Forever Mine

Part Fourteen

I stare at the book as if it's my undoing, but that's the truth is it not? This very bible holds the keys to my pasts, but how can I honestly believe what's in it? Easy, I wrote the damn thing. I sigh and bury my head in my hands. This can't be true. The very same book that sits on the table beside me is the book I thought I succeeded in destroying ages ago. Why would they even want to keep it or even make sure it stayed intact all these years? My heavy headache from earlier seems to arise from a peaceful slumber as my agitation grows.
"Matthew?" A soft voice brings me back from my pooling doom.
I look up to find Andria standing beside me, but she isn't looking at me. She frowns at the invisible thought that seems to tread back and forth in her mind.
"You've...you've killed people."
Even though it's not a question, I still find myself replying with a yes. She nods.
"Were me and Marne ever in danger?" She looks at me.
Lying would be a waste of time.
"Yes."
There's no need for an explanation either. At one point of time, I imagined killing them both. It's just how I've been wired to be or at least it seemed so until now.
"Do you think Marne is OK? She hasn't been like herself lately."
"This is a lot to take in, Andria. I'm surprised she isn't clawing at the walls with madness."
She shakes her head softly. "No, it's not that. She's been off before you came for us. Something isn't right with her."
"I'm sure she'll be fine. She seems like a fighter."
Andria takes a seat next to me and looks at the book. "What do we do now?"
"For once in my life...I don't know."
We sit in silence, trying to digest my admission. I honestly don't know what to do. I'm still trying to think about whether or not reading the stupid book is a good thing.
"Have you read it?" she asks.
"I don't know if I want to."
"Do you want me to be here when you do?"
I look at her. Even though she's not the original, this copy is just as comforting as the first Andria.
"I don't know, but thank you."
She smiles at me. "We're in this together."
This is when I appreciate that everyone has left me be but her. She demanded to stay with me and the book as if she could protect me from the "dangers" it holds.
"I don't know what to believe anymore."
"Believe that I'm not leaving your side." Her voice rings sincerity.
I sigh. I'm going to lose her all over again.
"Matthew, just open the-"
I grab her hand harshly. "Don't touch it."
She looks at me with wide eyes. It takes me a moment to realize what's going on. I instantly let her go.
"I...I'm sorry."
Instead of taking cradling her wrist like I thought she would have, she cups my face. I can see the bruise start to form on her delicate skin. She watches me as I kiss the inside her wrist lightly. Before, I'd love to see marks of pain on her body that I caused, but now. Now that I'm learning to realize I'm not the monster I thought I was, the heavy feelings with Bianca comes back. I watch her reaction. She bites her lip and stares hard at me. Taking this as a good sign, I pull her chair closer to me. She gasps softly, but doesn't protest. I feel the possessive part of me grows bolder, but I can also feel the sinister part of that. I pull away.
"No." She grips onto my shirt.
"Andria, I-"
"Just shut up and kiss me."
I crack a smile before crashing my lips on hers. She moans instantly. She's a bit clumsy for my experienced lips, but that doesn't stop me from trying to take the kiss further. Her hold on my shirt slackens. I stop kissing her. Her face is flush as she frowns.
"What?"
Instead of replying, I pull her out of her seat and move her on top of the table. My bible slides further away from us. She smiles mischievously as I move in between her legs. When I try to kiss her, she turns away. I smile at her antics.
"It's a little too late to be playing hard to get."
"Never." She laughs.
It's like we're in Greece over a thousand years ago. I bury my face in the crook of her neck and trail feathery kisses on her skin.
"Matthew..." She whispers and clutches me closer.
I try to keep from being rough with her, but everything she does tempts me to lose control. She whispers something in my ear. Something in Greek that makes control a childhood dream. She whispered, "I love you." I pull her shirt off as quickly as I can as she does the same with me. I bite her lip as I work on her pants. She keeps moaning or mumbling different words in Greek. I wonder if she truly knows what she's saying to me. Soon she's left in a deep green bra and black panties. With only my boxers on, I still manage for her to feel what she's doing to me. Easing her into a laying position, I marvel at her heavenly glow. I can never get enough of her. I find myself speaking Greek to her. It doesn't even phase me. I grip her upper thigh and pull her closer to me.
"Hey Matt, I was-Whoa!" Shianne stares at us.
Andria doesn't look embarrassed. She looks proud to be found in such a position. I smirk. That's my girl.
"OK, if we're going to get hot and heated, I want a threesome." Shianne pouts.
"Three's a crowd, Shianne." Andria looks at me.
"Look who decided to make an appearance...Jez." Shianne folds her arms.
I frown and look down at Andria. What is she talking about?
"Matt, Jez is using Andria." Shianne steps towards us.
I shake my head.
"She's lying, Matty. It's me." She strokes my face.
"Matthew, don't fall for it. I don't even know how she found out who she was."
"Matty-"
I pull away. "How?"
Andria sits up with an evil grin. "It's not that hard, Matty. I killed her after all. I knew who she was the moment I saw here in the cafe."
"Get out of her!" I grip her neck.
"Be careful, Matty. You could kill Andria all on your own."
My chest rises and falls heavily. How did I not notice? I force myself to let go. Andria rolls her head around.
"Smart choice."
"What do you want?" Shianne stands next to me.
"I want you to know, I can be anywhere I want. I don't care you've blocked me from Matthew and that you have elders protecting your hide out. I will find you and I will kill every last one of you. Especially you." She points at me.
I watch her with a hard expression.
"But not before I make you watch me kill your little, Andria."
Talic bursts through the door. "Jezebel, leave!"
"Not before I give my last parting gift." She runs and grabs my bible.
"Don't!" Shianne yells.
"See you soon, little sister." Andria disappears.
"No!"
She vanishes as if it were a trick of light.
"No! Where is she?" I yell.
"Matt-"
"What the hell happened? Where is she?" I grip my hair.
"Matthew, calm down." Talic booms.
I find myself in a chair. "We have to get her."
"That's what she wants."
"Fine! She can have me!" I struggle against the invisible hold on me.
"Stop it!" Shianne slaps me.
The sound pulses in the sudden silence in the room.
"Were you not listening? She's going to kill you both anyway! She won't kill her until she can in front of you. You're keeping Andria alive by staying here until we have a plan!" She yells in my face.
"She'll torture her. We can't let her stay there." I say softly.
"We'll get her back and save you both, but you have to trust us."
"She took the book." I avoid looking at her.
"The book is useless to her if she can't read what's in it."
"What do you mean?"
"She means, I knew Jezebel would try to steal the book so it's been cloaked so only you can read it."
"You knew she'd come for it? Then what the hell was the mind fry thing for?" I try to get up. Again, I'm held down tighter.
"Jezebel is a resourceful person. I had a feeling she's find another way if she had to."
"You people are making it easier and easier to despise everything you do 'to help'."
"Matthew, if we wanted you dead, you would be dead. We want to keep you and Andria safe. It has been our life's mission."
"What are you talking about?"
"Your mother gave a man your journal. She wanted someone to save you."
"What?"
My mother tried to save me even though I was too far gone?
"It was after Andria died and Jez convinced you that it had to happen, your mother knew neither one of you could stop her. She went to a man that was rumored to do magic to help. He wasn't powerful enough so he found several others that had great power and they all trained to get strong enough to help you get free from her."
"I don't understand."
"Matt, they call themselves the Brotherhood because your mother initiated the domino effect. They've thought of you as family all these years." Shianne puts a hand on my shoulder.
"I...I killed them..." The realization hits me.
"You were miss guided. We don't hold you accountable." Talic bows slightly.
"Are you powerful now?"
Shianne and Talic share a look before looking back at me.
"We've learned that we'll never be as powerful as Jezebel." Talic sighs.
"Then what can you do to help us?" I roar.
"You didn't let him finish. The Brotherhood can't stop them, but you can. We can die trying to help you, but all of it is up to you."
"What am I supposed to do?" I ask through my teeth.
"Brother Talic, will you give a moment?" Shianne keeps her eyes on me.
Talic gives her a look before nodding. "I will be back in a while." He leaves us.
It's moments before Shianne takes a seat on the table. "You can move by the way." She rubs the back of her neck and stares at the wall.
I move to test if what she says is true or not and get up.
"Remember when I told you that having what Jez said you need to claim will kill you?"
I nod.
"I lied."
I grow on edge about the admittance.
"I lied because even though Jez is a total...pain, she's still my sister and love her." She looks at me.
"Roman agreed with you." Shy chuckles.
"Roman has always sympathized with me. He lied because I asked him to. The power you seek is the power to be equal with Jez. You both will be the most powerful things to ever roam the earth, but there's a price. You would risk everything to have it."
"Why should I believe you?" I narrow my eyes.
She lied to me once, what makes her think I'd just eat up whatever falls out of her mouth now?
"Because I want Andria to be at peace." She watches my reaction. "I was around then. I saw the way you loved her. It was the same way I loved..." She looks down.
She's always been spunky, but now, she looks broken and tired. "Killing Jez will end the reincarnations of Andria and it will end your immortal life. But there's no guarantee that your mortal life will survive either."
"I don't care. I want to be able to save her. Whatever it takes."
Shianne smiles at me sadly. "Sadly, I knew you were going to say that. Come in."
I frown and look at the door. Marne sluggishly walks in. I didn't notice before, but I see why Andria was concerned about her. Her face looks ashen and sulken in.
"Marne, are you alright?"
She looks through me as if she's shell shocked.
"What's wrong with her? What did you do to her?"
"I've done nothing. It's not us, Matt. It's you."
"What? I didn't do this to her!"
"She's what you've been searching for all these years. She's the key to the power you've been looking for. She was born as the key."
"What-"
"In order for you to receive the power, you have to kill her, Matthew."