Render Me Starless

♛ | Chapter 2 - "lethal weather talks"

I was cold, miserable and cold. I hadn't remembered to bring a jacket with me in the middle of winter, but then again, I wasn't thinking about the cold when I left. The only thing on my mind had been Orion. Slapping his face to be specific.

I've been walking around town for an hour now, goosebumps reigning every inch of my body.
I hated the cold. Absolutely hated it. I blow out a puff of air, watching it turn into fog.
I look around. My usually bustling town was solemn with no one in sight. The trees as bare as I felt, the sky matching my dark mood. I live in a relatively small town where everyone was a common face.
A shiver racks my body and I decide that I should start heading home.

I turn around and scream.

The cause of my near heart attack held up his hands. "Didn't mean to scare you, miss."
Instantly embarrassed, I felt my cheeks redden. "N-no, you're fine," I manage to breathe out. And when I said he was fine, he really was. With a Calvin Klein worthy body and dark skin that highlighted his eyes, he could be every girls and guys dream come true.

He smiles apologetically and gave me another near heart attack. He had dimples. Oh my gosh, he had dimples.
I find myself smiling back. I mean, how could I not? He holds out his hand. "I'm Cole."
I mentally sigh. Even his name was cute.

I shake his hand and almost held on too long at the warmth that seeped into my skin. He was so warm. "Maria."
I drag my eyes away from his unique ones; a bright blue with specks of a darker shade. They stood out the most. The second thing I noticed was his similar attire to mine... well lack of attire. He wore no jacket and instead adorned a pair of shorts and a tank top, showing off his impressive muscles.

"Are you not cold?" I ask, rubbing the goosebumps on my arms.
He grins, his dimples teasing me again. "We don't usually get cold."
I raise my eyebrows curiously, "We?"
"Yes, we," I hear from behind.

I turn around to find a near replica of Cole. The only difference was the long and ugly scar that littered his right cheek bone. It wasn't that big, perhaps the length of my finger. It just looked so vicious. I quickly realised that they were twins. "And you are?" I ask.
This time when I shivered, it wasn't because of the cold.

He looks me over, a similar grin to his twin's appearing. He takes a step closer. "I am here to kidnap you."

As his worlds actually register in my head, I stumble back. Mother of all things holy, help me.
I was met with a hard chest. "Jeez, Cullen, you just had to ruin the fun," Cole chuckles and I feel his chest vibrate.

My mind reels and my heart sputtered. I choked on a sob. Fuck. I'm in real shit now. Fuck. I'm probably going to die.
I look around. No one in sight. Convenient. I had either twin to my front and back but no one was blocking my sides. I didn't give myself time to think. I ran, shooting away from the twins.

I didn't get very far.

With lightning speed, a burning hand clamps around my forearm. I am yanked back, my arm throbbing. "Fuck," I wheeze. I still as the both of them grab onto me roughly. "We may need to wash that mouth of yours with soap, Astraea," Cole says, shaking his head in mock disappointment.

"My name is not Astraea," I spit out. That was the second time I had heard the name today. The hand on my right, Cullen's, tightens considerably and I wince. He shoved his face into mine. "Cut the bullshit. We know who you are," he grinds out, showering me in his saliva. I inch my face back, grimacing.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." It was true. I was as confused as I was in my living room.

The living room. Orion. Oh shit.