Chapter 4
1535 Words
Panic rose in her throat when she felt the scorching heat of the blaze dancing across her skin while being surrounded by the soft crackling of flames. She watched the red and yellow ribbons of scalding heat licking the walls of his home and eating away everything in its path. She bit the inside of her cheeks to stifle a scream when a ghost hand of fire clamped down on her arm.
She jerked when she heard a quivering, loud voice screaming out for help followed by a soft whimper.
Byron.
She looked for him and found him where she finds him every time. Under his bed, sweat and tears running all over his face. She reached for him even when her own skin was melting from the heat.
Her eyes flew open when she heard Byron’s stone-cold scream of agony. She staggered out of bed. Digging her heels into the ground to stop her from swaying on her feet.
“Byron.” His name was a whisper in the dark when she found herself standing next to him. His face was covered in a sheen of sweat and he was restless because he was dreaming of the night his home burned down with his parents still inside. He and his sister are the only survivors and it was killing him that he couldn’t do anything that night to try and save his parents.
She lowered herself onto the edge of the bed and reached for him, ignoring the woman asleep next to him. Kayla brushed her hand over his cheek as she tried to comfort him. “Wake up.” She whispered using a tiny bit of her magic to calm him down.
Small sparks of purple ran over his skin as she stroked her fingers across his face. “It’s just a dream.” She felt and watched his body relax.
A few seconds ticked by before he slowly peeled his eyes open and she was met by his grey eyes glowing with agony. He stared right at her and for a single moment, she thought he could see her when he rested his hand on top of hers. She smiled at his gesture when he only found his own skin underneath his fingertips. He closed his eyes not removing his hand from his cheek and she couldn’t convince herself to remove her hand even if she risked exposing herself. She will never know the true meaning of touching him.
He doesn’t believe in her existence and he will see her for what she is. A killer.
He reopened his eyes and pushed himself into a sitting position with his feet dangling off the side of the bed. He ran one hand through his hair, further disheveling it. She watched his shoulders shudder as he tried to get over the dream. His mind was poisoned by the nightmare and it was haunting him like a shadow.
Every night since his parents’ death he has been working around the clock to catch and lock up bad guys in order to get justice for his parents.
How many times has she wished that she could comfort him, give him some peace and let him know that everything will be alright? Ares wasn't wrong when he said that Byron fascinated her.
She reached out to skim her hand over his back when he suddenly stood up from the bed and stumbled into the bathroom.
She followed when she sensed his despair as he stood in front of the sink staring at his reflection in the mirror.
He shook his head mumbling a few curse words before opening the taps. He rinsed his face with cold water and reached blindly for a towel on the empty shelf.
She rolled her eyes when he didn’t even realize that there was no towel. With a shift flick of her fingers, she handed him a towel. Not surprised when he didn’t react. For fifteen years she watched him from afar, heard his thoughts and felt his fears. Yet, he doesn’t feel her presence.
Whoever created their bound had some major issues. She could never be with him even when she desires him. He was good and she was a cold-hearted killer with no conscience.
She couldn’t ignore the attraction. She was bound to him like a mate. He fascinated her. She never felt this drawn to someone before. He was a human. Born without powers but still, he is fearless. He moves with loose, easy confidence of a man who knows what he’s doing. Short crop light brown hair. Grey eyes. Six foot one. Broad shoulders. Lean body. Lips she was dying to taste and feel against hers. Strong chin. Square jaw. Bumpy, crooked nose from when he used to play ice hockey back in College.
For years she had to watch him kiss girls who weren’t her. Watch him break their hearts because he couldn’t love and it wasn’t because of her. His heart was bind by sad memories of his parents. It was hard for him to move forward and forget about them even when they moved in with an aunt of theirs.
He became one of the finest Detectives in the city. He isn’t the sort of man who looks the other way. He doesn’t take bribes. Do drugs. Or even smoke. He has a drink from time to time and is a hoarder of takeaway containers. Yet, he has a body of a god.
Kayla moved forward wanting to reach for him when she watched his shoulders slump but paused when she felt another presence entering the room. Soft hesitant footsteps followed.
Daisy.
A beautiful young woman with an innocent heart and honest conscience. Kayla moved away when Daisy walked up to Byron. Daisy brushed her hands over the width of his shoulders and caressed his neck. He pushed her away, needing his space to regain himself.
“Byron…” Her voice was gentle and soft as she reached for him again.
Kayla jerked when the bathroom mirror suddenly exploded.
Ares.
She clenched her hands into fists next to her sides as she watched Byron whirling around when Daisy screamed. He was alert as always and Kayla expected him to see her but he didn’t.
Her footsteps slowly faded as she cut the connection to his world from her mind and she found herself facing her dark, empty room. Her world was still silently asleep. The soft tickle of the evening breeze escaped through the latches of her door and windows and the smell of rain hanging around her.
She knows Ares was responsible for crossing her mind. He hated her bound with Byron. He was jealous of Byron the moment he found out that she was meant for someone else and that she wasn’t going to reject Byron just to be with him.
“Ares. I know it was you.” She spoke to him through her telepathy.
“I hate that the way you look at him.” Ares spat.
“Don’t ever cross me again, Ares. You will regret it.” She closed off her mind and grabbed her gown. She got dressed and went for a walk through the enchanted forest. The soft whisper of the magical creatures surrounded her as she followed the green path down to the river that was hidden behind the magical trees of the fairies.
When she neared the river, she heard the sirens hissing at her.
Beautiful, dangerous creatures who only come out during the day. Seated on the rocks in the river playing on their instruments. Luring nearby visitors with their enchanting music and singing voices. Some even believe they can charm the winds.
She pulled her daggers from her sleeves which made them hiss even louder at her before escaping back into the water.
They were afraid of her just like the rest of the creatures of the realm. She slipped out of her clothes and slowly entered the water to take a bath. No one was brave enough to enter this side of the river because of the sirens. She used that to her advantage. She didn’t have to be afraid of being attack by one of them. They were more afraid of her than she was of them.
She didn’t jerk at the sound of footsteps growing closer. She knew her visitor.
Princess Amelia emerged from the forest without her guards by her side. Kayla knows that this was not just some friendly follow up from Princess Amelia. She took in Kayla’s swords lying next to her clothes before acknowledging Kayla. “To what do I have the honours?” Kayla asked, exiting the river and ignored the rounding from Amelia’s eyes when she took in Kayla’s scars and markings.
“I know about you and Ares.” Kayla showed no response or emotion as she grabbed her clothes and started getting dressed.
- Writer
