Hopelessy Devoted

Chapter Fifteen: Escaping Chaoitic Evil

They step closer and I cling to Daryl from behind. He stands tall as a tree and as strong as a brick building. His fists are clenched and I can feel his body tightening. As Merle and the other Fleshgaits come closer, I feel myself shrinking.

"Daryl...what do we do?" I whisper to him and he just keeps gazing out into the see of monsters.

"Hold onto me and think of yer favorite place to go." He deeply says, his accent thick and dark. Closing my eyes, I cling to him harder and never open my eyes until I feel a gust of breeze around me. When I open my eyes, I'm still clinging to Daryl and I slowly open my eyes. All I see is the shimmering light of the moon coming through the window. "Where are we?"

"My father's hunting cabin in Macon." I cheerfully say until I see Daryl looking as though he's fading into the background. His body is translucent and he seems drained. He takes a few steps and then fall to the ground next to the bed, gasping to catch his breath. He seems so worn out and tired. "Daryl...Daryl?"

I feel my dead soul shrinking out of pain and worry. I go to him and he keeps his eyes closed and his face pained.

"Daryl..." If I was alive, tears would be welling up in my eyes. I lean against him as if I am trying to listen to his heart beat to make sure he's still with me. "What's wrong?"

"Teleportation...it takes a toll on my soul. The farther I go, the weaker my soul gets. It's a hard trick to master, most only get to use it once or twice in their spirited after life." He takes a deep breath. His whole posture seems stopped as he sits against the bed. "I just beat the record though...haha..."

"What happens if......? I can't even say it, but he knows what I mean.

"I go to the Between. This was a close one...just gotta take it easy for a few minutes." He lays on his back and my face feels more hot.

"Home times have you teleported like that?"

"By myself, I was on two. But taking an extra soul costs double. So four..." He has his eyes closed and I sit down by his waist.

"No more. I can't lose you." I push a strand of his hair out of his face and touch his cheek gently. "I can take us back if you tell me how."

"No...as a new soul, you'd most likely not be strong enough to teleport successfully, let alone carry two souls. If you are unsuccessful, you go to the Between." With his hand is on mine, he gazes up at me and I can feel a vibration between us. It's the closest thing to feeling a heart beat for us. "I don't want to lose you..."

"I don't want to lose you either."

"Then promise me, you'll never teleport."

"Only if you promise."

"I promise." He kisses my hand and that testy sensation enters my eyes again and I bend forward and kiss him.

"I promise." Laying beside him, I feel warm against him and he seems to go to sleep. I lay beside him and think about what's waiting for us back in Senoia. I wonder what Merle and the others are doing now? Can they find us?

***

Opening my eyes, light seems to be pouring in. I slept? How does a spirit sleep if it doesn't need too? Looking beside me Daryl is gone and panic sets in my body.

"I'm here don't worry." His voice carries from the outside of the window. Suddenly, he walks through the wall and is standing beside me as I remain on the floor. Standing up, he looks back to normal and a relief feeling sweeps through my spirited body.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. A full night of rest raised my spirit back to full health. How was yer sleep?" He pulls me close and I lay my head against his chest.

"Good." He pull back a bit and looks between my eyes. "What?"

"You faded a bit last night... I was worried. I didn't know that I was putting you in danger by teleporting with you." I look down at my hands and I can see that my own skin still looks slightly translucent. "When I saw you laying there early this morning, looking pale, I knew that transporting here must have effected you too. I'm so sorry." He lays his head down on my shoulder and I can feel it's heaviness against my body. His hands lay on my waist and I feel terrible that he feels terrible.

"It's okay Daryl. If we would have stayed, who knows what would have happened." He jolts up kind of angry and looks at me.

"Staying there last night was never an option. Merle and them would have killed you. I wasn't going to let that happen."

"You can't protect me from everything Daryl."

"I can try." Pulling my body to his, he kisses me passionately on the lips and I can feel the vibrations again. Backing up, I land on the bed with him on top of me. Our kissing turns to making out and soon we are fusing together- making love to each other. It isn't like any of the other times. This time, I can feel him. I can feel his warmth and his velvety vibrations against my soul. Our connections seems to amplify and I feel this brightness coming off of us. As he kisses my neck, he continues to pound into me and the vibrations become heavier. Just when I feel like the vibrations will split my soul in half, an explosion of light bursts around us and the vibrations are so thick and heavy that in the human world it would be considered a level 8 Earthquake. When we both find that place of completion the light coming off of us seems to charge the cabin and soon the light bulbs that came on with our climaxing, burst and the filament burns out in all the bulbs. I feel all warm and full- for the first time, looking at Daryl, I feel as if I'm on top of the world.

"I love you with all my soul." His words are soft and melodic in my ears. Even when he said it before, it wasn't as meaningful as it is right now. And I know that I love him sincerely.

"I love you more than anything I have ever loved before."