Page 47 of Forgotten Specters (Fated Wings 2)

"In this moment, everything is perfect," I answered honestly.

Lexi had arranged for me to have two days with Beckham. We spent the first day cuddling every second we could, talking about anything and everything. He took me to a stream nearby where we leisurely fished for dinner, our toes dangling in the icy water. Curled up in front of the fire that first night, Beckham read to me. I fell asleep with my head on his lap, his fingers tenderly stroking my hair as he read happy tales to me where love always prevailed.

We spent the second day much the same as the first, leisurely and lovingly. Beckham took me on a horseback ride to a meadow where wildflowers of every kind grew. Beckham watched me in amazement as I grew even more flowers instantaneously, my power slowly growing as my mother's waned. A part of me had been hesitant to leave her side, but now I realized that a small break from my sobering reality was exactly what I had needed.

As our last night together drew closer, there was urgency in our actions. Every touch, every word, grew more important. We both knew it was unclear when we would be able to steal a moment away with Lord Tiberius and Father watching my every movement.

We had stayed, wrapped in each other's arms for most of the evening after cooking a simple supper together. We finally ventured into the bedroom where I fell quickly into a fitful rest, the reality of the next day looming large in my dreams.

I woke right as dawn was breaking. Beckham was lying facing me, and I took advantage of the opportunity to admire him. His long eyelashes lay curled against the gold of his cheek. His blonde hair was tousled in his sleep and adorably went every which way. My eyes were drawn down to his naked chest. His sculpted chest making its way down to the yummiest six pack the world had ever seen. I was startled when he suddenly spoke.

"Admiring the view angel?" he said in a raspy, just woken up voice.

"Always," I whispered. His eyes opened, sensing the deeper meaning beneath my reply. With the curtains once again dancing around us in the breeze from the window we had left open, and the soft morning light resting softly upon us, I felt like I was in a dream. This was the moment.

Beckham must have seen the thoughts in my gaze as he soon reached for me. He laid soft kisses on my lips that quickly turned more and more passionate as if we couldn't get enough of one another. Standing up and looking into his eyes, I slowly slid the bands of my satin nightgown off my shoulder, the gown slipping off the rest of my body and pooling at my feet. Beckham drank me in, his face portraying a look of awe and worshipful love.

"Are you sure?" he asked me, his voice so full of aching and longing that I could almost taste it.

"I've never been surer of anything," I responded.

Although we had been in love for years, we had never taken this step. Beckham had always been content to wait, wanting me to mature and be sure before I made the decision that he was the one. I was after all destined to be his queen, and could have my pick of anyone. But since meeting Beckham, no one else had even become a thought. He was my everything.

I slowly crawled towards where he had sat up in bed, his hands clenching with the need to haul me towards him. I kneeled before him, brushing my lips against his and roving my hands in discovery all over his perfect physique. Beckham finally reached the end of his control, pulling me towards him and beginning an exploration of my body that left me breathless and crying out. He flipped me beneath him, his body hovering over me, held slightly up so as not to crush me beneath him. His eyes peered into my soul as we finally became one. Soft sighs turned into cries of passion.

"I'll love no one else for eternity," he breathlessly promised me as he moved over me. Before I could answer, a rush of pleasure moved through me, making me cry out in bliss. Beckham soon followed me into its depths.

We laid there afterwards, staring into each other's eyes, murmuring whispered endearments. I didn't know how anything else could possibly top this moment. In this moment there was room for nothing else but complete joy and happiness.

The happiness didn't even fade as we were forced to say goodbye. Beckham decided to leave at the same time, unable to stay in the cottage without me, afraid that my absence would spoil the place for him. I rode off first, with him promising to follow at a discreet distance behind. I took one last look at the cottage, I felt like I had been forever changed from my time between its walls. Taking a deep breath, I turned my horse around and rode hard back to real life.

Chapter 27

I woke suddenly. The beeping that had been bothering me periodically had all of a sudden gotten louder and more insistent. I sat up with a slight groan. Despite the warmth of the vision, or whatever it was that I had seen, the cold of the ground had still crawled further into my bones. I wasn't sure that I would ever be warm again. Light had started to filter in through the treetops. I was amazed that I had managed to sleep so long. I sent a silent thank you to the specter who had brought me such a happy moment.

As was becoming my routine, I started patting myself down, trying to find where the beeping was coming from. It couldn't be good that it was growing louder. I was worried that the beeping was connected to some kind of tracker, and I cursed myself for sleeping so late and allowing the Reverend time to most likely get closer.

At that thought, I heard voices coming from nearby. I stood quickly, grabbing the backpack Anna had given me. I began to jog, as quietly as possible, hoping that I could get some distance away. Sticks and branches scratched me as I rushed by.

This went on for an hour until finally I couldn't hear the voices anymore. I decided to venture closer to the road again so that I could make sure I was heading in the right direction. The light grew brighter as I neared the tree line. I could occasionally hear cars driving past, but like the night before, there didn't seem to be very many.

I decided to again stay within the tree line, trying to jog as fast as possible. I was grateful for my ability to run without stopping for long periods. I couldn't have imagined I would need it for a situation like this though. Another hour passed. I had once again run into a bridge with a deep ravine underneath it. I moved out of tree line to examine it closer. It couldn't be…it was the same bridge I had encountered the night before. I had somehow gone in a circle while running from the voices in the woods.

My insides started quivering. I took a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears that were once again threatening to erupt out of me. I heard a car approaching. I didn't even move as it stopped in front of me. I knew who it was. The beeping was now a loud shrill that was going off incessantly. The Reverend stepped out of the car and walked towards me. I felt frozen in despair and disgust.

He grabbed my arm and frog marched me back to the car. I finally snapped out of the daze of finding out that I hadn't actually gained any ground, and started trying to yank away from his grasp. Staying seemingly calm, he pulled a silver gun out of a holster that I hadn't noticed was around his waist. He put it against my forehead and held my eyes with his.

"Let me make something clear Eva. The thought of ending your life is so awful to me that I would have to follow you into death's depths if it were to happen. However, the thought of you being away from me, or with anyone else, is something that I can absolutely not tolerate. So make your choice, either choose to come with me now, or choose to end your life…and mine…right now."

A small part of me just wanted it to be over. Whatever the Reverend had planned for me, I'm sure it was going to make me wish for death a million times over. Suddenly, the vision from the night before floated into my brain. Somewhere out there, Beckham, Mason, and Damon still lived. While I lived, there was always a chance that a miracle could happen, and I could be reunited with them. If I chose to die right now, that chance would be gone.

I must have taken too long to decide. The Reverend cocked his gun, and his finger moved to the trigger.

"Wait!" I cried.

He grew still.

"I'll go with you," I told him in a resigned voice.

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