Aura [bxb]

Twenty

Laken P.O.V

My eyes had been stuck on the place were Tristin had once stood. I knew that he had transformed into a larger, more powerful form, but my eyes weren't agreeing with my body. This transformation felt different from the last one that I had witnessed. The urge to freeze in place remained, as every supernatural change pulled this instinct out of me. This time though, it was a mix of multiple things that made me want to remain locked in place.

The coldness that merely a spec earlier was hitting me at full blast. Waves of cold crept into the mansion like waves on the beach. I shivered more than I usually would have under the pressures of cold, but this was different. The temperature went from peaceful and turned into too a bitter chill nipping at everything but my toes. It got so cold, so fast, I could see my breath as small clouds of fog floated into the air, proving just how chilly the house was getting. The coldness could take awards for the coldest moment of my life.

Very slowly, small flicks of frost formed onto the window until the entire window was covered in a thick frost, blocking my view to the outside world through the only window I have been able to find. The only thing I could do was listen for the noises that Tristin's dragon were capable of making, which were very powerful noises. Loud roars filled the air, making me jump in fright, more from being startled instead of fearful of the beast creating the noise. As much as I had been expecting the noise, I still jumped in a panic. I backed away from the window, almost bumping into one of the well-crafted chairs. There was no point in staring at a window that you couldn't see out of. I jumped again when another roar rang out, louder this time that the moment before. The slightest sounds of wings flapping against the frigid air filled my ears, alerting me that Tristin's dragon had taken to the sky.

I turned to look back down the hallways, debating on whether or not I should attempt to go backward or forward. I went back to wondering if I should just go back to Tristin's room, considering I could find it, or attempt to get out of the mansion to outside, even if the moment I had been going to witness was long over. Upon hearing another roar, I tensed and panicked, deciding that going outside was not a good idea and thought against it. I had been fine around a calmer Tristin in dragon form, that Tristin took me to the library so I could further my passion for reading. This dragon was tense and angry, not something I wanted to tempt. I was all for tempting with fate, but not with the will of an icy dragon.

I continued to walk down the hallway, a quickness in my step, hoping that I would be able to find a difference in the pattern. Vase, paintings, repeat. It was getting old and making me feel like I was losing my mind. I felt as if I was walking in a maze that didn't seem to end. I'm losing it.

I stopped and turned around. I was officially losing my sense of direction. Every turn left like the wrong one, each step allowing me to fall further away from my true destination.

In a moment of anger, I sat down on the floor in the middle of the hallway like a toddler, a cry of rage escaping my lips. I knew that no one was in the mansion to hear my cry, but the advanced ears of a dragon tuned in on the noise of its mate, hearing the cry of anger.

I stomped my foot against the ground, before I sighed, resting my head against the knee that was prompt up. I was in no way interested in giving up. I didn't want to be found in the middle of the hallway and get told I was one hallway short of my destination. I would never let myself live it down. I would be so upset with myself. The last thing I wanted was to have to be found, looking as if I was snooping around the mansion when the truth was that I was lost.

I forced myself to stand back up, make myself move, and continue down the hallways, passing the same things yet again, but moving with more confidence. That was until I walked directly into a dead end.

I didn't think it was possible with how many turns and twists I was able to make, but eventually, all things come to an end. The devastating end that I was being to think didn't exist. I stared at the wall that was covered more so in paintings than the other ones, cursing mentally. The last thing I needed was to run into a dead-end, and the last thing I needed just so happened to happen.

I groaned slightly, knowing I would have to turn back only to get myself more lost, but I did it anyway, thinking that I would be at least able to remember the paintings I had previously seen. That was proven to not be the case when the familiar paintings disappeared slowly, the path I had thought I was returning faded with it. With that, I found myself lost, even more, lost yet again.

The only reason I didn't collapse onto the ground in defeat was the rather loud sound of doors being slammed open. This noise was followed but thunderous footsteps. I started rushing in that direction, hoping it would lead me to Tristin, to an exit, I'd even take Trina at this point. The noises filled me with hope, hope that I would get out of this never-ending maze, even if the result were running into Trina.

I was almost scared when the footsteps stopped, and I could no longer hear anything, but that silence quickly ended.

"LAKEN!!" Tristin's voice echoed down the hallways, the first noise sounded to be anywhere near me. The panic in his voice made me run faster. I was beyond tired of this maze of a home. Home . . .

The only difference was that I couldn't go home. That apartment wasn't home unless mom was there, and there was no telling if she was or not. That scared me more than I had initially been willing to let it. I was more scared about the entire thing than I was actually showing. Me panicking over it wouldn't make things better, it will only lead to irrational actions that won't lead me to a positive outcome.

How bad would it be if I gave them what they wanted? Would that fix the issue? Would they let my mom go if I did? She's been living, protecting me my entire life, and I didn't come to the conclusion before that I was a burden.

I stopped thinking about that, realizing that I was only going to make myself break down. I miss mom, I didn't think I would miss her as much as I was. Miss her overbearingness, miss the protectiveness that she bestowed upon me. Miss everything.

I was never more thankful to find myself bumping into Tristin's chest as I turned a corner. The smell of his naturally pleasant scent filled my nose. If it was anybody else, I would have pulled away from them in a instant. With Tristin, though, I felt a sense of ease and protection that reminded me of the feeling I got from being around my mother.

Thinking of that and the comfort he brought, I burst into tears that I had unknowingly been holding back. My arms wrapped around Tristin to hold him close to me as streams of tears flooded from my eyes, wetting Tristin's shirt.

Instead of pushing me anyway like anybody else would have, Tristin pulled me closer and held me as I cried away the pain.