Her Secret

The Forest

I wake up with a searing pain in my head causing a soft groan to escape my lips. My eyes slowly open before closing them tightly as the harsh white light only increases my pain.

I try once more to pry my eyes open and I take in a sharp breath as my eyes meet Charles tense form. He looks conflicted and angry as he stares at the wall ahead of him and my mind races. "Charles?" I ask.

His eyes instantly soften as they meet mine. "Hey." He says sitting in the chair beside the bed. "What happened?" I ask softly. "I'm sorry." He tells me and I look at him like he's grown three heads. "For?" I prompt. "Not believing you." He answers and it clicks in my head.

"It's ok." I say softly. "You got sick because of your lack of salt water in your system. The doctor said that because you hadn't been in the salt water for a while, that your body was deeply affected by it. " he explains and I nod in understanding. "The doctor gave you a salt water IV and has instructed me to make sure you get at least two cups each day until your accustomed to being on land." He informs. "Ok." I say softly and he nods before handing me some clothes to change into.

I drop the cute little gown they gave me to wear and hear Charles clear his throat. I look up at him and notice his cheeks are beet red. "What?" I ask innocently.

"There's a bathroom for you to change in." He practically growls. I place my hands on my hips and sigh. "You don't like my body?" I ask a bit of hurt lacing my voice. "That's not the problem at all Angie, just put the clothes on." He says and I do as I'm told before that vein in his forehead pops.

The door busts open right as I finish zipping up my pants. "Oh, thank goddess you're ok. You scared the crap out of me." Mariah tells me hugging me tightly.

I tense not use to the contact and look at Charles for help. "Come on Mariah, let her go." He orders and she reluctantly does.

"Are you ok?" She asks me and I nod. "Peachy." I tell her and she smiles at me. "So, you're a mermaid huh?" She asks and I nod. "What's it like?" She asks. I raise my brow and shrug. "It's pretty cool I suppose, getting to breathe under water and all that fun stuff." I explain and she sighs. "I wish I was a mermaid."

I laugh softly as Charles signs the release forms and we walk out of the hospital after they take the IVs out.

The air hits my face and I smile as the warmth of the suns ray reach me. Trees surround their little village and people stare at me with curiosity before returning to work. "Come with me, we have to pick up some more food." Charles tells me and I nod.

"Charles." I hear a deep voice say to the left of us and I turn to see a light-haired man giving Charles a bow and some arrows. "Thank you, Marcus." He tells him.

The man, Marcus, bows before walking off. "Do you kill for food?" I ask him. He ignores my question as we walk into the thick forest. "Stay close to me Angelina." He tells me and I find myself gripping onto his shirt lightly. "Why?" I ask him. "Please, for once, just do as I say." he tells me and I nod. "OK."

The sunlight barely breeches the top of the trees leaving little light to see with. I feel my eyes adjust and glow slightly. This is how we are able to see in the depths of the water. The glow slightly brighter than normal and it's almost as if I have night vision.

Charles looks at me with shock and I feel my cheeks heat up. "Thanks." He says. "I can't control it." I tell him and he laughs softly. "Magnificent." He says sincerely as he looks at my eyes.

He shakes his head before turning back continuing forward. I feel my legs ache the longer we walk and look up at the top of the trees as we pass, fascinated by the pattern of the leaves.

I hit Charles back as he stops and I look toward his dark eyes and give him a sheepish smile. He puts a finger over his lips as he crouches down and I do the same.

He grabs an arrow and draws back the string. A deer is eating the overgrown grass a few meters away from us. Its head picks up as the wind blows and before Charles can let the arrow fly it bounces away.

The wind whispers around us as its intensity picks up causing the trees to sway. Charles arms go limp and the bow and arrow drop to forest floor with a thud.

His eyes glaze over and turn white before his body turns towards me. Ice cold fear rushes through me as he lets out a deadly growl. "I didn't cause the deer to bounce away." I tell him as he looks at me with no emotions on his face.

He doesn't say anything as he takes a step forward casuing me to take a step back. Dark claws extend from his fingers as his veins turn a firey orange. "Shit." I curse.

I feel my breathing go shallow as I hit a tree with my back. "Charles?" I ask softly as he keeps moving towards me. "Abomination!" He growls out in a voice thats not his as fire erupts from his skin as his pace picks up.

I quickly dodge his punch and gasp as I move away. The tree cracks and falls to the floor from his supernatural strength, causing birds to scatter as the wind whips my hair around my face. "CHARLES!" I scream as a ball of fire rushes towards me. I jump out of the way but I'm too slow. My arm is burnt and a searing pain runs through me as I let out a scream of agony. My eyes find the charred flesh and I let out a soft whimper of pain.

"Stop it Charles! I did nothing to you!" I scream as my eyes change causing me to lose control as he gets ready to release another ball of fire.

I out an ear-piercing scream as my eyes glow brighter and the trees fall to the floor. The force of my scream pushes Charles to the cold dirt knocking out his flames. My scream echoes through the dense forest before everything falls silent.

The wind stops and Charles eyes turn back to blue. Confusion is written on his face as he looks around frantically. "Angelina? Are you ok? What happened?" He asks me as he notices my arm and gets up moving towards me. I flinch slightly back causing him to stop in his tracks, hurt written on his face.

"You." I mumble as I feel myself slip to the ground against a tree.

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~scarletbride30