CEM Book Five: DARK WATERS

Troubled

He walked the hall his anger building, burning and bubbling, filling his already dark heart with more darkness and hatred. It wasn't that he didn't expect the Darkman to be there visiting Angel. He knew he would go to her like a moth to a flame, it was just the state of dishevelment that the Darkman was in when he walked out of her room and that cocky little grin that was splashed across his face; the grin of a satisfied man. That little happy expression, cocky and unrepentant said everything. The Darkman had defiled Angel, stolen her light, smothered it with his filth. He had just walked out of Angel's room when he spotted him, his hair was a mass of tangled and untamed dark curls. His smile was smug and condescending, his eyes like green glass. He walked with arrogance, his head held high, shamelessly pleased with himself. He Looked down at the world condescendingly as if he were superior to all.

***

She pulled Avi's phone out of her pocket and handed it to him with a warm and loving smile planted on her face, wonder in her green eyes as she boarded the tour bus.

"You keep forgetting this. I figure I better put it in your hands." Rayne's smile did wonders for Avi's heart. Everybody else was already on the bus. He was nervous. What if they didn't like her? She had already spoken to Kevin Scott and Mitch on the phone and met Kirstin on the way down to the lobby. But! She hadn't met his sister yet. There was bound to be tension there. Ester had already expressed that she was concerned for him, worried that he was moving too fast and had fallen too hard. She pointed out that they didn't really know this woman and that she was a fan. Relations with fans were dangerous and difficult to manage. She planted a small seed of doubt in his mind about Rayne's intentions and he really didn't like it. He did know Rayne. Knew her far better than he'd ever tell anyone, including Rayne. He was worried that the 'tests' his sister would employ to ensure that Rayne was worthy of her brother's love would not be pleasant for anyone involved. Then again, he knew Rayne. She would be just fine. He had been worried over her and Kirstie meeting and found that he hadn't needed to worry. Rayne was a master at making other's feel at ease. Maybe he needed to be worried about that? He wasn't. She made him nervous, happy and stupid all at the same time, but she also supported him and nurtured him without either of them knowing it. It was just automatic for her to care for him and see to his needs. Avi looked at the woman standing beside him, hoping and praying that everything would be fine, knowing deep in his soul that somehow it would be.

Rayne smiled softly at the bus driver and waved as Avi introduced them, then moved deeper into the bus. Everyone was doing exactly what they would be doing if she wasn't there. Avi's smile was a thing of true beauty. Kevin was the closest to the door so he introduced him to Rayne first.

"This is my brother Kevin. We're twins." He joked.

"I can see the resemblance. You look so much alike, must be maternal though." Kevin laughed so hard as he pulled Rayne in for a big hug.

"Girl, it's nice to finally meet you. How was your evening."

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." She smiled up at him and laughed herself. "I blame Avi." She shrugged and laughed again. Kevin about fell over laughing. "My evening, The best!" She said nodding emphatically. "You guys nailed it, though I've never seen you not." She smiled again and looked at Avi. Avi just grinned that sheepish little grin of his and placed a warm hand on her back.

"We need to get seated soon so the bus can get moving. Freddrick won't pull out until we are all seated somewhere. Then once we are going we can move about."

"Oh."

"Safety first." He grinned and moved her deeper into the bus where they ran into Scott, quite literally. After bumping Rayne Scott turned to apologize. He froze when his eyes met hers. She looked at him with warm compassion in her rich green eyes. The first thing that Scott noticed was that they were very similar to Avriel's but very different. They were truly green and probably almost always that way. He imagined that they would change a little given that brownish yellow ring around the middle. They were exquisitely beautiful and he thought he might fall into them. He shook his head, smiled and remembered, that this was Avi's girl and he didn't like girls much, he was sure that he'd like her though. He squashed the thoughts, when she smiled up at him, giggled, blushed and breathed,