Darkly (under revision)

Chapter Twenty

"Eli." I gasped. His face was like a phantom, haunting my dreams with horror and loss. Now he was standing before me, looking as alive as ever. Was a he a ghost? Was he alive? My whole body just felt numb and dead as I gazed upon that face of his, searching for something to tell me all of this was real. That all of this wasn't a dream. "Eli." I croaked again, moving my legs beneath me to get closer to this phenomena.

The ghost looked down at me with something in his eyes that I couldn't read. He looked at me. He was alive and actually looking at me. I touched his his foot, feeling the soldity beneath my fingers, and started sobbing.

He was alive. He was here.

Eli crouched down to touch my face, as if he was making sure I was real too. "Eve, Eve, my love. I'm alive." His voice was like something whispering down at me from above, like a sacred Angel. And this angel began to cry.

My chest felt opened again. I felt more alive than I ever felt in the past two weeks. Eli--my Eli--was back. He wrapped his arms around me, tranfering warmth into my skin, and buried his face into my hair. "I love you, I love you." Eli murmured. "I will never ever let you leave my sight again. I promise. We'll always be together." I nodded, numb. I had stopped crying.

We sat there together forminutes, holding eachother and waiting for the dream to end, but it never did.

I had forgotten all about Luke until he cleared his throat. I glanced at him warily, feeling Eli get angry. "You," Eli hissed. "You were one of them trying to capture Eve. Why are you even alive?I saw all those dead men at my grave. All those men Eve had killed."

I shivered, remembering. "It's ok,Eli. Luke is on our side."

Eli glanced down at me nervously before standing to face Luke. "How do you know the Alphas haven't set this all up?"

Luke glared at Eli, murder shining in his eyes. "How do I know the Alphas haven't brought you back to life to trap Eve, huh? How are youeven alive?"

Eli stilled, not moving. Luke's question rang in my head like a bell. I stood and stared at Eli warily. "Eli," I murmured. He turned to face me. "Is Luke right? How areyou alive?"

Eli's jaw worked up and down as he searched for answer. My heart seemed to crack. Eli finally shook his head defiantly. "No. No! Of course not, Eve. You know I love you. I would never."

"How are you alive, than?" I grumbled. This wasn't the same Eli. Something was different about him.

"I...uh...dont know." Eli said quietly.

I knew he was lying. I knew this was too good to be true. I glared at Eli and hissed, "You are not Eli. Go away." I backed away from this man. I knew now what was different about him.

A scar that had always been on his left cheek now wasnt there. This was some kind of fake.

"Eve, no, you have to believe me. I'm Eli."

I watched as Luke came up behind 'Eli' and wrapped his forearm around his neck and he squeezed. Eli's dark eyes flashed as he struggled. "Run, Eve. Get to the Garage, grab a car and wait for me." Luke kicked his knee into 'Eli's' back and forced him down. "If I'm not there in 10 minutes, drive." Luke grunted and wrestled with Eli, throwing punches and spilling blood.

Without a second glance, I left, feeling betrayed and hurt that someone I had loved became a pawn for the Alphas. How did this happen? How could this have happened? I ran as fast as I could to the garage and with the keys I already had, unlocked the car and started it. In ten minutes I started to back out, but just as I did, Luke rushed in and hurried in the car. "Drive, drive, drive!" He was breathing hard and blood was splattered across his face.

I stared at him warily for seconds before backing out of the garage and speeding away. After we were miles away, I finally asked him what had happened.

"The Alphas...." Luke finally gasped, catching his breath. "They were there. They did bring Eli back. But...I passed his grave and it didnt look disturbed. That was not Eli at all." He took a deep breath. "I think it was some sort of apparition."

I nodded, tightening my grip on the steering wheel. The Alphas had to stoop that low to try and get me. They thought I would fall for it. I started to cry...again. How many time have I already cried today? I guess, apparently not enough. "Let me drive, Eve. You've had a pretty long day." I nodded and started to pull over. Once we changed seats, I settled in the leather and curled my knees to my chest. It hurt so much to see that face again, only to find out that he wasn't even real.

"What am I going to do, Luke?" I asked desperately.

Luke looked down at me and frowned. "I don't know, Eve. This is some tense stuff...and, I've never really had to deal with women for the past two years...or life really." Luke sighed. "I wouldn't recommend running away from your problems like this if we were human, but we're not and this is sort of fucked up. Excuse my language." Luke shook his head. I just shrugged. "Anyways, all you can do right now isrun away because if you don't, you'll be forced to be a slave for the Alphas." Luke took my hand and laced his fingers through mine. "I don't want to see that happen."

I looked down at our hands intertwined and imagined for a moment that it was just Luke and there never was an Eli. I felt awful for thinking it, but for the moment, it felt nice and normal. I wanted all of this to end.

"Luke," I said. "What would you do if I died?"

He inhaled slowly, tightening his hand. "I don't know. Why are you asking this?"

I looked away and started to play with the laces of my shoes. "Well, I doubt the Alphas will let me live much longer. I've defied them for far too long. They wont want me alive any more."

"Doubtful. You're like water in a desert." He smirked. "I mean, you're just that rare, if at all. You're a female werewolf, Eve. You're the only one of your kind. I dont know what you do get about that."

"Neither do I." I sighed and hung my head. Why did I let myself get like this? "Do you think it will ever end?"

Luke shook his head. "Not unless the Alphas die."

"Like that'll happen." I scoffed dryly. "I'd have to....nevermind..." I blinked and thought for a moment. Perhaps....no. That would be stupid. But... Maybe, I could give myself up and kill them one by one. It seemed like a unpleasant plan, but one that would work. I started telling Luke my idea.

He sat there for a while, staring out the car, carefully weighing what I said. I wondered if he'd be in two with it and let me do it. Right now, I was willing to do anything to get these monkies off my back. Finally, Luke sighed heavily and shook his head. My hopes slowly melted. "I think its a good idea." Luke whispered, and I looked at him, surprised. 

"Really?" I gasped

 All he did was nod. "Yeah. It's the only option you have. What would be better? Or sweeter? Revenge. or death? I mean, try before you die." 

I blinked at him, slowly, and chewed on my lip. So, Luke agreed. That was settled. "Now what?" 

"We follow through. We'll need to perfect the plan and decide how to kill them and how to...keep...you from them." Luke grimaced and made a sour face. "I'll try to get in with you, but I dont know if I could. It would be pretty hard." 

I nodded. "So you'd let me go?"

He shook his head. "No. I dont like the idea of them even touching you...it makes me sick." Luke paused and sighed. "But I think we can do it. I think we can kill them.....or at least die trying." He flashed a smile. "We'll work on everything when we find somewhere to sleep. Ok?"

I agreed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

What do you think? It was a dissapointer for "Eli" to turn out bad, but hey, it floated my boat. 

Keep reading. This unfortunately, will be the last chapter of Darkly and the second book is under way. However, Darkly will be Edited and a few chapter added here, removed there, yadda yadda pina colada. Thanks for reading/

Vote and comment your thoughts, please! :D