“What?” I asked.
Gabriel and Jonathon exchanged a covert glance.
“Does anyone understand what I just said means because I certainly don’t?” I said getting scared. What was happening to me? But of course they ignored me.
“Where it all began,” murmured Jonathon, “Where it all began?”
“The back yard,” said Danny and Mason in unison.
“Of course,” said Jonathon, “How could I be so stupid? Selena always did have the flare for the dramatics.”
He ran his hands through his hair making it stand on end.
“Okay, we fight her. Kylie’s right. This won’t end until she’s dead and we can’t run forever. I’ll let the others know and then I’ll send a group of Coven members to leave with you so don’t leave until they come,” he said looking so forlorn that I desperately wanted to reach out and take him into my arms.
He brushed his hand across my cheek and said, “Principessa, I will make sure that she dies once and for all. She will never haunt you again. Your safety is my priority. I love you. No matter what happens just know that I love you.”
He kissed me quickly but desperately. I could sense the urgency behind the kiss. He was worried. Death was looming over us like a dark dismal cloud. Heavy and toxic. We both may die. This may be our last moment together. I wished with all my heart that it wouldn’t be. I knew the odds were in our favor but I also knew that Selena was desperate for blood and her goal would be to kill me or someone else that Jonathon loved, someone that I loved, his family, who was now my family. Odds were at least one of us would die. Most likely me. After all, I’m the weak pathetic human. I couldn’t bear the thought of another one of my loved ones dying. I’d rather die myself than see someone else die. This needed to end. My eyes were closed and when I opened them he was gone.
“I love you, too,” I whispered into the wind hoping it would carry my words to his sensitive ears.
Three cars barreled towards us. The Coven members we were to leave with had arrived.
I turned back to the car. Gabriel still stood waiting for me. Danny was already in the driver’s seat and Mason next to him.
“It’s time to leave,” spoke Gabriel softly.
“I know,” I said trying to mask the tears that were beginning to fall. I didn’t want to cry in front of Gabriel.
Gabriel held the door open for me. I climbed in and he climbed in next to me closing the door. No more had the door closed than we were racing away. Within minutes the trees were a blur behind us and the small town soared by.
It would be a lie to say I wasn’t scared but I wanted to put up the strongest front possible. I would not appear weak. I would not give Selena the satisfaction. I would not go down without a fight.
But in a way she had already won. She had managed to separate me from Jonathon. I didn’t know where he was and my soul ached for him. I needed him like I needed air and life without air is impossible. He could be behind us, in front of us, anywhere but with me.
As if reading my thoughts Gabriel leaned over and whispered in my ear, “He’s trying to keep you safe.” That’s when I realized I was hyperventilating and clutching my chest.
I swallowed audibly and nodded my head. But in the pit of my stomach I felt like Selena was rejoicing. Her first plan to separate me from Jonathon by making me fall in love with Isaac had back fired but now we were separated by necessity and that made her happier than any false chemistry ever could.
I leaned my head against the dark glass. It was cool to my skin but I couldn’t really feel it. I was too numb.
It didn’t take me long to succumb to sleep. It was the only way I could cope with the situation. Fortunately, I didn’t have any more haunting dreams about Selena.
When I finally came fully awake I didn’t recognize any of the landscape outside my window. I wiped the sleep from eyes trying to clear the haziness.
“Where are we?” I ask Gabriel, giving up the hope of figuring it out myself.
> “Mongolia, almost China,” he replied.
“Where are we going? I thought we were going home? Back to Rome?” I ask. Completely puzzled by what could have changed in the past couple of hours.
“We are. We’re just taking a different route in case we’re being followed. Expect it to take twice as long to get back home,” he sighed.
“Great,” I mumbled.
Soon the sights of China began to pass me by but I couldn’t even take them in. I was too numb. Numb to pain. Numb to life itself. I won’t be able to feel again until Selena is dead. Too feel is to cause pain and I just can’t handle any more pain; mental or physical. So instead, I choose numbness.
A cold hand grabbed my own. I looked into Gabriel’s eyes completely shocked. I had never seen him express any kind of affection to anyone; least of all me.