Ariadne and the Flaming Torch : The Quest

Book 1 : The Quest

Chapter 9
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Loki. You mean the God of Mischief, the prankster Loki? The Loki who tricked his gay son into thinking that all the “fabulous gay men on this planet were suddenly extinct”? Well, no shit, Sherlock, he just said he was Loki, The God of Mischief, didn’t he? How many other Lokis do we know? Actually, we don’t know even one Loki. And why the hell am I calling myself “we”? Okay, that whole “spectrum travelling, incorporeal body turning corporeal only to wake up in front of Loki, the God of Mischief” - I really have to stop using his title every time I say his name - thing really was not a good idea cause now my brain’s turning into mush and I am reverting back to my teenage self, which means I can’t use good adjectives or form perfectly sound sentences anymore. Not to mention, my swearing has gone up. Oh well, who cares? I say, fuck this shit.

“Your brain can’t turn to mush.”, said Loki.
“I said it figuratively, you dumb shit.”

“Oh, your swearing really has gone up. So I guess you’re not the Mother Theresa everyone thought you to be. You like using the words fuck and shit too much.”
Someone thought I was Mother Theresa. Okay, that’s funny as hell. It’s even funnier than when the suicidal dumb fuck that I have for a cousin got caught giving his whorella eye candy - meaning his girlfriend or as I like to say, flavor of the month - head. That too by his mom. But that’s not the funny part. The funny part was that Aunt Cindy, Noah’s mother, was in her underwear and about to have sex with her new boy toy, the “super hot candy”, as she called him, underwear model that Aunt Lucinda hooked her up with.

Aunt Cindy was, and still is, an attractive woman - blond hair, green eyes, pink, full lips, attractive and slender body - the whole shit load. Aunt Lucinda; or “Lucy” as everyone called her - actually, she hated her name and nearly decapitated anyone who dared call her Lucinda - was a model and gave up her used boyfriend to Aunt Cindy, not that Cindy knew that. Yeah, we - by “we”, I mean the entire family - have relationship issues as well as betrayal issues. The only ones in the family, who were completely and truly faithful to each other, were mom and dad. And look at fate’s irony: the ones who loved each other the most were torn apart.

Hell, even I wasn’t that faithful. Sure, I never cheated, never got the time considering the fucked up ass shit myths and monsters that were after me since I could barely talk. But I did rifle through boys like they were clothes. Almost everyone in my family has cheated, lied and altogether broken up in their dysfunctional relationships, no matter how good the sex was and we kids are following their examples. It’s natural for a cousin to hook up with another long distance cousin and have sex and then break up. It’s natural for us to hear the cries of some estranged blond or some hefty brunette throwing a fit cause one of the guys cheated. It’s natural to hear the enraged shouts of the over protective and altogether needy boys as they storm out of the house vowing revenge.

It’s natural to see the guys sporting black eyes or scratch marks because they slept with someone’s sister and girlfriend. It’s natural to see girls come back home running and crying with bruises on their arms because their boyfriends hit them for being the hoes they were. And it was completely natural for the entire family to go there and teach said boyfriends some manners and give him a totally deserved ass-whooping. It was natural to see teenagers’ pregnant and teenage fathers in our family and because it was so natural and common, we had learned to forgive each other. That’s the way it was and I think will be for the next hundred years because change doesn’t come easily.

“Your thoughts are wandering.”, pointed out Loki.

Okay, what the hell. I thought he said he wasn’t a mind reader, not that something like that existed. The mind was a complex vessel for all our thoughts and desires with many deep layers and corners. There was simply too much in the mind and too many thoughts buzzing around. The mind is not going in one track like a book. It goes in different directions and thinks different thoughts completely unrelated to the subject at hand. Simply put the mind was not a book to be read because it didn’t go in one direction and it was too much for another mind to process the garbled shit that one mind transmitted and the mind that was “reading” would blow because of information overload. Okay, that wasn’t so simply put but still, the point is that there is no such thing as a mind reader because the supposed mind reader would blow. So, once again, glittery shit vampire turns out to be a fake because he can’t possibly read minds. Oh, the joy of insulting Twilight! Okay, I really am diverting aren’t I? I should really not have had that triple chocolate mocha coffee with whipped cream and caramel. I’m not only caffeine high, but I’m also sugar high.
Anyways, back to the point, how in hell can he understand my thoughts? I’m not that transparent cause that’d be impossible and he can’t have been guessing. It is the table? Wait, what the fuck am I talking about! A table transmitting and reflecting thoughts! Now that’s worse than the glittery turd shit I was just dissing. That’s just wrong and stupid thoughts such as that should be made a felony. God, why do I contradict myself so much? One second I’m thinking deep and proverbial thoughts and going on about my business like a freaking bitch version of Mother Theresa - so that’s why everyone thought I acted like Mother Theresa - and the next, I’m talking shit about your mother like a drunken and slap happy high teenager who doesn’t know shit about respect and swears a lot. Like I am now. I mean, seriously, what is wrong with me? A magic table, seriously? And I swore at Loki; I should be bowing at the fact that I was in front of a God and I should be showing the utmost respect and other shit, but I’m not. Then again, I have always had trouble with authority.

Wow. My thoughts really are wandering like Julian’s eyes wander up a girl’s skirt. Okay, that’s a mental image I could have lived without. When I was younger, basically a teenager, my mind was almost always in the gutter. So, once I saw Grandma Ellie kissing Julian on the cheek and the perverted mind when into action. I imagined what those two would look like having sex, I know, a totally wrong thing to imagine about your Grandmother who wasn’t a bitch and buttfuck Noah’s best mate. But my perverted mind couldn’t help it. I had imagined my two hundred and fifty pounds Grandma having sex with the twenty one year old god I had had an affair with. Come to think of it, I think that was probably why I had thought of that image and tortured him as well as myself with it. I was spiteful that he had dumped me because I was always the one who dumped, never the one who got dumped. Anyways, I had had nightmares about that image for months. I could never look at Ellie right after that; imagining her wrinkly and not to mention fat and saggy body moving together with Julian’s was an image I could have lived without and it still haunts me. Ew.

Okay, that double dose of caffeine and sugar heaven was really not a good idea because now my mind was wandering and I really didn’t need that image back in my head. Loki was dying of laughter and Hyas’s who farted face had intensified into one of disgust and strangely amusement, which made me think that there was some way for them to monitor my thoughts cause as disgusting and bile inducting that image was, it was still funny as hell.

“Oh God, that was funnier than the time Zeus’s face had been when he had thrown it into a succubus and came back with a freaky ass smell from in between his legs and scratch marks and shit on his face and body. Oh, lord. Ariadne, you are now my personal favorite god-to-be or demi god or whatever the hell you are.”

Ew and flattering. He knew just what to say to a woman to woo her, didn’t he?

“Hey, no need to get venomous and shit, I’m just telling the truth and what’s on my mind. And the thing that’s on my mind now is that Hades should really triple wrap his dick before he throws it into that Grandma gone Model reject cause he might not be able to get the smell of sour dough off of his little, and when I say little, I mean little, friend.”

Okay, that’s just gross and then some. But still it was kind of funny. Okay, he’s twisted but I think I already got that when he thought that - Okay never mind. I don’t need that image in my head again. Great, it’s back. Okay, Ariadne, think of something else, anything else. I looked for a distraction and found that looking at Loki’s face wasn’t so bad. I mean he was a God and he needed to be “dazzling”, as the constipated stick in the mud vampire girl put it, to attract some girls, mortal or not, stupid enough to fall for it. I say stupid enough because falling for a God really is stupid. It is for a mortal anyway. The gods are vengeful and lustful and are all about vanity. They’ll court some innocent or otherwise mortal, fuck them, procreate with them and then kill them because they get too overprotective and possessive and shit. So, yes, it is stupid for anyone other than a God to fall for another God and even then the “relationship” is filled with lust and only lust, nothing else; care, honesty, loyalty, all of these qualities mean nothing to the Gods.

“I’m hurt, Ari. Is that all you think of us Gods?”, Loki asked in a mock hurt voice, his attractive features smirking. Full, pink lips, a straight, sculpted nose, high cheek bones, tanned skin and attractive hazel shaped green eyes with a full head of blond hair. Tall and muscular from what I could see. He was sporting the typical, all American boy look with a bit of a twist provided by the violet highlights I hadn’t noticed were in his hair. Huh, he was going for the bad boy looks and kind of succeeding at it.

Asshole. Did you really think that I would be fooled? I was not some innocent virgin who would be lured in by your seductive features. I’ve had more experience in this field than you think. No way in hell was I going to fall for it...What the fuck am I thinking? The dude’s not trying to seduce me. God, I can be conceited. Huh, I blame the coffee and chocolate heaven.

“How is it that you know what I’m thinking. I know you’re not a mind reader, because there is no such thing but seriously, dude, what are you using to transmit my thoughts? It’s not the stupid table is it, cause I swear if it’s the table, then I quit. I don’t want to hang around for glittery shit gay ass vampires to come and assault me. You know I have really been insulting the damned book today. Normally, I try to keep it to a minimum or at least keep it bearable, but today for some reason, I am insulting it like hell. But, anyways, I’m rambling. I blame the coffee. But still, how do you know my thoughts?”

“You talk. A lot! You might want to work on that. Anyways, no, I don’t have a magic table, as you put it. But you’re close and as for the glittery gay ass vampires shit, I’m not really sure. Who knows, Hades might make something like and send it after you just to piss you off.”

I was about to say something about where my loon and deserter of a father could shove it when that bloody fucktarded Hyas interrupted me. Okay, what is it with people and hating me? I’m not that much of a pain in the ass am I? Okay, maybe I am, but I’m still cute, so can’t they love me for that? Ugh, I can’t believe I just said, thought...whatever, thought that! I’m going blond! No more coffee for me, I swear. Speaking of that, I’m hungry.

Right at that moment, my stomach gave a huge growl, interrupting whatever Hyas was going to say. Thank you, dear stomach, you have redeemed me. If I’m going to be loopy the entire day, then I might as well act like it. Who knows, it could be fun and I’m definitely pissing Hyas off. I don’t know why I hate the little dude so much but the second he started calling me the “daughter of Persephone and Hades”, shit is when I lost it. Huh, looks like I do know why I hate him. I hate you Solis, I really do and I’m never going to let you convince me to drink coffee ever again. It’s the devil’s instrument, I swear. But then again, I don’t really think Hades enjoys coffee which would explain why he’s so grumpy all the time.

“You really hate him, huh? I can see why, I mean, he did abandon you. But still, you really shouldn’t hate Persephone. She only wanted what was good for you and so she sent you away. You know that, I know that, so stop being a bitch to her. I’ve seen the expression on her face every time you’ve cursed her name and I never want to see it again. She was the one who convinced Zeus to turn me into the rain sprite and I really don’t want to see her hurt, even if that means smacking her bitch of a daughter around so that she could see some sense.”, Hyas threatened.

Ha, I’ve heard that one before. She only sent me away so she could save me. Bullshit, utter and complete bullshit. “She didn’t care, Hyas. That was the only reason she sent me away. I didn’t even get a chance. She sent me away before I was even born! Do you know what that feels like? I suspect you don’t. I mean you were coddled by your sisters, so please don’t comment on a situation you know nothing about. And, we both know that if there was to be a fair fight between you and me, I’d win, hands down. The only reason you beat me in the first place was because you used water from Hera’s spring.”
At his surprised expression, I continued. “Yeah, Hyas, I’m not stupid. I may be slightly loopy and incoherent right now but in no way does that mean I’m stupid. You knew that the water from Hera’s spring was poisonous to me because I was Hade’s daughter. Yes, I know about Hera’s spring of purification and I also know the reason behind it burning me. I’m a descendant of Hades, meaning I have the mark off evil on my soul. Hera’s water purifies and so I felt like I was burning when it touched me, yeah, I know. I also know why it didn’t kill me off. Oh, don’t tell me you don’t know!”, I exclaimed at his curious face.

“It’s because I’m also the daughter of Persephone, meaning I also have the mark of life on me, you dimwit! And as for your request which I’m taking as a threat, I know she did it to “protect” me. She’s been drilling that into my head since the moment I could talk! I get it. She did it to protect me but what really pisses me off is that you bunch of bullshit godforsaken cock blocks don’t take into consideration the fact that she is also the reason that Rita and all those other people that I call family are dead! If she hadn’t tried to “protect” me, then maybe all hose people could have been saved and maybe I would be what she was trying to make me be! I would be safe!
But that never occurred to her, did it? She never thought that I might actually want to be with my real mother. She never thought that I might want to be accepted. She never did and now my life is the exact opposite of what she wanted it to be! I’m being hunted down by gods knows what sent by only god knows who and yes I said God, not gods! What can you do about it? Oh, that’s right, you can do what you have been doing for the past thirteen years, which is to say, nothing!”, I shouted causing him the room to be filled with a cracking fire which made Hyas flinch and take a few steps back.

My emotions were getting the best of me but I was just so angry! I was angry at the fact that the Gods didn’t understand, I was angry at the fact that my own mother didn’t understand and that I was the one who had had to pay for her mistakes! I took a deep breath and ran my hands through my hair and over my face. I slowly started to regain my composure and I finally looked up at them. Loki was looking over at a maid who had just entered the hall and was trying to get a look under her skirt while she passed by causing her to giggle. I scowled in disgust and turned to look at Hyas. He had his head bent down and was shuffling his feet with his hands behind his back. I smiled. He reminded me of those cute kids in TV commercials who took up that position whenever they got into trouble. I shook my head and asked again, “How do you know my thoughts. Loki, stop trying to look up that girl’s skirt and just answer my damn question.”

I expected him to be slightly embarrassed but the asshole just looked at me and smirked. “Well, you see I don’t have a magic table, seriously, what the fuck is wrong with you? A magic table, really? Anyways it’s not a magic table, but it is a magic mirror. My eye twitched and I just looked him. Magic Mirror, seriously. “What is this, Snow White?”, I asked, my voice sounding really weird because of the contained laughter that was now shaking my shoulders.

Loki just laughed and pulled his magic mirror, it feel weird to say that even when I’m mocking it, out of his pant pocket. He waved his hand through the air and a thin sheet of water appeared in the air, acting like a mirror. Through it I saw all my thoughts being acted out, which really freaked me out because that was the moment I chose to imagine Grandma Ellie and Julian again. Imagining something and watching it happen are two different things. I can say that in complete truth because what I was seeing now should never be viewed by anyone. It was absolutely horrifying watching Julian shove it into my wrinkled, old Grandma. I nearly gagged. Loki was - once again - laughing his ass off and Hyas was making weird retching noises from behind me and the worse thing was that I couldn’t even make it stop. When I was imagining it at least I had the power to focus on something else but now, since the scene was practically being shoved into my face, I couldn’t even change the direction of my thoughts and so it went on.

I clenched my eyes shut and turned my face away, trying to think of something other than that! I ended up thinking of coffee and its chocolate topping and I moaned. I looked at the mirror again and saw that perfect mocha with triple chocolate and whipped cream and caramel on top. My stomach growled again and Hyas tossed me a sandwich. Smartass. I nodded my appreciation and dug in, thinking only of the way the juicy chicken practically melted in my mouth. I finished it off in three bites and sighed, contented.

“How does that work?”, I asked jabbing my finger at the watery structure. Now that I was full and comfortable again, I had some questions I wanted answered. I looked at the mirror. It was still displaying my thoughts but thankfully this time it wasn’t anything gross or weird. It just showed my happy place, the Centaur Forest back at home and I felt that familiar twinge of longing I felt every time I looked at that forest. It was my home and I wanted to run so bad.

“It’s sort of like the mirror the Moirae have but instead of showing the past, present or future, it shows people’s thoughts. It was a gift from Nyx, actually. I saved Thanatos once, the coward, and Nyx gave this to me as a gift to show her gratitude.”, Loki explained.

I was skeptical about something. “That was all she gave you?”, I asked, eyebrow raised. A male and female God simply could not be in the same room without having feelings of lust towards each other. And knowing Nyx, I knew she wouldn’t keep her hands to herself, so...

“Among other things”, he replied, smirking and I felt satisfied at his answer. It would have been unusual for Nyx to give someone, that too of the male variety, something and not expect anything in return. It would have been strange and unusual. It would have meant change, something even the Gods feared. They accepted change but never liked it. Just like they accepted the change that brought about the non-believers and resulted in them loosing their hold over mortals until they became nothing besides more myths to add to the already overflowing pot of the paranormal and the supernatural.

I smiled at the thought and shook my head to get rid of the image of Nyx and Loki together out of my head. “My, my, you’re a naughty girl, aren’t you Ariadne?”, he mused and I shrugged. At least I didn’t imagine...never mind. Chocolate cakes! That’s it, just think of chocolate cakes!
“What was that flash right there, Ariadne?”, asked Loki. “You changed thoughts so quickly I didn’t get the chance to see it properly.” Chocolate cakes, Ariadne! Think of only chocolate cakes! “You’re no fun.”, he pouted. “If you’re not going to let me see your dirty little secrets, then what’s the point if keeping you here with me?
“I think I’ve stalled enough. Now, Ariadne, the reason I brought you here is because your mother requested me to tell you that Hades was getting antsy about Mimi’s murderer and wanted him brought in.”

I felt guilt overwhelm me. I hadn’t even thought of that poor girl. Her face, her voice, her last night, it all came rushing back to me now and I felt tears leak from my eyes.

“Will you do it? Will you get that bastard?”, Loki asked gently, his soft voice calming me. I nodded.

Hey, I wasn’t made of stone; I did have a heart, after all. I wanted that man - I’m only calling him that because calling him a demon would be an insult to their names - to burn. I wanted to see the life drain out of his eyes and I wanted to hear him scream and beg for forgiveness. I wanted him to suffer and if working for Hades was the only way to do it then I would happily agree to the job.

“Okay, so here’s what you need to do...”
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I walked across the muddy pavements mixed with blood and booze with dirty whores and drunken assholes passed out across the runny gravel. It was runny. I liked to think of it as Mimi’s tears of happiness at the fact that the man who had wronged her was finally going to die.

Of course the sleazebag lived here. It was a bit stereotypical, to be honest. I had expected something more...dramatic. Huh, well, what do you know! Repeat actually has had an effect on me. She’s brought me over to the side of drama. I think she’d be jumping up and down right now if she ever heard me say that...er, think that. I walked through the filthy roads, the smell of urine mixed with rotten foods made me scrunch my nose in disgust. I nearly gagged as the smell intensified before I finally arrived at the door to the house which was providing him with shelter and a place to hide behind.

I didn’t bother to knock; one swift kick from my strong legs sent the door crashing down with a loud and ear splitting boom. The drunken man relaxing inside screamed in annoyance at me to keep it down. I paid him no mind and just walked down the hall and up the stairs to his tiny apartment on the second floor of the small rental house run by an old woman who was currently on her death bed. I pushed open the unlocked door and stepped inside only to e hit by the smell of rotten flesh. I walked inside and saw the other reason for Mimi not being able to pass on.

There he was holding the dead and lifeless form of Mimi in his arms, caressing her head and cooing to her. His eyes were blood shot and his face was pale. I watched as he bent down and kissed her corpse on the lips and my anger flared. That bastard was going to die; I would not let him defile Mimi any farther. I snapped my hand forward and moved my wrist to the side, causing a torrent of wind to crash into him and send him flying back until he smacked against the opposite wall and sacked against the floor, a small trail of blood pouring from his lips.

I walked towards Mimi’s body with a deliberate slowness, praying underneath my breath.
“Sleep my sweet, you are finally at peace.”, I whispered just before I kissed her on her forehead and handed her over to the Fury waiting patiently behind me. “Be gentle with her. Make sure she finds her way back home.”
“Of course, Mistress.”, she hissed. Onra was really a sweet and gentle one. She was cursed by Hera and so became what she was yet she harbored no ill will. If there was one Fury I could every trust, it was Onra. I nodded at her and she gently took the eternally sleeping body of Mimi from my arms and cradled her gently. Then with a great flap of her skeletal wings, she was gone.

I watched them for a while before I turned to look at the disgusting excuse for a man before me. I walked towards him and bent down until I was at his level. He had an inexplicable grin on his lips and his face looked craze with a thirst; it was a thirst for blood - I knew it because I would always recognize that expression. It was the expression Solis had had just before he had slammed his sword into the heart of the little demon girl who had turned him into who he was today. I looked into his half crazed eyes and when his rough voice spit out the words, I didn’t flinch.

“Come to take me to hell, have you? Well, I would gladly go for you, my sweet. Such a beautiful face such soft skin. It makes me want to eat you.”

I just watched him with an impassive face before I finally got up and offered a prayer to Hades to make him burn in the deepest pits of Hell.
“As you wish daughter, as you wish.”, his sinister voice whispered in reply. I gave a satisfied smirk before I finally got up and looked down at the face of the pitiful man before me. I snarled just before slamming my hand into his chest. I felt around for his heat and at feeling the beating force of life in my hands, I let my demon take over. I squeezed and crushed it in my hands before ripping it out and burning it. I looked down at his carcass and saw the gaping hole in his chest replacing the place where his heart should have been. I smirked before letting out a long whistle.

Almost immediately, the hounds appeared. Their teeth glistening with venom and their muscles bunched up with anticipation they waited for my command. I waved my hand as a sign of permission and they jumped on the corpse of the man and ripped the flesh from his skin with their teeth. I grimaced at the mess and shook my head at them. Hell hounds can be so messy sometimes. I smirked at the thought of him feeling the pain he should have been feeling back in Hell and for the first and probably last time, I felt a sense of pride at my Father. I shook my head at the head and inhaled a deep breath of death. I closed my eyes and was transported back to my home, right into my room where Solis was waiting.

“Oh fucking hell! Where the hell were you this time?”, he asked with an outraged expression on his face. I shook my head telling him to drop it and his face twisted but he complied with a huff and marched back to his room. Thank God, this wasn’t the first disappearing act I had pulled, or else Solis would have had my head! I smirked at that thought and went to bed, dropping head first into the soft cotton. I sighed in contentment and proceeded to take off my clothes until I was clad in nothing but my underwear. I closed my eyes in relief and went into a deep slumber.

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I opened my eyes expecting to see the warm and lush coverings of my room, but was surprised, once again. I was, yet again, back into that room of absolute nothingness. I felt my body lift and closed my eyes, just enjoying the sensation. I let my body float in soft clouds, the feeling of velvety hands caressing my body setting my heart into over drive. I heard her voice as she softly sighed her thanks and for a second, I wondered if it was her hands that I was feeling on me. But then I rejected that thought; the hands were simply too masculine to belong to Mimi.

I felt soft lips gently kiss mine, before they were gone. I tried opening my eyes but was disappointed when they, once again, wouldn’t open. What was with my godforsaken eyes! They wouldn’t open at the most crucial times. I felt feather light kisses trailing down my neck until they reached the top of my breasts were I felt a playful nip which made me moan out loud.

“Open your eyes, love. She’s standing right there.”, a rough yet silken voice told me. I wrenched my eyes open and the first thing I saw was white. A canvas of white painted with silken colors of red and violet and green was stretched out across me. Fogs of different mass and different essence were assaulting my eyes and I couldn’t believe how beautiful the land looked. Soft, green grass underneath my feet, the skies white with sunshine and joy, the earth giving off its familiar musky and resin filled smell, the sounds of birds chirping from far away, making their voices sound like soft lullabies instead of the loud piercing sound that greatly annoyed me; it was a place of beauty and freedom. And standing right in the middle of it, stood Mimi. She couldn’t have looked more different than before even if she tried. It was astounding; her pale, porcelain skin bore rosy cheeks and happy bright green almond shaped eyes. Her black hair looked sleek and soft, her skin was flushed with a slight blush and her smile told of her happiness.

She came bounding to me where I lay bound in the mysterious man’s arms. She was laughing and the sound of her bell chime laughter made my mouth go dry and tears leaked from my eyes. I sighed softly as she came bounding into my arms and hugged me with all her might.

“I went home, Ari. I finally went home. See, my mommy’s there. See, Ari, look!”, she said pointing behind her and sure enough, there stood a woman with a smile on her face and with eyes filled with love, she came floating over to me. She looked remarkably like Mimi, except for the eyes. Her eyes were not the stunning green her child possessed; they were a blue so deep, I was reminded of the oceans in Parthalon just by looking into them.

“Thank you.”, she whispered. Those two little words were filled with so much gratitude that I felt surprised that they could portray what she was feeling at all. I nodded and heard a chuckle from behind me. Soft, warm lips kissed my neck again while something rough tickled the soft skin of my next; it was a growing stubble which affirmed my assumption behind him being male.

“Why do you talk, or rather think, like that? It’s so...proper.”, he whispered, his arms tightening around my waist. The question surprised me and caught me unarmed.

“Um...I...honestly don’t know.”, I replied, closing my eyes. When I opened my eyes, Mimi and her mother were nowhere to be found. I looked curiously at the spot where they had just been standing before her voice whispered in my mind, “Thank you and enjoy.”

I didn’t get the chance to assess her words because just as my mind started whirring, I felt his arms turn me around and his lips plant a solid kiss on my surprised mouth. I immediately kissed him back and I felt what I hadn’t felt in years; a sense of safety and love. I felt loved as I kissed him and I wanted more. I pressed myself harder against him when he pulled back and disappeared. My eyes snapped open and I looked for his form, only to find him missing.

“Another time then, my love.”, his voice whispered into my mind and I felt that sense of safety and love envelope me again. I closed my eyes, content and when I opened them again, I found myself back in my bed with the lights still out and the covers still pulled tight around my almost naked body.

Was it all a dream? It couldn’t have been. I had been in the spirit world, I was sure of that. And I had also seen Mimi, more proof of the fact that that was not just a dream. Then what...

“Stop thinking so much love, you’ll give yourself a headache.” I whirled around only to meet an empty room. My lips stared tingling again and I was reminded of his kisses. Who was he? The question buzzed in my head before I heard his voice again.
“Go to sleep, love. We’ll meet again.” His promise hung in the air and I touched my lips before smiling and closing my eyes. That night, I had a dreamless and peaceful sleep, free of any nightmares or ghosts of the past. That night, I fell asleep with a smile on my face, thinking of only the unknown man...
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