I toss Ari a soda and some candy I bought him when I get back to our gate. I pretend like it's no big deal but the way he smiles up at me is breathtaking.
Instead of dwelling on Ari, I start my new book, eager to get to the murder mystery. Truthfully, I can't stop thinking about our kiss from my dream and it's influencing how I think of him now, knowing this new side to him.
We board our plane and I am ecstatic when Ari gets us upgraded to first class. There is so much more room and my anxiety drops about two levels, knowing it's just me and Ari in the row. I am still freaking out though, don't get me wrong.
I take the window seat, hoping it will make me feel less claustrophobic. I start jiggling my legs and popping my gum, twisting my hair and stretching out—my usual anti-anxiety techniques. I just want to take off already and get this over with.
Ari must be able to tell I am freaking out because he reaches towards me and rubs my arm in circular motions. "It'll be okay." He assures me smiling. For a second, literally one second, I feel okay and then I'm back to freaking out. After an agonizing ten minutes of sitting there, we take off without any complications.
Ari grabs his bag out from underneath the seat and takes out a laptop out setting it on the food tray in front of him once the seatbelt sign turns off. He turns it on before inserting a disc in the cd drive.
"Want to watch a movie?" He asks, facing me. "I picked a funny one. It seems like you need some comedic relief." I nod, thanking him for being so thoughtful. He hands me a set of headphones and starts up the movie, scooting closer to me in the lounge seat.
We watch Role Models then The Hangover. Only about four hours have passed which sucks big time. Half the flight down, half to go. Ari starts to put in a new movie but I want to take a nap, hoping time will pass faster.
I lift the arm barrier between us, unbuckling my seatbelt to move in closer to him. He puts his arm around my shoulders letting me snuggle on his chest.
I feel like we're a couple but push the feeling down, knowing we can't be. The stupid dream is messing with my head! Still, the comfort of his arms is enough to put me to sleep. Instead of the spark boosting me with energy, it lulls me into a quiet sleep.
Apparently I sleep the final four hours because I'm being shaken awake, to Ari's kissable face. I must have moved when I was asleep because now I am resting on his lap, my feet curled up on my seat in the fetal position.
My head lays right on his lap. I look down and there is his crotch just sitting there in my line of sight. I blush immensely but doubt Ari notices since I'm facing out.
It's so damn comfy that I don't want to move until I feel something move under my ear, making me jerk up fast to get away. I shut my eyes waiting for the head rush to pass. After a couple seconds my eyes open trying to adjust to the bright sun.
"Sorry." I murmur noticing his face is alight with humor. Yeah, it's so funny that I felt your dick on my face!
"It's alright, Eury." He says, blushing yet still looking pleased. We get our stuff together, which is nothing for me, and hop off the plane.
We land at FCO airport which is teenie tiny compared New York. We have a hotel for the night, which is really day here—I think. The time change is really messing with me.
After taking a taxi to the hotel, we make it to our room. There is only one bed in the room but I don't really mind idea of Ari snuggled up to me all night.
"You can take the bed." Ari says crushing my thought as he grabs extra blankets from the closet and starts building a bed on the floor. I am disappointed even though my brain tells me it's for the better.
I cannot like Ari. I just had sex with Ollie, for crying out loud. How am I even thinking of this? Ari is way too complicated anyway. Not to mention the fact that I think he's bipolar. I can only have feelings for Ollie. He is my soul mate, the one for me. Period.
"Can you set the alarm for four?" Ari asks me, finishing his small mound of blankets he calls a bed.
"Four am?" I ask, hoping that I heard him wrong.
"Yeah. We need an early start when everyone else is asleep." He explains.
"Fine." I mutter, reaching towards the bed side table where the small alarm clock sits.
Ari instructs me to get ready for bed when he leaves the bathroom, all cleaned up. I go in the bathroom changing and brushing my teeth fast. Ari sits on the floor waiting for me the whole time. "Goodnight, Eury. Try to sleep." Ari says, turning over to face away from me in his make shift bed.
"You too." I say, jumping into the bed and flicking off the lamp.
The room turns black but I can't seem to fall asleep. Ari quickly falls asleep on the floor beside me, his breathing evening out, a slight snore coming from him. I fall asleep listening to him breathe, which acts as a perfect lullaby.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
twenty questions
I wake up in a pool of my own sweat. I flip over, nuzzling into the pillow trying to fall back asleep. I turn again, this time facing the window but stiffen, noticing a silhouette of a man at the window. I can tell it's Ari from the glow of the moon showcasing his profile.
I try to study his body language to figure out why he's staring outside and not asleep. His back hunches over, one hand resting against the window sill, the other shoved in his pocket. The tension radiates off of him in waves of heat.
His posture changes. He turns to face the window, placing both hands above his head. Before letting out a long sigh, his head falls against the window, his forehead resting on the glass.
I can't let him stand there and visibly ache so I crawl out of bed pushing the covers aside. I don't want to startle him so I walk over quietly wrapping both my arms around his abdomen from behind. He instantly stiffens tilting his head to see my face. I rest my head on his back holding him tight, not needing words to convey my thoughts.
His body relaxes into me but his breathing remains irregular. I continue to hold him there, not wanting to break the connection. I shouldn't be feeling these emotions towards him. I have the most amazing guy already. There isn't room in my heart for two yet they're still there.
"I need you." He whispers and I nod in understanding.
He turns around to face me looking down to question my intentions. I take his hands in mine and start walking us backwards.
When his knees find the bed, he sits down on it, hesitant but he needs this as much as I suddenly realize I do. I all but force him to lay down, before tucking him in the bed.
After getting in bed, I debate how much I should push the boundaries tonight. I get underneath the covers, moving myself closer to Ari. Even though I am much smaller than him, I try to spoon him, wrapping my arms around his torso, pressing the full length of my body against his.
I can tell Ari starts to relax when his breathing finally returns to normal. His back relaxes, his body shaping into mine, hugging my every curve. I am not tired but the warmth and comfort from Ari lulls me into a deep sleep.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
With a groan I reach out my hand, banging on the alarm clock that so rudely interrupts my sleep. I sigh loudly, stretching out my body when my hand feels skin that isn't mine, making me immediately draw my arm back.
Ari. He smiles with his eyes still closed, probably just noticing that I'm here as well.
He murmurs something inaudible and then reaches over to me, catching my side. He pulls me towards him while tickling me. I giggle but let him capture me, wanting him to touch me at any cost.
"Thank you." He mutters. I turn my head back to question him. "For last night. I needed that." He admits, burying his face into my hair. He inhales my scent deeply as his eyes roll into the back of his head.
"I like you like this." I tell him. Last night broke a barrier between us that opened me up to a whole new person. He's vulnerable and caring and so not what I expected.
"Enjoy it while you have it." He says, making my heart stutter. He pulls away from me, ending our fairytale moment then instructs me to get ready and with a sigh, I do.
Once I'm dressed in my Lara Croft inspired get up, I feel like I can accomplish anything. Leaving the bathroom, I see Ari putting on a leather jacket and his usual dark clothing. He looks freaking bad ass.
"See something you like?" He smirks over at me. I grab a pillow while he's not looking and chuck it at his head but with unparalleled speed, he dodges it. My face must drop because Ari starts laughing at my expression.
We stop at a huge plaza on our way to the portal, with a monstrous fountain dead in the center. The fountain is made of white marble that glistens like diamonds in the moonlight. A large set of steps pass the fountain leading up to a stone castle-looking church. The steeple is hundreds of feet above my head, towering into the sky.
Ari walks past the fountain to get a better view of the church and pauses, reflecting on it for a moment. He bends down to the gravel, giving me a perfect view of his stomach as his shirt rides up.
I don't even realize what he's done until there's a gaping hole in the middle of the street. I peek over trying to figure out what the hell he's doing but don't see anything except blackness seeming to never end.
He reaches to his back, taking of the backpack and then tosses it down the hole. We both lean down waiting to hear a thud when it reaches the floor. Instead, all there is is silence.
We both look up and our eyes meet. We both stare in disbelief before he shrugs it off and reaches for me, pulling me down towards the hole. He has me dangle my legs in the hole, sitting on the road.
"Please don't make me go alone." I beg him reaching for his hand.
"Come sit on my lap, Eury." He tells me, his eyes sympathetic. Happily, I scramble over, positioning myself on his lap. He fixes me turning so I face him, wrapping both my arms and legs around his torso and neck. I cross my legs making sure there's no way I'll get loose.
It's odd but I sort of have an epiphany. This whole thing is about me. I'm in the curse. The guys love me. We're searching for my mom. I'm kind of important and for once I like being noticed. I'm not being selfish but always being a loser is hard. Being important gives me this sense of self confidence.
"On the count of three." He states, kickstarting my heart rate from zero to ninety. I get the feeling like I am going to throw up but swallow it down, not wanting to prolong this jump. "One." He says. "Two." Before he can utter the word 'three' he lowers us in slowly, pushing off and my stomach drops.
I let out a scream but Ari shushes me, wrapping his arm around my back and the other holding my head into his chest. I try to focus on Ari instead of the unending fall. I check my body, counting all the places we're touching—which is everywhere. The hum starts, sending adrenaline to gush through my veins.
"When will it end?" I murmur into his shoulder as he squeezes me to his body. I start counting in my head. I get up to seventy before Ari speaks up.
"Hold on tight. We're here." He says.
I panic, thinking about the landing. We never figured out how we can safely land on the ground after we've just picked up however much speed free falling. I'm yanked to the side, my head jerking violently. I shut my eyes, trying to push back the dread of my almost certain death.
After a couple seconds of nothing happening, I open my eyes and see that we aren't falling anymore. I pull back uncertain and look into Ari's evergreen eyes and the way they turn up in a smile.
"How the heck did you land like that?" I ask him not believing that he can be that graceful.
"Magic, baby." He responds, his eyes traveling down my body to my chest pressed against his. Realizing I'm still clinging to him for dear life, I loosen my grip and plant both feet firmly on the ground.
I glance around the hole, trying to get a feel for where we are. This place isn't hot as Hell as I would have assumed. It's just plain, boring even with muted colors.
The air is warm but not dry and scalding, or humid. It's just there almost insignificant. A shiver rolls up my spine as I take in the black shadows surrounding us, acting as walls.
"Do not leave my sight." Ari demands sternly, tugging my body close to his, clinging to my hand. I nod in understanding, not wanting to be alone down here.
We start walking around searching for Ari's backpack with all of our supplies. We find the bundle a couple feet away and then start off in some random direction.
"Do you know where we're going?" I ask Ari, looking at the identical walls.
"Sort of. I know a general way. I've been here before but it's never the same." I look at him with dread, understanding that we basically have no idea where to go and we're just winging it.
We start walking in a comfortable silence holding hands. A constant heat wave travels around my body from his touch. Every once and a while I sneak at peak at him admiringly but this time, he catches me, winking. I blush crimson before facing forward and focusing on the boring walk.
Everything is rock. Every direction you look there is rock on top of rock on top of rock. They aren't even cool rocks—dull brown and grey.
"20 questions! Please." I beg him, breaking the unbearable silence, wanting to talk. I elongate the e's whining like a three year old who wants to get their way.
"Do I have to?" He asks me exhaustedly, using my own begging techniques. The puppy dog eyes almost get to me but I don't let it. I want to know about Ari and pass the time. I'm sick of looking at the same landscape over and over.
"I'd like you more!" I exclaim, hip checking him. He slides me a mischievous glance and after a couple of long seconds, he finally nods, letting go of my hand and shoving them in his pockets. I stride a couple paces away from him before turning to walk backwards. Finally, we get to do something fun.
"Let's see, we'll start easy. What's your favorite color?" I ask him, trying to keep it surface to begin.
"Black. What's yours?" He asks back, monotone.
"Green." I say not thinking. We need to work our way up to the harder questions so I think of an easy one. I have twenty, I have to make use of them all. "What's your favorite season?" I ask question number two.
"Winter. Yours?" He asks back.
"Fall." His one word answers aren't starting up a plentiful conversation so I think deeper. "How are you immortal?" I just blurt out the first thing that comes to my mind.
"Well, my parents both are full Gods. They aren't crazy powerful or popular like Orpheus'. They weren't into arts either. We were big into animals. My father was actually a bee keeper and my mother loved animals. Anyway, I was born around the same time as Orpheus but our lives couldn't be more different." He explains to me.
He doesn't ask a question back so I blurt out another thing that's been plaguing my mind. "Tell me a story of when we first met?" I know it's a statement but I say it like a question, hoping he'll let it slide.
He opens his mouth to answer me and then shuts it, his brows knitting together as his eyes meets mine. They are a deep green. "That's not a question." He states, shutting down while averting his gaze to the ground as his fingers knot together.
"Please. I want to know about us. Tell me a story of when we were together and happy." I stop, walking backwards grabbing both of his hands. I trace circles on the backs of them reassuring him that it is okay to open up to me.
"This isn't the first time but it's one of my favorite lifetimes." He pauses to collect himself, his pulse picking up in his wrists. "I met you May 1813. I was in the Navy at the time. I know it's cliche and all but you were a nurse.
"We were on the USS Essex in the Atlantic. We had lost a ton of guys to another ship, the HMS Alert that night. I was caught in the shoulder with some shrapnel. Obviously, I'm immortal so I wasn't really in any danger—a good nights sleep and I'd be okay.
"Meeting you was complete luck. I didn't feel you at all. You came over to my bed in the infirmary on the ship and I knew it was you. I felt like you knew me as well. We had this crazy connection right off the bat.
"The chemistry between us was palpable. I told you I loved you that day and you felt my head for a fever. You
laughed at me but you came back to my bed more than any other sailor on board.
"After our ship was hit, we went back to port. I lived on base and you stayed nearby as well. We dated and built a real relationship. I told you everything, the whole story of our cursed lives—at least my side of the story.
"You never once doubted me. You listened to me. You understood why I am the way I am. Basically we lived happily ever after. You died when you were forty which was old back then. We were so happy in that life. You accepted me and helped me get through everything before and after for a while." He laughs under his breath, looking me in the eyes. I can see tears threatening to spill over making his green eyes glassy but he ignores them. I feel myself start to get emotional but stop it before it starts, not wanting to upset him, too.
He opens his mouth and starts to talk again. "You want to know the best part about that whole life?" He ask and I nod needing him to continue. "Orpheus never showed up."
CHAPTER TWENTY
river of pain
"What do you mean he never showed up?"
"He has to ruin every fucking lifetime!" Ari lashes out, dropping my hands and jogging forward leaving me in the dust. I finally catch up to him and grab his hips from behind, twisting him towards me. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pull him down to me, hugging him with every fiber of my being.
"Thank you." I say to him. "Thank you for sharing that with me. You have no idea how much it means to me." I hold him longer, wanting to make him understand how much it really means to me that he opened up.
He lets go of me, turning towards the path refusing to meet my gaze. "We have to keep going." He seems a little shaken by story time as we walk in silence but I get it. I'm sure it's hard for him to remember all the times I've died.
We walk until we reach a dead end where the shadows stop, creating a line in front of us, blocking our vision. Looking in each direction all I see is more blackness. I hold onto Ari's hand tighter uneasy by my blindness. He kicks a rock forward, and as it skitters, it clinks down what seems like a cliff, loudly landing at the bottom.
The Thousand Year Curse (The Curse Books) Page 17
