Shit.
Time is running out as the creature digs into Justice’s chest like a dog burying a bone. It’s a gruesome, vile sight; his guts are being shoveled all over the forest floor.
I start picking up anything I can find on the ground, hurling it at the creature; rocks, sticks, branches. God, I throw like a girl. But nothing seems to affect his relentless dig.
Growing frustrated and panicked; I grab another rock and fling it “Agh!” I expel, wishing it was one of Jayden’s fireballs. That’s when it happens; as the rock flies toward the monster it combusts into blue flames. While still perched on Justice’s chest, the ball collides with the freakish little hellion, knocking him to the ground.
Yes!
I just inadvertently channeled Justice’s magic.
I don’t even get one step closer to Justice before the creature rebounds, rage and fury gyrating around his ugly, soiled face.
No!
He hisses and clinks at me, reclaiming his spot on Justice’s tattered chest; half of his shoulder blown away. We become caught in an intense stare, each anticipating the other’s move. All I can think about is Justice, my ineffective attempt to save him
and the fleeting time he has left.
Suddenly, the creature springs off Justice and propels itself towards me. I flashback to the night the Spirit Stalker attacked me, recalling the instinctive reaction to the threat to my life. It’s the same sensation happening all over. A primal instinct to fight, to defend, to kill, emerging.
I taste blood on my lips as immense power surges from my hands, and I explode that little fucker into a thousand tiny pieces; his insides splattering all over the forest’s trees and leaves and ground.
Dark and disturbing desires rage inside me, taking me by surprise. What’s happening?
The twist in power scares me, it’s overpowering and seductive.
Just breathe.
The sounds of strangled, painful moans call out to me, bringing me back to the here, the now.
I scurry over to Justice lying still on the ground. I shield him fiercely, apprehensive of another threat. His face and chest are torn to shreds. It’s a horrid, grisly scene and I’m beside myself seeing him this way.
He’s barely conscious, and slowly self healing.
I look over his defenseless, damaged body. I want nothing more than to heal him; to plant my hands all over his wounds, and take away his pain. His bare skin calls to me, beckoning me
to touch him, to mend him. And just before I give into its plea, I
realize something; by touching him I will know. I will know why he changed, and what caused him to condemn us to this fate.
I will finally know what he’s hiding.
I pause, my hand hovering over his, deliberating. Taking advantage of him in this injured state would surely be a gross misuse of my powers?
Who cares, that sinister little voice in the back of my mind whispers.
I don’t.
I look down at Justice as he stares up. Blue eyes sharp. My window is closing fast. He is almost completely healed. I go to grab him, but he jerks his arm away implausibly fast.
He knows exactly what my intentions are.
He growls at me. Like a real, snarling dog growl. “Don’t,” he says through gritted teeth.
I back off.
When he is finally finished healing, he bounds straight up and glares down at me.
“Glad to see you’re alive,” I say sarcastically.
“Me too,” he answers caustically. Striking me with a terrorizing stare.
I cower. Momentarily. God, can he be scary. “Your powers are growing,” he states the obvious.
“You didn’t get the mental memo?” I snicker up at him.
“When did this happen?”
“The other night at Solstice, when I blew up the bathroom. I channeled Jocelyn,” I inform him. “And gave some guys third degree burns.”
He scrutinizes me for a prolonged period of time. What I wouldn’t give to hear what he’s thinking. “Are you alright?” He finally asks unexpectedly. “I think so,” I answer, unsure. “Why?”
“Your eyes, they have that flicker.” “Flicker?”
“Ya, like when you get wound up with too much energy.” “Are you telling me I have crazy eyes?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you.” I’m almost offended.
“I’m fine,” I say brusquely.
“Did you absorb the monster’s energy?” He presses.
Did I? I didn’t touch him, but for one short second, I felt off, I mean, really, really off.
“I’m not sure to be honest. I think this forest does weird things to people.”
Justice nods in agreement. Then he gives me a strange look, it’s almost amused, amazed and arrogant all at the same time.
“What?” I demand. “Nothing,” he shrugs. “Tell me,” I urge.
“That was just wicked, that’s all. I knew you had a bit of a wild side, but who knew you were so fiendish?”
Fiendish? Me? “I’m not so sure that’s a good thing.” “It depends.”
“On what?” I ask.
“If you liked killing it.” Did I like it?
“If I say yes, is that bad?” I curl my lip. “Unquestionably,” he answers directly. Oh shit.
Dare You Look
Justice drags me through the trees. Smart little Seraph, he makes sure there’s no skin contact by gripping my arm just above the sleeve. Too bad for him it’s covered in Darkling goo.
“Can you stop dragging me?” I pull; he is squeezing so tight my fingers are getting pins and needles.
“We need to move, and get the hell out of this forest.”
No objections there. I want more than anything to get back to Century city and wash this sticky, cold slime out of my hair.
The fireflies haven’t returned, so I am relying on Justice’s night vision to navigate through the trees.
If you ask me, it doesn’t work so well because all I keep eating is bark.
We suddenly come upon an unexpected clearing. Bright and blatant, it appears right before our eyes. I remember Melenia telling me that the forest has a puckish temperament. How the trees move, sometimes to help you, sometimes to hurt you. Right now, I’m really hoping for some help, because glistening under the moonlight is a large, enchanting pond. Wiggling out of Justice’s grip, I hurry over to its edge.
“Liv, be careful!” Justice warns. “You don’t know what’s in there.”
I stare down into the shimmering water. It is a deep black with purple shadows, similar to the night sky.
I look back at him with a half-smile. “There’s no threat.” “How can you know?” He almost reaches out to touch me.
“I can feel it,” I tell him simply. “This is going to sound crazy, but the forest has a soul, it has feelings and emotions. It’s alive.”
“That doesn’t sound crazy. You’re in tune to energy, so I have no doubt you can pick up the forest’s vitality.”
“Not just the forests’,” I scoff. “Everything that lives in it as well. There’s nothing threatening in the water,” I peer down. “But there is definitely life.”
Justice drops his hand, and a little piece of my heart drops with it. I miss his touch so much, even the faintest, lightest brush.
I start undressing; I can’t wait to wash this gunk out of my hair.
“Um, Liv.” Justice clears his throat. “I’m still here.” He flashes a playful, excited smile.
“I know,” I say carelessly.
“Do you want a little privacy?”
“Since when do you care about privacy?” I pull my shirt over my head. I am silently worshiping Jocelyn for packing me all those sexy little things. You never know who will see them; I hear her sultry voice in my head.
Justice peeks out of the corner of his eye as I carefully step into the water’s surface. I slowly wade out to the deepest part of the pond, which comes a little higher than my hip. The water is
<
br /> warm and soft, and feels like nothing I have ever experienced before. It bathes me with a serene calm.
The tiny diamonds dancing on the surface remind me of paradise; a place that is perfect, where nothing could separate Justice and me. Who could’ve known we’d end up here, like this. Severed, but still joined.
I close my eyes and picture him standing next to me, running his hands over my face, and down my neck, touching me the way he once had. The one time, the only time, we got physically close before discovering I have no control over my empath ability when encountering sexual energy. My theory why? Because sex is the one sensation I’ve never experienced for myself.
I try to stop myself from missing him, but being here with him now, looking back at all we’d been through, only makes me ache for him more. Ache for what we were, and what we once had. It’s the first time I’m actually admitting how I really feel. Alone. Without him, I’m alone, no matter how many people surround me. I hate confessing that, even if it’s only to myself.
I glance back at Justice, who is leaning against a tree watching me, and wonder if, somehow, some way, he heard my confession. On one level I hope so, on another, I hope not.
Being conflicted sucks.
As much as I want to stay in the water, and ignore my present circumstance, I know we have to move. It will only be a matter of
time before the Darklings find me again.
Keenly aware of Justice, I stride out of the water, dripping with purple pond drops. I wring out my hair and enticingly wipe away the liquid beads trickling along my arms and chest; daring him to look.
Justice strides towards me from underneath the tree, over the lush green grass of the clearing and just around the edge of the serene purple pond. As he walks, he never takes his blazing eyes off my half naked body. He hands me his undershirt from out of nowhere. I look up at him surprised, then take it, savoring the cotton in my hands right before I dry myself off. It smells like him.
“Thanks,” I say softly. “No problem.” He smiles.
He actually smiled. I admire him for a split second; I’d forgotten how beautiful he is when he does that. Suddenly, I become fixed in place, dressed only in my naughty underwear. I don’t know how it happened really. I guess I just got caught up in the moment; the mist moistening the air, the moonlight washing the forest in a lavender glow, the way Justice was looking at me – longingly, pensively, hungrily.
He lifts a hand to me, catching himself right before he touches me.
“I know what you’re doing,” he says as if transfixed. “Washing the slime out of my hair?” I answer coquettishly.
He stares down at me with that transcendent look, the one that sees all my pasts and all my futures. I love that look, it’s undying to me.
“I wish I could understand,” he breathes fleetingly, as his face closes in on mine.
“Understand what?” I beg softly.
And then, like my words snapped him out of a dream, he backs away from me.
The change in him kills me. Justice is the only person who can build me up then tear me down, leaving me with nothing left.
He picks up my clothes and chucks them in my face, as if suddenly mad.
“Get dressed.”
“What’s your problem?”
“I don’t have a problem,” he says callously, and then storms away.
I groan disgustedly, mercurial motherfucker.
“We never did get to finish our conversation,” I say as I dart after him, pulling my shirt over my head.
“There’s nothing to finish.” “I think there is.”
He bristles.
“Leave it alone, Liv.”
“I can’t. It doesn’t make any sense,” I press. “It doesn’t have to.”
“What doesn’t have to?” I gesture with my hands. He keeps walking, avoiding all eye contact with me.
“You’re impossible!” I stomp. “Justice, I can’t go on like this, I need some closure! Please just fucking talk to me!”
I don’t mean to be so harsh, but really, I have nothing left to lose.
He spins around, seven different expressions flashing across his face. He runs both hands through his hair. A gesture I’ve never seen him do before. He's exasperated.
“I didn’t know what else to do,” he barks.
I jerk my head back from his admission. “What are you talking about?”
“Do you love him?”
“Love who?” I pause. “Siberian?” “Any of them!”
I am so confused.
“There’s no one else,” I vehemently assert. “There’s never been anyone but you!”
Justice falls silent, his blue eyes wide; wavering.
What’s going on in that head of yours? I wish I could hear.
Before he can respond, we hear a rustling in the trees that sounds too loud to be harmless. In one swift motion Justice grabs me by the shirt and yanks me down into some bushes. I land right on my butt. Ouch.
“What is it?” I ask as he peers intensely though the greenery, his eyes wide like a cat stalking its prey.
“Shhh!” He puts one finger over his lips and hisses down at me.
Geez.
We sit in the bushes perfectly still; anticipating. I can hear the cracking of twigs and the crunching of leaves.
“Justice,” I tug on his shirt when I can take his silence no more.
“Whoa,” Justice’s mouth drops slightly as his eyes follow whatever it is that he’s seeing.
“What? What?” I can barely take the suspense.
“Move slowly,” he says through the shadows. “Very slowly.”
I crouch up onto my knees and pull back a small branch from the bushes we are hiding in. I’m much shorter than him so I need to strain to see over the brush. When I get a good look, I nearly fall over.
“Is that what I think it is?” I ask stunned.
“Mmm hmmm,” Justice confirms, never taking his eye off them.
Okay, I know it’s possible. I’m in an enchanted forest, but
unicorns? I mouth to Justice in awe, are you freakin’ for real?
He nods. “They’re guardians of the forest. They are the purest of all magical beings,” he whispers to me. “And they almost
never show themselves.”
I look on, wonderstruck at the rare sight, as three full gown unicorns and two babies graze under the moonlight. Their coats glisten like I have never seen hair do before. It’s a slivery white, almost like it is soaking in the moons glow; and projecting out of their heads is a long, spiraling, horn that sparkles under the light, as if it were molded out of glitter. They are ever so graceful and serene, and as I watch them, I become entrapped in their splendor and their lore. They’re magnificent.
“They’re amazing.” I breathe.
“It’s said only a virgin can catch one.” Justice says spirited. “Is that your way of telling me you want a closer look?” I ask.
He smiles down at me; his eyes shining in the darkness. “You know me too well.”
“I know,” I say sadly, and then look back at the unicorns. I can feel Justice’s gaze linger on me, but I try to ignore it. I don’t want our situation ruining this one in a millennium moment.
“Have you ever seen a unicorn before?” I ask, wanting to shift the subject.
“Nope,” he says and he sounds just as entrapped as me. “Then again, I’ve never been lost in an enchanted forest with a virgin before either.”
“You’re so funny,” I quip.
“I try.” He smirks and he looks so boyish and beautiful when he lets his guard down.
“I miss you,” I blurt out.
Crap, did I really just say that out loud?
Justice looks at me as if almost appalled.
I want to crawl into the nearest hole and die.
Stupid, stupid mouth.
Justice and I go back to watching the unicorns, me uncomfortably silent, and him with a pensive expression marring his angelic face. I’m familiar
with that look. He wears it often. It’s his mask. But I know that’s not who he really is. The stoic, standoffish being he wants the world to see. I much prefer the person hiding behind the façade; the one who’s warm and doting, and sweetly insecure.
I can’t stand the prickly silence between us, so I say the first thing that pops into my mind. “Daniel wants me to go see Cross,” I utter into the darkness.
“For what?” Justice asks, and I can detect the irritation in his voice.
“He says my powers are growing too rapidly for a race thought to be extinct.”
“I see,” Justice says impassively. “And what do you think?” “I think I need more convincing.”
“Can’t say I blame you there. I think I still owe him an ass- kicking for not telling us about your exploding power.” He says coolly.
“Why does it feel your dislike for Cross goes far beyond him just being a tool bag?” I ask.
Justice exhales and I recognize the gesture. “Because it does,” he says, and then he falls silent.
I wait for him to elaborate, but he never does.
“Are you going to tell me what that means, or do I have to compel you to tell me?”
Justice looks over at me surprised. “You wouldn’t.” “I would. I can channel your powers you know.” “Yes, I’ve bared whiteness.” Justice says bothered. “Besides, you compel people all the time,” I contend. “You’re not me.” He disputes.
“I do remember someone telling me once that we aren’t so different.”
“I believe what I said is, that our worlds aren’t so different.
There’s a difference,” he stipulates.
“Potato, potatoe.” I argue. “Can you please just tell me about Cross on your own so I don’t have to compel it out of you?”
“You know Liv, you’re evil when you want to be,” Justice jibes, but it’s doesn’t feel very much like a joke to me. I don’t like this indecisive feeling I have about my true nature.
Gravitational Pull (Vis Vires, book 2) (Vis Vires trilogy) Page 13
