Blakeshire (Insight #9)(82)
A rush of energy surrounded my body as I felt myself being flashed forward.
The next thing I knew, Drake was absent from my arms and I was standing in a room made of water, all alone with Vade.
“What the hell?” I all but yelled at him.
“You are stubborn.”
“Like I don’t know that!”
Vade stepped forward slowly as those eyes of his leered down at me over his insanely perfect image. “You are not a child. There are no rules of time that state how long you must know someone before you state your devotion.”
“Did you not say that you could not read into my mind because I was not one of you?”
“I can read your eyes. You may not be able to feel your fear, but I can still see it in your energy.”
“And what exactly am I fearing right now, beyond the fact that I have no freaking idea where I am or what you want from me?”
“You fear rejection.”
“I do not.” How in the hell did he know that?
“Yes, you do. The last few months and fragments of past lives have led you to believe that what he says is not in his heart.”
“Well, you know what? Maybe it’s hard figuring out what is real and what is not real. You are the one that said faking hate was the right thing to do.”
“In public! You are in his arms. In a protected room!” he said as anger engulfed his eyes.
“No. I’m standing with you in a room made of water,” I snapped back.
“You want time to prove that his devotion is real. You want assurance that you are not a replacement.”
“Who would not want that?”
“Someone who is not afraid.”
“I beg to differ. I have no fear.”
“You have fear—your soul is simply not letting your body feel it.”
“And you had something to do with that? Not that I’m complaining.”
“I agree with the decision that your fear had to be hindered, yes.”
“Who made it so?”
“It matters not.”
“I already know. Monroe. Who is she to you? Do you realize that Donalt is claiming her as his own?”
Rage radiated off his stoic image. “Donalt is a worthless addict that will pay for what he has done to me and my own.”
Monroe was his. I knew it. Whether he acknowledged it or not, this was Monroe’s real father. “Donalt is turning on Xavier.”
Vade smirked. “They are all turning on each other.”
“To what end? What the hell are you kings doing? Why in the hell am I in the middle of it?”
He exhaled noisily. “You want the long and short of it?”
I nodded once to confirm.
“Xavier wants Willow and Drake together, for Donalt to take over Drake’s vessel so that the energy that makes up the pair of them will be destroyed. Drake has refused to push forward forcefully with Willow—stating that she must come to him naturally; therefore, Xavier is playing the public against him, telling that Earthly court, and everyone who cares to listen, that Drake is not worthy to rule. His actions are pushing Drake. He knows that Drake adores his people far more than the soul that resides in Willow’s vessel—that if he pushes hard enough, Drake will strike. That was the plan before your graceful arrival on the scene.”
He let his words settle as those diamond eyes rushed over my unrevealing expression.
“You were supposed to be terrified of anything that had to do with leaving the dimension you were born in. When that failed, they assumed your devotion to a worthless addict would keep you there. That failed as well. I’m sure they assumed that your childhood fears, along with your jealousy, would hinder you after that point. They were outplayed when your fear was suppressed. So you see, this should be easy. You should fall into the arms you belong in, find what you need to complete your life plan so you can rise—but no, you have decided to let those worthless sovereigns win this war.”
“And how did I do that?’ I roared.
“You’re insecure.”
My rage sent a wall of energy at him, but he did not move.
“Did that feel good?” he said with a sly smile. “Hit me again. Get it out of your system. It’s time to get over this.”
“I’m over it! Call me crazy, but I should know a boy for longer than a week before I say words that will forever commit me to him. I want to know that it’s more than an infatuation when I say it.”
“Touch the water.”
“What? No.”
“NOW!” he bellowed.
So much for not having fear. I was terrified of what would happen if I didn’t comply.
Nervously, I stepped back and reached for the wall of water that was the closest to me as I held his stare.
A surge of energy connected with my hand as the entire room began to play out lives that I had only had fragments of dreams to back up.
With wide eyes, my gaze took in an eternity of lost moments. The energy that was coursing through my hand began to swarm through my soul, and as it did the emotions of these past lives came to me in a wild rush.
These walls of water, these emotions were not projecting my enemies, but the time Drake and I spent together. The passion I felt was so strong that I fell to my knees. The water refused to release me in that fall. My heart thundered as I felt love, unyielding devotion in those memories, as I saw us endure every emotion as one. I saw a perfectly balanced couple that knew exactly how to love one another faultlessly. Freedoms were given when they were needed, as well as security.