All I Ever Needed

Chapter 23

The crisp air hit my face like tiny pebbles. The air outside had gotten colder and unbearable. The woods surrounding me was growing freely, like woods should, but the look of these was not normal. They looked almost eery, like someone placed each plant in a certain spot to catch someone off gaurd or to make it look like you saw someone out of the corner of your arm when naturally it was just tall grass swaying in the wind.

It was happening to me now, the parinora that someone was watching me. I had wipped my head around several times looking for Uccisore's shadow...or him. I expected him to jump out at any moment whispering 'gotcha ya' and flashing his sharp, demon teeth at me. The thought alone had me racing through the woods blindly.

Ahead of me I caught a glimpse of light, thinking it was just another mind trick I ignored it and turned another direction. The dark sky felt as if it was trying to drown me and the stars were the faces of loved ones watching me as I went. I collapsed on the ground as I let out a scream, my ankle was searing with pain from where the shakle once was. I caught myself continuously whispering Chase's name, as if he would magically appear in front of me and take the darkness away.

I caught another glimpse of a light, strangely enough it looked as if it was heading in my direction. The light bobbed back and forth, not finding a stable movement, it seemed as if someone was controlling it. I leaped to my feet and slowly backed away from the light and indeed it quickened it's pace--it wasn't then that I saw a dark, small figure was holding the light and that the light was coming from a lantern. The dark figure slowly stakled towards me but I couldn't find the energy to run, my ankle was dripping blood and my eyes began to droop from exhaustion. I silently prayed the figure meant no harm.

I collapsed on the ground once again when the figure was nearly two feet away from me. They merley shifted their weight on each foot but said nothing to me, they liked the suspision. The lantern tettered in their hands from the wind, the flame quavered a few times but the person didn't seem to care. I clutched my ankle with my hand and cried out at the sudden throbbing. This seemed to motivate the figure to move towards me, I didn't move from their grasp though, the way they slowly approached me gave me a sence of security. As they came closer I noticed in the light of the lantern that they were wearing a cloak, like you would see on the Grim Reaper.

I flinched at his name, the thought of death had me quievering and wondering if this was him. After everything that's happened--finding out my mother was a witch, my father a fallen angel, my kidnapper a shadow person, nothing seemed to really fase me now. And I strangely felt myself giving into the fact that this could be death, kneeling in front of me with his cloak and skythe somewhere tucked underneath. I closed my eyes and thought of my good memories.

"Darling you have to go to school." My mother said as she placed an apple in my lunch box.

I huffed, school. The thought of walking down the halls with many stares thrown my way as if I was a vampire or witch.

My mother shot me a glare, "A warrior needs schooling too you know." She said as she pushed a brown hair from my face.

I frowned and looked out the window. At the time my fourteen year old self didn't know how to let that sink in. I was a warrior, a savior.

"It's not fun." I mumbled.

My mother kissed my forhead, "Warrior's don't always get it easy, believe me. Obstacles will come your way and try to knock you down but what will you do?"

I smiled at her, "Take them down with me."

"That's my girl."

A tear slipped from my eye as the figure touched my ankle. Their fingers were large and masculine, yet bony and fragile. Their skin was pale and papery, their touch cold to the skin. The person ran their fingernail over my cut and I nearly passed out from the sensation.

Chase wiped another tear from my eyes. I had woken up from another nightmare and had screamed his name. He lay beside me now with his comforting hands stroking my back. He was saying soothing words in my ear and I felt myself lean into him, yearning for more.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Chase whispered, kissing my cheek.

I shut my eyes tight and shook my head, "I just want you to hold me.

Chase nodded and intertwined our bodies, "I'm never leaving, remember that. And if you are ever taken from me, just remember...I will always track you down."

The large figure retracted his hand from my ankle quickly and let his sleeves fall back over his hands. He looked up at me but all I saw was darkness, no sign of a face. He looked like Uccisore, the way his cloak covered him but nothing felt familiar about the man in front of me. He was much taller and had a sagging look about him. He stood to his tall frame and picked me up with him. He gestured towards my ankle and I looked down, the skin around the cut was overlapping and my blood began to fade. In seconds the gash on my ankle was closed and healed, as if it had never happened. I looked up at the tall man, "How?"

The said nothing but stared at me, his head tilted as he did so and his hands never left my hands from where he had helped me up. A sudden darkness fogged my head and a voice invaded my thoughts, "You know who I am, you just don't remember. I've been by your side this whole time, I am your protector...a promise from your mother. Let me show you."

I stood tall as I glared at my mother. We were having an argument about something she was hiding from me. I had caught her once again by the fireplace returning a brick. I knew she was hiding something in that brick or behind it.

My mother merely shrugged her shoulders at my outburst and accusation and took a seat in the dining room, "Nows not the time mi piccolo."

I huffed and threw my hands up, "It's never the time! That's what you always say! When will it be time?"

"I would like you to meet someone." My mother said, tapping her manicured fingers on the table.

I raised an eyebrow, "I don't see anyone?"

"You may show yourself now, Morte."

I figure appeared in the corner of my dining room. It wore a cloak and stood at about seven feet tall. His back was hunched and something sharp was hanging off of his back: a scythe, "Mom who is this?"

"Your protector. He is a very powerful man who will watch over you at times in need. If you ever need help you will call for him. When I am no longer around he will be-he will never leave your side."

I sat down across from her and never faltered my eyes from the figure. He didn't move, just stared in my direction.

"Annora baby," my mother whispered, "This is Death. A friend of your fathers."

I opened my eyes and stared at the man in front of me. He released my hands and crossed them in front of him. I rubbed my temples with my shaky fingers, "Why can't I remember anything? It's like everything is just now coming to me! First Uccisore and now you? Death?"

Death simply looked down at me and remained quiet. His voice entered my head, "Someone blocked your memories. Someone your mother must have hired, she wanted you to be oblivious to your protector...and also your enemy's."

"So I'm guessing who know who that is?" I asked, raising a dirty eyebrow.

"Indeed I do. Her name is Lola Vagabondo. The wanderer."

"Well shit."