Midnight Rose (completed)

Chapter 17

       

It was hard to see Elijah like that. It would be hard to see anyone go through what he had. He retreated upstairs to shower and to take a moment for himself. The thought of him sending me home after his confession weighed on me because I didn't want him to. This overwhelming feeling of needing to be near him was consuming me. We had shared something so ugly and yet so beautiful at the same time. He had let me in. He trusted me. I owed him the same.

When he came back downstairs, he looked refreshed. His hair was wet, slicked back with some strands escaping around his face, and the gleam in his eyes had begun to return.

"Sorry about that before." He brushed off our moment.

"Don't be." I shook my head. "I feel honored you shared that with me."

He had a seat on the couch, and I had a strong urge to sit next to him, but I kept my distance. I was unsure where we stood as far as our friendship went, and things were getting more and more complicated, and lines were blurring quickly.

"I've never told anyone," he admitted as he rested an elbow on his knee and brushed his hands over his face, looking emotionally exhausted.

No wonder he broke down. "That's a lot to carry around for..." It dawned on me that I had no idea what his age was. "How old are you, Elijah?"

"Twenty."

Wow. He was only a few years older than me and had already gone through so much. I couldn't imagine. "What do you do for The Order?"  

"My father was trained for missions to apprehend rogue immortals."

There was that word again. Apprehend. It gave me the chills not knowing exactly how The Order defined that.

"He was obsessed after what they did to my mother, but no matter how many he brought in or how strong he appeared, he still mourned my mother. Until the day he died."

I slid my hand over my mouth, trying to stop the tears. The tragedies just kept coming.

"I was too young for missions, but they taught me about my gift. The surge of energy wasn't just an adrenaline rush. I spent the better part of my youth learning how to use it. They said I was a tracker, and I wasn't the only one, although I've never met any others."

"Can you track anyone?" Was he tracking me?

"Yes, if I've been in physical contact with them." 

I sat back in my chair, chewing on my hand. "The accident..." I trailed off, not sure how to finish my thought.

"Yes." He nodded apologetically. He was sharing a secret, and I could tell it was killing him for having it.

"I felt something when we shook hands in my kitchen." I rubbed the palm of my hand, remembering the black hole sensation that had nearly scared me to death. It was inexplicable at the time, but now I understood.

"Now that we have...connected, you'll always feel something when we touch. I've heard sometimes it's just a shock, but other times it's been..." he stared intensely at my reaction, "more."

More was right. Every time he touched me, it was a euphoric rush of tingles all over my body. Except when we met. That was disturbing.

"Are you all right? Your cheeks are turning red."

"Yeah...I...uhh...it's hot in here. Are you hot?" I waved my face wildly. This was so embarrassing.

"Let me get you a glass of water."