The Dark Hunters

Chapter 20

Livy POV

SEVEN DAYS LATER...........

I blink my eyes, and see........ Black. Nothingness.
I scream.
Warm hands wrap around my shoulders.
"Liv. Liv. It's me. It's Braden. It's ok. You are still blind. You were so exhausted, you have been out for seven days. I was beginning to think you wouldn't wake up."

I'm breathing heavy.
I feel his hand cup my cheek. I feel his lips brush mine.
I reach out blindly, and find his shoulder. I trace my finger to his collar bone.

He puts his other hand on the small of my back, and pulls me to him.
I sigh as he kisses me. But I feel his worry. I pull back.

"Braden? What's wrong?" I feel him give me a weak smile against my lips.
I move my hand back to his shoulder and keep it there, almost afraid that is I let go, I'll never find him again.

He brushes the hair from my face, and traces the figures on my face.
"Man, can't get anything past you."

I smile.

He takes a deep breath. "Something has happened. Everything we thought we knew is a lie. Our leader, Kerani, is a lie. The loyalty we felt towards her is fake. She is not fair, or reasoning. She is a liar and a murderer. She tried to murder us. She murders anyone who falls in love. Not because of the people, but what it creates. It creates resistance from everything she thinks is right. I see that now.

I flinch at the word see.
"Sorry." He apologizes. "Bad choice of words."

He pauses before continuing.
"She doesn't want us to become more powerful than her. Because love," he takes my hand from his shoulder and holds it. "Is the most powerful weapon in this world. The whole dimension in fact. She has turned everyone against us. We are fugitives. We have no allies here. We are alone."

She must be the reason why my family heirlooms are missing. She must have taken them.

"Then we have to kill her." I say matter-of-factly. "We have to turn the people against her."
He chuckles. "It's not that easy. There's only two of us."
"Not for long." I murmur, already deep in thought.
"Liv? What's going on?" He asks me.
"Braden." I sigh. "I have news too." I take a deep breath.
"Braden, my name isn't Livy. I know it's pathetic and all. It's just.... Identity means a lot to me. You know, never knowing who to trust, or who will be your ally. I've never liked my real name. It reminds me too much of-of my family. It's Odeya. That is my real name."

I wish I could see his face. He doesn't say anything for a while, and I'm about to lie and say I'm kidding, but then he says, "Beautiful. That is a beautiful name."

I smile and feel for his face again, but he's way ahead of me. He grabs me and kisses me.

I pull away, and crawl into his arms and sit there in his arms. My head against his chest.

Without looking at him I say, "I need to fix my blindness. We have to. I cannot go on like this."

"Are you sure you're strong enough?" He asks, his voice filled with concern.
"Yes." I say firmly. There is no way I'm not going to do this.

I hear him sigh then lean close, and whisper, "I'll be here if you need me." Then he moves to sit behind me.
Once I feel his presence behind me, I take a deep breath and focus everything on curing my eyes. I imagine that when I open my eyes, I will see color and details- things that isn't just an empty blackness. Anything.

I put both my fingers on my temples and concentrate on my eyes healing.
With my eyes still closed, I feel the crappy feeling settle in, and I slump back on Braden. I breathe deeply.
He rubs my shoulders. "Odeya? You okay love?"