Under The Sea

Chapter Thirty

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Aran was beyond angry; he was furious. His voice echoed off the walls of his dark house, and I cowered into his side, afraid of everything. My hands wouldn't stop shaking.

"I just thought it would be fun!" Thea fired back, baring her teeth at her brother, her eyes alight with anger.

A sharp growl made her step back and bow her head. I stepped toward her feeling protective over my young friend. "She was only trying to help, Aran." I said quietly, slumping my shoulders.

It hadn't been long since the incident at the club and I had been trying to force down the fear that started to fester in my mind and heart. My mind kept flashing back to the moment my body went rigid, under his control, his voice still echoed in my head, and I found myself shaking my head constantly trying to clear the horrific images he had implanted into my mind. A constant reminder that he was out there.

"I don't care! She put you in danger, Forest when she called me and said that you were missing. . .missing. I nearly lost it." He ran his fingers through his hair, lightly tugging at the blonde strands. It was something he did when he was worried.

He pointed his arrow of anger at Thea, "why, why would you even go to a club? Of all the places! Thea, you're only fifteen. How could you be so stupid?" He scrutinized her burning face as she turned away shamefully.

"Sorry," she muttered before running off down the hallway, swiping quickly at her eyes. A door slammed from somewhere downstairs. Aran exhaled loudly, tilting his head back.

I wanted to run after her, to console her and explain to her that her big brother only cared too much. But my hands were still shaking and the fear was still festering. I desperately needed safety, security.

I fisted his shirt in my hands, whimpering softly into his chest.

"Forest?" His arms wrapped around me tightly.

"I'm scared," I whispered as tears threatened to dampen my cheeks.

"Baby? Why are you scared?" He tilted my head back to peer into my eyes and the love that I saw in his was enough to undo me.

Silent crying was the best type of crying, I had decided that night. No one could really tell that you were crying, except for those that cared. Aran cared, and loved, and it showed through the reassuring words of security he whispered in my ear and the way he held me, so delicately.

"It's okay, no one's going to hurt you, sweetheart." He wrapped my legs around his waist and carried me upstairs to our room, where he laid me on the bed.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" I shook my head no, and the relief was evident in his eyes. He tucked me under the covers as I curled into a ball.

But then he turned to leave, and my heart sped up frantically. "D-don't leave me, please." I was so, so, paranoid.

Aran nodded and didn't even bother to change before he curled up next to me and wrapped me in his warm embrace, "I would never leave you, you know that right?"

I nodded, shifting my face closer to his.

"Good." His lips caught mine in a perfect embrace, and for a moment, my paranoia dissipated.

He broke away, "sleep, and tell me everything tomorrow." I felt warm lips on my forehead just a second after I closed my eyes.

♢ ♢ ♢ ♢

I will find you again.

I sat up quickly, trying to evade the nightmare. Slowly, I regulated my erratic breathing and adjusted my eyes to the brightness of the room. I turned, expecting to be met with Aran's sleeping form, but was met with rumpled sheets instead.