The Broken Raven - A Paradox Of Two Worlds Series Book 1

Chapter 59 - Clay

I worry about the future as I hold her in the moonlight. I swear to myself that I will stop at nothing to keep her safe. She appears different and seems more vivacious after today's events, yet she is still the girl I fell in love with. We have witnessed far too many things together, but for the time being, I'll make an effort to block out all the suffering she is experiencing. This world isn't what we initially believed; a truth conceals it. She and I must prepare for what lies ahead.

"What can I do to make this better?" I ask her.

"Nothing, there is nothing that can be done. We have to wait," she tells me, leaning into my arms.

I kiss her head and say, "Okay, but you're shaking. Let's get you inside." She nods as a snowflake falls onto her cheek. I wrap her in my arms, and she holds tight as we walk.

Brie has food and drinks out on the counter; we sit down in silence. Logan gets out the glasses and the bottle of vodka; He pours each of us a shot.

"To Zack," He says, raising his glass.

"To Zack," we all say.

"I'm sorry," Raven says, head down. "I didn't want anyone to get hurt, but in the end, someone did." She breaks down and my heart shatters for her. I pull her close to my chest and hold her tight.

"Ray, it isn't your fault. We knew this was coming," Brie says.

"I know, but no one I cared about was supposed to die, only me!" Raven shouts, her lips quivering as she holds back her tears.

"Listen, what's done is done. There is nothing you can do." I wipe the tear that escapes her eye. Logan's phone goes off, breaking the tension in the room.

"Shit. It's Adrian. He wants to know if the party here tomorrow is still a go. Let's cancel."

"What party?" Raven asks.

"We were going to throw you a birthday party tomorrow, well, Clay was, whether you and he even got back together. Because he does love you, Ray, and regardless of what happened today, this party was to show you how much he loves you." Brie states.

I look at Raven; she's thinking. "No, don't," she says. "Out of focus, I need it, we all do. Thank you."

I look at her, searching her face. "Are you sure? We can cancel."

"Yes, I'm sure." She kisses my cheek and says, "But right now, I think I need to go home, change, and get some rest. Can you take me home?"

"No, Logan and I will head to your apartment and grab your things. You're staying here." I kiss her head.

"Same with you, Brie," Logan tells his girlfriend.

⁂

After Logan takes Brie's keys, we proceed to the girls' apartment. All of Raven's prior remarks come flooding back as soon as I enter her room. Although I understand her reasoning, it still stings. Truthfully, I believed that I had lost the one fortunate thing in my life.

Walking to the front door, Logan and I check the bags once more to ensure we have everything the girls need. Logan locks the door, and we head to the car and go home.

⁂

I enter the house and bring Raven's bags up to my room. Heading back to the kitchen, I sit next to my girl. "All your stuff is upstairs."

"Thank you." We all stop for a time to reflect on what transpired tonight as we sit in silence. "Well, if you guys don't mind, I need to change out of these clothes, and I'm drained." Raven looks at us.

I pull her into my chest and kiss her. "I'll be up in a minute," I tell her. She says goodnight and heads upstairs; I tell her I'd be right up. Once we know, she's out of earshot. Logan starts with the questions.

"Why did her eyes glow blue instead of red like ours?" A question I would like answered as well.

"Because she is the first of her kind, she's both a witch and a vampire. Her genetics are different than yours," Brie tells us.

I look at her, and she smiles like she knows what I'm about to ask. "Yes, she told me, and no, I don't think it will change, maybe there will be more of a connection. It doesn't hurt to try." She winks and holds back her laughter.

"Does she have fangs like us?" Logan asks.

Brie laughs, "She has a vamp's strength, healing, and speed. She also has fangs, but since you guys are intended to be predators, you utilise yours instinctively. She is not required to. More of a scare technique, really. She requires blood to maintain her strength, though not as much as you guys do. Other than that, she is still there. She continues to be the Raven that we all adore."

I do love her, more than anything.

I appreciate Brie giving me all the details. Although I still feel angry with them for keeping this information from me, I can see their reasoning since I would not have let whatever she had planned to occur.

⁂

I check on her in the bathroom after hearing the shower running as I head up the stairs. "Hey, babe, do you need something?" She pokes her head out of the shower curtain.

"Yeah, remember how you asked how you could make this night better?" The look on her face sends me into overdrive.

"Yeah?" I say, questioning what she has in that head of hers. "Get in," she tells me.

She doesn't have to ask me twice; I undress and join her in the shower. As the water rushes over us, she stands there, asking only for my physical presence. After some time she presses her mouth on mine as she looks up at me and moves me till my back is against the shower wall, after which she gets down. This is something new for her. I moan her name as she kisses my skin and slowly inserts me into her mouth. She uses one hand to support herself, and the other is at the base of my length. Within minutes, I let go. I hoist her and kiss her. Turning her around to return the favour.

As we get into bed, I turn the TV on and let her pick what to watch. "Thank you," she says, staring up at the ceiling.

"For what?"

"For...everything, I'm also sorry I lied to you, It killed me to do what I did to you," She says with tears.

"Hey, look at me, It's okay, I understand why you did it. I don't agree with it, but I understand," I kiss her, "And you're welcome."

I advise her to skip the following week of school because of everything she has gone through. She needs some time to process everything because it has worn her out, but she will only consent if I join her, which I gladly do. As she snuggles up next to me, I can feel her body relax and her breathing slow. I watch as she falls asleep, feeling grateful that I can be here for her in this moment. I turn off the TV and wrap my arm around her, holding her close. As I lay there in the darkness, I think about how much she means to me and how much I want to support her through everything. Eventually, exhaustion overtakes me, and I too drift off into a peaceful sleep next to the woman I love.