MY IMMORTAL

Alliances

Darren stood up, stunned into silence by the ice on the walls and the frozen waterfall. He turned around on the spot and then finally recovered enough to speak.  "What the hell was that?  I mean it felt like we were in the middle of a bush fire and then it went instantly cold.  What are you, man?"

"I could tell you Darren but trust me you really do not want to know.  It is safer not to have this knowledge." Harry answered.

"What are you guys doing here Darren?" I finally pulled myself together enough to ask the question.

"We heard about your father and Bear knew that you had been in the car with him.  He called us all in and we came looking for you. Started tracking you from the site of the car wreck. I have to admit this last stage was beyond challenging.  We knew we were close from the glow-worm cave thing that you stayed at but then you all but vanished. It was pure dumb luck that we found you at all really."

"Did you cover your tracks?" Harry stopped dead at the sudden realisation. His voice had an edge to it suggesting fear, but what could someone with his capabilities possibly be afraid of.

"Why would we?" Darren answered.

"Shit." Harry dropped what he was doing, smothered the fire sending the cavern into darkness and before my eyes could adjust he was sprinting out smashing through the frozen water curtain. "Make no sound.  If anyone comes here, protect Cassie." He ordered on his way out.

I felt bile rising in my throat but it was not from the usual nauseous feeling that would take over if something bad were going to happen.  It was just anxiety because Harry was no longer nearby.  A kind of uneasy feeling now that my conscious mind was aware of how many times I had been in mortal danger and an awareness of why I was still alive. I was not comfortable in his absence now. It had only been a few seconds but I knew there was now some serious distance between us and I didn't like it. I also didn't like the dependence that had developed again. I was stronger than this, or at least I had thought and wanted to be stronger than this. Hell, I even had my sixth sense to forewarn me when I was in danger so why the need to have Harry in sight to feel comfortable... no, it was more than discomfort... I need him to feel secure.  I hated this. 

My senses were not failing at the moment as they did before my Dad and I were run off the road.  There was nothing blocking them. It was just that there was nothing to fear.  No imminent danger nearby.  I could feel everything around me and I didn't even have to concentrate on it like I had to try when....

I suddenly felt angry with Harry. If he had just hung around a little he would have known we were not in danger. There was no need for him to run off into the wilderness. Stupid, obstinate male, so be it.

I settled in determined not to allow myself to be so stupidly dependant on him.  The others sat around me and they too were obviously feeling uneasy.  I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and try to fill them in on all the happenings over the last few days.  It took some convincing and a bit of time before they felt secure enough to speak again.  We untied Zayn on the promise that if Harry returned he wouldn't try anything.  Zayn had agreed but I suspected he was lying.  I would warn Harry before he came through the ice curtain and if Zayn was stupid enough to have another go, Harry would have him all bundled up before Zayn would know what was going on.

A short while after untying Zayn we were quietly discussing the hell that had been my life recently. Bear sat and held me as I described how my Dad died laying dying on the side of the road. The detail of that moment scorched itself in my memory and the clarity with which I was able to recall it surprised me. My anger with Harry for leaving him there resurfaced and consumed me as I described it to them and I found myself quickly angry with them as they defended his actions. My consciousness would not allow me to be angry with Harry and I had so much anger with nowhere to direct it except at them and toward myself.