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“You’ve done a wonderful job today.”
Her voice sent a shudder down my spine. I took a deep breath as she moved to stand beside me. The music wasn’t too loud as the family danced around the floor, the lights flashing all colours. The meal had gone down a treat before we all had a break. Now, the alcohol was flowing, and the dancing had begun.
“Thank you, everyone keeps complimenting me. I just did what the bride and groom requested.”
Alice’s hair was pinned up on one side, the other side hanging loose. Her eyes changed colours as the lights above caught them. I tried not to stare at the elegant, dark grey dress she wore, her arms bare and her legs long and slim.
“How have you been?” she asked, drawing my attention to meet her gaze.
Swallowing, I turned to face her. “Shall we go outside?”
Glancing over the dancefloor as she nodded, Alice turned to follow me. The doors led out onto the stone steps that arched in a semi-circle around the back entrance to the hotel. The steps led to the long perfectly shaped lawn.
I walked down them, ready to take my shoes off and sink my feet into the cool grass. Alice did the same, kicking her sandals off and joining me. Keeping my distance, I walked slightly ahead. A fountain rose up in the middle of the landscape, a tall lady holding a jug as the centrepiece.
“This place...it’s so...” Alice couldn’t think of a word to describe the period hotel.
“Majestic?”
Nodding, Alice ducked her head, her eyes on her feet where her toes wiggled in the grass. I watched the movement, my own feet feeling the soft texture under them. Earth was my...friend. I was in tune with her, able to detect when she was in trouble. My healing power came from her, always.
“Natalie came to see me,” Alice said, going to sit on the ledge of the fountain.
The water bubbled into the small pool, the water crystal clear. I moved nearer, but stayed standing. “She said.”
What else could I say? It felt like the ball was in her court. She was...gorgeous. And, I had always been attracted to her, so it wasn’t a case of me not knowing what I wanted. Yet, her hesitation had made me back off. I didn’t want someone who didn’t want me. I couldn’t play that game.
“She told me her story. Every single part of it. She filled me in on all of your...history.”
“My history?” I spluttered, unsure if I was comfortable about the idea of Natalie sharing absolutely everything.
“Yep,” she said, swirling her hand in the water. “Yours, your family’s. She even told me about Nick and his whole vendetta against you. Explained it all in detail.”
My mouth opened and closed before I could think of a coherent enough reply. “I...well, I’m...surprised.”
“Apparently Aries gave her permission to tell me everything. At first, it freaked me out. However, I’ve had some time to think...and dream.”
“Dream?” I couldn’t help but pick up on her wince when she said about her dreams.
She looked around the huge garden. The hedges that lined it threw shadows over the lawn. It was dark, but the moon was bright, casting light onto us.
“I keep dreaming of these two women who were in love. They lived in America. They were slaves...”
I gulped as I swallowed, the sound so loud that Alice looked at me. She got to her feet slowly, her arms extending towards me. Her hands landed on my shoulders as she drew nearer.
“It’s us, isn’t it? The dreams...it’s...I don’t know...but, it’s us.”
Nodding, I bit the side of my mouth as I tried to think of something to say. I couldn’t. My mind was blank. She remembered. Somehow, she remembered a time when we were together in a past life.
“Virgo, I’m sorry, I—”
The sound of a gun being fired forced us both to drop to the ground. Digging in my bag, I pulled out the gun I had stolen from Nick.
“What was that?” Alice asked, her hands shaking where she held them near her head.
Sitting up, I handed her the gun. “Stay down, but hold this. If you see a man with grey hair, or one of his men, shoot them.”
Getting to my feet, I stopped when Alice’s hand wrapped around my ankle to get me to stop.
“Please, be careful.”
I would be okay. Nick couldn’t kill me. My instinct had wondered if he would try anything to stop us at the wedding. He knew my union was on the cards, which meant he would be extra watchful.
“What do you want?” I shouted.
The shadows shifted and he came into view, two of his men flanking his side. He was in his usual black attire, his arms hanging by his side. Kiran, the one who would be going with Libra, held a gun towards me. He had been the one to fire the shot.
“What do you think I want?” Nick bit between his clenched teeth. “I want her dead.”
The rage within him was evident by the shaking of his fists as he drew closer. Stepping forward, I tried to draw them away from Alice, who still remained on the ground. He took the bait, circling to face me on the main part of the lawn, away from the fountain.
“Give up, grandad,” I spat. “You’re too late.”
His hands lifted into the air. “If that were the case, I would be weaker than I am. Just one bullet would put an end to your ridiculously lucky streak. I bloody hate the zodiacs.”
“Yeah?” Alice shouted, surging to her feet. “Well...well, they hate you, too!”
Her stupid attempt at...I wasn’t sure what she was trying to do, made it harder for me to protect her. The last thing I wanted was my siblings being alerted to what was happening. It would ruin Aries’ wedding and that wasn’t something I would allow. I could do this alone.
“You promised to back off,” I said, standing in front of Alice as she came up behind me.
Her arm was slightly behind her, obviously hiding the weapon. If she came too near me, they might try shooting her again.
“No, I gave you the antidote for the baby. You, on the other hand, your love story...ends now.”
The click was so quiet, I almost didn’t hear it. Jumping up as Kiran’s weapon discharged a bullet, I cringed as it ploughed into my chest. Another shot fired, but I couldn’t see where it came from as I slumped to the ground.
Arms wrapped around me as a commotion unfolded. Opening my eye, I forced myself to focus on Nick. He was on the ground, his hand clutching his stomach. What had happened?
“Are you okay?” Alice grabbed me and tried to tug me away.
I couldn’t move, my breath caught in my lungs. Nick couldn’t kill us, which automatically made sure that his men couldn’t either, didn’t it?
The men hauled Nick up into their arms as a shout came from the balcony. They ran with him, their steps quick as they escaped from where they had come.
“She’s been shot,” I heard Alice say as I clutched my chest.
Blood coated my hand, the pain slicing through my whole body. I started to shake at the idea of dying. If I went before I had united with Alice, all would be lost. Everyone relied on me to get it right.
Someone rolled me over. Mother. She ripped my dress open as I tried to breathe. Every time the air hit my lungs, it burned.
“She’s going to be fine.”
I closed my eyes as they spoke between themselves, unable to focus completely. As long as Alice was safe, I would be okay.
“Virgo, what do I do? You’re the healer.” Mother’s words were whispered in my ear, just in case Alice didn’t know about me.
But, she knew. Alice knew everything about me and more. She would know more about me than any of the others, and yet, she would run away again. Who wouldn’t after watching me get shot?
“We need to take her to the hospital.” My father. What were they doing out here?
He was the best man to come up with a plausible excuse as to why I was shot. Yet, the investigation would cause problems.
“Alice...” I croaked.
She heard me, coming close as I got hold of her arm. Her sweet breath filtered over me, her perfume drifting up my nose.
“Can you take the bullet out?”
Shaking her head quickly, Alice tried to dislodge her hand from me. Not to pull away, but to hold me still as I tried to move. “I’ve never done anything like that before. I...can’t.”
“Virgo, this isn’t a case of hiding who we are anymore, this is your life.” Mother instructed Father to call someone. “We...know someone who can help on the quiet.”
Resting my head on the cold stone floor, I took a shaky breath. I trusted my parents to help me. I could feel that the bullet wasn’t lodged into any vital organ, so I was safe but in a great deal of pain.
“Mother,” I said. “I’m okay, the bullet just needs to be taken out.”
Someone lifted my head and suddenly a warm thigh was under my cheek. I looked up at Alice as she cradled me in her lap. “You saved my life.”
Her words were strained, as if she were trying not to cry. I licked my lips as I breathed deep, pain causing me to wince.
“Stay still, you don’t need to say anything.” Alice bent over so no one else could hear her. “I believe you. I believe Natalie. I am your twin flame soulmate. And, from now on, I’m never going to let anything happen to you.”
Something wet fell on my bare shoulder. Smiling, I reached for her hand and squeezed. “Don’t cry. I’m going to be fine. As soon as the bullet is out, I’ll naturally heal.”
My assurance made me wipe her face with my other hand. Leaning down, she placed her lips on the spot between my eyebrows. “I’m sorry I left you back then. In our past life. I was...horrible, wasn’t I? So arrogant.”
Laughing, I coughed when it hurt. “Yes. But, you were beautiful, so you were allowed to be.”
“Let’s get you in the car,” Mother said, interrupting our moment.
“Wait...” Alice stroked my cheek and looked into my eyes. “Virgo, will you go on a date with me?”
Trying my hardest not to grin stupidly, I agreed. Never would I have believed that Alice would be the one to ask me out. In fact, I hadn’t even imagined we’d get that far.
As Father lifted me from Alice’s lap, she got up quickly, staying by my side as he took me to his car. I grimaced the whole way, biting my lip so I didn’t moan out loud. When Mother opened the door, Alice jumped in without being invited. “Here, put her on my lap.”
My parents shared a look, a quick smile showing on their lips before their expression straightened. They could feel it, couldn’t they? The shift? I could, too, although the bullet wasn’t helping with the romantic feelings that ran through me.
“If you insist.”
Putting me on the seat, Father left us to get comfortable. I clutched my chest as Alice put her arm around me and urged me to use her to lean on. I did, butterflies flapping in my stomach as our gaze met.
“I said before that I wasn’t sure if I was drawn to you,” she whispered as my parents got into the car. “But, that was a lie. I was bitchy to you the moment I met you because of...this attraction.”
Wanting to reach up to tuck her hair behind her ear, I settled with resting my fingers on her thigh. “I felt the same. I thought I hated you, but really...”
There was no need to say anymore. The way she gazed at me was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. It was as if my life was about to change drastically. Which, once the bullet was out, and the pain ceased, I believed it would.
“Alice,” I whispered as her face blurred into Ceely from the past life. “Let’s start again, after I’m healed.”
“No.” Her adamant answer made me frown. “Saving lives with you...that was amazing. You are amazing. And, I want to work together to find cures for everything. We have a mission far beyond being in love. Don’t you think?”
My heart swelled as I heard my mother sob in the front seat. She had heard everything as we spoke, which meant she realised that we had united. Nick had sought to force us apart, but instead, he’d pushed us together. If I hadn’t have risked my life for the woman who would become the love of my life, she might still be hesitating and reluctant to address her true feelings. But, she was right. We had to save humanity. That was the point in becoming a zodiac in the first place.
It went beyond love. It was about rescuing the world by defeating the darkness and bringing the love.
It was about making sure everything went to plan...and finally, to helping my siblings achieve their mission, too.
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