Souls of Fire (37 page)

“There’s no way I’ll just let you take her without letting me see what you’re doing to her,” Aaron threatened. “I’m a part of this. It’s partly my fault that she had to go through this. So I’m coming along, no matter what you say.”

Aidan was surprised at Aaron’s reaction. It seemed he was emotionally invested in Persephone’s well-being … it appeared he had feelings for her. Aidan hadn’t considered that Aaron might be in love with her, he had merely known that they were sexually drawn to one another through the curse.

It had never occurred to him that his brother could feel something for … a beast. She couldn’t possibly be worth loving … at least that’s what Aidan had been telling himself over and over again.

“Aaron,” Malcolm addressed Aidan’s brother, his voice calm and soothing, “I understand that you’re upset and don’t want to leave her side. But the thing is: you are so caught up in the middle of this curse that it might even be a risk to let you get too close.

So, there really is no way I can let you be a part of this. Please understand that she may be in even more danger if I let you come with us. I promise you, we will get her back! And we won’t do anything that might hurt her or put her in more danger. Please … understand.”

At that, Aaron seemed to put his indignation aside.

“I understand,” Aaron said quietly, “I will do as you ask and not get in your way.

But there’s something
you 
must understand,” Aaron said, taking it in turns to glare at Malcolm and Aidan, his voice dangerously low, “if either one of you, or anyone else for that matter, hurts her, that person will wish they were never born.”

“Understood,” Malcolm said seriously.

Aaron turned to Aidan, a dangerous glint in his eyes, waiting for his assurance since he hadn’t said anything. Aidan threw him a significant look and nodded.

“Alright,” Aaron said, “keep me informed.” Turning on his heels he left for his room.

Aidan watched him go, a strange feeling coming over him as he did so. It was like watching himself, like an out-of-body experience. The movement of Aaron’s body mimicked Aidan’s in every little detail. Aidan couldn’t help but wonder about his brother.

Were they essentially the same? Or had the special circumstances of their upbringing sufficed to make them fundamentally different from one another?

He would have liked to have some time with Aaron. He was by no means indifferent to the fact that he had a twin brother. And had things been different, he would have wasted no time in getting to know him better.

But things were ‘complicated’ ― to quote Malcolm ― and Aidan didn’t know how this whole situation would play out. Aidan might not be in love with Persephone but he felt a definite pull toward her, one that was very hard to ignore.

So, seeing Aaron with Persephone, seeing the way she was with him, Aidan couldn’t help but feel somewhat jealous. And he was sure, Aaron would feel the same if something ever did develop between him and Persephone … which would never happen, he berated himself quickly.

Whatever his relationship to Aaron was or would become, at the moment he had other things on his mind. He just didn’t have the time or leisure to bond with his brother just then…

“Aidan,” Malcolm spoke, interrupting Aidan’s train of thought, “come on, boy, what are you waiting for?”

“Ah … what?” Aidan asked, bewildered. He didn’t have a clue what it was he was supposed to be doing.

“Well …,” Malcolm prompted, “pick her up, son.”

“You want me to carry her?” Aidan asked surprised.

“What do you think? Do I look like a strong young man?” Malcolm said sarcastically.

“You’re strong enough when it suits you,” Aidan snorted.

“Careful,” Malcolm warned, though the corner of his mouth lifted slightly as if he was trying not to laugh.

“Fine,” Aidan grumbled, crouching next to Persephone’s immobile frame. Gently lifting her arm and pulling it over his shoulder, he reached around her body and lifted her into his arms.

“Good,” Malcolm said, “now bring her to your room and try to get through to her.”

“Wait,” Aidan replied panicked, “you’re not coming with? You told Aaron
we
  would take her.”

“No, I’m afraid this is something only you can do. I do not have a connection to her … you do. And I couldn’t very well tell Aaron the two of you were going to get cozy, now could I?

Use the bond to get access to her mind. Your power will guide you. You can do this,” Malcolm said seriously, squeezing Aidan’s shoulder in support before walking away … leaving Aidan completely alone with Persephone’s limp form.

Holding her body tightly to his, he started the long climb through the tunnels and the castle, all the while trying not to pay too close attention to Persephone’s quiet, steady breathing, or the way her warm, amazingly soft skin felt while he held her. Her head lay against his shoulder and neck, and he could feel her warm breath caress his bare skin.

Trying to block out how incredible she felt, he hurried toward their room. The sooner he put some distance between them, the better … otherwise he would go mad.

Aidan finally reached the top floor, opened the door and went through to their room.

Uncomfortable going anywhere near a bed, with the turn his thoughts had taken since cradling her body, he walked over to the large curved bay window seat, sat down on the cushioned seat, and lowered Persephone down onto the empty space beside him. As soon as he let go of her, her body started slumping to one side, threatening to fall over.

Aidan quickly caught her and pulled her onto his lap instead, folding her smaller body gently into his. Her forehead was resting in the hollow between his neck and collarbone, her hair covering her ears and part of her face. Carefully he swept her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear, so that she could hear him.

“Persephone,” Aidan whispered softly, his lips at her ear.

“Persephone,” he repeated, waiting for any kind of response.

Persephone remained completely still. Aidan’s palm gripped the back of her head, tilting it to face him and holding it firmly in place. Her emerald eyes were dull and lifeless as he gazed into them.

He would not get through to her by calling her name. She was gone, lost somewhere inside her mind. The only way to get her back was by using his gift.

Aidan closed his eyes, concentrating hard. When he could feel power rushing through every part of his body, pure energy infusing him, he opened his eyes, gazed into Persephone’s and said, “I am in you.”

Instantly he could feel his essence being pulled into her. He was rushing into the unknown, his surroundings nothing but streaks of light and dark as he flew forward. Finally he reached the part of her soul where her power rested.

He was amazed by the sheer beauty of her energy. What he had expected to see was an enormous black ball of evil and nothing else.

As he slowly progressed, squinting through the blinding light, he suddenly saw her. Just as her body had, Persephone’s mental image of herself had sunk to her knees.

She hovered there silently, unmoving, unblinking, her gaze lost in what Aidan could now see was a ball of purest darkness at the center of her energy.

So, this was what had made her lose herself. Honestly he couldn’t blame her. The black orb ahead was rich with darkness, and reeked of destruction and evil.

This was Persephone’s true essence. It seemed she had gotten a good look at who she was at heart and couldn’t handle it.

But that didn’t really sound like someone who was evil. An evil person could have cared less about being evil. It would not have unsettled them.

The fact that Persephone had gotten lost in the darkness, suggested that she was not accustomed to it and had not accepted it as a part of her soul.

So, it seemed she had told the truth when she had answered that there was no Morrigan inside of her. At least, the truth as far as she understood it.

Morrigan was inside of her, he was staring at the darkness right now. But it appeared that Persephone had not yet made contact with that part of her soul. For now, they remained as separate as two individual entities could be.

That could easily change, though; depending on how well she would be able to control her power, and if she could resist entering the darkness within. He prayed that she would be.

If the Persephone he had begun to get to know was actually for real, then it meant she was someone he could really … like. She was someone worth saving. He just hoped he could.

Persephone,
Aidan projected his thoughts toward her, envisioning his body kneeling beside her.

Persephone didn’t stir and gave no indication whatsoever of being aware of his presence. He gently touched his hand to her arm, but got no reaction. Aidan dropped his hand, sat back on his haunches and thought long and hard about what he could do to get through to her.

Suddenly it hit him.

She was lost in a world of darkness … she needed to be bathed in light. Kneeling in front of her, he steadily held her head, gazed into her eyes and let his soul shine outward. Bright shining beams of light streamed toward Persephone, infusing her with Aidan’s light … Aidan’s soul.

Sensing a slight reaction when her lips started twitching, Aidan deepened the connection, his lips gently pressed against hers. Finally he could see a spark of life in Persephone’s eyes. Her lips parted slightly, and he could hear her sharp intake of breath as she resurfaced.

He was almost certain she would shove him away any second, seeing as their lips were still touching. But to his surprise Persephone grabbed his arms and held onto him instead of moving away.

It seemed she was holding on for dear life, as if he was her life raft in the middle of the storm-ridden ocean without which she would drown.

Aidan and Persephone remained in that position, eyes closed, lips touching, for several minutes before Aidan finally pulled away.

“Persephone,” Aidan said softly, “we need to get back. Follow me home.”

Getting up off the floor, Persephone’s and Aidan’s images slowly moved away from the blinding light and dense darkness of her energy and followed a long path that led to a different kind of brightness.

Like the light at the end of a dark tunnel, it signified the entrance to another world, the world outside her mind … reality. Stepping through the gateway, Aidan suddenly found himself back in his body.

As Persephone’s body started to stir again, Aidan was very aware of the position they found themselves in. She was sitting on his lap. And although Aidan couldn’t help but like the proximity they shared, he knew it wasn’t a good idea to remain that way. He needed to distance himself from her. Anything else would just be too confusing … and dangerous.

“Well, you’re back now, so …,” Aidan said uncomfortably, trying to convey that it was time for Persephone to move off his lap. He didn’t want to be so rude as to push her off. Luckily she seemed to cotton on to his meaning.

“Oh, yes … sorry,” Persephone said quickly. With shaking legs she carefully stood up and walked over to her bed, where she lowered herself down on top of the cover, her legs hanging over the side of the four-poster.

Clearing her throat, she quietly said, “Thank you … Aidan … for bringing me back.”

Aidan’s heart skipped a beat, when she spoke his name for the very first time.

“You’re welcome, Persephone,” Aidan managed, a sudden aching feeling in his chest.

The atmosphere in the small room suddenly seemed charged with something other than sexual tension … something that didn’t bode well. Trying to put some distance between them, he suggested she relax in the Jacuzzi tub for a bit while he got some rest.

Making himself comfortable on his bed, he waited for Persephone to leave for the bathroom. When she was gone, he finally let out the shaky breath he’d been holding since she had come back to reality.

He had just shared his soul with her … something he hadn’t ever thought of doing with anyone. But he had done it in a heartbeat in order to get her back. Something had changed between them, he could feel it. And it would make being with her even more difficult.

I
lay stretched out in the warm bubbling water of the Jacuzzi. While my body floated on the bubbles and seemed at ease, my mind was not. Looking out through the high window onto the frothing waters of the sea far below, I perceived the thrashing wild waves as a mirror to my mind.

Just like the waves, my thoughts were in turmoil, overrunning and crashing into each other in their haste and unrest.

My mind kept replaying everything that had happened since I had tried to access my power. I remembered first seeing that terrible darkness, my body shuddering violently as I recalled the hopelessness that had rolled over me in waves as I had gotten lost in it. Every time I closed my eyes, I was back in darkness … in despair. I had been so afraid … I had never been so frightened in my life.