Remember

Chapter 6

** A/N: Heyheyheyyyy :3 How are you liking the story? Have you picked a 'Team' yet? Let me know in a comment! Vote if you like, and thanks for reading :)) Oh, and yes, Naios and all Loiza/Loizae are based off of Growlithe and Arcanine from Pokemon...don't judge me XDD I just absolutely loveeee their look! Happy reading! :)

~Holly  **

I awoke the next morning, looking around my room in confusion. The air around me felt disturbed and smelled of the hallway…not the usual perfume and flower scent of my room (which I always thought was weird, since I didn’t wear perfume…) It was almost like someone had just left my room, and I was surprised when my lips felt warm and tingly. Nevertheless, I got up and ruffled my hair, walking over to my door and peering out. Dante was still asleep, I assumed, because his door was closed. Dean’s door was open a crack, and if my heart could smile, it was beaming. I ventured the short distance between our rooms stealthily, standing in his doorway and leaning to one side. When he turned, he smiled, which caused me to do the same. He stood and we met each other in the middle of the room, where he embraced me with his large, muscular arms. I squeezed him tightly, breathing in his masculine scent. It was musky, and reminded me of a forest, smelling of red oak and cedarwood. “I missed you…” he murmured, his voice deep and alluring. I smiled up at him, staring deep into his eyes. “I missed you too, Dean.” We pulled apart and gave each other a gentle kiss, which made me feel as if I could walk on air. “Wow…” I whispered in a daze, not caring who heard me. With Dean, I actually wanted to be romantic and passionate, with all of the cheesy, corny, adorable, quixotic lines a girl could ask for. “I missed those, too!” I smiled and nodded in agreement, sitting beside him once he patted the space next to him on his bed. We were close together, arms touching, and the question I had been wondering almost all of yesterday finally made it’s way out of my mouth, “So where were you??” He looked a little hesitant, but answered me calmly, staring at me in the passionate, loving way of his. “I’ve been meeting with this record producer, and he really likes my voice…” “Dean, that’s awesome!! Congratulations!!!” I shouted happily, throwing my hands into the air. He smiled, though it wasn’t as bright and excited as it should have been. It seemed like he was smiling because I was so happy…not because of his potential music career. “It’s pretty great…but get this! I told him about you!!! Jace, maybe we could sing together!! We could write our own music and get a band started!” Dean’s deep cerulean eyes were twinkling with excitement, with a happiness I had never seen in someone’s eyes. It was like Dean cared more about spending his time with me than actually doing what he loved most, and that blew me away more than the strongest tornado ever could. I had never seen this kind of happy before, and I frowned at my next words. “Dean, I’d really like to, but I-I don’t think I can. D…I kill demons.” His eyes widened in astonishment, and I shied away from him slightly. “What??” “Yeah, I kill zombies, demons, vampires-you name it! That’s why Savlian wants me here, but that’s not why I’m staying,” I murmured truthfully, grabbing his hand tightly. He smiled at me, though disappointment was written all over his face. “Could you think about it for me? I’d really like to do this with you…” I nodded, my smile brightening. “I will, Dean. But if I say no…promise me you’ll take the job anyway. This is your dream, and I don’t want to be the one to stop you.” He stared into my eyes for a few minutes, surprise, compassion and about twelve other emotions flashing in and out of his gaze. “I will. Only for you, though.” I grinned, unable to hide my excitement for him. How cool would it be to actually know a famous rocker?! I began to think about what he would call his band, but his voice interrupted my thoughts. He moved closer to me, running his finger lightly along my jaw. I tingled from head to foot, and it felt as if I had no bones. “So…what did my angel do last night?” My stomach tightened, my heartbeat quickening. Damnit! See? This is why you can’t have two boyfriends! Wait…did I just call them my boyfriends?! Fuck!!! “Not much…I hung out with Reese and Dante. We ordered pizzas and watched movies; nothing huge. They’re asses, but I had fun.” He smiled, though anger and jealousy were swirling around in his deep blue eyes. His expression stayed composed, as if those two were just some random strangers, but his eyes betrayed him. “Well, I’m glad you had a good night. Is there anything you would like to do today?” I thought about it, but shook my head. “Nah. Nothing in particular, anyway. I’m gonna’ go and get dressed real quick-we could talk about it more afterward, if you want.” He nodded and smiled, standing up with me. “I’d like that…” he murmured, and I dipped my head to him. “See ya’ in a few minutes,” I said quietly, his beauty leaving me breathless. “Jace, wait.” I turned back around, watching as Dean walked over to his nightstand. He opened the top drawer, grabbing something in his palm and closing his fist around it. He stood for only a second before walking back over to me, the air suddenly turning serious. “Jace, I want you to have this. I made it a long time ago, waiting to give it to the perfect girl, and that’s you.” While I was staring at him with my mouth slightly open, he swiftly slipped a bracelet over my wrist, which clung tight to me. I looked down at it in wonder and awe, the bright orange fire crystals enchanting me. Most of the beads were black, however, having a blue or green sheen to them when they shined in a certain light. “Dean! I couldn’t possibly take this!” I murmured, beginning to take it off. He quickly stopped me, shaking his head. “Please! I want you to have it. You mean so much to me, Jace…” “You mean a lot to me too, Dean,” I murmured, watching as he took my hands in his. He stared deep into my eyes, and just as I began to get lost within the depths of his, he spoke, waking me up. “Jace…I know we’ve only met a few days ago, but there’s something I have to tell you. And it’s okay if you don’t feel the same, or if you’re not ready to tell me, because I understand. But Jace…I love you.” I froze, staring at him with wide eyes. My mouth was hanging open, and I wanted to bolt for the door. I was terrible in serious, emotion-filled moments!! I always said the wrong thing, and this was the one time where I actually cared who I hurt. I wanted to leave, but my feet wouldn’t move. The voice in my head was mocking me, telling me how stupid I was for getting myself involved. My silence didn’t bother Dean one bit, and his eyes were brighter than I ever remembered. I could read people quite easily (and was really good at it), and the look I guessed I was seeing was love. They were filled with adoration and affection, and instead of reminding me of a dark, rapid river, they reminded me of the warm waters of the Caribbean, fearless and magical without anything to hide. No one had ever looked at me like that before…not even my parents. The honesty that was surrounding him was almost visible, and I had no idea what to say. I cared deeply for Dean…really, I did. But I had never loved anyone before, and I suddenly wondered if all of my feelings for him could be called that; love. I thought about him almost all the time (when I wasn’t thinking about Dante), and I cared about his feelings and his dreams. I wanted to see him happy more than anything in the world, and I could honestly say that I’d do everything in my power to see to it. I could be myself around him, and even show my soft side. I didn’t feel vulnerable about that anymore, and I actually enjoyed the romanticism and intimacy that we shared. By the look on his face, and all of the other looks he had ever given me, I knew he meant it. I knew that he truly loved me, and that confused me more than anything ever had. I was sarcastic, tough, moody, unpredictable, flirty, and pretty unladylike. I cursed, drank beer and hard liquor instead of fruity girly drinks, fought with swords and guns, had scars and scratches that would make even the toughest guys squeal like little girls, and hardly dressed like anything but a bad ass looking for trouble. My past wasn’t a basket of roses, and I could wield magic like some freaky witch. Apparently, he liked broken, fragmented, dangerous girls…I was just glad he chose this one. “Dean,” I muttered, more than a little breathless. He shook his head, raising his hand to silence me. “You don’t have to say anything, Jace. I don’t expect you to.” “But I want to. I-I want you to know how I feel.” I bit my lip as we stood, rubbing my arm in anxiety. Dean nodded for me to continue, flashing me an encouraging smile. “I-I’ve never loved anyone before. Aside from some previous animals I bonded with…but I’ve never actually loved another human being. And it’s only been a few days since we met. It’s more than insane for you to love me, especially after such a short amount of time, but I can see that you mean it. I’m good at reading people, and the love that you feel for me is coming off of you in fucking waves. But I…I care about you. A lot. And I think it could be love. I know I might not say the right thing, or be as affectionate as I should, but it’s just because I never had that. I was never shown love. But maybe…maybe you could teach me. I mean, you’ve already taught me so much, and not just about magic. I can be myself around you, let my guard down, and I don’t have to expect pain in return. I can sleep easy at night, knowing I have someone who cares about me, and that I care about.” And I thought Dante’s speech was lame and cheesy! That suddenly made me extremely guilty and full of shame, and the adrenaline that had been coursing through me stopped dead in its tracks. Dante… “Jace.” I looked up, letting Dean take my hands in his again. “You’re perfect. You don’t have to be anything but you. You show me enough love and affection, and I don’t want you trying to change. To know that you love me is the greatest thing I’ve ever known. And you don’t have to worry about never loving another. We love each other, and that’s enough.” He suddenly pulled me toward him for a passionate kiss, which I happily melted into. When our tongues touched, it was like a fiery inferno was engulfing my whole body, and I bet if I opened my eyes, I would literally see Dean and I covered in our magic flames. In fact, I was sure of it. The flames were just disappearing as we opened out eyes and pulled apart, and I gently caressed his face before leaving to get changed. I couldn’t help but feel like a complete asshole as I fumbled through my drawers. Here I was, confessing my love for Dean when Dante was just down the hall. I was utterly disgusted and angry with myself, and wondered why I hadn’t followed my own advise. I couldn’t have both, and the thought of them finding out about each other made my heart break. I physically held my chest for a few minutes as I stared at each of their flowers, shaking away the tears that were coming to my eyes. I should’ve been happier; Dean loved me! And I loved him, which is more than I could have ever dreamed. But Dante…I cared about Dante. Seeing him upset hurt just as much as seeing Dean upset, and the thought of loving him too made me fall back onto my bed. I couldn’t love two guys at once…right?! Even though it might feel that way, I have to care about one more than the other… Besides, I knew how crazy it was to love Dean in such a short amount of time…there’s no way I could’ve possibly had the time or energy to fall in love with two guys in a matter of days…or maybe a week. I seriously wasn’t keeping track of how long I was here. When I finally pulled myself together, I got dressed into a moss green leather corset, with black tribal swirls and medieval designs, black skinny jeans, and my favorite pair of black leather high heeled stiletto boots. I fixed my amulet and twirled my bracelet around nervously before sneaking downstairs and into the kitchen for breakfast. I stole the last two pieces of pizza, which were rather small, and ate them slowly with thoughtful chews. I figured Dante and Reese must’ve eaten the rest after I went to bed. Geez…did Dante not sleep either? The only time that I saw was when he had passed out after being torn apart by demons. I heard Chi’s nails as he got closer and closer to the kitchen, and I knelt down and pet him for a few minutes before feeding him (since I finally found some dog food and meat that I could give him). Once we were both finished eating, I quickly made my way back up the stairs to brush my teeth and grab a jacket from my room. It was an Etxalar olive cotton canvas short jacket with a bucket belt a little below the bust line. I left it open and when I heard music coming from Dean’s room, specifically ‘Awake’ by Dommin, I decided not to bother him. Really, all I wanted to do now was clear my head and practice my magic, so I tip-toed back down the stairs and opened the castle doors. I knew he would understand when I talked to him later, though I would have to think of an excuse as to why I was stressed. Chi followed me outside, but sniffed the air warily after taking a few steps. He growled for a few moments before charging into the forest, the hair on his neck and back standing on end. “Chi!!” I called, racing after him. I heard snarls and angry barks in return, and I pushed myself to run faster. Once I was close enough, I pressed my back against a tree, peering out into the clearing. My eyes widened, and my mouth hung open, and I had to cover it before I gasped. It wasn’t a dog or wolf…or anything that should’ve existed, for that matter. The creature standing in front of Chi was massive; about three times his size, and it was badly wounded. Gashes and cuts covered its strange coat, and blood trickled freely from them. It had the colors and markings of a tiger, the classic orange pelt with black stripes, and a weird crème-colored sort of mane on its head. It ran part way down it’s back like a horse or zebra, complete with a matching tail. It had the face of a wolf or dog, along with canine paws and teeth, but long, lethal cat-like claws that looked retractable. Its movements were more feline, but it’s growls and snarls were almost identical to that of Chi’s. I was hoping I was going crazy and imagining things, since this morning seemed like something out of a fairytale, but when it’s enormous head swiveled to where I was standing, I knew-no matter how insane all this was-that this thing was real. It sniffed the air and began limping toward me, to where I immediately stepped back. It looked like it was just going to investigate me, but I wasn’t able to read it’s piercing amber eyes, since it was unlike any creature that I had ever seen. Chi leapt in front of me defensively, snarling louder and snapping his jaws. The creature completely ignored his warnings, and layed down in front of me as if it were bowing. As I looked the creature over again, a sort of comfort, and what was almost like déjà vu came over me, though I knew there was no way that I had ever seen something even remotely close to this thing before. I jumped when I heard a twig snap behind me, Chi already barking like crazy. “Dante??!” I asked, my spirits slightly lifted. “Why’d you leave the door open, Sweetness? It’s cold out here…” he muttered tiredly, and for the first time, I noticed our breath hanging in the air. I laughed, though I knew my face showed my concern. “What’s wrong-??” His eyes immediately followed Chi’s rampant snarling to the creature laying on the ground, whose exhausted eyes looked up at us pitifully. “Weird, right?! I-I have no idea what it is!!! I mean, it looks like part tiger, part dog, or something…” “Loiza.” The word sent a shiver down my spine, and for a moment, all I could see was a majestic creature like the one in front of us, standing proudly on a boulder with the sun shining on its pelt, which caused it to glow. I blinked the image away, wondering what the hell had just happened, when I watched Dante stoop over the ‘Loiza’, and pet it like it was completely harmless. It sure as hell didn’t look it, but it’s head stirred at Dante’s touch, and he even let the creature lick his hand. I stared at the two, baffled. The Loiza smiled at Dante knowingly, and Chi sniffed around it, wary and uncertain just like me. “You’ll be alright,” Dante whispered, forcing the giant creature into his arms. His strength and the nonchalance he showed with the foreign creature blew me away, and we walked past me as if he were carrying a hurt dog. “C’mon Jace,” he muttered, walking back to the castle. Chi investigated the area more, and I leaned to one side, glaring at Dante. “Dante…what the hell is that?!?!?” I shouted, but he just kept walking. I jogged to match his pace, keeping a safe distance from the Loiza. Its eyes never left me as we walked to the castle, and I tried to ignore how sad, yet relieved it looked as it gazed at me. It’s eyes were too human, and if I looked at it again, I knew I would fall victim to its wounded nature. “Dante!!” I yelled, glaring at him with wide eyes. “I’ll tell you later,” he muttered, marching up the steps with it. I stared after him, mouth wide open, completely shocked. Chi seemed more interested in the forest, so I left him outside as I ran after Dante, closing the castle doors behind me. I was more than confused, but oddly curious, as I followed the two to Dante’s room. Why the hell was he so serious all of a sudden?! How could he possibly recognize that thing like an old friend?!? Just looking at it again boggled my mind, and I had to shake my head to clear my thoughts. Dante grabbed a sheet from his bed, placing it on the floor for the Arcanine to lie on. He gently set the creature down, who barely moved now. It’s eyes were finally closed, and I knelt beside Dante as he gazed down at it. After a moment of silence, he went to the small top drawer of his dresser, and began throwing gauze and disinfectant at me. “What the hell-?!?!” “Stuff from when you cleaned me up,” he explained, flicking his eyes toward the Loiza. I narrowed my eyes, dropping the things on the floor in front of me. “You want me to help this…thing, and I don’t even know what it is!!!” Dante just sat on his bed beside us. I sighed heavily, angrily cleaning up the animal, if that’s what you could even call it. It passed out from what I assumed was the amount of blood it lost, and who knew how far it traveled?! So many questions raced through my head as Dante watched me clean up the creature, and I was all about ready to burst. When I was finally finished, I looked up at him expectantly. “What’s that look for?” “Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?!?” Dante chuckled, and though I loved to see him smile, I wasn’t in the mood for jokes. “Alright, alright. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.” I couldn’t help but smirk, even though I wanted to be angry with him. His sarcasm was contagious, and I had to wipe the smile from my face to become serious again. Dante gestured his hand toward the creature, looking down at it almost fondly. “This, is Naios.” I stared at it for a long minute, and then back up at Dante. “You know it!?!?!?” “Yeah. Naios is a he, and is an Loiza.” Dante stared at me with hope in his eyes, which really confused the shit out of me. Hope? Hope for what?! He sighed, sadness suddenly filling his icy blue eyes like black clouds in a thunderstorm. “You really don’t remember…do you?” He asked, looking at me slowly. I stared at him, uncertain whether to be angry or confused. Obviously, I was a mixture of both, but I still wasn’t sure which one I should have been more of. “Remember what?” I asked, crossing my arms. He sighed, looking more crushed than I had ever seen anyone else. It was like all hope within him had died, and his expression began making my eyes tear. I stood up, becoming more angry and upset than I should have. “Dante, tell me. Tell me what I don’t remember,” I challenged through gritted teeth, balling my hands into fists. He shook his head, fingers through his hair and palms pressed against his temples. “It’s no use…” he whispered with the sound of a man that had just lost everything. I bit my lip, closing my eyes to contain my tears. “TELL ME!!!” I demanded, stomping my foot so hard, I thought I had put a hole in the floor. If it had been a girly stomp, Dante would’ve been laughing. But it was forceful, and demanded the attention of everyone around me, not to mention that it shook his dressers. He stared up at me with wide eyes, taking in my appearance slowly. My foot began to throb, but I held my ground as we stared at each other, a few tears escaping me. “What’s with you?!?” He shouted, his eyes turning cold and hard. I was taken aback, but I glared at him, hands beginning to hurt. “I know you’ve been hiding something from me!” He sighed, and I continued, deciding to confess my strange, hidden déjà vu feelings. “I don’t know if you’re pulling some demon shit on me, but ever since we met I…I feel as if I already know you. Like…some things you say just ring in my head like I should already know them, but I don’t. And they’ve been happening a lot…It’s like déjà vu times twenty. It’s really freaky, and I know you have something to do with it.” He stared up at me, his eyes suddenly growing brighter. “I…I’m not doing anything. Maybe…” He shook his head, turning to the Loiza. “You wanted to know about Naios…he’s your guardian. He was once human, and one of the greatest warriors in the Realm of Darkness. Your father, King Libelius, reincarnated him into a Loizae to protect you. Here in this realm, a Loizae is like a puppy, and an Loiza is like a dog. Anyway, Naios has been with you ever since you were born ‘Princess Jace Gwenyth Salem’. I know how crazy this is going to sound, and how it already sounds, but you’ve actually lived two lives. I used to live in the Realm, too. We knew each other as kids…” He smiled briefly, disregarding my complete and utter shock. “Anywho, one day, your dad’s ‘loyal advisors’ came and took you away. With me being a genius and all, I knew that they had been up to something for a long ass time, so I tried to fight them off to get to you. When I finally managed to get to you, they had already erased your memory and made you drink a potion to go to sleep. They held me captive as they took you to the human world, a.k.a. here. Since you were never trained and purified for travel from the Realm to Earth, you were turned back into an infant. I trained and had myself purified to go to the human world, and I promised your parents, King Libelius and Queen Ayanna, to come and find you…blah blah blah. The demon hunting thing just happened to fall into my lap. But I guess Naios was on his way to find you too. And I bet your dad’s advisors tried to stop him from getting to you…” I stared at him for a long moment, but couldn’t help laughing. I couldn’t believe I had gotten so angry over this!!! Inside, I knew it was wrong to laugh, though I didn’t know why, and Dante’s eyes narrowed angrily. “I knew you’d laugh. You’ve changed so much, yet so little…” He mumbled, mostly under his breath. I stopped laughing, turning my now furious gaze onto him. “Don’t act like you know me so well!!! You have no idea what my fucking life has been like!!!” “Yes I do!! Well, part of it, anyway…” “Psh. Yeah right!!!” “It is right, Jace! God!! Why can’t you just fucking remember?!!!” Tears welled up in my eyes again, and I wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do. I didn’t magically remember my old life, so I said the only thing I could think of. “E-Even if your whole bullshit story were true, it’s not my fucking fault!!! You’re such an asshole!!!” I stormed out of his room, surprised and pleased to see Dean running toward me. “Jace!” He called, and I ran into his open arms. I hugged him tightly, feeling invincible as his arms secured themselves around me. “Dean?! Don’t you touch her!!!” I turned, anger seething from me as I looked back at Dante. “You don’t own me!!! And you know what?! I’m glad I don’t remember you! All you do is cause pain!!!” Dante’s face contorted, and he stopped dead in his tracks. What had I just said?!? Why had I said it?!? Dante made me happy and made me laugh…and now he was going to hate me. All was quiet, and for once, Dante looked truly hurt, like I had ripped his heart out of his chest. I cried harder from the look on his face, knowing I had caused it. Dean unwrapped his arms from around me, and I ran to my room, running through a wall of hurt and sadness as I ran past Dante. That wall had me feeling dizzy and lightheaded, and I literally fell onto my bed with my hands on my face. I heard the two yelling, but my thoughts were too loud for me to focus on them. I felt warm with love for Dean, but cold from being so cruel to Dante. I was fucking confused-how could I have lived another life?! One where I was a princess, with parents who loved me?! How could I have possibly known Dante as a kid and not remember?!? In the midst of all this, Dean had come in and sat next to me. I threw my arms around him, and he let me cry on his shoulder before either of us spoke. “Is it true? What he says?” I asked, wanting more than anything for Dean to comfort me. I wanted him to tell me Dante was crazy and I was sane, and that that creature Naios in there was some weird way Dante had messed with my head. I expected all of this from Dean in just a few words, but I pulled my head away from his shoulder when he was silent. Dean nodded slowly, and my eyes were truly the widest they had ever been. “It’s true. I only know because…because I’m his half brother.” I stared at him, stunned. The two didn’t even looked remotely alike! Dean had an almost Asian-American appearance to him, and Dante… I swallowed more tears as I thought about him, finding my voice again. “B-Brother?!” “Sorry…” he murmured, and I shook my head. “It’s not your fault…” I figured by now Dean was well aware that I was involved with Dante. He knew no one could make me this emotional unless I was close to them, and since I couldn’t remember me and Dante’s supposed childhood friendship…well…being romantically involved was the only other option. And Dean was a smart guy…it would take Dante twice as long to put the pieces together. Dean wasn’t angry with me at all because of this, and he didn’t treat me any different. He’d kiss my forehead and run his fingers through my hair to comfort me, and I felt truly shameful. It’s not like anyone could tell they were brothers anyway…they were the complete opposite! The only thing they shared were their feelings for me… “Jace?” I looked up at Dean, my eyes sore, and puffy, I’d imagine. “I’m sorry I never told you…” “Dean, I wouldn’t have believed you if you told me sooner.” He smiled, wiping the last of my tears away. “I don’t know all of the details about your life in the Realm, anyway…” I gave him a hug and kissed him warmly, grateful for the comfort he provided. We talked for a little while, but before I knew it, we were back in his room, the door locked and shut, making out hotly. “Is it just me? Or do I know where things are headed?” I teased, letting a quiet moan escape me as he smiled and kissed my neck. He grinned, lifting my shirt over my head. I was slightly self-conscious because of the huge scar running across my stomach, but Dean kissed me reassuringly, washing my fear away. I would’ve never expected this out of what had just happened!! Things unraveled quickly, and before I knew it, the sun was down, our clothes were off, and we were the only two people in the world. It was weird for me to sleep with someone I actually loved. He looked down at me, flicking his gaze toward his lamp on the nightstand next to us. I bit my lip seductively, nodding for him to turn it off. He grinned, using his demon speed for the first time in front of me. He shut it off quicker than what I could see, the moon and the stars the only light we needed…