Breathless (The Breathe Series Book 1)

by Christy Johnson

  I look into the mirror, afraid to utter the words but what was even more mysterious was that I didn’t need to. The portal opens and sucks me into the mirror unwillingly.

  *****

  THE MIRROR

  I stand barefoot in mud. “Where am I?” I whisper, looking around.

  “Planet Vaurus.” Stephanie pops up beside of me.

  I jump back from her, “You’re the same girl that showed up in my room a couple of years ago. Who are you!?”

  “Sh, keep your voice down. They’ll hear you.”

  “Who will?”

  “The Millers.”

  “The Millers?” My face drops.

  “You know them?”

  “Yea—I think I do.”

  “Well, this should be interesting for you.” She smirks sarcastically. “Come with me.” She pulls me by the arm behind a tree.

  “What are we hiding here for?”

  “You’ll see.” She watches around the tree for nothing in sight. Her tight curly, shoulder length brown hair bounces with every movement she makes. Her brown eyes glisten under the moonlight as she continues to scan the darkness for a Miller. Her full dark lips rest pressed together. “Stephanie, by the way. My name is Stephanie.” She looks at me with those bold, piercing eyes. Her skin blanketed with darkness, she reaches her hand out for me to shake it.

  I clear my throat, taking her hand, “Nice to meet you, Stephanie. I’m Nora.”

  “Yes I know who you are.” I look her over again, admiring her beautiful dark skin. “You should look too.”

  I clear my throat, lowering my eyes from her. “I’m not sure what I should look for.”

  “Trust me, when you see it, you’ll know.”

  She was running—holding someone’s hand. “Come on!” We hear her screech out in fear. A boy a few years younger than me clung to her hand.

  “Watch.” Stephanie whispers to me.

  “Watch? No, we should help them.” I say, getting into a stance to run over to them.

  Stephanie grabs my shoulder before I could sprint over to them. “We can’t. We’re just here to watch.”

  Her blond her sways behind her as she continues to run. The tears on her face gleaming under the moonlight. Her face riddled with panic as she runs through the forest, looking back at the guy with her. What is she running from?

  “Where is she?” A stubby man yells through the atmosphere with an army of men with torches standing behind him. “Find her!”

  I feel my arms almost reach out to her as she runs past us but am stopped by the familiarity of her. “I know her!” I whisper to Stephanie. “I know that girl.”

  “I know. That’s why you’re here. Now be quiet before they hear you.”

  I study her more as she slows down, spotting Stephanie and I behind the tree. Her clothes torn, hanging off her body. They almost look like rags thrown together to make a dithering dress. Smudged mud dappled all over her face and in her hair. The boy looks worn down, his clothes tattered. Blood touches the tips of his hair hanging down onto his forehead. Blood also leaks out from a wound down the side of his cheek. She comes in closer to us. I gasp when I realize that the girl running from danger is Mason Lawrence from Apalachicola. On her neck was the Rose Pyrrptase Devin just gave me for my birthday. I reach up to touch the necklace hugging my neck. “What the–?”

  “Mason!” My head whips around to a familiar voice. Devin was ranging in closer to Mason. She runs again, saying nothing to Stephanie and I.

  “What is going on!?” I turn to Stephanie, panicking.

  “She wasn’t supposed to see us, Nora. Now Devin will be after us if we don’t run too.”

  “Run where?”

  “Anywhere.” We take off running parallel to Mason, trying to keep up with the story playing out. We run further away from her so we aren’t noticed by Devin, the stubby man, or Mason and the guy with her.

  She falls; out of breath from the run. Her body’s weak, she looks up to him with love in her eyes. “Please go, Elliot. I can’t let them have you.”

  “And I can’t let them have you either.” He kneels down next to her, slides his hands under her and lifts her from the ground.

  “There they are!” The stubby man shrieks.

  “Run.” Mason looks into Elliot’s eyes. He was much taller than she, bulkier than any man I’ve ever known. He takes off running in the direction away from the people chasing him with Mason clutched to his chest. Stephanie and I continue to run parallel beside them.

  “Oomph!” He exclaims, dropping to his knees. Stephanie and I stop running to witness the death of Elliot. Stephanie covers my mouth before I could whimper out loud. The thought of Mason losing him pierces my heart. What if that was Riley?

  “Oh no! Elliot! What’s wrong?” He drops Mason to the ground and falls face flat to the ground. Mason scampers on her hands and knees over to him. “Elliot. Elliot!” She notices the knife in his back. “Baby, no, no, no, no, no! Please, no.” She pleads. Tears streaming down her face; she slides herself under him, allowing his head to rest on her thighs.

  He looks up at her. Like something similar to those lovesick, sappy movies, his hand clasping her face and in his last breath, he says, “It was all worth it for you.” His hand drops to his chest as he escapes this realm and enters the next. Mason cries out in pain, letting her wrath escape her soul. Her cries penetrate the sky, giving Devin the advantage to pinpoint her location. Stephanie and I run to the nearest tree to watch from behind it as Devin comes in closer to Mason.

  “We have to help her, Stephanie. They’ll kill her.” I whisper.

  “You cannot change what has happened already.” She breathes out.

  “What? How is that possible? How has this happened?”

  “Nora,” She turns to me, flustered, “We are just here to watch. That is all. How do you think Mason is in Jeshyria now? She had to die to get there.” She turns from me with no more information. I look back to Mason who is now in Devin’s grasp.

  “Come to me.” Devin whispers as he’s gripping Mason by the throat. “Come to me.” The Rose Pyrrptase glows brighter as Devin tries to compel Mason but her hate for him burns brighter than the necklace ever could.

  “I will not.” She spits in his face. He grows taller with anger, wiping the spit from this brow.

  “Love me, Mason. That’s all you need to do. We can have a family and rule this world together.”

  She laughs, “I’m already the ruler.” She lifts an eyebrow that enhances her smug look.

  He laughs so hard that the ground shakes but even then, she wasn’t afraid. His eyes grow darker as his gape deepens into her. She doesn’t budge, yet, she lifts her head to the sky, ready for the end. Without hesitation, Devin snaps her neck and drops her lifeless body to the ground.

  I don’t mask my horror. I scream out in pain for Mason and Elliot. Stephanie disappears and I open my eyes to the bathroom. I’m standing in front of the mirror with my hands planted into the vanity.

  “What did you see?” I jump, whipping around to face Devin who’s posted up by the door post.

  “Nothing.” I pant. “I saw nothing.”

  “That isn’t a nothing look, Nora.” The Rose Pyrrptase glows with intent on blinding me. He comes in closer to me, threatening me—wanting me to speak of the revulsion I had just witnessed. I don’t move as he glares at me. I back away from him, wanting to escape his demise. He steps closer to me and I take a step back from him.

  “It wasn’t time for this but I guess this will have to do.” I almost cry out in fear but he grips my neck and demands that I look him in the eyes. The necklace glows even more. I try to reach up for it, to at least snatch it off of me but he back me into a wall, waving his free hand demanding something invisible to lock my arms down by my sides. I whimper out for him to please let me go. He just reaches deeper into my being, trying to compel me to fall in love with him. His hypnotizing stare pulls me in closer to him, making me fall victim to his evil demise. What’
s happening to me? I can’t speak, I can only think as his gaze excavates into my soul.

  “Come to me.” He whispers with ill intent. He grips my neck with force, leaving me emasculated, impelling me to submit to him.

  His eyes brighten with the gemstone as he realizes his compellation is working. Every word he speaks, the necklace glows with it. I can’t break the trance between us—the connection too strong to sever. “Come to me.” He whispers again to my soul. Something within me jolts, leaving me stranded here with him, forgetting everyone else I have ever loved. I envision them all disappear and as soon as I try to hold onto Riley, I feel his grip tighten, leaving me breathless. Black spots fumble around in my eyesight. Memories of Riley and I display before my eyes; abandoning me to this forbidden place of turmoil with Devin, forever.

  “Come to me.” He lets out in a last whisper and I forget that this is wrong. This isn’t how my life's supposed to be. “Love me; all you have to do is love me and this will all be over. We can rule this world together, Nora.” He turns my face to talk into my ear. “Let go,” I close my eyes trying to hold onto my memories of Riley but I turn to him slowly to gaze back into his eyes. “I love you,” I breathe out, “I love you,” losing the battle. He loosens his grip and leans in to kiss me bitter-sweetly. I close my eyes and lose thought of the world ever existing.

  23 fallen from grace

  “Hey, where have you been?” Mason jogs up to me, sweat dripping from her chin. She’s jogging in place, staring at me with her mouth slightly open for the air to pass in and out of it.

  “What do you mean?” I ask, confused.

  “Nora—you missed all practices with Elites this week.” She stops jogging in place.

  “Really!? I don’t even remember seeing them on the schedule.” I flip my wrist gadget on, projecting the calendar onto the palm of my hand. “See, it’s not there.” I flash my hand to her, showing her my blank schedule.

  “That’s because the wrist gadgets have been down this week. Some electromagnetic thingy pertaining to the chemtrails. They’ve been spraying like crazy today, saying we need rain or something. But yes, I told you in person last week. You don’t remember?”

  I squint, looking up to the ceiling of the gym trying to recall her saying anything about practices but truth is, I couldn’t remember a damn thing before my birthday dinner with Devin. “I don’t remember.” I look back at her, afraid that my memory might give out on me.

  “Are you okay? I mean it’s not like you to skip without telling me what’s up first. What’s going on?” She takes me by the arm, pulling me aside from the groups of people running past us.

  “I do not understand what has been going on with me lately, Mace. I’ve lost track of life, I guess.”

  “Yea, you seem to drift off somewhere. Pull it together some, okay? The others are getting suspicious and are telling me to kick you out of Elite. I don’t want to do that, you’re the best we have—well, other than myself.” She smirks, whipping her pony tail from side to side. I try smiling with her but my boggled mind forces an ugly cringed look to form.

  “Nor—Whoa!” Mason jumps from a guy running past, smacking her butt.

  “Hey babe!” He exclaims, jogging back over to her to kiss her cheek sweetly. His blond hair dripping wet with sweat. His face looks so familiar. I grime, looking at him, wearisome that I knew him from some place but couldn’t quite recall where.

  “Do I know you?” I interrupt them as they’re smooching and rubbing the tips of their noses against each other’s.

  “Sorry, Nora. This is—uh, my boyfriend, Elliot.” She smiles, still trying to place her lips on his cheeks. He mushes her away, playingly to hold his hand out to me. “He was at Veritas the other night but you probably didn’t notice him because you were, uh, doing your own thing.” She bites her tongue through a cute grin.

  He laughs at her. “Nice to meet you,” He says. His blue eyes staring into mine. I take his hand, shaking it.

  “Good to meet you, too.” I smile.

  “Gotta go, babe.” He kisses her cheek again and takes off running from us.

  “Gosh, he looks so familiar.” I say, remembering him from somewhere else other than the club.

  “Yea, many people say that. Come on, let’s get to work.”

  “Sure.” I tie my hair up into a high pony tail, pushing my wireless earbuds into my ears, and jogging around the gym with Mason. The gym is at least 3,000 square feet, stretching higher in length than width, actually. It was two stories, allowing other people to run the track at the top and some to run at the bottom since all 7 divines come together every day for workouts before training.

  The air sweeps the superfluous hair off my face. I round my lips, permitting the air to flow in and out of my mouth. Mason is jogging a couple of feet ahead of me. I watch her pony tail sway from side to side, letting that be my focal point. She runs next to Nelson, Chad and Cydney who are also part of Elite. Cydney is next to Mason, whispering something to her. I notice her cut her eyes at me still talking to Mace. I squint my eyes trying to make out what she is saying, not paying attention to the idiot running backwards right into me.

  My entire body hits the ground this time, like falling flat like a board. I fall dramatically, almost falling off a cliff, back first. My mouth open wide, hitting the ground in slow motion as everyone watches my embarrassment. Heads turned slowly at me, legs not running anymore, hands lying flat by their sides. I continuously fall, making a scene for them all to watch and when I hit the floor, I feel my body bounce forward, worsening the impact.

  “I’m so sorry, Nora!” He exclaims, holding his hand out to me to lift me from the floor. I look up at him, half-way studying him, half-way still in shock that I fell from his frail bump. How did you end up on the floor, Nora? For Creator’s Sake, you’re training with the Elites. Why aren’t you tougher than this? I reprimand myself utterly, feeling the tears burn my eyes. He notices. His face contorts with concern, “Are you okay?” he asks, slightly pulling his hand back.

  I hold my mouth open as if I will speak but my words caught by the demeaning eyes all over me. I look around at everyone, staring at me, wondering when the hell I would get up from the rock hard floor—the slick, marbled floor. “Hey, don’t worry about them, they’re just as concerned as I am. Here, take my hand.” He holds his hand out again and I take it this time. He pulls me up, grabbing ahold to my elbow and I position my feet flat onto the floor, pulling up on him with my puny arm. I stammer into him once I’m on my feet. “Easy, easy.” He says meekly, gazing into me. I look up to him, wanting to thank him for helping me up but also punch him in the face for knocking me down. His green eyes captivating, almost as if I had been captured by his look before. A familiar, uneasy feeling crawls into me. I buckle in his arms, seeping closer into his chest.

  “You alright, Nor?” He asks again.

  “H—how did you know my name?” I’m able to speak but that’s the only thing I can say—ask.

  His face twists, “It’s me… Riley.” I back away from him slowly, well, actually I stammer away from him. My legs still in total shock, my body coming down from the high of adrenaline.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know you.” I say. Mason and Cydney rushes over to me, grabbing me from under my arms, helping me over to a bench to rest. Riley’s eyes follow me over, his face still warping. He storms out of the gym, leaving me curious about him. How did he know me?

  “Who was that guy?” I look into Mason’s blue eyes.

  “I have no idea.” She says, sitting down beside of me, examining my body. “Will you be able to train today?”

  “Yea—I’m fine, just a little shaken up, that’s all.” I say with my eyes on the door he had just exited from.

  *****

  RILEY

  “Something’s wrong, Stephanie.” Riley paces the ground of his and Nora’s secret spot.

  “Like what and with who?”

  “Nora!” His teeth clenched together. He displays his frust
ration. “She looked right at me and didn’t know who I was.”

  Stephanie stands from the boulder she is sitting on, “What? How? You were the only one who could–”

  “Make her remember if she ever forgot, I know.” He drops his head. “What are we going to do?”

  “I can’t believe he’s using that on her so quickly. I mean he took forever to use that thing on me. It was so ugly. I would never wear it.” She cringes.

  “Steph—c’mon, help me think.”

  “What else is there to do, Riley? He has her now and if you can’t save her then who can?”

  He slaps his forehead, “She couldn’t have fallen that quickly. I mean for that thing to work, she has to have some feelings for him right?”

  “Well, yeah or either she’s just broken. That simple.”

  “Ugh!” He plops down on the boulder. “This would be so much easier if Leslie would have told her about Chosen and that she was the ultimate. And if she would have never told me to break her heart, she would be safe now.”

  “But she wouldn’t be Riley. You’re forgetting one small detail. You’re also her weakness. You had to break her so she would live. You are always the death of her.” Stephanie touches his shoulder.

  “I wish it didn’t have to be this way. I mean, what kind of demented universe is this!? You can’t be with the person you love and if you do stay with them, you have to always hide out in the shadows! I will find no one else like her.”

  “Maybe your connection with her isn’t a love one, Riley. Maybe it’s strictly business.” She squints her eyes, hesitant to tell him the bitter truth, but he swallows it, acknowledging that she could be right.

  “So maybe we got it all wrong—maybe the connection, the jolt between us was because I am meant to save her? It makes little sense!” He stands, facing her. “I’m the bane, right?”

  “Well, yeah but–”

  “So that means that she has to love me more than life itself in order for me to be the sacrifice. You see? This has to happen this way.”

  “Okay, you’re losing me.”