Daughter of Stars and Nightmares (The Eternal Bond Saga book 1)

The Fallout

"Oh, really and how do you propose to do that? My mom may not be in but she put this lovely collar on me, remember?"

She held up her right wrist, showing him the intricate black Celtic knot that looked like a tattoo. It was actually a powerful magical bind her mother had placed on her. Rosalie made damn sure that there would be no sneaking out, and between the hours of 4pm and 8am Julia was on total lockdown. The temporary tattoo was a leash. If she so much as set foot outside of the five foot perimeter around the house her mother would instantly know. Julia would receive a horrible crippling shock and be frozen to the spot, and her time under house arrest would be extended.

"I'd like to leave this house by the time I graduate," Julia's voice was despondent.

Damien gave her a grin; he grabbed her wrist and gave it a kiss. The part of her that still had a thing for Damien made her blush. Alex's face surfaced in her mind and she guilt flooded into her.

She took her wrist out of his grasp as he said, "Ye have little faith in my master skills."

Hearing this made her giggle at such a cheesy line and she shook her head. "I know how completely insane my mom can get when it comes to my protection. Sorry, but there is no way you are getting around this."

He tapped the side of his nose and gave her a knowing smile. "That's why I enlisted the help of someone who is more powerful and way more devious than your mother."

Julia shot him a questing look as Damien motioned to someone outside the window. A mop of bright green and black spiky hair came into view and she knew it was Ren.

Ren stood outside of the window and gave her a coy smile. She could tell he was still hesitant whether she wanted to see him or not.

Julia returned his smile as she recalled lengthy conversations she had with her mother over the week. It had given her time to calm down and see things differently. Rosalie had explained to Julia that Ren had been Rosalie's best friend when she was Julia's age. However, that relationship had ended a long time ago. And the friendship Rosalie had with Ren back then didn't even compare to the one Julia had with Ren.

Rosalie even admitted that she was a little jealous of how close Julia and Ren were. She even thought Julia and Ren may have had a romantic future. At that point in their conversation Julia couldn't help but burst out laughing so hard it made her cry; and she assured her mother that would never happen. Julia loved Ren with every fibre in her being, but it wasn't romantic in any way shape or form and it never had been. Not for either of them.

Julia explained to her mom how she and Ren had talked about their feelings one night, after Julia had her heart stomped on by Scott Macland, a jock warlock. Julia had gotten up the courage to tell Scott she liked him. To which he humiliated her in the cafeteria with the whole school watching. Shouting there was no way in hell he would ever be interested in the town reject.

That night, following her public humiliation at the hands of Scott, Ren consoled her as best as he could. She'd asked him why it was they could love each other deeply and still not be in love with each other. She was convinced there was something wrong with her. When Ren told her he felt the same way she did, it helped. He also told her there were many kinds of love and theirs was the strongest, because the messy craziness of the heart would never get in the way.

Almost two years had passed since then and with all the crap she was going through with Alex she could fully comprehend what he meant. They would never break up or get bored with each other or have any of the insecurities or hang-ups that came with romantic love. Instead, she knew no matter what happened or what either of them did; when the dust settled, they would still love each other no matter what.