Bound by Destiny

Chapter 11

The crunch of snow was the only thing to break the ethereal silence of the forest and Eve was reminded of her childhood. The almost supernatural quiet that surrounded the world after the snow blanketed everything. The way everything seemed surreal, but that reality lay just on the other side of some invisible curtain. Another more step and one would find it. Despite the danger of some unknown assailant, she couldn't stop the smile from spreading at those remembered childhood fantasies.

"Are you cold?" Fallon asked, voice low, almost as if he were wary of disturbing the magic surrounding them.

She shook her head, smiling up at him. "Do you feel it?"

"Feel what?" he asked, looking around.

She laughed. "Nothing bad. But there's always been a thing inside me when outside after it snows. It makes me feel..."

"Makes you feel what?"

"Mmm, like I'm more than myself. Like I'm part of something far greater than just another life on a crowded world. Something... magical." She couldn't stop her smile. Despite her mother's best efforts, it seemed she had always believed in magic.

"I used to be that way." Looking at her upturned face, with the moonlight brightening the snow around them and her reflecting in her eyes, he wished, for a brief moment, that he could recapture that feeling. But, he knew better, didn't he. Knew nothing could ever bring back those days. Not when he knew the truth about what was out there. But could that be what it was? Was that what it was that drew him to her? Her innocence? The way that they kept throwing horrors at her, and she still believed the best in all of them?

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't erase the feel of her lips on his scarred flesh from the night before. How she brought him closer to forgiving himself than all of the years combined. And how much he hated himself for that.

She stopped and he was quiet as she grinned.

"I know I'm in danger and stuff, but I'll never forgive myself if I don't do this."

"Do what?"

She fell back into the snow and started moving her arms and legs. "Come on, even you have to know how to make a snow angel."

"I'm the devil. I don't deal with angels." he said, watching her enjoy something so... simple. "You said you're twenty-seven. I think you're eight," he said then cursed himself as her smile dimmed. "I didn't mean that."

"No, I suppose you're right." She rose to her feet and looked down at her creation. She shook her head and he was spellbound as snow fell from the red tresses. "Someone is trying to kill me. I guess it's time to start acting like an adult."

Could he be any more of a bastard? Taking a deep breath, he let himself fall back into the snow and repeated her movements. Her laughter was worth the embarrassment.

"So, I guess you're twelve?" She grinned down at him and he couldn't stop the answering smile.

"Nah, fourteen. I've got a few more years on you than that." He sat up then got to his feet. They both looked down at the angels then looked at each other. The angels looked almost like the were holding hands. Fallon held his out and when she took it, warmth flooded him. They continued their walk.

"So...," she started to say before trailing off.

"So...," he repeated.

She gave him a quick glance, bottom lip in her teeth.

"Don't be nervous. I'll either talk or I won't," he said with a shrug, refusing to look at her mouth. At her lip. A lip he wanted to taste.

"I'm too curious for my own good. I don't want to make you remember bad times."