PICTURE OF IVORY ON SIDE ------->
"Miss Jordans? Can you hear me?" Flashes of light waved in front of my face and an antiseptic smelling finger pulled up on my eyelids. Jerking away, I was once again under the silk covers of the bedroom but instead of Josiah, I saw a strange but pretty young woman sitting next to me and smiling. Ivory was positioned behind her, glancing nervously between us. My voice cracked with sleep, my throat feeling as if it had been dehydrated and filleted.
"What happened?" The young woman turned to Ivory and spoke with authority.
"Get her some water please Ivory." Ivory nodded vigorously and even went as far as saluting the woman.
"Yes Doc." So she was a doctor? She appeared very young with bright blue eyes and lustrous blonde curls. All in all she was gorgeous too. It made me self-conscious and I pulled the blankets over my body. Thankfully I was still in Josiah's much too big clothes.
"How are you feeling? Are you in any pain?" Reluctantly I watched as the woman checked my pulse and listened to my chest with a freezing stethoscope.
"I feel fine. What happened and who are you?" The doctor smiled and flashed her little light back in my eyes and in every other opening in my face.
"My name is Delilah, I'm an old friend of Josiah's. He called me because you passed out." Then I remembered what had happened. The talk, the kiss, Josiah's whispered word. Immortal. Suddenly I felt as if my body was on fire and I threw away the blanket, wobbly standing to my feet. Immediately Delilah was by my side and holding me tightly.
"Whoa there." My throat tightened and the room began to spin as I yelled against the nausea.
"Get away from me!" She didn't let go but instead gripped me tighter, causing me to scream in panic. Images of Tony's furious face overrode my vision and all I could see was him hitting me and spewing hurtful words at me. It was as if I was there again, in the past or maybe it was the future and Tony was punishing me for leaving him. My muscles tightened and I vaguely registered the strangled noises my throat released. My body crumpled in on itself and tears streaked down my face. Why couldn't I get away? Tony was here but he wasn't. His voice screamed, causing my skull to feel like a hammer was fighting against it, trying to break through. I clenched my eyes shut to battle the pain but the panic within me swelled and the pain rampaged my body and deep into my bones. Then abruptly it all ceased. I was sobbing silently but two arms were wrapped around me and clinging to me in desperation as the owner rocked me gently, murmuring softly.
"It's okay, I'm here, and you're safe." Josiah's voice placed a cocoon around us and I felt my body trembling, more at peace with him than I'd ever felt. Delilah's angry voice boomed through the room.
"What the hell Josiah! Something more than her passing out happened! She needs real help and you're going to take her before The Selected?!" Josiah's head whipped up from lying on top of mine as he yelled forcefully, causing me to jump.
"Shut up Delilah! I didn't know!" The tension in the room fogged around and Delilah settled into an enraged silence before she spoke in a deathly calm.
"She had a panic attack...I saw what caused it the few seconds I had a hold on her." Josiah ignored her for a moment to stroke my hair and when he finally spoke he sounded annoyed but was quiet.
"What did you see?" I desperately met Delilah's eyes. She stared at me with full intention of speaking but I silently pleaded with her to stay quiet, shaking my head subtly. I didn't want Josiah to know how damaged I was. Josiah's arms tightened around me and his voice took on a murderous undertone.
"Delilah? What did you see?" Just then, Ivory came in with a whole pitcher of water and a new chemise, this one a chocolate brown but just as sheer. I blushed as I realized that I was clinging to Josiah, my face buried into a firm chest. I pulled away silently and subconsciously slid my hands down his arms and into my lap. He shivered and muscles strained against his shirt wherever I touched and he stared at me with cloudy eyes. They were so tender that I had to tear away my eyes and readjust my legs to be folded underneath me. His eyes immediately swerved to Delilah's standing form and I envied the way she held herself with pride and dignity.
YOU ARE READING
The Beauty of Despair (Book 1 of 3)
Roman d'amour(Unedited) Ava Jordans is abused by her boyfriend and despairs that she has nowhere else to go. Then she meets him. Josiah Richards is a polite, soft spoken man that seems to ignite feelings Ava thought were long gone from her life, but then there's...
