Straight on Til' Morning; Book 4 of the Love is Weakness(Carlos De Vil) series

A Kiss...

Carlos and Raven lay together, feeling euphoric and comfortable. The air was silent, and the darkness of the room was vast.

Both Carlos and Raven had fallen asleep, and Carlos had nuzzled into Raven's neck in a spooning position. Carlos stirred and had inadvertently awaken Raven from her slumber. She looked over to her Isle Boy and smiled, as he continued to snore softly and pulled her closer. Raven soon heard the sound of small feet and tiny nails on the floor, entering the bedroom of the cabin.

"Dude?" Raven whispered, "Shh, don't wake Carlos, I'll be out in a second."

Raven snaked herself out of Carlos' arms and pulled on her bath robe. Raven left the young man that she loved, sleeping comfortably. The Pixie met Dude in the sitting room.

"What's up, buddy?" Asked Raven.

"I was coming to see what was ringing." Explained Dude.

"Ringing?" She questioned, "Like a phone? Neither of our phones have rung all night."

"No, Pretty Pixie, it's like bells or something." Said the pup.

"I haven't heard anything...did you have a dream, buddy?" She asked Dude.

"No, I heard it outside." Dude insisted.

"Outside?" Raven parroted, in confusion.

Raven slipped on some house shoes, and allowed herself to be led out of the green front door of their cabin and out to the porch. The night was well-lit, and the stars were bright in the sky. Raven found herself sitting on the front porch swing, and listening to the night for sounds that matched what Dude had described.

"Do you still hear it, Dude?" Raven asked.

"Not right now." Dude replied, turning his head to the side, his ears up.

Raven sat in silence with her friend and watched the night sky. The moon was high and bright like the stars, and it was in a crescent phase. Raven let her mind wander to Carlos, and their deeply passionate experience a few hours prior. Or, experiences, as would be more accurate. A light blush crept up to her cheeks as she remembered the intimate evening they shared. Finally feeling like their souls had completed one another.

Raven was taken out of her memories, when she heard something clank onto the wooden porch surface. She looked at her feet, and after a moment she spotted something small, slightly cylindrical, and metal. Raven stood up from the swing and picked up the small object.

"What is it, Pretty Pixie?" Asked Dude, curiously.

Raven looked at the object and moved it around as she held it in her fingers. Realization hit her, or more of a memory.

She got a flash of this item in her mind, like something she saw in a dream. An image of hands; one small feminine hand pinching this item between a thumb and index finger, and handing it to another. The other hand bigger and more masculine. This seemed like an innocent gesture, however, she suddenly felt like it was anything but. It felt like something she had seen, but she was not supposed to see.

"It's...a thimble." Raven answered, after a moment.

Raven looked up at the moon, when something caught her eye. It was a flash of yellow. It was so small she could have missed it easily, but her eyes captured it quickly before it abruptly disappeared.

"Did you see that?" Raven asked Dude.

"Was it a shooting star?" He surmised.

"No...I've seen lots of shooting stars, but that wasn't like any star I've ever seen." She answered, sincerely.

A faint squeak sounded behind the pixie and the pup, causing Raven to jump, as she was startled out of her deep thoughts.

Carlos had walked out of the cabin wearing black pajama pants; and his black and red hoodie that he had stolen back from Raven.

"Hey." Yawned Carlos's sleepy voice, "Oh! Harry must've finally fixed the door. What are you two doing out here?"

"I heard bells ringing." Said Dude.

"Bells? In the woods? Black Bird, did you hear anything?" Asked Carlos, confused and continuing to yawn.

"No, no I didn't hear anything." Murmured Raven, quietly.

"What are you keeping from me, love?" Challenged Carlos, still sounding sleepy.

How does he always know?

"I found this on the porch. It fell from...actually... I don't know where, but it fell onto the wood while I was sitting here with Dude." Raven revealed, handing Carlos the thimble.

"What is it?" He asked, having never seen the small trinket before.

"It's a kiss." She stated, matter of fact.

"I'm sorry?" He asked, more confused.

"You said it was a thimble." Argued Dude.

"That all depends on how it's used." Raven expressed, cryptically.

"Does it mean something to you?" Carlos pressed.

"And, we saw something fly across the moon!" Interrupted Dude.

"Like a bird?" Carlos surmised.

"Like a bright yellow light. And, before you ask, it was not a star." Clarified Raven.

Something sounded in the trees, startling the trio.

"What is that? I think I hear it, Dude!" Carlos exclaimed.

"Who is that talking? Do you recognize the voice?" Raven asked Carlos, suddenly hearing it.

"Pretty Pixie, it's not a voice, it's bells." Dude. Insisted.

"No, it's words... can't you hear...?" She started, looking toward Carlos.

"Black Bird, it's clear as day, it's bells." Argued Carlos, looking at the pixie, worriedly.

"It is...you...you just can't decipher them." Raven said vaguely; as realization hit her.

"What do you mean? Are you alright Raven? What do you hear?" Carlos asked, sounding nervous.

"A voice...it says...straight-on-til'-morning." Raven answered.

Carlos thought for a moment, "Wait... I've heard that before. Harry said it when...when he told us how to get to Neverland." Carlos stated.

"Carlos," Raven started, with an ominous look, "I don't think Harry fixed the door."

"Raven, what is going on? Who then?" He demanded, becoming exasperated.

"Someone who could do it quietly, quickly, and in the night. While not being seen. Someone with a special gift. A tinker-talent." She explained.

"I didn't fix it." Voiced Carlos, confused.

"No, not you, love." Raven examined the door, and knelt down in front of it, "Look at the brand on the bottom of the door. It's small, but if you look close you can see it. Initials." Raven pointed them out.

"TB." Carlos read, his eyes widening.

"Who is TB?" Asked Dude.

"My mom." Answered Raven.

Thank you everyone for reading. Would you like another story? Comment and vote.