Daughter of Stars and Nightmares (The Eternal Bond Saga book 1)

Laughter round the campfire---not so much!

Julia cracked her eyes open, and saw the setting sun, moaning in pain as her whole body screamed in protest to her moving around. The pain twisted around her limbs pulling her back down. Julia lay on the muddy mound panting. She ran her hand through her hair until her fingers got stuck from the dried blood and mud. Yanking her fingers out she clinched her jaws planted her fist in the ground. A guttural scream tore out of her lungs as she forced herself to sit up.

Searing fire radiated out of Julia ankle, she blanched when she looked at it. The bone was sticking out in a bloody jagged mess; a wave of nausea crashed down on her. She clapped her hands over her mouth to stop any vomit from escaping and looked away. When the overwhelming urge to throw up passed, Julia took another quick peek. The sight of her pink-white bone jutting out of her body made her head swim and she nearly passed out.

Her head flopped back against the dirt embankment and she looked up at the darkening sky. "Great, just freaking great!"

She looked at ravine, surmising that she must have fallen at least fifty feet. It was covered in razor-sharp rocks and Julia couldn't figure out why she was still alive. She decided to assess the rest of her body. Her clothes that were in tatters and she had a few cuts and deep bruises on her arms, abdomen and thighs. Julia couldn't believe she wasn't more cut up and only had a broken ankle.

Julia looked around and didn't recognise any of her surroundings. She was caked in blood and mud it was almost dark and she was cold. Her lower lip started to tremble as her stomach twisted itself in huge knots. Damn it, she thought, blinking back the flood of tears. She wasn't going to let fear get the better of her. Julia bit down hard on the inside of her cheek, the sting and sharp taste of iron refocused her thoughts and she let out an ear shattering scream. It was cathartic and she kept screaming until her throat hurt.

Julia balled her hand into a tight fist ready pound it into the ground when the same prickle she'd felt at the Hell's Broth ran through her. Julia sensed a faint presence near her and went quiet. "How about you stop acting like a stalker and come out already," Julia snapped.

Alex walked out from her left and looked at her as if she was something he'd scraped off his boot.

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, wincing from the pain. "Oh it's you. What do you want?"

"Yes, it's me," he mocked. A smile coloured his lips but he quickly stifled it. "I'm all for natural selection when I'm not on the menu. So could you rein the tantrum in and shut up? 'Cause if you keep it up you're going to attract the shadow creatures that prey on idiots like you."

Julia glared at him. Clearly he could see the state she was in and yet he was being a complete jerk. She didn't know why he felt the need to try and scare her with talk of monsters. A deep frown formed on her face, he must take me for a brainless twit.

"Oh shut up you obnoxious Tink," she snarled not in the mood to take his crap. "One, nothing like that can hurt us. Not when we're in the borders of Havenswood. The wards and barriers keep them out, duh. Two, like I told you before I am not a damsel in distress!" Julia picked up a rock and crushed it to dust, emphasising her point. "I can take care of myself."

Alex let out a glorious laugh. It drifted over her and she felt a tingle of familiarity. Like a light cutting through the darkness, his icy silver eyes warmed up ever so slightly.

When he stopped laughing he murmured to himself, "Oh there's that fiery temper I remember."

She didn't quite hear him and said sharply, "What did you say? If you're going to insult me at least say it so I can hear you."

All the warmth vanished from Alex's face and his gaze turned arctic. "Oh don't worry; when I insult you I'll do it to your face." He crouched near her broken ankle. "You really are stupid," he said with a small smirk as if he was driving home his point of insulting her to her face. "Why didn't you at least try and use your abilities to regain control?" Shaking his head, "Really even a child would've been able to do a simple thing like that."

Julia's pride had taken a real beating and normally she would have just sucked it up. After all she was used to being insulted, but there was something about Alex and the way he said things that burrowed right under her skin.

"Screw you leech. Why don't you leave me alone? Go on; you've had your laugh at the town reject that's no better than a human. Now you can go back to that catty She Devil of yours and have a real good laugh at my expense."

Alex prodded the broken bone, sending searing electrical pain pulsating up her leg into her body. Julia let out a blood curdling scream as agony took hold and tore right through her.

"I'm not going to leave you. One," he playfully mocked her. "We're not in the boundaries of Havenswood. Two, we can both safely say you are no damsel. But you are in distress and pretty helpless at the moment. So I am going to help you whether you want it or not."

Sweat beaded on her forehead, she was panting heavily, and out of energy. She gave up and rested her heavy head against the dirt mound, waiting for the pain to go away, and what little energy she had left to return. Shrugging off his jacket Alex laid it over her, coving her tattered clothing and providing her with a little more warmth; then he went to collect some wood to make a fire.

When he returned he chose two sticks and rubbed them together, so fast embers started to glow seconds after he started.

Julia watched fascinated. "I thought dark fae could make fire with the snap of their fingers like light faeries and witches do."

Alex blew on the fire getting the flame going and then looked at her. "That's a very rare ability that only a few bloodlines possess. Mine is one, but I don't know any that have that ability."

Julia's curiosity took over and her pain faded to the background. "Why is that?"

Alex looked up at her and smiled. Seeing him like this; somewhat prickly yet kind and gentle was comforting and oddly pleasant. "It's a remnant trait from before the Great War when there were supernatural dark fae cross bloods."

"Oh. I thought the Guard thoroughly wiped out all of those that were like that and their families, purging them from the dark fae bloodlines."

It was a well known fact, as well as a cautionary tale that adults loved to throw at kids. Don't break the laws because if you do the Guard will come after you and their punishment will be swift and harsh.

Alex scooted closer to Julia his pensive expression softened onto something at looked like yearning and it made her blush.

"They wiped out the majority of them but you know there isn't much someone wouldn't do to save a loved one." A look of deep melancholy flitted across his face and Alex turned away. When he faced her again a gentle smile touched his lips. "It's a well kept secret by the dark fae."

Because of her own mother's crazy over protectiveness Julia understood all too well the lengths a loved one would go to trying to keep them safe. It still surprised Julia that her mom hadn't followed her to Europe; and dragged her home kicking and screaming.

She couldn't help returning his kind smile with an even bigger one. "Then why are you telling me?"

He shrugged, "I don't know," then looked into her eyes with such burning intensity. It made her feel as if she was the only person that had ever mattered to him and ever would.

A strange familiarity washed over her again and she heard the whispers of the girl's laughter once again. Alex reached out as if he was going to touch Julia's face, and her heart began to swell. For some crazy reason ̶ despite the fact that he got on her nerves, was rude to her, and seemed bent on making her school life miserable ̶ she desperately wanted him to caress her cheek. As Julia struggled with these new and frankly awkward feelings for him, Alex seemed to change his mind and let his hand drop; leaving her feeling empty and annoyed with herself for feeling that way about him in the first place.

************

The two of them need their heads knocking together.

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Xoxo jj