Forbidden (Fallen 2)

“Sit down dear. I’ll take care of this,” said Amelia taking the dishes from me. I felt like a princess. “It’s nice to pretend to be domestic for a change,” she said.

“I’ll join you,” said Patrick gathering up the other plates and kissing his wife lovingly on the cheek.

“Are you ready to go?” Jonathon asked.

“That depends. Where are we going?” I asked. He nuzzled his face against my neck, his cool breath tickling it.

“Some place special,” he said by way of an answer.

“Well, how can I turn that down?” I said as I stood up from the table, Jonathon’s hand already grasped in mine.

I turned to the family. “Thank you so much. The breakfast was amazing. I’m glad I could spend my birthday with you.”

“Oh, Kylie you are so welcome. We’re just happy to have you as part of our family. You two have fun. Jonathon be sure to have her back by seven o’ clock.” Amelia said.

“Yes ma’am,” said Jonathon. “I won’t forget.”

We waved goodbye and left.

“You remembered.” I said turning to him as I saw the motorcycle I had fallen in love with parked on the driveway. It was just as perfect as the first time I saw it. Deep purple with orange, red, and yellow flames.

He handed me a helmet and I was able to snap it into place on my own this time. I was getting used to Patrick’s strange contraptions.

Jonathon got on the back of the bike. He looked like a model in his gray t-shirt and leather jacket. He revved the engine and I climbed on with a huge smile. Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad after all.

We took off flying. The speed was exhilarating. Nothing compared to it. My long hair whipped behind me. The sun warmed my skin.

Life can’t get any better than this.

The city flew by us the crumbling buildings and ivy turning into a blur. The chaos of the city was quickly behind us and we were on an old dirt road surrounded by trees and grass and farms. We turned onto an unmarked road almost completely hidden by flowers and shrubs. The sound of running water sounded nearby.

He slowed the bike to a stop. I got off slowly fearing I may fall. I unsnapped the helmet and handed it to Jonathon.

“This place is so beautiful,” I said while looking around at the garden. Katherine’s garden.

I couldn’t believe how alive the flowers were so vibrant and full of life at this time of year. I would think at this time of year they would have shriveled up dead. But that was the magic of Katherine’s garden.

I couldn’t help but remember back to the first time I came here, the only time besides now.

My mother had just been released from the hospital and Jonathon and I had spent the day seeing the sights of Rome. At the end of the day he brought me here and told me what he was, a vampire, and that we were soul mates. At that same time I also found out that he had had to turn my mother into a vampire. It was a day full of strange events. But out of it I got Jonathon and I don’t doubt that he is my soul mate. We were made for each other. Our bodies fit together like a puzzle piece. We’re compatible in so many ways but I still find myself undeserving of his love.

I felt Jonathon come up behind me.

“It’s something isn’t it?” he says rhetorically.

“How come the flowers aren’t shriveled up and dead?” I ask, motioning around me.

“I’m not quite sure. Either the plants my mother grew with her powers are impermeable or my father somehow made them resistant to bad weather. No matter when I come here, summer or winter, they are always like this. Beautiful.”

He walked over to a bush of lilacs and pulled one off.

“For you my love,” he said handing it to me. I inhaled its smell, fresh but sweet. I felt his hand close around mine. “I want to show you the rest of the garden. You never did get to see it all,” He said leading me deeper into the garden until we were almost swallowed by all the flowers.

They were everywhere and all kinds. We went by the bench that we had sat on before and the fountains that sounded and looked so beautiful.

Deeper and deeper we went. The walls of flowers getting thicker and thicker but we continued on.