A Thief's Treasure (10 page)

Chapter Twelve

About three weeks had gone by since my parent’s had been back.
 
I had been perfecting all of my alchemy for the ensuing fight in about a week between
Karakan
and us.
 
The other clans were going to be over tomorrow to discuss plans with our clan and hopefully a strategy would be able to be formulated.
  
Meanwhile my parents were beginning to be my parents again and they were starting to help me learn various things and helping me get back on my feet for after this war was over.
 
It was weird, but I actually liked it and I was excited to see what they had in store for me next.

That night I was lying in bed thinking about everything that had happened these last three weeks.
 
One of my homes had been destroyed and replaced with another.
 
I know this is temporary due to provisions and location, but this actually was turning into some semblance of a home.
 
I also was thinking about Darren.
 
He had been sending me different signals recently, like sometimes he really shows care for me and would help me, but other times he would turn into this aloof guy that had something to hide.
 
It was weird, but I didn’t know how to ask him what’s been going on.
 
That was what’s been keeping me up most of the night, not the fact that my life had taken a 180-degree spin in the last three months.

I sat in bed and looked up at the ceiling, my thoughts on everything.
 
The ceiling was a stale
gray
unlike the vivid blue in my old room.
 
I missed it a lot but I know I had to make the best of it for right now.

I was thinking about all this when a voice hit me through all of that like a bullet through the water.
 
‘Are you awake Alyssa?
 
It’s me Darren.’

I sat up in shock, looking around the room to see if there was anything around.
 
There wasn’t, and I was beginning to get puzzled about what was happening.
 
I looked around confusedly to see if anyone was hiding up in the ceiling maybe, but it was stark quiet.

‘Relax Alyssa.
 
I’m in my room.
 
I was using our mind reading to communicate to you.
 
You are just reading my mind.
 
This is the real Darren, not some creep so calm down,’ the voice told me through my head.
 
I guessed it was just thinking the thoughts, so I decided to try it back to him.

‘What do you want?
 
It’s late you know.’

‘I know it is sweetie, but hear me out.
 
Can you let me in your room, I wanted to talk to you and I had to do this in person and not telepathically.
 
My thoughts are so strong they’re only focused on you, so no one else will hear this.
 
Can you let me in your room in five minutes?’ he asked.

I thought about it; why in the world would he want to talk to me at a time like this?
 
Especially after everything that’s happened?
 
Nevertheless I gave in and responded.
 
‘Be over here in three minutes.
 
I’ll be waiting.’

The voice disappeared and I could hear a small patter of footsteps cross from one end of the hallway, down the stairs, to the other end.
 
Sure enough within a minute I heard a small knock and I opened the door, and there was Darren with his long, brown hair in a low ponytail and only a pair of shorts and a t-shirt covering his body.
 
I could see the taut muscles and I couldn’t help but want to touch them.
 
I knew it was not the right time however, as I needed to know what the hell was going on.

“Hey there,” I asked.

“Hey yourself.
 
Say, can we talk out on the balcony?
 
I need some air and since I’ve been cooped up in this damn place most of the day and there’s a lot on my mind,” he replied.
 
I could tell something was up but I didn’t want to prod it any further.
 
I walked in with him and we went over to a set of two small doors which led to one of the two balconies.
 
The other was in Eliza and Anthony’s room, and I’m sure they used it on a daily basis since Eliza stays home half the time.

I sat down and I looked at him, a look of growing concern present on my face.
 
“So what’s happening?
 
You seem a little off,” I asked.

There was a small loveseat there and each of us took a side.
 
There was some closeness between us, but I could tell there was tension.
 
“Yeah.
 
There is something wrong and it’s been eating away at me since I’ve thought about it.
 
I have this problem; I really want to tell someone how I feel, but I’m a little worried about their reaction.
 
I kind of came of as an asshole initially, but I didn’t mean to and I don’t want to ruin any of my chances with this person.
 
To be honest I might possibly love them and I care more for them than I do myself.
 
The problem is how.
 
How do I tell this person that?” he asked.

I smiled.
 
This was one of the few areas in life I actually had experience in.
 
I had one boyfriend, but I had to help a lot of my friends both male and female confess their love to someone.
 
It saddened me a little that he liked someone else, but who knows, maybe he’s just trying to hide it in order to make things less awkward.
 
“Well I would probably just pull her aside like how we’re doing now and apologize for how
douchey
you treated this person at the beginning but now you’ve realized that you do care about them and don’t want anyone to hurt them ever,” I replied.

Darren looked at me for a moment like I had three eyes.
 
“Wait it’s that easy?
 
And the person won’t run away from me?” he asked.

“I’m sure this person won’t.
 
If they care about you as well, then who knows maybe they’ll realize it too.
 
Love is weird like that.
 
I’m no expert, but I have watched a lot of my friends go through the same thing.”

He moved his body around and stood up.
 
He pulled me up as well so we were facing one another.
 
There was a peaceful silence between us and I couldn’t help but get lost in the lovely pools of blue his eyes donned.
 
After a moment he spoke and the words that came out almost sent me in a tizzy.

“Listen…Alyssa…I’m sorry for being a dick to you at first when we met in the old place.
 
I was being young and selfish and I thought you were just another easy girl that I could sleep with, have fun for a while with, and then either you would walk away or I would throw you out.
 
It turned out you weren’t like that, not like the other stupid alchemists we’ve had to take in.
 
You’re something special and I came to realize it when the attack happened.
 
I knew you were the one and you were nothing like these other sluts who just wanted me for a great time and because I had a nice body.
 
My parents initially loved you and they told me to give you a chance and not to scare you off.
 
I listened to them and now that I’ve done it I realized that they were completely right.
 
I had found something different, and this difference was key to not only my happiness, but my whole
demeanor
as well.
 
What I honestly am trying to say with a
crapload
of words is….I love you Alyssa.
 
I always have and it took me a long-ass time to finally realize it but
dammnit
I knew it was the truth.
 
I was blinding myself and trying to act all young and flirtatiously to get your attention but I realized soon that that wasn’t what you wanted.
 
You wanted a knight in shining
armor
along with a caring friend and I would be happy to be that for you now Alyssa.
 
So I’m sorry about everything and I hope this confession isn’t too damn cheesy that it makes me look like a loser, but I just wanted to clear the air on everything,” he admitted.

Needless to say I was beyond shocked.
 
How in the world did this man fall in love with me?
 
I didn’t understand.
 
I knew I had to speak though so I just said what was on my mind.
 
“I love you too.
 
But why did you fall for me?
 
I’m nothing like these other girls who would probably be more than willing to show you a great time.
 
I don’t understand,” I replied.

His hands wrapped around me and I melted into the lovely scent that he exuded. He really did care for me, and the thought of that brought tears to my eyes.
 
“It’s because you’re different then all of them.
 
You’re pretty, smart, accepting, strong, and most importantly you don’t want me as just a sex object like the other girls.
 
You wanted me as a friend, and that’s the one thing in this world I’ve been lacking.”

I hugged him even tighter, tears cascading down my face despite the fact that I was happy as a clam.
 
“I love you too Darren.
 
I have for a while as well, after the trip to Egypt I started to have feelings for you.
 
That you weren’t just some pervert, you actually were a man who cared about me and wanted to make sure I was the happiest girl alive.
 
I couldn’t thank you enough Darren, you really did care and you’ve been at my side from the start.
 
I’m happy you kidnapped me, because not only do you have me now on your side but you also have my heart,” I replied.

He pulled my face up and his was inches from mine.
 
Moment by moment they got close until they touched, sparks flying through me as our lips touched each other’s in a chaste kiss.
 
I’ve never felt such a safe and loving kiss before, and I melted immediately into it.
 
We started to kiss a little more fervently, my lips touching his and breaking away to kiss them.
 
He grabbed my waist and pulled me closer and wrapped my arms around his neck allowing me to deepen the kiss as we continued.
 
I loved this feeling; it was almost freeing like I was a little bird who was finally out of its cage.

I felt his tongue start to snake in, poking my lips as if begging for an entrance.
 
Needless to say I gladly obliged and I felt his plus organ start to roam my mouth before meeting up with mine.
 
We continued to kiss passionately and I loved the feeling of him around me and the love and care that I could feel coming from him.
 
All of his love and passion and all of the tension from the last few weeks were finally dissipating and I could feel the air even start to be even calmer and less stale around us.

After a few minutes he broke away, giving me a small smile.
 
I was panting; he was an amazing kisser, better than any of the others that I had ever kissed before.
 
It was like I had fallen under a spell, and he was the only one to release me from it.

“I love you.
 
I love you, I love you, I love you,” I said aloud.

He smiled and gave me another kiss on the lips.
 
“I love you too.
 
I want to be your everything, and I want to show you the extent of my love,” he replied.

I was a little confused when he extended his hand but I grabbed it nonetheless. He took me over to the bedroom again, closing the door to the balcony.
 
I was laid down on the bed and immediately his lips were on mine again.
 
I was never going to get tired of his kiss, that’s for sure.
 
He started to loosely tug on my shirt and I obliged, helping him pull it up.
 
Needleless to say I wasn’t wearing a bra so he immediately saw my erect nipples.
 
He smiled, and bent down to kiss both of them, earning a small gasp from my mouth.