Adventures in an alternate dimension Book 2

Chapter 12 - Final Homecoming

Bella's POV

Rain lashed against the windows, mimicking the frantic rhythm of my heart. Every creak of the old house, every gust of wind whistling through the pines, sent me leaping towards the porch every few minutes. It had been six weeks since Irissa's school trip to Italy, an agonizing six weeks where Sky, my love, my partner, had stayed behind to finish "loose ends" as he so vaguely phrased it.

Tonight, that was supposed to change. He'd called, his voice rough with fatigue, promising to be home by nightfall. Now, the clock on the mantle chimed ten.

Frustration gnawed at me. Edward, my other love and first husband, sat beside me on the plush sofa, his cool hand resting on mine. His golden eyes, usually serene, held a flicker of worry.

"Bella," he murmured, his voice like velvet, "he's coming home. There's no point in torturing yourself."

I squeezed his hand. "I know, it's just..." My voice trailed off. Sky was Special Forces, his work with the crimes investigation division usually kept him on the fringes of danger. This mission, however, had a different feel to it. It had the scent of the Italian Mafia written all over it. Something about protecting a witness, a young woman, from their watchful eyes. Protecting Irissa, our fifteen year old daughter, on that very trip had been Sky's cover. Now, he was facing them alone.

"Perhaps," Edward continued, ever patient, "you should try calling him again?"

I shook my head. "He wouldn't answer if something was wrong. He promised." The memory of his promise, his voice husky with exhaustion, was both a comfort and a torment.

Just then, the sound of tires crunching on gravel cut through the downpour. I shot up, adrenaline coursing through me. Edward, ever stoic, simply smiled and rose with me.

We rushed to the front door, flinging it open before the car even came to a complete stop. Sky emerged, his face pale under the porch light, his usually messy hair plastered to his forehead. He was drenched, rain dripping from his trench coat and soaking his boots.

A wave of relief washed over me, so intense it almost knocked me off my feet. Before I could form a coherent thought, he was in my arms, the familiar scent of wood smoke and leather enveloping me.

"Bella," he said, his voice hoarse.

"Sky," I breathed into his purple hair, holding him tighter.

He pulled back slightly, cupping my face in his calloused hands. His beautiful blue eyes, usually so vibrant, were clouded with fatigue. A dark bruise marred his cheekbone.

"You're hurt," I whispered, tracing the purpled line with my thumb.

A tired smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Just a souvenir, love. Nothing serious."

But there was something hidden in his eyes, a weariness that went beyond the mission. A ghost of past battles, perhaps.

Edward cleared his throat. "Welcome back, Sky. Dinner's already warmed up. We thought you might be starving."

Sky glanced at him, then back at me. "Right. Dinner would be great."

His voice lacked its usual enthusiasm. Edward's brow furrowed subtly. He understood the unspoken tension between us as well as I did.

Inside, the warmth of the fireplace and the aroma of stew simmering on the stove provided a stark contrast to the storm raging outside. Sky stripped off his wet coat, revealing a dark T-shirt plastered to his lean frame. The bruise on his cheek stood out even more in the warm light.

We sat at the large dining table, a comfortable silence settling around us as we ate. But it wasn't the peaceful kind of silence. It was heavy with unspoken words, with questions that clawed at my throat.