760Good morning all! I'm back from my month long hiatus! So this is Kieron's story and i'm really hoping you like it.
I'd also like to say a big thanks to the amazing Keita01 who I've given my first autograph to. Simply amazing! if any of you are interested in getting a physical copy of any of my stories then they're available at: bookstore/detail/1631244 (Minus the square brackets)
So back to Kieron, he's a very complex character but i hope you come to love him throughout the story. =)
I'll be updating once a week on a Monday as is the norm so you'll see what comes next then. I think that's enough from me, on to the chapter!
Rocked by Passion
Chapter One – When Worlds Collide
The night air was cool against Kieron's damp skin, a fact he was eternally grateful for from his crouched position on the forest floor. His body was hot, feverish, sweat glistening against his skin. His heart was racing within his chest, the blood pounding in his ears blocking out all other sounds. His eyes were closed tightly, eyelids hiding captivating green eyes. He was still as stone, unmoving despite the uncomfortable position as he let the cool air wash over his fevered skin while trying to regain control over his trembling limbs. He cursed softly as his mind was bombarded with fragmented images of what he'd done the night before. The images though vivid were strange, the memories unfamiliar and illusive. When he tried to grasp for a fragment, to hold on to it and see the damage he'd caused, it slipped away his mind unable to process the strange sights.
"Will I never be free?" he growled, standing on wobbly legs.
Naked as the day he was born and feeling as weak as any newborn, Kieron stumbled away from where he'd woken and went in search of his clothes. The ritual was one he'd been doing for years and he loathed it as much, if not more, than when it had first begun. He could hear insects moving faintly in the distance, birds flying overhead and small woodland creatures scurrying about underfoot and while normally the sounds would have been calming, his senses felt as though they were on fire and even the sound of his own breathing was too loud, grating painfully on his ears. The woods around him were pitch black, the pale light of the moon obscured by thick, heavy clouds but Kieron walked confidently through the trees letting the sounds of nature wash over him silently hoping that soon he would be able to find peace in the sounds of his environment. His head was bowed in fatigue, dark strands of hair falling into his eyes.
Uncaring, Kieron continued walking, all too aware of the rising sun. Lily would be waking soon; he needed to be home before then. While she accepted that her brother was very different to those around them, he was unsure if her caring and open heart was because she didn't care or because she couldn't remember how terrifying he could be. Uncertain of if she loved him because of the latter, Kieron did his best to ensure she never again saw the creature that his birth had forced onto him. At eleven years old Lily was still surprisingly innocent despite how intelligent she was. Her innocent smiles were one of the only bright spots in his long monotonous days of being universally hated and he was determined to ensure she remained exactly as she was for as long as he could manage.
Despite the darkness Kieron knew exactly where he was and where it was he needed to go. The walk back to his clothes wasn't far from his current location though his home was considerably further away and a sad smile came to Kieron's lips. His legs would probably be on the verge of utter failure by the time he reached his destination but the further he had to walk the better it was for others. The forest at night was empty; blissfully devoid of people he could harm or vent his anger onto. By the time he reached his clothes he would have calmed down, the dangerous impulses that filled his mind having subsided. While he couldn't care less of what others thought of his black moods, with their father absent on another of his trips, he was the only person Lily could rely on and she didn't need to be exposed to the horrors that lurked within him.
Calm, he said to himself as he continued walking. Stay calm, he instructed knowing full well the likelihood of success was slim. Stay focused and calm. The words were familiar, another step in the ritual he was trapped within. More images assaulted his mind, the calm he had been trying so hard to attain slipping away. An angry growl slipped past his lips and his step quickened, turning into an all out run. His legs pumped hard, pounding against the earth as he sprinted, moving as though he was trying to outrun his anger.
Maybe I just need some sleep. I might be calmer once I'm not so tired. The words were a lie and he knew it. Nevertheless he said them to himself each time the thing inside of him was unleashed. Hope kept him going. One day he was going to be free of this curse, he was doing everything in his power to make it possible. The heavens couldn't be cruel enough to sentence him to a lifetime of such a gruesome ordeal.
The woods around him were familiar now and he rushed to the hollow stump where his clothes were hidden. The air, which had initially been welcome, had turned chilly and he was beginning to shiver. It wouldn't bode well for others if he became ill, his black moods would darken even further, the change making violence increasingly likely. His hands reached into the dark hole, his shirt the first piece of clothing he came into contact with. He pulled the soft white material over his head and reached inside for the rest of his clothing. Breeches and boots quickly followed suit but when he reached inside for the final and most important article he was met with nothing but air and hard wood. His eyes darkened in anger, an angry growl rising up his chest. He spun on his heel, his eyes trying desperately to pierce through the darkness and find who had been brave enough to steal from him.
"Whoever it is I'm going to skin them!" he spat.
Running a large hand over his face, Kieron cursed. He couldn't enter the town without his hood. His accursed face would be on display for all and sundry to see. There might once have been a time when he could walk the streets freely, when he could feel the sun against his face without having to hide deep within the woods but that time had long passed. Now the thought of anyone looking at him without his face hidden by the dark shadows the multiple layers of his hood created sent shivers of apprehension racing down his spine. His face was not one that people should ever see, that fact had been made abundantly clear to him.
The faint sound of branches breaking forced Kieron to pay attention to his surroundings. Turning around made him notice the pack of hyenas closing in on him, their mouths salivating at the prospect of such a ready meal. Emerald eyes narrowed when he saw his hood being sniffed by a few of the animals. His scent had clearly led them to await his return. Standing his ground Kieron eyed the animals carefully, his eyes aglow in a silent command and he held out his hand expectantly. Their eyes locked, green with brown before the hyenas bowed their heads in submission.
"Give it here," he ordered.
The shirt held tight in its jaws a hyena trotted eagerly towards Kieron who bent down, quickly reclaiming his shirt. An enormous sense of relief washed over him the instant he touched the dark material. Sighing, he pulled the shirt over his head, drawing the heavy hood over his hair to hide his face in shadow. With the hood covering him, no one would be able to see exactly who or what lurked beneath. He had learnt quickly that his face was not one the world should be exposed to. The lesson had been beaten into his young body and had almost cost him dearly on more than one occasion. His hood was now as much a part of him as any limb and it was only when the heavy but familiar weight settled around his shoulders that he felt comfortable enough to begin the final leg of the journey. His home was still far away, the secret hide away for his clothes deliberately difficult to reach. Once, years ago, someone had followed him when he'd stolen into the forest and from that night on he was forever changed. He'd nearly killed the person who had witnessed what he became and the life he'd been building for himself had vanished right before his eyes. Shaking his head to dislodge the unpleasant thoughts, Kieron forced his mind back to the present. The past was gone and though he would never be free of its grip all he could do was move forward.
Swirling white mist filled the air, obscuring Estraya's vision and with each step she took serving only to take her further into its depths, frustration quickly welled within her. A string of expletives flowed from her lips as her eyes strained to see through the fog but despite the danger of her position, she continued, running frantically. From the high tops of the tree branches she could hear Amir's men trying to catch up to her and she would rather die than fall back into his clutches. She felt as though she'd been running forever and though she hadn't been a fugitive her entire life she might as well have been. From her very first memory her life hadn't been her own and she had spent years in perpetual flight, escaping her cage momentarily only to have her freedom snatched away time and time again. Her captor, Amir, was nothing if not persistent but then again so was she.
The terrain beneath her feet was unfamiliar but that was to be expected, she had spent most of her life in the searing heat of deserts. Trees with such thick foliage and cool fog were things she wasn't accustomed to but she didn't let that fact deter her from her escape. When Amir had announced that they would be travelling from their homelands to visit the earth elementals in a land far away she had grasped the opportunity he'd presented with both hands and she wasn't going to let it slip away. Her attempts to escape had always been hindered by Amir's influence within her homeland but things would be different here she'd decided. She had bided her time, continued to act submissive while remaining vigilant for any opportunity that might present itself and tonight had been the night. The guards had been inattentive and she had slipped away into the swirling darkness at the time thankful for the thick fog that sheltered the earth elementals from harm. Amir's men had soon realised she'd escaped, they always did, and once again she was on the run.
Her body was agile and lithe, she'd trained it to be so and she leapt gracefully through the trees despite the fog and the darkness. Her normally steady gait was however hindered by her impaired sight and her heart fluttered wildly as the sounds of Amir's men grew closer.
No! Her mind screamed. I'm so close this time. If I can just stay hidden for long enough then he'll have to go back to the desert and I can be free. I can start a new life here away from that him and everything to do with him. I won't let him catch me. Not this time. Never again! The words served to spur her on and her step quickened. It was difficult to move in the dark, she had to anticipate where she thought branches would be and she had no idea where she was going except for as far away from Amir as possible. A gleeful chuckle bubbled inside of her chest, threatening to spill from her lips and give away her position when she realised the distance between her and her pursuers was increasing.
The clouds overhead parted allowing faint glimmers of moonlight to shine on the world below a fact Estraya would be eternally grateful for. She stumbled, forcing herself to halt her forward momentum and stay rooted to the thick branch beneath her feet. The distance between her and the nearest tree had doubled and had she continued blindly her fall would have been assured. Her eyes were drawn irresistibly to the ground below, her mind assessing the damage that would have befallen her if she'd plummeted to earth.
The fall wouldn't have killed me, she decided. But I don't think I could just walk away from it either. For a moment she contemplated descending and continuing onward closer to the ground but the thought was quickly discarded. If she were any nearer to the ground she would be an easy target for Amir's men. She lifted her head skyward, pleased to see that the clouds were dispersing. Turning her eyes back to the next branch she contemplated her next move. I've made bigger jumps, she concluded.
Arms outstretched, Estraya leapt from the branch. Flying through the air a sense of freedom filled her. She was going to do it. This time she would finally be free. Her hands clasped the branch tightly as she collided with the dense wood before she lifted herself up and leapt again. Alive with sensation, she continued her dangerous journey. The clouds drifted through the sky once again hiding the moonlight. Estraya's heart jumped into her throat as her target disappeared from sight mid leap. She stretched her fingertips out as far as she could but dreaded what would happen in the next few seconds. While leaping through the air was a skill she had acquired when she was young and honed by years of practice, she needed to see her target if she wanted to reach it. Whenever she'd tried to leap even short distances with her eyes closed she always missed and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that this time was going to be no different to all the others.
Her fingertips grazed the solid bark of the tree and though she tried to curl her fingers and hold on, she had missed by too far a margin and began plummeting towards the earth. She squashed her body's instinctive reaction to scream in terror, very aware that the noise would attract the guards to her exact location. She crashed through the foliage, branches and hard bark scratching her skin unmercifully leaving bleeding wounds in their wake. Her hands scrabbled for purchase but she was moving too quickly and all she succeeded in doing was creating deep gashes on her flesh. Once she was through the thick foliage, the ground rushed to meet her and with nothing to break her fall, she closed her eyes, gritted her teeth against the oncoming pain and curled her body into as small a shape as possible.
Estraya hit the ground with a resounding thud and she couldn't help the muted cry that spilled from her lips. The pain was excruciating. She let it wash over her, taking shallow breaths to centre herself and assess the damage that had been done. Rolling over onto her back, she tried to stretch her limbs only to find the pain doubled when she moved the left side of her body. Lying against the ground, her eyes watered in pain.
Her heart began to race again when the voices of Amir's guards floated through the air now much closer than they had been before. The moonlight that had helped her was also helping them and with the path now visible to them they were quickly gaining on her. Thoughts of freedom filled her mind and though the pain was almost unbearable, she forced her body to sit up. Sweat beaded on her brow from the effort such a simple move had needed. Panting, she tried to stand using the thick bark of a tree as her anchor. Her trembling limbs collapsed beneath her and her head began to swim in a pain-induced delirium.
It can't end like this, she cursed.
"You shouldn't be here."
The deep rumbling voice came from overhead and her heart automatically went into overdrive. Her head moved slowly, unwilling to see the means of her demise. The man was tall, towering over her prone form, and his shoulders were broad. His body was muscular, the thickness of his arms worrying her instantly. She tried to see his face but his features were obscured by shadow despite the returning moonlight.
"The woods at night are a dangerous place."
As his words sunk in Estraya's racing heart calmed. Even though she couldn't see his face she knew he wasn't one of Amir's men. He sounded nothing like the men from her homeland and she had never been so relieved to hear a foreign accent before. He turned to walk away, ready to leave her to her fate and despite the danger it posed, she spoke, calling out to him.
"Wait, please don't go. Help me."
Thoughts anyone? Let me know what you thought by dropping me a review, you know how much i like them and they make me write that much faster. A month with no reviews has been very difficult for me...But now i'm back hope fully with a bang! =)