Cipher | ✓

[29]

Colter Knox

Not only had the full synopsis that escaped Talia's lips frightened me, but now I stood across the hall from the guest bedroom; the place Talia had marched into in what seemed to be pure insanity after our little argument.

After admitting that she rightfully owned my soul, which in turn basically meant the devil owned my soul, she was too quick to be seen and next thing I knew she was bent over me as I lay on the floor, her left hand stretched out to choke me. But that never came because after her hand flexed voluntarily and her fingers curled and uncurled a few times, she rushed out of my bedroom and out of my sight.

I don't know what scared me more, the fact that she most definitely wanted to kill me herself or that in her mind, the route of my fate was taking its own path. Somehow my future didn't look so bright.

Now I didn't know what to do. The door to the guest bedroom was slightly ajar, but that didn't catch my attention as much as the dark shadow that stalked back and forth on the other side. My mouth hung open, but I quickly shut it when my breathing was sure to get me caught.

I knew it wasn't Talia pacing on the other side of the door because her whispers echoed quietly out of the bedroom door and into the hallway I stood idle in. At first I caught her simple words, then nothing at all when her words were quick, aimless drivel. Now, she just kept repeating the same line over and over.

"Leave me alone," she whispered again.

Wiping a hand over my mouth to rid the nervous sweat from my upper lip, I looked down the hall briefly to make sure my mother was nowhere in sight. I had no idea what was to happen and the last thing I needed was my mother stumbling into it.

Looking back to he door, the shadow still moved left to right, blocking the only light entering the darkened hall. Sighing way deeper than anticipated, I took a step forward, the creak of the hall's wooden floorboards moaning underneath my weight.

I walked the small distance, still hearing the relentless pleads of Talia, her voice broken and begging for the individual to leave her be. I should've been concerned of the shaking my hand did as I reached for the silver doorknob, but what surpassed that was the slam of the door and the force that knocked me off my feet.

I didn't have time to give a shit about the pain that shot through my ass, but instead the disappearing act of the shadow beneath the door. Bringing myself to my feet, I rushed forward and pushed open the door to the guest bedroom.

Nothing seemed out of place except for Talia who sat in the corner furthest from the door. She sat with her back against the wall and her head shoved into her knees while her arms pooled around her trembling legs.

Talia's head shot up quick after her name escaped my lips. "Colter?"

"Colt, no" it seemed like a panicked plea. "Please leave" Another bloody tear escaped her right eye, only to run and collect at the bottom of her chin.

"Tal—"

"Shhhh," the pleading look of her eyes was enough to quiet me while a vertical finger was brought to her lips.

Her finger continued out past her face and over my shoulder as she pointed to something on the other side of the suite, near the bathroom. Not daring to make a sound, I turned to look over my shoulder in the direction she had just pointed. Before my head could so much as turn, a firm hold was taken to my jaw.

"Don't look." Talia whispered so quietly that if I hadn't of held my breath that second, I would've missed it.

"Don't look." She repeated, her eyes focused directly on mine and not on what we both knew lingered behind me.

The sound of footsteps was indescribable. So light almost ghostly, but heavier than any normal being— the sound so loud it could wake you from your deepest sleep. Not only had my hearing picked up but my other senses, too. The room was hot, so hot my throat dried of any moisture and the need to swallow was overbearing, yet the chills sent up my spine were also from the negative energy of the room.

What was the worst that could happen?

Talia's bloodshot eyes practically begged me not to turn around knowing what would happen if I did, but I surely didn't know the consequences. Knowing Talia could read my thoughts was the only thing that stopped me from turning around because while my head began to rotate and my shoulders followed, Talia's hand grasped harder than ever onto my jaw. Her shaking hand gripped mine tightly and finally her eyes burned so red, I nearly gasped.

Don't turn around. You have no reason to turn around because it is simply just the two of us in this room and all that matters is that your eyes stay glued to mine.

Turning around didn't seem important anymore. My only focus was to take in Talia's beautiful features and how her eyes seemed the color of red roses when they first bloomed. Her deep view took over my soul and wrapped itself around my heart. Her long brunette locks waved and caressed her body in a way that made me envy hair in a way I never had before.

Her gaze never once left my face nor my eyes and for that split second of pure bliss and perfected joy is what I perceived in my mind as mutual attraction. The feeling became stronger with each and every passing moment we shared our gaze.

All of this raced through my mind as she looked at me for what seemed like hours and I realized, depending all on me, that this could actually be the start of love. Maybe this time she could be more than just what I want, but what I need...

Her fire-like eyes were gone as soon as her eyes squeezed closed in what I guessed was fear. Because as soon as our connection was lost is when I felt the hot breath on the back of my neck.

The footsteps were no more, but the feeling of someone behind me was still there. Talia's high squeal only confirmed that as her eyes squeezed closed even harder than before.

Her grip loosened temporarily and I took that as my opportunity. Standing quickly from my crouched position in front of Talia's shaking body, I swiveled quickly enough to spin myself dizzy.

"Colter!" Talia screamed but I was already around, drinking in the sight of the room.

"There's nothing there." I sighed heavily, the adrenaline within my body speeding up my breathing and heart rate.

Searching every inch of the room with my eyes, I was right. There was nothing there and quite frankly I was glad to prove Talia wrong.

"I wasn't wrong Colter!" She screamed, pulling her sobbing body from the ground as she pushed me back by my shoulders. The red tears beneath both her eyes were beginning to make notice on my borrowed shirt she wore.

"Im not crazy," she barely got out as another sob escaped her lips. "I'm not," she finished, allowing me to finally pull her into my chest. Hugging her flush against me, I spun us around, inspecting the room one last time before nodding and placing a chaste kiss to her forehead.

"I know"

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