Flowers and Darkness

Chapter 13

"Wake up!" Alex whispered shouted, whilst shaking me awake.

I turned to face him and groggily opened my eyes. "Go away." I checked the time of my phone and sighed. "It's half 11."

"It's not that late and really, I'm surprised you fell asleep that early."

Practicing my powers all day had drained me. Alex assured me that the more I practiced the easier it would become. So I did. Again and again. When the opportunity hit for me to go to sleep, I took it without hesitation.

"You've got half an hour before it hits 12, so I thought I could help sneak you back home so you can officially turn 18 with your family."
I quickly sat up. "Your family are home. So if you want to go..."

"I want to go home." I hesitated. "But what about Rose and Jayden?"

Throughout the day I kept repeating my plea to spend my birthday with my family. They had a lot of faith that I wouldn't be taken as long as I listen to them and stayed nearby. The harsh truth was that no one really knows what's going to happen. What if I end up being taken? I'll never see my family again. I need to see them. Hades is coming either way and I'd rather spend what little time I may or may not have left with them.

"What they don't know won't hurt them." He paused when he heard a squeak. "Hurry up and get dressed, I'm waiting for you downstairs."

"Alex," I stood up and folded my arms, smiling slightly. "Thank you for this."

His face looked pinched. "Violet..." He placed his hands on my shoulders. "Jayden and Rose, they both care about you. They really do. And they would do anything to protect you. You should know that."

"I know." I touched his hand. "But I'm glad you're doing this for me."

"Violet, of course I'm doing this for you-"

"Alex." I softly interrupted.

"No, let me just say this." He took a deep breath. "I care about you. I really do."

I nodded, unsure what to say in response.

He gave me a small tentative smile and left the room. I ignored the flutter in my stomach and starting getting ready.

Fifteen minutes later we were stood outside my front door. The neighbours were fast asleep and I felt like a stranger intruding the peace.

The journey had been silent. It felt tense. I wasn't sure from his confession from earlier, seeing my family after so long, or just because we both knew we shouldn't be going home. And that when Jayden and Rose found out, anger would be an understatement.

I had spent so much time away from home that it felt like I was almost intruding as I walked up to the front door.

I grabbed at Alex's hand, squeezing it slightly and smiling up at him. He returned my smile, quickly dropping my hand and taking a step away from me when the door opened.

"Dean!" "Vi!"

I laughed for a second before Dean's muscular arms swooped me up in a hug, twirling me around slightly.

"I missed you," he said into my hair, before putting me down on the ground.

Dean felt like home. He's been around for as long as I remember. Any previous anxiety that I shouldn't home right now just vanished.

"I missed you too." My cheeks heated slightly. I casually glanced over at Alex to see his gaze firmly on the ground.

I walked in and flopped down on the nearby sofa, closing my eyes briefly. When I opened them Alex was gone and the front door was shut.