Part 19 (1/2)

I shrug noncommittally. Truth is, I feel no pain from my injuries. My pain is all inside my soul.

Kieron looks into my eyes. He moves closer, and his lips find mine. Finally, after all this time, he's here...back in my arms. I should be ecstatic...I should be over the moon with giddiness. But I'm strangely calm. Sad, even.

”What is it?” he whispers. He pulls back, his eyes searching mine.

I look away. For a while, I don't say anything, and his fingers lace through mine beneath the tall gra.s.s.

”You were gone for so long...and I didn't know why. I thought maybe you didn't love me...that maybe you changed your mind or something. I tried to convince myself it was okay, that I was over you. I really did. But not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of you. Of your smile. And how good it feels when you hold me. How much I love kissing you.”

”Liora,” Kieron chokes out before firmly moving his mouth to mine again, this time with a deeper, more intense pa.s.sion than ever before. Gradually I feel our bodies getting back in synch, a rhythmic sense of energy flow that completes the magical, intense circuit that is Kieron and me.

”I love you so much,” he whispers in my ear. ”Always know that and never forget it.”

”I love you too,” I breathe, a contented smile on my lips.

They say time heals all wounds. I'm not sure if that's true, but by the time the day begins its transition into night, I feel better than I've felt in a long time. A really long time.

There's nothing better in the whole world than lying here beside Kieron, feeling his hands on my arms, tasting his sweet kisses, hearing his loving words, breathing his hot breath. I feel the broken pieces inside me gradually healing and falling back in place.

I don't want to tell him about Tristan. I know I should. But I just can't. Not yet, anyway. Not when I just got him back and things feel so amazing between us. Besides, I'm sure he'll find out about him soon enough. Then again, Tristan was probably one of those nasty Hlbafa demons out to get me. Maybe now that it's all over he'll just go away, and I won't see him ever again. Then maybe Kieron will never have to know what a horrible wretched person I am, and how I betrayed him so soon after he disappeared. When he was busy sacrificing himself to save me.

”What is it?” Kieron asks, watching me with tender concern.

”It's twilight,” I say, avoiding his question. ”I'd say we should get going soon, but I guess it doesn't matter anymore.” I give him a wry smile. ”Remember the first time we came out here?”

Kieron chuckles under his breath. ”How could I ever forget? It's not every day I have angry farmers pulling shotguns on me.”

”Hey, whatever happened that night? The truth this time.” I narrow my eyes, remembering his fishy 'explanation' for what had occurred after I fell asleep.

Kieron laughs louder. ”Okay, well, when Lucky woke up, she was pretty p.i.s.sed. She wanted to know why I'd put you in danger like that.”

”Did you tell her it was all my fault?” I ask, sitting up.

He shakes his head. ”She wasn't exactly in the mood to listen. She disarmed the poor guy... nicely, I might add.”

”Nicely?”

”Well, she didn't kill him. Which was pretty nice of her, considering. She was angry with me and left, but later we met up and talked it out.”

”Oh.” Then after a moment. ”You must have thought I was so pathetic, playing it like a fool...lying, trying to cover up and acting stupid-”

”Liora, stop. I don't ever want to hear you talk like that ever again. Got it? You did what you had to do at the time, and I understand. No judgments. If anything, I'm in awe of how well you manage to handle things. I don't think I'd ever be able to-”

”Ha! You think I handle this 'well'?”

He leans closer and grazes his lips against mine. ”I think you are amazing,” he whispers. ”Every part of you, everything you do. Right or wrong. I am under your spell now and forever.”

”Tell me why...” I murmur, nuzzling his earlobe.

”Why what?”

”Why do you love me? Why am I amazing?” I don't care if my questions sound needy, or desperate, or insecure. I have to know what he sees in me...why he loves me the magical way he seems to do.

Kieron tilts my chin up slightly and looks into my eyes, his cerulean pools of liquid as bottomless as the darkest ocean. ”This may sound like a corny line, but the first time I really looked at you, I knew those were the eyes I'd been waiting my entire life to see. For the first time ever, I felt like I was home. That I finally belonged somewhere and was born for a specific purpose-to know you...to be with you...and to love you.”

”But how could you really know?” I whisper over the thumping of my heart.

”Honestly, I don't know how. I just knew. It's like a light switch suddenly flicked on inside. Everything I thought I wanted was suddenly insignificant compared to you, and the thought of hurting or losing you-it makes me want to rip out my own heart. But above all, I just want you to be happy. Your happiness means more to me than my own. How crazy is that? Do you know how good it makes me feel when I see you smile? When I hear you laugh?”

My mouth twitches at the corners, and a small grin cracks through. ”But what about now...now that you know what a complicated mess I-we-are? How can you possibly feel the same way-?”

”It was shocking, I admit. But seeing both sides of you like that...well, if anything, it's made me love you more.”

I gaze at him, almost disbelievingly. But so desperately hoping. My eyelids grow heavy as the familiar fiery tingles start creeping down my arms and legs.

”I've never felt this way about someone before,” he continues, holding me closer.”...And quite honestly, I didn't think it was even possible. Until I found you. Then I realized that anything and everything was possible. To find someone who-like me-lives between the world of Dark and Light. Someone who-like me-still embraces humanity despite the burden of our Dark powers...

”Many demions neglect their human side so much it completely shrivels and dies. They are nothing but a weakened half-demon with no trace of humanity left in them. But you hold yours so strong, so near and dear to you, you actually created an entire persona out of it, whether you meant to or not.

”...And it is only because of you-a wonderful, miraculous demion with a gift so rare and so special-that my heart awakened to a desire for love I never knew I was capable of. I just wanted to be with you, as I still do, and I always will.”

I open my eyes. Kieron slowly reaches down and strokes my face with his fingertips. The sheer intensity of his crystal-blue eyes fills my soul with white-hot fire. If he looked any s.e.xier I would literally melt into the earth.

”Where are we?” I whisper, still lost in my trance-like state. I know I just woke up, but for some reason I remember Kieron's words...or was I dreaming?

”We are safe. We are together. Everything will be fine. I promise.”

”I missed you,” I whisper, forgetting everything else.

Kieron leans down and grazes my lips with a soft kiss.

”I missed you, Lucky,” he whispers. ”I missed you so very, very much.”

Chapter 20. Lucky.

I stand up and take a few wobbly steps, inhaling the crisp, clean air. ”Where are we?” I ask Kieron again over my shoulder. The last place I remember being was inside the dark, dingy dungeon...Or is it? Fractured memories swish and swirl through my head like a kaleidoscope.

”It's just a place I like coming to sometimes when I need to get away...have some peace and quiet,” he replies softly.

I need a moment to gather myself together. I make my way over to a meandering stream by the rocks on the edge of a cliff and gaze at the darkening valley below. A water tower in the distance helps orientate me to our location; my cabin is a few miles southwest of it. I have to admit this place is beautiful...in a way it reminds me of my favorite spot in Dryndara. But as gorgeous as it is, this human world around me feels as foreign as Thiberoux feels like home.

I dangle my legs over the cliff, staring up at the rising crescent moon. Softly, I begin to weep. Although my last conscious memory is of lying on the straw-covered floor with Bones, somehow I'm aware of other things...a certain knowingness of events. I remember the Legionare showing up and vanquis.h.i.+ng every demon in sight. I remember holding Bones' hand one moment and feeling nothing but air the next. I remember Kieron taking me away on a giant red-winged horse after the Legionare leader banished us from Thiberoux. I remember hearing Kieron's words of anguished love as he spilled his guts to Liora.

I remember everything.