Alexa Frostbite

23 - Love Lies

Leaving the conference room under the watchful eyes of several Vaskels gave James a level of bravado he'd never experienced before. He was their Lord and Master, not their dog to boss around. Not His dog either. He'd kill Alexa when he saw fit and right now, all he wanted to do was visit Hope. She'd been avoiding him since that night on the balcony, when they'd almost kissed, and left him giddy like a little boy. He hadn't felt like a little boy in a while. His childhood had been running from one makeshift shelter to another. The mansion hadn't been built until his mother announced she was pregnant with Alexa. Sweeping through the door which breathed into living room, James sensed the air stiffening. Dark Matter crackled at his feet, but he shook it off. He could deal with Alexa later. His mind kept repeating the order – kill her, kill your sister – over and over again. He tried not to listen. Part of him was convinced he could resist killing her forever. But he knew there'd be a price and he certainly wasn't willing to let Hope pay it. A flash of movement drew him back out towards the entrance hall. Three Vaskels were standing there, all regarding him with blank looks. He grinned. Speeding past, he rushed up the stairs and headed out onto the balcony. Hope wasn't there either. His eyes blew wide. Above, a foot floated down in front of his face. James chuckled, jumping onto the railing and launched himself onto the roof where she was sitting.

"Hey," she whispered. Her arms were wrapped around her chest and her eyes were downcast.

"Hey". He shuffled closer. She moved away. "What's wrong? Is this about last night? Don't worry. It's going to be okay".

"That's what you said last time". She rested her chin on her knees, sighing. He didn't need her to remind him. He could remember every detail of that terrible day; he had it mapped out in his mind. Each second tortured him constantly. He thought of it every day and every night. She was here now though. That was what mattered.

"Hope, it'll be okay. Come on," he said. "You're supposed to be the optimist here". She smiled, but it didn't last long. Tracing her fingers over the New York skyline, she said,

"I realised something yesterday. I'm not supposed to be here. I lived three-hundred years ago, James. I shouldn't be here. And I'm not, really here. Am I?" She let out a bitter laugh.

"Yes, you are. We're going to France soon, remember? You'll be here for good, then". His hand moved towards her shoulder.

"I'm a shell. I'm an echo of what's been. The Hope you knew died in the woods".

"Stop talking like that. He said He'd bring you back, and He has. All I need to do is kill Alexa. A life for a life".

"He made you kill your family. Have you even considered that he might have had an agenda? A motive?" He slapped his hand on the roof tiles.

"Of course, I have, but it's what I had to do for you".

"No," she hissed. "It's what you had to do for you".

"Hope, please. Accept this. Otherwise he'll take you away forever and I'll never see you again. It was my fault. You died that day because of me. I'm not going to let that happen again," he said softly. That day in the woods, he'd lost more than his soul. He'd lost his Hope.

They're walking in the woods. Their parents don't know they've left, and they hadn't planned to tell them anyway. He's dressed plainly, in a blue shirt and cotton breeches. His hands shake behind his back. The dress she's wearing is white like the snow that crunches under their feet. Pure. Beautiful. Untouched. She's his. Somehow, he knows he won't be able to get away with anything. She may be human, but she has a determination that more than matches his mother's.

"I cannot believe I managed to sneak out without Papa seeing me," she whispers, dancing in-between the trees. Her feet are red from the cold. He follows her.