Everlasting Fate (Third Book)

Chapter Twelve

January 2013

I awoke to the sound of whispers and bright sunlight. My eyes lazily opened and I frowned at the yellow hazy light that poured into the room. I was lying in a beautiful wooden bed and a thick quilt covered my body. In front of the bed was an open doorway that led to a patio outside. There were exposed windows everywhere in the room and old pieces of handmade furniture. The walls were a pale gold color. I removed the heavy coverings from my body and realized I had been changed into different clothing. I wore a thin, puffy sleeved tunic which was tucked into a soft beige skirt and a brown corset over the cream colored tunic. I hadn't remembered being undressed, nor did I remember someone lacing me up into a tight corset, which one always remembers. Where the hell was I?

There was a looking glass placed on the far left wall. I swung my legs over the bed and stumbled to my feet. For some reason my equilibrium was off. I rubbed my temples and held onto the wooden poster on the canopy bed for support. I gasped when I saw my reflection in the mirror. My skin was clear and glowed vibrantly. The sickly veins on my face and appendages were gone. I stared at my arms in confusion. I didn't feel Lucifer's evil, demonic hold on my heart, nor did any of his darkness linger within me.

"What is happening to me?" I whispered to the mirror. Then, distant voices caught my attention. I stepped slowly to the open doorway and peered outside. The patio was made of gray stone and ended where tall grass began. I walked out onto the patio; my feet were cooled by the stone. It appeared to be just after dawn in the early hours of the morning. The sun had just slipped right above the horizon. Closer to the bright sun, the sky was bursts of pale yellows, oranges, and pinks. Further away the sky was still shades of indigo and light blue. It was as if a painter had taken his brush to the sky and created a masterpiece. I glanced to the land and noticed I was not on the beach, or anywhere in Louisiana for that matter. This little cabin stood upon a grassy hill and to the east and west rolling hills of wildflowers and tall grass rose up around me. Frost glittered and clung to the land and the chilly winter air clouded from my breath. The grass stretched for miles until it bowed to thick forest on the outer ridges of the hills. It reminded me of the country in southwest Missouri. I was completely removed from big cities or bustling life. Crickets and cicadas chirped, bees buzzed from one wildflower to the next, and a hawk cried in the distance. Despite the freezing winter temperature, the wildlife seemed active.

Those whispers I had heard turned into laughter and soon two horses and their riders cleared the forest and galloped over the tall grass. They were headed to me. I crossed my arms over my chest and recognized the man coming into view. Alexios climbed down from his horse and smiled at me. He led the horse to where I stood. He pulled a heavy fur coat from the horses back and handed it to me. I reluctantly took it and slipped my arms into the designated holes.

"Little bird," He greeted me. A rush of adrenaline and emotions crashed over me. His voice, his smile, and his overall person calmed me. It was then that I knew that I belonged to him, I was his angel and I was under his pureness. The realization slammed my heart against my chest painfully.

"What did you do?!" I exclaimed and narrowed my eyes at him. "What happened and why do I belong to you now?"

The woman beside him had a powerful aura that claimed she was a Goddess. Her bright red hair and pointed ears made it clear; Alex's sister Pandora, Atlantean Fae Goddess of Destruction and Infatuation. Her green eyes were curious.

Alex's gentle voice sought to calm me. "It's okay, you're safe. Pan helped me fight Lucifer for you."

"You did what?" I squeaked.