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Love Never Dies,

Bella

Chapter 5

x

No Salvation

Luce, Luce, Luce.

Daniel was running, running amongst a powdered white surface with red peonies blooming across, his beautiful white wings were open behind him, his violet eyes wide with fear, his heart hammering against his chest as he ran for the dark haired girl at the other end of the meadow.

Luce, Luce, Luce.

The girl turned, her hazel eyes meeting with Daniel's. Two arms then wrapped around her, a face burying into her hair. But, it was not Daniel that pulled her into a sweet embrace, it wasn't Daniel that brushed his lips over the sensitive skin on her neck.

Daniel's pace slowed until he was put into a full halt at the center of the meadow.

Icy blue eyes looked up at Daniel, a smirk spreading over the blue eyed man and he slowly tilted the dark haired girl up for a kiss. Their kiss was slow and passionate, and Daniel's heart surged with pain as he watched the two lovers.

"I love you, Lucifer."

Daniel then shot straight up in his bed, gasping for air. His wild eyes were burnished violet, his face wet with the sweat that had begun to sprout over his face, dampening his hair. Daniel's violet eyes were searching around the room, in hopes that Lucinda would be there to counsel him, to tell him it was only a nightmare. But, a wave of realization hit him and he lays back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling above.

Of course, Lucinda wouldn't be there – He was doing everything in his power to make sure she wouldn't be there.

Daniel rubbed his face, his fingers curling into his sandy hair as he held back the oncoming tears. The nightmares were coming nightly now, and it was not only frustrating to Daniel, but it was also slowly killing him. He wanted so badly to be Cam at this moment, he wanted to be able to hold Lucinda the way Cam had last night at the party. His memories of Lucinda and him flood his mind, her soft lips molding against his, their fingers intertwining, their hearts locking together as they always had.

Daniel wanted so badly to lay there and daydream, to let all the pain fade away. But, then a crackle erupted through the room and the PA system boomed,

"Attention, Sword and Crosstians!"

Daniel moaned and sat up in his bed, rubbing his face as he listened to the announcement. So much for wanting to daydream.

"You have exactly nine minutes to report to the gymnasium for your annual fitness examination. As you know, we take a dim view of stragglers, so be prompt and be ready for bodily assessment."

Daniel sighed and swung his legs off the bed and rose to his feet. That would be simple enough for him anyways, he didn't mind the fitness test and it was a good distraction. . . He walked to his dresser and got a plain black v-neck t-shirt, pulling it over his head and then grabbing a pair of black gym shorts and putting them on as well.

Roland had caught up to him along the way, asking him about where he had disappeared to during the party and also had asked if he had seen Lucinda.

"What? No, why?" Daniel was confused, looking over at Roland.

"She left just a couple seconds after you did, Arriane and I thought you two were meeting up." Roland shrugged. Daniel looked away from Roland, his eyebrows furrowing as he wondered about where Lucinda had gone, he would have seen her if she had went to her dorm. . .

When they reached the gymnasium, it was clear that Daniel was still bantering to himself about where Lucinda had gone to during the party. Then, it hit him.

She had followed him. And she must had seen Gabbe and him in the hall, having an argument about her not being at the party that night. His gray eyes swept over the group until they saw Lucinda. She looked tired and almost as if she was sick, but Daniel couldn't fully tell.

Daniel sighs and drags his eyes away from her and gets into the line alongside Roland. His eyes tried to stay on Randy as he – Or she – gave out orders, but they couldn't help but stray over to Lucinda every now and then.

"Todd Hammond," Randy's voice boomed, making Daniel look over though it wasn't his name being called. "Weights."

"Pennyweather Van-Syckle Lockwood," Randy called, reaching behind her for the box behind her. "Pool." Randy instructs, throwing Pennyweather a red one-piece.

"Lucinda Price," This caught Daniel's full attention, his gray eyes quickly looking at Lucinda as she stepped forward to hear her ordered position. "Also pool." Lucinda grabbed the red one-piece that Randy was holding out to her before she walked around Randy. Daniel couldn't help but smile. He knew Lucinda was a good swimmer – In fact, she had enjoyed swimming with Daniel in almost every lifetime before.

"Gabrielle Givens," Randy, once again, interrupted Daniel's thoughts.

"Hiiii Randy," Gabbe drawled, smiling at Randy.

"Pool." Randy said, shoving her a one piece. But Daniel's eyes caught a brief glance at Lucinda; She was scowling at this arrangement. Daniel frowned, wishing he could over and tell her his eyes were set on her only – As they always have been. Gabbe, Molly, Arriane, and Roland were all called – But, as usual, all gave Randy notes and made their way to the bleachers.

Randy continued down the list of students, all the way down to Daniel – Who was instructed to do jump rope. Daniel nodded, sucking in his cheeks a little and starting towards the pile of tangled rope on the other side of the gymnasium, pulling off his black t-shirt in the process - but stopping when he heard the whistle blow for the students at the pool. Everyone had dived in, everyone but Lucinda.

She was looking towards Couch Diante for guidance, showing that she hadn't known what to do. Couch Diante shook his head, sighing.

"You must be Lucinda Price – Always late and never listens? Randy told me about you. It's eight laps, pick your best stroke." Coach said, folding his arms over his chest as he watched her. Daniel wanted to go over and stand up for her, tell him off for saying such things about his love. But, he couldn't – The same damn problem he has been having the last three days. He wanted to do and have so many things, and he couldn't.

But Daniel never looked away, he watched as Lucinda nodded and then dive beautifully into the water. A smile crept over Daniel's face as he watched Lucinda swim, the memories of the many times they had swum before in their past lives filled his mind. And then the remembrance of what typically came after it.

Daniel began to feel the air shift cold and millions of whispers filled the gymnasium. "Daniel," Gabbe said, his pale eyes looking at him and the pointing upwards. Daniel glances up at the ceiling – The Announcers were swirling above. Daniel swallowed down the lump that grew in his throat before turning away from everyone and continued back to the jump ropes.

Once selecting a jump rope that wasn't terribly tangled or in ruins, Daniel walked to a more open space in the gym. The Announcers had never left, they were still circling around above Daniel. But, more quieter and less noticeable. Daniel began to jump the rope, his eyes watching his feet.

That was until he heard a cry of pain.

Daniel didn't exactly care about the cry, but a whisper in his ear made him glance up at the ceiling, never stopping his pace. Nothing. It was a blank ceiling and the Announcers from earlier had disappeared. Daniel's tension suddenly eased off his shoulders, the air was no longer cold and uncomfortable, and there wasn't any irritating whispering.

The door that was only a couple yards away creaked slowly open, announcing that someone had entered the room. Daniel didn't bother to check, but the sudden spark of change inside of Daniel made him know exactly who it was.

Lucinda.

Daniel tried to continue jumping rope, but he could feel her drawing closer to him, and his pace slowed, until he halted on the mat, and then looked over at Lucinda.

She was in a baggy red one-piece bathing suit, the towel that was wrapped around her was soaked and her teeth were chattering. Daniel was tempted to pull her into his embrace, to warm her with his own body heat, to let his lips trail up her neck and heat her body with desire.

And hope she wouldn't combust.

But, Daniel did the exact opposite. He watched Lucinda, not saying or doing anything as she slowly stood right up from her bending position, a locker key in her hand.

"Hi." Lucinda breathed, her hazel eyes gazing into Daniel's gray ones.

"Hi," Daniel said back, glancing briefly towards her bathing suit before looking back at her. "Did you win?" Daniel asked, holding back a smile. Daniel knew she must have won, she was a fantastic swimmer – And from the looks over it, she was going quite well before Daniel had stopped watching her. Lucinda laughs, making Daniel's lips twitch slightly upward before forcing them back into their slim line.

"Far from it." Lucinda said, shaking her head. Daniel pursed his lip, a slight look of confusion on his face.

". . . But, you were always. . ." Daniel trailed off, his lips still slightly puckered as he looked away.

"I was always what?" Lucinda asked, cocking her head to the side as she squints her eyes, keeping a close eye on Daniel. Daniel curled his lips and shrugged, acting casual rather than surrendering to the nervous feeling that began to well inside of him.

"I mean, you look like you might be a good swimmer. That's all." Daniel lied smoothly, his gray eyes lingering back to Lucinda, who then took a step closer to Daniel. Daniel listened to the soft noise of dripping water as it pattered on the mat due to Lucinda's soaked hair.

"That's not what you were going to say," Lucinda began to insist. "You said I always. . ."

Daniel blinked slightly and then turned away, wrapping the jump rope around his hand as a distraction. She was catching on, and it wasn't something that Daniel wanted to lie to her about, at least at her face. Daniel quickly made up a lame excuse.

"Yeah, I didn't mean you you. I meant in general. They're always supposed to let you win your first race here. Unspoken code of conduct for us old-timers."

"But Gabbe didn't win either. And she's new. She didn't even get in the pool." Lucinda crossed her arms, watching Daniel with a questioning look.

She isn't going to stop interrogating me, is she?

"She's. . Not exactly new, just coming back after some time. . Off." Daniel shrugged, never looking back at Lucinda as he continued to coil the rope around his hand. Daniel was holding a straight poker face, giving none his emotions away. But, he couldn't help when he looked over and saw she was still trembling and her bottom lips quivered. Daniel's gray eyes soften slightly and he sighed, wishing deeply he could reach over and pull her into his hold.

"Oh, Lucinda." Daniel whispers gently, his fingers twitching against the rope as he watched her. But he knew this was too far – He shouldn't have said anything, he should have just continued being an ass and waved her off. Daniel shook his head and his eyes wandered away, placing the rope down next to the pile.

"I should go change before class." Daniel hadn't known why he told her – It wasn't like it was her business to know. But, it was instinct for Daniel. To be open and carefree with Lucinda, not so cold and uptight. He was only doing it for her safety, however, it wasn't as if he hated suddenly or that their love had faded.

"Wait." And Daniel felt Lucinda's warm hand on his bare arm, but he quickly yanked his arm away as the all to familiar fire blossomed over his skin. Why won't she just go away?

"Do you ever get the feeling. . ." Lucinda trailer off, her eyes locking with Daniel. Daniel couldn't look away, they were close – Close enough that if Daniel wanted, he could have kissed her nose. He watched as curiosity grew in her eyes, the type of curiosity that Daniel had seen too many times before in Lucinda's eyes.

"I could swear we've met before," Lucinda breathes. "Am I crazy?"

Daniel's left eye twitches slightly before cruelly replying, "Crazy? Isn't that why you're here?"

"I'm serious." Lucinda said, narrowing her eyes. Daniel rolled his eyes, "So am I." He snapped back and glanced at the security cameras that were aligned on the walls. "And for the record," Daniel says, pointing towards the blinking cameras that watched them. "the Reds do monitor for stalkers." Of course, he knew that Lucinda wasn't stalking him – she was right. Her recollection was correct, the feeling that spreads over her whenever they neared was true. And the fact he had to brush her off to save her life was slowly killing Daniel inside – But, his face remained blank, showing no expression that he cared.

"I'm not stalking you." Lucinda says. "Can you honestly say you have no idea what I'm talking about?"

I know exactly what you're talking about, Daniel thought. But, instead, he shrugged, giving her a vague answer.

"I don't believe you," She contends. "Look me in the eyes and tell me I'm wrong. That I've never in my life seen you before this week." Daniel's breath caught in his throat and his gray eyes locked onto her hazel one's, a twinge of guilt pushing through Daniel's chest. It was hard to lie to Lucinda like this, to tell her that everything she was feeling wasn't real and that they had never met before, that they were nothing more than strangers was painful. But, Daniel stepped forward, his hands hesitantly placing on her shoulders as his thumbs set in the grooves of her collarbone, their noses nearly touching as his head leaned down to see eye to eye with her. Daniel breathed in her alluring scent, his heart fluttering against his chest. And then Daniel spoke.

"You have never, in your life, seen me before this week." Daniel lied, his voice firm and tight before he pulls back and strides towards the boy's locker room, though he had nothing in there and his shirt was still lying on the floor. Daniel wanted badly to turn around and run into her embrace, to tangle his fingers into her hair and repeatedly beg for forgiveness for his cruel acts, for his constant lies.

But, he only slightly eased the guilt that filled him by reminding himself that he was doing it all to save Lucinda, to maybe stop the cycle once and for all. Even if that meant his own eternal suffering.

Daniel walked into the locker room and went to the Lost-And-Found box near the back, rummaging through it for a minute before finding a black hoodie and turning to find Roland, whose eyebrows were raised.

"What happened to your shirt?"

"I lost it." Daniel lied, pulling the hoodie over his head and walking around Roland – But being pulled back as Roland grabbed his elbow, forcing him to stop.

"You're killing yourself inside Daniel by ignoring her,"

"I'll kill her if I don't." Daniel whispered, but wrenched his arm back and then went to the locker room doors, pulling the hoodie over his head and rushing out of the gymnasium and quickly towards the cemetery.

Daniel needed air, he needed to get away from everyone. Daniel knew he couldn't exactly hide, at least not at Sword & Cross, and there was only one option for Daniel.

Once he was far enough into the cemetery, Daniel pulled his hoodie off, tossing it aside and then unfurled his wings behind him. It felt wonderful to Daniel, to finally be able to let them loose, the allow them to stretch and breathe. Daniel sighed in relief and looked up at the sky before taking off above the clouds.

Where nothing mattered to Daniel, where nothing but good things flowed through Daniel's mind and it was almost as if all the pain had disappeared. At least just for a little while.