Bittersweet

 

by Michele Barrow-Belisle

Published by Astraea Press

www.astraeapress.com

 

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious in every regard. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used. Except for review purposes, the reproduction of this book in whole or part, electronically or mechanically, constitutes a copyright violation.

 

BITTERSWEET

Copyright © 2015 MICHELE BARROW-BELISLE

ISBN 978-1-62135-399-7

Cover Art Designed by AM DESIGN STUDIO

 

Sometimes the people who come into your
life carve out a special place in your heart.

My endless appreciation goes out to Michel and Ryan, and to my parents, family and friends who've been supportive and encouraging every step of the way.

For all of the people who've read the books and loved them, I am so grateful for you. You make writing so much more fun!

A special shout-out to Iris C, Tami B, Mirta K, Tom H, Danielle G, Lori W, Rachel V, Stephanie T, Ajay N and Louise F. You guys rock, and I'm so glad to have you in my world!

 

 

“Just stay one more night.” I leaned over Adrius, his body stretched across the leather couch in my den. My hands tangled in his shirt, pulling him to me. “So…” I said my voice raspy. I kissed his nose then pulled back to look into his eyes. “Will you?”

The last rays of light from the setting sun slid down his body, a final caress of warmth before the cold of night. Hunting and being hunted had left a permanent chill on my soul. Adrius and I had returned to the sanctuary of my empty house, after another unsuccessful day spent trying to find Camilla, my great aunt. She'd disappeared without a trace while I was in another world. In
his
world. The Nevermore.

It's not that Camilla and I were close, quite the opposite. But she was my grandmother's only sister, and I owed it to her if nothing else to find out the truth. “
Family is family, above all else
,
” Gran used to say. Mine had been shrouded in secrecy for so long, we'd lost sight of what was real.

Adrius hooked his finger inside the waist of my jeans, then slid it toward the button. “Such a tempting invitation.” His mouth quirked into a dangerous smile.

My heart raced and then faltered. I held my breath. Sinking next to him onto the couch, I placed my hand on his chest, feeling the rapid rise and fall.

He slipped his arms around my waist and I shivered at the touch of his fingers splayed across my back.

I had no idea my life could be like this, before meeting him. That it could change so dramatically that nothing of what I used to know or believe would remain intact. I was completely and utterly changed by what we went through. Being here now with him, like this, was more than I'd ever dreamed possible a few weeks ago, when he'd returned to my world to end my life.

Since then we've been here, in the safety of my world, pretending everything is normal. But two weeks of normal isn't nearly enough. It was coming to an end. I could feel it. The people I loved kept leaving me. Tonight I was overcome with the need to not let go. If we could stay right here forever, exactly like this, entwined and alone, I would.

I lowered my head, until the only thing between us was heat. My tummy tightened as our lips touched. Something clicked. From the corner of my eye I caught movement as a shadow loomed over us.

“Mom.” I sprang upright. “Wh-what are you doing here?” Breathlessly I fumbled to tuck my shirt back into my jeans. “You're early.”

Adrius sat up straight.

She leveled her gaze, arms folded across her chest. “I'd say I arrived just in time,” she said.

It was Adrius who recovered first, ever in control of his emotions. He extended his hand. “Mrs. Alundra. I've heard so much about you. My name is Adrius Thanduir, I'm...”

“Oh I know exactly who you are,” she snapped, sizing him up with a scowl. “What I would like to know is what you're doing here, in my house, with your hands all over my daughter.”

Hastily smoothing the back of my hair, I tried to explain. “Mom, Adrius and I are....I mean we're...he's my...”

“Boyfriend,” Adrius finished, with a quick side-glance in my direction.

I smiled. Even in the midst of a hideously awkward situation it sounded good. My
boyfriend
. I had a boyfriend. It seemed so ... normal. Ironic, considering he was anything but.

I cleared my throat. “Why didn't you tell me you were being discharged from hospital early? I would have picked you up at the airport.” My voice quivered slightly, but I don't think she noticed. Her attention was fully locked on the immortal boy in her living room.

She stared Adrius down a while longer, before tossing her overnight bag onto the side table. Then she smiled one of her infamous smiles she saved for members of the press she particularly hated. “Go upstairs, Lorelei. I'd like to have a little chat with your friend here.”

“Mom, it's not a big deal, we were just—”

“Go upstairs, Lorelei.”

“Okay, look, anything you want to say to Adrius you'll have to say to me too. I told you we…”

Adrius put his hand on my shoulder. “It's fine, Lorelei,” he replied calmly. “You should listen to your mother. You don't want to make things difficult on her first day home.”

I made a face but left with an exasperated sigh. It was useless to argue, and I didn't want to fight with her, not after she'd just been released from hospital. She seemed the picture of perfect health, but I had to remind myself that she'd been close to death's door not long ago, until I'd managed to save her.

Dragging my feet into the hall, I turned to mouth “Sorry” to Adrius.

His only reply was the slight quirk of the corner of his mouth and a quick nod in my direction before my mother shut the door. It was like I was five all over again. I wasn't thrilled at being sent to my room then, either, especially with Zanthiel, my dark faerie of music, making frequent visits. I hadn't seen him since the night he'd brought me home from Mythlandria, against my will.

It had been just Mom and me for a long time now, ever since my father disappeared and was declared dead. Another untruth I discovered, as he's apparently alive somewhere, ruling the Shadow Court of the Faery Islands. The darkest part of the Faery realm. My mother and I hadn't always seen eye to eye since then. Mostly because I'd been raised by my grandmother while Mom went on tour. But coming so close to losing her again… it changed all of that. Gran was gone, and now even Camilla had disappeared. My mother was all the family I had left and I needed her now more than ever.

I glanced back down the stairs. Although I may have been changed by what I went through, my mother had not. Which is exactly what worried me. Poor Adrius. What was she saying to him?

I darted to my dresser. The inner eye necklace, the charm given to me in the realm of Mythlandria, held special powers, granting the wearer the ability to eavesdrop on any internal conversation within a few hundred yards. Magic wasn't supposed to work in my world, but it was worth a shot. Finding the necklace hanging from my mirror, I slipped it over my head. Then I stood at the top of the stairs and listened.

I didn't need the necklace. Mom was hollering so loudly the neighbors probably heard her.

“Lorelei is
my
daughter, do you understand me? Mine. So you can take this message back to your elven clan. I have no intention of letting her go with you. Or him. Not with any of you ever again. So do yourself a favor and stay away from her.”

Adrius responded in his calm velvety voice. “Mrs. Alundra. I have no intention of bringing her back to my world, I promise you. My only desire is to keep her safe, from anyone trying to hurt her.”

She raised her voice louder. “Are you trying to deny that they are coming for her? I know all about your kind and your prophecy. You will lead them straight to her, if you stay here. I won't lose any more of my children.”

I couldn't take it anymore, I felt awful for him, having to endure all of this because of me. I raced down the steps, threw open the door to the study and stormed into the room.

“Mom, stop. Just stop. You're being unreasonable.”

“It's not unreasonable for me to keep my daughter safe.” She was pacing like a caged animal.

“Adrius is the reason I survived in the Nevermore. If you would just listen for a change, you'd realize he's a great guy and he's telling you the truth. No one is after me.”

She looked at me with wide, incredulous eyes and narrowed them, pursed her lips. “Guy. A great
guy
. He's not a guy, Lorelei. He's one of them. Which makes him a threat.”

I stiffened and moved to his side. “I know exactly what he is, Mother. Just like I know what you are.”

She shrank back a step.

“And what I am. I've seen much more than you can ever imagine. And if there's one thing I've learned it's that there's good and evil in everyone. It's not fair to judge a person by their family. In some places, it's a good way to get yourself killed.”

My mother's gaze swung from me to Adrius and back, taking in the protective hold I had on his arm.

She sighed heavily, and for a moment looked tired and worn out. Despite her immaculate appearance, I had to remind myself she'd nearly died.

And although Adrius didn't know it, I had every intention of returning to his world to find my father.

“Let's not argue, Mom. I'll be fine, Adrius is not the enemy. And I don't put much stock in prophecies. There's nothing for you to worry about. Brigit left some soup in the fridge, Let me get you some.”

She shook her head. “No. I'm not hungry.”

I slipped my hand into Adrius'.

“We're going for a walk and maybe a bite at the café, unless you have any more unfounded accusations?” I raised my brows.

She stared, her mouth slightly agape. Doubt-ridden eyes shifted from Adrius back to me. Finally, she acquiesced with a sullen nod. “Just be home by ten. It's a school night.” She glared at Adrius.

I gave her a quick hug, noticing it felt slightly more natural now than before. “I'll be home
before
ten,” I promised, and we left, shutting the door behind us.

My mother had dealt with my freak-outs and epic scale tantrums for so long, I don't think she knew what to do with the calmer, even-tempered, levelheaded daughter who confronted her tonight. She was never around much, on tour for months at a time, and challenging her authority became the norm when she was home. Though Gran would take my side, in most cases she'd won by playing the “I'm still your mother” card. Not this time. If her intention was to keep Adrius and me apart, it was a battle she would never win. Way scarier beings had already tried and failed.

The cool evening air filled my lungs, and soothed the sting of anger I was still holding on to. I peered up at Adrius. A mix of regret and embarrassment stained my mood. “I am so sorry about all of that. She had no right...”

“Of course she did. She's your mother,” he said quietly. “She wants to protect you.”

“I know, but she seriously went too far, shouting at you like that.”

“I can take it.” He brushed his hand across my cheek. “She wants to keep you safe. She doesn't think I'm right for you. And I completely understand her feelings.”

I pushed his hand away. “Well, it's not up to her. I've made my decision. It's a little too late for her to inject her warm and fuzzy maternal concern. I survived my entire childhood without it...so I certainly don't need it now at eighteen.” I blew out a puff of frustration into the cool night air.

“Anyway, I had to get out of there because there's something I have to see.” I grabbed his hand and tugged him in another direction.

Winding down quiet dim streets, under the steady hum of the streetlights, we walked in easy silence. Finally he pulled back, causing me to slow my hurried pace.

“Where are we going, and what's the rush?”

With every step I'd been walking faster and faster, as if trying to get somewhere before it was too late. “It's Camilla. I can't shake the feeling something has happened to her. I've been dialing that Peterson guy's number for the past few days. No answer, no message… nothing. But if he knew my grandmother, then I don't know, maybe we'll find something at her house that will clue us in to where Camilla went.”

Gran's house stood at the end of Main Street, the last house before the shore. She had a view of the beach from almost every window, and even though her cottage had been empty for years, it was still the place I felt most at home. Mom hadn't wanted to sell after she died, even though she's never set foot inside it since. It was one of the few things we agreed on.

“One thing that I don't get though: Why do you think she's so sure someone is after me? I mean, your father wouldn't risk sending his men here, would he?”

Adrius shook his head. “It's rare these days to encounter a being from the Nevermore in your world. I wouldn't worry.”

I glanced over at him, but his expression was nothing but worried.

Rounding the corner that led to her beachside cottage, I jogged up the fractured stone path leading to the porch, taking the narrow steps two at a time—and stopped dead.

The screen door hung on a slant by one hinge, the mesh slashed to ribbons. The front door had been axed open and lights were on everywhere inside. I froze, unable to force myself to go any further. But Adrius stepped past me and entered, his keen senses searching for danger.

Even in the waning light, the concern straining his features was apparent. He pushed the remains of broken door open to step inside.

“Someone from my world is already here.”