“
I am going to check on Autumn and leave you to it. Then I suggest you get some sleep. You and I have a big day tomorrow.”
Then Sam slipped off the bed and headed toward the door. I took a deep breath and then hurried to follow her. She opened the door and we both stepped through it.
We broke off in the hallway, and I went further to the left. My heart thudded faster as I knocked on the door. The room was Jared’s and he was quick to answer.
“
Noel, did you make your decision already?” he asked with a note of hope in his voice.
“
Actually, that is what I am here about. Sam and I have discussed the situation and the answer is that I didn’t make a decision.”
“
Why, it should be pretty clear,” he replied, growing frustrated.
“
We need everyone to be focused and to concentrate for our plan to work. I have decided that once we are topside, I will make my choice. I have decided, but it needs to be after the danger has passed.”
“
I understand and respect your decision,” he said.
Satisfied I gave him a quick kiss and wished him good night. Once I exited the room and the door was shut, I let out a sigh of relief and headed down the hall towards Boone’s room.
Once I reached his door, I rapped lightly and the door opened before I even had a chance to step back. “How do you do that?”
“
I can sense you. I can sense your emotional signature. I am sorry, that sounds a little weird. Please come in.”
He shut the door and turned to me, picking up my hand. He traced circles on it, letting me know he was nervous.
“
I will cut straight to the point. I have made a decision, but will not be telling either of you until we are topside. We all need to focus on getting home and I don’t want to make things worse. I promise you will know as soon as we are back in the world of the living.”
“
I don’t like it, but I understand. I respect your decision and will stand by you no matter what. Any moment that I get to spend with you is one more moment than I had,” he replied.
I reached up and gave him a hug. “Thank you,” I said as I opened the door and turned to walk away. I felt his eyes on me the entire way.
I didn’t dare let my guard down until I slid my door shut and sank to the floor against it. I was mentally exhausted and I felt my eyes droop as the stress of the day caught up with me. I didn’t even care that I was resting in Hell. I just wanted to sleep until this whole nightmare went away.
It felt like too much work for my frazzled body to change clothes and so I just crawled up into the plush cranberry bed. It seemed that the world faded away in a matter of seconds and I was slipping into another dream.
When the dream formed around me, I was sure it was one of Jared’s. I was relieved that it wasn’t a nightmare and peered around to see my surroundings.
I was sitting on a bench next to a beautiful lake with a fountain in the middle, glistening in the sunshine. Mallard ducks were floating in the water and silver tinted red tulips lined the west side of the lake. I smiled at the small gesture of replicating the tulips of our first night together.
I was wearing a gauzy violet dress that seemed to float on me. It was rich in color and I reveled in its beauty. Silver sandals peeped out from below and my hair was down, wild and free. I felt down to earth and at peace. Then I gathered my composure and searched for Jared. I didn’t see him until I whirled around and came face to face with him.
His steely eyes warmed at the sight of me and he handed me one of the beautiful tulips. I threw my arms around him in excitement. Just being there in his presence was penetrating my soul. My lips met his and I gave in to an earthshattering kiss that I would never be able to forget.
Breathless, I reluctantly pulled away. “Are we alone?” I asked.
Ever since he told me that people could enter our dreams, I had been wary. He must have read it on my face because he smiled before responding.
“
As far as I know we are alone. I can’t tell you how glad it is to see you here with me. I just want us to enjoy this time that we have together, just us,” he said brushing his lips in a gentle kiss on my forehead.
I answered with a sweet kiss and sank into him, giving myself over to my desires. Just as things started to get hot, it started pouring. I squealed in surprise as the rain came down moderately and steady. My normal reaction was to run to get out of the rain, but this time I just laughed and spun around in amusement.
My gauzy dress had become almost see through as it clung to my very apparent hourglass form. I didn’t even care as I watched Jared, droplets of water dripping from his face. He smiled and scooped me up in another kiss. Suddenly a rush of emotion ran through me. There were so many things I wanted to tell him and I wasn’t sure how to broach the subject.
I pulled away once more and looked into his eyes as I form the words I want to say.
Before I had the chance to speak, it happened so fast. The rain shifted to flecks of water and swirled away into pure blackness. I muttered a curse and strained to see my new surroundings. It was so dark and so cold. I rubbed my arms as chill bumps formed across them.
I tested the room by offering a questioning “Hello”. I got no response, just silence and inky blackness. It was as if I was nowhere, with nothing around.
I reached my hands out and was stopped suddenly by a hard surface. I was face to face with wood of some kind. Then I reached out at the sides and realized I was boxed in. Trying not to panic, I banged on the wood. It appeared to be useless and I was all too aware that I was trapped inside a coffin.
It was creepy and I tried to calm myself, hoping not to suffocate in the process. I had always had this eerie fear of being buried alive. Somehow I was placed into my biggest fear and tried to gain some rationalization. If I panicked, it would only make the situation ten times worse.
Then I remembered that Autumn was ordered to restore Wren’s powers. Once I realized that this must have been the work of Wren, I was hoping to shift out of the cramped box and into the ether.
Any place was better than my current locale. This must have been her idea of payback. After several minutes of meditation, I was able to get my surroundings to shift and spin away.
I tried to focus on Boone. Before I knew it, I was in another dream. This dream was entirely unexpected. I looked around to find that I was in a small studio apartment.
There was a small Italian greyhound at my feet as I stepped further into the apartment, looking up at me with such adoration. I smiled but was interrupted by a voice. “Here is your glass of wine. How are you? I hoped you would get here soon.”
Shaking out of the dog’s presence, I looked over to see Boone holding a glass of wine out for me. His smile made me want to melt.
“
Boone, where are we?”
“
Our apartment, so take off your jacket and have a glass of wine. If you don’t, I will skip the wine and just ravish you right here,” he replied with a devilish grin.
“
Why did you choose an apartment for our dream?”
“
I chose this place because it is somewhere I wish I had with you. I can’t tell you how badly I want to wake up next to you each morning. I want to make you coffee and fix you breakfast.”
He paused before continuing. “When you come home from work, I want to get you to relax, fix you a warm bath and then go to bed with me next to you. I just want you Noel.”
“
I don’t know what to say. It all sounds perfect. I wish this was our real life, not some immortal one on the run,” I said as tears rolled and streamed my face.
Boone crossed the space between us and had my face in his hands. His lips met mine and he kissed me with such love and passion. It felt as if he was giving me his very heart with that kiss. I never wanted it to end.
He broke away and pulled me to the couch. He sat down and tugged me on top of him. I saw the peace in his eyes and my breath caught. He was showing me what it could be like for us in real life, not some dream world. I was truly touched.
“
I am completely in love with you Noel Kennedy Maristolla. Even if you don’t pick me, I will love you for eternity.”
All I could do was lean down bringing my lips to his. I pressed my lips against his cool soft ones. I was aching in desire and admiration as I brought the kiss to a higher intensity.
Before I knew it, Boone had his hands at the hem of my shirt and was lifting it up. He took his time, savoring every moment. This was a life filled with passion, desire and understanding. I understood what he was truly offering me.
The apartment soon swirled away, Boone wrapped around me in adoration. The dream shattered into shards and consciousness grabbed me.
I woke to find Sam brushing my hair back from my damp forehead with a look of remorse on her face.
“
Hey sis, what’s wrong?”
She sighed before responding. “I never wanted this for you Noel. I am so sorry that I couldn’t protect you.”
I gave her a weak smile and a small laugh. “Sam, you aren’t superwoman. It was a risk we couldn’t avoid. The bright side is that we are together and I love you,” I told her.
This made her smile and her shoulders relaxed a little. “I love you too. It is time, are you ready?”
“
Yeah, I think so. I am as ready as I will ever be and I want the hell out of here, no pun intended,” I said.
Just then, Autumn burst through the door frantic. I instantly shot up in concern. “Autumn, what’s wrong?”
“
It’s Jared, he is gone. We can’t find him anywhere.”
“
Are you sure,” I asked trying to slow the rising panic.
Boone entered just behind her a grave look on his face. “It’s too late. They have him and we can’t get to him in time. We have to go. This is our only chance and we have to hurry before they come for us too.”
“
I’m so sorry Noel,” he finally said.
“
But we can’t just leave him behind,” I protested.
“
We can and we have to. If we don’t go now, we don’t ever go. Please Noel, we have to hurry,” Sam said with finality.
“
He’s not gone,” I whispered.
Tears began to blur my vision but I put my grief on a shelf far from reality and tried to regain control. I saw by the look on everyone’s face that I was not going to win this argument. I swallowed hard and said as calmly as possible, “Ok, let’s do this.”
I tried to maintain my composure as I started the procedure. I sat cross legged and the others followed, Sam to my left as I slid the gemstone bracelet onto her wrist also. As with before, we were snapped out of reality and the pull of everyone was draining on me. I felt lethargic and try to slough it off to focus.
We were back in Mr. Greene’s office once more, the Mississippi river just outside the window. I was relieved to see him but he looked like he hadn’t slept in days. His normally clean shaven face was now stubble and his eyes were gaunt. When he saw us he let out a sigh of relief, then his brows furrowed.
“
Where’s Townsend?” he asked.
“
Compromised,” Sam said sadly.
“
Damn, we have lost too many good people because of PLI. Let’s hope I can get you guys home at least,” Mr. Greene said trying to shake off the bad news.
“
Do you have the box?” Sam replied all business once again.
“
Yes, it is right here,” he said opening the box and spilling the contents across his desk.
I saw the contents and swallowed hard. Pictures of Sam and I as kids were splayed out for everyone to see. Pictures of mom and dad brought tears to my eyes. The starfish Sam and I found on the beach our first time in Florida was there as well. That is when I saw the cross. It was beautiful and mesmerizing. Then Sam spoke up breaking the chain of memories.
“
Good, that small rounded cross with moonstone pieces embedded in it is what you need.”
Mr. Greene picked up the ornate cross and peered back at Sam. “What now,” he asked.
“
Now, you need to let me invoke the spell,” she said.
We were all waiting as she repeated each piece.
Then as if we were being ripped to shreds I began to howl in pain. The pain was intense and I felt the suck of the world flashing by at sickening speeds. In seconds I felt the snap of my body and soul reuniting and retched at the intensity of it. I heard similar reactions from everyone else and could do nothing to stop the embarrassing display.
A little while later, I sat with a blanket wrapped around me, shivering and disoriented. I looked up to see everyone else coming to. They looked like hell and I wondered if I looked as bad as them. Given the amount of retching I did, I suspected I looked awful.
Mr. Greene was shaky, but was passing out bottles of water. I wasted no time tearing off the cap and downing the taste of something other than blood and pomegranate. It was perfect, the tasteless beverage that quenched my thirst. I was so grateful to be back, that I reached over and threw my arms around Sam.