Of Immortals and Men | COMPLETE

Chapter 48 Hearts that Hurt

          Yet, no one was ever there.

        Falling onto his back, he stared up into the canopy of the trees—the droplets of rain trickling down his cheeks. In rendition, he sprawled his arms out and parted his lips. It came on instincts, and he had no energy to resist it. A soft resonating sound began to emit from his throat.

         Shutting his eyes, he let the howl fly into the night like a melody of the stars. It bounced off every tree, and unlike any common cry, this one was soft, almost enthralling as if the tune of a saddened bird that had just lost their mate. The sounds held all his emotions and as they died down, the beautiful howl took most of his remaining energies, causing his worn-down eyes to become heavy.

          “Ex…Exsavior…” but sleep would not claim him just yet.

          The voice was not the one he wished to hear, and without any movement or acknowledgement, Exsavior remained still.

          He knew that she understood what those howls meant, and before his mind could dwell on it, he felt her cradle his head.

          The tired eyes that screamed out Exsavior’s pain found an ounce of strength to widen at her gesture.

          “Jasmine…,” he whispered to her, a soft scared murmur that adorned his fearful pup-like irises.

          She was drenched, her tribal clothes sticking to her skin and her hair cascading down her back and over her face in a mess of wet strands. Her legs, although moist, felt warm and he could feel more of her heat radiating from her face.

          It was comforting.

          She was staring down at him with a tender look on her dark brown eyes. If only that stare could heal, Exsavior would have been whisked away at that moment. Then with no words, she caressed his face and moved the bangs away from his forehead in an attempt to console his heart.

          Exsavior was taken aback by her presence, yet he could only watch her serene face as it was soothing.

          She knew…

          It was only logical that Jasmine understood.

      “I know…it is like knives to your heart.” Her voice was laced with sorrow and hesitancy, but Exsavior couldn’t say a word.

          His tears spoke for him as her touch never stopped trying to mollify his ache.

          “I know because I too feel what you feel…” and when those words left her lips, Exsavior’s eyes widened abruptly.

          She felt his pain…Jasmine felt his emotions just like he did with…with her…

       Her…never once did he think that word could hold so much, but it was mainly the person it represented.

          The girl he could not bring himself to speak of.

          Her…

          “I…I’m sorry…” again, his words her whispered, and Jasmine smiled warmly at him. She shook her head and spoke, “I would not have it any other way.”

        “Were…were you waiting for me here?” he asked, lifting his hand and wrapping it around her wrist, stopping her actions on his cheek.

          At first, she hesitated, watching his brown orbs with her own, and when she made up her mind, Jasmine answered his question. “I told you, I will never give up on you, even if it means standing out in the rain.” This time, her voice was hushed, and Exsavior, digesting those words, shut his eyes and pressed his cheek to her palm as he let go of her wrist.