The First Touch (61 page)

Minutes later Ivan heard the struggling of two people in the alley. T
hen Ivan heard her voice, “
I told you to stay away why
didn’t you
listen?”

He stepped into the center of the alley and asked, “Why do you want me to stay away?”

Autumn
hissed, “Because I am busy, right now.”

Then a thud hit the wall next to him and he adjusted his vision, “What are you doing?”

She
hissed “Practicing
.”

Ivan watched her throwing a man
across
the
alley like a rag doll, and he
asked watching her smash his skull into the ground, “Why?”

Autumn
spat back, “So I can kill Mirth. But he already knows that I am coming for him doesn’t he Ivan.”

He
growled, and
Autumn
hissed back, “Just a few more moments, I want to finish him.” Then a ripping sound and Ivan was standing behind watching her feed. He reached down to touch her and she raised her hand sending him flying without even lifting her head. Ivan scrambled back quickly, reaching for her again. This time she
let his hand finally rest
upon her skin. But instead of pulling her away or hurting her as she had expected, Ivan simply set his hand upon her shoulder.

As she
finished she swung her head up sending her hair and blood flying backwards flinging it everywhere. Ivan did not even flinch, and
Autumn
stood then watching
him her eyes dilated. “What do you want Ivan?” He eyed her back as if he did
not understand her words. She
snapped, “If you want me then you will have to side with me when I kill Mirth.” He growled and
Autumn
replied seriously, “The pain in your chest will never go away
otherwise
.” Ivan growled again
as she continued
, “I am sorry Ivan. If I had known that you had already chosen Mirth’s side in this life then I would never have bonded with you.”

He stopped growling and blinked, and then
she
frowned, “It is not that I wouldn’t have wanted to bond with you, it is just the pain,
” and she touched her chest.
Ivan continued to watch her and he stepped closer, and
Autumn
let the flood gates open, “Why is this happening to me? I don’t want you, no us, to be broken, to not to be able to be with you always.”

She pounded on her chest. “Mirth is do
ing this, Mirth and Gregory, do
n’t you see?”

Ivan nodded solemnly, “I saw.”

Autumn
frowned looking defeated, “Fine, I am sorry that I hurt you. I am going to find Grayton and get away for a bit until I can sort things out for myself.”

She
turned to walk away and Ivan reached out and grabbed her arm, “Don’t go.”

Autumn
stopped and looked at Ivan then wiped the tears from her cheeks an
d replied, “What is it?”
Autumn raised her hand up and shot two fireballs at the body in the alley setting it ablaze.

Ivan replied watching the flames, “I need to think, as well.”

Autumn
nodded and
then slid her hand down grabbing
his, “Can you play nice with Grayton while you think?” Ivan eyed her cautiously again, and
Autumn
slid her hand up and kissed him passionately, then asked smiling at his dazed look, “So is that a yes?” Ivan nodded slowly, and
Autumn
gave him her familiar tug, pulling him out of the alley towards Grayton’s empty car.

Autumn
was about to start the car when she
paused
key in hand, “I mean it Ivan
,
if you think that you won’t be able to handle yourself
,
you and I can meet later, alone.” Ivan looked at her hesitating and
she
frowned, “You have my word love. I do not want you to harm Grayton.” Ivan still watched her though he did not reply, “He is my friend and I want you to promise me you will not harm him.”

Ivan nodded, “I promise.”

“
Alright then we
’
re off.”

***

Grayton watched as
Autumn
pulled up in his automobile and stepped out looking nervous. Grayton tightened as
she
came
closer, her eyes had changed and she looked tired.
Autumn
smiled a small smile and said, “You’re probably not going to be pleased with my decision but I think I may have come up with a temporary solution.”

Grayton eyed her cautiously, “I want you to allow me to try to change Ivan.”

“How are you going to do that?”

Autumn
replied hesitantly, “I want to try and bring him into the fold.”

Grayton raised his eyebrow
, “
He will not turn on Mirth.”

Autumn
nodded, “Yes but he may also choose not to attack me while I try my hand at killing Mirth.”

Grayton nodded
, “
That is a possibility.”

Autumn
nodded, “So?”

He
tightened,
“Bring him out.”

Autumn
smiled and hugged him, “Thank you Grayton.” He nodded though his skin went slightly colder and as
she
lifted her head she saw that his face had also gone a little paler as well.

Ivan was standing within arms distance watching their exchange curiously, his eyes darting between the two of them.
Autumn
smiled and stepped away from Grayton who watched Ivan intently in expectation of an
affront
.
Autumn
slid her hand into Ivan’s and his eyes dilated
tearing from Grayton to look at
her.
Then after staring at
Autumn
a moment he said eyes unmoving from his mates eyes, “Why do you look at her like that Grayton?”

Grayton shifted his weight and replied unafraid
, “
When you are dead and gone I will be her next.”

He
snapped, “She is already bonded with me.”

Grayton replied, “When you are dead you will lose your grip on her and she will reach for another.”

She
frowned and then snapped, “Grayton stop instigating.” Ivan stared at him his grip tightening on
Autumn
’s
hand, then
she
gave Ivan a tug and he finally looked at her again, “You saw love I can bring you back over and over again, you will not be leaving me anytime soon.”

Grayton frowned and then huffed
, “
You will not bring him back if he turns on you.”

Autumn
snapped back, “Ivan will not turn on me.” Ivan felt his heart tighten at her words.

Then Grayton growled a warning back, “We shall see about that.”

Ivan felt a growl escape his
throat
,
though he did not remember releasing it, “I will not turn on her.”

Autumn
smile
d brightly, and then kissed him
on his cheek, “Thank you love.” Ivan half nodded his eyes still burning on Grayton, and Grayton turned and walked back inside of the building, obviously fuming as he slammed the door behind him.
Autumn
called after Gra
yton, “We are going for a walk. We
will be back later.”

This time Ivan lead the way his eyes stormy and
Autumn
interrupted
his thoughts with, “Are you already reconsidering your
promise love?”

Ivan’s brows furrowed, a
nd he snapped, “I will not go softly.”

“I know that was one of the reasons that I choose you as my mate.”

Ivan’s frown deepened, “You said that you would not have
chosen
me.”

Autumn
corrected
, “
I said I would have not
chosen
you again knowing that Mirth had already gotten to you.”

Ivan hissed through clenched teeth his
fist
s balling
, “
You would have chosen Grayton.”

Autumn
’s brows arched as she corrected him, “No
,
I would have chosen
Drake
.”

He
stopped walking then, “
Drake
?”

Autumn
put her hand on his chest and felt the muscles tightening
, “
Yes I would have chosen
Drake
. But I know now that I would have chosen wrong.”

Ivan’s face cleared instantly
, “
Grayton is stronger than you thought.”

Autumn
frowned
, “
That is true but no.”

Ivan raised his eyebrow, and
Autumn
continued, “I know now that choosing you is
essential
to my well being.”

“
I am stronger?”

Autumn
hissed, “No. You are the reason I keep jumping.”

He
frowned, “What?”

Autumn
slapped her leg,
“Y
es that has to be it. It’s so simple, why didn’t I see it before. When I let go of you, I jump.”

Ivan frowned, “You are not making
sense
.”

Autumn
smiled and jumped up onto Ivan suddenly giddy with excitement, “You are my anchor
,
” then she kissed him hard against the lips. Ivan instantly deepened the kiss and
she
had to pry herself off of him then for fear of getting sucked in.

Then she continued, “Don’t you get it. You are the thing that keeps the darkness back.” Ivan frowned trying to comprehend, as
Autumn
continued
, “
Each time I have jumped you either died or were about to and I closed my eyes and let go just for a second and then when I awoke each time I went looking for you.”

He
nodded, “I see.”

Autumn
smiled and continued a frown quickly following her words
, “
But that still doesn’t prove if I am the one moving myself a
nd Gregory or if Gregory is moving
him and me
.” Ivan frowned as well,
and then
Autumn
snapped, “Do not tell them about the
connection
love. Or else they will kill you in my next jump before we can even bond.”

Ivan stopped walking, “Your next jump?”

Autumn
frowned
, “
I fear that it is inevitable.”

“Why would there be another jump?”

She
replied
plainly
, “Well this jump will go one of two ways
,”
Ivan watched her
closely
,
“
Either I will kill them both and no more jumping, unless I am the one controlling it. Or they kill you before I can kill them and then we start again in a new time and place.”

He
raised his eyebrow, and replied, “Unless you are controlling it?”

She
frowned
, “
Yes there is still that possibility, in which case we will probably jump again.”

Ivan frowned, “Why would you choose to jump again?”

She
looked at him surprised, “You don’t know why?” Ivan looked
genuinely
hurt, and she stopped, touching
Ivan’s arm
, “
I am sorry love that was thoughtless of me.” He looked at her surprised now, and
Autumn
frowned, “Well you saw, they were my clan, and I am now in love with the man who single handedly killed them all. So if I could go back and change that
,
then yes
,
I would.”

“So at this point you are simply aiming at preventing anymore backwards slide from your first life.”
Autumn
nodded, and he
offered, “What if you are wrong?”

She
replied, “You mean if all of my clan
is
suppose to be dead?”

He
nodded, “Perhaps another route is a smarter choice for the future of our people.”