The White Rose

Chapter 10 - Bright eyes, black eyes and familiar eyes.

"Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?" - Henry D. Thoreau.

I watched with tears in my eyes as Christian came over to us, but he didn’t look like himself. His face was solemn, his mouth nothing but a straight line, but his eyes burned with a scorching rage I had never seen, and his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white.

He pushed me out of the way and squared up to James, who didn’t move a muscle. I didn't think to stop Christian, because I never expected him to be capable of what I saw.

His voice turned into a whisper. It was a tone I recognised and a tone that paralysed me. It couldn't be him. Then I remembered the smell of smoke lingering on his body when he had brushed my hair away from my face. I set fire to my hands and looked down at the ground. No shadow.

I said his name and he turned around slowly to face me.

"It's nice to see you again angel," he said with a wicked smile.

“You’re him,” I whispered, trying to control my shaking hands and my trembling lips as my fire went out. “You never told me.”

“If you’re talking to Christian, he doesn’t know about me.”

“Leave,” I demanded, trying to hide the fear in my voice. “Let him come back.”

“I’m afraid, my angel, that I can’t do that. He wouldn’t want me too. You betrayed him, you humiliated him, and you destroyed him. He wants revenge. Who am I to deny him that?” He chuckled. “I have to say, I myself am quite impressed though.”

With that he turned to face James once more.

“What are you?” he asked, his eyes flickering from me to Christian and back again.

“I guess you could say I’m Christian’s better half.” He smirked. “I was Aria’s secret weapon, secret being the operative word. Nobody knew but her.”

I was about to speak but Christian cut me off. "I'd love to stay and chat but I have something to take care of in case you haven't noticed." He turned back to a scared and confused James and said "I'm sorry James, it's what Christian wants. It's your own fault for trying to steal his girl."

I ran in front of James and shielded him with my body.

Christian sighed. "Oh angel, you clearly didn't think this one through. You're powerless against me, remember?"

"Leila," James whispered. I turned around and he put his hand on my face. "Don't try to save me. I don't deserve it and you're too important."

My heart grew heavy. "You don't deserve to die," I whispered.

"We both know that's a lie. Move Leila." He took his hand off me and closed his eyes.

When I refused to move, Ivy ran over and grabbed me, pulling me backwards. I shook her off me but it was too late.

Christian raised his arms, completely oblivious to the fact that James’ whole body was trembling. It broke my heart. Christian took a deep breath and, right before our eyes, James’ skin started to crack. So did his composure. His eyes flew open and he threw his head back in pain, the veins in his neck sticking out and his fangs digging into his bottom lip, drawing blood as they drilled deeper into his flesh.

I took a step forward but Ivy stopped me; her face was grave, there was no emotion. She wanted him to die.

I saw James turning into nothing but dust in the wind and it reminded me of my mother. I felt sick.