A Secret Kiss

  Chapter 8

  Elusive Dream

  Darce! Darce! Laughter. Darcy could hear beautiful laughter singing and echoing all around him, calling out to him. The voice was soft and musical, and it sent a nice, warm sensation throughout his body. In his state of haziness, he could see long, black hair dancing in the wind, the strands brushing gently on his face. He could feel warm, small hands within his grasp, tightening as if the owner of that lovely hand was afraid he’d disappear.

  He was in a dream, Darcy realized, and he was lying down on the ground, his long, lean body across and his head resting on someone’s lap. It was a very comfortable lap. Above him, he could see millions of cherry blossom petals raining down on him from a massive tree of pink cloud. Some landed on his face. They were feathery soft and cool on his skin. He could smell the light, beautiful scent, and it reminded him of spring. Oddly enough, he felt at peace. He felt happy. And there was something else, too. Yes, he felt loved. So much love.

  He turned to look at the girl who was now stroking his hair. He frowned, for he couldn’t see her face. The harder he looked, the darker her face seemed to become. Who was she? Why did she make him feel like this? Why did she make him feel so much warmth and so much love?

  “Snow? Why do cherry blossoms fall?” The words came out of his mouth before he knew it. He gazed long and hard at her, trying to make out her features, but it was to no avail. She was faceless to him.

  She turned to look at him. Though he couldn’t see her, he knew she was beautiful. He could also sense she was smiling at him. It was as though she were amused at his stupid question, and rather than annoyed, she was pleased.

  “They are the tears of spring, Darce, the tears of spring,” she replied as she gazed up at the swirling flowers surrounding them.

  Darcy felt satisfied. He nodded and closed his eyes, intending to return to his slumber. Then he sensed it, her face slowly descending toward him. A second later, he felt her warm breath fanning over his skin, and he knew she was smiling. He waited longingly, his nerves jumping in anticipation. He felt her soft, warm lips pressing against his cheek, causing tingling sensations to rush through his being and his world to burst with bright neon colors.

  Darcy flashed his eyes open. He came to see only darkness. There wasn’t any cherry tree around nor was there a girl near him. For a moment he panicked. I’ve lost her, he thought with dread. Where did she go? He felt his heart thumping loud and hard within his chest.

  He sat up, frowning, confused, and then he realized it was merely a dream—an elusive dream he could not grasp. Gently, he touched his finger to his cheek, and his frown darkened.

  Snow! The word kept echoing within his head. Snow! What is snow? Why snow?

  Then something struck him, and he rushed out of bed. He went into the walk-in closet and raided his luggage. A moment later, he found what he was looking for. It was a poster he had made a couple of months ago. And why he had brought it along with him to St. Joseph Island was beyond him.

  He unfolded the large paper and laid it out on his bed. There it was, a digital artwork of a dark knight and a maiden. She was a beautiful creature all right—with blackest hair, palest skin, and reddest lips. She was Snow White.

  Darcy didn’t understand the connection between the dream he’d just had and this artwork he’d created a few months ago. Perhaps it really meant nothing at all, and he decided to brush it aside. Perhaps it was just seeing the cherry trees here on St. Joseph Island that had triggered the dream. After all, there was that massive cherry tree in full bloom of pink flowers in the background of the poster. Yes, that was probably it. And the girl in his dream? She must be Snow White from the poster. Of course it had to be, and that made total sense.

  But why did he feel so lost when he’d woken up to find Snow gone? Why did he feel as though he were missing half of his soul?

  He stood, picked up the poster, and hung it on the wall opposite his bed. He had just finished and was getting back into bed when he heard noises from outside along the corridor. It was Alaina and Tara, who had just returned from their nightclubbing.

  Only for two weeks, he thought, he had to endure Tara’s presence. After the wedding, he’d be out of here and back to his loft in New York, spending his precious time working on his game design. He glanced up at the poster again before closing his eyes, the image of the dark knight and Snow bright in his mind.