SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW ➻ DEMETRI VOLTURI

V E N T O T T O

With the wind blowing in her brown curls, Cecilia stared at the sea underneath her. The waves were crashing and breaking on the rocks and even from the top of the cliff she could see the little bubbles of foam on the water. The sun was beaming down on her, her skin breaking the reflection in a thousand tiny rays, but even though she wasn't bothered by it anymore, she knew it was cold. 

She didn't turn around when she felt a presence behind her, not even when she felt two arms sneaking around her waist and a head leaning on her shoulder. Demetri's weight and hug were familiar and offered her more warmth and comfort than the sun. She rested her hands on top of his, the ring on her finger reflecting the light as well. 

"How are you?" Demetri murmured softly, his voice hoarse.

Cecilia let out an unnecessary sigh. "As good as it gets, I suppose."

Demetri placed a chaste kiss on the skin of her neck, the gesture sweet and gentle. "I had hoped all would have gone over smoother too."

Unwillingly, Cecilia thought back to the events that had happened only a couple of days ago. After completely erasing herself from Jasper's mind, leaving him dazzled on the balcony, she had dashed inside the house and repeated the process for all her family members. She had always known that she was loved, but digging through their minds and taking what wasn't hers had proved how much exactly. Though the whole experience was painful, it was especially the memory of her mother finding her in the middle of the forest one day that broke her heart. To take away the only thing her mother had really wanted, a child of her own, felt like she had just stabbed her own heart with a knife, twisting and turning it. 

After that, Demetri had quite literally dragged her from the house, knowing himself very well how fast the victims of her gift could sometime come back to clarity, not putting her down until they were a safe distance from the house, a couple of cities over. There she had broken down completely, sobbing and crying without tears and falling to the ground, clutching her knees to her chest with a grip that could have shattered all her bones. 

That was not the worst. The worst was having to get back up, regain her composure and travel as fast as possible to lsle Esmee to do all of it over. Cecilia didn't think she could ever forget the look on Edward's face as the two of them entered the island, from joy and excitement at their arrival, to pure horror and disgust as he read her mind. Still, she didn't know where she had gotten the strength from, but once more she used her gift, finishing the job.

The thought of her family living in Virginia with no knowledge of her existence hurt her more than she could ever think possible, though it gave her an odd sense of comfort as well. At least they wouldn't ever be in danger of her again.

"It went as smooth as it could go," Cecilia said softly, staring at the sea. The wild waves reminded her of the state of her mind, and she squinted against the sun, seeing the outlines of a nearby island. "Yet that doesn't make it better. I'm grieving, but nobody died."

"I'm sorry, cara mia," Demetri said softly. "I wished I could have done more."

Cecilia turned around, resting her hands against his chest. They only had two more days left in Angelokastro and though she was positive it would be far from a happy holiday, she was still grateful that through all the mess and chaos of the world, her soulmate was still standing beside her. "You can't possibly do more. You hold me together when I need it the most."

"But in two days you'll have to take these memories," he said, looking down at her. "And though may it be temporarily, you will be on your own."

"With you next to me I'll never be on my own."

"I love it when you're cheesy."

"Who would have known I had it in me."

"I did," Demetri replied, smiling cheekily. "From the first time I laid my eyes on you."