Dark and Twisted

Chapter Twenty-Four

"You can't escape me girl! Even in your dreams you become vulnerable to me. I can end you right here and now! Do you even realize that? I choose to keep you around for nothing more than entertainment and to collect what I planted in your body!"

I opened my eyes, choking, confused and frightened. Water invaded my lungs as I realized I was drowning, sinking to a dark bottomless pit. I fought as hard as I could to reach the surface with no success. The moonlight that pierced the ocean surface started to fade away, retreating from the uncertainty of what lies below. I watched as I was surrounded by cold and darkness, my hands gently lifted upward as my body gracefully continued to descend downward. I started to lose consciousness, my vision faded in and out revealing a dark shadow making its way to me.

"Ale..." my words were cut short as everything finally went black.

"Come on damn it! Breath!"

"Just fucking breath! Fuck. Fuck! Everlynn! Can you hear me?"

I could feel Alec pressing down on my chest trying to evict the water that set up home there. I opened my eyes, water gushing from my mouth making me feel like I was choking with no end in sight.

"Baby! Thank God. Everlynn, can you hear me baby?" Alec spoke to me as he placed his hand on the back of my neck tilting my head ever so slightly up.

I started to gasp, sucking in all the air I possibly could. Alec was soaking wet, water dripped from his hair as his eyes looked down on me with such worry.

"Alec... I... I don't know what happened..." I responded more confused than ever.

"I thought I fucking lost you! Holy shit!" Alec pulled me to his chest, embracing me with relief.

I wrapped my arms around him, letting them lock together on his back. What just happened? Could Fletch really have that much control over me? I couldn't shake the thoughts and feeling of being invaded all over again by him. Do I even tell Alec? I just got him back after literally watching him die before my eyes... I don't want to ruin whatever time we have at this place with shit that Fletch is doing. I don't ever want to go back.

"You know you can tell me right." Alec seemed to know I was trying to hide something from him.

"I don't want to ruin what time we have with nonsense." I replied hoping he would drop it all together.

I pressed my face into his chest trying to hide any terror I truly had with no success. Alec placed his finger under my chin lifting my eyes to his.

"We are a team, always and forever. I know you didn't just get up and decided to go drown yourself, so yes, I need to know what is going on. I need to know what to protect you from Everlynn." He demanded in a serious voice but still caring at the same time.

"I just got you back. I literally watched you die in front of me Alec! So why I the hell would I put us in a position where I lose you for good this time?!" my eyes started to water as I justified my secret to him. "I can't fucking lose you. I won't. If you die, I die, remember? Your life is mine as mine is yours and I am so sick and tired of always being in dangers way. I want us to run away and never look back!" I argued confident I wouldn't let him persuade me to be any different.

"Even if we were to run away and leave everything behind, he will always find you Everlynn. Fletch will never stop until he is dead. Why can't you understand that I am trying to protect you and eliminate the one that has the power to kill you when he is done tormenting you!" Alec snapped at me with frustration.

I sat back from him hurt that he still wanted to risk his life to save mine, to leave me alone. He stood up turning his back to me while looking up at the moon and stars. All I could do was look down disappointed in myself for seeming so weak that I couldn't even protect myself.

"Why." I asked him without any explanation.

"Huh?" he responded as he turned around to look at me.

"Why did you leave me like that? Why didn't you let me help you! You got yourself killed Alec and there was nothing I could do to bring you back! You were so quick to jump in dangers way to protect me without even consulting me on what was going on first so don't you dare throw up we are a team bullshit!" I stood up as my voice raised higher and higher until I was straight up yelling at him now.

"I... I didn't want you to get hurt or worse." He lowered his head reaching his hand out to touch me.

I stepped back away from him. "You don't get to make those types of decisions. You don't get to choose when you die or what battles I can or can't fight. Take me back..." I lowered my voice, my heart breaking for the decision I had made but had yet to tell him.

"Back?" he whispered.

"Home, where the others are." I demanded in a quiet voice.

"Running away from us isn't going to solve anything. I'm not taking you back... not yet." He stood tall, his back straight and fist clenched.

"Yeah, you do know about running away, don't you?" I spoke to him as I stomped into the little hut.

'I hate this. Arguing with him. I just want to tell him I'm sorry, that I love him, and we will figure all this out together.' I thought to myself as I sat by the burning embers in the fireplace.

"What are we doing?" Alec walked through the small hut door letting his eyes gaze at me.

The way the moonlight danced behind him, and the glow of the fireplace lit his face up made him look just like an angel, or at least my version of one. I ignored him, bringing my attention back to the embers as he walked closer to me.

"I don't want us to fight." I whispered to him, still avoiding looking his way. "I can't tell you what it really is because I still don't understand it myself. I feel like I'm burning inside with hate and anger but when I look at you... I feel weak. Weak because I will do anything for you, to keep you alive." I paused as he sat down next to me placing his arm over my shoulder allowing me to place my head comfortably on his chest.

"You know it scares me too; the thought of losing you. No matter where we go, apart or together, we will always risk our own lives to save others. Do you remember when we first met?" he allowed his hand to rub up and down my arm as he asked.

"It's foggy but I remember you just walked up to me and told me your name." I smiled as I remembered the 'good' ole days.

"Yeah. I couldn't take my eyes off of you. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I knew as soon as you started to blush when I walked up to you that I was going to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you." He chuckled slightly as he ran that moment over his head.

"How can we fix this? How can we eliminate the dangers that always seem to hunt and find us?" I asked in hopes he would have the answer.

"Kill them before they kill us." His response was emotionless.

"It was Fletch." I whispered to Alec.

"huh?" he acted as if he didn't hear me.

"He was the reason I was in the water. He got in my mind somehow, told me I had a purpose to him; he was going to collect soon, and that no matter where I go, he will be there..." I felt ashamed and weak for allowing Fletch in my unconscious mind.

Alec didn't respond with anything, just sat there staring away into the burning flames. I didn't push the subject with him, so I just let my head rest on his chest and continued my stare as he did.

"We have to kill him. I have enough power to do that now. I can protect you." He muttered under his breath.

"I don't need protection. I just need us to be a team and no more running off bullshit. I don't... I can't watch you die again." I pleaded my point.

"In the morning I guess it will be back to reality. You need to get some sleep Everlynn. I'll stay awake to make sure you don't try to go drown yourself again." His voice had a hint of smart ass to it as he helped me up to carry me to the bed.

"I love you." I whispered to him, feeling my body gently touch the bed and my eyes becoming heavy with exhaustion.