Daughter of Stars and Nightmares (The Eternal Bond Saga book 1)

No Going Back

The Woods

Julia and Alex ran through the woods hand in hand. Her legs burned and her skirt weighed her down. It caught on some brambles and snagged, causing her to trip and fall. Alex reached out, grabbing Julia around the waist with his arm and stood her back up.

She pouted as she looked down. "Damn it; my poor dress is completely trashed." He let her go and they set to work trying to free the skirt from the thorny bushes. In the end they had to tear it free. "The skirt is slowing us down; just help me unfasten it," Julia said in frustration.

Alex looked up at her for a second then stood up and unfastened the buttons at the back allowing her to step out of it. Her hand shot to her waist and untied the bustle pad letting it drop to the ground. The long silk under skirt was also in tatters below her knees. Reaching down she tore off the bottom half just above her knees. "There, that's much better. Now I can actually walk."

Alex hooked his hand in hers. "We should get going, I don't know if anyone is following us and I want to make it back to Havenswood before the sun comes up."

She was tired and her feet were killing her and Julia knew she wasn't going to be able to keep this pace up. She pulled on his hand trying to stop him from walking. "Alex, can we just take a little break? We've been running for ages, my whole body is killing me and I'm still trying to process everything. I just don't get why Mormo did all of that; it doesn't make any sense."

He looked at her and sighed then pulled her to a grassy spot and sat down. Julia went to sit next to him but he pulled her onto his lap. "The ground is damp and cold, it's better if you sit on my lap." he laced his fingers in Julia's hand and gave it a squeeze. "There is a lot going on that I can't really explain right now. But Mormo is not a good guy and whatever his reasons are for what he did; you can bet it has something to do with Thorsen."

Julia looked down at their hands; normally she would've ripped her hand away. But after their moment on the dance floor; the wall inside of her had crumbled away. A part of her had opened up to the fact that, she felt more for him than she had been willing to let herself feel before. Stop fighting it, a voice coiled around her heart and called out, I won't let you run away any longer.

A force over her took control, turning Julia around in his lap. She faced Alex and looked into his eyes. They seemed to yearn for her, calling out to her, pulling at her heart. She shook her head trying to clear it. "I just don't get what he wants with me. It's not like I'm some powerful witch like my mom. I virtually have no magic in me."

Alex stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb causing her to blush. "I know there's a lot going on and I'm sorry but I can't give you an explanation right now. I wish I could give you more than that, but right now I just need for you to trust me. Can you do that?"

His touch sent a warm glow though her. She looked down at her hands as the voice snaked through her head, you know you can trust him. You've known it from the start. Let go and stop fighting it.

Her heart was pounding in her chest with a mixture of anxiety and desire. She swallowed past the last of her hesitation and looked up into his eyes. "From the first moment I met you, you've been rescuing me. It's strange but I feel this deep connection to you. Stronger than anyone else and somehow I just know you would never hurt me."

The look in his eyes told her he wanted more, that they both wanted more. But she still didn't trust her instincts when it came to him. He had played the Jekyll and Hyde card on her one too many times. She never knew where she stood with him and getting angry at him and allowing him to run was her coping mechanism.

Stop! Don't do it, the voice pleaded with her. "Look I know you don't really like me; and having to constantly watch out for me must be a pain and I'm sorry about that."