Chosen For Life

Chapter 8

Leila

Jaxon strides were long, but fast, as we left my apartment. My thoughts were racing, overlapping each other.

Mitra, my best friend, is Makari's sister?

Why did she keep this from me all this time?

Why didn't she bring me to him?

But more importantly, why did she risk her life being in mine? The minute Jaxon, Ariel, or Gabe found out she was a succubus, she would've been killed. My stomach flipped at the thought.

I looked up at Jaxon who had the same expression and intentions as the night he pulled me from Makari at the club. We were walking to his car, and he hadn't said a word.

My heart was racing and my palms were clammy, I was fidgety and I couldn't sit still once we got inside his car. I picked at my lips with my teeth, subconsciously bouncing my leg as the car started.

"Leila", Jaxon called me, causing me to snap out of it. I looked over at him in the driver's seat, "You need to relax." he stated, eyeing my bouncing leg.

I sighed, "I can't just relax, Jaxon."  There was too much I didn't know, too many questions racing through my head that I didn't have answers to. It seemed to be a common theme for these past few days.

"So, where are we going?" I asked, keeping my eyes on the road as he drove. "My house," he answered plainly. "...Why?" I asked, as I turned to look at him. "That's the safest place for you to be right now, and Ariel is there to. We'll watch over you there." I rolled my eyes, and looked back on the road. "There's nothing to protect me from, Mitra would never hurt me..." I said softly, although I wasn't sure how true that statement was anymore.

The rest of the car ride was silent, and you could cut the tension with a knife. My anxiety slowly subdued, but I still felt uneasy. This whole situation was blowing my mind, and every day I felt more and more drained. Emotionally, physically, mentally...I was just drained.

We pulled into Jaxon's driveway, as I saw Ariel standing at the front door waiting for me. The same worried look was plastered across her face, and I was starting to think it was going to be a permanent facial expression of hers.

I quickly got out of the car and ran to Ariel, as she opened the door for me to enter his house. She held her hands out to hold me, and I basically threw myself onto her. Without thinking, I felt hot tears running down my cheeks. The emotions I'd been holding in were finally breaching, and I couldn't stop them.

"It's okay..." Ariel whispered, her hand slowly stroking my hair. I couldn't tell if they were angry tears, sad tears, tears of joy to be with Ariel and Jaxon...they were all jumbled into one.

I pulled away from her, wiping my face. I took some deep breaths to calm myself down, but the tears kept coming. "Come, sit." she said softly, as she guided me to the living room. I sat down on the couch, Ariel plopping herself next to me. She wrapped her arm my shoulder, and sat their quietly as I pulled myself together.

I heard Jaxon enter the house, making his way to the living room. He sat across from Ariel and I, letting out a sigh as he leaned back onto the seat he was in. "I'm sorry this is all happening," he said with a look of endearment. I shrugged, knowing that there wasn't anything I could've done to change it. "We..." Jaxon started, looking at Ariel. She nodded and held my hand in hers, caressing the top of my hand with her thumb.

"We've figured out a lot about Mitra, and it ties in to how Makari was able to find you." Jaxon said, his eyes focusing on me. "We're still not sure how he knew who you were, but he did, and sent Mitra to grow up with you." he stated, matter of factly. "How do you know that?" I asked, my throat feeling raw. "Gabe is with her currently, and has been sending us what he's seen from her memories." he answered, quickly glancing at Ariel. "He can do that?" I asked, "He can see her memories?" Jaxon nodded, looking back at me. "He can read people's' minds, including what they've thought or seen in the past." he said, "Once the person he's trying to read has let their guard down, its easier for him to get into their minds." I nodded slightly, thinking of all the times he's probably read my mind.