Different in the Dark

Chapter 4: In Enemy Territory

"So," Violet chirped. She and Asael were strolling along a dirt path. They had just crossed Nova's border minutes ago. The air was stickier here. The ground was flatter and drier, contrasting with Emmalynn's rolling, green hills and cool breezes.

When Nova was still a part of Emmalynn, the late king prioritized his people's well-being. Now, men and women with dirt-caked feet and weary eyes sat under awnings in sunbleached clothes, watching passersby for sport.

Violet looked at Asael to see if he noticed, but he stared ahead, perhaps pretending not to. Asael wore a pair of black slacks and a scarlet, short-sleeved button-down. The first couple of buttons were customarily undone. He'd accessorized with a gold watch that Angel had gifted him for his birthday one year. His dark hair was styled to perfection.

Violet, on the other hand, wore an oversized T-shirt and shorts. Her light pink hair flowed freely around her shoulders. She had to admit, his sense of fashion was impressive.

He looked at her, dark curls falling into his eyes. "What?"

"Why'd you pick me," she questioned, "to come with you?" She nudged him with her shoulder. "Is it because you liiike me?" she asked in a singsong voice.

He chuckled. "Not like that. Actually, I was thinking about asking your sister out."

Violet's smile vanished. She cut her eyes at him. "Don't even joke about that," she snapped. "Nessa is off-limits."

With a crooked smile, he said, "That's a shame. You know, 'cause she has really pretty eyes." Violet punched him in the arm. He pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh. "They're like green with a blue ring on the outside. Almost like a turquoise shade." She jabbed him a few more times. "And she reads," he continued, glancing at her sidelong, eyes alight with amusement. "Mmm, I love a girl who's smart and pretty."

"You will not corrupt my sister with your twisted, filthy mind," she declared, waving her finger.

Asael put a hand to his chest, feigning hurt feelings. "Wow. I can't believe you think of me like that. I am pure and innocent and—" He paused. "Why are you laughing?"

She pointed a finger at him. "You—innocent." She dissolved into a fit of laughter. She clutched her cramping stomach, pretending to wipe tears from her eyes. Asael scowled. Violet laughed harder.

She was still smiling as she looked forward, listening to the seagulls squawking and palm trees swaying. She was protective of her twin, but she wasn't worried. Asael was a heartbreaker who went for easy targets. And her sister—macabre and mute—was no easy target.

Violet didn't have much in common with her twin, but they similarly lacked love lives. Looking out for her sister was a full-time job. She didn't have room in her life for romance. What a dull excuse to pretend you're not terrified of love, jeered a bothersome voice in her mind.

Asael broke the silence, snapping Violet out of her reverie. "I picked you because you're the one I trust the most to protect us if this all goes to shit." The sincerity in his tone shocked Violet, not that she let it show.

"Awww, you trust me?" She grabbed onto his arm, snuggling up to him. His cologne smelled sweet and spicy.

"Nope. You ruined the moment." He shook her off.

Suddenly, something dense assaulted Violet's back. She yelped. Asael grabbed her arm to pull her behind him, shielding her with his body. Violet whirled to see what had hit her. Or who.

"What do you want from us, Rogues?" demanded a tanned, lean woman sporting athletic clothes, disdain clear in her voice. Her hand was raised, and a large rock hovered above it. "Spit it out. Before I call the officers."