Chapter 21: Painted Warnings

Closing my eyes for a few moments I took the time to recollect myself but it was hard to shake the feeling that you had just been sucked through a vacuum and then taken out like trash with the rest of the dust mites. Opening my eyes and looking around I was surprised to find myself alone in a small cottage house with dark wooden floors. Pulling myself up I looked around at the white cream walls and dark timbered furniture, highly decorated with small trinkets and about ten vases full of flowers – most were of dual colouring which surprised me. It looked like a floweriest gone wrong in here.

“Eliza!” I whisper yelled out to her as I started looking for a door but came up empty. Where the hell was the door in this place?

Snapping my head around at the sound of a gust of wind my eyes landed on a large painting that now had my attention. It was an interesting piece. The old realistic painting was painted in dark greys and vibrant gold and reds depicting a battle of some sort, angles hovering above demons, skulls of odd shapes scattered around the bottom of the painting while the dark black hole in the sky seemed to suck you in and hypnotize you just like the eyes of the Volucris.

I had seen something similar before when I was in the Underground. I think Marco called it the battle of the times?

“Beautiful isn’t it?” a deep voice startled me making me sequel slightly and stumble back. Turning around to face the one who scared the living crap out of me I was faced with the hooded man I’ve seen a few times before. He had his hood drawn back letting me see his face for the first time. His eyes were a bright light blue that shined like diamonds while his hair was a dark almost, black shade of brown and his skin was a pale white with a pale mark scaring his right check.

“Very.” I finally said making him smile softly at me.

I wasn’t too sure what to do. Panic and run out of the room screaming or accept that he wasn’t going to hurt me based on only the past events of our last encounter. I was leaning towards the panic and run.

“Do you know what is happening?” he asked as he stepped closer to occupy the spot next to me, “What the painting depicts?”

“War?” I answered a little unsure as I looked back at the painting.

“Yes Britney but whose war?”

“How do you know my name?” I asked him again, frowning a little.

“One topic at a time, sweetheart.” He smiled warmly and he gestured towards the painting and continued, “The Volucris are greedy creatures Britney.”

“Not all of them.” I was quick to defend Logan and I guess by extension Marco.

“No. Not all of them, I suspect much has changed since we last spoke.” Ah just a little? Only that the guy who proposed marriage decided he was going to try and compel me so that I didn’t think or do anything he didn’t want me to – the ultimate domination type – and I was saved by some magical smoke that turned out to be the guy I think I have fallen in love with?... Oh and let’s not forget, started a war.

“Years ago they were once peaceful people, after this war of course.” He continued to speak. “They started to branch out into the human world and living among you.”

“And now their back to selfish turds?”

“What makes you human Britney?” He asked me completely changing the subject and confusing me slightly.

“Ah? Four limbs with an intelligent brain?”

“No.” He chuckled deeply as he shook his head slightly at my comments. “Your humanity. The Volucris envy this, most of them enriched their bloodlines by taking a human as their mate.”

“Peter called it tainting the bloodlines.”

“That is because he belongs to one of those families that were too proud to admit their faults.”

“So what does this have to do with… anything?”

“You were the spark, the cause they needed to go to war and by extension it is your responsibility to stop it before it rips up half of the world from the inside.”

“But how am I supposed to do that?” Suddenly the prospect of responsibility made me want to run and hide, I wasn’t a heroic type, I was type that hid in the whole until the fighting was done.

“You’ll figure it out in time.”

“And if I don’t?!”

He gave me a quick sideways glance with a small smile before shrugging and looking back at the painting. Great, just perfect.

We stood there for a short moment with an eeiry silence looming over us like a cloudy mist on a cold winter’s morning before he spoke again.

“You’re not wearing the necklace I gave you.”

“What?” How the hell did you know that?

“The necklace. You need to ware it Britney, always,” He told me but I sensed there was more behind his words, a warning? I wasn’t sure.

“But why…” I started but was interrupted by Eliza as she walked into the room through a door that was secretly hidden within the bookshelf. She paused for a minute and looked between the two of us as if sensing she had interrupted something.

She looked down a little unsure and began to examine a small blue bottle that she now had in her hands. “What’s that?” I asked her as I sensed that this was the perfect ice breaker for this suddenly awkward situation.

“Nothing for you.” The hooded man quickly interjected as he moved over to the other side of the room and began fixing the bookshelf, moving certain books into different positions which striked me as a little odd.

“Oh I don’t know, maybe a sip.” Eliza said smiling at me and giving me a wink.

“No!” he objected again.

“A sip won’t kill her.” Eliza waved him off. Kill me? What the hell is she drinking?

“It might.”

“It’s not that strong.”

“Give some to Britney and you won’t like the consequences.” He warned giving Eliza one finally death defying glare before pushing the last book into place. He stepped back and waved his long fingers around as if he was stretching the muscles repeatedly but I knew better. The spines of the book became clearer as I recognized the markings that make the portals. The books began to glow a bright blue, resembling the man’s eyes before they faded and the darkness came over like a blanket.

I swallowed hard as I watched Eliza take a step into the darkness, her small figure swallowed whole with a small gust of air. I bite my lip as I took a step forward ready to enter the darkness when the man grabbed hold of my arm, his grip tight and urgent. “Remember what I said. Where the necklace, never take it off.” He repeated his words and let go of my hand before taking a step back, his face a stern expression.

I nodded again and took a deep breath before stepping into the darkness once again.

Eliza quickly took me back to my room and asked me not to mention our little outing to Logan since he wouldn’t like it and I agreed. After all, how can not? Closing the door I wondered back over to the bedside table and pulled out the crystal necklace that I was given and quickly slipped it on around my neck and taking off the medallion, deciding it was time to give it a bit of a rest and since it wasn’t going to be easy to wear the both of them at once without chocking myself with them.

A slight knock at the door startled me a little and I turned around just in time to see Logan opening the door. “Hey you.” I smiled at him and bounced over towards him.

“Hey, where’d you go? I was looking for you before?”

“For a walk with Eliza.” I told him, it wasn’t exactly a lie, we did do some walking.

“Why does the not make me feel any better?” He chuckled as he reached out for me and pulled me into his arms, wrapping his arms around my waist as his lips started kissing my neck.

I giggled at the sensations of his lips on my sensitive skin.

I pulled back and reached up, cupping his face with both of my hands I pulled his face down to mine, until his lips crashed down onto mine, his kiss was sweet and full of passion as his hands roamed over my small curves, exploring my body at his leisure. I let my hands roamed down his chest feeling as his muscles tensed at my touch until I got to the waist band of his jeans. I traced my fingers along the small piece of visible skin, tickling his skin and making Goosebumps appear, looping my fingers into his belt I tugged a little on the material making him groan into my mouth and push me back until the back of my thighs hit the high bed.

In need of air I pulled back, resting my forehead on his chest. His heart was racing, his blood pumping and his breathing erratic. “Yes” I breathed.

“Yes? Yes what?” He frowned a little unsure.

“I’m ready.” I clarified, looking up at him in the eyes. His blue eyes were dark almost dark with pure desire and I had no doubts that my own eyes were mirroring the same lustful expression. I want him, I want us.

“Are you sure?” He asked finally understanding what I was referring too.

“Yes Logan.” I smiled at him before he kissed me again, this one was different from the last, more urgent and purely full of lust and love. Tugging on his waist band again I slipped my hands under his t-shirt and felt at his muscles that had been hidden away from me. Lifting his top up I pealed into off of him until he shrugged it off and casting it aside. Logan’s lips found mine once again and continued their assault as his tongue explored my mouth, while his fingers started fumbling with my t-shirt. Deciding to give him a helping hand I pulled back from Logan and reached down, grabbing the edge of my top and lifting it up and over my head before leaning in ready to start kissing Logan again when I noticed his confused stare.

“What? What’s wrong?” I asked suddenly feeling very self-conscious. Was I not what he expected or something?

“Can you see that?” Logan asked urgently as he pointed to my necklace.

“Of course I can!”

“Wait here.” He said quickly before picking his to up off the floor and running out of the room in a panic.

What the hell is going on?

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