Love In Blue Eyes
Part One: Altered Destiny
Chapter 5: Falling Angels
Millerna watched, silently, as the Crusade landed in the distance. A lone tear slid down her cheek. No more followed. She sighed, clutching a small locket in her palm. Turning it over slowly, the one word Marlene was scawled in neat handwriting. Millerna opened it with a click, and her heart wrenched at the picture inside. Allen stood holding Marlene's hand in a beautifull garden, they were smiling at eachother. Even in the dim picture, she could see her deceased sister's eyes shining. She loved him so much.....Millerna thought, and Allen had loved her back "But not anymore...." she murmured, trying to conceal the hatred burning inside her. "He loves Hitomi...." More tears began to trickle down her face, and she wiped them away in annoyance. Millerna had always hated crying, Allen, if you loved my I wouldn't be crying...... she whimpered to herself, trying to bring on more anger. But in doing that, it only made her more frustrated. She could hear Eries calling her, but it seemed so distant and not important. In her minds eye she could see Allen, with his beautifull eyes, golden hair and he was smiling. Her heart melted seeing him like that, and a knot formed in her throat as she realized that he would never smile at her like that. He could just be there to do his job, and nothing more. They were nothing now, and it hurt her more than she already was as she wished that Hitomi had never come to Gaea..."Millerna!"her older sisters harsh voice intruded on her thoughts, and she almost yelped in suprise. Blinking a few times to wash away the tears, she turned to see Eries standing in the doorway with her arms crossed and a frown on her face. "Where have you been?!" she snapped, suddenly walking in. Millerna tried to smile and say she had been day-dreaming about her fiance......"Joradin has been waiting patiently, and you've been sitting here crying over a silly Knight!" She flinched at the mention of her future husband and the fact that Eries had seen the tears. "I'm sorry..." Millerna mumbled, running her hand through her pale blonde hair. She hated how even at her current age, Eries still seemed to govern over her life. "Well sorry isn't going to cut it. Now come on before we waste even more time." The older sibling grabbed Millerna's arm forcefully and dragged her out the door. "Why do you keep avoiding all your meetings with Joradin?" she suddenly asked, sounding almost sympathetic. "Well he's really nice....." she answered "And smart, funny, handsome and he seems to care about me alot. But he's just not Allen....." Eries groaned, coming to a halt "I can't believe that after twelve years you're still hounding over him. Can't you get it Millerna? He doesn't love you, so I don't know why you even bother to give him a thought. Now you've got someone who actually cares you exist, who loves you and wants to spend the rest of their life with you. And you're pushing him aside just because you seem to think that you can sucker Allen into loving you. He never did and he never will, so just give up." Millerna gasped, hearing Eries say that. "Don't you understand?" she retorted, almost breaking into tears "I know he loves me but he just doesn't seem to realize it. I know he does! I just know it! If he loved Marlene, than he loves me!" "How do you have the right to say that?!" It wasn't Eries who answered her. Millerna's heart swelled with anger, as she turned on Allen. "I have every right because I know you love me!!!" she screamed, her words echoing through the hall. A few servants stopped to stare at the princess' distress, not daring to move. Allen's voice broke the silence after only moments, and there were no words to descibe the rage in his voice "I'm not going to ask for pardon in saying this. Because it is the truth." he said, shaking with fury, trying to contain the anger building inside of him "You are a stupid, idiotic, bitch Millerna. How dare you use Marlene as a tool?, as a weapon against me, trying to weasel your way into beleiving that I love you. Because I don't, and I never will. If there is any possible way that you can hear me through your thick-skull, than I hope that you take that into consideration. Because as I said before it's the truth, and don't you ever forget it." It seemed as though in that moment, before Millerna broke into heaving sobs, that her entire essence crumbled underneath her. Even she knew that after hearing what Allen had said, she would never be the same again. Eries left her side and walked over to the Knight. "Thank-you Allen. I've wanted to say that to her for the longest time, but never had the heart to do it. She desperately needed some help in realizing the truth...."Allen bowed repectively, before she could say any more, and left her standing there with her crying sister. "Where are you going?" she asked, as his foot-steps echoed down the hallway. "The woman I love is waiting for me." he answered, not turning to face Eries as he ran. She didn't ask who it was, because she didn't need to. Neither did Millerna.
Hitomi sat waiting in the garden with Celena for Allen to return from the palace. It was just past two o'clock she figured, as the sun just began to make it's descent towards the eastern mountains that overlooked the capital of Asturia. It was warm and the breeze blew freely, making her sandy-brown hair sway. Hitomi was still stiff from the night before. Amazingly, her wounds had been minor, considering how much pain she had felt. Was it just luck.....?she asked herself Or did Varie really mean what she had said? But why would she do that? She wasn't of much importance, except for the fact that she had a six year old son alone on Earth and, well, Allen. None of it made sense, and thinking about it made her head hurt more than it already was hurting, so she gave up in trying to figure it out. "Hitomi, why did you come back to Gaea?" Celena asked suddenly. A few moments passed before she answered "I guess because I wanted to see Van again....." "Oh." Celena mumbled, knowing that she shouldn't dig any deeper. But it just kept nagging at her. Finally, she asked "Do you still love him?" "No." Hitomi's reply was sudden, and she was suprised. Her tone changed though as she continued "I love Allen." It wasn't forcefull, or spur of the moment to quit Celena from pestering her any further. She sounded happy again, the grief from her return was gone, and replaced by content. The sudden clattering of horse-hooves from the front of the large sea-front house interupted their conversation. Celena jumped up and ran through the gate, just as her brother was entering. But it seemed as though she had expected it, and she jumped into his arms envelloping him with a warm hug. He laughed, gazing past his sister to lock gazes with Hitomi. His face shone and he smiled. In turn she smiled back, blushing slightly. "Celena, on my way back, I met up with the boy's. Adrien told me to ask you if you would honour him in a trip to Fanelia. His whole family is going, since that's where he was born. He wanted you to come badly, so I told him I would ask." Allen said, his clear blue eyes flicking back to his sister. An almost girlish squeel escaped her, and she responded "Well tommorow you can tell him that I would love to come." But Allen's smile faded. "I'm not going to see the guys until next week. I told Eries a while ago I needed some time off, so she gave it to me. You're going to have to tell him yourself." "Ok." she said, bounding off towards the stables. Allen sighed and sauntered over to the bench where Hitomi sat. "I swear." he groaned "I think all that time being Dilandau has caught up with her. So now she living the years of childhood she never had. I mean she's almost as old as you, and your....?" "Twenty-seven." she said, finishing his sentence for him. "And are you saying that I'm old?" His eyes opened wide "Of course not. Considering how old I am, you're young." "Oh Allen your thirty-three!" she laughed, punching him in the shoulder playfully. He started lauging too, wraping his arm around her.
Van paced nervously in front of two large oak doors. He was in the pallace of Gwynir Wynd in Gerravia, waiting for Arra to finish talking with her father and mother. He strained his ears to hear what they were saying, but only the slightest muffled sound eminated from the doors. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Arra walked out, closing them softly behind her. "My father agree's to your proposal." she said, eyes never leaving Van's. "But, he told me there's something else he needs to discuss with you, besides the treaty." "What?" Van asked, taking Arra's hand in his. "I don't know. He wouldn't tell me." she replied, almost looking afraid. "I'd better go in. It could be important." he murmured, letting go of Arra's hand. Slowly he opened the doors and walked in. The moment he did, the breath was knoced out of him. The room was beautifull. A large red carpet stretched out in front of him which met up with the huge bay windows that were as high as ceiling to floor. On either side of the red carpet, blue marble floor shone from the sun filtering through the windows. On right and left, at the end of the room, more bay windows were stationed. With beautifull tapestries of the finest silk hanging down in front of them. Looking up, Van saw that above, there were several more floors which arced up into a dome. An extravigant mural was painted on the dome, of angel's flying in long flowing robes of gold. It was breathtaking, and Van not dared to speak. Afraid of breaking the serene aura of the room around him. It was then, that he noticed that a man, supposedly Arra's father was standing at the far end of the room, back turned, looking out the windows onto Gwynir Wynd. It was he who broke the silence in a horribly utter way "Ah yes, King Van deFanel. At last we meet. It was unfortunate that we never met at your wedding, to my daughter Arra. I was attending to more important matters." his voice was cold, almost sinister. Even more a malice tone than Paillarh, his high priest. Van's skin crawled, hearing it. It almost seemed impossible to him, that his beautifull and caring wife could've come from such a maolevelent father. Perhaps this horrible man's wife was the one of kindness and love. But perhaps not. Suddenly, he turned to face Van and said "Tell me. Where is the girl from the Mystic Moon? The one they call Hitomi Kanzaki." his stomach lurched at her name, and tears almost flooded his eyes. He didn't answer though, he just continued to stare into his cold eyes. "You will tell me." the King hissed, taking a step forward "Or I, Zander deGravf, will find out."
The Mystic Moon hung low in the sky, just after twilight. And it's glow cast an eerie reflection on the water. The waves crashed up against the large rocks on the shore, and as Hitomi walked by slowly, the spray tickled her face. She stopped suddenly, looking out over the great expanse stretching outward and couldn't help but feel very small, then sighed and sat down on one of the larger rocks, feeling the surf lick at her feet as it crashed in again sending more spray in all directions. She hugged her legs and rocked back and forth slowly, not feeling the least bit tired considering how late it was. Letting one hand go she brushed the water with her fingertips, the cold biting into her skin. The urge to spread her wings was overwhelming. To just soar over the water and into the night sky, to dance along the stars and never have to worry about anything ever again. But Hitomi knew it was impossible to just fly away and leave all her problems and conflicts behind. Even with her new relationship, the happiness didn't overshadow the overwhelming sense of unease, of foreboding that wouldn't leave her. Just being on Gaea, being happy didn't seem to fit. There had to have been a purpose for her being sent back other than the yearning for Van. There was a reason, and Hitomi knew it. But she couldn't seem to figure it out, why she was here. Maybe it's something in what Varie said.....she thought to herself, standing up. Finally spreading her white wings, feeling the soft plumage shoot out of her back, another wave crashed against the rock. She folded her hands in prayer and turned towardst he Mystic Moon, eyes closed, and said "Please, just tell me why I'm here. Maybe knowing it will put my fears to rest......."
Allen watched breathlessly by his window, trying to remind himself that what he was seeing was real. "She's so beautifull....." he whispered, to no one inparticular. He was alone in his third floor study, sitting on the window seat, gazing onto the shore where Hitomi stood hands folded in prayer. The tide crashed in again, and the spray was illuminated by the waning moon above. He couldn't seem to take his eyes from her. It was a sight to behold, almost magical. It seemed as though every moment he watched, the stronger his love towards her grew. Allen almost cried, knowing that this beautifull woman before him whom he loved, actually loved him back. It was like a dream that he never wanted to awaken from. The night was silent except for the waves on the shore below, and he almost cried out to her, but feared in breaking the serene silence. It was too perfect, he had never imagined things would ever work out the way they had. He had always believed that Hitomi and Van were soul mates, their love so strong it could overcome even time itself. "But I guess the distance proved them wrong." he thought aloud. And it had, they had grown apart, started new lives and forgotten about eachother. It had been too long, too long now to ever start over. The door behind him clicked open and he turned to see Celena standing in the doorway. "I'm going over to Adrien's place for tonight. I'll be back sometime around mid-day tommorow." she said, smiling sweetly. "Ok." Allen muttered, grinning back at her. "Bye..."Celena closed the door, and again the only sound was the waves crashing against the rocks and the muffled pattering of his sisters feet as she went down the stairs. He turned back to the window and gasped a little. Hitomi wasn't by the shore anymore. He could see her slowly fading foot-steps in the sand as she returned to the house. A sudden gust of wind blew into the open window and the curtains billowed in the breeze. Allen closed them, as the cold wind was making him shiver. He stood up from his seat and walked toward the door, starting to open it. But he was stopped in mid gesture as he heard a small 'tap tap' coming fromt he closed window behind him. Turning he saw Hitomi floating, wings outstretched, smiling at him. He laughed a little, then walked back to open them again. When he did, she flew in, many feathers askew and sat gracefully on the window seat. Allen sat down beside her and grasped her hand. "I was watching you." he murmured, gazing into her eyes. "I know." Hitomi replied, smiling again. She kissed him lightly, then leaned against his shoulder, letting her eye-lids droop. Allen sighed, then shifted his position so his back was against the wall, laying Hitomi in his lap. Then closed his eyes too and let sleep overpower him.
Hitomi shot up, drenched in sweat, feeling the cold breeze from the open window brushing against her neck. The vision, still vivid in her mind, sent shivers down her spine. Van was in trouble.
Part One: Altered Destiny
Chapter 5: Falling Angels
Millerna watched, silently, as the Crusade landed in the distance. A lone tear slid down her cheek. No more followed. She sighed, clutching a small locket in her palm. Turning it over slowly, the one word Marlene was scawled in neat handwriting. Millerna opened it with a click, and her heart wrenched at the picture inside. Allen stood holding Marlene's hand in a beautifull garden, they were smiling at eachother. Even in the dim picture, she could see her deceased sister's eyes shining. She loved him so much.....Millerna thought, and Allen had loved her back "But not anymore...." she murmured, trying to conceal the hatred burning inside her. "He loves Hitomi...." More tears began to trickle down her face, and she wiped them away in annoyance. Millerna had always hated crying, Allen, if you loved my I wouldn't be crying...... she whimpered to herself, trying to bring on more anger. But in doing that, it only made her more frustrated. She could hear Eries calling her, but it seemed so distant and not important. In her minds eye she could see Allen, with his beautifull eyes, golden hair and he was smiling. Her heart melted seeing him like that, and a knot formed in her throat as she realized that he would never smile at her like that. He could just be there to do his job, and nothing more. They were nothing now, and it hurt her more than she already was as she wished that Hitomi had never come to Gaea..."Millerna!"her older sisters harsh voice intruded on her thoughts, and she almost yelped in suprise. Blinking a few times to wash away the tears, she turned to see Eries standing in the doorway with her arms crossed and a frown on her face. "Where have you been?!" she snapped, suddenly walking in. Millerna tried to smile and say she had been day-dreaming about her fiance......"Joradin has been waiting patiently, and you've been sitting here crying over a silly Knight!" She flinched at the mention of her future husband and the fact that Eries had seen the tears. "I'm sorry..." Millerna mumbled, running her hand through her pale blonde hair. She hated how even at her current age, Eries still seemed to govern over her life. "Well sorry isn't going to cut it. Now come on before we waste even more time." The older sibling grabbed Millerna's arm forcefully and dragged her out the door. "Why do you keep avoiding all your meetings with Joradin?" she suddenly asked, sounding almost sympathetic. "Well he's really nice....." she answered "And smart, funny, handsome and he seems to care about me alot. But he's just not Allen....." Eries groaned, coming to a halt "I can't believe that after twelve years you're still hounding over him. Can't you get it Millerna? He doesn't love you, so I don't know why you even bother to give him a thought. Now you've got someone who actually cares you exist, who loves you and wants to spend the rest of their life with you. And you're pushing him aside just because you seem to think that you can sucker Allen into loving you. He never did and he never will, so just give up." Millerna gasped, hearing Eries say that. "Don't you understand?" she retorted, almost breaking into tears "I know he loves me but he just doesn't seem to realize it. I know he does! I just know it! If he loved Marlene, than he loves me!" "How do you have the right to say that?!" It wasn't Eries who answered her. Millerna's heart swelled with anger, as she turned on Allen. "I have every right because I know you love me!!!" she screamed, her words echoing through the hall. A few servants stopped to stare at the princess' distress, not daring to move. Allen's voice broke the silence after only moments, and there were no words to descibe the rage in his voice "I'm not going to ask for pardon in saying this. Because it is the truth." he said, shaking with fury, trying to contain the anger building inside of him "You are a stupid, idiotic, bitch Millerna. How dare you use Marlene as a tool?, as a weapon against me, trying to weasel your way into beleiving that I love you. Because I don't, and I never will. If there is any possible way that you can hear me through your thick-skull, than I hope that you take that into consideration. Because as I said before it's the truth, and don't you ever forget it." It seemed as though in that moment, before Millerna broke into heaving sobs, that her entire essence crumbled underneath her. Even she knew that after hearing what Allen had said, she would never be the same again. Eries left her side and walked over to the Knight. "Thank-you Allen. I've wanted to say that to her for the longest time, but never had the heart to do it. She desperately needed some help in realizing the truth...."Allen bowed repectively, before she could say any more, and left her standing there with her crying sister. "Where are you going?" she asked, as his foot-steps echoed down the hallway. "The woman I love is waiting for me." he answered, not turning to face Eries as he ran. She didn't ask who it was, because she didn't need to. Neither did Millerna.
Hitomi sat waiting in the garden with Celena for Allen to return from the palace. It was just past two o'clock she figured, as the sun just began to make it's descent towards the eastern mountains that overlooked the capital of Asturia. It was warm and the breeze blew freely, making her sandy-brown hair sway. Hitomi was still stiff from the night before. Amazingly, her wounds had been minor, considering how much pain she had felt. Was it just luck.....?she asked herself Or did Varie really mean what she had said? But why would she do that? She wasn't of much importance, except for the fact that she had a six year old son alone on Earth and, well, Allen. None of it made sense, and thinking about it made her head hurt more than it already was hurting, so she gave up in trying to figure it out. "Hitomi, why did you come back to Gaea?" Celena asked suddenly. A few moments passed before she answered "I guess because I wanted to see Van again....." "Oh." Celena mumbled, knowing that she shouldn't dig any deeper. But it just kept nagging at her. Finally, she asked "Do you still love him?" "No." Hitomi's reply was sudden, and she was suprised. Her tone changed though as she continued "I love Allen." It wasn't forcefull, or spur of the moment to quit Celena from pestering her any further. She sounded happy again, the grief from her return was gone, and replaced by content. The sudden clattering of horse-hooves from the front of the large sea-front house interupted their conversation. Celena jumped up and ran through the gate, just as her brother was entering. But it seemed as though she had expected it, and she jumped into his arms envelloping him with a warm hug. He laughed, gazing past his sister to lock gazes with Hitomi. His face shone and he smiled. In turn she smiled back, blushing slightly. "Celena, on my way back, I met up with the boy's. Adrien told me to ask you if you would honour him in a trip to Fanelia. His whole family is going, since that's where he was born. He wanted you to come badly, so I told him I would ask." Allen said, his clear blue eyes flicking back to his sister. An almost girlish squeel escaped her, and she responded "Well tommorow you can tell him that I would love to come." But Allen's smile faded. "I'm not going to see the guys until next week. I told Eries a while ago I needed some time off, so she gave it to me. You're going to have to tell him yourself." "Ok." she said, bounding off towards the stables. Allen sighed and sauntered over to the bench where Hitomi sat. "I swear." he groaned "I think all that time being Dilandau has caught up with her. So now she living the years of childhood she never had. I mean she's almost as old as you, and your....?" "Twenty-seven." she said, finishing his sentence for him. "And are you saying that I'm old?" His eyes opened wide "Of course not. Considering how old I am, you're young." "Oh Allen your thirty-three!" she laughed, punching him in the shoulder playfully. He started lauging too, wraping his arm around her.
Van paced nervously in front of two large oak doors. He was in the pallace of Gwynir Wynd in Gerravia, waiting for Arra to finish talking with her father and mother. He strained his ears to hear what they were saying, but only the slightest muffled sound eminated from the doors. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Arra walked out, closing them softly behind her. "My father agree's to your proposal." she said, eyes never leaving Van's. "But, he told me there's something else he needs to discuss with you, besides the treaty." "What?" Van asked, taking Arra's hand in his. "I don't know. He wouldn't tell me." she replied, almost looking afraid. "I'd better go in. It could be important." he murmured, letting go of Arra's hand. Slowly he opened the doors and walked in. The moment he did, the breath was knoced out of him. The room was beautifull. A large red carpet stretched out in front of him which met up with the huge bay windows that were as high as ceiling to floor. On either side of the red carpet, blue marble floor shone from the sun filtering through the windows. On right and left, at the end of the room, more bay windows were stationed. With beautifull tapestries of the finest silk hanging down in front of them. Looking up, Van saw that above, there were several more floors which arced up into a dome. An extravigant mural was painted on the dome, of angel's flying in long flowing robes of gold. It was breathtaking, and Van not dared to speak. Afraid of breaking the serene aura of the room around him. It was then, that he noticed that a man, supposedly Arra's father was standing at the far end of the room, back turned, looking out the windows onto Gwynir Wynd. It was he who broke the silence in a horribly utter way "Ah yes, King Van deFanel. At last we meet. It was unfortunate that we never met at your wedding, to my daughter Arra. I was attending to more important matters." his voice was cold, almost sinister. Even more a malice tone than Paillarh, his high priest. Van's skin crawled, hearing it. It almost seemed impossible to him, that his beautifull and caring wife could've come from such a maolevelent father. Perhaps this horrible man's wife was the one of kindness and love. But perhaps not. Suddenly, he turned to face Van and said "Tell me. Where is the girl from the Mystic Moon? The one they call Hitomi Kanzaki." his stomach lurched at her name, and tears almost flooded his eyes. He didn't answer though, he just continued to stare into his cold eyes. "You will tell me." the King hissed, taking a step forward "Or I, Zander deGravf, will find out."
The Mystic Moon hung low in the sky, just after twilight. And it's glow cast an eerie reflection on the water. The waves crashed up against the large rocks on the shore, and as Hitomi walked by slowly, the spray tickled her face. She stopped suddenly, looking out over the great expanse stretching outward and couldn't help but feel very small, then sighed and sat down on one of the larger rocks, feeling the surf lick at her feet as it crashed in again sending more spray in all directions. She hugged her legs and rocked back and forth slowly, not feeling the least bit tired considering how late it was. Letting one hand go she brushed the water with her fingertips, the cold biting into her skin. The urge to spread her wings was overwhelming. To just soar over the water and into the night sky, to dance along the stars and never have to worry about anything ever again. But Hitomi knew it was impossible to just fly away and leave all her problems and conflicts behind. Even with her new relationship, the happiness didn't overshadow the overwhelming sense of unease, of foreboding that wouldn't leave her. Just being on Gaea, being happy didn't seem to fit. There had to have been a purpose for her being sent back other than the yearning for Van. There was a reason, and Hitomi knew it. But she couldn't seem to figure it out, why she was here. Maybe it's something in what Varie said.....she thought to herself, standing up. Finally spreading her white wings, feeling the soft plumage shoot out of her back, another wave crashed against the rock. She folded her hands in prayer and turned towardst he Mystic Moon, eyes closed, and said "Please, just tell me why I'm here. Maybe knowing it will put my fears to rest......."
Allen watched breathlessly by his window, trying to remind himself that what he was seeing was real. "She's so beautifull....." he whispered, to no one inparticular. He was alone in his third floor study, sitting on the window seat, gazing onto the shore where Hitomi stood hands folded in prayer. The tide crashed in again, and the spray was illuminated by the waning moon above. He couldn't seem to take his eyes from her. It was a sight to behold, almost magical. It seemed as though every moment he watched, the stronger his love towards her grew. Allen almost cried, knowing that this beautifull woman before him whom he loved, actually loved him back. It was like a dream that he never wanted to awaken from. The night was silent except for the waves on the shore below, and he almost cried out to her, but feared in breaking the serene silence. It was too perfect, he had never imagined things would ever work out the way they had. He had always believed that Hitomi and Van were soul mates, their love so strong it could overcome even time itself. "But I guess the distance proved them wrong." he thought aloud. And it had, they had grown apart, started new lives and forgotten about eachother. It had been too long, too long now to ever start over. The door behind him clicked open and he turned to see Celena standing in the doorway. "I'm going over to Adrien's place for tonight. I'll be back sometime around mid-day tommorow." she said, smiling sweetly. "Ok." Allen muttered, grinning back at her. "Bye..."Celena closed the door, and again the only sound was the waves crashing against the rocks and the muffled pattering of his sisters feet as she went down the stairs. He turned back to the window and gasped a little. Hitomi wasn't by the shore anymore. He could see her slowly fading foot-steps in the sand as she returned to the house. A sudden gust of wind blew into the open window and the curtains billowed in the breeze. Allen closed them, as the cold wind was making him shiver. He stood up from his seat and walked toward the door, starting to open it. But he was stopped in mid gesture as he heard a small 'tap tap' coming fromt he closed window behind him. Turning he saw Hitomi floating, wings outstretched, smiling at him. He laughed a little, then walked back to open them again. When he did, she flew in, many feathers askew and sat gracefully on the window seat. Allen sat down beside her and grasped her hand. "I was watching you." he murmured, gazing into her eyes. "I know." Hitomi replied, smiling again. She kissed him lightly, then leaned against his shoulder, letting her eye-lids droop. Allen sighed, then shifted his position so his back was against the wall, laying Hitomi in his lap. Then closed his eyes too and let sleep overpower him.
Hitomi shot up, drenched in sweat, feeling the cold breeze from the open window brushing against her neck. The vision, still vivid in her mind, sent shivers down her spine. Van was in trouble.
