Image (Insight #3)(45)
“According to you, my position has been filled,” he said, looking away from me.
“I’m determined to make you see that you’re wrong,” I said, wiping my face dry.
“Don’t waste your energy, love. If I survive, that will be my purpose – to make you see that you’re wrong.” He took a deep breath and stepped closer. His eyes slowly searched every feature of my face, then he reached his hand to me and gently reached to cradled my cheek; his touch felt so perfect - and for the first time, I leaned in to feel it more intensely. “We’re nothing more than old souls, twisted in cruel fate – fighting for our right to heaven,” he whispered.
“Heaven?”
“To be complete, one with another – that’s my Heaven,” he answered. He pulled me to his chest and held me as close to him as he could, rushing my body with his hum; I closed my eyes as I took it in.
“Willow, you take my breath away every time I see you...you’re all I think about...it kills me that you’d rather believe a lie than me,” he whispered.
I leaned back to look at him, to deny his words. He looked down at me and furrowed his eyebrows. “They told you I wanted the power...that seeing is all I cared about. You never gave me the chance to prove that all I wanted was to love you, to be the man you needed me to be. I spend my nights dreaming of our past and my days dreaming of our future; it’s time for me to wake up and see things how they really are. I will not be the death of you; I love you too much - and my life is the price I’ll pay to prove that. The moment you see the darkness enter me, you’re going to strike my heart. You’ll kill us all if you don’t listen to me,” he said carefully.
“People will still die, innocent people...war isn’t the answer,” I said, holding back another flood of tears. “You said you wouldn’t betray them - but leaving them is a betrayal,” I said, taking in the reality of war, that in an instant the wall around Delen could be charged and lives would be lost.
“I can’t betray my brother. He has a purpose greater than mine; he and Libby need us to clear this path for them,” Drake said with a sigh.
“Preston wouldn’t want you to die. He wouldn’t want anyone to die; his purpose is to show us how beautiful life is supposed to be. It’s too precious; no one is dying tonight,” I said, knowing that Landen would do as he promised and heal them if it was in his power.
“Love, I am afraid - without a doubt - that one life will be lost within the hour.”
“He’s going to heal you,” I said, fighting against my anger.
“Landen can use any gift he wants on me - but it won’t matter; to be healed, to want to live...that comes from the soul. If I don’t accept it, he’ll be wasting energy that should be used to protect you.” He tilted his head to catch my eyes. “When this is over, you take my mother to Chara and never leave there again...we’ll fight this demon in the next life.”
“No. I won’t rest until all the damage it’s done is pure again. Hiding, giving up is not the answer.”
“Willow, I lived with this demon for nineteen years. I’ve looked into his eyes and seen the cold greed that lies there. I don’t trust anyone but myself to protect you from it. Let me pay this price. Live out your life in the sunshine of Chara. We’ll meet again – and with you at my side, he will fall. I have no doubt,” Drake said, stepping back to let me know that he’d said his peace.
“I don’t believe you. You can’t be OK with leaving this world,” I said, trying to catch his gaze.
“If you could feel me, you’d know that I’m more than sure. Ask Landen; he has no trouble reading me,” Drake said, looking to the doorway that led to the study.
I reached for his hand and wrapped my hands around his, feeling his mesmerizing touch consume me. “I can feel you...can you feel me?” I whispered. He nodded. As tears pooled in my eyes, I let the grief I was feeling flow through me. He raised his other hand to my face, and I looked into his eyes and saw a sympathy that had never surfaced before. I watched as his eyes moved slowly across my face.
“We don’t have a choice my love; our fate is sealed,” he whispered.
As I closed my eyes and the tears streamed down my face, I shook my head from side to side in defiance. He leaned forward and gently kissed my forehead. “Another life, another time,” he whispered as his fingers wiped away my tears.
I felt the air chill, then the presence that I feared was all around me. Drake slowly turned, and the presence diminished before he had the need to protect me. He then reached his arm back and guided me in the direction of the study. I ran my hands across my face to dry my tears, but they kept flowing. I felt Drake’s hand on my back as he urged me to walk faster.
Landen was waiting beside the door. He opened his arms, and I let myself fall into his embrace. As I cried silently, he rocked us back and forth and let his head rest on mine. I knew my fears were shaking his confidence, but I couldn’t control the way I felt; too much was at risk.
“I can’t do this...what if it’s you it enters...I won’t...I can’t,” I thought.
“I don’t want you to see me, to see Drake...see the darkness – that’s what you’re killing...have faith in me,” Landen thought, putting his hands on either side of my face.