Amisha felt the cool air surround her as she slowly opened her eyes. Her throat still was dry and every joint in her body hurt. Her brain was also a mess, unable to register her surroundings. As her vision started to clear, she could see the ceiling.
That's when she registered that she wasn't on the plane anymore, where she was the last time, she had woken up. Instead, this time she was lying down in an enclosed building. Sensing two male and one female voice whispering next to her, panic kicked in and Amisha sat up straight in a jerk reflex.
"NO!"
Startled by the sudden scream, Armel, Ben, and his co-worker – Bella all looked toward the girl lying on the couch in their staff room. They'd just rescued her from the limo while the Beauforts were still locked up in the washrooms. Knowing that the girl must be super confused as to what was going on, they all walked toward her with a reassuring smile on their faces.
"Don't worry, you are safe now. They cannot hurt you anymore." Armel spoke in broken English.
Amisha looked up at the three faces staring down at her. The male voice that just reached her ears had a calming tone to it. What did he say? I was safe? What happened? More confused than ever, Amisha started sobbing. It started slow and then transformed into full-fledged crying. It was hard to process all that had happened to her in the last few hours. Who were the middle-aged French couple who'd kidnapped her? Was she in France? Who were these three strangers claiming she was safe? Where exactly was she?
"Hey… you don't have to say anything… you can cry your heart out." Bella ran her hand down the girl's back in a soothing gesture, "you've been through a lot and we're here to help you now."
The girl's eyes held empathy, and that made Amisha grow calmer. She then slowly lay back down on the couch and closed her eyes.
***
"There's no one inside the limo!" Love exclaimed.
Love was worried. Only the universe knew where the young girl was right now and if she was safe. Amisha didn't deserve this. She didn't have anything to do with the creatures other than the fact that she was best friends with the human girl who had fallen in love with the creature of Death. Did this allow Life to be so cruel and make the girl suffer like so? Not at all! Life was breaking yet another law of the universe, but this time, they'd not sit back and watch.
"I sense her in that store over there." Time spoke in a hurry.
Not wasting a single moment, Time and Love rushed toward the store opposite the road. By the looks of it, someone had taken Amisha from the limo to the store. But who? And where were Louis and his wife?
Opening the front door to the store, Time called out to check if anyone was inside. The store was empty at first glance, but once they calmed their nerves and tried to listen carefully, they could hear faint noises coming from the staff room behind the counter.
Love quickly bolted toward the door that led to the staff room. As soon as she reached the door, she glanced at Time, who nodded at her giving her the answer to her question – Amisha was indeed in there. Bursting open into the small room, Love was shocked as she saw the four humans in the room.
There were two young boys, around the same age as Shiuli and Amisha standing there tapping their legs to the rhythm of their anxiety. Next to them, a girl in her twenties was seated on a stool next to the couch that held all their answers. Amisha was lying on the couch!
"What happened to her?" Love voiced out her concern.
Having heard the strange voice, Bella turned around signaling to 'shush', afraid that even the slightest noise would wake the poor girl up. But then she registered the two peculiar beings at the door. They were both dressed in the finest clothes and were inhumanly beautiful. Scared that the Beauforts had sent their people, Bella stood up in a protective stance.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"We are her guardians!" Time stepped up.
Armel eyed the strangers carefully and then looked back at the beautiful girl on the couch. The only thing they all seemed to have in common was their out-of-the-world beauty. He didn't trust them one bit. He walked up to Bella and stood next to her, guarding the young girl still sleeping from all the exhaustion.
"What proof do you have?" Armel chipped in.
Ben too walked across the room and joined his friends in front of the girl, showing that he was with them and that the two strangers would have to go through them to get to the girl who's clearly been through hell and back.
"Okay," Time sighed, "Listen, I know it is hard to believe, but we're here for Amisha. She knows us."
"How does she know you?" Bella's eyes had turned into skeptical slits.
"I am her best friend's friend." Time was frustrated, "I know it is hard to believe, but she will recognize me when she wakes up!"
"Best friend's friend?" Armel scoffed, "That is oddly specific. Anyway, if you claim to know her, we will let you wait here until she wakes up. But before that, you need to answer some questions and promise you won't call the cops on us."
"Deal. The lady and I will pass our cell phones to you. That way you will know that we don't come with any bad intentions."
Ben turned to look at his friends. Something within him asked him to trust the two strangers standing there. The day had been crazy enough and maybe these two were telling the truth after all. If the girl wakes up to known faces, she will be much at calm. And if these two turn out to be liars, they would face the national karate champion – Bella. So, he signed to his friends and let them know his thoughts.
Agreeing with Ben, Armel and Bella escorted the two strangers out to the front of the store. Being skeptical still, Armel did not want them to be near the girl until they'd established, that they were being truthful.
"Honestly, we can ask the same about you all." Time spoke, "How can we trust you lot with her?"
"Are you kidding me? I rebelled against my brother's bosses who were also my bosses for the day to save this girl! I got my friends here involved too!"
"Shh… keep it down, Armel. You'll wake her up."
Bella stepped up to the man who spoke with so much authority. She wanted to challenge him.
"If you really know her, tell us what her name is."
"Amisha." Time didn't miss a beat, "She was kidnapped by Louis and Marcella Beaufort."
Time was staring Bella dead in the eyes. At one point it felt like the seriousness with which he spoke would burn her face down. Hoping that they were doing the right thing, Bella urged Armel to tell them the entire story – from how he discovered her at the airport to how they'd rescued her from Beaufort's limo.
***
"Time had said he'd message me once he had rescued Amisha," Death whispered to Faith, "I'm worried."
After the meal, Shiuli had gone back to her room to work on her novel. She was bored and wanted to do something productive with all the time that she had now. So, Death and Faith had sneaked to Faith's room to talk about Amisha.
"Don't worry, it will be okay."
"If Life already has her, he'd do anything to use her to find Shiuli and I."
"I don't think he's gotten to her yet," Faith reassured, "I trust Time and Love with all my heart. I, the embodiment of Faith have faith in them. It will all be okay. Trust me."
"I trust you. I have to."
Patting Death on his shoulder, Faith took him by his hands and led him towards the bedroom he shared with Shiuli. Death looked at Faith with confusion when she stood right in front of the door and gave him a sweet smile.
"Go on in. She needs you and you need her."
"Thank you," Death smiled back, grateful that Faith knew what he needed the most right now.
Leaving Death to himself, Faith walked back to her room and disappeared behind the door. Death then took a deep breath and entered the room where his girl was hiding behind the laptop, typing away in full concentration.
Shiuli was wearing a cute little strawberry-printed t-shirt with yellow-colored shorts. Her hair was up in a messy bun, just like he liked it. Feeling this uncontrollable urge to pull her into a warm embrace, Death walked up to the bed and plopped down next to her.
"Hey," Shiuli noticed Death staring at her, "What's up?"
"Nothing just wanted to spend some time with you. I missed you."
Shutting her laptop, Shiuli put it away and turned toward the creature that had stolen her heart. He was looking intently at her as if he was reading her. Her heart fluttered and she moved in for a kiss.
Death was taken aback by the sudden action, but as his mind registered the delightful kiss, he pulled her in and dragged her body on top of him. He was lying down with her on top of him, kissing him senseless and he knew he'd do anything to keep tasting the nectar that was Shiuli's lips. As Shiuli pulled away gently, Death hummed with slight disappointment at the lack of contact. He then opened his eyes to look at her smile lovingly at him.
"You look like you want more." Shiuli giggled.
"The kiss? Absolutely. If I, had it my way, I'd never stop kissing you, my love."
Blushing the exact same shade as the strawberries printed on her t-shirt, Shiuli hid her face in her favourite place – Death's chest. Death laughed at her shy antics, loving this side of Shiuli just as much as every other side of her. Caressing the back of her head, Death told Shiuli what he wanted to tell her for a long time.
"Baby, I don't want all this to stop you from dreaming."
Shiuli looked up at him, "What do you mean?"
"When I bargained for your life, a part of the reason I did so with my evil brother was that your parents wanted you to live and accomplish your dreams. I don't want you to throw all that away just for me."
"What makes you think I'm giving up on my dreams?" Shiuli asked, confused.
"I don't know, I just felt like I was nipping your dreams with the whole relocation bit."
"No chance!" Shiuli added, "Listen boyfriend, you know why I love you? Because I know you will always support me and my dreams. I'm just putting it on pause for now. Once we have tackled your family and they "war" that you all claim is coming, you will lose me to my dreams."
Shiuli watched as Death lightened up with what she'd just said. She couldn't believe how supportive and loving her creature was.
"I've hit the jackpot with you, you know?" Shiuli smiled.
"That doesn't change the fact that you were my knight in shining armor."