Beyond The Veil (A Paranormal Romance)

Chapter 8

When Emily awoke, she didn't know where she was, but the pounding headache reminded her of her dad's rage when she had returned home from classes. She sat up in the bed that obviously wasn't hers.

"How do you feel?"

Startled, she turned her head to the corner of the room where that voice came from. A tall, familiar looking man was sitting in a chair, staring at her expectantly.

"Professor Cole? What are you doing here?"

He got up and stepped closer. In the bright morning light that was flooding the room he seemed even more angelic than in her dreams. "Don't you remember? I came here last night after the nurse had called me."

Emily blinked. Then blinked again. "Last night?"

"Yes. And I didn't want to leave in case, you know," he began to stutter. "In case you needed anything."

"You stayed here all night?" She was absolutely dumbfounded. He had stayed with her? Why?

"Well, yes." He sat back down on her bed. "So, how are you?"

"I'm fine, I guess."

Ignoring her assurance, he embraced her chin with his fingers to lift up her head. The tenderness of his touch made Emily's skin heat up, and the fact that his other hand traced the bruise around her eye ever so lightly, almost like a breath of air, didn't exactly help the situation. Despite the pain in her arm and the splitting headache, her entire body responded to his caress, tuning out everything that could disturb the moment.

"Tell me." His firm voice brought her back down to earth. "Tell me who did this."

"No one did this. I fell down the stairs." She couldn't tell him what really happened. It would be too humiliating, and after all, her dad was still, well, her dad, all the family she had left. She wouldn't tell on him.

Raphael let go of her chin. "Don't lie to me. We both know damn well that the stairs had nothing to do with this." Emily winced at his growing frustration. "So, tell me, who was it? Was it the same person you hid from when I found you?"

"No." She fiercely shook her head. "It was my fault, really."

"Your fault?" His eyes glared at her in disbelief. "I know abuse when I see it, and this is certainly the result of it. So please, just tell me who did this."

He seemed truly upset. But Emily couldn't just confide to him that her dad had lost it once again after drinking far too much. She didn't even make up the story about the stairs; it had actually happened. Just not exactly like she had said. She fell down the stairs, but only as a consequence of her father's hitting her.

"My dad," she blurted out, at the same time realizing in terror that she had spoken these two words aloud, for Mr. Cole to hear.

Afraid of what was going to happen next, she watched his jaw tighten as he took a slow deep breath.

"Your dad?" His words were filled with rage.

Oh God, why couldn't she have kept her big mouth shut? He wouldn't go to the police, would he?

"Please," she pleaded desperately. "Don't tell anyone."

"I won't," he said cooly.

"Thank you." A huge wave of relief washed over her. "Thank you, this means a lot to me."

"But you have to promise me something in return." He leaned in closer and let his hand rest on her cheek, his thumb gently caressing her skin.

She nodded devotedly. At that moment she would have promised him almost anything, and she had the feeling he knew.

"Good. Promise me you won't go back."

This wasn't the slightest bit funny and Emily couldn't explain why, but she burst out laughing.

"Why are you laughing about this?" Professor Cole's face turned grim.

"I don't know. Sorry. It's just... I can't promise you I won't go back since, you know, I live there. I have nowhere else to go."

They both were quiet for a while. Emily felt like she was drowning in the depth of his eyes, her heart skipping a beat.

"You're not going back." This did not sound like asking for a favor, this was clearly an order. She shrunk.

"But..."

"No but," he cut her short. "You can rent an apartment, live on your own. This way you would be safe."

She smiled tiredly. "I can't afford an apartment. I can barely afford school, I don't even have a cell phone."

This was just great. Did she really have to blabber like that? Now she made herself look like a fool. Not that she hadn't already done so ever since they both met, but this conversation made it even worse. What did he think of her now? The last thing she wanted was being pitied. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment and she quickly lowered her head to hide her reddened face.

"Don't feel ashamed." His fingers gently brushed over her hand. "I have to go to work now but I will be back later today. Until then, you are going to rest and try not to worry about it. I will figure something out. We'll make it work somehow." His eyes took on a soft glance as he continued. "I won't have anyone hurt you. Ever again."