Not My Home Anymore

Chapter Eight

Sorry for the long wait.....

I know, I know.. I suck.

Hope you enjoy <3

I heard a dull thud in the background of my mind which I ignored. I ran through all the events of today over and over trying to figure out if I did something wrong to Avery. Other than the kiss, everything seemed like normal, like he was almost into me.

The thud entered the domain of my thoughts again and I realised that is was someone knocking on the door. I hurriedly went to check my red swollen eyes in the mirror and sighed, it probably isn’t anyone important anyway.

I opened the door cautiously, only peeking out to see the handsome face of someone I REALLY didn’t want to see right now. His face was illuminated by the moonlight and I realised his face was only showing the emotions of concern and guilt.

Nonetheless Avery wasn’t someone I wanted to see right now. Without much more thought to the matter, my hand instinctively tried to slam the door in his face.

Avery stuck his foot out with what seemed no effort and stared right at me, “Victoria, I want to take back what I said tonight. I’ll teach you how to fight, but I want something in return…” He paused, waiting to see if I would take the bait.

“Fine,” I said it immediately, more curious than furious now.

“You have to give me kissing lessons,” Avery finished, searching my eyes with his gentle ones.

All I could remember was when I was in my room hoping Avery would look at me with those eyes, totally devoted. It was beautiful to see how the colour of his eyes could almost swirl and twist in such an enchanting way. The way that could make me melt…

I caught my thoughts there, responding with what sounded like a determined voice, “Avery, why should I even believe you, you totally pushed me away like I had three heads! That’s not exactly how you tell a girl she’s good at kissing.” A bit of sarcasm dripped off my last comment, and I know by Avery’s smirk that he caught it.

“I know I didn’t exactly react the way you think I would, but I just didn’t know what to do about my feelings. Tosh told me I couldn’t, and he’s been like a dad to me, I couldn’t go against him. Adrianne is also looking forward for me to uphold a professional domineer, not to be flirting with some beautiful girl…” Avery paused his blush starting to show on his high cheekbones.

I smiled greedily, wanting to taunt Avery just a tiny bit, “You think I’m beautiful?” I asked in a innocent voice with no innocent intentions running through my mind.

Avery’s blush continued to build and I couldn’t hold back any longer; I began to giggle. Not only giggle, but laugh! I laughed and laughed at how I had already twirled Avery around my finger. True he hurt my feelings and pretty much rejected me… but here he was searching for the right words to say that he liked me back! It was almost too much to experience. I kept watching his face as my laugh slowly turned back into a muffled giggle and I couldn’t help but smile at how clearly distraught he was.

I continued to watch his face as I slowly backed away from the door to let him in, my hand still covering my mouth, muffling the giggles that were determined to escape. Avery looked down, and seemed to take hours to tell his foot to gently slide into the barrier of my room, letting the rest of his body slide in behind him. It was like watching a small mouse try to size up a cat.

Avery stared at me for only a few seconds letting his eyes linger on my face as his eyes slowly muted out the twinkle of the moonlight.

“Oh Victoria, I’m sorry…” He paused slightly as he cautiously stepped forward.

I shook my head and spun on my heels, falling on my bed and hiding my face within the comfort of my pillows. Letting my breathing slow down to a relaxed beat, accompanying the dull musical notes of the owls outside my window while I watched out the corner of my eye as Avery followed me.

“So…” Avery hesitated a moment before he continued in a more sarcastic tone, “How about those lessons?”

I rolled my eyes and sat up, letting my fingers entangle themselves in my lap, watching the floor for no particular reason as I spoke softly, “Avery why did you not tell me all of this before? I thought we were having such a great day and…” I stopped, not wanted to summarize the events he already knew.

I knew that he looked away because his voice was extremely quiet, so quiet I had to strain my ears to hear him. “When I came here I was just a young boy, only seven in fact. I wasn’t born into the magnificence of all of this” I saw his hand swoop in front of him as he spoke, “None of this fine furniture, nor the warm smiles of your neighbours. No, I slept on the cold streets of that old forgotten town, and suffered through the nightmare I lived everyday all alone.” His voice came out a bit strangled, making me look at how his face was strained into a painful expression, his eyes no longer looking at the walls of my room.

Avery continued after a long pause, “I had no family, since I could remember, except for a poor man who found me when I was just baby. Deserted on a corner not even with some disregard for a blanket or a pillow!” Avery’s voice came out as a pained whisper, then taking a another pause before beginning again with a smirk on his face, “That old man was crude, and ugly. With no respect for personal hygiene, nor the brains God gave a kitten. But…but… That man saved me from becoming the same things that are coming after you, Victoria. He taught me all about how he trees wish to speak with us, how they want to tell us so many things…”

Finally, Avery looked at me and spoke softly, his earlier topic now being deserted in the past yet again, “Victoria, I will help you fight against the things coming for you, which were also coming for me, but I want you to know that once you know how to fight… You must also learn how to disregard the feelings you have for people.” He spoke gently, but his words were filled with an unspoken promise.

“I didn’t treat you the way I so desperately wanted to because once you learn to fight, like I have, you cannot allow for feelings to get in the way of what you have been given the obligation to do. Victoria, I want to treat you like a princess, I want to hide you away and never let anyone scar your beautiful heart, but…” He reached into my lap and held my hands in his, “You will learn how to fight, and I would be honoured if I had you to fight beside me.”

I was flabbergasted, I couldn’t respond for some time, opening then closing my mouth, starting a sentence then deciding against it. Finally, I decided on what I was going to say, “So… All I have to do is give you kissing lessons?”

Avery’s face lit up with laughter, chuckling before he squeezed my hand and leaned forward, running his free hand through my hair softly. As he slowly pulling me closer, I watched as his eyes began to regain the slight twinkle he had just a moment ago.

This time the kiss was electric, the heat from Avery’s lips shooting down my spine, making me smile. It was slow and gentle, but it slowly morphed into a passionate coverage of need as I felt my back press against the smooth bed covers. Avery didn’t stop kissing me, and if his lips weren’t on my lips, they were inspecting my nose, cheeks, chin, and my forehead.

The heat of his kiss was mesmerizing, and hot. My whole body felt wherever his body touched mine and tried to memorize how it felt him being there.

A loud siren began to go off, and almost immediately Avery was on his feet and staring at the door.

“A-Avery, what’s wrong?” I asked, still completely under the influence of his heat.

Avery looked back at me and his eyes were wide and scared. The first time I had ever seen his eyes like that, it felt so unnerving.

“I’m too late.” Avery said, almost silently as he stood there frozen.

I sat up and almost bounded off the bed towards him, letting my hands slide into his now cold stoic one. “Avery, everything is fine, it must be an alarm or something, maybe something broke?” I offered, wanting my Avery back to normal.

“No…” Avery whispered, “Victoria,” Avery looked at me, placing his hand on my cheek gently, “You’re going to die.”