477Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbFmaVu5mP
Dante had told me to go to a different library than the one I was accustomed to. At first, I was hesitant but agreed nonetheless. Now standing in front of the building I couldn't help but let my jaw hang open.
The building was bloody huge
Can this guy do something that isn't so high class? I chuckle while shaking my head. The glass doors slide open and I step inside. Inhaling the fresh scent of books a smile involuntarily creeps onto my face. God, I could live here.
I pass the silent hallway and was greeted by yet another set of glass doors. I privet my body in front of it, hoping for it open. Nothing... Growling I look around. Is it closed? A robotic monotone voice speaks up and I jump. Almost having a cardiac arrest I put my hand on my chest to calm myself down.
The voice chuckles and I look up, annoyance clear. "Sorry miss... didn't mean to scare you." I wave my hand in the air to no one in particular.
"That's quite alright." I try to sound as sophisticated as I could.
"Do you have a reservation miss?" I spot a camera looking towards me and face it. The person on the other side might have seen my dumbfounded expression as he chuckles. My face heats up and I look down letting my fair fall down like a waterfall.
"This is a library, right?" I mumbled.
"Why, yes it is." The monotone voice replies.
"Ummm... I was sent here." Maybe they know Dante? I mean who doesn't?
"By who? If you don't mind me asking?" Curiosity was clear in the person's voice. I look up at the camera once more trying to see who was staring right back at me from the other side.
"Dante Dimitri," I speak with confidence so the person doesn't think I was lying.
I heard paper fluttering. "Just a sec." The person speaks up from the noise. I nod making sure to face the camera.
"Might you be... Laura Clinton?" He asks with uncertainty. I look up surprised myself. He made a reservation? Nothing gets past him, huh? I nod.
"Yea, that's me" I heard more paper fluttering then a huff of aggravation before the person spoke up again.
"You may enter. Hope you enjoy." I smile and nod. I turn towards the closed glass doors. Hearing a faint click, the doors start to slide open, slowly. I step back as a gust of light wind tickles my skin. Once the door was fully open and I walked on in.
I look up at the never-ending levels of the library. This is insane... Surprisingly there was barely a soul in sight. The only people I saw walking were similar to the one I met at the lobby at Dante's office.
"I see you found your way here." I rolled my eyes at the familiar voice. Of course, he made it here before me...
I turn towards a smirking Dante. "No thanks to you. Did you really have to pick this place." I motion toward the gigantic building.
He shrugs and walks in front of me. " It's the best of the best. You can find one to everything here." He then bends down to my ear level. I could feel his hot breath skittle on to my skin making goosebumps arise. "And.. we're basically all alone." I push him away and smirk.
"Don't think so lover boy. We are going to work, and that's final." I wiggle my finger in his face to close the point. He stares at me amusingly before sighing.
He motions his hands forward and bends into a bow. "Lead the way, m'lady." I giggle and walk by him shaking my head at his antics.
An idea forms in my head and I look back at Dante. "How about.... we go to study at the highest floor?" I look back, daring him to say yes. He must have noticed this as he arches an eyebrow.
"I never decline a challenge." I smile. It's so easy roping him in. I follow Dante towards the corner and suddenly freeze. He's leading me to a staircase?!
I slowly back away... " Uh uh." I shake my head in denial. "That is not what I had in mind. Don't you have an elevator or something." I was taking slow steps backward before he noticed. Suddenly he disappears from my line of sight.
The fuck?
Arms wrap around my waist and someone hugs me from behind. I yelp in surprise and wretch in the persons arms to getaway.
" Calm down Laura, it's me." I furrow my brows and slip out from under his arms as he loosens them. I turn around to look at him, not impressed.
"Nifty trick huh?" He smiles proudly. He looked like such a child that I couldn't help the twitch at the corner of my mouth.
I glare. "Don't do that again. You almost gave a bloody heart attack." He chuckles. His deep voice vibrates in the silent library. Raising one hand he puts it on top of his heart.
"Understood." He walks towards me whilst engulfing his hand in mine. " Now come on. Time to get some afternoon exercise." I groan and dig my heels into the ground. He stops and turns around his infamous smirk in place. Even without him saying a damn thing I could tell he was mocking me.
I glare at him. Snatching my hand out from his I march past him and towards the oncoming hell. Guess if was me who could so easily get roped into things.
Ten floors down and I couldn't keep my breath stabilized. Beads of sweat rolled off of me and I breathe in a huge amount of air just to keep going.
Twenty-five and my limit was reached. I collapsed on the ground while my ragged breath filled the silence. The uncontrollable rapid beat of my heart was ringing in my ears. I'm pretty sure my cheeks were puffed up and highly resembled a chipmunk. Dante's face comes into my vision from the ground. He's, of course, smirking down at me while trying to control his laughter. I roll my eyes, the energy was way too drained out of me to care.
I raised my hands in the air. " Leave me here. I give up," I huff out through my crisis. He chuckles and bends down. Turning around he goes on one knee. "Hope on." I look at him flabbergasted.
"You can't be serious?" He nods.
"This doesn't affect me much." I struggle but pull myself up. Cautiously I walk on over and latch myself onto his neck. He stabilizes me from the bottom and easily gets up as if I weigh like paper.
Resting my head onto his back I close my eyes, inhaling his cinnamon scent. Somewhere along the way, I may have fallen asleep as I was shaken awake, very aggressively. My head snaps up and I look both ways to see who was attacking, only to see Dante laughing his ass off. I growl and stand up.
"Thanks for the pleasant wake-up call." He smiles and slings his hands across my shoulder.
"Anytime." I roll my eyes and walk on over to the empty table at the corner. I slump into the more than comfortable chair while resting my head onto the desk. The coolness of the table against my cheek felt relaxing and I felt my eye drift close.
"I'm going to get us some drinks." I heard Dante's voice. I nod not making an effort to look up. My eyes finally close fully. I hum in content.
A square object floats in front of my face.. a book? It crashes to the ground making a sound that a book that light shouldn't be able to make......
My head snaps up and I close my eyes as my scars burns. The pain travels throughout my entire body and I groan balancing my head on the table. My shoulder felt like it was on fire and I clutch is with all my might. A lone tear escapes my eye and I rock back and forth.
Finally, the pain subsides and I open my groggy eyes. My vision becomes blurry for a second before focusing back. I look around and see a small light illuminating near an aisle in the far corner. Standing up I slowly walk towards it. My breaths come out uneven and I peer into the aisle. The small bulb of light stops near a book. I walked on over making sure to avoid the light.
Does it want me to take it out?
Shrugging I proceed to take the book out. I pull. No luck. I use more force. It still didn't budge. Huffing I turn towards the light.
"Well, it's not coming out.." I must look crazy talking to a bulb of light but I didn't care. The bulb of light just floats but more aggressively near the same book. I throw my hands up in the air and try once again.
This time I pull lightly and concentrate on trying to take the damn thing out. Suddenly the book in my hands bursts into a million different lights. I yelp and back away staring in awe at the millions of tiny tiny lights floating around.
Once they had subsided it was then I noticed a button in the place of the blown-up book. I cautiously walked over and reach my hand out. I felt the small button and pressed down. The wall beside me shook and I backed away from there. The two brick walls slide open and bits and pieces of dust fall from the top indicating it hasn't been opened in a while.
I hold my breath as the ground subtly shakes from the pressure of the doors opening. Through the door was another aisle. It was a small one, spreading only about a couple of meters. Yet... the books looked old. Really old. Webs were vastly decorating the room.
Putting one hand in front of my mouth I step in. I shivered. It was like the temperature suddenly dropped. I shrieked as the bulb of light zoomed by me.
Bloody Hell
Once again it hovered under a specific book. Sighing I walked over to it, making sure to glare at it when passing by. I turned towards the book and my eyes widened. There was a lion symbol on the spine of the book. The same one I saw in the simulation on the Hallister.
Slowly I took the book out, coughing as the dust spewed onto my face. Suddenly somebody poked their head in front of my face.
I screamed almost dropping the book in the process. I glared at the now chuckling Dante. He had two drinks in his hands, which looked as if they were about to spill.
"The fuck Dante!" I glared. His eyes twinkled while he kept on chuckling.
"You're too much fun to tease." I rolled my eyes. Remembering the precious cargo in my hand I smirked at Dante.
"Guess what I found?" He raised an eyebrow.
"You mean other than a secret chamber?" I looked at him blankly. He motioned me to go on.
I showed him the lion on the spine of the book. His brows furrow and he looks back at me.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to be looking at." I huffed and pointed at the lion.
"Look familiar?" It was then his eyes widened.
"Oh shit." Indeed.
Before I knew if he had dropped the drinks onto the ground and pulled me into a bear hug. I gasped as the air was knocked out of my lungs.
"Damn. You did it," Not knowing what to do I awkwardly patted his back. He must have noticed my rigid state as he quickly pulled away, a light pink color tinting his cheeks. I smirked.
Breaking out of his trance he looked back at me, purposely ignoring my smirk. "Guess we won't be working after all."
You got that right
Holding the book I walk out of the chamber, finally breathing in some fresh air. I heard Dante steps indicating he was following right behind me. I walk on over and sit on my previous table. Dante sits across from me fidgeting. I sigh and give the book to him.
"You can open it." The small smile he sent my way made my heart flutter inside my chest. He gently took the book out of my hands and opens it. I watched him nod to himself and flip through the pages in confusion.
Finally, he stops at one specific page and looks it over. I lean over to peer inside the page.
"What?" I ask. He turns the book towards me and slides it over. I stare at the huge lion symbol covering mostly the whole page then my eyes drift down towards a single line which was in scripted beneath the logo.
"The destination shall be shown to you in the lines of the prophecy." I read aloud while looking over at Dante in confusion. Well that doesn't help...
He shrugs and pulls his hair in frustration.
Then my mind wanders to the lines that I was able to read on Dante's office door.
"Hey, Dante?" He looks at me with worried eyes.
"The paragraph on your office door.... can you read it."
He shakes his head. "No, that door was brought from my father original house. Why do you ask?"
I smile sheepishly. " I might have read the first line out of the three." His eyes widen at my statement and he leans over, eager to listen.
I ponder on what I read. " The Hallister lies at our home, in the palm of the ocean...? Or something like that" Dante sighs and growls.
"Another fuckin riddle? Could anything be straightforward with my old man?" He runs his hand through his hair in frustration. I would be lying if I said that it wasn't hot.
The sun was starting to set outside. I put my hand on his forearm. "We'll have to do this another time. It's getting pretty late and mom will worry." He looks at me and nods.
We both stand up. I follow him to the staircase, or so I thought. Instead, he turns the other way and stands in front of an... elevator?! I look back at the guy who was sheepishly smiling back at me.
"You piece of shit!" I screeched. He put his hands up.
"But it was hilarious." I flip him the bird and march inside the elevator.
Honestly
Rounding the corner, my house comes into view. I smile and turn into the driveway. Turning off the ignition I step out. Just thinking about how Dante and I were already one step ahead of the guy in the black robe set a permanent smile on my face. Or so I liked to think.
Jamming the key into the door, I twist and turn. Humming I step inside whilst dangling the key around my finger only to suddenly stop. All the lights were turned off... that's weird. I put down my keys and throws off my shoes while walking towards the kitchen.
I froze when I heard a noise coming from the kitchen. I tiptoe forward and peek inwards. Mom was sitting on the floor with a bottle of pills in her hand. She opened the bottle tiredly and took two out.
When was she sick?
Swallowing them she put the bottle down and turned towards me. I backed up and pressed myself against the wall hoping she wouldn't notice me. After several moments of silence, I looked back.
She was now on the floor her shoulders shaking. And then the tears started. It was more than crying, it was the kind of desolate sobbing that comes from a person drained of all hope. My heart clenched and I closed my eyes to stop myself from breaking down.
Why is she so miserable... mom?
I looked back at her my body shaking. The sobs were stifled at first as if she was attempting to hide her grief. Then as if all the emotion came hurling at her at once she broke down entirely, tear after tear fell down her face like a never-ending waterfall. I clutched the wall as something to hold on myself up with as I watched my mom slowly break apart.
T-This can't-t be real...
When she cried there was a rawness to it like the pain was still an open wound. Still, on the ground, she wrapped her arms around herself and rocked back and forth. And then she spoke;
"I miss you, Toni..." She whispered her voice cracked and raw to the point I could barely register what she said. Unable to watch anymore I stumbled up the stairs and shut myself in.
Toni?... Why does that sound so familiar?...
An unsettling feeling starts to form at the pit of my stomach. I scrambled to the bathroom and emptied my stomach. I heaved into the toilet my body trembling. Vomit stuck to some ends of my hair and the stench made me wrinkle my nose.
Deciding on a shower I stripped. Entering the shower I turned the knob and let the water flow onto my skin, soaking my hair. Mom shaking body entered my mind, I felt a stinging in my nose and my throat started to tighten. I bite my tongue, trying to hold the tears that threatened to leave my eyes. And that's when I couldn't hold them back. As much as I tried to hold it in, the pain came out like an uproar from my throat in the form of a silent scream. The muffled sobs wracked against my chest.
Moment by moment, they fall. Salty drops fall from my chin. I'm trembling. I can't-can't stop. Even as I press my hand against the wall my body shakes, it trembles.
I can't stop... I can't stop. Why can I not stop crying?
The sobs punch through my entire body. I let it out...all of it. The death of dad, the loneliness I felt engulfing me, mom... I let it out and let it go.
I don't even remember getting out of the shower nor changing. But before I knew it my head had hit the pillow and I was out.
Hya readers,
I'm so sorry I haven't updated in two days. Things aren't the best. This is a kind of emotional chapter, I tired to put as much feelings as I could into this. Hope you enjoy! See you next update ;)
Lot's of Love, Lillith Smith
477Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOjp348nFQ
