“Evan?” I called out into the dark study in my uncles house. I heard nothing in the darkness but I swear I had seen him walk into the room when I had entered the dark house. I tried hard to focus my eyes in the dark trying to make out the shapes. I took another step into the darkness, “Evan? Are you in here?” my voice seemed uncertain. I stopped moving and stood still the light from the living room pooling at my feet casting my shadow in front of me. I shouldn’t feel nervous about following Evan into the dark room but for some reason something didn’t feel right. I took a couple more steps away from the door into the dark room my legs trembling a little. I heard a rustle in the corner of the room behind me. I turned quickly. In a flash I saw something dart across the room the door to the study slamming shut. I stumbled backwards falling to the ground by my uncles desk.
I couldn’t see anything the room was completely dark and I wasn’t alone in the darkness. Something was in the room with me. I felt my body go rigid. Involuntarily I called out, “Evan?” then I was silent. Listening for any signs of movement but nothing happened. I started to crawl forward. My nerves buzzing with electricity like they had the night before when I had been in danger. I tried to push back my fear.
I heard the faint rustle in one of the corners it sounded like wind blowing. Almost like words in my ears. I stopped moving and froze. I closed my eyes and let my other senses become more acute. I could hear the wind rustle but now I could make out what seemed like words, must crush the human. I knew now for certain I was in trouble. What had possessed me to follow Evan into the study? Who now I knew wasn’t Evan but someone else...Something else. There was a soft voice in my head, You need to find a light. I needed to find the light switch because right now I was completely useless without my vision. The thing that wanted to crush me had the advantage over me in the darkness. I started to crawl quickly toward the door. Suddenly there was a flash of light in my eyes and a strange pain in my head. I realized then that I was flying across the room whatever that thing was it had given me a serious blow to the head. I hit the wall with a loud thud. I felt the air rush from my lungs my head felt like it had been hit with a semi-truck. The soft voice echoed through my pain, move.
I pushed myself quickly away from the wall onto my feet and ran, unsteady for the door which was my only escape. I felt a blow to my legs that sent me tumbling to the ground smashing into the strange statue my uncle had always admired. My body ached all over. I tried to pull myself up again but my body was too weak. The voice came back, If you don’t get up you’ll die. The realization hit me with a sudden peace. I was ready to die finally all my misery would be over. The world would be a better place without me in it. What about your uncle? Tegan? . There faces came into my mind but all it did was fill me with warmth they would be safer it seemed if I was dead. Evan? . I felt a pang of hurt in my heart causing my eyes to mist. He had been the only person that had ever understood me, sweet Evan, he would be hurt by my death. A tear fell from my eye. I heard the rustling growing near. I felt my body tense all over. I wonder what it felt like to die? But I knew already didn’t I. I had already died once before maybe that was the problem. I should have died then but escaped and now death finally was coming to collect. I felt a peace overwhelm my body and mind. Everything was going to be ok this way.
A face came into my mind, beautiful green eyes glittered with stardust. The eyes that had kept me alive, a perfect way to die. Imagining those sparkling eyes. Tristen. My heart felt like it was exploding pushing heat through my body and engulfing every part of me in the strange warmth. Strange, that the person I disliked the most was the last person I would want to think about. I felt the warmth retreating. I didn’t want to feel that way about anyone but especially him. All he’d ever brought into my life was trouble.
That’s when it happened. The room suddenly ablaze with light blinding my eyes for a brief moment but I could hear clearly the shrieking of whatever had been attacking me. Then it all stopped. The room was dark again and filled with silence. I’m dead. Another voice intruded into my thoughts, no, your still alive. I knew that voice, Evan. I thought calmly with relief. I felt warm fingers brush some hair away from my face. I opened my eyes slowly, my eyelids fluttering. There he was leaning over me. I couldn’t see him to well in the darkness but I knew it was him. I tried to pull myself up but when I tried to move pain shot through my chest. You must have some fractured ribs. You look like you took quite a beating. Evan spoke plainly without opening his mouth. I wanted to laugh, yeah I had taken a beating alright.
He brushed his hand across my cheek tenderly, “What were you thinking following a dragnet demon into the dark study alone?” It was nice to hear his voice fill the room. I felt myself snort, “Is that what that thing was?” I said with a bit of sarcasm. Evan pushed his arm under my neck while supporting my waist with his other arm. I pulled my body up as he lifted, pain shot through me but I pushed through it until I was sitting up. Not without Evan’s help but I was up. He laughed a little, “What were you trying to do?” I looked into the space I figure his eyes were located, “I thought I was following you but then I found out it wasn’t you. Then all I was trying to do was escape...” Evan pulled me in closer to him gently trying not to hurt me. I could faintly see his eyes now, dark pools of sorrow, Don’t ever do that again. If you had been seriously hurt or... He didn’t finish his thought, but I could sense his fear wrapping around me. Oh sweet Evan, I thought to myself he really cared about me. I felt my heart puff up with warmth. I lifted my arm slowly pain scorching through it but I reached out and touched his cheek, Thanks for saving me. I felt him mentally sigh at the touch, not the sigh of a lover but something much more dear.
“What was a demon doing in here?” I asked letting my arm drop. “I’m not sure but dragnet demons can’t get on sacred ground, unless whoever is commanding them is on the grounds...” we both were silent for a moment. I felt a rushing in my mind like I was trying to remember something, something really important but I couldn’t. “it must have cast the illusion of me so it could get in undetected...” Evan’s voice broke through my concentration, “It must not have counted on you being here...” Evans body tensed I could feel his muscles straining against me. Something was wrong he knew something but he wasn’t going to tell. I could tell he wasn’t going to. He slowly moved his arm from my waist and in one swift movement he had his arm under my legs lifting me up off the ground like I weighted nothing.
“We need to get you checked out make sure you don’t need to see a doctor.” His voice was calm. I still felt the rushing in my mind, like I needed to remember something, something that would help Evan but I couldn’t think through the fogginess. We made it to my old bedroom in my uncles house. Evan flipped the switch as we entered the room, carrying me to my bed and laying me down gently trying to keep me from feeling any pain. He looked down at me with his deep pools of sorrow, “You’ve got a nasty bump on your head...” his eyes drifted down my body, as if detecting for other injuries. I watched him intently, he looked so delicate. His honey silk hair falling across his forehead making him look rather boyish for his age. He had muscles but somehow he still looked fragile and vulnerable. Yet, even through that delicacy I could sense that he was powerful. The way he moved like a cobra, graceful but deadly. His voice broke through my thoughts, I need to check your ribs but it might hurt you. I looked into his face he looked tense, his brow furrowed. I nodded letting my muscles relax.
He reached out slowly, then softly he began to knead around at my ribs. I felt the pain but I forced myself to look completely calm. I knew that it hurt him to do what he was doing. I wasn’t sure if I could keep up my fake painless face but Evan finally pulled his hands away. I let out a breath of relief. He looked down at me frowning, Sorry. I gave him a reassuring smile, “So what’s the diagnosis doctor?” Evan smiled down at me, “It looks like you have a coupled of bruised ribs but those will heal up nicely in a couple of days as longs as you don’t try to tango with anymore demons...” I gave him a little snort, “I don’t think you need to worry about that. I think I’ve had my fill of demons...” Evans smiled faded slightly then he looked away from me to the door, “I should probably be going you need to rest. I’ll let Leon know your here, and I’ll check around the house and make sure there aren’t anymore of your friends hanging around.” He seemed to be going into mission mode the way he always seemed to be lately.
I gave him a tender smile. He grabbed my hand in his, then I felt myself tense suddenly. He grabbed the wrong hand, oh lord please don’t let him notice.His eyes softened as they looked down at me. He didn’t make a move but I felt his thumb tenderly slide over the strange mark on my hand. A vision hit me, Evan standing in a dark room, terror in his deep pooling eyes, a man lying dead at his feet. Flash, A woman covered in thousands of bright glowing marks, tears spilling from her haunting charcoal eyes as she held onto Evan. Flash, Evan running through woods, fast as lighting, leaping up into trees, jumping from branch to branch, tears streaming from his deep blue eyes. Flash, a field covered in snow...Then fog came rolling in, clouding my mind. I waited for the headache to come but I felt Evans hand brush across my forehead wiping away the fog from my mind.
I looked up at him anxious that was the first time I had ever seen into Evan’s mind. He looked completely calm like he had known what had happened. I felt guilty for having peered into his life. I didn’t mean too...I’m sorry. He shook his head and shot me a tender smile, Don’t be. It’s time to sleep now. I was silent but I felt the fatigue reigning in over my body and mind. He let go of my hand, turned and walked away turning out my light as he left the room. I felt tired from everything that had happened recently in my life. I fell asleep in comfort that Evan was watching out for me like my own personal guardian angel.