hey there peoples! thanx for the reviews, they have been GREAT! love the feedback, definitely makes me write faster. and i am open to all reviews, even if they are anon. they are taken gratefully. anyways, hope whoever is reading this enjoys this chapter, thanx for reading!
"I was afraid," I said slowly," that you wouldn't like me anymore. That if you did believe me, you would believe me to be a monster. That you would run from me. Hate me. Wish me dead." I stopped as the words stuck in my throat.
He walked back to me slowly, his expression very gentle and sad."Iris," he said cupping my face in his hand,"how could I ever hate you? As beautiful, as strong, as clever as you are?" I looked up into his crimson eyes that were filled with nothing but affection. He brought his other hand on the other side of my face.
"Iris.", he said gently,"I love you."
And he brought his lips softly to mine.
I was shocked at the sudden gesture and started. He pulled away and I put my hand to my lips, still surprised. He backed up quickly with his hands out in front of him.
"I'm sorry Iris. I shouldn't have been so forward." he mumbled.
I looked up at him and he started to say smething else. "Iris,I-"
I cut him of by closing the few feet between us and pulling his face to mine, kissing him passionately. He seemed as surprised as I was at first, but then he brought his hand up and held my face. I worked my hands through his hair, and, all too soon, we broke away from each other gasping.
He leaned his forehead to mine as we each tried to control our breathing. A smile lit up his face and I smiled in return.
"I've always loved you, even when you were dead." I said, and he laughed softly."Still dead." he chuckled, and I joined him, laughing at the sheer impossibility of this moment.
We were still smiling blissfully when Charlie came back in, not bothering to knock this time. "Hey guys, I need-whoah!" she exclaimed as she took in the sight of us, still in each others arms. We broke apart quickly and I shuffled my feet, a little embarassed at being caught with Adrian.
"Am I interrupting something?" she asked with a huge smile on her face. Adrian sighed, and rolled his eyes up to the ceiling.
"What is it Charlie?" he asked, trying to change the subject.
She was still smiling, apparantly his attempts at changing the subject were not working. "No, no. Don't let me disturb you, Adrian." Her use of his real name surprised me, he had told me that he had given them his fathers name, Ethan. I looked to him inquiringly and he answered my unspoken question.
"I trust Charlie, she's known everything for a while now. But, she's only recently known who you were.When I told her that you were the one I was with that last day in the woods, she immediately started to care for you more personally."
"Oh." was all I could say. I added up the dates in my head, and he was right. Up untill they had found out that I had been starving myself, every meal and everything I needed was delivered without a single glimpse at whoever delivered them.
She smiled at me, and I didn't know it was possible for me to feel more grateful to Charlie, and yet I was. She had done more for me than I even knew. I smiled back just as happily.
She gave out a cry of glee, and to my surprise, ran forward in a hectic array of pink and blonde, and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, uncertain and still startled. "I wanted to talk to you so badly, but you didn't know about Adrian yet! So I, of course, couldn't tell you. You mean so much to him, I could tell, even when he didn't know where you were. And when he brought you here, he was so sad, and-" I had to cut her off, she was going way too fast, it was a struggle to understand her. Also the small problem of me not being able to breathe.
"Charlie!Can't-breathe!" she let me go, but the smile was still bright on her face.
Adrian finally spoke up, and at his words, her smile dropped.
"What happened that made you come in such a hurry?"
She took a deep breath, as if preparing herself, or as if se were struggling not to cry. I wasn't sure.
"Adrian," she said slowly," Damon has woken. And he is in a blind fury." she bit down on her lip and there was a small silence before she continued." I don't think that he would admit his defeat in not being able to make Iris his bride, but, the council will know that she has refused the place as guard."
"And what is to become of Iris?" he asked anxiously.
"She is to go to trial, as planned. But they have put it ahead of schedual, at Damon's request. It is to be late tonight."
He looked worried, and then he asked."And what is his plan for me?"
She looked like she may cry." I am not sure. He can't tell them what really happened, but he plans to charge you with betrayal and conspiracy." Adrian sat on the couch with his head in ihis hands." It's possible that Iris may not be the only one on trial tonight." she finished with a dry sob.
I sat close to Adrian on the couch and wrapped my arm around him, not ale to think of another way to comfort him. Our situation was hopeless.
"What of escape?" he asked her.
"All doors and windows are guarded." she looked like she wanted to say more but couldn't.
Then a knck sounded at the door and Carlie went to answer it cautiously. It was a tall vampire with some clothes wrapped around his arm. "The council requests that those to be judged dress appropriately. The accused are now recognised as Iris of the Linean wolf pack and, from our own clan, Ethan Carvell. The trial is to commence in one hour." he said in a deep voice before leaving without another word.
Charlie chuckled darkly."For all their cruelty, they always attempt to remain civilized." She handed me a black dress, similar to the red one, and gloves. She also handed Adrian black dress pants and a white button-up shirt.
"It seems," Adrian started with a deep breath," that we have no other choice."
He turned to look at me and said earnestly"Iris, I will do everything inmy power to keep them from hurting you." He then looked away from me to Charlie."Since it seems that they have not charged you, you will be permitted to attend the trial, yes?" he asked.
"Yes..." she said uncertainly, but her expression was bleak.
An uncomfortable silence followed.
"So..." I said in an attempt to break our dark reverie,"what now?"
"Now,"Adrian said slowly,"we get ready." He stood up, saying "I will be back shortly. Charlie, would you please stay with Iris?'
"I was already planning to." she said, and he smiled before shutting the door behind him.
I stroked the dress in my lap. I was still weak from the attack earilier, was it only hours ago? The stitches still stod out darkly against my pale skin, the only wounds the dress wouldn't cover. In an hour my strength wouldn't have recovered completely, but it would have recovered slightly, I assured myself.
Charlie sat down beside me soundlessly. "I'm so sorry for all that you have been through." she said, and her voice burned with feeling."I will be there to help in any way that I can. You will not be alone in there, Adrian will be by your side." she said, and the thought gave me comfort."Thank you. I know it seems that it's all I've been saying lately, but I am very grateful for all that you've done.But I fear for you as well," I fought back the tears that threatened to camoe,"I fear for both of you. Everything that I care for always ends up harmed in the end. And I feel helpless."
"You are strong Iris." she insisted."And we will be fine." I nodded, but I had heard her small glimmer of doubt.
"I should get ready." I said, and walked toward the bathroom.
When I slipped on the dress, I saw that it was, in fact, identical to the red one in every way but color. The black, however, contrasted with my pale skin, and somehow, I felt as if this color was chosen for marking me as condemned. My pendant still hung around my throat, and I stroked it, grateful for something familiar. The wounds on my chest crossed my collarbones in a vicious 'X'. The dress hid my other wounds well, and I knew that if I survived I would have many new scars, and I hoped that tonight I would not add to my list of them.
I came out of the bathroom to find Adrian standing in the middle of the room, looking very handsome in his un-tucked white shirt and black pants and loose black tie. He looked at me stunned, and I was suddenly self conscious of the scars across my chest.
"You look gorgeous." he said, sounding awed, and I smiled.
"You don't look half bad yourself." I said walking to him and he chuckled. Then I noticed Charlie smiling at us, wering a strapless silver dress and gloves. I smiled at her."You look amazing." I told her and she just smiled wider.
We stood in silence for a moment, and I treid futilely to ignore the fact that Adrian and I looked as if we were going to our funeral.
After a moment, Adrian wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head, whispering "I love you" into my hair. "I love you too." I said and turned my head to bring my lips to his.The kiss had as much passion as the last, and when we broke apart, I felt his absence.
"I suppose it is time to leave." Charlie said and Adrian and I nodded gravely.
We followed her out the door and through the hallways, and then we trutned to face a door I had not noticed earlier. They were double doors with antique handles and it was ornately carved.
"Are you ready?" Charlie asked, and I turned toward Adrian, and answered, not looking away from his loving red eyes."As ready as I'll ever be."
He closed the small distance between us and drew me close to him, pulling my face to his, kissing me deeply as Charlie opened the door to the fate that awaited us.
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cliffhanger! i know, i'm so evil!
sorry if it's kinda short, but at least now i'm on an average of 2000 words, something i am VERY proud of. the next chapter, though, will hopefully be above average!
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!! again, open to anon. reviews. and thanx again to all of those that did review, they made my day and definitely helped me push through the writers block!
sorry for any mistakes in the chapter, when i get excited i tend to miss things
thanx for reading, now push the little purple button and review!!!!!!!!!!
the-truth-about-heaven...