it simple and tell him you don't know anything and that you're completely clueless. I have to dumb you down to satisfy him. I know you're not stupid, I could see you were starting to figure things out. And yes he has asked me what I'm doing with you and he wants to know what we get up to, he's not oblivious to what's going on. And I usually tell him to mind his own business. Cam doesn't own me.” he said opening the door.
“Senka please don't leave me like this,”
He stopped with his back to me holding the door open.
“Do you have feelings for him?” he asked. I knew he was talking about Jessie.
“I don't know. I can't explain it.” I said.
“Try,” he said pushing the door shut again.
“When I'm with you, it's just you. I feel so completely attached to you that I can't even put it into words. I hate being away from you, I miss you so much when you're not here. But then there's Jessie, I feel this pull towards him it's the reason I've been dream linking with him. I've never done that with anyone else, and it's why I can get into his head whenever I want because there's this thing connecting us. I don't know why I feel this way? I can't even remember anything about him from before. I have no idea how I felt about him or what he meant to me. All I know is when I see him I get this safe feeling. I know I can trust him and then when I'm not with him or I'm not with you I feel like something's drawing me back to him.”
“So you're in love with him?” he asked taking a step closer.
“I can't remember?” I said gulping in air trying not to cry.
“It's an easy question. It's not something you have to remember it's something you feel.” “I hate this, it's so confusing and it's all Cam's fault.”
“Ruby.....” he said pushing me for an answer. “Does he have feelings for you?” he asked. “Yes.”
“So I'll repeat the question. Do you have feelings for him?”
“It's complicated.” I said loudly backing away.
“No it's not,” he said taking another step closer. “It's thinking about that person constantly to the point you forget what you're supposed to be doing. You can't imagine living your life another day without them,” I could feel his eyes on me but I couldn't even look at his face, so I looked down at the floor. His boots were inches away from my feet.
“They complete you,” he continued. “You feel as though you're missing a limb when they're not around,” he raised his hand to my face and lifted my chin towards him. His bright blue eyes stared into mine and I became captivated unable to look away. “Or is that just me?” he asked. I reached up and grabbed onto his T-shirt without thinking about it, pulling him down to me as I lifted myself higher on the tips of my toes to reach him. His hand gripped the back of my neck as his lips found mine. He kissed me softly at first but I could tell he was holding back. My hands moved to his neck and I threaded my fingers into his hair. He slid his arm around my waist and walked me backwards until we reached the wall. He pushed himself hard against me so our bodies were practically touching all the way down. His lips pressed down on mine and I made a noise I didn't know I was capable of. He stopped kissing me and licked his lips looking down at me, he lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around him, his hand gripped my thigh as he pushed me back hard against the wall again. His kiss changed from soft and gentle to hungry and wanting more. His tongue slid into my mouth and met mine. The kiss continued and I playfully bit on his lip ring, he moaned and his lips came back down on my mouth. My hands slid down his shoulder blades and I dug my fingernails into him wanting more of him. I needed more of him.
He pulled away breathing heavily. “This doesn't feel complicated to me.” he said before kissing the side of my mouth.
I turned my lips to meet his and kissed him softly breathing in his sweet coconut scent. “Whoa! Let's just take it down a notch shall we, try and keep it PG. I left you two alone to talk. Not to make out and start doing whatever it is you're doing up against the wall.” Kenzie said. “We already talked.” I said.
I ran my hands down his arms, Senka was skinny but he still managed to look and feel muscular. He leaned forward and kissed me lightly with a smile on his lips.
“Will you put her down.” Kenzie said stuffing his mouth with his sandwich. “Now....” he started to talk but still had a mouthful he was trying to chew down. Senka lowered me to the floor and I reluctantly pulled my arms away from him. I couldn't help my hand from drifting to his, he looked down at our intertwined fingers and smiled.
“Okay. So Cam's looking for you,” Kenzie said pointing at Senka. “Work related, before you panic. And you have lessons starting in ten minutes.” he said pointing at me.
“I still don't think the clothes are a good idea.” Senka said running his finger down the button opening of my shirt between my bra.
“Guys I'm still here. Break it up already.” Kenzie said.
“We'll talk later.” Senka said to Kenzie as we passed him. He led me to the front door and checked back to make sure Kenzie wasn't behind us. I still hadn't had a chance to talk to him about Cam's plan to marry me. We both knew he wanted to marry me and I knew if it came to it I would agree to it if it meant he'd let Jessie go.
“Senka if it comes to it and Cam asks me to....,”
<
br /> His lips came down on mine cutting me off.
“We'll figure something out.” he said.
“Like what? There's not many options.”
“I don't know. But right now I have to go and you have a lesson to get to. Try to act as though nothings changed.”
Kenzie walked through the back door clattering around in the kitchen to make his presence known. “Love you.” he said quietly, kissing the top of my head.
He went to leave but I wouldn't let go of his hand. He smiled lifting my hand to his lips, he kissed the back of my hand softly then left.
“You ready to go back?” Kenzie asked walking up behind me. I nodded and smiled at him. “It's gonna be fine you need to chill out.” he said grabbing my shoulder.
“How can you say that? Aren't you worried about what Cam will do to us when he finds out what we've been up to?”
“Nah, Senka's right Cam needs us too much and I think he knows you'd never forgive him if he did anything to us.”
“Hmm. You were listening to our conversation?”
“Maybe. Just a little before you got all frisky with each other. Now stop panicking, turn and walk.” he said grabbing my other shoulder. “You really need to loosen up, you're so tense.” he said squeezing my shoulders as he steered my out the door.
“I have a lot on my mind.” I replied laughing.
“How about today you act your age, like other teenagers.”
“What reckless?” I joked.
“No care free.”
“Yeah right.”
“See you at dinner. I'll keep the clothes here meantime until we know Cam isn't going to burn them and make you wear a curtain.”
I walked back to the manor through the gardens. The smell of freshly cut grass filled the air and gardeners were hard at work trimming the rose bushes and making sure hedges were cut to perfection. Narmi was walking towards me, she nearly dropped her laundry basket when she saw me.
“Miss Ruby.” she greeted me formally.
“Hi Narmi.”
