Descendant - Archaic #3 (Sample of Published Book)

Chapter 3 - Part 2

"But why would someone change her and get her to infiltrate our group?" he asked.

"We don't know," I answered honestly as I shrugged my shoulders. We only had theories.

"Do you think it has something to do with the guy Mason warned you about?" I hadn't realized Jared had been that open with Andrew. He'd pretty much told him everything.

"We think it might." Surely if he wanted me he would just try and grab me, so what was the point of going to the lengths of putting Emma in our group? Was she supposed to gain our trust or something like that? Nothing about this made any sense.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully.

I was safely sitting in Jared's car on the way home when he told me he'd arranged a meeting with all of the Archaics that evening.

"Okay," I replied and then I yawned. Jared glanced my way in time to watch me try and suppress my next yawn before he focused back on the road ahead. I was tired, it had been a long day, and being on constant edge for most of the day had been exhausting. And it had all been for nothing because Emma had been a no-show. Unfortunately, until we could confront Emma, none of us would be able to relax.

It wasn't long before he pulled into his driveway. I climbed out of his car and hitched my school bag over my shoulder. In an awkward silence we both walked to my house and entered through the front door. When the two of us were pretending to date in front of an audience we were comfortable and it felt real, but the times when we were alone and not pretending, it was awkward and uncomfortable.

"Why don't you go and lie down?" he suggested when I yawned again. He was right, if I got some sleep--even if it was just a couple of hours--it would help.

"Okay," I replied as I trudged up the stairs to my bedroom.

It was only when I threw my school bag down onto the floor as I entered my bedroom that I realized he'd followed me.

"I can't leave you alone especially when we haven't managed to track Emma down," he explained when I gave him a questioning look as he sat down in the chair by my desk.

"So you're going to sit there and watch me sleep?" I asked him in disbelief.

"Yes," he answered as he crossed his arms.

I yawned again. I was too exhausted to care so I kicked off my shoes and climbed onto my bed. It must have been the last two nights of disrupted sleep combined with the stress of today that ensured I drifted off as soon as my head touched the pillow.

I felt his lips touch mine. It started with a tentative kiss as he hovered above me. I sighed as I raised my arms and wrapped them around his neck as our kiss deepened. My hands ran through his hair as I pulled him closer. I'd missed this, the feel of his lips against mine. There were times I'd thought I would never feel his lips on me again, so now that he was kissing me I tightened my arms around him, unwilling to let him go.

I didn't know how this was happening but I didn't question it as I felt his body press mine into the softness of the bed. His hands roamed over my body as his tongue demanded entry to my mouth. I allowed him in and I felt his tongue slide against mine. The butterflies took off in my stomach. I loved the way he made me feel.

His lips broke from mine and he trailed kisses along the side of my jaw and down my neck.

I moaned. My legs wrapped around his waist and I lost myself in the feel of his body close to mine.

"Ava." I heard him call my name but I was too preoccupied with what he was doing to me to respond.

"Ava." His voice became more insistent.

My eyes opened and Jared was no longer lying on top of me and kissing me. I realized it was a dream and I nearly cried out in frustration. Familiar green eyes looked down at me with concern.

"Are you okay?" Jared asked as he stood by the side of my bed, leaning over me. I blushed at the dream I'd just had about him.

"I think you were having another nightmare," he told me with concern. Little did he know that was nowhere near the truth. Heat crept up my cheeks. In fact I was ready to close my eyes and go back to that 'nightmare.'

"I'm okay," I replied, still basking in the aftereffects of my dream.

"Are you sure?" He studied my flushed face. I was mortified. He thought I was having a nightmare but the truth was I'd been making out with him in one of the best dreams I think I'd ever had.

"Yes," I insisted as I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "How long was I out for?"

"A couple of hours," he told me as he continued to watch me.

"I'd better get up and start making dinner," I said before I stood up. I felt his eyes follow me as I hurried out of my bedroom. I needed to get away from him.

When I got into the kitchen I decided what I was going to make for dinner and quickly started preparing the food.

I knew Jared being constantly around me was going to be hard for me but this was getting out of hand. How desperate was it of me to dream he was mine when he wasn't? Was it being around him all the time and being reminded regularly of what I'd lost that was making my subconscious try to ease my heartbreak by giving him to me in my dreams?

I rubbed my forehead. It had to end because I couldn't do this anymore. If I had any chance of getting over him I needed space and that meant he couldn't be around all the time. He couldn't be the one soothing me when I woke up from nightmares, I understood I needed someone to watch over me but the truth was it didn't have to be Jared.

My mind was made up.

It wasn't long before Jared wandered into the kitchen and sat down. I turned to him and with as much courage as I could I said, "I can't do this anymore."

"What?" he asked, confused.

"You being around all the time," I explained. How did I explain to him that I couldn't get over him if he was constantly around--and worse, pretending to be my boyfriend?

Each time he kissed me under the pretense of being my boyfriend it still brought butterflies to my stomach and my knees still went weak. It didn't matter how many times I told myself that we were over it didn't stop the effect he had on me physically or emotionally.

"I know that I need to be protected but surely someone else can do it?" I asked quietly, not sure what his response would be.

I watched his eyes harden. Couldn't he see how having him around so much was affecting me?

"And who do you want to protect you?" he sneered.

What the hell? I frowned at his question. Before I could say another word he stood and walked over to me. I closed my mouth as I watched anger filter into his features. He was pissed.

"I'm in charge and I get to make the decisions, do you understand?" he said as his steely eyes glared at me.

I never expected him to get this mad about it but I needed to take my emotional welfare into account as well. Physically he could protect me but emotionally he was killing me.

"I-"

"It's not up for discussion," he stated angrily at me before he turned and stormed out of the kitchen. The discussion was over.

I was dumbfounded.

Was it too much to ask that someone else protect me because we'd split and it was too hard for me to have him around? It was a constant reminder of what I'd lost and my already fragile heart couldn't heal when I had to see him all the time. Never mind all the brief kisses here and there to ensure everyone believed we were still dating, which were breaking my heart all over again.

And what was so wrong for me to want someone else to protect me?