Before the Dawn

Chapter Eight

The next day, after spending the entire night replaying my new memory of meeting Declan over and over, I reluctantly get out of the big, comfortable bed and make it neatly. Satisfied with my work, I pad barefoot into the bathroom. One look at the mirror has me gaping, wide-eyed at my reflection. I make a sound of disgust in the back of my throat. I'm a mess. My hair is a chaotic dark ball of tangles. My dress is rumpled. My blue eyes are tired from my lack of sleep. I make a face at the mirror. Do I really want Declan to see me like this? Hell no.

I turn on the bathtub's faucet and run my fingers through the hot water. Standing up, I strip off my dress and let it fall in a heap on the ground. I lower myself into the steaming hot water, hissing when the scalding water comes into contact with my skin. Sinking deeper into the tub, I let out a satisfied sigh.

As I close my eyes, I rest a hand on the moonstone necklace that hangs around my neck. My mind takes me back to my first days with Declan. I fell in love with him so fast and so hard. We were perfect together from the start. If only he'd been there before I'd found out about all of this god and goddess stuff. Maybe it would have been easier. Then I would have known just how evil Theo really is. I would have never fallen for the evil bastard.

I open my eyes with a frustrated sigh. I rub my pounding head, groaning in pain. Looks like my bath is over. I scrub myself clean and rinse off. I get out and wrap a big, fluffy towel around myself. I run a brush  through my long hair to get the tangles out. When I finish, I walk out of the bathroom and into my and Declan's shared closet. I chose one of the flowy white gowns that Declan seems to like so much and slip it on.

I shuffle back into the bedroom and stand next to the neatly make bed. Biting my lip, I stare down at my journal. What if Declan finds this? It's just sitting in my bag, practically out in the open.

With pursed lips, I grab one of the larger books out of my bag and set it on the bed. Then I riffle through the nightstand drawers until I find Declan's pocket knife. I sit cross-legged on the floor with the book laid in front of me. I flip open the book's cover and bury the blade into the book's thick pages. I cut out a deep square into the book. I then grab my journal and put it in there. After a moment of thought, I grab my letter from Amora and stick it in there too.

After I stick the book into my bag, my mind wanders to the other journals in Declan's study. I shrug and get up figuring what the hell? When else am I going to get a chance to pick up one of the other journals when Declan isn't watching?

I walk through the halls of the castle slowly, taking my time in committing my new home to memory. In certain places, I get flashes of memories, tiny glimpses of my past that I can't help but covet.

I have no trouble finding Declan's study. The path was familiar to me, another sign that my memories are returning quickly. I scurry into the study and shut the door behind me in a rush, just in case Hades or Persephone decide to drop by.

I grab the next journal off of the large bookcase and clutch it to my chest tightly. I practically tiptoe across the room to the door. When I rest my hand on the doorknob, a lound knock sounds, nearly scaring the life out of me. I mentally snort at the irony of the thought.

I shove the journal behind my back as my mind races with the thought of who could possibly be behind the door. Hades? Or worse, Persephone?

I panic and grip my journal even tighter as I turn the door knob with my clammy hand. I yank open the door as fast as I can, eyes half shut in a cringe.

Andrea jumps in surprise, hand half raised to knock again. Logan's arm is wrapped securely around her waist as if ready to yank her out of harm's way at a moment's notice. It reminds me of Declan so much as to bring nostalgic tears to my eyes.

"Hey, Laila," Andrea says cheerfully to break the tension. "We were just looking for you. Do you have your letter finished yet?"

Still a bit edgy from my earlier panic, all I'm able to do is nod until my voice returns. When it does, I ask the two of them to follow me to my and Declan's shared bedroom.

"So how is everything in the mortal realm?" I ask conversationally, expecting a response along the lines of  "oh, nothing much" or "nothing interesting" or some other mundane answer that goes with a mundane questions. Never did I ever expect what Logan and Andrea tell me next.

"It's been chaotic ever since the cat came out of the bag," Logan mutters, running a hand through his already messy hair.

"Ever since the fact that gods and goddesses really exist was made known to humans, he means," Andrea rushes to explain. "Theo somehow got the word out there and started flaunting his powers publicly. Everything went to hell for a while. The world was in a state of rage and disbelief, until the gods stepped in. They used their powers to lull the humans into acceptance. It's weird though, having them know about us."

I gape, open mouthed, at the two of them in complete and utter shock. The humans know? How could Bel do that? Innocent mortals shouldn't be dragged into his sick plot for revenge. What happened to the carefree sun god that I use to know? This certainly is not him.

"Why didn't Amora tell me?" I mutter almost to myself.

Andrea rests a comforting hand on my shoulder. "She thought that it would be best if you were told in person, so she asked us to tell you."

I open the door to my bedroom in a daze, guilt gnawing at my soul. This is all my fault. If it weren't for me, none of this would be happening.

I hand Andrea my letter to Amora and bid them both goodbye as I shut the door behind them.

Biting my lip in anxiety, I shove my new journal in my hollowed out book with the other one and shove everything into my bag haphazardly.

Flopping onto the bed, I chastise myself. Don't think about the mortal world or Bel right now, I command myself. You should only be thinking about remembering your past. That's the only thing that's important right now. Squeezing my eyelids shut, I concentrate on my memory of meeting Declan, of how absolutely  in love I felt then. It's not long until my tensed shoulders have relaxed and I'm reveling in my past.

A chorus of soft, excited yelps startle me from my reminiscing. My eyes fly open just in time to see two silver wolves bounding into the room. With a broad smile on my face, I bend down to pet both Crescendo and Cupid on their furry heads. Oh, how I'd missed them! But if they're here, then that means-

"Hello, love," a deep, adoring voice greets from the doorway.

Just like that, all thoughts of the mortal realm and Bel are gone from my mind. I look up with wide eyes, a single name on my lips.

There my dark god stands, looking as handsome and captivating as ever. His green eyes are mischievous. His lips are curved into that half smile of his that I love so much.

A soft smile is on my lips. Excitement zings through my veins. I'm about to burst with my new discovery. I have to tell him what I remembered.

Declan cocks his head to the side slightly, giving me an assessing look. "What's that smile for, love?" he asks softly with a smile of his own.

My smile broadens as I look up at him from under my lashes. "I remembered something," I murmur, biting my lips excitedly.

His eyes widen in surprise before a slow smile spreads across his handsome face. "What did you remember?" he asks as he walks slowly towards me. When he reaches me, his hands are at my waist immediately. My breath catches in my throat as I gaze up at his serpentine green eyes.

"I remembered when we first met and when you gave me your Warrior's Oath," I tell him breathlessly.

"You did?" His grin is huge and his eyes shine with elation. I nod enthusiastically and let him wrap his arms around me. Oh, gods, I'd missed him.

"Do you remember what happened after that?" he purrs after a moment of silence. His lips brush my skin again and again, teasing. I shake my head and look up at him shyly. "Then I'll just have to remind you."

A gasp leaves my lips as he presses a kiss to my jaw. We collapse onto the big white bed and Declan takes me into his arms for the first time since the masquerade ball.