Chapter 8

   "Erin dear, be careful."

"Why do you say that, Mommy?" 10 year old Erin looked up at her mother confusingly. She and her mom were lying on the beach sand, the sun softly burning their skin. It was an amazing feeling and the day was peaceful. Erin didn't understand what she had to be careful about.

"You will find out later on about what I'm saying. For now, I just want to spend the little time I have with my baby girl." Her mother said with a clear voice. She smiled at Erin, a sad look crossing her beautiful face that was so much like Erin's.

  "Oh my beautiful Erin, you have such a wonderful gift. Very special, just like you."

Erin frowned in confusion. It was like her mom was just talking in riddles today. "What gift mom? Can I fly? Do I have super strength?"

Her mom bursted into laugher and ruffled her hair playfully. "No, silly. You have the ability to protect yourself and the people you love against evil."

  This time Erin sat up in alarm. She studied her mom's expression. There was something different about her this afternoon. She was talking like.. She would disappear any minute from now.

"What do you mean by that Mom?"

"I wish I could explain it, my love." She said with a sigh. "You will get it soon enough. And when you do, it may be a lot to take in, but your mate will be there to guide you."

  Erin kept quiet. She was just going to believe that her mom had drank something this morning and that was why she was talking crazy, because Erin didn't understand any of this or why she was even telling her.

  Her Mom immediately sat up as if she had just been notified of something. "Speaking of Mates... This one is here," She giggled lightly and excitedly then grabbed Erin's little hands in her own.

  "It's time for me to go, baby girl. But don't worry, I will always be here whenever you let yourself fall deep into your slumber. Now go and meet him. He's waiting for you." She said with a smile and stood up on her feet.

  Erin looked up at her mother and saw the sadness in her eyes. It made her sad too. Why was she feeling this way?

"Oh Erin, I love you so so much and I always think of you, I watch over you all the time. I wish we could spend more time, but we can't. Take care my lovely girl..."

  Erin opened her eyes as everything vanished in a split second. She sat up on her bed and let her eyes adjust to her dark room. It was a dream. For perhaps the first time in a long while, She had seen her mom in her dream.

And what was all that she kept talking about? Gift? Mate? As in she had a mate? What was that supposed to mean?

  "I was wondering if you were eventually going to die in your dreams." A cool voice came from the shadows.

Erin jumped off the bed with a shocked scream and landed heavily on her butt. She groaned and rubbed the sore spot on her bum before turning to her table and switching on the lamp.

"Oh damn... I'm not a fan of bright lights" He said.

  Erin turned to him and suffered a momentary shock as she stared at him, speechless. Julian Ferrari was in her house. Inside her room. Sitting on her chair.

  "You look surprised to see me." He commented.

"What are you doing here??" Erin whispered. She was still in the state of shock. She found it hard to believe that Julian Ferrari was truly in her house. It must be a dream. One of her dreams lately, she thought.

  "And.. How did you even get in here? The door was locked!"

"I came to see you. I had to see you." He replied slowly. A slow smile crossing his handsome face. Erin would not dwell on that part.

  "You had to see me why? What do you even mean? How can you break into my house? That's wrong!" Erin snapped loudly.

Julian chuckled lightly and got up from where he was seated. He walked slowly to her then brought out his hand, he was offering to help her up. Erin had no idea that she was still on the ground. She let out a sigh before finally taking his hands and allowing him to pull her up, making them stand impossibly close to each other. He was tall. So tall that he toward over her.

"I don't know why, Erin Dexter, but I find myself thinking and worrying about you." He said absently, like he was trying to figure out what he was saying.

"Why? You don't even know me." Erin whispered confusingly.

"I know about you. But you're right, I don't know you." He stated.

His hands moved and touched her chin in a light Caresse. Erin froze and looked into his deep, black eyes. She felt her stomach flutter with butterflies as his touch feathered her face. His palm was a bit rough, which was like a tickle on her cheeks. She let out a low sigh and unconsciously leaned into his touch.

  Then almost suddenly, as if he realized what he was doing, he stepped back and turned away. Erin dropped her face in shame. She had gotten carried away as well and she couldn't understand why. She knew it had nothing to do with the fact that he was an incredibly good looking man, she was just somehow drawn to him. It was like she couldn't control her reactions when she was with him. Why?

  "I got news that a demon was let loose in the city, and I had come check you to make sure you were safe. I had a feeling you might have been walking the streets without protection." Julian explained slowly as he turned back to her.

  "Oh, and how do you know you can protect me from some demons?" Erin demanded.

"Because I know what they are and I can kill them."

Erin stared at him, still unsure of what to say to him. The man was confusing. She didn't know what his true intentions were. She didn't know why he was so different and strange. She wanted to know.

  "How did you get past the gate, front door, my apartment door, and past the door to my room? How did you do that? I need to know how you did that because, that's not normal." Erin asked as she eyed him skeptically.

  "Hmm.. I am not normal, Erin. And.. If you're wise, you will run away from me. I am not what you think." He said in a low tone.

"I don't think I can run from you now. Apart from the fact that I'm attracted to you, I have this.. Deep feeling.. This feeling that you are here for a reason. And since I met you in that toilet, I've been trying to figure out why." Erin said frustratedly.

Walking towards her and stroking the few tendrils of her hair away from her face, he asked, "And have you figured out why?"

  "N.. No." She whispered shakily.

"I should stay away from you as well. Since I met in that toilet, I knew you were trouble. Everything about you is calling to me. Your blood.. Your blood is becoming like my own personal brand of heroine." He crooned. His fingers still stroking her hair.

"I would kiss you right now, but I can't loose control because if I do, it could damage a lot of things." He finished in a whisper.

Erin gasped as soon as she heard the word. He wanted to kiss her! So she wasn't the only one that was affected! Good, because she was beginning to think she was embarrassing herself. She smiled slightly at him in an attempt to lighten the over charged atmosphere.

  "Um.. Why don't we sit? And then we can talk about... All this?" She asked hopefully. "Come," she pulled him down to her bed as they sat side by side.

"Erin, I just want you to be careful. Do not leave your house at night and do not allow any stranger in. No matter what. Don't invite any stranger in." He whispered seriously. He was really warning her.

  "But you came in here uninvited, Mister. I don't remember you knocking and me asking you to come in, do I?" She queried with a smile.

He smiled back too. "I don't have to wait for you even if you don't invite me in, because I don't have the intention of harming you. But if someone wanted to harm you or your brother, they wouldn't be able to get past the door without you saying 'come in'."

  "And why is that? Is that some kind of.. Magical protection or.."

  "Well.. You could call it that." Julian replied with a grin. He really did look extraordinarily handsome when he smiled.

  "Can I have water, Erin? A bit thirsty."

"Oh, sure! I'll be right back." Erin replied and stood up.

She unlocked the door and quickly strode into the kitchen and filled up a cup with cold, tap water. Then she hurriedly turned back. She didn't want their conversation to end. Not when she was just finding it interesting and intriguing.

  "Here you go—" Erin stopped short as she stared at the bed. Empty. She looked round the room, he wasn't there. The cold breeze from the window made her turn her head and she saw that the window was wide open. He was gone.

  "Great." She muttered disappointedly.

                         

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