Chapter 29

Three weeks later

Meredith

“So I see you are following my footsteps.” I said to Xavier creeping up to him from behind while he was struggling to hold all the boxes in his hands. “Let me help you with that.” I took the top box from his hold. Xavier was moving out of his parents’ house to one of the empty houses next to mine. “What did your parents think about this?” I asked while we slowly neared his house. They weren’t like my parents and Xavier was a man so I didn’t think there was much they could do to make him change his mind.

He gave a side glance and smirked. “That you are a bad influence,” he said and I laughed at his statement.

“I’m glad about that,” I answered with a wide smile. “But was it really my fault?” I asked him jokingly.

“I don’t think I would have moved if you haven’t and besides this moving away seems to be good for you,” he said.

“What do you mean?” I questioned.

“You look happier ever since you got away from that house,” he pointed out and I was happier, I felt better about myself and everything around me. “Ever since you moved… it’s like another person was born,” he said and we reached his house and entered putting the boxes down.

“I’m the same me… it’s just… my priorities have changed.” And I have learned much more about life. Things I didn’t think were possible.

“And what are they now?” he asked curiously.

I smiled at him. “I am finally learning from all the lessons that Vincent taught me. I need to focus on spreading kindness and doing what I love… and that seems to be helping others and sometimes just going with the flow... I understood that everything and everyone that makes me feel less of myself is not worth my time and energy.”

“You needed to be alone to finally understand that?” he asked me.

I shook my head. “I needed to meet some… people,” I said, referring to Death, Jasmin, Moon Goddess, Phoenix. I was sure that I would not be in this state of mind without them. Especially without Death. He was still in my mind, still I couldn’t get him out but I didn’t need him for me to feel good about myself. I didn’t need him for my happiness, I already had that. I didn’t need Death to make me feel loved. That didn’t mean that I didn’t want him because I did. I just accepted that our paths were parted from each other.

I couldn’t just turn off my heart, and even if I could… I wouldn’t want to forget about the feeling Death gave me. Even if I know it hurts me some days, I wouldn’t want to forget him.

And lately I felt like we were connected with invisible strings. We were meant to be. But inconveniently so.

Xavier smugly laughed out. “You know, doing god’s work on earth. Helping loners like you.” I laughed at him rolling my eyes. Even if he was joking he was indeed one of the people I needed to meet. Before him I forgot what it’s like to know good people.

“Being alone just gave me the benefit of better healing.” I explained and plopped down on his couch in his living room, he sat right next to me.

“Are you healed?” he asked seriously.

“Not completely… It’s a process that I am still participating in. Some days I am great, some days I am okay. I don’t know how long until I will feel great all the time but now I am off to a good start. Right now I am where I need to be.” I explained. “I have no one to tell me what to do, no one to make me feel less. I am really enjoying living alone.” I said and looked at Xavier who was deep in thoughts. “Will you enjoy being alone just as much as me? Your family was far more supportive than mine, you still have a good relationship with them. You sure this is the right thing for you?” I asked worriedly.

“I didn’t move here to be alone,” he explained and I just got much more interested in what he was saying because he said it so hesitantly. I turned towards him. He scratched the back of his neck. “I met someone.” He explained and my smile grew wider. But his expression wasn’t exactly happy.

“Okay… tell me!” I said excited, too excited.

He turned towards me, acting worried and somewhat scared. “Promise that no living soul will ever hear about this,” he said, worried and suddenly I was almost afraid to hear this.

“… how bad can it be?” I asked him, shifting my eyes at him.

I noticed he had trouble finding the right words so I decided to help him a little. “Okay then tell me just about her... Tell me about the special someone you met,” I encouraged him with a little smile.

“She is beautiful, I have never seen beauty like hers before. Her hair is auburn, she has a radiant smile on her lips. “He said, dreamy looking in the distance. “Late at night she looks at the moon like it’s something so familiar to her. She leans against her windows looking so dreamy, her eyes have the purest silver in them. I once heard her talking with someone… her voice is so sweet.” He talked so beautifully about her with a glimmer in his eyes, I had never noticed him talking with this much passion.

He heard her talking? “You haven’t even talked with her?” I questioned stating the obvious.

Xavier looked at me now, completely miserable looking. “How could I ever?” his shoulders fell down in defeat.

“You talk about her so fondly! What is stopping you?” I asked.

He looked at me in a sad glance and almost whispered to me. “She’s human,” he said and my mouth fell slightly open.

“oh…” I managed to say in surprise. “That kind of complicates things,” I said instantly.

“Geez... thanks for the support,” he said sarcastically.

“But…that doesn’t mean it’s impossible,” I said and he looked at me like I was stupid. “Do you really think that fate would let you notice her like that if she was just going to be stranger to you?” I asked him. ’I have never heard you talk about anybody like that. It isn’t impossible Xavier.” I said all those things to him but what was I doing about the one that made my heart race? Nothing… because I couldn’t do anything. Maybe I was better alone but he didn’t need to be alone, he needed to have someone with him.

“What can I do?” he asked me.

“I think you should actually talk to her,” I said to him, smiling. “Get to know her better, she sounds wonderful.”

“Why even try if it’s not meant to?” he asked.

“So many people lose the one they are supposed to love just because they are afraid to take the risk.” The more I talked I realized that I was talking about what I needed to do. I thought about the things I would do differently to make Death stay, could I change his mind at all? He left because he wanted to protect me… what if I didn’t want to be protected? This healing process I had going on for me… it helped me… but it didn’t help easing the feelings I had for him. I still wanted him by my side…

“What if something happens and then just… dies?” he looked away from me. “I don’t want to get hurt.”

I also deepened my eyes in front of me. With gut feeling. I was still hurt. But it was okay. “But it will be the most beautiful thing you ever felt. It will still be worth it. Even for a moment. Beautiful but painful.”

Suddenly Xavier stood up and headed for the door mumbling something under his breath. I looked at him. He looked alarmed. I couldn’t have said anything to make him react so. “What happened?” I asked him.

“Alpha just mind linked the fighters,” he said and rushed outside taking his shirt off to shift.

“What happened?” I asked running trying to catch up with him.

“Vampires…” he said in a rush already outside. “They are attacking… breaking our property,” he said and turned to me. “Women and children stay inside,” he said to me and shifted as he ran away…

Vampires attacking… What did they want?