Organized Chaos

Chapter 8 Hopeless

        “Alright, Olivia. Spill. What happened in New York?” Zach said apprehensively. He hadn’t spoken the whole way home. I got the feeling he was either really mad at me or very jealous of Caleb and Daniel.

            “No secrets. I was captured by Dylan after you guys escaped. He knocked me out with some sort of sedative. I woke up and met someone named Black. Long story short, he wants me dead or put through some type of training. Oh, and he’s a vampire. He gave Dylan and me some privacy and then Dylan pushed me into a tunnel to help me escape.

            “I followed it until I found a door. On the other side, I ran into my mom’s friend’s sister. She took me in and told me her husband would fly me home since they owned a private airport. Then she introduced me to her son, Caleb. He offered to fly me home instead. He took me out around the barn and he flirted with me. Remembering everything you said before I ‘died’, I didn’t encourage him. I woke up the next morning and flew home. Daniel was there to make sure I was alright on the flight.” I took a deep breath and searched Zach’s eyes for emotion. Usually, they sparkled like emeralds. Now they were void of feeling and unreadable. For the first time in three years, I couldn’t read Zach.

            Finally, he spoke. “Olivia, I’m so happy you’re okay.” His eyes began to water as he hugged me. “I’m not mad at you. Or Caleb for that matter. Without him and his brother, who knows what would’ve happened to you? The only person I direct my wrath at is Dylan. The next time I see him, I swear I’ll kill him.” Zach’s promise echoed in the silence that followed.

            Turning to get out of the car and into the house, I was stopped by Zach’s voice. “Olivia, I love you. And I will protect you with every breath in me.” I’d never heard him sound so vulnerable. I’d never heard his voice so soft. Pain, guilt, and love flowed from his eyes like tears.

            “Oh, Zach-”

            “No. I will never forgive myself for what happened to you. Never.” Instead of speaking, I wrapped him in my arms and allowed him to drop his guard completely. Even though he was three inches taller than me, he still rested his head on my chest. Only then did he release his tears.

            “I’m so sorry, Olivia. I’m so sorry,” he whispered.

            “Shhh.” I held him until his tears stopped. “Come on. Let’s go inside,” I told him. He got up, walked around to my door, and opened it for me. Then we walked hand in hand up to his room where we fell asleep for some much needed rest. With his arms around me, I finally slept.

*          *          *

            I woke up to thunder booming overhead. I groaned and looked at the clock. Two twenty-six. Lightning flashed through the window.

            “Olivia, are you okay?” Zach asked me, voice groggy with sleep.

            “I guess. I probably won’t go back to sleep though.” He tightened his arm around me.

            “Lay your head on my chest.” Instantly I felt better. The storm faded to the background and the only sound I heard was his easy breathing.

            “Zach?”

            “Hmmm?”

            “Black isn’t gonna stop trying to find me until he does. Until he kills me.”

            “Sweetheart, I will protect you with every breath in my lungs. Okay?”

            I shifted in his arms until I could look straight in his eyes. Faint lightning made them appear like emerald crystals. He ran his hand through my hair slowly. A single tear fell from my eye as I whispered, “Zach, I’m scared.”