Behind My Shadow - Book Three

62. Forever Winter If You Go

"Did you just...threatened me?" Vyndren turns to give me a look. I can sense how shocked and insulted he is.

"Yeah, I...I guess I kinda did," I nervously wring my fingers together, but now I gruffly clear my throat and cross my arms. "Look, don't test me, Von Vesymir. I've had my fill of solving riddles and fighting monsters for the time being, okay? So try to see this from my point of view and just graciously let me save your ass."

He snorts. "Yeah, I'm not really famous for being gracious."

"You are famous for being smart though, right? So flex that big IQ of yours and think about this before you run off and do something insane."

Vyndren rolls his eyes with a scoff. "I'm pretty sure the last insane thing I did was run off and kill a Jabberwocky to drink its blood and become a Vampire. Everything crazy after that just comes with the territory." He sneers.

"Yeah, well you're on my territory now, Dark Rider," I flash my eyes. "And whatever I say around here is pretty much law, so...just sit down for a while." I snap.

"Well," he huffs and drops down on my bed. "Consider me sat."

"God, you're such a smartass," I groan with exasperation as I drag myself over to him.

"I've heard that a time or two," he mutters, looking me over as I stand in front of him.

"That's not surprise," I roll my eyes. I wearily sigh as I lace my arms around his neck and pull him into me. He wraps his arms around my hips, bowing his head to my stomach as if unable to meet my eyes as I gaze down at him. "What were you like before?" I softly ask as I slowly run a hand through his wild hair. "People tell me you were wild and crazy, so...I guess not much has changed." I smile a bit.

"Oh, Adara," he sighs with torment. "You wouldn't even recognize me now if you knew me back then..." Tears spring to my eyes again as I sense his pain and shame through spirit. "I don't even recognize me anymore," he whispers. "I...I wasn't always this hopelessly evil and cold," he grunts.

"You're not hopelessly evil," I caress his face and dip his head back so I can meet his fiery eyes. "You're just...complicated."

His lip curls with disgust. I roll my eyes. "I don't think I was this reserved back then..." he trails off softly. "I think I was outgoing... I know I was definitely loud and obnoxious."

"You're still loud and obnoxious," I laugh despite myself.

"Well... I was definitely more obnoxious as a human," he huffs. "But I think I at leastwise had a sense of humor before..."

"Oh, you still have a sense of humor, my friend," I smirk. "I mean, it's a dark, twisted, and mortifying sense of humor that'd make most people cry instead of laugh but it's still humor nevertheless!"

"Thanks," he rolls his eyes again.

"Oh, Vyndren," I lovingly caress his face. "I would be lying if I said a part of me doesn't ache to know you as a human, I would've been thrilled to be in that chapter of your life. But I love you right now as you are." I promise. He lowers his eyes. "There's not a version of you that I won't love, there's not a phase of yours that I won't try to understand and no matter what, you'll always be my fearless Dark Rider. I love you, Chief." I kiss the top of his head.

He sighs softly and leans back on the bed; I lay down on top of him as his smooths his hands over my back. "I don't know why you waste your time with me, Adara..."