TO LIE WITH MIDNIGHT ROSES

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RENESSA

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I couldn't remember when I blocked out all the memories. All the lies; the way Damiens family made me feel as though I had made everything up. That I was, "A child with an overactive imagination," they had said.

I hadn't remembered the fire until now. The way my house burnt to a crisp with nothing but ashes and faded memories as I ran outside, falling to my knees as sirens blared in the distance.

The fire I had started was staring back at me hungrily as it devoured every last piece of my childhood.

Forcing my eyes open now, I blink slowly as my vision fades in, only to be met with dark green eyes staring back at me.

Ryker stands before me now and as I break our gaze I notice we are standing in the living area but that doesn't stop the trembling I feel within.

My hands shake at my sides as my heart hammers in my chest as I remember what my mother taught me and I try to focus on two things I can smell.

"Just breathe, Renessa," Ryker says softly.

He reaches out and I flinch slightly at his cold touch, but he only tucks a stray piece of my hair behind my ear before slowly backing away. His voice tingles through my mind softly as he leans back against the thick rock of the wall, his lips don't move but I hear him.

"Breathe..."

So I do. I take a deep breath in, inhaling a familiar scent of mahogany and teak wood. Looking down now I see a pair of strong arms wrapped around me. I spot a familiar single black rose mixed into a cluster of other tattoos along one of the arms, it was Xavier.

I could feel his muscular chest pressed firmly against my back and for a moment it felt almost like he was hugging me — embracing me rather than trying to hold me up. Steading my shaky legs  I brush off the feeling, trying to think nothing of it.

A wild imagination I had indeed.

However, I grew curious wondering why he had shielded me from the glass. Jaxon's stern voice echoed in the large room, heightening my anxiety as it rang through my ears. Between a blink and a breath, he appeared with Rayya close behind him. Xavier quickly lets go of me and takes a few steps back.

"Renessa—," Jaxon says but Rayya cuts in before he can finish.

"Are you alright?" She asks, her tone light and airy.

"I could hear your thoughts, I could hear everything you— my..." He trails off, Jaxon's tone lowering into something softer. " I can only assume Roman had looked into your mind."

"Um..." I mummer.

My mind is blank, uncertain still on how to answer because no, I am not fine. Nothing is fine, in fact, everything is completely and utterly wrong and I don't want to be here. I shouldn't be here. I should've died that night with them and It is unfair that I am here and they are not.

It's unfair I have to live a life without them.

"You deserve nothing more than to be here, don't you dare ever think otherwise." Jaxon's words break me out of my thoughts.

How could I forget he can read minds?

I remind myself to watch what I think around him and most definitely watch what I think about Ryker and Xavier, lord knows they both stirred something deep within my stomach.

"No need,"  He chuckles slightly, taking a few steps towards me. "I can stay out of your head if you like, you're just quite easy to read is all. Now, honestly, my dear, are you alright?"

"No. I'm—I'm sorry," I say breathlessly.

"I didn't mean to scream or shatter the lights, I didn't. It's just like everything is coming back. Rushing towards me are these memories and all I know is for the last ten years of my life I had basically forgotten that night."

I take a deep unsteady breath.

"I had forgotten most of my childhood and suddenly it just came rushing back into my mind, even now still it feels like Romans hands are—,"

No one says anything. I can't even finish speaking. I just want to let out another cry as the burning sensation still builds inside my mind. I squeeze my eyes shut.

"No," I whimper, then another ripple.  "No—no—no..."

Xavier's deep voice cuts through the silence.

"Like Roman's hands are still ripping your brain apart?" He questions, "Tearing it open, plucking memories out one by one..."

"Yes. Yes, how did you—," I wince again.

"I just do." He says firmly, then looks over to Rayya. "Rayya, can you make up your room,  we can just set the girl up there. She needs rest now and—,"

I see I'm back to being referred to as the girl, again.

"I'm sorry Xavier," Rayya says, "She's going to have to stay with you... I don't believe I have the strength to have her... her smell in my room."

I stifle back a sound between a laugh and a cry.

"Shouldn't she stay with you anyway, Xavier?" Jaxon adds, "You are the reason she's here, after all. Besides, the further she is from Roman right now the better. He is not too happy."

"Why isn't he ha—," Ryker tries to ask but Jaxon speaks over him.

I couldn't help but wonder the same thing: what did he see that had troubled him?

"We will speak in my chambers later, Ryker. Xavier, you too. Now get the girl some food and water, she is going to need some rest."

Xavier gently guides me down the hall, my head too sore to protest against him.

"It's not like we sleep... As if staying in her room would affect her much, I swear they just want me to suffer." He mumbles.

Opening the door to the room, he walks me inside. Setting me down on the bed.

"Get some rest." He says before shutting the door on his way out.

And that is all I could do.