Dancing With The Devil

Chapter 27

Slovakia seemed to be the most understated country in the world as far as I was concerned. The extensive time spent on a train was worth it when I saw the soft, green rolling hills that covered the horizon. The stunning surroundings often made me forget my reality. I had seen several old structures that looked like the remains of castles and I would always excitedly press myself up against the window then turn to Alistair, expecting him to spew information.

But when I met his eyes he looked very collected and deeply somber.

My excitement would immediately be under control once more and my lips would remain shut.

Yes, we were traveling together, and yes, it had been a long and boring day with no one to talk to. But I wasn't about to confront Alistair about what his brother said, nor was I ready to hear him tell me that his response to the kiss had been impulsive and he regretted it. For now, we would both wrestle our demons in silence.

We spent a full day on the train, leaving Paris on Boxing Day morning and arriving in a city called Kosice when the sun had already set and a cool chill had settled into the air. I smiled a little bit when I saw snow coating the grass and the roofs of buildings. I felt as far away from Canada as I had ever been, but at least there was something that reminded me of home.

Alistair slipped off the train and I trailed behind. I nearly groaned out loud when we boarded yet another train and ended up back tracking. About half an hour later we ended up in something that was more of a village than a town.

As much as I loved the reminder of home I actually quite disliked snow. As we walked from the train station to our destination I wrapped my arms around myself and held on tightly. The flimsy hoodie I had on wasn't doing much to save me from the cold and my runners were very slippery on the crunchy snow. The gentle weather in Paris had been a blessing I forgot to appreciate, but the long walk in the cold made me very envious of my previous station.

"This is it?" I asked softly when Alistair opened a gate to a very modest looking house.

It wasn't that I expected more for myself; it was the fact that I had seen the luxury that Alistair's parents chased. Secluded villas covering in trailing plants that looked like they were fit for a fairy tale. The stunning condo in the city that looked like it was from an old movie with its original flooring and historic crown molding. This was not soft and whimsical nor was it grand and opulent. It was just a little house in a village.

Alistair didn't reply to me, continuing with the theme for the day. He just marched up to the front door and retrieved the key from somewhere. A second later we were both inside and I understood.

The exterior was very underwhelming, but the interior was at the peak of modern styling in Europe. Stunning wood flooring, stark white walls and cabinets, and dark accents. Sleek, stylish and very functional. Within a second it became my favorite property that we had stayed in.

But my delight was squashed once more when Alistair crossed my line of vision and I saw just how bleak he looked. I wanted to pepper him with question so I could understand what was going on in his head. I wanted to know how he felt about the kiss, if I needed to apologize or not. I wanted to know what gave Jasper the authority to barge into the quiet villa and disrupt everything. And I needed to know who Malia was and why I was somehow similar to her. It wasn't fair that I was being strung along so limply while I was in the dark.

Alistair didn't leave any room for those questions to be asked and I was certain he wouldn't answer anyway. Besides, I didn't think I truly had the guts to ask them right now anyway.

He showed me the functional kitchen with clean lines, the living room with a massive bookshelf, and the small, plain bedroom that would be mine. I awkwardly nodded along with his limited amount of words. I was dismissed rather quickly. As much as I wanted to grill Alistair I was also thoroughly exhausted and decided that everything would wait until tomorrow. My confidence needed to rebuild and I needed my mind to be on a clearer path, perhaps one that wasn't based around Alistair stroking my hair while I was haunted by nightmares and he was very much shirtless.