This chapter is dedicated to SheaRyhai. She is such an amazing writer! There isn't words to describe how much I love her story The Entertainment. If you guys haven't read it-I suggest that you do. I know you'll love it just as much as I do :) Also, thank you for your support in reading this story girly! :))
So, this chapter is called Parents...we all have them. Honestly, I had such a great time writing this. I thought it was pretty funny :D
Hope you guys like it!
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Chapter 43-Parents
“There hasn’t been any new information since the last time you contacted us, son.”
“Damn.” I muttered. I looked up to see my father’s somber gaze as he looked back at me through the looking glass. “Have you checked other Councils in Europe? Maybe in Scandinavia or London or even Australia?”
“We are trying, son. You have to be patient.” He said evenly.
“Patient?” I exclaimed. “How can you ask me to do such a thing when I only have two weeks left with her? That’s all I have. Then I’ll be forced to leave her without…”
“I understand the circumstances. We are looking for answers about her unfortunate dilemma. As you know, the members that are on your side believe that she is special in some way. Special enough that Death wants her soul.”
I nodded. I’ve heard all this before. It was the same thing he always said to me for the last couple of weeks. Death wanting her soul was a new touch that he just added. I scoffed, “Real dramatic, Dad.”
He shrugged. “What else do you want me to say, Gabe? It’s the truth. Death isn’t something that anyone understands or even wants to come in contact with. We have reason to believe that it’s ruthless. If Gwen’s sudden attraction to demons isn’t proof enough then I don’t know what is.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “I know. We’re doing the best we can here. She’s prepared and has been fighting them off rather well except for the most recent demon that poisoned her.”
“I see.” He stood up from his seat in his chair. He was in the library, I could tell by the intricate carvings of the walls surrounding the room. “You healed her?”
“Yes,” I said. “It’s gotten easier to heal her wounds. I still don’t understand how I’m capable of doing that. I always thought that we could only heal ourselves not other people.”
“You’re the first that I’ve heard of it in centuries.”
“Centuries?” I asked. “What do you mean?”
He drew in a deep breath and stood in front of his looking glass. I inched closer, curiosity getting the best of me. For a moment, it felt like my father was standing right before me, telling me one of his stories that reminded me of my childhood. There was a slight gleam in his eye and a small smile on his mouth.
“You aren’t the first Keeper recorded in our records that has had the ability to heal others much less heal mortals.” He began. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for him to continue. “There was another Keeper in 1837 that possessed the same ability.”
“What was his name? Is he of our lineage?”
He cleared his throat. “No,” He walked back to his chair and I noticed a slight limp as he walked. “He had the ability to read minds but-and here is the interesting part-he fell in love with a mortal.”
“But that’s forbidden. I thought that no one in all of the records have ever crossed that line.” I couldn’t believe it. This is the second time that I’ve heard of an immortal and a mortal’s possible love. The first was the photograph of Peter and the girl that looked like Gwen, our past lives, as we believed them to be.
“I know, son. I am just as confused as you are.” I sat down on the floor, crossing my legs beneath me. “I’ve discovered that there are more incidents of that sort of the thing happening throughout time. The Council just decides to bury it where someone won’t find it.”
“How did you-”
He raised a hand to silence me. “That is a story for another time.” He started to massage his leg and I wondered what could have happened to him. The last time we talked was about a week ago and he was perfectly fine. I’ll ask after he tells me about the Keeper.
“So what about this Keeper?” I asked. My father always had trouble with a story because his train of thought always went of the rail.
“Ahh yes. His name was William Levole, a British young man. He fell in love with a girl that he rescued from a Reclic demon. You know how they can be. They are the most dangerous to humans. After he saves her…well they fall in love. That’s not very specified, although I did find some entries that he wrote. Anyways,” He says, clearly losing track of the story. “He writes in one of the entries that he healed her once and that he believed it was out of love.”
“Love?” I ask. How could something like love have the power to…
“Yes, that is what he writes. And you know what? I believe it.”
My mouth falls open but I quickly close it. “I don’t believe it. You? Out of all people you believe that our healing power can be tapped into if we love the person we want to heal?” I say half laughing. “I don’t believe it.”
I hear my father begin to laugh on his side of the looking glass. “I’m starting to believe in things I’ve never thought I would. Seeing you with Gwen…well its lead me to believe that love is powerful. I’ve told your mother the same thing and she had the same reaction as you did.”
“I bet.” I chuckled. I willed myself to stop laughing and more seriously I asked, “Do you think love can be powerful enough to defeat death?”
He stopped laughing abruptly, his face falling out of its carefree stature. “I don’t know, son. But I have faith that you can save her.”
I had the sudden impulsive to go back home if it was just for a moment so I could give my father a hug. His faith in me filled me with reassurance that I could save Gwen from Death. I couldn’t do that as much as I wanted to. Instead I asked, “What happened to your leg?”
A look of confusion crossed his face and he looked down at his leg as if he remembered. “Oh, that. There was a battle a few days ago at the Russian Council. It’s just an injury. It will heal in a few more days. Demon poison takes more time for us to heal.” I knew exactly what he meant. I’d witness it when Gwen was bitten by the Ekdoi demon. It took her nearly a week for her to fully heal.
“Gabriel.” I looked up and saw the frown on my father’s face. “Have you made your decision yet, son?”
“No. I can’t decide, Dad. I-I..” Forming the words was harder than I imagined them to be. I never gave it a second thought on what my father was asking me to do. “It’s too soon to decide.” I finally said, hoping that it was enough.
He nodded. “Alright, I understand.” He shifted in his chair. “Just make the best decision and what you think is right.” I nodded. “Now, I have to go. I hear your mother calling. Be safe next week and…” He coughed. He started to turn a bit red and began to fidget with his robe. “Just be safe and make the right decisions. Don’t rush into things and don’t push her into anything she doesn’t want to do. Protection is-”
“Oh, God! Dad!” I was mortified. How can he even suggest a thing like that? “I know, Dad. I’m nineteen. I think I know how to be safe and all that. You have nothing to worry about. Tell Mom I said hi. Gotta go. Bye.” I said in a rush and disconnected our communication between the looking glass.
I couldn’t help but let out an uneasy laugh at my father’s assumptions. I mean…I’ve never actually thought about it. Between Gwen’s confession of marriage and everything that has been going on at home and here, I never once thought of Gwen and I having sex. It was just something that didn’t cross my mind. I loved her with every fiber of my being and I’d do anything to protect her.
But sex with Gwen…? I don’t even know what to think. This new thought brought forth questions that I never really thought about. Questions like: Does she want to? Is she ready? Has she ever done it? No, that last one can’t even be possible. She’d tell me if she’s ever given herself to another guy and I’d know if she did. Am I even ready?
Yes, I realized as soon as I thought the question. There’s no one else I’d rather be with in that way.
Okay, I definitely needed to stop thinking of this. I put my hands to my head, hoping to drown out the noise. How can one simple assumption make me over think this much. As much as I tried to think of something else I had no such luck.
“Thanks, Dad.” I muttered. “Thanks a whole lot.”
“Hey sweetie, can you come here for a minute!” My mother called from her bedroom.
I sighed. “I’ll be right there Mom!” I threw my favorite socks into my luggage bag and headed towards her room.
“What’s up, Mom?” I asked, jumping into the bed. I sat up and crossed my legs under me. “Is everything alright?”
She waved away my worry. “Nothing you need to be concerned about. I just wanted to talk to you about your trip with Gabriel tomorrow.”
“Hmm…okay. Shoot.”
She reached forward and laid her hand on top of mine. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m letting you go to the lake for a week with him because I trust you and I trust him and know that he’ll keep an eye on you.” She said in her matter of fact voice. I was surprised when she agreed to let me go to the lake for spring break with Gabe. I thought that I’d have to reason with her but getting her permission was easy. Now, it seemed too easy and I was suspicious with her reasoning behind it. “Also,” She said. I snapped my attention back to her and continued to listen. “I want you to be safe up there and,” She gulped. She started to fidget with my hands. “Just protect yourself sweetie and don’t do anything that you aren’t ready to do.” She finished with a pat to my hand.
“Uh-huh.” I said. I was trying to figure out what she was talking about. “Do you mean to bring warm clothes in case it’s cold up there and to not go cliff diving if I don’t want to?”
She laughed. “No, honey. No.” She stifled her laughter with her hand while I was looking at her not getting the joke. “No, I didn’t mean it that way. What I’m trying to say is…” She chewed her lip. What was she trying to say?! “Just protect yourself with Gabriel, Gwen. If you guys end up having sex just be safe.”
My mouth fell open in shock. “I-I…” What the hell? “Mom!” I buried my head in her lap. I suddenly felt very hot, my cheeks burning from embarrassment.
“Mom…no I-I…we haven’t even talked about that. Gabriel would never push me and I’ve always wanted to wait until marriage.” I heard her sigh in relief. “But now…” I looked up and sat closer to her. “I don’t know anymore…I don’t even know if I’ll-” I stopped.
How could I possibly begin to tell her that I might not even be alive to be married? I couldn’t tell her that. Instead I said, “I love him, Mom. I don’t know how else to explain it. Gabriel…he’s the one.”
I saw the understanding in her eyes. She started to get teary-eyed and I couldn’t understand why. I took her hands in mine, my way of reassurance. “I love him, Mom. I really do. He’s just like no one I have ever known. He means everything to me. I’d do anything for him as I know he would for me. He’s the guy I want to marry. I know that our love is pure and true.” I couldn’t believe how right those words were as I spoke them aloud. They felt so right. “I know I’m young and this might all be too fast or that it’s just my hormones or that-”
“I know. I see it, sweetie.” She smoothed out my hair, a smile on her lips. “I see the way he looks at you. You mean the world to him and I believe you when you say you two haven’t spoken of this sort of thing.” I blushed. I wanted to tell her that the reasons the thought never crossed our minds were because he was protecting me every day, while I was trying to fight for my life. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. It had crossed my thoughts the last time I saw him when we were in the kitchen and he…
“He respects you.” I heard her say. I blocked out my thoughts and focused on what she was saying. “He’ll wait if you want him to wait and I suggest that you do. Your wedding night should be special but I don’t expect it to be soon.” She said. I don’t know if it will ever happen, I thought. “But just be safe and use protection nonetheless.”
“Okay, okay.” I said, squealing. “I don’t want to hear you say that word.”
“What? Pro-tec-tion.” She laughed. “Wait, do you need me to go to the store and buy condoms?”
“Oh. My. Goodness! Can you please just stop.” I grabbed a pillow and threw it at her which only made her laugh even more. “Okay, I’m leaving. I’m going to finish packing.” I said rushing out of her bedroom.
“I’ll still go to the store anyway!” She called. “You can never be too safe!”
I was completely and utterly embarrassed. What sort of mother approves of their daughter’s possible sex life? Oh, that’s right. Mine! I couldn’t even begin to form my thoughts on this whole situation. What would Gabriel think if I chose to tell him this? What does Gabriel think on the whole idea of sex? Am I ready to do it? Should I do it depending on my circumstance? Will I or should I die a virgin?
“Ugh!” I looked at myself in my vanity mirror. “Please, what should I do?” I tell myself. Staring back at me I see my brown eyes and light brown hair. I see the gray pink stripped pajamas that I’m wearing with my white v-neck shirt. There’s a small blemish on the side of chin and suddenly it seems huge. “Okay, stop…stop.” I tell myself.
I step away from the mirror and take deep calming breaths. “Gabriel loves me. He doesn’t care about a stupid blemish.” I chant several times. I couldn’t believe that something like the concept of sex would make me feel so uncomfortable and self-conscience. It was completely unfathomable to me. “Whatever happens, happens.” I sighed.
That was true. Whatever ends up happening was for a reason. There’s always a reason for something even for something like this. “Yeah, even for this.”
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Hmm...what are your thoughts on this so called decision that Gabriel needs to make? Did you guys like that sex talk with the parents? What did you think of that? What did you like about the chapter? (: lol just some questions for you guys to ponder :) Tell me what you think!
With love always,
xxx addy (: