Impossible Dreams

CH.20

KARINA’S P.O.V

“So you became a vampire so that you could track down Jessie and what?” I said. “Ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after”

“Basically” Zephyr said. “The plan didn’t really go beyond freeing him from slavery. I wasn’t sure how he would react to seeing me again.”

“I would say that that was romantic but considering what you put him through beforehand it’s not” I said.

“I’m not asking you to understand” Zephyr retorted. “Just give me your word you won’t punish Jessie for my actions. What I did was not his fault.” He added.

RILEY’S P.O.V

By the time Jessie finished telling me the story of what Zephyr had done to him he was on the verge of tears.

“He had me completely convinced that he really might care about me Riley.” Jessie said looking at me his eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Even after all the beatings and name calling I fell for it so completely I must be the biggest idiot alive” he added as the tears spilled over and he began to curl in on himself like I used to when I was afraid. I stepped closer to him grabbing his wrist and pulled him to me wrapping my arms around him and hugging him tightly.

 “Jessie you are not an idiot.” I said. “That creep messed you up so bad that you thought he hurt you because he cared. That makes him the bad person not you” He looked up at me his expression unreadable. “Jessie if you let this guy get to you like this he wins.” I continued. “Don’t let him win Jessie don’t give him that power over you.”

“I know” he whispered. “You’re right but Riley I don’t know if I can face him. Even now I feel the pain from what he said as though the words just left his mouth and I don’t know if I can be around him and not relive that over and over again every time he speaks.” He broke down sobbing and held onto me like his life depended on it burying his face in the material of my shirt. He was so much shorter than me that his face only came to my chest so it was almost like holding a crying child. I felt his shoulders shake as he cried and I suddenly felt a flash of anger toward the man who had hurt him. I wanted to rip this Zephyr guy’s throat out for what he had done to Jessie. I didn’t realize I had gone rigid until Jessie squirmed in my arms. “Riley what’s wrong?” he asked. “Why do you look so mad did I do something wrong?” at his words my head snapped down so that I was looking into his eyes instead of off into space like I had been.  He looked afraid and it hurt to think that I was the cause of his distress. I made my decision then and there. Forget friends I had heard about this bond before and I knew what it meant. Jessie and I were mates. Meant to be together whether he knew it or not. This wasn’t something I could control this was in our blood.

“Riley?” he asked his voice quiet as though unsure of what to do. I place a finger under his chin and leaned down toward him. This kiss was different a sort of electrical current seemed to shoot through me as our lips connected and I knew I was right about him being my mate. I kissed him gently and said “trust me Jessie you’ve done absolutely nothing wrong”. I let him go when I realized that he looked very confused.

“Riley what was that?” he asked.

“I’m pretty sure you already know what a kiss is” I said trying to lighten things up a bit. “So you’ll have to be a bit more specific with your question.”

“Why did you kiss me like that” Jessie said. “I thought you wanted to stay friends until we got to know one another.” He added.

“I changed my mind” I said smiling at him. He smiled widely back as I took his hand.  “Let’s go join Karina and my mom” I said. Noticing the fear in his eyes as he looked toward the front of the car I added “Don’t worry I’ll be right there with you”

“Just don’t let go of my hand” Jessie said. I gently squeezed his hand to reassure him as I led him back towards the front of the car.