Forgotten (Currently Editing)

Chapter Seventeen: Sleep, Love

Chapter Seventeen:

~*Katalina*~

"James?" Katalina cried again as the shadow got closer. James looked at her, concern and anger in his eyes. "James! What's wrong?" 

He regarded her with bitterness. "Where the hell have you been for the past few days? Your school has called the house a million times!" 

Katalina pushed herself off the ground with a grunt. "I, uh, I was at a friends house for a few days." She couldn't very well tell him the truth could she? Yeah, she thought sarcastically, that would go over well. 

"Why? Where? Who?" 

Katalina glared at him. "If you feel the need to boss someone around you should call whoever you have waiting for you where you created your 'other' life." 

"Katalina! You can't just disappear right after your best friend was killed! Do you know what that was like?" 

Katalina paused. "Well you should trust me, James!" 

"How?! I don't even know you well enough to trust you! I may be your brother but that doesnt mean much." 

"Doesnt mean much? DOESN'T mean MUCH?" Katalina felt the words stab deep. HE left HER! Why is she feeling bad? Why SHOULD she?! She hissed. 

"Yes, Kat! It doesn't. Because, clearly, you don't trust me either!" He shoved past Katalina and slammed the door behind her. 

Katalina couldn't take the pain of being rejected twice in a row. She rocked back and forth on the ground, screaming her head off.

~*Aric*~

Aric crossed the raging, crying forest quickly, wanting, NEEDING to get to this grieving mate. He didn't know why she was like this, though their conversation had to have something to do with it, but he hoped it wasnt this bad. 

He saw her house. It was dark, only one light on. The living room one. He ran across the street, then knocked softly on the door. He heard a blood-curdling scream from behind the closed door. Aric pounded down the door.  

Katalina saw him and screamed again, tears rolling down her red cheeks. She was rocking back and forth in a ball. Aric's heart squeezed at the sight of her. He could feel the sadness, anger, and hate rolling off of her skin. 

"Katalina..." He whispered, walking closer to her and ignoring the door that lay in cracks off the hinges.  

She looked heart-broken, devastated. Katalina sniffed, then shuffled back, trying to get as far away from her pain-causer as she could. 

She didn't get very far however, her back hit the wall. She whimpered. "Dont," she breathed, so lost sounding it physically hurt him. "I can't take..Not again...Please!" 

Aric stopped, his heart cracking. "Katalina, I--" He stopped, not knowing what to say. Her eyes were red with tears, her cheeks as well.  

Katalina threw her head back against the wall, making a sickening CRACK ring through the house and Aric's ears. He flinched while Katalina screamed out in frustration. She stood, using the wall as her support.  

Aric took another step toward Katalina, not wanting her to hurt herself again. Katalina screamed again as she threw the nearest thing at him. It was a small vase. Aric caught it with ease and set it down.  

This went on for about five minutes before Katalina screamed, loud and harsh. Aric felt something different; something more powerful ring within her. It was...Aric let out a breath. It was the woods. The woods were apart of her. But how? 

Then she collapsed

~*Katalina*~

The pain nearly killed her. It was ripping her apart inside, and she could do nothing about it. And then, it was as if her spirit was ripped from her body, and it was, she was suddenly watching her life going by. Literally.  

She saw herself fall to the ground, and Aric rush over to her, murmuring her name. She watched as he carried her birdal style up the stairs and down the hall to her room. 

He placed her on her bed, under the covers. Katalina gasped; what is he doing? Katalina felt everywhere his fingers touched. It was pure bliss, but something was wrong. Very wrong..But she couldn't place it.

   Katalina watched as Aric got closer to her body. "I love you," Aric whispered right before he brushed his lips against hers. Katalina felt a pull, and she sucked in a breath.

   When she opened her tightly shut eyes, she was back in her body, Aric poised over her. God, could he get anymore beautiful? Katalina let out a breath, watching as Aric closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Probably sick to his stomach, Katalina couldn't imagine what her breath smelled like.

   "Aric--" She tried, but Aric's lips inturrupted her. As much as she wished she could forget his words she couldn't. She gently pushed him back. "No."

   Aric bowed his head. "I understand."

   "Understand what, Aric?" She questioned as he pushed himself off her bed and away from her. She instantly missed the heat his body gave off.

   "That I've done too much." He said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

   "I don't...I just want some things answered, Aric." Katalina struggled for words she could use to describe this feeling in her.

   "Katalina, I don't deserve this...You. Even after you were tortured, beaten up, and left for dead I couldn't say it. All it took was you collapsing in front of me, looking so peaceful. Like you were just sleeping for me to be able to say it. And even then you didn't hear me."

   Katalina knew what he was talking about. She pushed off her bed as well, walked up to him, pushed his back into the wall and cradled his face in her hands. "I love you, too, Aric. I have for a long time."

   Aric smiled slightly and whispered, "I am so...so sorry. I can't imagine you being able to trust me for a while."

   "That may be true, but let's not think about that." Katalina pulled Aric back to the bed. She eased herself onto it, without leaving the gaze of Aric, and then pulled him next to her. She snuggled close, loving the way she fit perfectly in his arms.

   Aric kissed her forhead. Then said, "Sleep, love." And thats exactly what she did. But not after she kissed him on the lips.