Dante Valentino
It happened in the middle of the night. I was in my bed with Blue pressed so close we were one. I felt the warmth, saw the flash of orange through my closed eyes.
The trees around half of the house were covered in flames large enough to hide the night sky.
Lily screamed, scrambling into me. After a moment of surprise, I snapped into action. I took her hand, grabbed my gun, and ran out of the room, almost lifting her off the ground in the process. The flames were yet to touch the house, but they were close. Too fucking close.
And then the garage was on fire. The flames licked the side of the house. My eyes burnt. Breathing got harder.
I ran out of the house and when we were a safe distance away, I turned.
And as the house exploded. I covered her with my body, but almost nothing reached us. She was coughing, her fingernails digging into my arm, and she looked at the house with tears in her big eyes.
"D-Dante-"
"Shh. You're safe." I pulled her to my chest, closer than ever. My body shook with rage and...terror.
Absolute terror seized my mind.
What would have happened if I wasn't there?
"Dante there is someone."
I lifted my gun before I spotted him.
He was darkness against the flames. Even with this much distance, I recognized him. I had known him for years.
He didn't move. But I knew he was looking at me. At us.
Soon, he disappeared as if swallowed by the fire. But I knew better. My demons never went away that easily.
I resisted the urge to go after him. I couldn't leave her alone.
"Who was he?" she asked in a whisper.
I lowered my gun.
. . .
"Why do you even need it?" I couldn't help but ask after about an hour of just looking at that thing.
She grabbed the stuffed toy, sitting it on the seat beside her. My trigger finger twitched. "I like him." She said simply, opening a book on her lap.
"It is sitting in my seat."
She frowned. "You can sit there."
She pointed to the seat in front of her. It wasn't close enough.
"I want to throw it out."
"He is not it. He is Teddy Baby."
"Teddy Baby," I repeated.
She grinned. "Yes. I had given him to Henry, thank god, and now he is back."
We had stopped at Sebastian's apartment on our way to the airport so that Blue could talk to Henry - not pick up Teddy Baby.
I sat down on my seat as she fastened the seat belt around herself and then Teddy Baby.
Teddy Baby was a tiny, white teddy bear with one eye and too many colour stains.
I fastened my seat belt just before takeoff, sipping a glass of rum.
"I suppose Teddy Bear would have been too predictable."
She nodded, bringing a flute of champagne to her lips, but I saw her hand shaking. Her hands had been shaking since the fire. She had...hid. People dealt with shock in different ways - her way was to shut down and turn to a ridiculous teddy bear.
Teddy baby seemed to have cheered her up.
Still, I wanted to pluck his eye out.
She soon went to the room at the back of the jet with her teddy. I kept myself seated.
She needs time.
I had failed yet again. It was inevitable for me. But this time, I had hoped I would be able to keep her from harm.
So I kept myself seated as reality slowly crashed down on me.
I needed her far more than she needed me.
. . .
Lily Jenkins
Teddy Baby was the only stuffed animal I had when I was younger. We didn't have much money - so I didn't even ask for more toys. I was happy with Teddy Baby.
He had been my comfort through the bullying in middle school, the future anxiety in high school, the pressure of everything during college, and the accident.
I laid down on the bed. His jet had a bed. I pulled Teddy Baby to my chest, sighing deeply. Everytime I closed my eyes, I could almost feel the dangerous warmth of fire. We had gotten out safely. But my mind refused to calm down.
And now I knew who was after me. Samuel Creed. I had not expected the Creeds to send their cousin.
I didn't know much about Samuel Creed and I didn't want to ask - not today when I felt like I was seconds away from breaking.
Dante didn't follow me like I had secretly hoped he would. He had been almost killed too. Was he realising I was more trouble than I was worth? That all of this could have been avoided if he had let that man stab me to death?
I fell asleep with doubts filling my mind, overshadowing every time he had shown that he cared - or at least tolerated me.
I hoped Samuel wouldn't follow us to Venice.
. . .
Life has been weird these past few days. I am content in loneliness, yet it disturbs me.
Any ways - do we like the new covers? My fav has to be the STOLEN one.
