"That's not what it means," she giggled, "this symbolizes the beginning of our strong friendship and trust. And no, I haven't replaced Zane as my best friend, he has my necklace and I have his, but... its in my room at Greta's house." Her smile fell as she thought of them.
Xander observed the sudden change on her face, from happiness to sadness but as he said, he didn't know how to comfort humans, especially females.
"Let's go," he simply said and walked ahead. Before crossing the road, he sensed that something was wrong and looked back. The girl was gone!
He narrowed his eyes and his eyesight got sharper. "Foolish goons," he leaped high up and landed in front of the kidnappers.
They were four of them and they stopped too. One was carrying Mia, whose mouth had been muffled with a tight cloth, and her hands and legs tied together.
"You vampires think you are very smart, tch, so disappointing," he shaked his head.
"You are the stupid one here phoenix, get out of our way if you want a long life," the one carrying Mia said, brandishing a dagger. He then let out a laughter just designed to annoy the Phoenix, but his face remained blank.
"Boys kill this piece of shit," he spat and ran with Mia on his shoulders.
The 3 vampires jumped at Xander, ready to tear off his heart with daggers, but he remained on the same spot. One kick was enough to send one sprawling on the ground, the other one was punched, they coughed out blood and died before healing! The third one was held by the neck and throttled to death. The vampires were quick with movements, but Xander was even quicker.
"So disappointing," he sneered, ripped off a cloth from one of them and wiped off blood. He leaped and caught up in no time with the other one.
"Wait, you Phoenix? How did you escape my boys. Or are you a wizard?" he put Mia down looking doubtfully at him.
"Your boys saw my huge biceps and ran away," he said in the most chilliest tone that provoked the man.
"You'll learn a lesson," he jumped at Xander with daggers, but he only evaded them without fighting back. He picked up Mia, cut off the ropes and unmuffled her mouth. In the situation, the girl tightly hugged Xander on his chest.
"Time's over lovebirds, Mayana? Say goodbye to your boyfriend Queen-to-be," the vampire said, startling Mia. Before he could grab her, Xander got hold of his fingers crushed them, then his neck.
"Wait, why am I not healing?" he cried out in agony, spitting out blood.
"Did your mother not inculcate to you not to touch what is not yours?" he said, breaking his bones further. It was a deliberate painful death.
"Uughh, what a...ar...are you? W...Please don't kill me, I was just following orders, since we know Dracula's mistress as she had been in the palace, he sent us to capture her and bring you back. There would have been posters of you but he doesn't have a picture of you. He c...can... can't live without you Queen Mayana, he wants to ma..., please sp," before he could complete, he died gruesomely.
Mia shivered, her hands still around his waist and her head resting on his chest, with her eyes shut.
"Are they all gone now?" her voice was frail.
"Yes."
"Thank you for saving me...again," she was still reluctant to let go of Xander, and he did not know what to do.
He interlocked his fingers with hers and assured her that it was okay, with a soft voice he had never used before.
His voice gave her a warm feeling, it reminded her of Zane, who would always comfort her in tough times and assure her everything would be okay.
After riding a carriage home, they found Kora had already prepared lunch, and all the clothes Xander had bought were delivered, including the grocery and foodstuffs.
She took a warm steamy shower and put on her first ever fitting sweatpants and cropped hoodie.
*****
After dinner that evening she followed Xander to his room to ask him some questions.
"Is there a way I could go back home for now? Its not safe for me here. We failed to save queen mother, maybe next time, Greta must be worried sick about me," she felt as if she was being selfish, but she was feeling homesick and helpless, she didn't have the power to fend for herself.
Xander gazed at her blankly. "If you go back now, am afraid the portals won't open until you receive your Saki powers. And if that happens it will be too late to stop evil beings from coming at you. Also, Greta doesn't care, she is not whom you think she is," ever since he knew Greta, he had his doubts. This was enough to rile up Mia.
What if Xander was the villain all along? Greta had been warning her of him since they met.
"As I said Xander, Greta took care of me since I came from the orphanage, where no one wanted to associate with me. She built my self esteem and made me feel how special it was to have a family. She loved me like a mother, took me to school, gave me basic needs and other things which anyone in my position could ever ask for," tears almost trickled down her eyes.
"Not all that glitters is gold. Why did she choose you then from the orphanage if there were other kids. The woman in the orphanage also put in a bad word for you so as not to be adopted. You clearly have no idea how evil the world is. You are so blinded by stupid love, let them go." he spoke so many words this time.
"No," she stood up angrily, she refused to accept it. She concentrated her powers in the room, hoping they would work. A green sparkling light appeared and a portal opened slowly, she felt weaker and weaker, she managed to pass through, but fell unconscious in the woods. Xander didn't make an attempt to follow her, nor stop her, she ruined everything with her stubbornness.
"She'll have to die," he muttered
*****
She woke up, her head throbbing, she was on a bed, with a soft furry animal sleeping soundly on her stomach. She looked around and found a blonde haired guy resting on her left arm, sitting on a chair. She was in a hospital and to her right, a familiar brown haired boy slept with his head on a table.
She felt happy again to finally be back home with the people she loved around her. Zane, Liam, Toby... Greta? Where was Greta? Was she perhaps too perturbed to the point of suicide? Mia knew how much Greta loved her but she pushed the thought away.
She sat up tearfully, and hugged Zane, who woke up and hugged her back. He now looked more manly. "My Mia, please, don't ever do this to me again," he buried his face in her shoulder and she felt wet. He was actually crying!
Liam woke up after hearing Toby bark with excitement. He stood up, staring at the crying man with his hands around Mia. Poor kid, he really missed his best friend.
His attention then diverted to Mia. She was growing prettier and more attractive than before, her body curves perfectly moulded. After Zane had calmed down, Liam stood in front of her without a word. She got off the bed and flung her hands around him.
"I missed you so much," tears welled up in her eyes.
"I missed you more Sunset, you have no idea how I've been longing to see you again, to hug you, to... Don't ever leave us again," she could hug him without raising herself as Liam was slightly taller than her but masculine, Zane was taller than Liam and less masculine, but Xander and Clyde were the tallest, of the same height and more masculine than the two.
"Where's Greta?" she was so eager to see her again. Liam and Zane exchanged furtive glances at each other.
"Um, we'll tell you later," Zane quickly answered and stood up, "Let me go get your breakfast so that you can swallow prescribed tablets on time." He walked out.
Liam went to sit on her bed, staring at her.
"You look more beautiful and stunning Sunset," he touched her chin, and she blushed, "Sunset, I love you, I can't hide it anymore, I've been in love with you for so long, ever since I met you." He moved closer and she froze, his confession...Wait he had been in love with her? But they were friends.
Before she could process everything, he landed a gentle kiss on her lips, but he stopped when she didn't respond to his kiss
"Am sorry, forgive me, I was kind of taken away without asking you first if you felt the same, well do you?" Mia tensed, she didn't know what she felt, her lips quivered. She only regarded him as a friend but she didn't want to disappoint him. Would she lie or tell the truth? She had never been in such a situation before.
"I...I..y...b...ye," before she could answer, Zane came in time and saved her.
He came in with a nurse carrying a tray to take her breakfast.
As she ate, Zane sat next to Liam on her bed and gave her a necklace. Mia was delighted to have her necklace again.
"Thank you Zane, sorry for taking it off, I see you still have yours." Zane offered to put their friendship necklace on her neck, and spotted her bracelet.
"I've never seen you with the heart bracelet before, I hope you didn't replace me?" he looked at her suspiciously.
"No, its, I just bought it, I didn't know its also a friendship bracelet," she felt bad for lying and took it off. She wanted nothing to do with Xander, let alone the bracelet.
"Why are you taking it off, it seems expensive, and you don't easily give up things, I'll keep it for you," Zane offered and kept it in his pocket.
"Um, do you mind telling us where you were for a month and some days? You were found unconscious in a woman's farm in the neighbouring city, its so far. The woman is now held custody, suspected for kidnapping you." Liam said worriedly.
"No, I'll bail her out later. Whoever she is, she has nothing to do with my disappearance. First tell me where Greta is now," she really missed her.
"Am afraid we have no idea, we thought you'd know. She disappeared just after you. Weird things have been happening in the city. It started off with Clyde, you then Greta. The mayor who is Clyde's father, and the media is investigating the disappearance of Clyde, Greta and now that you have been found. At some point I was really depressed thinking you were not with us anymore, where were you? I remember last talking to you, you were so worried about Clyde, thinking it was all your fault he disappeared." Liam said.
"I went to look for Clyde around his home, but I didn't find him. I felt my headache and fainted at my door step... then I don't remember anything." she lied again, otherwise they would think she was crazy if she said she was in another dimension.
Could it be that Greta also made it to the other dimension? But why was this happening to the people she knew? Was she a bad omen to the people around her?
"As I said, Greta was a weird woman, she locked her room and never came out, but when the inspectors broke her door, she was not inside, that's how she disappeared," she heard a voice say. It was Toby! Wait Toby might know more things but she couldn't ask in front of the two guys.
"Oh, happy late birthday, 17th, am also 17, hope you didn't forget. Am the only one your age amongst the friends you have. Liam's eighteen ," Zane said happily.
Liam was lost in thought. How comes she didn't remember anything for a whole month. If she fainted on her door step, why was she found in another city? There's something she is hiding, or perhaps she is lying about everything. There is no plausible explanation for how she was found fine, in another city, and even bought a bracelet.
After she was discharged at the hospital, she met Liam's father and Zane's parents who hugged her. They knew she was their son's best friend.
It was then agreed she would stay at Liam's home since Zane's had no extra room, but he seemed displeased. Her house was still under investigations.
They departed from each other, and entered Liam's car. "Thank you for everything sir, including paying for the hospital bills." She guessed that it was Liam's father.
Liam wondered who had told her, because it wasn't Zane.
"No problem, a friend of Clyde is our friend too," the man said, and the rest of the journey rather was quiet. Even Toby had fallen asleep on her laps.
When they reached, she was given a room that was already packed with her clothes as if they were expecting her.
After washing up, she wore jeans and a crop top which Greta had bought her, a knock was heard at the door. Liam came in, "May I speak with you?"
"Sure."
"Please don't get angry with me." he said.
"Okay."
"You lied about everything," he was smart.
"Uh, no, why do you say that."
"I know you too well, if you don't say the truth, how will we know Clyde and Greta's whereabouts, hmm Sunset, you can trust me." he held her hand, looking expectantly at her.
"You won't believe me. Its crazy, and unrealistic."
"I will believe you, I promise. Tell me,"
"This sounds crazy but, I've been dwelling in the Saki Dimension under Dracula's palace with Xander, Raquel's driver," she laughed awkwardly, at what she just said.
There was a long moment of silence.
"Say what now?" he tilted his head.
"You promised to believe me," she lowered her head regretfully.
"I believe you but, are you sure of what you are saying? I mean, dimensions were believed to exist in the past, I still believe they exist until now but it seems too.. I..The Saki Dimension has no vampires, only pyrexes live or lived there." he seemed confused.
"Its a long story, I know where Clyde is, he is Dracula. Okay, let me begin my story..." she told him everything, from meeting Xander to the invasion of Saki and running away from Xander.
"You are the Golden Saki? How? no, why, ugh, shit," he cursed angrily, his mood had changed so fast, "why is this happening to you my love. I can't lose you. I... I love you so much. Xander must not find you, h..he will kill you, its his duty. No, my first ever love, even if you have no feelings for me, I will love you Sunset," he hugged her tightly, how he wished it was a dream.
He now believed her since she had too much information about the Dimension.
He was supposed to be happy that his belief about dimensions and mythical beings became real but it was the opposite. He felt miserable. Would he bear it if Xander killed her?
"I need to spend more time with you, to be close to you, to touch you, to kiss you." he couldn't control himself anymore, he kissed her, this time less gentler than before.
This was her third kiss, the first one was from Clyde but this one felt different. She felt her body heating up, his hands encircled her tiny waist and pulled her to his chest. She had cradled him, her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. She unknowingly responded to his kiss, and felt unfamiliar sensations running through her body.
He pulled her closer until there was no space in between them, her breasts were on his chest, and he tightened his grip on her bare waist, deepening the kiss. She was his first kiss, but this wasn't her first kiss, she felt guilty.
When he pulled away, she was breathing heavily, her chest heaving up and down against his.
"Do you have feelings for me?" he held her chin up, but she didn't answer. Did what they do for lovers only? Was this what Zane did with Raquel when they were alone in a room?
"I'll give you time, you don't need to answer me now," he kissed her cheek and left her room. She couldn't stop thinking about the kiss, his soft gentle lips. Oh no, focus Mia, you are never to fall in love, your purpose is to die and save earth, she kept that in mind. She couldn't agree to fall in love with anyone, so that if she died, the person wouldn't go mad or live a sad life because of her death. Why was she so lost in the kiss? Was it wrong to kiss someone she was not in love with? She felt bad for Liam and decided to avoid him so that he can stop loving her.
Toby told her that Greta was weird and he preferred Xander. The thought of Xander made her blood boil, but she didn't get angry at the dog.
"Why do you prefer Xander, he is only interested in saving Queen mother, if he receives orders from the queen to kill me, he will. He also hates Greta for no reason, he wanted me to be his puppet, do whatever he says and finish me off. I already accepted my fate of death, even Liam told me to keep away from him. I don't trust him anymore," she said bitterly.
"No, Xander is a good guy, I could tell he wanted the best for you. As for Greta, that woman gets into my nerves, you are blinded by the little she did for you," the dog was speaking just like Xander, one could say it was being controlled by him.
****
Days moved on, and she managed to avoid Liam in order for him to lose his interest in her. Little did she know he yearned for her more. He noticed her indifference towards him and he regretted kissing her shamelessly without her consent.
He read more about the Saki Dimension from his great grandfather's book, 'Beings from the Other World.'
"I think you should trust Xander," he finally told her after pondering, "maybe if he saves Queen mother, they will both need your help to save us all, he won't kill you for now. If your powers activate when you are here, it will be bad for us. All dimensions will open for 24hours and close for, no one knows how many years. And if your powers activate here, you can't access the Saki Dimension. That is why Xander was keeping you there. They will attack you, hurt the people you love here, I think Xander can Pr... protect you from harm. The chosen ones are normally powerful," he said unwillingly but it was best for her.