The Awakening (Wake Up #1)

by Sarah Brocious

  The play between the two went on for a while, and then Nolan’s eyes turned back to her, almost sensing her melancholy. He smiled, tilted his head in question. Raina blushed at the intimate glance, and he decided enough play...he wanted time with her.

  Raina’s heart leapt, as they climbed back up.

  Turk was kept down, since his fur was soaked, but Nolan hopped up beside her. He grinned that boyish grin. He didn't say anything for a moment, just swung his feet.

  Raina stared down at the perfect appendages, and smiled, remembering the conversation at the coffee shop. She giggled and shook her head.

  He glanced down at his feet, then back at her. "What’s wrong?"

  She blushed. "You have nice feet."

  His brows lifted. "Feet?"

  She blushed.

  He grinned. "Should I say thank you?"

  She turned her face away, and again pink tinged her face. "There is nothing physically imperfect about you," she complained.

  Nolan frowned. "You haven't seen all of me."

  "I mean...no scars, no wrinkles...except when you smile. You have these laugh lines around your eyes. Even those are perfect. Me? I have so many little imperfections."

  Again he frowned. "I've seen none."

  She sighed, "I have stretch marks on my too round hips...my lashes are blonde, and I look like a child without mascara...my lips are too thin..."

  "Aelan," he growled. "I said I've seen none." He was visibly upset by her demeaning her appearance.

  She felt her heart pull, seeing his sincerity.

  "You want to see my imperfection?"

  She nodded, holding her breath. She had to see to believe.

  It’s like he read her mind because he teasingly murmured, "Doubting Thomas."

  Her eyes meet his. "Yes, I have to see to believe!"

  His face gentled. "And after I show you, I will hear no more about what you believe to be imperfections about yourself?"

  She sighed, "Deal."

  He paused for a moment, almost unsure of what he was about to do.

  "It’s the only thing I really carry with me from my real life...my mortal life. I'll never have a scar, a blemish while I'm immortal because I heal. But we keep the scars from the past." He spoke this, preparing her.

  Raina nodded again, unblinking. She felt her pulse jump, when he went for the buttons of his shirt. She followed each down, as it came undone. She waited for the reveal a little too anxiously, and blushed when her eyes went to his, and he was watching her.

  He opened his shirt, and of course all she saw was perfection at first. There was no fat on him what so ever, but he was far from skinny. The muscles of his chest were well shaped, and temptingly etched and toned. His abs were jealousy inducing...there was more than a six pack there. She should have at least looked away a little embarrassed, but she couldn't even look away from him. Was he teasing her? Where was the imperfection here?

  He let her look, and found more than a little satisfaction. He worked hard to look this way...and if he approved of anyone’s interest, it was Raina’s.

  "What am I looking to find? Envy?" she teased.

  Nolan smiled crookedly. He pulled his shirt farther back on his left side.

  Raina gasped. There it was...the bullet wound. It was round and puckered with the scarring. "Oh it had to have hurt," she whispered. Unthinkingly, she reached out and traced her fingers over it. She saw the muscles in his stomach contract at the contact, but she ignored it. She felt the scar again. "I'm so sorry you went through that."

  He held his jaw tight, loving and hating the contact of her fingers. She was so innocent in her motives. The thoughts he was entertaining were not. He chose to focus on her face instead, and saw her concern...her love.

  "I survived," he teased.

  She shook her head. "I can't believe he shot you! I could just kill him!"

  Nolan laughed, shaking his head.

  Raina felt the muscles under her fingers tense with the laughter. She laughed too. "Well obviously I can't kill him, but you know what I mean."

  "It hurt," he answered her question. "I can't remember anything hurting worse." He shrugged. "I knew I was dying...whether I bled to death, or the shock took over my body."

  "I hate thinking of you dying!" she blinked back tears.

  He bit back a gasp, as she leaned in and set a gentle kiss against his abdomen, right over the scar. His heart sped up. He wished to remind her of their boundaries, but in the same thought, wished she would forget them! Her touch again was in innocence. He knew this by the tears on her cheeks. He claimed his thoughts again, and relaxed his body.

  Raina sat back, sniffing, and wiping the tears.

  "Thank you for caring," he whispered huskily. He pulled his shirt close again, but was too distracted to button it.

  Raina smiled sadly.

  "I accept the scar though for what it is. I have nothing left of my old life. I have no family...just this scar. No reminders of the past in the form of something that is mine. Thanatos and Elenora are here...but they are not part of me." He shook his head. "Nothing of who I was stayed with me."

  Raina laid her hand next to his hand on the rock. "That’s not true," she whispered.

  He turned to her. "What do you mean?"

  Her blue eyes softened and roamed his face. "Who do you look like? Your looks didn't change when you became immortal. Except for your eyes."

  He shrugged. "I'm tall like my father...had his eyes, dark grey. My mother’s lips, so I was told. I have my grandfather’s chin...his smile." He smiled. "I always liked being compared to him. Loved my grandfather...respected him."

  . "So...every time you look in a mirror you have part of your past...your memories. When you see your face, you should see them."

  Grey eyes turned to her and lit. "You're right," he whispered.

  Raina looked pleased. "I usually am."

  He chuckled.

  "You respected your grandfather?"

  Nolan looked down at the stream. "He's the reason I became a doctor. I followed in his footsteps."

  Rania’s mouth fell open. "You never told me you had been a doctor!"

  He nodded. "I had gone on house visits with him from the time I was eleven. He taught me all I needed to know. He was a good healer." Nolan’s eyes clouded.

  Raina bit her lip.

  He shrugged. "I tried to be just like him." He reached up to rub the side of his neck and blew out a breath.

  "Is it hard still...to remember how it use to be?"

  His face softened. "On one hand, yes...I miss them still, my family. But if I dwell on the past...I can't enjoy the present...my future. In fact, I've spent very little time enjoying the present...until now."

  Raina lifted her brows. "What do you mean?"

  Nolan wet his lower lip, and turned shy. He swung his feet and grinned. "I can enjoy my present now because... you."

  Those words set free the butterflies in her stomach. She smiled. She shoved her shoulder into his, the immobile shoulder. "I'm enjoying my present too," she said softly.

  Nolan turned his face to her. "Even with all the hiding...running about?"

  She laughed. "It makes it an adventure."

  He grinned back.

  Raina had to swallow at the intense look in his eye, despite the carefree grin. She decided to press back in to his past. "Did you have a big family?"

  "Two sisters," he answered. He smiled sadly. "Lillian and Mary. They were younger than me...and very dependent on me as the big brother." That stopped him short, and again, the neck rubbing commenced.

  "Are you thinking about...when you had to leave them?"

  He closed his eyes. "They couldn't know. I wrote a couple times...then I stopped. I had hoped they'd believe I'd been in an accident, had an illness. I couldn't continue to write to them, and explain why I didn't come to visit. It was a very confusing time for me."

  "And on top of all of that, you had Thanatos dogging you."

  He nodded. "I've gr
own use to him now. I don't fear what he will do to me. Only what he can do to those I love."

  Raina’s pulse jumped and she waited for him to continue, but he wasn't going to. "I worry what he may do to you," she admitted.

  He bit his bottom lip. "I know you do Raina, and that makes me nervous. I don't want you hurt trying to protect me."

  She smiled. "Someone has to watch over you. You have no family? Let me be your family."

  His brow drew together. "I can't take losing another."

  Raina bumped her shoulder against his again. She was finding the contact easier than the words.

  "Enough of the heavy," he sighed. He no longer wanted to go down memory lane. "How about I ask some questions now?"

  She smiled. "Sure!"

  He grinned back. “I don't even know your favorite color."

  "Purple," she said without hesitation. "Yours?"

  "Blue," he said easily. He met her gaze. "The color of your eyes precisely."

  She blushed.

  "You're an animal lover," he observed. "Is it all animals in general?"

  She gave a shrug. "Pretty much."

  "And your favorite?"

  Raina shrugged. "You'll think it silly, but...well; I have a soft spot for alligators."

  Nolan laughed in surprise. "Al...Alligators? Honestly? Alligators?"

  She blushed. "Is that weird for a girl?"

  He grinned. "No, not...really. I just...you're serious?"

  Raina covered her face in embarrassment.

  "Why?"

  She peaked at him between her fingers. “Why?"

  "Why alligators?

  She blushed. "They are so mysterious....powerful...a little cold...I...I really don't know." For a second she thought of Thanatos....he was kind of an alligator himself in that respect.

  "Ever see one live?"

  Raina frowned and shook her head.

  He smiled. "We'll have to make that happen."

  Raina smiled back. "I'd like that," she agreed.

  Nolan nodded. "Consider it done." He had a secret twinkle in his eye.

  Her eyes twinkled back up at him.

  "What about books?" He continued in his questioning.

  "Twilight," she said again with little hesitation. "Oh there are others...but I am a romantic, so it is my favorite!"

  He groaned.

  Raina frowned. "You've never read?"

  He shook his head, his beautiful eyes rolled.

  "Then you have no reason to judge! You must first read it...then you can roll your eyes at me!"

  He gave her his gorgeous frowny face.

  "And before you ask about movies...."

  Again he groaned, placing his head in his hands.

  Raina slapped his arm. It had no effect on him.

  He peaked at her between his fingers, mimicking her earlier action. "Yeh, maybe we shouldn't be friends."

  She stuck her tongue at him.

  "Music?”

  She smiled. "I like Adele...Muse...really eclectic..."

  "Pussy Cat Dolls..."

  She blushed. "Of course you would remember. Is there anything that escapes your notice?"

  He shook his head. "There’s one particular thing that catches my notice at each of our meetings. It really bothers me."

  Her blue eyes were steady on his. "What?" Her voice was soft and pitiful.

  He cleared his throat. "So Emily drove you here?"

  She shrugged. "Yes."

  "And other times it’s Bradley?"

  She nodded.

  "You couldn't drive yourself?"

  She looked at him stupidly.

  "I thought it was getting better...your fears?"

  She meet his gaze and knew exactly where he was going with this. She had more growing to do, and he was going to push her again...gently, which was Nolan’s way. "I am," she answered timidly.

  "So why is there a perfectly good car setting in your garage?"

  She bit her lip. "I'm not even sure it works," she mumbled. "It’s been sitting there a few years...and my license is expired," she admitted.

  He made a tisking sound with his tongue. "Well, we'll have to remedy that, won't we?" He straightened his shoulders. "I would check the car, but I'm not allowed around your house at the moment. I'll send someone."

  Raina blinked at him. "Why is it so important?"

  He shrugged. "You need independence Raina. A car provides that. Plus...Emily and Bradley taking you here and there opens doors for revealing things we don't want revealed. It would be so much more convenient if our secret meetings were just between you and me."

  She saw his logic and nodded. "I'm afraid I'll be rusty with the driving part," she whispered.

  "So I'll give you lessons." His eyes lit. "Next time we meet here, I will bring my car...we'll practice."

  Raina’s eyes ran over him. "Don't tell me you walked or ran here."

  He snorted a laugh. "You doubt I could? I'd have no problem...but no, I did not."

  She furrowed her brow. "Why isn't your car here today then?"

  A slow sexy grin spread his face. "I brought the bike."

  She glanced at Turk, then back at him. Raina groaned. "And I wore pants today! It’s so unfair!"

  His teeth gleamed, and those laugh lines she talked about showed up. "Patience Aelan...I will get you back on the bike one day."

  Turk barked to be let up, and Raina watched in awe, as Nolan easily leaned down and hefted the dog up. Turk was far from light, but he had no problem with the task.

  "Crazy immortal strength," she said with envy.

  Nolan smiled proudly. "Hard work too...never forget that! I should get you to the gym...pump some iron."

  She blushed.

  "You know, you keep blushing I may have to change my favorite color from blue to pink." He touched her cheek briefly, and then turned to Turk to distract himself.

  Raina took a moment to click a picture of the two so close and so adorable together. She got the camera snatched from her then.

  "Let me get some of you." He jumped down, took a second to fix the cuffs of his jeans, and then aimed the camera at her.

  Raina felt self-conscious, and pulled the furry pup closer. She didn't want to be the only one in the picture. Turk lapped her cheek, and then went back to posing for Nolan.

  Nolan smiled up at her. "I'd like a copy of these, if you don't mind."

  Raina agreed quickly, and then gasped surprise when he jumped back up with the two of them, put his arm around her, moved Turk, and set a hand to the side of her hip, sliding her neatly into his side.

  Raina was shocked by the contact. He was warmth, and his scent was a little heady. She leaned closer, so she was also in the view of the camera, and smiled as he took a picture. He was then gone from her, falling easily to the ground. He didn't look back at her or make comment of his action...just started taking pictures of the view around him.

  Raina stilled her heart, placing a hand to her chest, and taking a deep breath. She watched him for a moment, unhindered, before he turned back and smiled at her.

  "Does Turk like ice cream?"

  Raina laughed. "Loves it!"

  "Wanna hit the drive thru again?"

  The boyish side of him peaked through again. He came to stand below her and lifted up his arms to assist her down.

  "But you've only got the bike."

  He stopped for a second and frowned, “That’s right." He looked embarrassed to have forgotten. Suddenly he smiled, and fished his cell phone out of his pocket. He dialed a number, and he waited, hoping he got reception out here.

  Raina watched him curiously, trying to figure out what he was up to.

  His eye brows lifted when he obviously got an answer. “Emily?"

  Raina smiled ruefully. No he didn't!

  “Could I trouble you?"

  Raina knew Emily...she'd do anything for Nolan.

  "Would you mind meeting us back here, where you dropped Raina off? Turkey needs a babysitter...and Raina wants a s
pin on the bike."

  Raina's heart leapt with excitement.

  "I know it’s a lot to ask, but...you will? Thank you Emily, you're the sweetest!" He ended the call and grinned at Raina. "Happy? Ice cream and a bike ride." He held his arms up for her again.

  "Sounds wonderful to me." She dropped easily into his arms. He caught her without flinching; the impact was easily cushioned by him. Raina couldn't help her thoughts racing back to the memory of what was underneath the fabric that separated them. She blushed, and he let her slide to the ground. Even with her feet firmly in place, she wasn't sure she'd be able to stand steady. She set her hand against the rock to prop herself up, as he let her go.

  Nolan reached up for Turk, snapped the leash in place, and then grinned at her. He watched her take in a breath. "You steady there Aelan?"

  Raina rolled her eyes and pushed from the rock. She led the way toward the trail. "Follow me," she sighed. "I'll show you how steady I am."

  Nolan chuckled behind her. "It will be my pleasure to follow you. Makes the view...more... enjoyable."

  She spun around in surprise, and blushed.

  Nolan passed her, as he took the lead. "Yeah, definitely leaning toward pink."

  That day they did enjoy a leisurely ride, but the very next, began Raina’s training. She got to do it in the beautiful Charger...which made her all the more nervous. She could tell by Nolan’s white knuckles on the door frame, it made him nervous too.

  "You are immortal...no more worries about me killing you," she had teased.

  "Me?" he'd barked. "I'm thinking about my car!"

  Despite both fears, she did eventually get her driving pants back on. Nolan was right...though she had yet to drive on her own, she felt her independence growing.

  Several days of training passed on the short trails of the park. Until one day, when he indicated she should take the road.

  Raina blanched.

  Nolan took his phone out and began dialing. "Take a right."

  "Where are we going?"

  "My apartment," he said gently, holding the phone to his ear.

  Her fingers shook, as she flipped the turn signal.

  She felt his big warm hand on her knee, and nearly jumped. "You'll be fine, sweetheart," he whispered. "You're ready." He put the phone to his ear, as she turned onto the road. "Emily?" He waited for a response.