It must have been ten am or so when the smell of food woke me. Aries stood beside the bed with a tray of food and a dark red, purplish rose. I would have said burgundy, but it was purple.
It was fresh fruit and toast. Of course, he threw in an energy drink. I was down to one a day now. I shoveled it in, with Aries feeding me bits of fruit.
“Angel, will you do me a favor?” Aries whispered planting little kisses on my face.
“Hmmm....”
“Marry me?”
“Mmmmmm....” I mumbled, not sure how to answer. I had never thought about it.
“If we are going to do all this, I want to make it official. Can we?” He asked looking nervous.
I stopped eating when he proposed. I finished my mouthful, giving me time to think.
“I know it’s scary but... We could hold the ceremony there but pick up a license here.”
“Yes, I will,” I told him. Unsure up until the words flew out of my mouth.
“I love you Angel. I’ll do everything in my power to show you that. I can’t promise I won’t leave, some things are beyond my power, but you will enjoy what time we have and not regret one moment.”
“I love you too.”
He kissed me and then let me go. I had some thinking to do.
That day I planned to use my powers until I was so exhausted that I couldn’t move. It even started out good. While doing this, I could run ideas through my head.
Somewhere near two I began with earth and accidentally toppled a tree. From there it went downhill. I tried making balls of water at the nearby lake and ended up soaking Aries, who grumbled but didn’t complain. Sen laughed at us but stayed way back. I finally managed a weak rainstorm and made some boulders relocate. Wind was a lot harder, but I managed to blow clouds in for my storm. Aries was kind of scared there for a bit. Kali congratulated me at the end.
Near six, I dropped and gave up. I was pale as flour. Aries had to carry me home.
When Switch woke and found me on the couch, he laughed.
“What no aftershocks?”
He left for town toting the laptop and my reply for Raven. Aries made me dinner and cleaned up. Afterwards, I begged for sleep; it was time to catch up I thought. I might be turning into something god-like, but at this painful moment, I was still a weak little human.
I slept from eight pm to two am and was awake when Switch came in. He looked tired to me, but I figured it was from not drinking. He had said there wasn’t much to hunt for out here but deer. I had a sneaky suspicion he had a girlfriend, someone in town.
“Things are still good. The plane has a half a load tomorrow night, which will include Michael and Raven of course. She finished with the shop today, and all their stuff is currently headed to the island. She wanted me to tell you that everything is in the bank, and all the people contacted that do business with you.”
“That’s good. I can’t wait to get this over in some ways, and I dread it in others,” I said to the others.
“I don’t have anything else to do tonight other than pack and hunt one last time here. Blood will be scarce for me on the island.”
“I’m not used to vampires and witches, but before I let anyone go hungry I will offer myself if you cannot find other. My blood will taste bland but would make you stronger,” Sen told him.
“Thank you. That’s a very generous offer. I’ll use you as a last resort no offense; I hope to find someone special that doesn’t mind letting me feed,” Switch replied. His feelings spiked erratically for a moment before he was once more in control.
“Switch could you call my friend Bella for me after you hunt, ask her to meet us at the plane. If you have to, have someone bring her. Maybe she can use Michael’s car to come back home in.”
“I will ask, and if need be I’ll get her myself or stay and make sure she gets home.”
“I wish to say hi. I don’t know when I will see her again.”
Aries looked at me funny but didn’t respond.
“Can I tell them Angel?” Aries asked me gently, almost afraid that I may have changed my mind.
“Yeah,” I replied, smiling.
“Angel agreed to marry me. We’ll go pick up the license tomorrow.”
“That’s awesome dude; we’ll have to celebrate when we get there,” Switch said.
“Congratulations my daughter,” Sen said.
“If we have the actual wedding would you give me away Master?”
“Of course child but please, call me Sen, we are on equal footing here. We need some happiness in this dark hour, and you two deserve each other,” Sen replied.
We relaxed that night while Switch was out. We’d be busy from when we arrived until forever.
I fell asleep on the couch in Aries arms before Sen went to bed.
Aries and I went to get the license when we woke around nine am. I picked out a simple dress and shoes before we found a judge last minute. It took a few hours even though we let the judge perform a simple ceremony. I never had second thoughts. I was nervous I might blow up something, but otherwise I did not freak.
Afterwards, we took our time getting back and then stayed outside walking around the lake.
We had been so busy that we really hadn’t gotten to know each other very well since we met several weeks ago. Aries asked me questions about myself then in turn I asked him questions.
Near dusk, we hurried back to the cabin and packed everything. As soon as it was dark enough we’d leave.
Switch was awake and already packed.
Finally, the last ray disappeared.
I missed my car already. I had taken everything out that I wanted to keep before I gave Raven permission to sell it. I cried that night for an hour.
It didn’t take long to reach the plane. Raven, Michael, and Bella had already arrived. They were standing next to the plane talking excitedly.
I didn’t think Bella was Switches type, but even if she weren’t Madness would be there.
She had already met Madness by the time we got there, because she was chatting away. They seemed engrossed in each other. I was right to ask her to come.
Bella seemed like a totally different person to me now. She was a lot calmer for one, laidback, and didn’t come off as ditzy as usual or as opinionated.
“So this was your idea the whole time?” Aries whispered to me.
“I figured one of them would find her fascinating. I just wasn’t sure which one, or if at all, they don’t seem each other’s types. If things work out then Bella could come earlier, and those two would be getting their own place.”
“Oh Switch said that all the hotel rooms were set up as one bedroom apartments. So I guess any couples could take those. We know we’ll be having a baby, but we could share with Raven and Michael if you want. That’s only three rooms.”
“Sure I’ll ask her on the plane.”
I hugged Raven and Michael, and by then Bella was returning to normal. I hugged her and told her I was sorry about the way things happened with her mom. I told her if she wanted she could come live on the island with me if she could convince her sister. She said yeah, that as soon as she got back she would convince her to go, at least for a visit.
I then told Raven and Bella I was Mrs. Aries Hunter. We grouped hugged, and Raven said she knew it was coming. Bella seemed occupied, staring at Madness.
Before I knew it, it was time to go. I told Bella bye, and we boarded. I was glad Raven and Michael was coming or I’d have cried. Nanna I heard would be waiting for me when I arrived.
“Oh your hut should be ready in a day or so. With all the help, they are ahead of schedule and have yours about done. A night or two in the hotel, then you guys can move in,” Switch told me.
“That’ll be cool. Speaking of hut, I was going to suggest Raven and Michael share with us, either separate or um, sharing their own room. There are five rooms, that still left one. Aries and me in one, Kali, Raven, and then if Michael chose to have his own.”
They ag
reed that would work, but never said if they needed one or two rooms. I didn’t pry. Their relationship was still new.
I didn’t talk much on the flight; I was anxious for one reason or another. Aries held my hand and chatted with Cross and Switch. I needed some time before all hell broke loose.
CHAPTER TWENTY
I must’ve fallen asleep because next thing I knew I was having a memory of my childhood, one of almost being hit by a car. I had just lost my mom I think, and I was maybe two or three years of age. I was crying really hard and looked confused. I was looking everywhere, at these strange people thinking that my mom had left, and these people were talking about her. Saying bad things, things like what I had heard about my dad. I don’t remember my dad so I don’t think I knew him.
I just stood there in this pretty dress, dark sweater, and some kind of teddy bear. Tears were streaming down my face. I was not a nurturing person really, but this little girl image of me made my heart break. I desperately needed someone to hold me, someone I could trust. A lady took me by the hand and tried to steer me towards a car, I screamed at her; she was a stranger, and I wanted my mommy. Where was my mommy, I screamed? The woman jerked me towards the car again, and I jerked back. She tried to drag me, but I refused. You know the way little kids twist, turn, and sit when they throw those fits. I took off running and almost got splattered, but the car swerved, and the old woman grabbed me.
The woman smacked my cheek and picked me up and carried me like a bag of flour. I was so angry with this person I could scream. She put me in her car and drove off. Then the dream blacked out and showed me sitting in this chair. The same woman stood talking to people in some room or office. I just stared wide-eyed and pale. I think I must’ve been in shock. The things these people said couldn’t be true. Only one other relative but he was some uncle in the state pen and not the best person to raise me. My mom had not left any amount of money worth saving me from this, and my dad was long gone somewhere.
I found a letter later saying he had died with my mom in a car accident, and his job kept him from coming home. Now I realized he had been preparing the way for me, but died instead. I suspect someone had murdered them. That’s what I gathered from the letter.
There was a large red mark on my face that the old woman had claimed was my fault. I had banged my head somewhere or something. I watched the other person look me over and dismiss it.
I had sat in the chair for two hours before someone was kind enough to feed me crackers and juice. Then take me to the restroom and clean me up.
Another break in the dream or memory and then I was standing just inside a door staring at a row of beds in a long room. I was given a cot at the very end and left alone. Not long after a child came in and helped me make my bed. I cried again and just stood there. I needed some kind of reassurance. The girl smiled and took a hand but did not hold me. She was not much older than me, six years max. I followed her through some hallways and down some stairs where she released me to another woman.
This woman, big and scary, handed me a pile of material, I dropped some, and she snapped at me, which sent me into more crying. Another older child helped me and showed me where to put my things. She didn’t console me either. That’s when I realized that this was a temporary place for kids until another place could be found. No love could be shown because everything was temporary and any attachments would hurt more.
As a toddler, I couldn’t understand this. The older girl showed me the bathroom and took me for lunch. I munched on fruit and Kool-Aid. A boy took my animal crackers and hit me when I tried to cry. The other girl told on him, but I wasn’t given anymore. I was still hungry when they took me outside and pushed me towards the other kids. The boy ran by and pushed me down, and when I cried all the kids laughed.
Another scene flashed, and now I was packing a small bag. I was allowed to keep a change of clothes and given my teddy bear back. I guess they had taken it so that other kids would not.
I was given to another mean looking lady with six other kids. The oldest girl there, she was maybe twelve, was in charge and we all had chores including me. She who could walk could clean. The dark skinned girl with her funny hair was very mean to me and took my teddy. I cried, and she hit me and scratched me. The woman didn’t care and locked me in a closet. I screamed and screamed. They must have forgotten about me because I had fallen asleep inside.
Hours later, another lady found me and took me to the hospital. I had bruises and cuts, and cried when anyone would touch me. I had also had a few accidents and smelled bad. I was so hungry my tummy hurt. After some time, I think someone fed me, and I devoured everything quickly before someone would take it away again. After seeing me do this, they gave me more milk and cookies.
Another scene showed me given to a couple. I was put in a bath, and the next thing I knew there was screaming and fighting. Again I was taken away. This time I was with a couple that had two kids close to my age. One was mean and tried to push me down the stairs. I lay in a broken heap crying. Once again taken to the hospital where they put my arm in a cast and bandaged me.
Another scene flashed, and I was in a group home with many kids. These were monitored better so I was not hurt for some time.
I must’ve had a nightmare because one night I wet the bed and the girl who shared with me kicked me to the floor. I was cleaned up and put with another girl. I tried very hard not to have accidents because they were rough with me when I did.
Years of the same thing happened, being passed from one place to another, shown no mercy or kindness and forgotten. Somewhere around five I was put into a home that had four teenage kids. They left me alone for the most part, and I decided being picked on was not cool. I finally got to take self-defense lessons. The counselors had seen I was defenseless and thought it couldn’t hurt. I poured myself into it. I had nothing else.
When I woke up I realized I had forgotten all about my earlier childhood. All the tears
I had shed as a child burned once more in my eyes.
“Are you alright?” Aries asked. He didn’t see anything and figured it was just all of the things that were going on.
I nodded but decided I wanted him to see what I had just seen, if I could show him.
“Can I try something?”
“Sure.”
“You have to let me in your thoughts, merge with your mind.”
He smiled. I placed my hands on his temples and closed my eyes. I sunk within myself and closed out everything. I reached for his emotions and found them easily. From there I pushed until I could sense his thoughts. That’s when I took my memories and let them pour into his.
Aries emotions became angry and remorseful. I pulled back out and looked at him.
“Did that really happen to you?”
“Yeah, I just dreamed about it; I had forgotten until now,” I told him.
“I can see why you are the way you are now. I’m sorry. If I had known, any inkling I would have saved you. Not even three yet, your world ripped away, and expected to just get over it. To move on and deal with peoples crap. They should be ripped to pieces.”
“There were so many kids like me that they had no choice.”
Aries put his arm around me and sighed. I could tell that he was trying to blame himself, and I wouldn’t have that.
“Well, you get a chance to show all the ones on our island that someone does care. I think most of us will, otherwise we shouldn’t be there. It will be packed, hectic, lots of work, but I think we can handle it. I know you can. You're one of the strongest women I know, look at how much you have been through.” Aries murmured.
I thought about the things he said and agreed.
When we were on the ground, we were shown to a ferry that would take us to the island.
I watched the dolphin’s jump, bird’s swoop, and the cool air affect everyone. City life and sea life were vastly different.
When the island finally came into view it looked huge, even in the dark. I had thou
ght it would be like a ten or fifteen city block radius, at max thirty. This was well, miles long. I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders. Aries smiled tentatively at me. I think he had remembered the sheer size of it.
He held my hand as we walked onto the land that we would live on for many years, the land where our daughter would be born and raised.
Nanna was one of the first we met as we disembarked from the ship. She eyed me critically for a moment or two and mumbled something under her breath about tiny fairies being such large hero’s, whatever that meant.
We were shown to a hotel apartment. Until the hut was done, we would stay here. Once we had our things put away we met everyone back outside.
Thorn showed us around. There was a lot accomplished, and many people already working that would live here. I could sense the Lykan’s now. There were quite a few already.
Thorn showed us the fields where the crops were being planted, and then he took us to the stables for the animals. After showing us the grounds, he took us to meet Sister Kara and the nuns.
I felt awed in her presence. She reminded me of someone.
“I think we should speak alone my dear, don’t you?” she smiled as she said this.
I nodded and objected when the others disagreed and tried to join me.
“I’ll be fine, guys, give us five minutes, please,” I told them.
“I have waited many years to meet you, but it is Kali I need to speak with,” she said when we were alone.
“Yes, honored one?” Kali replied, sleepily.
“I have kept this place sacred as you have asked, the children are well cared for, and we wait for instructions.”
“You have done well, have you enjoyed my gift of longevity?”
“Of course, but I do not wish to linger much longer, all my loved ones have moved on, and I feel my duty is done.”
“Bear with me awhile longer friend. Our master still has plans for his disciple. He needs all of his people for the upcoming battle. You must help the others with their faith. The times ahead will be hard, and they will come close to breaking but must not do so.”