Chapter 70: From the Ashes

June 21, 2003, 5:53 a.m.

Volterra, Italy

The night had turned out to be mild with a slight northern breeze. The small forest behind the city was much like I remembered it, though it was a bit overgrown due to a wet spring. After a successful hunt, I had found a stream where I could wash the blood from my hands and knife. When I realized that it was almost daybreak, I decided to climb a nearby hill to watch the sunrise over the rolling Tuscan hills. Once I reached the top, I was dismayed to find that the sky was smothered with clouds.

I sat in the damp green grass, gazing toward the cloudy eastern horizon. Finally sitting, I realized just how tired I was. I allowed myself to lie back on the grass, lacing my fingers together on my abdomen. I watched the gray sky aimlessly; my mind was finally free of the worry of recent events. My eyes slipped shut.

I had felt Demetri's eyes on me all evening. Since we had arrived in Madrid a day earlier than the rest of the team, we decided to pass the time with sightseeing. We had left the hotel after sunset to walk the streets of the colorful, historic city. Although I enjoyed taking in the sights and smells around me, Demetri seemed restless.

"I'll never understand how you can be so fascinated by the same scenery over and over again," Demetri grumbled beside me.

I peeled my eyes off the copper monument we were passing to toss him a questioning look. "This is my first time in Madrid."

His scarlet eyes locked with mine. "You've seen plenty of war monuments in your lifetime, I suspect."

"You're right," I said, taking his arm to guide him towards a coffee shop that caught my eye. He followed my lead without complaint, like he always had on trips such as these. As we waited in line for an outdoor table, he took the opportunity to slide his arm around my waist. My skin burned under his touch, and my heart fluttered in my chest.

The melody playing on the cafe jukebox drifted through the chilly city air as I sipped my coffee. Demetri's steady gaze set all my senses ablaze, knowing exactly what the evening may have in store. Finally, he leaned forward and cupped my hands with his own.

"I want you again," he murmured, low enough for my ears only.

"Cornelia."

I jerked awake, blinking water out of my eyes. As I regained my orientation, I realized that a light drizzle of rain had started. Sitting up, I saw Demetri himself standing a few feet away from me. He wore a deadpan expression as I pulled myself to my feet.

"I guess I dozed off…," I said, glancing at my watch. It read a quarter past seven. My clothing was soaked through, and I shuttered.

Demetri was already pulling his overcoat off, which he draped on my shoulders. "I started to worry when I sensed you in the same spot for over an hour," Demetri explained. "Thought a fox might have gotten the best of you."

I laughed as I drew the heavy coat tightly around me. "I wanted to watch the sunrise on this hill. Obviously that didn't happen." I looked up to see that he wore a simple black shirt and slacks. It was easy to see his tall, slim figure in such light clothes. His eyes were a dark burgundy; his hair was soaked and tied back at the nape of his neck. "Thank you for thinking of me," I added.

"Difficult not to," Demetri murmured.

We began the walk back to the castle. Although my mind was still foggy from sleep, the memory of my dream lingered. I began to recall Heidi's comments from the evening before, and an unwelcome rush of emotions filled my mind. It took great effort to keep them from my voice as I said —

"Cornelia, I want to speak candidly with you."

His footsteps came to a halt, and mine followed. We stood in a green field at the edge of the treeline. For the first time since I had returned, I saw sincerity on Demetri's face. His brow wrinkled with worry, and a frown tugged at his lips. There was no sign of sarcasm to be seen.

"Yes, I'd like that," I agreed. I took in a fresh breath of air to keep my emotions at bay.

Demetri wasted no time getting to the point. "What am I to you?" he asked in all seriousness.

"I…" Although I had seen this conversation coming easily to me, I struggled to find the right words. "I consider you a good friend, Demetri." Shielding my eyes from the rain with my hand, I looked up at his face. He remained silent as he led me to the cover of some nearby trees.

"What was I to you?" he asked. As I studied his face, I found a hint of insecurity in his eyes.

"I could ask you the same question," I hedged, wiping a sticky piece of hair out of my face. I crossed my arms in an attempt to hide my nervousness, shifting my weight between my knees.

Demetri turned partially away from me, looking up into the overcast sky. His profile was impossible to read. "You were…"

The words hovered in the air around us as raindrops pattered on the canopy of tree branches above. I continued to rock back and forth as I waited for his answer. When none came, I offered, "I can tell you what I think I meant to you."

A brief silence followed before Demetri said, "You were more than just a sexual partner to me, Cornelia."

A small gasp escaped me at his perception. It's like he can read my mind. "I'm not so sure about that," I nearly snapped.

"You're remembering wrong," Demetri countered, his words wavering slightly. "Your version of what happened back then is different from reality."

I shook my head fiercely. "I remember very clearly. The reality is, we snuck around and hid everything from everyone. We didn't even talk about what was happening. It just… happened," I said, feeling a levee break in my mind. A tidal wave of anger poured out.

Demetri raised a hand to rest on his temple, closing his eyes. Desperation leaked into his voice as he said, "That's not true."

I was so upset that my Italian morphed into English. "You didn't say a single word to me for an entire month, Demetri. And after I left, I still didn't hear from you. That Pennsylvania address I gave you —" I paused, swallowing back a sob. "I checked that post box for years, even after I moved away."

Demetri's hand had moved to cover his eyes, leaving just the lower half of his face exposed. His reaction to my outburst was indecipherable until he spoke. "You foolish woman," he said in a tormented voice, teeth bared. When he moved his hand, I realized that if he had the ability to cry, there would have been tears on his face. "You really have no idea."

My tears came hot and fast, combining with the raindrops on my cheeks. "I have no idea because you didn't tell me, Demetri! You didn't tell me," I repeated, voice cracking. My mind raced with the bittersweet moments we had shared together, each more bitter than the last.

Within the blink of an eye, Demetri appeared in front of me, taking me by the arms and pulling me into a kiss. It was wet and cold, but filled with passion. My lips melted against him as his hands slid to my waist, pulling me impossibly close. On instinct, my arms snaked around his neck to draw my face closer to his. I felt the coat slip off my shoulders, but I didn't care.

Demetri then pulled back, his face raw with emotion. "I loved you, idiota." His hands came up to cup my face. "I would have died for you," he rasped.

Overwhelmed, I pulled away from his grasp and clutched my arms with trembling hands. I felt my heart pounding in my chest. "Why wouldn't you tell me that?" I roared, my voice echoing through the trees. Feelings of elation and anger nearly ripped me in two. "I couldn't read your mind!"

"I showed you that," Demetri argued, gesturing in accusation. "Many times!"

My hand moved of its own volition as it reeled back and then swung forward to slap Demetri across the face. His visible shock did not deter my wrath. "Why the hell would you wait forty years to tell me that?"

Demetri's crestfallen expression was one that I had never seen before that day. "Cornelia," he breathed out, seizing the hand that had slapped him. He sank to his knees before me. "Forgive me, please. Forgive me." He placed my hand on his lips, eyes closed, face contorted.

The rain had picked up, seeping through the tree branches enough to cause a drizzle. I trembled from the cold and the emotions racing through me. Looking down at Demetri's face, I saw his vulnerability and his regret.

"I thought I had caused you to hate me so much that you could never love me," he murmured into my hand.

A distant rumble of thunder was merely background noise to the whirling thoughts inside my head. Demetri — the proud and cruel Demetri — now cowered at my feet. I thought back to the earliest parts of our relationship, back when I was unproven and unworthy of his respect. I recalled the horrific situations that we had gone through together, which strengthened our bond. Then, the fatal attraction that ultimately tarnished our short-lived friendship.

And through it all, I've always loved him.

I cupped his cheek, hoping that he would open his eyes. "I've been waiting to hear that for well over forty years," I confessed. When his eyes remained shut, I bent to place a kiss on his lips.

This kiss was much gentler. I poured years of pent up desire into it, and he returned it earnestly. When I pulled back, Demetri stood and wrapped me in a healing embrace. I wound my arms around his torso and held him tightly. Minutes slipped by without a word between us.

"I love you," my voice rasped out. Even to me, the words sounded forbidden. I've never told Demetri that I love him before. Though I had said it below a whisper, I knew he'd heard it.

"Say it again," Demetri said, his words vibrating throughout his chest.

"I love you."

"Again."

Pulling my head up so that I could see his face, I said, "I love you."

His smile felt like rays of sunshine on my face. All traces of worry and fear had been replaced by a happiness that seemed foreign to his sculpted face. Although I expected him to say something like "I love you, too," he actually said something quite different.

"Felix is nearby."

We separated as if we were opposite poles of a magnet. Although Demetri wore a beaming smile, my face became stricken with panic. I pushed my hair out of my face and pulled the coat back over my shoulders.

"Don't worry," Demetri chided with a quiet laugh.

Sure enough, I sensed a presence in the trees just moments later. Then, Felix's voice: "Demetri? Cornelia?" It was a courtesy to announce his presence, I thought, since his keen senses had certainly already detected us.

A hooded Felix stepped out of the trees moments later; he wore a quizzical expression on his face. "Am I interrupting anything?" he asked with a devilish smirk.

"No," I quickly interjected before Demetri could respond. "I was hunting and fell asleep. Demetri came to make sure I hadn't been hurt." I shot a look at Demetri to make sure he corroborated my statement.

"Right," Demetri added, his face void of emotion.

Felix looked between us with skepticism, but didn't comment on our odd behavior. Instead, he motioned in the direction of the castle. "Master Aro called a castle-wide meeting about the mission. I guess most of the Guard is going on this one." Felix shrugged, but his expression seemed uneasy.

I schooled my face immediately. "We'd better hurry," I said, glancing at Demetri.

"We'll hurry as fast as a hybrid is able to," he amended, smirking.

Felix's rumbling laugh easily broke the tension in the air. "As always, the offer for a piggy back ride is open, Cornelia." He grinned while jabbing a thumb towards his back.

I laughed. "Thank you, Felix, but no."

The run back to the castle was brisk and allowed some time for my mind to clear. Since Felix had others to collect for the meeting, I took the opportunity to excuse myself to take a shower. Demetri did the same. I was excited to learn that each private suite had been upgraded with plumbing since my last visit.

As we departed from Felix in the corridors, an uncomfortable silence settled between us. It continued until we reached my door. I fumbled the key out of my pocket while I felt Demetri's heavy gaze on my back. I frowned guiltily, already knowing what was on his mind.

"I thought you didn't want to 'sneak around.'" His hand appeared on the wooden frame of my door, beside my head.

Hand on the doorknob, I looked up at him. His face was merely curious; some strands of raven hair had escaped to frame his face. "I'm just not ready to tell everyone," I admitted, turning to fully face him. "It would seem so… sudden."

"Fair enough." Demetri nodded. "But I'll warn you, I don't make the same mistake twice," he said in a low, even voice. When he dipped his head, his face was within inches of mine. His fingers took hold of my chin to tilt my face towards his. "You're mine."

When he captured my lips in a kiss, I jolted in surprise. Many of the Guardmen's chambers were down this hallway, making it a very public area. But the kiss was short, obviously meant to convey a message: It's going to be different this time. It left me speechless.

Demetri smirked with accomplishment as he straightened to his full height. "See you at the meeting," he said casually. His fingers brushed my cheek as he stepped away.

I watched him saunter down the hallway with his feline-like smoothness. As the butterflies settled in my stomach, they left behind an all-too-familiar ache. I let my hand fall away from my cheek, not realizing I had moved it there in the first place.

I'm hoping to keep these regular updates coming. Please review! -Scarlet