Chapter Twenty-Five

The sound of growing mumbling awoke her. Angella's eyes fluttered open; she rose to a sitting position and rubbed his eyes briskly. 'What's going on', though confused, her mind still wondered.

"No! Please, don't go--" The soft whispering voice continued its rhythmic murmur, grabbing the girl's attention completely. "--Why? Why Father?"

She gestured her head toward the leather chaise lounge in the middle of the room, "Ethan?" the room was quiet for a moment but soon, the unnerving sound of someone having a nightmare filled the void.

"No… no…" Ethan strained and squirmed again, tossing and turning, seemingly uncomfortably, in the couch. "Please, don't leave me."

Angella threw her legs off the edge of the bed, lingering there for a moment before getting up. She walked around the sofa and cautiously, approached a troubling Ethan.

For certain, he was having a nightmare, one hard enough to distinguish from reality. He was drenched in cold sweat, his brows knitted together, and his lips slightly parted from one another.

She started forward, then hesitated a moment, evidently debating with herself whether she should wake him or not; "No!" but he screamed, and she leaped back before she realized she had withdrawn in bewilderment.

Concern washed over her features and her voice lost its edge. "Ethan…" Perhaps, she should just leave him alone, he would wake up from it eventually.

Then, she spotted a tear rolling down his cheek, and that was the turning point for her. Angella placed her hands on both his shoulders, and gently shook him awake. "Ethan," she called his name anxiously. Her voice was low and gentle, intending to break him out of the nightmare as calmly as possible. "Hey, wake up."

At last, he stirred from his sleeping trance at her voice, breath pitched, mind replaying scenes of Luciana's death. He was back in the room staring at Angella's concerned face as she held his shoulders. He shuddered with horror from the experience.

Angella met with a panic-stricken, half frightened expression, "What happened? You were trashing around and--" as understanding the situation wasn't exactly proving itself helpful, she tried to comfort him instead. "Hey-hey, settle down now… It was just a nightmare."

He threw his arms around her neck, quickly drawing her down in an eager embrace. "Luciana!"

She struggled, but he wrapped his arms around her in a hold she could not break from. "E-Ethan, what's wrong? Who… who's Luciana?"

Ethan said nothing, simply tightened his grip around her. Clueless to what was happening she ended up accepting his advances; her hands slipped beneath his armpits and returned the embrace. She placed her hand on top of his head to comfort him while he rested his head on the trim of her neck; the muffled noise of him sobbing his heart out, filled the quiet room.

"Shh-- everything is fine now. You're fine." Ella traced the muscles on his back, gradually moving her hand up and down, in a caring motion; and, on occasionally, she smoothed his hair back as if one of a child.

It was strange for her to see him like that. So… broken. That it broke her own heart. He was always the strong one between the two. He was the one who used to comfort her when she felt like the world was downing on her. And he was the one that held her in his arms like that.

A couple of minutes passed, and she was able to calm the mess of a man he had become. Ethan was quiet and still, his body relaxed for the first time since the nightmare seemingly started.

Angella bit the inside of her cheek, unsure of how to start the conversation from that point on. Still, she would have to think of something to say in a minute to break the silence.

"Ells, I--" She jolted as the sound of that Ethan's voice rang in her ears. "Sorry I startled you."

All at once, Ella broke away from his embrace, "You sure did!" she managed not to start babbling nervously, even when his hands traced down her arms before settling on her hand.

She slid off her hand from underneath his, running a few fingers through an unruly shock of brown hair to distract herself from the awkwardness of the situation. "Have you any idea of how distressing it was for me to hear your sobs and cries? It sounded like a baby-goat calling for his momma. What in the Heaven's name were you dreaming?"

"I'm not too sure I was dreaming." Confessed Ethan with a shudder, "Only if you knew." and said between his teeth.

"Anyway, it's still early. So, why don't we go back to sleep?" and, a subtle blush seared through her cheeks as her gaze shifted momentarily to the bed and then back to him; her tone suggested embarrassment. "Do you want to--"

When she invited him to join her in bed, he just smirked a bit. "Are you suggesting we sleep together?"

Distressed at the response, she smacked him right in the chest and pointed a finger. "I-It's only because it will be more comfortable that way! Don't get the wrong idea!"

With just a half-chuckle, Ethan reached out and tugged a strand of hair behind her ear, "I'm teasing you right now."

"G-Good," The flustered girl grasped his hand and forced him out of the couch but didn't quite measure her strength trying to pull him to a standing position.

As she fell towards the ground, she couldn't help but grab onto Ethan's shirt, taking him down with her. Startled, she found herself tripping over thin air, her face standing only inches from his.

Everything happened so quickly. The warmth of his body up against hers, the intoxicating musky cologne he wore filled her nostrils, and his beautiful ocean eyes sparkled in the dim light. For a moment, it was as if time had really stopped, and it was just them.

Heart pulsing wildly against her ribcage, she felt drawn to his lips, yearning to be closer and intimate with him. The unthinkable crossed her mind: kissing her best friend.

She knew it was wrong but still, she couldn't control what she was feeling at the moment. It was like a sense of nostalgia and familiarity hitting her like a longtime inactive volcano suddenly bursting into ebullition. So, it took every ounce of strength she had not to slam his lips with her own.

His fingertips grazed her neck ever-so-slightly. Her breath caught in her lungs as he ranked his eyes up to hers, then back to her lips. "I like you Els." And just a second after his facial expression went from being surprised to so emotionless and dark, the showcase of his daily torment of a long traumatic past. "I've liked you for so long now that I already lost count of how many times that I have been through this. So, why are you doing this to me? Why are you torturing me?"

There was a pause as the two eyed each other. What was he saying? Ella was certain that he had never told her about the fact that he saw her being more than just a friend. So, there was no doubt, his confession confused her.

Nevertheless, she placed a gentle hand on either side of his face and forced her upper body to be closer to his ear; her face growing warmer, her chest threatening to burst out. "Y-You know that I would never hurt you intentionally, right Ethan?"

"And I don't want to hurt you so let's both do ourselves a favor and stop this before… we…" His words reached her mind, filling it until she couldn't focus anymore on that single voice that was threatening her sanity.

Before she could stop her brain from sending signals to her limbs, she realized she was sitting on his lap. Ethan's broad hands firmly gripped around Angella's waist. Her legs were now wrapped around his waistline as her hands cupped his face, to hold herself steady, to push him closer to her. She could barely think with him that close to her.

His strength combined with his unbelievably fast instincts always surprised her. The way he held her tight put her mind at ease and made her feel secure. The way his silence spoke to her amazed her every time. And the way he looked at her, with so much care and gentleness, made her feel loved.

His hands made their way up her spine, rested at her shoulders and pressed them quietly before working again towards her back.

Her body unwillingly shivered under his touch. His hand holding her firmly yet so tenderly. She felt goosebumps travel down her spine, feeling his fingertips brush against her skin.

Angella trimmed a hand through his soft hair strands and Ethan let out a sound of satisfaction. The fluttering in her stomach grew to an embarrassing amount as he ended the space between them.

But there was also something else that grew inside her: desire.

Ella was confused and a little annoyed by the growing desire to have him, which thrummed through her, hot and fast like the strange energy running between them.

Gathering her in his arms, he pulled her close – and waited for her to be the one to take the first step, though his lips sought hers hungrily.

Her breath hitched once more. Angella could not take anymore, she just had to do it. She had to taste his tempting rose-pale lips and have him rummage her body with his large hands.

His smoldering eyes gleamed with love as he bit his bottom lip. His breathing was the only sound in the still bedroom, besides hers. His intense gaze burned into hers, seemingly searching for the same sentiment within them. His muscular arms overpowering her and wrapping tightly around her. Her eyes widened; the reality check was complete.

Her body jolted back in recognition of what she was about to do, an energic wave just tucked up her whole body, a rush unlike anything she'd ever felt. "I-I-I'm sorry! I should have never crossed the line like that! The last thing I wanted to do was give you false ho--" Angella abruptly stopped talking and acknowledged his reaction.

He was looking at her without an expression, but she could see how much he was hurting inside through his eyes.

But her heart nearly stopped when he got up and kissed her on the forehead. "It's okay. I promise my feelings won't be a burden to you anymore," he said with animation, but the new wrinkle on his forehead deepened. "From tomorrow on, I'll stay away from you. Let's just rest for the remaining of the night."

'What? No. That's not what I want!' She grabbed his arm before he could make his way to the bed. "Ethan...!" Despite her several attempts to keep her distance from him the past few minutes, ironically always turned into being drawn to him each time. Perhaps it was because she missed old times. "You jump to conclusions way too soon!"

His expression revealed nothing but shock. Ella's wide nostrils flared as she spoke, her intense gaze meeting his, eyes flashing under her eyelids, fierce as fire. "Don't go on assume things, you idiot!"

"I'm sorry…" he found himself saying time and again.

"C'mon," She grabbed his hands to pull him up, and as they walked to the bed, she was thinking, 'But when have I ever had to talk him into bed before?'

Ella sure had no intention of hopping into bed with Ethan with ill intentions and yet, here she was. 'No! Sleeping on the couch is bad for your long-term health. And there's nothing more to it' and she almost cringed at the thought.

Ella slipped into bed, tucking under the covers. She felt the plush comfort of a mattress beneath her and curled onto her side. Since no one was laying on the bed for quite a while, she shivered from cold, clutching the sheets closer.

Ethan laid next to her; seeing her uncomfortable, he reached over and pulled her to himself. He molded to her body with each movement, encouraging her to stay there even longer.

Her heart did a flip-flop, and she did not dare to move a single muscle. "What are you doing?" She asked in surprise.

"Keeping you warm." He explained, trying not to sound overly into it.

After a brief pause, she added a quiet, "Thank you." then sighed and snuggled against him, feeling the beat of his heart... or was that her own?

Ethan closed his eyes and soon was fast asleep; Ella was exhausted, but sleep seemed unlikely with his protective arm around her body. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed that romantic thoughts would cease to invade her mind.

And for a moment it worked, but the gaps soon were filled with her earlier conversation with Aaron.

⊰⊰ ⊰⊰ ⊱⊱ ⊱⊱

"Do you believe in God?"

(…)

"Then, what if I tell you that are other beings in this world besides humans and that take as their living fee other's energy?"

⊰⊰ ⊰⊰ ⊱⊱ ⊱⊱

Angella scoffed at the flow of thoughts that followed. 'He couldn't have been serious when he said it… or could he?' No. There were no such things as demons, angels, or even vampires. They were not real; mere fables that have done nothing more than any other fictional character has - to encourage teenagers to read.

"He's not in his right mind." She scorned the teacher's assistant 'who is a man of science and still carries a bible in his pocket' and yet, her skepticism was the culmination of a non-Christian education as growing.

And besides, how could that possibly relate to the way she felt not once, not twice, but three times? It remained a mystery to her still, but she was going to get to the bottom of it sooner than later.

Ethan stirred slightly, a low moan escaped his mouth, and he unconsciously tightened the hold around the girl, which drew Angella back to the present.

"I should get some sleep too," Postponing her thoughts, she decided it was time to close her eyes and allow her mind to get some rest. Tomorrow was another day, with a ton of different things to worry about.