When I came to, I realized I was moving and had my arms lightly wrapped around someone's neck. I knew it would be Damian, so I opened my eyes and lifted my head. As I blinked and squinted, I sleepily asked "Where are we?"
"We're almost to spot I pointed out last night."
"It's still a little dark."
"The sun will be up soon. You wanted to see it before it rained, so I thought I'd carry you and let you sleep until we got there."
As I took a deep breath, I smelled the rain and felt myself wake up a little more. "It'll be here soon."
"I know. It's just up there." He pointed with chin, so I turned my head to look.
I assumed they were trees flying by us and noticed the terrain wasn't exactly grass, moss and leaves. It was boulders and cliffs, and he was easily gliding over with precision. As I tightened my arms around his neck and buried my head against his neck and my arm, I blurted "THIS is not a hill. It's a mountain."
He laughed once quietly and said "It's a hill. I took the shortest the path. You'll see when we get there."
"Shortest path. ... Right." I grumbled, and he chuckled.
As he came to a stop, he set me on my on feet, and I lifted my head and loosened my arms, letting them slid down his arms. "The sun's rising."
He glanced behind me, so I turned around. The sun was just coming up behind the landscape. The hills and trees looked like they were on fire. Everything seemed to glow, including us. "It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen." I breathed.
I started to step forward, and Damian quickly grabbed me around the waist and jerked me back against him. As I grabbed his arms and looked down, I realized why he had done it. In front of me was the way we had come up. A treacherous drop off with enough boulders jutting out to abruptly stop you from rolling all the to bottom and getting sliced to pieces along the way. "Thanks." I said a little breathless.
He took a few steps back, pulling me with him. "I should've warned you. I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I should've looked first." He loosened his arms but kept them around me. I looked out across the landscape and sunrise and said "I can see why this is your favorite place."
"It's about to rain."
"I know."
"You don't sound happy about that?"
"I can't see colors when I close my eyes, but, if I don't close them, I won't see everything."
"So do both. Enjoy the sunrise. Then, the rain. We can stay as long you like."
"I like the sound of that." I actually meant it, and that should have made me uncomfortable to say the least. Unfortunately, it didn't, and I realized I had relaxed against. 'I shouldn't feel this comfortable around him. ... I should want to run away from him right now, but I don't. Everything I know about him, everything I know he's done, everything I seen him do ... What have I actually seen HIM do?' The first drops of rain touched the skin on arms, and I glanced to look at them reflexively. My arms resting on his, and I was mindlessly tracing circles with right thumb on the back of his arm. 'What the hell?! I shouldn't be this relaxed with him! What is wrong with me?! ...' As I looked out at the sunrise, my mind started racing, but the question I kept coming back to was 'What have I actually seen HIM do?' The rain was more of a light mist, so I kept watching the landscape and let my mind wander. 'He said it was his brother who killed my parents. ... He said he tried not to kill Lucy and them. ... He let Vincent and Charlotte go. ... And Myron and Garret, too. ... He never touched Mel. ... He's been honest with me. ... He's even killed one of his over me. ... That shouldn't sound like a good thing, but it does. ... This is too intimate. I need a distraction, or WE need a distraction.' I took a step forward and turned around to face him, keeping my open. "I have an idea. Sit with me?"
He looked at me a little confused, but he nodded and said "Alright." As he sat down, he asked "What's your idea?"
As I sat in front of him with my legs bent to one side, I asked "Do you really want to see in the rain?"
"Of coarse."
"Close your eyes and really listen to the rain." He smiled slightly and closed his eyes, and I softly directed "Listen to it hitting the everything around you. The grass. The stones on the crest of the HILL." His smile grew a little, and I couldn't stop myself from doing the same. "Listen to it hit your skin and clothes. Notice the difference in the sound it makes. That's how you make the picture. Make yourself hear and see it." I gave a few minutes before I slowly started describing things further out. "The leaves. ... Limbs. ... The trees truck. ... The rocks over the edge. ... Let yourself hear every drop. Your hearing is at least ten times better than mine. This should be easy for you."
"I can only see around me. The further away I try, the more blurry everything becomes."
"It will take a little time, but you did say we had as long as I wanted. So, I'm teaching you how to do it."
As his smile widened, he nodded and said "I'd like that."
"Good." I smiled and shook myself mentally. "Do you trust me?"
"I do."
The way he said it slightly surprised me. It sounded more like a vow than an answer. 'Get it together, stupid! You can't think nice things about him. He's the enemy.' I shook myself mentally, again. "Good. ... I want you to stay right here. Don't get up." I stood up and walked behind him, leaving about four feet between us. "Can you see me?"
"Yes."
I took two steps back and asked "And now?"
"Not as clear, but yes."
"Focus on me and tell me when you see me clearly."
It only took him a few minutes to answer "I can see you fairly clear."
I took two more steps back and said "Tell me again when I'm clear." I let a few minutes pass and offered "Focus on the loader drops coming off of me and hitting the ground. That's your starting point."
A few minutes later, he said "Alright. I've got you."
"This is going to be a little more difficult. I'm going to step back into the trees. Tell me when you can see me."
Again, it only took him a few minutes. "I can see where you are, but it's blurry."
"That's alright. It's a good start." I encouraged. "Listen to the loader drops. Focus from the ground up." Several minutes went by, so I offered "I'll move around a little. Then stop. Tell me if it helps."
I took two steps to left, and he immediately said "That's better."
"Good. Now, keep your eyes closed and stand up." I waited for him to stand and said "Turn around and face me. ... I'm going to move further into the trees, and you're going to keep your eyes closed and come to me. Ready?"
"I think so."
"Okay. When I stop, come to me. Take your time. Do it when you're ready. I'm going to be quiet, so I won't be talking. Watch your footing. Pay attention to everything around you but focus on me." As quietly as I could, I took four steps back and to my right.
He stood still for a few seconds and slowly started inching his way forward. At the edge of the trees, he stopped for several minutes and carefully stepped toward a tree, reaching out and touching it about waist high. He took a few more steps and reached for the next tree. He shook his head and said "It's is a LITTLE more difficult. I don't know how you this. I can't even fathom how you can run through the trees like this." I smiled and tried not to laugh, and, as he took a few more steps toward me, he smiled and reached out for my face. I held perfectly still, but I'm sure he was cheating by listening for my heartbeat. As he caressed my cheek, he softly said "I see you."
I had kept my eyes open and still had them open. "That was really good. It takes practice and patients. I could never imagine running as fast as you do over a rock face, either." I closed my eyes and said "Okay. Do you want to have some real fun?"
He opened his and smiled. "I'd love to."
I smiled at him and said "Good. You can keep your eyes open. I'll close mine, and we'll see who gets to the bottom of the hill first. You up for it?"
"Absolutely. I love a challenge."
I closed my eyes and got a good look around. "Okay. There's an enormous tree at the bottom. First one there wins."
"What are we playing for?"
"I'll leave that up to you."
"Alright. ... If I win, you come with me out here every time it rains."
"And if I win?"
"You still have to stay inside, but you won't be locked in that room anymore."
"Deal." I said quickly. "I'll even give you a head start if you want."
"No. We'll do it fair. Take off from the point at the same time."
"Okay, but don't say I didn't give you a chance." I smirked. "I'm ready whenever you are."
"On three?"
"You count."
"One. ... Two. ... Three."
On 'three' we both bolted down the hill, dodging trees and branches. We stayed side by side about ten feet apart until about half way down. It started raining harder, and I started to pull away. I hit the huge tree first, but he was only a fraction of a second behind me. Out of breath, I asked "You didn't LET me win, did you?"
"No. I didn't. How can you be so fast? You basically human."
"I'm not sure how or why, but I have healed a few vampires in my day. Maybe that has something to do with it."
"No. When I saw you practice with Charles, you were always faster than a human."
'That's almost too creepy.' Opening my eyes, I sank to the ground and leaned against the huge tree, catching my breath. "I always wondered if he was using his full speed or not. Well, after I found out he what he was, anyway."
"He used his full speed, but you seemed to pick up on it pretty quick. I'm sure he never LET you win, either."
"Me, too."
"The first time he tried to teach, I almost had him every time he touched my shoulder. I was only a half a second to slow."
"By the end of the day, you had him, though."
"Yeah. I did." I smiled at the memory and wondered "How did see us without us seeing you?"
"I used a telescope a few miles away."
"Smart." I thought out loud.
"I knew better than to get too close. Especially, when it rained."
As I stood up, I asked "Race you to the top of hill? Same bet. We'll go with the best two out three."
He smiled and said "Alright."
I closed my eyes and started to count "On three. ... One. ... Two. ... Three."
On 'three' we both sprinted up the hill. He had the lead most of the way, but by the half way point I started to pass him. As I pulled away, he pushed himself harder and took the lead, again. "Oh, no, you don't." He chuckled.
I pushed myself even harder, giving it everything I had. As I pulled away, I teased "Oh, yes, I do."
We reached the top of the at the exact same time, so I teased "I'll give you that one. I actually had to work for it. Nice job."
"It wasn't all that easy for me, either. We'll call it a tie."
"Okay." I sat down on the ground and laid back, putting my right arm under my head and my left across my stomach.
As he sat down beside me, facing the opposite direction, he said "I can't believe how fast you are. I was going as fast as I could."
"So was I." I still had my eyes closed, but I saw him eyeing me over. 'I don't even know what I'm wearing. ... It feels like cotton. ... Knee length. ... Loose fitting. ... Low cut. ... Short sleeve. ... Not what I passed out wearing. That's for sure.' I opened my eyes and took a quick glance. I was right on the money, and it was a deep blue color. As I laid my head back down, I asked "So who changed me anyway?"
"Eva." He laughed once and said "Most people do their best to get out of the rain, but you do the opposite."
"Yeah. I'm not your average, everyday, run of the mill type of person, am I?" I opened my eyes and glanced over at him with a smile.
"No. ... That's why I adore you." He reached over and gently wiped the rain off my face. "I can honestly say I don't know why I waited so long to come for you."
"I can tell you why. Or at least take a guess at it." As I looked in his eyes, I quietly said "You were afraid for one. For two you didn't want to share with your brother. No offense."
"None taken, and I'd have to agree."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of coarse."
"Why didn't you just come to me? Like the others?"
"I didn't know how much Charles or Melanie had told you. I was afraid you'd run, and I wouldn't find you, again."
"No one told me anything. Until I met Vincent, I didn't even know vampires existed. Vincent and Myron told me who Charles really was, and my mom, too. Until Mary hit me with her car, I had no idea I could even heal myself. Let alone anyone else."
"It took everything I had no to go to you, when I saw her coming. Then, when you found Vincent, I knew you'd be alright, but it wasn't easy watching that. I'm still surprised by your response when he bit you." He laughed once with no humor and shook his head. "You held tighter. Instead of trying push him away. Like everyone else would have. Of coarse, I don't think anyone else would have tried to help him, either."
As I turned my head away and closed my eyes, I said "I doubt it, too." We had been there for several hours, so I asked "I don't suppose you brought anything with us to eat?"
"No, but Eva will be bringing something. It must be close to noon, so she should be out here in a little while."
"I like her. She seems like a really person."
"She is. She worries a lot about you, you know?"
"She does? Why?"
"She's always been a worrier. She knows some of the other don't like you being here, and she feels it's her responsibility to keep an eye on you when I'm not around."
"She knows I'm pretty indestructible, too, right?"
"I've tried to explain it to her, but she doesn't think of you as one of us. She sees you as a normal human, so it's hard for her to think of you as indestructible."
"Even though, I heal faster than any of you and can come back from the dead?"
"Yes. She has to see to believe and understand, and I hope she never gets to. I rather like the idea of keeping you out of harms reach."
"Me, too, but, sometimes, it's unavoidable. So, you ready for round three?"
"What do you have mind?"
I lifted my head and back off the, leaning back on my elbows. "Hit the same tree at the bottom and come back up."
"Are you sure you can do it? I don't get tired or out of breath. You do." He teased back.
"I only get tired or out of breath when I stop."
"Alright." He stood up and offered me a hand to help me up. "You're on."
I smiled and took his hand and teased "You might even have a chance to win."
Laughing and shaking head, he jerked me to my feet. As I staggered into him, he wrapped his arms around me and said "We'll see about that MIGHT."
I laughed and said "Yes, we will." I stepped back out of his arms and said "Ready?"
"One. ... Two. ... Three." We were side by side most of way down the hill, but neither of us were pushing hard. We were both waiting for the uphill half. We hit the huge tree at the time and started back up hill. "You ready to push harder?"
"Are you?" He chuckled and took the lead, so I pushed a little harder and passed him. "I'll take that as a yes."
About half way, I was starting to pull away, and he teased "Don't push too hard. I don't want you falling off the top."
I laughed and said "I won't fall. I'll see coming way before you will. First one out of the trees sound fair?"
"Sure."
As I broke through the last branches, I giggled and came to stop. "I guess I win."
"Unbelievable. I got beat by a girl." He teased with a laugh.
"A human misfit girl at that." I laughed and sank to ground, laying back, again. "I guess all that pacing was good for something besides thinking."
"Yeah. That's what did me in. You're in shape." He said sarcastically as he laid down on his side next to me.
I opened my eyes and smiled at him. "I won, didn't I?" I teased a little breathless.
"You won." He smiled and wiped the water off my face. As he started to stroke my hair back, he quietly said "You're so beautiful."
"No. Just talented." I smiled and closed my eyes. I saw someone coming up the, and assumed "Eva's coming. She's about half way up the hill. Can you see her?"
"No."
"Close your eyes and try. It's a little easier when you try finding a moving target."
"Alright." It took him a little while, but he finally said "I can tell where she is, but it's blurry."
"It will be. You just need to practice more. You'll get better each time you do."
