The Immortal's Gamble

Chapter 11 Jackpot and Feelings

Hitting the jackpot about Arden's 'girlfriend' had its own consequences. As I watched the brothers bicker,  Arden lifted up a hand and put a stop to it.

"Alex, shut up." He muttered and immediately Alex turned quiet. I peered down and saw that he was still laughing but no noise was coming out of his mouth. I turned to Arden who had a creepy smile on his face.

"So, what did you want to ask, brown eyes?" At this point, I was looking everywhere but him and laughed sheepishly, "Oh is that a pot of succulents, I love those things." I pointed out as my eyes landed on the windowsill. 

"Really?" Arden asked surprised, I nodded, "I love them too, now why don't we go talk Anna into giving you one of those." He stood up and I happily followed then I stopped and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Don't distract me. Come on tell me about it." I poked his side and he jumped. "Oh my gosh you're ticklish!" I squealed as I continued tickling him relentlessly till he gave up and we lay on the floor with Alex who was still mute.

"It wasn't even a heartbreak. I mean I had dated previously but not her. And I'm definitely not heartbroken, just maybe a tinge bit upset over a loss of a friendship. We just spent a lot of time together, taking care of the same area and it didn't hurt that the three of us grew up together too. Alex knew she had a crush on me, but I didn't reciprocate it, even up until the time we left. I didn't have such feelings for her and she couldn't understand that. So the new position here gave me the opportunity to escape." He muttered in explanation.

"What's the position here about? The bodies?" I asked, looking up at him. He nodded and the gears turned in my head. The bodies only started showing up the past couple of weeks, a few here and there was no major connection among the deceased. 

"Do you think, you can sneak me out? To the bodies the next time there's an attack. Like immediately?" I sat up, looking at the brothers who then looked at each other.

"Why do you ask of that?" Arden replied with a question of his own, carefully wording it as though it might set me off. 

"The body we saw, his numbers changed. I wonder if the others did too. Maybe this is something significant for you to report." I mumbled, half to myself as I started thinking about the possibilities. Arden's hand came down on my shoulder, halting my thoughts. 

"We'll discuss it again. For now stop thinking about the bodies, alright? Let's talk about something else." His grey eyes bore into mine and I felt all thoughts about the bodies slip away as I lay back down on the floor.

"Mmm-Oof" Alex mumbled, Arden snapped his fingers and Alex let out a big puff of air. "Well thank you so much dear brother." He huffed. Then looking at both of us in the eye, he took a deep breath, "He missed out on the kiss!" Alex shouted and then almost immediately he was back on mute again, this time without even Arden saying anything. He was just rubbing his temples as I laughed gently at their antics.

"Aren't you going to ask me about the kiss?" 

I shook my head, "You gave me what I wanted to know, the rest is up to you to disclose." I smiled and turned to face the ceiling, but boy do I want to find out. 

The ceiling... White ceilings and a warm hand covering my eyes. I let out a gasp at the connection, causing the brothers to sit up straighter. 

"What? What happened?" Arden asked, snapping his fingers to un-mute Alex who had the same look on his face. 

I shook my head, rubbing my chest as though it could soothe my racing heart. "I just remembered something. The other day I had an attack," I swallowed hard, "not like the one I experienced with Arden but something entirely different. I was in bed, I was thinking too much and I felt overloaded. Thoughts that weren't even my own invaded my mind." I waved my hands around as I explained.

"The corners of my visions turned black but just before it could take over, there was a presence in my room. He held a hand over my eyes and calmed me down. But the person said something, something about me not going to remember it. And I completely have forgotten about it, until I had another attack and the memory came back easily with just looking at the ceiling."  I explained to the boys. They looked at each other and kept quiet, Arden came closer and put his hands on mine.

"Did you recognise the voice?" Arden asked, rubbing my hands to keep me warm, I shook my head. "Okay, we can talk about this tomorrow? Alex and I will find out what we can plus It's getting kind of late." At what he said, a loud resounding bang echoed through the house. 

Arden pushed me behind him as Alex went to open the door, my worse nightmare came true as mum and Dale stood outside on the steps. 

"Where's my daughter?" Mum slurred, as she tried to take a step but Alex blocked her way. Dale had now disappeared, nowhere to be seen. Arden was already holding me behind his back just as I took a step forward. He did not see him. 

"I have to Arden, I need to go to stop this madness." I pleaded with him. 

"God so help me if I let you take another step." Arden pinched his nose bridge then held me to face him, "It's weird that we just discussed my apparent girlfriend who is not my girlfriend and now I have to say that I'm starting to feel this stirring emotion that I have not felt in over 50 years." He leaned forward and rested his forehead against mine.

"I know this is an absolutely horrible time but please don't go, just stay here and be safe. Please?" His eyes were begging me to understand but I just can't bear to see anyone else getting hurt because of me. The very same reason I didn't let Soren and Bri find out more than they should. 

"I-" 

"There you are you little-" Mum's voice cut off my words, but when I turned everything seemed to turn to slow motion. Alex moved on instinct to grab my mum who passed him.

The brightest explosion I've seen happen before my eyes, if I looked like a fairy with the glow I experience, Alex became a freaking spotlight. Arden shielded his eyes at the moment of impact but when he opened them and saw Alex on the ground, spasms wrecked his body and his skin was smoking. I could feel the bubbling rage that was radiating off Arden's body. And it was close to surfacing.

"Get out. Now. You will not return to your home for two weeks. Begone." He fumed quietly. Not even turning to look them in the eye. It was obvious he was restraining himself. Her feet started moving them out of the house much to her loud objection, but an Immortal's gift is not something to deny. I found my own feet moving towards Alex, sliding as I went down on my knees.

"Wh-what's wrong with him? What happened?" I stumbled over my own words, I was a blubbering mess. My hands hovered over his body, stopping with the question in mind. What if I triggered another electrical explosion? His chest by now was barely moving but he was still alive, he was still breathing. He's an Immortal he can't die. He can't.

"Arden bring him to the medical room," Annalise ordered with urgency and worry. I watched as Arden gathered Alex in his arms as if he weighed nothing and moved towards the room, just as I was about to take a follow,  Annalise came to me with arms outstretched, effectively blocking my view of the pair.

"Such things rarely happen to Immortals, but now it's happened twice in the same week. I'm so sorry Laura, but you can't touch the boys. I can't risk another electrical explosion." She whispered sternly with mournful eyes. "Maybe it's time you leave." Her eyes seemed to glint for a fraction before she fled down the hall behind the boys.

I choked back a sob, I finally found a place I fit in and yet this happened. Mum was right, I was a demon, a bane to them. I brought them bad luck. I shouldn't be here. I took one last look at their retreating figures and ran out the door.

I had to leave.