Chapter 11

Chapter 11

               "Love never dies, it just gets buried deep inside."

                         ~Unknown

So I had finally found my father but not the way I wanted to. He was in so much pain and there was nothing could do. I started to bawl and I soon felt a warm body next to mine. I didn’t care that Connor was holding me because all I could think of was my poor daddy and his mutilated body. I turned around and buried my face into Connor. I continued to cry and he just held me. I wasn’t thinking about our past or about the fact that he said that he still has feelings for me. I wasn’t thinking about anything except my dad. I could still picture his body crumpled up on the floor. If that was how he looked in the dream world, I could not even imagine what he looked like in real life; Don said that what he does to people in the dream world happens in real life. My sweet dad was being tortured and beaten just because of me. Next time I went into my world, I was going to talk to Don and tell him that I would join him. I couldn’t stand my daddy to give up everything just because of me. I detached myself from Connor and went to the bathroom. I was in one of Connor’s t-shirts and I couldn’t have looked worse. I had lost about 20 pounds and looked like I could fly out the window if a wind came through. With everything that was happening, I didn’t remember eating. It was nice outside. There was a nice breeze coming in through the window and I couldn’t help but smile. Everything in the world was so peaceful, especially in Canada, and I was worrying about helping save the world. I took a deep sigh and left the bathroom. Connor was packing his bag and he stopped when he saw me. We made eye contact and I really wish that we hadn’t because it brought back all those memories that were pushed back because of my dad. He came over to me and I sucked in breath. I was with James, yet every time Connor came near my heart felt like it was going to fall out. He looked down a me and tucked a hair behind my ear. I started sobbing and he just held me. He knew what it was like to lose a father and I was actually glad I had him as a friend. He held me tight until I stopped. I wiped m eyes and chuckled.

            “If you hug me every time I cry, your arms will fall off.”

He shrugged.

            “I don’t mind.”

He went back to packing and I turned on the TV. There was nothing on so I just shut it off. I turned to Connor, who was zipping up the bag of his belongings.

            “So where are we going?”

He shrugged again.

            “Where ever I feel necessary. I have always wanted to go to California. Sound good?”

I nodded but I did have one request.

            “Can we please get Mason? I have been away from him for too long.”

Connor looked at me and my face got hot.

            “Mason is waiting for us in California.”

            “What do you mean?”

Connor shrugged.

            “I know how much he means to you, so I called him up and told him to meet us there.”

He smiled at me and I wanted to run and hug him but I decided better of it. We checked out and Connor led us to an RV.

            “What’s this?”

He opened the door.

            “Our ride. One of the perks of being an angel is angel ‘charm’”

He smiled. I laughed and got in. It was all brown, except for a black couch and bed in the back. I called the bed and went to go check out the food supply. There were cheetos and soda. I sad in the passenger seat and Connor took the driver’s seat. He turned on the car and blasted the radio. I covered my ears and he laughed and turned it down. I rolled my eyes. I loved when Connor and I were like this because it reminded me of how we used to be before we dated, friends.

            “So…”

He started to talk and I turned to listen.

            “…what happened after I left.”

I started to talk and he held up a hand.

            “Please not specifics.”

I could see a smile forming on the side of his mouth and I told him to shut up.

            “We didn’t even get past what you saw because Don came back.”

He looked confused so I clarified everything for him. I started at the beginning with Neil and ended with me seeing my dad. He just listened and nodded when necessary. He asked the occasional question but nothing more. When I was done, I started to tear again but then stopped myself. He just sat there driving for awhile until he finally spoke.

            “Jess, I wish I could tell you what I know about your past.”

I looked at him and he looked truly torn, as if what he was deciding was life and death. An idea came to mind.

            “Maybe I can guess.”

He nodded.

            “You can try.”

I nodded. Okay, so I know it had something to do with Don but what?

            “So I am guessing that the High Helkers knew about Don because you guys knew that I was a tri-blood.”

He nodded and told me to keep going. So how did they know, was the question. I racked my brain. How could they know? My mother didn’t tell anyone but my father and the people that had taken my blood sample but they were human and sworn to secrecy. I just remembered something.

            “Did you or Mason tell them about my mother and Don?”

He shook his head and I let out a huge sigh because that meant that I could trust them. I tried thinking of any other way that they could have known.

            “Was it Celia?”

He shook his head and I became frustrated. If it wasn’t Celia, Mason or Connor, who was it? I couldn’t think of anything and I finally gave up.

            “I didn’t think that you could get it but we will try again sometime.”

He smiled and held my hand. I looked down and was so tempted to hold his hand but instead I pulled away.

            “I got back together with James, remember?”

He nodded and we continued for awhile I silence. We had just gotten to the border when it happened. Out of no where, something hit our windshield and Connor skidded to a stop. He told me to stay in the car and he went to go check it out. I watched at he went to go examine the thing laying on the hood of the RV.One second it was still and the next thing I knew it jumped up and looked at me. I could tell because in a raspy voice, that sounded like an old man who smoked his whole life,

            “Jessica Luber”

I screamed and it launched itself against the windshield. It was all gray and had horns coming out of its ribs. It head was that of a snake and it stood tall like a human. Its legs were all bone like a skeleton’s and its hands and feet were that of a human’s. It looked like it enjoyed knocking itself against the windshield. I saw a bright light and immediately knew that Connor was coming. He swooped down and grabbed the thing. He slammed it on the ground but it looked like nothing had happened to it. It kept staring at me, completely ignoring the angel that was beating it up. Connor grabbed it by throat and brought it back to the floor. He pinned it to floor and started beating it. It was looking at me the whole time and I wanted to cry. It had red eyes and they looked like human eyes. I got out and yelled at Connor to stop. Eyes blazing and body bright, Connor looked at me. I had forgotten that he was in full protector mode. I backed up and Connor stood up. He tore the thing in half and started towards me. I ran back to the RV but he caught up with me and grabbed my shirt. I kicked his wing, the angel’s one weakness if hit in the right spot, and ran. He caught up to me again, with a wing injured, and pinned me to the asphalt. I looked at him.

            “Connor, its me.”

His light started to dim and I realized that it might have been working. Before I could speak again, he smacked me across the face.

            “Please, Connor.”

I suddenly knew what I needed to do. I grabbed Connor’s face and cupped it. He didn’t pull away but instead he leaned into me. I brought his lips to mine and kissed him. When our lips touched, I could feel my whole body go limp and I could feel his body press hard against mine. I had forgotten what it felt like to kiss Connor and I realized that I had missed it. I closed my eyes and let myself get lost in his mouth. He explored regions of my mouth that no one had ever touched and I loved it. I was getting high of his mouth and I didn’t mind. He rolled me so that I was on top of him and he was holding me. I felt his strong arms explore my back and I didn’t mind. He kissed my neck and it sent a shiver down my body. I felt every part of his body that was on mine. He pulled me closer and I let him. He ran his hands through my hair and I moaned. He felt so good. I brought his mouth back to mine and we continued basking in each other. He pulled his mouth away and brought it to my ear.

            “Mi sei mancato mio dolce Jessie. I missed you.”

His words brought me out of my stupor and I got up, leaving a confused Connor behind. What was i thinking? I loved James, not Connor. I wasn’t a whore who slept with every guy she met. I had self control and I would show it. I went back to the RV and got in. Connor looked confused but I think he got that we were done because he got up and came to the RV. When he got in, he didn’t start the car but instead just sat there. He started to play with his fingers and I decided that I would ease him. I turned to him and he looked at me and smiled.

            “Connor that can never happen again. I didn’t mean to kiss you. It was just the only option I could think of.”

He nodded and straightened himself.

            “I get it. I need to work on my anger but when I saw that thing going after you, I just lost it. I can’t have something hurt my human.”

I smiled because that was one of the few times, since I had found out about Don, that someone had called me human and not a tri-blood. He started the car and we continued on. When we stopped for the night, Connor said that he was going to take a walk and I said that I would go with him. When we went outside, we talked about everything possible. I told him about James and he told me about all of his girls back at the High City. He told me that I should visit the High City one day. I told him that he had to try a famous burger joint across where I used to live. I told him about Derek and he laughed at me, saying only I would find a loser friend in a school full of jocks and cheerleaders. We talked for hours and I loved it. We had totally put earlier behind us but it still burned in the back of my mind. The suckiest part was that I not only couldn’t stop thinking about it but I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I enjoyed it. I couldn’t stop thinking of how I wanted to feel his lips on mine again. He looked at me and my heart beat faster than it ever had before. He came in close and lightly brushed the tip of my lips with his and……………………………………..