"What is that about?" Avalon could barely contain his laughter as he approached his truck.
"Finally," I groaned loudly. I stepped over Sebastian and walked around to the passenger's side door.
Avalon was still snickering while he climbed into the cab and started the engine. As we drove away Sebastian had recovered somewhat and was in an awkward half-standing position. He waved brashly at me and all I could do was shake my head.
"Do you want to go to the farm tonight?" Avalon asked me as we pulled into the driveway, several minutes later, although I was pretty sure he already knew the answer.
"Can I see Lilly?" I also already knew the answer.
"No, not yet," he responded, turning off the engine and jumping down from the driver's seat. Since we were officially at home now, Avalon ripped out his pony tail holder and let his shoulder length black waves free.
"Then, no," I said curtly, doing the same with my impossibly long and tangled midnight black hair.
"Eden, that's not fair," he whined and I got a glimpse into what a childhood would have been like growing up together.
We entered the house and noticed Jericho sitting on the couch looking bored. He was wearing a gray, long sleeved t-shirt and black, athletic shorts, bouncing one of his knees rapidly while chewing anxiously on his finger nails. When we walked in he gave me a half smile, and watched me walk around the room, never taking his eyes off me. His demeanor told me he was nervous about something, but I didn't have time to ask him.
"Eden, focus," Avalon called my attention back to him. "If you don't go, I can't go. And I want to go," Avalon whined some more.
"I don't care if you go," I said simply and it was the truth. Avalon would be safe at the farmhouse.
"I'm not worried about myself," he responded to my thought out loud, although I didn't actually voice my concern to him. "I'm worried about you; I'm not going to leave you alone here."
"I won't be alone, Jericho is here," I plopped down on the oversized couch next to him to accentuate my point, but the soft cushions pulled me closer to him than I intended. Our bodies sat sidled next to each other deep in the expansiveness of the soft couch.
"That's right," Jericho slapped my knee casually, but I felt his magic flare next to me.
"I can't go without you Eden. You don't get it. I have to stay with you at all times," Avalon spoke slower, as if I were having trouble understanding him.
"I don't want to go, Avalon, so deal with it," I spoke even slower, irritated that we even had to have this conversation. He should just be able to know the outcome already thanks to our twin connection.
"I was hoping you wouldn't be so selfish," he once again answered more than my words. I gave him a dirty, but stubborn look in response. "You're such a baby." Avalon huffed before taking the steps two at a time into his bedroom.
"Who's the baby?" I mumbled, and listened to Avalon slam the door shut both to his room and to our telepathic connection.
I reached for my ear instinctively and accidentally clipped Jericho in the nose with my elbow.
"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!" I gasped as he grabbed for his face. "I am so, so, so sorry!" I laid my palms gently on either side of his face, feeling like the biggest klutz ever.
"It's ok," Jericho grunted through muffled hands. "Really, I'm fine," he pulled his hands away from his face and placed them sweetly on the tops of mine. He held my hands to his face while gazing into my eyes and I stared back mesmerized for a moment. His soft hazel eyes were compelling and he searched mine as if looking for the answer to a question he hadn't asked yet.
"I'm really sorry," I said again quietly.
"Eden, really, I'm fine," he broke into a smile I found absolutely charming, his perfect teeth glistened and I noticed one dimple to the side of his soft lips for the first time. My hands were still placed against his face, with his hands on mine. His magic soared and for the first time I realized that he may have real feelings for me.
I coughed nervously and looked away from his piercing gaze. "I should um, I should change out of my uniform," I mumbled, attempting to pull my hands away from his.
Jericho slid his hands from mine to my face so that we both sat there caressing each other's cheeks. I realized I should stand up, but the couch was deep and I was finding it hard to move. Jericho leaned in slowly and I willed myself to move, but I felt captivated and I hated myself for it. His soft lips brushed mine and a sickening feeling erupted in my stomach. He hadn't kissed me yet, but he was going to.
"I can't," I blurted out, ruining the moment.
Jericho's hands dropped from my face and he was several feet away in milliseconds.
"Oh, I'm so stupid," he sighed, frustrated. He stood near the fireplace and bent over, running his hands through his hair.
"No, it's not you, you're not stupid," I stood up as well, with the desire to go to him, to comfort him, but I knew better and so I stood awkwardly on the other side of the room. "I'm the stupid one. I'm so sorry."
"You know what?" Jericho stood up straight to look me in the eye. "You're right. You are the stupid one," his tone was biting and I took a visible step back, hurt by his words. "Kiran Kendrick? Really? Eden, it's impossible, it doesn't even make sense," I opened my mouth to respond, struck by his honesty, and hurt by his words, but he didn't let me get a word out. "He's going to use you and then kill you. Do you understand that? He doesn't have feelings for you. He's not even capable of having feelings for anyone else but himself. You're so blind. I'm sorry that you're new to this whole Immortal thing, but there is no excuse for your behavior. You're endangering not only yourself, but your brother and the entire Resistance as well."
"Excuse me?" I found my voice and my attitude. "Who are you to judge me? You don't even know Kiran. You don't know anything about him or about us. I can't explain it to you, and you know what, I don't have to explain it to you because it's none of your business. I'm sorry I don't like you Jericho, but Kiran and I are the real deal and it has nothing to do with what I have to offer him," I crossed my arms defiantly. Jericho picked the wrong day to mess with me.
"How can you say that?" he shouted at me. "It's everybody’s business! You make it everybody’s business. You honestly believe that you can just continue this secret romance and then one day Lucan will be dead and you'll be what? Queen? It's a joke. Kiran doesn't want you anywhere near that throne except to steal your Immortality and leave you to rot in prison. And I know plenty, plenty about that so-called Prince Charming of yours. If he loves you like you claim, then why is he still engaged to Seraphina? Why does he still spend every spare moment with her, buying her things, taking her to dinner, spending the night with her?" when I shook my head in defiant shock he defended himself, "Eden, who do you think runs surveillance on him? Hmmm? I've seen it all. Sure, he has you over when she is busy and he is all alone. What do you think he does when you two are not together?" I took another step back. I felt like puking. "And do not tell me you don't have feelings for me when we both know that is a lie. Fine, I get it, I don't manipulate you and charm you the way he does, but what I have to offer you is the real deal. I'm not making promises I don't intend to keep, or hiding you away from everyone I know. You and me, we could be the real deal. Can't you see us fighting side by side? Starting a new way of life for, not only us, but our people as well?" Jericho's tone finally softened and I saw emotion behind his eyes, but he had hurt me too much for me to feel sorry for him. "Eden, I am offering you everything, not just secret parts of me but everything. I am the real deal," he walked over to me, staring into my eyes and waiting for an answer.
"I'm sorry, Jericho, but you can't argue your way into a relationship with me," I spat out, turning on my heel and running up the stairs.
"You're an idiot!" Avalon yelled through his door as I ran by his room. I felt deeply inside of him that he would like nothing more for me then to leave Kiran and date his best friend, but it was too bad.
I slammed my door shut and instantly burst into tears. Jericho had hurt me more than anyone else today and that was saying a lot. The day might as well go down as the worst day in all history.
I let out a scream of frustration and buried my face in my favorite feather pillow. Where was Lilly when I needed her? I was so sick and tired of boys.
Chapter Fourteen
I woke up in the forest, our forest, on a bed of soft, velvety grass. The moon shone brightly through the trees, illuminating the world around me in an iridescent glow, blurring concrete lines into one cohesive flow of flowers and trees. Lightening bugs flickered on and off as they buzzed around the small grotto I had awakened in. A warm breeze lifted my long hair off my shoulders, and around my face.
I stood up, my bare feet relishing the cool grass and looked around. Kiran hadn't called me here, since before I left for Romania and my memories of the beauty of this place, our secret place, had begun to fade. I reached down and ran my fingers through wildflowers of every shape and color. Even in the moonlight, their vivid colors stood out against the darkness.
I rubbed my bleary eyes, enjoying the peaceful surroundings. In a few seconds Kiran would find me, but until then I would enjoy the calm and quiet of this magnificent place. I sat back down in the middle of the clearing and brushed my fingers through the thick grass. I couldn't remember the last time I was really alone, or the last time I felt so still and serene.
The last few weeks had been so chaotic; my life seemed to have been so completely turned upside down. I might have been able to technically live forever, but I was pretty sure a stress-related heart attack would finish me off at any moment.
There was just so much to think about. Sebastian.... Assassins.... The Eternal Walk.... Living for eternity.... Jericho.... Kiran.... It was too much; it was too much for one person. I understood that I lived with a lot of responsibility, but did it really have to be life or death at every turn?
"There you are," Kiran's soft accented voice called from between two trees and he appeared in front of me looking more god-like than human.
He was in his baggy gray sweat pants that he often wore to this place, and his chest was bare revealing a chiseled and maintained physique. I sighed wistfully, at the sight of him. I had not wanted to be interrupted only moments ago, I had enjoyed the serenity of my solitude; but Kiran's presence brought an all-consuming swell of emotions that I now regretted not finding him sooner.
I stared up at Kiran, unable to move, unable to remember why I was so upset. He was the reason for all my difficulties, but he was worth it. Our magics began to search each other out, to swirl around us in a playful game that mingled and mixed together in a united symphony of electricity.
"What's the matter, Love?" he smirked, his perfect lips twisted in an expression that was both mischievous and caring.
"Nothing's the matter. Not now, anyway," I reached out my arms to him and when he touched my hands with his, I pulled him down to the earth next to me.
He landed beside me in a satisfied heap and his lips found mine immediately. With his hand carefully behind my head and his arm wrapped around my waist he brought me underneath him on the carpeted forest floor. A sigh escaped my mouth and I realized how desperately my soul had missed him.