Chapter Eighteen

“Don't touch me,” I growled, the hot tears flowing faster, but still I did not pull my fingers from his.

He opened his eyes, with their aqua brilliance as bright as ever, and held mine. The glow of the moonlight bathed his bedside in soft light through the open balcony doors. His touch paralyzed me. He gazed at me with ferocity, with deep sorrow and intense longing. I stopped breathing. I stopped living. I stood next to him a prisoner, captivated by an irrational and hateful love.

A sharp knock on the door jerked me from my trance and I stumbled backwards, my hand leaving his and my eyes finally finding reprieve from his gaze. The banging on the door brought my blood back to life igniting the warning bolts that Titans on the other side of the door waited hungrily to drag me away and crucify me.

“Amelia!” one shouted through the golden trimmed door. “Amelia, is everything all right in there?”

She looked at me, panicked. She so desperately wanted me to save her cousin that she couldn't bear to have me taken away, but I threatened to kill him myself. She stayed, bound in place, glancing back and forth between Kiran and me.

“Amelia,” Kiran whispered with a stronger voice, “assure them that everything is fine, and that you need Talbott.” When she did not move, his eyes grew hard and he struggled to sit up in his bed. “Amelia, now,” he commanded and she obeyed.

I moved, stealthily to the high corner of Kiran's bed, hidden behind a long, dark curtain. Amelia straightened her dress and then opened the door just a crack. She promised the Guard that everything was fine, that Kiran was awake and that he needed Talbott and no one else.

The Guard, shocked by her news, did not question her instructions. He left immediately to fulfill her request and she shut the door behind him, locking the handle and leaning back heavily against it.

“So you've come to kill me?” Kiran asked, his voice stronger yet.

I moved from behind the curtain to face him. He was visibly better in the seconds it had taken for Amelia to get rid of the Guard. His eyes were shining, his face less pale and he was sitting up strongly in bed.

“I came to finish the job, I was under the impression that you were dying,” I stated flatly. A paranoid feeling nagged at my neck that this was a trap.

“Ironic, that if you would have stayed away you would have succeeded,” Kiran smiled at me, his lips were dry and cracked, but his old mischievousness was still there.

“I will still succeed,” I threatened, taking a step towards him against my will. I wanted him dead, I wanted to witness the end of him, but I couldn't escape his gravitational pull. His magic stayed wrapped in mine; it suffocated my willpower and drowned my purpose.

“It would be easier for us if one of us were dead. It would be easier to keep living, to keep breathing,” he reached out to me again, and I folded my arms defiantly, physically pinning my hands to my chest, unwilling to lose all self-control.

“It will be easier when you're dead, easier to accomplish my goals. I will be one step closer to finding vengeance for my family,” I promised, my eyes finding his with firm resolve.

“Then do it,” he tipped his chin upwards in equal defiance. “Kill me.”

“Why are you so anxious to die?” I asked, fighting to reign in my magic, fighting to keep control.

“Anxious to die? Eden, I am already dead!” He whispered passionately. “There is nothing left for me but to love you and since I cannot do that, I am nothing. I am the walking dead. Until you are by my side again, I am hollow.”

“No, that is not true!” I tried to keep my voice quiet, but I was outraged and I was tired of being lied to. “You could have had that, you could have had me by your side and you chose to destroy everything that we were. If anyone is dead, it is me! I lost everyone I loved, including you!” I shouted in a hoarse voice, finally face to face with the demon that haunted me.

“Eden,” Kiran's voice broke and he stood up from his bed taking slow steps towards me. “If I could have seen the outcome of that night, I never would have let any of it happen. I would have warned Amory, I would have fought by your side, I would have done anything in my power to protect you from that tragic night.”

He walked closer to me; he was shirtless in the midnight moon, the light illuminating his muscular chest. Pain etched his face, and passion filled his dark eyes. I stepped backwards from him; I was afraid of him, and the ghosts of our love that were persistent even now. My heels bumped against the wall of his room and I was paralyzed in place, desperately wanting to touch him again, and desperately wanting to end everything right this very moment.

“See how we are meant for each other?” he asked sweetly, taking the final step to close the distance between us. “I was at death's door without you, Love. Your magic makes me breathe, your presence makes living possible. Do not take it from me again, I beg of you. Let us forget what has been said, forget what has been done and live as the stars have meant for us to live.” He reached for the necklace resting against my chest and rubbed at the black stone delicately.

I trembled in his proximity; his electric pulse radiated from him and our magics wrapped in a feral, raw reunion. His other hand reached out, brushing my fingertips gently and I shivered, fighting with everything I had.

“I need you,” he whispered desperately, tipping his lips to mine. “I will live my life in repentance, in agonizing penance if I have to. I will do anything you ask, anything, but do not leave me again. Please, my love, I cannot survive without you.”

I closed my eyes, struggling to think, to speak, to move and suddenly his mouth was against mine as if I had no warning. He pulled me to him, one arm holding me tightly around the waist and the other hand tangling itself in my hair. I felt like a rag doll in his arms, moving against my will, but unwilling to stop him.

Our magics entwined themselves together like strands of unbreakable rope, soaring in palpable energy, flashing brilliantly in the darkness of the room. His magic was black next to my blue and together they cracked and sizzled with fierce electricity.

This was home. No matter what happened, no matter how much pain I went through, no matter how much loss I suffered, I would always be home in Kiran's arms. My magic would always search for his, my electricity always be most alive captive in his and my soul only complete when connected with his.

And it was then, when I let him in, when I couldn't escape him any longer or run from the feelings that were so reluctantly but obviously there, that I hated him more because of it.

A sudden knocking at the door interrupted our intimate moment. I came back to myself, stronger and in control. Amelia gasped and Kiran reluctantly removed his lips from mine.
“It's Talbott, you'd better let him in,” I said confidently, maneuvering away from Kiran's hold and breathing deeply.

Amelia opened the door just wide enough for Talbott to enter. He walked in the room immediately on alert. He felt my magic, he recognized my presence and his protective instinct took over. On palace grounds, he looked much more the military style than he had in Peru. His chestnut brown hair was slicked back, out of his face and his pants and polo, respectable but practical.

“Eden, so glad you could join us,” Talbott growled; he was a wiser man than Kiran.

“Thank you,” I replied with mock enthusiasm. “We were just noticing how well Kiran was doing since I've arrived. It must be my magic, don't you think?”

Kiran turned back to me, his eyes had lost something, something I couldn't define. But in its place was the realization that reuniting our love would not be as easy as he hoped.

“We've thought that all along,” Talbott said carefully, moving around the huge king-sized bed, closer to us. Amelia stayed where she was, across the room. And Kiran too, stayed where he was, close to me.

“Eden, don't do this,” Kiran whispered, his voice panicked with recognition that his trance over me was gone. “Stay with me,” he begged.

“No,” I answered flatly, my hands landing defiantly on my hips. “I am not some weak girl you can woo with charming words and a sweet kiss. Do you remember that you are the sole reason my grandfather is dead? Or that my brother is being tortured in your father's prison as we speak? Will you fix those things for me, Kiran? If I stay, will you fix them?” I demanded sarcastically, venom dripping with every syllable.

“Yes, I will, I promise I will.” He was not playing my game, he was genuine and desperate and I knew that he would do anything, absolutely anything to keep me. And because of that I needed escape. My resolve was strong now, but my magic was still not my own and I had to sever the tie between us or I would never finish my revenge.

“You will rescue my brother?” I asked carefully setting the trap. He nodded enthusiastically, taking a step closer to me as if he could not keep himself from me. “That's a start, I suppose.... But what about Amory, Kiran? How will you bring him back from the grave? And everyone else that has been murdered by your betrayal or sent to prison and held there at your father's amusement? How will you fix those things?”

“I don't know, but Eden I will live my life trying to make those things right, I swear to you.” His voice broke again, but his strength had almost completely returned. His magical current was powerful next to mine and I could physically see how much he healed in the few minutes we were together.

“You can live your life however you please, Kiran. I want nothing to do with it.” I met his gaze with confidence.

“Amelia, get the other Guards,” Talbott ordered. He stepped forward, ready for battle.

“Relax, Talbott. I've changed my mind,” I started but Amelia had already slipped through the door. “I will not kill Kiran tonight. I'm going to fix him. I will completely heal him so that when I leave, he will not be affected by our lost magic. His poor, weak, pathetic energy will be able to go on living even unconnected to mine.”

“I don't want to be fixed,” Kiran shouted. “I want you!”

“You cannot have me! I am not something to hold and possess, I am a force to be reckoned with!” I screamed at him, unconcerned with staying hidden any longer. I released the healing winds on him violently, the power almost swept him away and wrapped itself around him, severing our connection and healed whatever brokenness remained.

Talbott stepped forward, but did not attempt to touch Kiran. I could feel his body healing, his magic relaxing its grip against mine and I was suddenly shaken with the effort to remain standing. Eventually, the winds subsided, the blue mist scattering to the corners of the room and I relaxed, panting and trembling from the effort.

“There, you won't suffer without me anymore,” I gasped.

Kiran sat down unsteadily on the bed, looking stronger than ever, but visibly shaken. “Maybe physically I won't. But, Eden, I will suffer without you. And you without me. My magic might be able to survive on its own now, but I cannot survive without you. Whatever has happened between us, we are meant to be together. You can run from me, from us, but you are lying to yourself if you believe differently.”

“Believe what you want.” I smiled indifferently, recovering from the efforts to heal him. “I'm sure your fiancee will be happy you'll make it to her wedding day.”

I watched Kiran swallow and his eyes shift towards Talbott as if he were more than angry at him. The door to the room suddenly burst open and filled quickly with Titans ready to fight.

“Yes, a wedding, my father's idea,” he lied, holding up his hands to stay the Titan Guard. “You can have until then to change your mind. I will wait for you until that day, but I will not be able to stop the ceremony, if you wait too long. Do not be mistaken, Beloved, I will forever love you. And you are only wasting time until you are with me again.”

“The next time I am with you, Kiran, I will not forget why I have come,” I promised menacingly.

The Titan Guard moved as one unit forward, some pulling at my magic, others firing lightning bolts of electricity at me. I turned my back on them, understanding I would not be able to win this fight and sprinted through the balcony door, across the patio and over the stone railing.

I jumped without fear, allowing the magic full reign of my senses. I fell in a crumpled heap against the cold, wet grass. Surging the magic quickly to heal my body before I was up again and running. Guards all around me, were more spread out down on the ground and I landed in front of them without warning.

I used magic, sending a few flying backwards and into anything I could find. I stole magic from them when possible, but now a hundred Guards descended on me and I was more concerned with fleeing than sticking around to see if I could win against that many.

I reached the tunnel next to the pool house and turned around for a split second to destroy the entrance, exploding the concrete walls into heavy debris. With full use of my magic, sprinting the awkward tunnel created no problem now and with a fast dial of the cell phone in my pocket, I shouted instructions to Jericho expecting them to be waiting for me on the opposite side.

My plan backfired. Honestly, I knew that it always would. I was never going there to kill him. I always intended to heal him. I was weak. I was dishonest with myself and I let my naivety blind me.

But no more. The next time we met, I would not be caught off guard and struggling to breathe. I would be standing over his dead body.