Chapter Seventeen
"Well then let's go." Juniper smiled. It was a smile I was unsure in which to trust. Calsipher seemed rather hesitant as well. "Just follow me."
Cal looked at me and gestured a hand towards the door. "Ladies first," he smirked. I growled but didn't comment at the sarcasm in his voice. I just mumbled "Thanks," as I went past him. He was right behind me. As we walked through the hall it felt like he was nipping at my heels.
Everything was obviously downstairs. The noise vibrated underneath my feet. They were sure a rambunctious lot. I thought Juniper was going to move down the stairs but instead she came into a room and motioned is on. There was a rig on the floor. She quickly moved it and opened up a secret entrance which I hoped could only just resemble the door in the spooky tales told by my father before he died.
I looked inside, at first skeptically. Juniper went in first and then ushered us in. This consisted of yet another long hallway, except with the feel of a cold draft even more than before. The hallway had a bit of the moonlight at the end and I could tell it led outside.
We were on the other side of the pub now as well as near the forest. We traveled about a mile into the thicket of the trees, then ushered us to sit down on the twigs. Ugh, I was SO tired! How was I even going to retain any of this anyway? Everything in my conscience was telling me to just go back. Sleep is sensible, it told me. Sleep is necessary. Sleep.
"Please wait a moment," Juniper held up her hand. "He'll be here any moment."
He? So now we have to wait? Whoever this guy is, he better be pretty bloody important! I scowled in frustration.
It wasn't long before I found out what she was speaking of .There was something lingering in the shadow of the trees.
"So glad you decided to join us, Gabriel." Juniper suddenly said, facing in the direction directly behind me. I spun around and found myself face to face with the cloaked man I'd encountered a few nights before. My eyes widened. He was extremely close and I took a step back from him so I could avoid feeling his warm breath on my skin. A chill ran up my spine and I glared at him.
At first, he coughed slightly and then in the lurid deep voice I had heard before he replied, "Hello Juniper," he replied smoothly. I looked from Juniper to this Gabriel in silence. Gabriel still remained in the hood, and uncomfortably close to me.
Juniper smiled at Cal and I. "Calsipher, Raina, I'd like you to meet Gabriel. Gabriel, well, you know who these two are," She chuckled.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Calsipher….as well as you Raina," He said truly, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice when he added my name. We both knew we've already been acquainted. I could take in a hint of the stunning blue eyes beneath his hood and once again I was reminded of the eyes in the painting I had made. Not to mention the original source of my gazing into them: the dream.