"Make sure you leave one capable of telling Azazel of our message." Arie said giggling.

We were obviously making our threat viable enough as two of the demons fled back into the woods. My only hope was that my message really would reach Azazel. He was the key. It was time to escalate the situation, get the ball rolling. Looking over at Cyril and Arie, I wasn't sure they agreed.

Chapter 19.

It was dead silent. I wasn't really sure where I had wandered off to in this city. The sun had set, leaving only the shadows of trees and lamp posts to frighten me enough to think about turning around and going back home. Doing my best to hop over the puddles that the latest rainfall had brought, my mind wandered to Athen. Things felt so pointless without him. My mind, body, and soul ached for him. I wanted to be touched by him, or glance at his smirk, or stare into his eyes - anything to remind myself that he truly existed. That the last few months were not a dream turned nightmare. It was foolish to think that my wandering would lead me to him somehow, but it was the closest thing I had to hope. Doing every move wrong in the book, from running into him at the library, to going out of my way to see him at the hospital, put me in this position.

When he was first taken away from us, I swore to myself that I wouldn't fall into the traps that Athen fell into. I was going to follow the rules. I was going to get him back quickly and without issue. That was the plan, and I truly believed it. The pull I felt to him, however, was indescribable. It was like a drug. A little was good at first, but then I needed a little more...and after that, a little more. My first little Athen fix at the library satisfied me for a little while but not long enough. It was if the thought of losing him forever couldn't override the immediate need to be in his presence. It was uncontrollable. I now fully understood how he messed up enough to keep me away for 50 some years because at this rate, it seemed like I was on track to do the same.

The one emotion that has taken me completely by surprise, however, was the anger - the madness that crept in when I least expected it. Anger at Athen for not being able to fight the demons off, anger at myself for not warning Athen, anger at Cyril and Arie for not controlling me better. For instance, why am I trekking the streets of Victoria hoping to run into him? Maybe they gave up on me playing by the rules.

The clapping of footsteps began getting louder behind me. It was an urgent pace and that of a woman's. My pace began to quicken unexpectedly, not wanting to see who might actually be behind me. The level of fear that was always brewing right at the surface made me lengthen my stride even more. There was a coffee shop at the end of the street that looked pretty busy, right where I needed to be. I jetted up the sidewalk towards the safe haven, only to look behind me and see Lilith, the serpent. She nodded at me, with her large grin and kept walking right past the coffee shop. I felt the breath that I had been holding in slowly escape as I climbed up the stairs to the Starbucks. Feeling the defeat of not finding Athen but running directly into her made my stomach turn to knots. I couldn't believe she was back so quickly. I thought our victory against her would have bought us more time before she began interfering again. Fighting her in the hospital had given me a little too much confidence and seeing that she was alive and well, still roaming the streets of Victoria, only made the urgency that much more to find Athen again, before she did.

The wooden door swung open with a woman dressed in khakis and a thin, red sweater draping her shoulders, holding her pot of gold, with a man following right behind her. They were both laughing as if there wasn't a care in the world, their world.

"Thanks." I was able to utter to the couple as he held the door open for me. I went up to the counter, ordering an Island Oat bar and a Cinnamon Dulce latte. Not wanting to admit defeat and call Cyril and Arie for a ride back to the house, I thought about all my options. My drink was called, which I grabbed quickly and stepped back from the counter, only to have deja vu flood over me. I scanned the entire coffee shop, realizing that everyone was in their place, exactly like my dream. The only two missing were Lilith and Athen.

My head started spinning, and I was lightheaded. I did my best to steady myself using one of the overstuffed, velvet chairs they had near the fireplace. The tiny sweat droplets began to form at my hairline. I was a mess. I never expected for this dream to become a reality, especially after my hospital encounter. Sure that I had disrupted destiny enough I never let myself see otherwise. Lilith's defeat should have sent her far away, yet she was back quicker than I ever imagined.

With every swing of the front door bringing in more customers, my gut twisted into a tighter knot making me cringe with pain. Seeing Lilith outside on the sidewalk now made sense. We had scared her off but not enough. She was back, but was she back with Athen or was she ever truly with Athen? I grabbed my phone out of my coat and texted Arie. I needed them now. As my dream played out directly in front of me, I went on the other side of the chair where I could position myself for the door to swing open and reveal the greatest disappointment of my life. I was placing my coffee on the table when I felt the blast of air ripple through me. It was him.

Seeing Athen, gorgeous as ever made my heart begin to swell. The pain from not being able to run over to him and jump in his arms, made the tears begin to form, and I didn't know what else to do besides stare. Then it hit me, Lilith was nowhere to be found. In my dream she was waiting for him at the counter, and he only had eyes for her, ignored me completely. She wasn't in here, but this was my dream. Maybe the hospital disrupted things enough. The theme park ride of emotions that were inching their way through my body made me so nervous, I knocked over my latte.

The laughter bounced off the walls like I had heard so many times before. Athen's beautiful voice reaching every part of my body as I prayed for us to magically reunite in this very moment. Nothing prepared me for being this close to him. His smile was beyond welcoming, and I knew it was directed at me. The baristas came running over with towels to sop up the beige-colored liquid as best they could. But I felt like I wasn't even in the scene that was playing out. All I could do was watch Athen hoping for some sort of recognition. He ordered his drink and came to stand near me while he waited. Why he wasn't running out the door after seeing me, I didn't know. I'm sure he would have had to recognize me from the hospital. These two realities were playing a cruel joke on me, and I was willing to surrender anything to be with him again. I was completely stuck. I didn't know whether to play into the old act, or ignore him, or what. My entire body began getting so warm, I didn't know if I'd be able to act even a little civilized being so close to him.

"Hey, miss. What was your order? This one's on the house."

"Um, the barista's talking to you." Athen's lips were moving. He was talking directly to me.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. You don't have to do that. I'm so sorry."

"Well, we will just look at your cup if you don't tell us." The barista was such a friendly guy.

"Cinnamon Dulce then." I said, trying to play as if I was somewhat human.

"That's totally embarra.s.sing." I said under my breath, more to me than anyone.

"I've a feeling there's been worse moments for ya." Athen said, winking at me as he grabbed his drink on the counter. It was like before with him. My heart knew the familiarity before my mind did. I only hoped that he recognized that we were tethered to one another somehow, if not tonight - soon.

"Quite possibly." I said trying to keep up the charade.

"You know," He said, "Have I seen you around before?"

Totally puzzled now, I didn't know what to say or do. I wanted to touch him, maybe only a little, like an accident - possibly trip into him or place my hand on his back - anything, to quench the urge that was literally growing stronger by the second.

I grabbed my bag quickly before I did something I'd regret. Darting to the counter to get my newly refreshed drink, I forced myself to barely look at him. The pull was too great. I had to escape.

"It's a small town." I said flashing a smile, doing my best to make it outside to wait for Arie.

I didn't care that it was dark outside or that Lilith was now roaming the streets again. I had to stay away from him before I did something stupid, again. The stirring was almost more than I could handle. The lightheadedness was wrapping around my consciousness, making everything so fuzzy. All I could think of was my fingers caressing his face, bringing him towards me, his lips softly meeting mine. I was so involved in my own thoughts, I didn't even realize that he had snuck up behind me.

"Not sure what I said to make you hurry out the door to wait outside in the cold and dark night for, apparently, n.o.body." His smirk was more than I could handle, as he looked around the empty street. It was like the old Athen was standing in front of me, my Athen, only he didn't know it yet. He didn't know we belonged together. He didn't know me or did he? His confidence overflowed, exactly like I remembered.

"I'll let you be." He said grinning and nodding at me, spinning in the other direction, but not before raising his arm and patting me on the shoulder. My world was spinning. I needed him to pick me up and carry me to wherever he was going. We needed to be together, and all I could do was watch him walk away to somewhere I couldn't find. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs to not leave me, but I knew it would do no good. It wasn't time.

As he turned down the block where I couldn't see him any longer, I saw Athen and Cyril pull up. I ran to the car, almost unable to utter anything that made any sense.

"My dream. It was my dream, only different. But it was my dream. Guys, we were able to change my dream. She wasn't there. He didn't ignore me. He saw me. He touched me!" I exclaimed, slamming the door.

"Whoa! What are you talking about?" Arie was completely confused, but not nearly as much as I was.

"Remember the dream I had where Lilith, my nemesis the serpent-eyed woman, blah-blah, was waiting for him at a Starbucks and I was there only when he came in he completely ignored me and went straight for her? Well, that just happened! Except she wasn't there! Everyone else was, but she wasn't there! I ran into her outside, but that doesn't count. Anyway, he saw me partially because I spilled my drink all over the place, but then he initiated a conversation. I freaked and ran outside, only to have him right behind me, joking with me. It was like he didn't remember me from the hospital fight, which I can't imagine, or I don't even know what." I ran out of air and took a deep breath in ready for round two.

"Which way did he go?" Cyril asked, looking at me in the rearview.

"Down the block, to the left. Why?"

Cyril put the blinker on as we turned left towards Athen's direction scanning the sidewalks.

"He probably rode his Ducati here. I'm sure he's long gone." My disappointment was felt with every syllable.

"Yeah, probably. Thought I'd give it a shot though."

Unable to do much but think about his fingers touching my shoulder and the electricity I felt merely by being in his presence, I knew the evening was shot. I wanted nothing more than to go home and crawl under the covers and sleep all of this away until Athen reappeared.

"I think he knows. I think he knows enough, at least, to not be scared, Ana. This doesn't make sense otherwise. I think it is out of our hands for now."

"Well, as long as it doesn't fall back into Lilith's hands, I think I'll be okay." Saying the words more to myself than to anyone else, my jaw clenching in agony as I thought about the months alone with her he had possibly had.

Cyril had dropped Arie and I off back at the house and decided to take a drive. I didn't blame him. My curiosity was killing me, but I felt that anything I interfered with only screwed things up. Besides, the encounter with him had made me exhausted or maybe depressed not sure which. The familiarity surrounding his every move, whether it was his sense of humor that came out with the baristas, or the curl of his lips, or the clench of his fists while he laughed, created a stir of desire deep within me that if I couldn't quench it soon I didn't think I could go on much longer. The idea of complete ignorance seemed almost blissful at this point.

Arie was up and around in the kitchen, and I was hiding out in my bedroom. Cyril wanted to case some of the streets down the direction that Athen went in, looking for his bike. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know or not. At this point, I felt like I'd go knock on his door and mess everything up.

Looking up at the white rose that I had now hung upside down on my wall to dry reminded me why I shouldn't give up. Why I needed to stay in this reality and not exit into the otherworld. He was getting close.

Grabbing the iPad off my dresser, I flipped open the case and began checking our email. The destruction was becoming undeniable in many locations, and the battles were going to begin soon. Whistler was becoming a hotbed of activity again. I wasn't sure if we would wind up going up there soon or not. I hoped not until we got Athen back.

As I was stretching out on my bed, a single light was reflecting off my window. I couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from, but it seemed larger than a flashlight. Regardless, my pulse began quickening as I thought about someone lurking outside staring at me- especially with Lilith already back in town possibly ready to pounce.

"Hey, Arie!" My voice was cross between a whisper and a hoa.r.s.e yell. Unsure if she heard, I tried again. This time footsteps came running down the hall.

I slowly got up and went to the window to track down the light I was seeing. The darkness of the night mixed with the streetlight from above made it difficult to distinguish what I was looking at. As my hand rested on the gla.s.s, the coldness shocked me into believing that the light was something it couldn't sensibly be, but my exhaustion began to be replaced by excitement.

"What's up?" Arie whispered.

"There's a light out here. Not a flashlight, but something odd for sure. I can't make it out."

Arie peered out the window, her body freezing in place.

"Oh my G.o.d. I don't think Cyril will find his bike after all. Go to the living room window. I'm sure you'll see him from that view."

The color drained from my face.

"What does this mean? Are you serious?" I was running to the living room window as fast as I could make it.

When I got there, I was only left with watching the guy on the bike drive away. Athen was driving away. We were so close. He was so close. It was like he was waiting for some sort of revelation, and I wasn't sure if it was going to come in time. Watching the brake light reflect red as he stopped at the intersection before taking off made my heart ache as he took off again to that unknown place.

The warmth from the fireplace was barely reaching me. Not because I wasn't sitting close enough. That certainly wasn't the reason. I was practically propped on top of the hearth. It was because nothing in this world could take the chill out of my bones. The longer Athen was out my reach the sicker I got, physically and mentally. That I recognized. Seeing him intermittently wasn't helping the situation, rather it made the longing worse.

Arie and Cyril had gotten used to me being useless, and they attempted to get back to some sort of routine. I imagined they were getting pretty sick of the situation and pretty sick of me. I wrapped the blanket around my shoulders trying to dismiss the overwhelming bite in the air.

"Guys?" I tried my best to sound cheerful. "Are you around?"

Nothing. In all of my wallowing, I was embarra.s.sed to admit, I didn't even know if they were home. If they left, I'm sure they told me. I obviously didn't retain it. I wracked my brain trying to figure out where they might have gone. Not much came to me. I honestly don't remember them telling me anything.

I sluggishly moved to the back of the house to take a quick look out back in case they were out there, doubtful being as cold as it was. But maybe being outside was more hospitable than what I was dumping into the atmosphere. I quickly scanned the backyard seeing nothing but the empty bench and overflowing cement birdbath. I tromped back into the living room, looking outside through the big picture window. Seeing nothing, I decided to slump down where I was, good a place as any. I reached for one of the photo alb.u.ms that I had gone through a thousand times before in the time that I had been at this house, our old house. Athen's house, my house so strange to think we lived here by ourselves at some point without Cyril and Arie. I can't even imagine not having them as appendages. I couldn't handle this alone. Who am I kidding? I can't handle this regardless of anyone being around or not around.

I laid down on my stomach wrapping the blanket over my body a little better as I dived into the first page of Athen and I hugging each other in a frozen memory. I'd take any frozen memory over no memory at this point. The tears began to form in the corner of my eyes. The coldness began trickling down my cheek. I did my best to flush them away but they would not vanish. Without understanding what I was doing, my finger kept tracing his image in the photograph over and over again. As if touching his lips with my fingertip could lead me to him. Before I could stop it a tear bounced down onto the image staring back at me. I quickly grabbed the corner of the blanket to wipe away the wetness. I wasn't sure I was brave enough to turn the page so I closed my eyes, laying my head on my arms. I'm sure Cyril and Arie would be gone for a bit. I had time to compose myself a little, possibly.

The vibrations slowly began to creep up through my body. I sat upright quickly, and the tiny pulses vanished as quickly as they came. I strained to hear something, anything! But the streets were deathly silent. I quickly laid back down on the floor, not sure what I was expecting or hoping for, and then there it was - again. A rumbling, a trembling was coming through the floor timbers. I was certain of it. I could feel him. He was on his way here. How could that be?

I was sprawled on the floor, letting every extremity feel the vibrations that were getting stronger and stronger with every second that pa.s.sed. My ear pressed to the cold wood floor waiting to hear something more definite, more real. I wanted more than a hum; although, I was willing to let that be a sign. I wanted it to be him more than anything. As the seconds ticked by, the shaking was becoming impossible not to detect.

I slowly let myself sit up not wanting to miss a shake or shudder as I saw the lampshade move slightly. My blood started to pump in the same rhythm as the walls around me. I was afraid a fire truck was about to drive by, shattering my hopes. The energy was building all around me. Afraid for what I might see or, more plainly, not see, I very slowly moved to the living room window, not knowing what it might have in store for me. Very gingerly, I began moving aside the silk curtains hoping for something that wasn't possible, and then the rumbling stopped. I was crushed. My imagination had gotten the better of me again. I whipped the curtains open, fully prepared to see nothing but glistening leaves from the day's latest rainfall plastered against the cement. Instead what I saw left me breathless. I reached for the windowsill to steady myself. The wait was over.

Athen was removing his matte, black helmet as he stood straddling his Ducati. Shaking his head to get the hair out of his eyes, he began peeling off his black gloves and jacket carefully. It seemed so natural. Like he had been here a million times before, doing the exact same thing. I didn't know what to do. I had n.o.body to ask. It was so surreal. Did they know this was going to happen? Was that why they weren't here? Does Athen really know where he's at? I don't even know where to begin. I've screwed this up so many times before. I was paralyzed.

Watching him swing his leg over the bike so smoothly sparked an excitement like all of the other times I had seen him, only it felt tangible this time. He looked so gorgeous. I needed him so badly. I wanted to connect with him in the worst way. I waited for him to see me in the window, but he wouldn't look up. I was staring at him as hard as I could, hoping I'd somehow get him to look up. He wouldn't. He turned away and began opening the box on his bike. I was guessing to put his helmet and gloves away. The distance between us was almost unbearable. The chill that I was so accustomed to began to be replaced with a heat running though my body. I was on fire - if I could only see his eyes, his smile, anything to connect with him again. His hand grabbed the top of the box and slammed it shut.

Athen spun around so quickly, his eyes finally meeting mine. His lips curled in the half smirk as our eyes locked, this time for eternity. We would not be kept apart. As he walked to the sidewalk leading to our home, I saw that he was carrying a beautiful bouquet of red roses, with a lone white rose in the middle. My heart began to sing. The wetness from my tears began puddling at the base of my neck. There was no holding back.

I ran to the front door, swinging it open, crushing the flowers as I jumped onto him, not letting go for anything. I felt his arms wrap around me as the rose petals began their journey to the floor. His kisses violently grabbing every part of my skin before moving onto the next while my tears would not cease. My legs completely wrapped themselves around his waist, my head buried into his neck. It felt like a dream.

"My baby's back." Were the only words that left my lips.

"I was never gone. Just a little lost, my angel."

Hearing those words made me slip away into the madness that was our world. The world between us two, built for only us to share. The worries of before slipping away with every kiss creating our fortress that no one could penetrate.

Chapter 20.

What do you say we take off before Arie and Cyril get here?" Athen's eyes were full of mischief. He knew their names. He knew me. I had no idea what was taking place, and I didn't care. He was here. He was back.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I'm serious." He picked me up off the couch before I had a chance to say anything. He already knew my answer. He carried me to the front door and plopped me down outside, closing the door and locking it behind us.

"Shall we?" He asked, winking at me.

The thought of being alone with him was almost more than I could handle. I really didn't understand what was going on but knew that Athen had somehow figured this thing out on his own or at least parts of it. He wasn't scared off. His worlds were colliding, and none of us had expected this. I wasn't even sure that this was possible.

I got on the bike behind him securing the pink helmet that he had apparently picked out for me, in complete disbelief. I was the one who was supposed to be showing him things not the other way around. His eyes didn't even have the familiar green glow that I was used to, yet he was accepting our world his world. The sound of the bike's roaring engine tripped up my thoughts, grabbing his waist tighter as we took off I soaked up everything that was happening.

He wouldn't tell me where we were going, and we had been on the bike for what seemed like an eternity, mainly because of the rain, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Resting my head on his back to resist the continuous pelts of rain was stirring up the desire I had for him even more. The firmness of his muscles, my arms wrapped around his waist, I felt like I was in the middle of a magical dream.

We started down this long driveway, and I began to tense up a bit. This could be a trap. Maybe Lilith did get to him, and he was only following orders. My body temperature began to rise as I played out all sorts of scenarios of my impending doom, with the wicked woman hovering over the entire scene. I was disgusted with this woman continually entering my thoughts and planting seeds of paranoia and jealousy.

He pulled into the spa.r.s.e garage, and my nerves didn't lessen any.

"What's up? Why are you so tense?" He asked, helping me get my helmet off. His fingers were gently undoing the straps on my helmet as I was looking up into his eyes. They may have been missing the beautiful green glow, but they were not evil. They were as kind as ever. His fingertips gracefully touched my chin, bringing my lips so close to his. He was absolutely incredible. His hair was tousled the way I loved. I was in awe. I grabbed his shoulders, running my fingers down his arm, trying to find some fault or giveaway this wasn't really happening. It was as if I was looking at my old Athen. The kindness was radiating out from his soul, his eyes searching mine for acceptance. He was here for me.

We walked up the two tiny stairs leading into the house, he pushed open the door, only to have Matilda standing there trying her best to wag her little stub tail. Tears instantly began streaming down my face. I had missed her so much.

"Surprise!" He said faintly, nodding at me to move through the door.

Grabbing Matilda, I spun around with her up high, hugging and kissing all forty pounds of her. She recognized me instantly and began panting as soon I put her back on the ground. Athen grabbed my waist and spun me around to look at him. Matilda started barking in excitement, but her warbles became more faint every second that Athen held me. I didn't want to let go. It was as if nothing had taken him away, except that his eyes were still not changed. My head was resting on his chest, hearing his heartbeat creating a comfort I couldn't explain. Feeling the warmth from every breath he exhaled was a gift like no other. My Athen had returned. I felt foolish for thinking that he could cause harm. There were so many unanswered questions, but those all had to wait. Right now, all I cared about was being in his embrace.

"I love you so much." He murmured into my hair, sending chills up my spine.

"I love you too, and I'm so sorry." My eyes began filling with tears, knowing how lucky I was to have him back.

"Don't cry, my angel." Athen scooped me up and began heading towards the back of the house. There was barely anything in the home. Obviously, he didn't make himself too comfortable here. Everything was ultra modern, and nothing was out of place, not that there was much to be out of place. My heart began pumping quickly with every step he took, not knowing his intentions. He carried me through the living room and down the hallway to the bedrooms with the strength and confidence that I remembered.

"I knew I'd find my way back to you," he whispered into my ear, "You were never far from my thoughts. I just didn't know it."

I ran my fingers through his hair, pulling myself back from him to be able to take in his whole being. His spirit couldn't be missed. It felt like this day would never come. His kind, caring eyes were a gentle reminder that this wasn't a dream. Athen had returned. I didn't have to wait decades.

"I love you so much, Athen. A piece of me died every second waiting for your return. I began to worry that I'd run out of pieces to give. Every second you were gone felt like an eternity. Every morning I'd wake up feeling a weight on my chest knowing you weren't there to hold me or make me smile. It felt like breathing was even an effort. I couldn't bear the thought of going through the turmoil I felt for decades as you had done. I don't know how you did it." I felt the tears begin to well up, and my throat begin to constrict. I looked into his eyes and felt as if I was able to see deep into his soul.