Gathering Storm

by Jess Parry

  Siobhan eases out of the house, closing the door as quietly as she can. Turning, she gazes at the edge of the darkened woods ahead. Walking down the steps, she steps into the dewy grass and slowly walks towards Ash. Stepping out of the shadows, he watches the moonlight playing in her hair as it lights the path before her.

  Siobhan stops a few feet from the entrance of the woods, glancing behind her to make sure no one has gotten up. She turns back towards the woods, biting her lower lip, she closes her eyes as she whisper’s Ash’s name.

  The wind silently picks up her call, carrying it quickly to Ash. Stepping out of the shadows, Ash features are caught in the moon’s light. Siobhan opens her eyes to stare into the storm green eyes watching her silently.

  “Who are you?” Siobhan timidly asks

  “You know who I am” Ash’s lilting voice replies seductively around her

  “Do I?” Siobhan whispers

  Stepping closer to Siobhan, Ash lifts his hand to caress her face. Siobhan’s watches as his hand trembles as he runs it down her cheek. Sucking in a breath Siobhan feels the coolness of his touch wrap around her consuming her. Leaning her head into his touch, she reaches up to clasp his hand.

  Groaning Ash, steps closer to her, pulling her into his arms protectively as he feels the chaos dancing gleeful around them.

  “I am yours” Ash whispers into her ear before softly kissing it

  “Then why don’t I know you?”

  “You do, you just haven’t called them memories to you aghra”

  “What did you do to us?”

  “I thought I was keeping us together” Ash whispers hoarsely “It was a foolish mistake, that if I could go back and change I would”

  “Why were you trying to keep us together” Siobhan asks

  “You are my beloved, my soul, the first time I saw you, I went mad with wanting you”

  A shiver runs through Siobhan as she listens to Ash, looking up at him, she sees a myriad of emotions play across his face. His body trembles as he holds her, it’s been so long since she has come to him on her own. It wasn’t a dream brought on by him that brought her out here this night.

  “Why did you come?” Ash asks

  “I had to see you” Siobhan responds “I want to remember you, I do, but I also don’t want to feel whatever pain you may bring me”

  “I would never hurt you”

  “But that’s just it, you have hurt me at some point otherwise I would know you”

  “Can’t you understand I did what I did thinking it would keep us together, not tear us apart”

  The pain in Ash’s voice touches Siobhan, her heart breaking; she raises her hand to his face. Touching it softly, she watches as Ash’s eyes close, a sad smile ghosting his lips.

  “You have no idea what your touch does to me” Ash groans before leaning down and capturing Siobhan’s mouth with his.

  Ash’s lips send a river of passion shooting through Siobhan. Heat floods her entire body as she runs her hands through Ash’s blonde hair. Groaning into Siobhan’s mouth, Ash deepens the kiss as he pulls her to him. Heat rushes through Siobhan as she feels Ash’s hands trailing down her back. The ring on her fingers scalds her with blinding heat just as Ash pushes away from her.

  Breathing heavily Ash stares at Siobhan wild eyed as he watches her bring the ring up.

  “Why did the ring zap me?” Ash asks between gulping breaths of air

  “I don’t know” Siobhan answers in bewilderment “I thought this was your ring?”

  “It is…it’s only to keep away others”

  “So that is why Jason couldn’t touch it” Siobhan mutters

  “Yes, but now it is keeping me away from you. What did you do tonight?”

  “I don’t understand…”

  “Don’t you?” Ash retorts shaking his head wearily “You did something today, awakened something inside you that was dormant. Whatever you did, the ring doesn’t know me anymore”

  “I’m sorry” Siobhan mumbles as she looks away from the torment on Ash’s face

  “Can you tell me what you were thinking at the time?” Ash asks softly

  Taking a deep breath Siobhan turns to look at Ash, the wind softly caresses her face, pulling tendrils of her hair into the air.

  “God even the elements are responding to you” Ash voice rumbles low

  “I was thinking about losing myself to everyone..even you and that I don’t even know you. I wanted the ring to be mine, to not be your possession over me”

  “Oh god” Ash’s eyes grow wide in shock

  “I felt this overwhelming power consuming me; I felt its strength caress my heart. It was seductive, wicked really”

  “You have taken the ring I gave you long ago as a promise and broken its bonds Siobhan”

  “This ring you gave to the girl that doesn’t exist anymore”

  “Dammit Siobhan you are the same girl” Ash growls

  “How can I be the same one?” Siobhan retorts

  “I don’t know, but you always come back to me” Sighing heavily Ash looks over to see Siobhan staring at him wide eyed

  Turning abruptly Ash stomps a couple of steps away from Siobhan. Anger radiating off of him as he feels the chaos within screaming to be free, the need to lash out. Raising his hands, he lets some of the energy disperse around him.

  Lightning flashes brightly in the sky as thunder rumbles loudly as the energy calls the coming storm closer. Feeling the shift in the energy around her, Siobhan wraps her arms tightly around her.

  “What are you doing Ash?”

  “Letting this anger out the only way I know how”

  “I don’t want the storm”

  “Well the storm is coming so deal with it”

  “Why do you continue to chase me if I anger you so?”

  “Do you really need to hear the answer?”

  “Yes” Siobhan replies softly

  Running his hands through his hair, Ash turns to face Siobhan. Her emerald eyes glistening in the moonlight with unshed tears, Ash’ s head reels as he sees the pain whisper across her face.

  “My heart is bound to you; after all we have been through… You are lucky in the sense that your memories always stay buried. I have tried to no use to let you go, to try and let the memory of us go. I can’t stay away from you, my soul will always hear your call in every lifetime”

  Stepping closer to Siobhan, Ash runs his hands down her cheek softly as she leans into his embrace sighing.

  “You are my soul mate, my beloved; my heart will never know another love but yours”

  “Tell me what I have to do to remember Ash…please” Siobhan asks earnestly

  “I don’t know and even if I did, I’m bound to only give so much to you” Ash answers coolly

  Leaning down, Ash lightly brushes his lips over Siobhan’s as the anguish consumes him. He has said too much as it is and knows he must leave her. He can’t interfere any more than he already has in her version of this life. Clenching her hair between his fingers, the soft caress as the curls wrap around him finger. A ghost of a smile plays across his lips stealing Siobhan’s breath.

  “I must go” Ash drops his hands stepping back

  “No, please don’t go, I want to know you” Siobhan pleads stepping closer to Ash

  Groaning in defeat, Ash closes the distance between Siobhan and himself. Pulling her face up and ravaging her mouth as power consumes him. The need to possess every inch of Siobhan fills his head as he teases her lips with his tongue. Sighing, Siobhan opens to let him in and the kiss deepens.

  Ash suddenly pushes away from Siobhan breathing heavy “No, I have to go; your memories must come back to you on your own. I have done too much as it is”

  Turning abruptly, Ash flicks his hand opening the energy between then stepping through quickly the opening closes with Ash gone. Whimpering, Siobhan reaches out to the empty space that Ash once stood, tears silently falling.

  “Siobhan, what are you doing out here?” Shawn
asks as he walks towards her

  Quickly wiping the tears from her eyes, Siobhan turns to Shawn.

  “I was getting some air, Shawn, I needed to be alone and think about everything that has happened”

  “I understand the need to be alone, but it isn’t safe out here”

  “I don’t think Ash wants to hurt me” Siobhan replied wistfully

  “No, not in the sense you mean, but he’ll hurt you in ways you will never recover Siobhan. He has torn both your souls apart, the damage that caused can never truly be made right” Shawn responded, his lilting voice filled with an unspoken anguish

  “Maybe he’s trying to correct the wrong he did?” Siobhan asked tentatively

  Snorting, Shawn smirked at Siobhan shaking his head “Really, then why does he continue to chase you after all this time if he is trying to right the wrong?”

  “I don’t know, but I know there is something here, it calls to me as much as it calls to him Shawn” Siobhan calmly answered

  “So answer me this then” Shawn hesitates as he watches Siobhan raise her eyes to his “If you feel the call to him, then why are you trying so hard to be away from him?”

  Raising an eyebrow at the question Shawn just asked, Siobhan watches as Shawn steps from foot to foot waiting for an answer.

  “I said I felt the call to him, I didn’t say I was willing to lost myself to someone who can’t explain to me what is happening”

  “Well, that wasn’t the answer I was expecting” Shawn replied through a laugh “Siobhan, I believe you may be more of a challenge for Ash then even he realizes”

  Laughing, Siobhan twins her arm through Shawn’s as they make their way back up the trail towards the house.

  “Shawn, I believe you may be right”

  Siobhan awoke to a bright blinding light shining on her face, turning her face towards the warmth, she kept her eyes closed as she felt the gently caress of the air around her. Sighing, Siobhan opened her eyes to see the sun shining brightly overhead. Climbing out of the bed, she stretched languidly as she walked towards the windows, gazing out into the open yard.

  The previous night’s discussion with Ash tickled through her mind as she watched the sun dance playfully at the edge of the woods. He couldn’t walk away from her, he was bound to her, a small smile etched across her face as she remembered the fire in his eyes as he told her this. Stealing her breath as she heard the words fall from his lips, those same lips that brought shivers of pleasure through her. Touching her lips she could still feel the pressure of his lips against her.

  Squaring her shoulders, she turned as she heard the light knocking on her door before Sarah opened it.

  “What’s up Becky” Sarah asked as she walked in carrying two mugs of coffee. Sarah watched as Siobhan smiled as she took the cup raising it to her slightly swollen lips.

  “Holy shit Becky! Who the hell have you been kissing?” Sarah gasped

  “What are you talking about?” Siobhan asked as she swallowed the coffee feeling it burn her throat

  “Don’t you dare play stupid with me” Sarah retorted hotly “You have suck face lips”

  Stifling a laugh Siobhan touched her lips again, as she smiled widely “Promise not to say anything?”

  “I hear nothing, I see nothing, now spill it Becky”

  “I spoke to Ash last night”

  “Bloody hell” Sarah hissed “Is he the one that gave you the suck face lips?”

  Shaking her head Siobhan let the laughter billow out “Damn stop calling it that”

  “Oh please I just call it what it is” Sarah laughs “Spill”

  “We talked, he got angry, then he kissed me” Siobhan answered

  “And?”

  “And what Sarah?” Siobhan asked as she turned to pull out a pair of jeans and a sweater from her suitcase

  “What the hell was the kiss like?” Sarah asked as she pulled Siobhan’s arm hard

  “Ouch”

  “Sorry, but you gotta tell me” Sarah squealed

  “It was wonderful, sad, desperate, and sensual” Siobhan mumbled as she pulled her night shirt over her head

  “Damn”

  “I can still taste him Sarah” Siobhan quickly pulled her black cashmere sweater on to hide the blush creeping up her face

  “Really, oh damn that’s intense as hell” Sarah shook her head as she pictured Ash standing at the door in the rain looking all moody sexy as the rain fell around him. A small sigh fell from her lips as she watched Siobhan’s blush turn crimson

  “He also told me that I did something to his ring, because it zapped him last night as he kissed me”

  “Shit, girl you were all kinds of whacky fucked up last night!” Sarah exclaimed “Your freaking eyes were black and your ears, god they were all pointy”

  “My ears were what!” Siobhan cried

  “I don’t know what the hell happened to you, but you were wicked last night. Your voice changed, your hair was flying around you and your eyes turned like completely black. Did I mention your ears got pointy?” Sarah answered a small smile playing across her lips

  “Really?”

  “Oh hell yeah, you scared the piss outta me. I literally almost peed in my damn pants you were like 4 inches off the couch”

  “God” Siobhan moaned

  “Did I mention you also pushed my man like eight feet away from you?”

  “Jesus”

  “You didn’t even recognize me, I don’t know what snapped you out of it, but god I swear if you ever do that again I’ll bitch slap you into next week” Sarah replied coolly

  Closing her eyes Siobhan let Sarah’s words soak in. Sucking in a quick breath she opened her eyes whispering “I remember what brought me out of it”

  “What”

  “You, your tears actually”

  “Wow” Sarah muttered “You do realize you have to tell Shawn and Claire about the ring”

  “I know, I just need a few minutes to process everything”

  “Take the few minutes, then get your ass downstairs, have some breakfast and then tell em” Sarah said as she rose off the bed and walked out the door

  “Sarah” Siobhan called

  “Yah Becky” Sarah replied

  “I love you”

  “Ah, I love you too”

  Laughing Sarah went downstairs to leave Siobhan to her thoughts.

  Siobhan could hear the voices muffled downstairs, she wanted to go down and share everything that had happened last night. There was just a little part of her that was yelling in her head to keep that meeting quiet from everyone else. A cool breeze swept into the room, encircling Siobhan pulling her breath from her. Staring out into the woods beyond her, she watched Ash step out of the shadows. His eyes glowing as he raised his fingers to his lips and blew a kiss towards Siobhan.

  The wind wound around her seductively before landing a cool fire on her lips before disappearing. Lips tingling, Siobhan brought her own fingers to her scorched lips. Desire in unbidden waves enclosed over her, dizzying drawing her out of the protection of the house.

  Turning, she raced downstairs and threw open the door, before taking a step out, strong arms encircled her. Anger flooded her as she fought to get out of Shawn’s tight grasp.

  “Let me go”

  “No”

  “I want to talk to him”

  “No, what you want is emanating off you in waves and it has nothing to do with talking”

  “Dammit, don’t be an ass, Shawn” Sarah hissed behind them

  “I’m not. I’m just stating fact”

  “Let her go, Shawn” Claire’s voice calmly retorted

  Dropping his arms, Siobhan started to raise her foot to step out the door.

  “Just know that once you step outside this house, I can’t protect from what’s out there” Claire spoke quietly

  Turning, Siobhan dropped her foot and looked at Claire. “Maybe, I don’t need your protection right at this moment”

  “Oh, my dear you do
, you just don’t realize it”

  “But I have my own power” Siobhan retorted “Christ, we all saw it”

  “Yes, it’s there, but do you know truly how to wield it yet?”

  Opening her mouth to respond, Siobhan realized Claire was right and closed it. Turning back around to look at the woods, she could still see Ash standing slightly out of the shadows. He was still waiting for her, even knowing that she was planning something that may be truly awful to both of them this night, he still waited.

  “I understand everyone’s concern, but I have to speak to him. He will not hurt me, that much I know, nor will he try anything. Please, understand, to everyone here this has been going on for so long, but to me it’s just a beginning.”

  “No, it’s not your beginning” Shawn grumbled

  “Shawn, please, it is for me and I need to speak to him, even it’s the last time I ever will. I need to understand why” Siobhan pleaded

  “Let her go” Sarah calmly walked over to Shawn, embracing him she reached up and lightly kissed his lips. Her eyes searching his, she watched the chaos inside him slow as she smiled loving at him.

  “Shawn, this boy has held her enthralled for reasons she can’t understand. To end this with no understanding, isn’t closure”

  “She is right, Shawn.” Claire replied as she turned and headed back into the kitchen. “She will be back and we’ll talk then”

  Expelling the breath she had been holding, Siobhan stepped out into the cloudy day. The air coolly wrapped around her as she quickly walked down the path towards Ash. Energy ran through her pushing her steps forward until she was running towards him.

  Ash watched as his beloved ran towards him, a small smile playing against her lips. His heart clenched at the site of her, he wanted to run to her as well, but knew somewhere in these woods he was watched by a power that would strike them both. He couldn’t show the emotions that were bubbling to the surface uncontrollably. He wanted to touch her so badly, to kiss her, to run his hands through that glorious hair. He watched as jealously seeped through him as the wind played wickedly around her. He wanted to be that wind.