Guardian Angelwolf {In Editing}

The Sign

Chapter Three

The Sign

I awoke to the warmth of sunshine on my skin. Fluttering my eyes open, I saw its golden glow had cascaded over my sheets. The house was deathly quiet, Emily-Rose still sound asleep. Stripping the white cotton sheets off me I got up out of bed; my throat was burning like a scorching desert. Dashing out of bed in shorts and a t-shirt, I stumbled over to the door. Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried to appease the scorching fire raging inside my mouth.

A dream flashed involuntarily through my mind.

A spiral of black ink crawling up my arm...I forced the images from my mind.

Escaping outside, my eyes landed on a shallow pond flowing in the centre of the grove. The water sparkled bright and clear, teasing my burning throat. Barefooted, I tip-toed over the spongy, moss-green grass. Pink and yellow sunlight bathed everything in sight and I smile dat its beauty.

Kneeling as the wind rustled through my hair, I folded my hands together and swiped some of the water from the pond. It trickled coolly down my throat and so I dipped again enjoying the feeling of it sliding down my throat.

Sighing, I sank onto the grass. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to catch my breath. The sun was cool on my cheeks, warm and glowing. About ten seconds had passed before the hairs on my hands and legs bristled. A shadow fell over me blocking the sun's rays.

I felt a different heat wash over me and butterflies immediately started to swirl in my stomach. I knew there was someone standing over me and my instincts were telling me it was Raphael. I didn't know how I knew it was him, I just felt my heart beat faster. I opened my eyes with a gasp, and there he stood, shirtless with a black t-shirt in his hand. Not only was his hair wet, but so was his face. He stared at me intently, and I waited for him to say something so I could stop myself from-staring-at his six packs.

Okay, wow, somebody kill me now please.

"Nice tattoo you've got there." He said with a nod, and my eyes widened. Struggling to find words and to pull my gaze away from his stunning green eyes, I hoisted myself to my feet, brushing the back of my shorts off.

"I-uh-what?" I sputtered. He raised his brows, as a ghostly smirk flashed across his lips.

"The tattoo? I mean I guess you are young. But I can't judge, I got alot myself." He said with knowing eyes. I flushed, mixed between feeling embarrassed and confused. I glanced over my arms, but I had no idea what he was talking about.

His eyes glimmered expectantly.

"Um I-I have to go." I stuttered, and before he could respond, I dashed away from him, and ran back upstairs to the cabin.

Smooth Peyton, real smooth.

leaning heavily against the door, I searched my arm for a mark.

Relief washed through me as I realised there was nothing there-I mean, my parents would kill me. Slipping off my pajama top, I checked the rest of my body needing to be sure. Not that I expected to see anything, I mean, that would be too weird-

I gasped.

There it was.

It was a black-inked, glowing mark on the top of my right arm. Asija. My heart pounded through my body. Who did this? Was this a joke?

I was hesitant as I tried to rub it off....but the mark stayed, clearly not a figment of my imagination. An eerie feeling washed over me, as Raphael's smirk flashed through my mind. Did he know something I didn't?