Broken Butterflies (19 page)

“There is a hierarchy and I’m over him. I’m his prince.”

“So he has no choice but to listen to you?”

“No, he has no choice.”

“That seems a little barbaric.”

“It gives order to our world.” He paused. “You need to rest.”

“I don’t think I can sleep. There is too much going on.”

“I could put you to sleep.”

“No thanks,” Ilisha said uneasy.

“Okay then, I’ll leave you to your thoughts.” Damon was off the couch and out the door before she could get a word out. The breeze from his fast movements hit her.

Ilisha paced the house. “Ugh.” She grabbed her hair in frustration. “This is total crap.”

To take her mind off things she got her dark blue nail polish out and meticulously painted her nails. When done, she paced some more.

She ran up the stairs and threw on some sweats and a t-shirt and stomped back down the stairs. Sliding a pair of rubber gloves on, she scrubbed her oven. Up to her elbows in Easy-Off she began to talk to herself.

“I can’t believe Bram lied to me. This entire relationship is a joke.” As she spoke the scrub brush dug deeper and harder into the metal surface. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take.” She scrubbed faster and faster as her anger built.

When the oven was clean she moved to the floor. On her hands and knees she scrubbed each tile with hot, soapy, water.

“Who tricks someone into loving them? Now I’m married to the asshole. What do I do now? It’s not like I can run to the courthouse and have an annulment. Screw this,” she said tossing the scrub brush in the bucket.

Grabbing some shoes she ran out the door and got into the car. She parked in front of her mom’s house and turned off the engine.

Tiptoeing up the stairs, she sat in the doorjamb to her mother’s bedroom, watching her sleep.

“Things are such a mess mom,” she whispered.

Dena stirred a little and went right back to sleep.

Ilisha’s eyes felt heavy from fatigue but even more from being emotionally worn out. She let her head slump and found sleep.

“Oh, Ilisha, you scared me,” Dena said.

Ilisha looked up, blinking against the sun. Her mom stood in her robe and slippers.

“I just wanted to check on you,” Ilisha said getting up.

“I’m doing much better. When did you come in?”

“Last night.”

“You slept on the floor all night?” Dena’s forehead crinkled.

“Yep.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. Want breakfast?”

Dena locked her arm inside Ilisha’s and they walked down the stairs together.

As Ilisha scrambled some eggs, Dena popped some bread in the toaster.

“I can see the stress on your face. What’s wrong honey?”

Ilisha scooped the eggs onto two plates and stuck the pan in the sink. “Too much for you to worry about.”

“I’m going to worry more not knowing,” Dena replied sitting down.

“I just needed a distraction. It will all work out.”

Ilisha buttered her toast and piled the eggs between the slices.

“You’re just like your dad. Scrambled egg sandwiches were his favorite.”

Ilisha took a big bite. “Are you getting around okay now? Do you need help with a shower?”

“No honey, I think I’ll be fine.”

Ilisha rolled her eyes knowing her mother would feel embarrassed to take her clothes off in front of her.

“We’re both girls mom.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Suit yourself, but if you change your mind call me.”

She finished her breakfast and wiped Dena’s kitchen down until it was spotless. She kissed Dena goodbye and got in the car and headed back to her house, but hesitated and flipped a U-turn.

She drove down the long driveway leading to the barn. When she got out of the car Bram appeared in front of her, looking worse for the wear. His eyes were enclosed in dark circles and his hair looked like it hadn’t been brushed. Across his jaw line was a thick five o’clock shadow.

“You came,” he said swallowing hard.

“We need to talk.”

He looked down and nodded. As he lumbered up the stairs Ilisha followed.

She sat down in one of the chairs and he sat across from her.

“Of all people, you were the last person I thought would deceive me,” she started.

“I handled it wrong and I’m sorry.”

She chuckled under her breath. “You handled it
wrong
?”

“I told you the truth when I said I love you and I didn’t want to lose you.”

“You don’t lie to people you love. And you certainly don’t trick them into marrying you.”

“I didn’t trick you, I asked you.”

“Bram you manipulated me. Admit it.”

“I should have told you about Damon, but I honestly didn’t think it was relevant; he was in Heaven and we were here. We both loved you and fought for you. He chose to stay and I chose to be with you.”

“And what did I want?”

“Before you came into this life you wanted him.”

“Were you really my guardian angel?”

“Yes.”

“So you interfered with fate and now I have a whole army of demons after me. Thanks Bram, that was so respectful of you.” Her voice was filled with sarcasm and anger.

His head hung down. When he looked back up tears rolled down his cheeks. “If it makes a difference the army is after you because Azriel couldn’t reach Damon. He could have just stayed away and this would be over.”

“It doesn’t make a difference Bram. Don’t change the subject. You deceived me.”

“What do you want to do?” he barely whispered.

“I feel betrayed and I’m not sure I can trust you. I think we should break off our marriage. Is that possible?”

“What else?”

“I’m not saying I’m walking away from you, but I need space.”

He nodded. “I...” He choked on the words. “Break you of your bond.” His body convulsed as he cried.

Ilisha could feel the part of his soul that was fused with hers depart. She choked back her emotions and held back her tears. Standing up, she walked over and kissed him on the forehead.

“Just give me some time,” she whispered.

She left him then and didn’t say another word.

Ilisha put on sweats and a tank top, with a zip up hoodie. She tied her running shoes and headed out the door. She refused to let herself think. Letting her mind contemplate the last few days would bring her to a breakdown.

She hit the trail that led through the forest and turned the music up on her MP3 player. There was a chill in the air, which felt good against her skin. Her pony tail swung back and forth and she dodged rocks and stumps.

The corner of her eye caught a movement. She turned her head to see Damon jogging through the woods toward her.

“Great.” She pulled her earbuds out and waited.

He stopped in front of her, causing her to realize just how tall he was. Her face met his chest. He wore a black jogging suit, which made the blue of his eyes blaze.

“Do you want some company?” he asked.

“Do I have a choice?”

“Of course.”

“Uh-huh. So, if I said no you would just let me finish my run and leave me to it?”

“Yes and no.”

“That’s what I thought.” She rolled her eyes and took off. Damon kept up with her easily with his long legs and she could tell he was struggling to keep her slower pace.

She pushed herself into a sprint. Damon followed her, smiling, and she rolled her eyes. His teeth were a brilliant white. She caught herself staring at him, despite the irritation burning inside her. As hard as she could, she moved her legs and gained speed. Damon fell behind for a second, but flew past her. Even with Damon running at human speed he was ahead of her. No matter how hard she tried she would never be able to run that fast.

He stopped further up the trail with his hands on his hips looking up at the sky. When she caught up to him she bent over and put her hands on her legs, taking in huge gulps of cool air.

Damon unzipped his jacket and tossed it on the ground. “You were always competitive,” he said.

“I hate you telling me about some life I don’t remember.”

He smiled. “Well you were certainly a lot faster then.”

She sat down on the ground and leaned her head back. Damon sat down beside her saying, “I can help you remember everything, but it’s up to you.”

She thought for a second. “What other trouble will that bring me?”

He looked confused by the question.

“Ever since that day on the train my life has been filled with strange occurrences, a psycho that wants my head on a platter, and things I never thought were possible. What will remembering my other life do?”

“Allow you to know the truth.”

That was the one thing Ilisha desperately needed right now.

“How would you help me remember?”

“I will take the veil from your eyes. I’m not saying it will all be pleasant. It will overwhelm you.”

“My whole life is overwhelming me at the moment.”

“It will come to you in bits. I would never just open you up and dump it in.”

“Why?”

“The mind is a very fragile mechanism. To have it invaded with information, images, horrors, and blessings could cause you to go insane.”

She understood what he was saying. Witnessing fist hand when people’s minds shut down, she knew the dangers.

“Let’s do it.”

Damon smiled and positioned himself in front of her. Taking her legs and placing them on either side of him, he slid close, his face inches from hers.

His fingers clutched both sides of her head. “This will feel a little strange.”

She braced herself for pain, instead a weird sliding feeling entered her head. The things around her became brighter and more vivid. The sounds of birds were louder. The bark on the trees around them became more focused. She could see every fissure and crack, every hole, and every drop of sap.

She looked straight into Damon’s eyes. They were so bright and so dark at the same time. Her eyes moved to focus on his hair. She could see each strand and the different highlights. Strands of red, copper, gold, and yellow all mixed together. Ilisha noticed the muscles in his arms were flexed from shoulder to fingertip.

A picture formed in front of her eyes, blocking the view of Damon. She was running through a field of wheat and sunflowers. The yellow and gold hues shimmered as they blew in the breeze. She realized the breeze was caused by her, not the wind. She was running at great speed.

There was a waterfall in the distance and she ran for it, laughing, looking back over her shoulder. She was looking for Damon. He was a few feet behind her.

The waterfall started a hundred yards up a cliff face. Palm trees and moss covered the rocks all the way down to a pool at the bottom. The green of the moss was bright emerald. The water changed from purple hues to blue and it was perfectly clear as it tumbled down the rock face.

Ilisha leaped, mid stride, and caught a bent palm tree and launched herself into the pool. She pulled her shirt and pants off as she fell. As she soared through the air she twisted her body into a swan dive and made a perfect slash.

Damon followed her example and splashed, naked beside her as her head came up from under the water.

He took her face in his hands and she wrapped her legs around his strong body. His tongue traced her bottom lip. She smiled and rolled hers into his mouth.

Feeling his urge, Ilisha gasped and Damon’s fingers left her temples. The vision disappeared.