Forbidden (Fallen 2)

I had to have hope and faith. I just had to.

The Coven began packing up the tents. I stretched my stiff muscles preparing for another long day in the car. Jonathon said he wanted to make it to the middle of Russia where his destination lay. He said that if we could make it there then that’s where we would stay, unless Selena or some other threat was found.

It was amazing the speed with which the Coven managed to pack up all the tents and the rest of their belongings. They were so efficient, all working separately but also working as one entity. I was fascinated. They loaded the tents and other various weapons and objects into their suburbans. Jonathon slammed the trunk on the Infiniti, startling me back to reality.

I leaned my head back against the car door. “Let’s get this over with,” I groaned opening the door. He laughed.

“You act as if you’ve been sentenced to the guillotine,” he stated.

“I might as well be,” I mumbled to the car floor. That just made him laugh harder.

Joseph slid into the driver’s seat. “What did I miss that was so funny?” He asked, his trademark grin glued into place.

“Nothing,” said Jonathon, “just Kylie complaining about being constrained to a car against her will.”

“I should’ve known,” said Seph shaking his head. He started the engine just as Gabriel slid in next to him. The rest of the cars around us started as well. I glimpsed Isaac’s figure climbing into one of the suburbans before it quickly pulled into the lineup.

We sped off into the dawn headed to Russia. I couldn’t wait for this whole mess to be straightened out.

It was dusk when we finally reached the middle of Russia and we actually managed to reach the town Jonathon had wanted us to stay. It’s called Ust-Kut and adorable. It’s located to the west of the Lena River. It’s just an idyllic town. I’d really enjoy exploring the town if there weren’t more pressing matters at hand; like getting away from Selena.

Jonathon seemed immensely happier. His shoulders weren’t quite as tight and his jaw wasn’t as strained. He was still on guard, that much was obvious, but it was as if he thought the worst was over. I hated to tell him that I thought the worst was yet to come.

We made it to the field that was Coven headquarters. Jonathon said that beneath the field was a labyrinth of tunnels underneath the field so if we needed to make a quick escape we could. The field was hidden from view of the ‘townies’ or ‘humans’ sight because it was surrounded on all four sides by trees. But they still decided to park the cars under the cover of the trees.

As the cars were unloaded and the tents were set up there was a somber note in the air. I may have been the only one to sense it but watching Isaac and the other members of the Coven they seemed to sense it too. Death was rolling in as quickly as the clouds. But yet, this field, this city, was not the place that held death. Death may be coming but it wasn’t going to land here.

While the vampires, even Gabriel and the girls, unloaded our cars I went over to Isaac and his group that was setting up a tent.

It was still awkward between Isaac and I but he was my friend. My only semi-human friend, all the others were vampires.

“Hey,” I said sticking my hands in my pocket. Isaac was on his knees shoving some kind of a rod in the ground. I had never been camping so I had no idea how to make a tent or anything that went with the whole camping thing.

He looked up at me, his blue eyes piercing through me. Had

he always been so good looking or was I just now noticing? His gaze startled me and I let out a shocked little gasp. The noise embarrassed me so then I was blushing which just embarrassed me more and made me blush harder.

A huge smile spread across his face. The smile lit him up and sparked something inside me. I wanted to see him smile more. A lot more.

“Hey, Ky,” he said his eyes piercing straight through to my soul and his smile getting even bigger.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked, even though I was completely clueless about camping. It’s the thought that counts right?

He laughed as if he knew what I was thinking.

“No, Ky, we’re just finishing up,” he chuckled and flicked a dark lock of hair out of his eye.

“Oh, okay,” I said ashamed and blushing again. What was wrong with me?

He smiled at me again and my heart turned to complete and utter goo. Why was I feeling like some lovesick little girl? I had a soul mate. I had Jonathon, the love of my life, so how come, as I was staring at Isaac’s full, beautifully, sculpted lips I couldn’t help but want to press mine against them?

As soon as I thought that I mentally smacked myself. Snap out of it, Kylie.

I mumbled something incoherent that was a cross between ‘good bye’ and ‘see ya later’ so it came out sounding like ‘gooater’. Smooth Kylie, smooth.

I speed walked away. I thought I might dislocate a hip. I tucked my head down trying to make the whole world disappear and myself with it.

“Ow!” I squealed slamming into a hard black wall. A black wall in the middle of the woods? What was a black wall doing here?