It was still dark when I woke, and I found the bed empty. I panicked for a moment searching then decided to check the kitchen. I found her there eating. I laughed out loud breaking her concentration.
"What? I was asleep for days and I'm starving now that I'm awake." She said narrowing her eyes at me. She couldn't hold that expression for long eventually she smiled and forked more food into her mouth.
"I was just worried when I woke up to you missing. It was touch and go for a bit and I was scared you weren't going to make it." I said walking over to her wrapping my arms around her planting a kiss on the top of her head.
"Well, I'm still alive and kicking. I feel pretty good today. You want some breakfast too? I got enough to feed us both. I figured you would get up sometime soon." She said pushing a plate full of food at me.
"Thank you." I said as I sat down next to her taking the fork, she handed to me.
She looked so much better today. Her color had returned, and her smile was just as radiant as ever. I found myself watching her as she ate, appreciating these small things more than I had a few days ago when I thought I might never see them again.
"Move in with me." I blurted out. I realized in that moment that I wanted to spend as much time with her as I could. I almost lost her once already. I hadn't wanted to purposely damn her to a life of living in the shadow realm like me, but I had no other choice, I couldn't let her die, I loved her.
She dropped her fork and looked at me with wide eyes. I looked down feeling anxious. She was silent for a long moment then I felt her hand on my arm. She came closer and took my face into her hands. Looking deep into my eyes as if she were reading the pages of my soul she said, "Alexander, I would love nothing more than to share a home and life with you." She kissed me so passionately that I nearly fell out of my chair dazed when she pulled away. She smiled proudly at how affected I was by her kiss.
"I have been thinking about this for a while now so I'm glad that you said yes. I need you closer to me, we've been so busy, and it's been hard being away from you. Not to mention your brush with death. I can't bear to be parted with you any longer." I leaned down, my mouth crashing onto hers. I needed to feel her lips on mine. I paused to let her catch her breath. "By the way, have you noticed any sign of power or anything since your change? It's supposed to be elemental in nature usually either Earth, Fire, Water or Air so you should see signs in the coming week." I asked wondering what she may have been gifted with. My fire element showed almost immediately but I had also been trained prior to the ceremony. She thought for a moment before answering me.
"I haven't noticed anything yet, but I will let you know if I do." She said as she snuggled into me.
We spent the rest of the time that we had left on our "vacation" eating our way through the local delicacies and enjoying each other's company. When Friday came it was time to get back to reality once again. Our flight back was uneventful thankfully. I had dealt with enough surprises in the last week to last a lifetime. When we landed, I didn't want to let her go home but Lily was expecting her, and I knew she had to break the news to her that she was going to be moving in with me. My heart raced at the thought of that. I'd never had a relationship serious enough that I wanted to live with someone, and they certainly never knew about my "other" life.
***Penelope POV***
I walked into the door of my apartment and Lily was anxiously waiting for me. She wanted the details on everything, but I didn't even know where to start or how much to tell her. I ended up just going with carefully constructed half-truths because I'm a terrible liar and I knew if I didn't, she would know something was up. "Ok, that's really all that happened while we were there. It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed my little get away." I sighed and then hit her with the big news. "On that's note...he asked me to move in with him and I said yes." I held my breath waiting for her reaction.
"I fucking knew it!" She blurted out, "Nate and I were taking bets on if he would ask you and it looks like he owes me dinner and drinks wherever I want now. He didn't think he would because he's NEVER had a live-in girlfriend before. I told him that he shouldn't be too sure of that because he's probably also NEVER been with a girl as amazing as you are before, and I was right. That'll teach him to never doubt my intuition again." She said with a wide smile on her face.
"How did I know you probably wouldn't be shocked by this. You guys are assholes for making it a bet though." I said rolling my eyes and throwing a couch pillow at her head. I took this opportunity to change the subject. "Is that all you and Nate talk about when we are gone? I'm curious, what else do you guys do? You weren't blowing up my phone, so I know you were busy with something…..or someone." I said giving her a devilish grin." She threw the pillow back at me.
"Get your mind out of the gutter. No wait, on second thought, let it stay there and wander. I need it for the both of us." She said dejectedly then got up and went over to the coffee maker. "Do you want a cup? I'm going to just brew a pot if you do. I am not awake enough for this day."
"Yes, I do. Thank you. Are you planning on explaining that further?" I asked.
"Alright, if you must know, our relationship has not progressed past going out on dates yet. He's taking ages to make a move past that. I am considering spicing up my outfit next time we go out. Maybe he'll take the hint then. He always seems like he cuts things he says short when I know there is more, he wants to say. I think he's slowly coming around to telling me more things though. I just haven't quite figured him out yet, I'm going to crack him." She said crossing her arms over her chest like a spoiled child who didn't get her way. I couldn't help laughing.
"Nate is an interesting one. He is definitely goofy and easy to talk to in a normal setting, but I've never really heard him share much of his personal life. Alexander says he's had a pretty rough past, and he doesn't get close to people easily. I thought he might be a player because his personality comes off as so bubbly and charming at first, but I've never seen him go out with other women aside from you. Alexander said he's never seen him try to flirt with a woman in all the time he's known him. I suppose that makes sense though considering he goes on dangerous travels across the world to capture incredible photos. It would be hard to maintain a relationship with someone who wasn't interested in that as well. I highly doubt there are many people that would have the guts to live that kind of life so I'm sure it's lonely." I said, wondering now what it would take for Nate to want to date someone.
"Well, I think he's finally met his match in thrill seeking and adventure with me. I hiked up to where the sherpas are on Mount Everest in heels just for a photo shoot. I'll break down all those walls he built to keep others out. I can be patient, but this gives me an idea. Thanks." Lily walked away mumbling to herself leaving me with my thoughts.
'I wonder how I'm going to adjust to this all-new power I have. Alexander said it was supposed to be elemental, but I haven't noticed anything odd at all. Maybe because I wasn't meant to be a shadow warrior, I don't get one?' I thought to myself. I pondered on everything that happened in Greece while staring out the window with my coffee in my hands. It was a rainy day, and it was comforting to me. I didn't know how my life was going to be moving forward but I wanted to make sure I kept Lily safe no matter what. She was the only family I had left now. I had Alexander too but that was different. I drifted to my room eventually and went to sleep. I was still exhausted from everything that happened.
That night I dreamt I was running in a forest in the dark. I couldn't see where I was going but I heard something chasing me. I stopped in my tracks as a creature with glowing red eyes stepped in front of me. I readied my sword to strike and that's when I noticed the blue jewel on it. I'd seen this sword before except it wasn't in my hands the last time, I saw it. I looked down thinking that I'd see Leorio holding it again, but I saw red hair resting on my shoulders in tangles all around me.
I startled awake when it was still dark outside. I rolled over trying to sleep again but I was struggling to stop thinking of my dream. Why did I see that sword again and what the hell was that thing with the glowing eyes? I was probably just having nightmares from what happened on our trip. This was the first night that I'd slept without Alexander since then and it hadn't occurred to me that I might be scared. I hadn't felt scared at all, even now but I knew that I should be. A normal person would be quaking with fear and probably need a 72-hour lock down in the psych ward after what I just went through. Then again, I've never been normal. This thought forced me to think back through my earliest memories. I recall having a good childhood and loving parents, but I honestly couldn't remember much of it. It was kind of a blur of random bits and pieces. It was like trying to remember a fever dream. I concentrated really hard on one specific memory from when I was 5 at the lake house. This one stuck out to me because I had fallen in the lake, and I was drowning. I'll never forget that feeling or that fear. I hadn't thought about this in years because it was the one time I'd nearly died as a child. Who saved me?
She saved me. Her face flashed in my mind so vividly now, how could I forget? She was the most beautiful person I'd ever seen, and she was glowing so brightly I could see her in the water when she dove in to get me. She was warm like sunshine radiated from within her so when we came up, I was not cold even though it was freezing outside. I sputtered out the water from my lungs as she cradled me and held me till I calmed down. I snuggled into her taking comfort in her warmth and familiar scent. Only now did I remember her face and what she told me. The words that she uttered made no sense to me at the time but now they held a different meaning.
"Stay safe my little one. The time will soon come that the world will need you. Remember, we are the decedents of Surya. We are the last line of defense against the demons of darkness when all others fail. You will one day inherit powers beyond anything you can imagine but because of that they will hunt you till the end of time. I am so sorry that I must leave you in this strange world, but you will be far safer here. Things are stirring in the dark that were long forgotten by all but us and they have killed all of us but you and me. I pray to the Gods that when your powers awaken you are on sacred ground. If you are not, you need to get to some immediately. The red eyed demons will know as soon as your powers have come in and will burn all that you love to the ground just to find you. You won't remember any of this until the time comes to use your gifts, at that time the Karna Kavacha will activate. It chose you at birth and is now yours to wield. May it serve you well and protect you from those that seek to destroy you. I love you my daughter, I pray that we may meet again." She kissed my forehead and the next thing I remembered was opening my eyes and seeing my parent's frantic concerned faces.
She was my mother. The parents I had grown up knowing were a lie. Realization dawned on me, and the room began to shimmer in gold spinning around me. Ripples began to open, and I could see all of time laid out before my eyes. My body started glowing again like it had whenever Alexander poured his blood from the chalice into my mouth except it was brighter this time and somehow, I could still see through it without being blinded. So many things that shouldn't be possible were happening to me and it was all too much. When the images around me started to overwhelm me, I passed out. When I awoke again, I thought it had all surely been a bad dream, but I had golden cuffs around my biceps. When I touched them, they disappeared into my skin leaving a faint shimmering outline. I needed to call Alexander immediately but first, I needed to get Lily and get the fuck out of here before they found us.