Unbeknownst

Chapter 23- Sweet Dreams

There was a little girl, no more than age five, in front of me. Her back turned to me as she sat atop her knees and scribbled on a piece of paper. Her supple hair half held up with a small white bow while the rest of her locks cascaded over her shoulders, stopping at the base of her back. She wore a white dress that had soft curls at the base of its skirt. The large room we stood in was bare besides the child who was positioned atop an extravagant carpet in the center of it. A fire place burned brightly in front of her, it's golden flame matching the engraved patterns etched into the stone surrounding it. The girl hummed an eerie tune to herself, as if completely oblivious to my presence. I paced ever so slightly toward her, feeling drawn to her soft melody. I approached behind her, peering over her small figure to see what she had been so focused on drawing. It was a picture of the little girl between two figures, a man, and a woman with yellow crowns scribbled atop their heads. Their black, stick arms all holding each other, linking the figures together. Red crayon soiled the image, its pigment coating the happy mother and father as it spilled from wounds in their necks and hearts. The child however had no such pigment soiling her quaint figure on the page. The girl had drawn all the figures with deep set frowns. Suddenly I realized that their thin black arms had not been linked out of love, but out of desperation. They were desperately trying to hold onto their daughter, to save her. The little girl ceased her humming and looked up at me then, her features shocking me. Her feline irises burned an intense maroon, contrasting her small pale features. She was exceptionally beautiful, looking as delicate as a precious artifact but also as strong as a diamond. I noticed a pale, pink birthmark placed beside her eye. It's crescent shape framing the outside of her right eye. As I inspected her closer I noticed a dark liquid had spoiled her pure features and white gown. Blood splattered in nasty patterns on her dress, face, and arms. Though her eyes had underlined intelligence beyond their years, she looked at me innocently before looking back at her drawing. She plucked it off the carpet, her small hand reaching to grasp mine. Her slightly cubby fingers fiercely gripping my hand like a life line as she got up and pulled me toward the fire place. We approached the wild flame cautiously, her eyes glued to it with loathing. Once we reached it her gaze tore from the blaze, moving to me. Her expression softening as she did so, "You found me." Her voice rang high and childishly, glee filled her small features as she tossed the drawing into the blazing fire.

My eyes lazily lifted open, the air around me was still and quiet. So much so, that I could hear my own shallow breaths. I let my eyes scan my surroundings, I was still in Louis's room, though Hunter must have left once the movie had ended, as he was nowhere to be found. I let my eyes fall to the bay window, the blackout curtains were drawn leaving only a small slit of space in the center, allowing me to assess what time it was outside. It looked to be almost sunset, the cloudy blue sky was beginning to fade away, its color dulling as time passed. I figured that it would be time to patrol soon and that I should return to my room to put on my uniform. Though when I tried to move realization hit, I was being restrained by something; a pair of strong arms around my waist. I could feel Louis's strong form embracing me from behind, my back was flush with the length of his body, his arms wrapped around me tightly and tenderly, preventing me from moving, and his face must have been just above my head. As he slept peacefully, I could feel his breath while he exhaled into my hair, his lips so close it sent a pleasant ripple through my body. Just as quickly as I realized I was trapped in the arms of a god, my heart began to race without my consent. It sent pulsing waves through my entire body causing my face to undoubtable flush red, and my breath to quicken slightly.

"Good morning, Rune, or should I say good night?" Louis's voice was nothing more than a soft yet enticing whisper above me. His grip around me tightened slightly, pressing my back impossibly closer to his body, my heart skipped a beat as he did so.

"Rune?" was all I could manage to say.

A deep chuckle rumbled behind me, "Yes, you're my little mystery." He said into my hair.