Taurus: Book 3 in a Young Adult Paranormal Romance Series (The Zodiac Twin Flame Series) (14 page)

‘Why am I not surprised to see you in here?’

Gemini slapped my back as he added his drink order to my tab. He had snuck in behind us, leading a woman along with him. She was tall, busty and a lot older than him.

‘Can’t a man toast his lover when she dies?’

He went still, the cheeky smile falling away from his face. The woman with him giggled nervously and took one of our shots. I glared at her, so she put it back on the bar.

‘I’m sorry, mate, I—’

‘Don’t bother,’ I snapped.

Kerry slid up next to me and collected our drinks. ‘Thanks, Taurus.’

The distraction broke the silence between my brother and me. He coughed and nodded, leading his date to the other end of the pub.

‘I’m sure Gemini didn’t mean it like that,’ Cancer said, patting the seat between her and Kerry.

I fell onto it, sighing as my butt hit the cushion. My brother was an idiot, but he didn’t mean any harm. Everyone judging my addiction was getting old. If anyone else said anything to me about drugs or drink, I promised myself that I would knock them out.

‘Let’s toast to Sophie. I didn’t know her, but she seemed like a great girl.’ Kerry lifted one of the shots.

We joined her in her toast, downing the drink in one.

‘She was a great girl. Although, she wouldn’t want us to be sad.’ Cancer picked up the next shot without waiting and threw that down her throat, too.

She wanted to drown out much more than Sophie’s death. Matt had got under her skin. I could tell by the way she kept looking at her phone. Did he have her phone number? If so, he must have given it to her when they’d escaped from Nick.

‘When my mum died, my nana told me that a good way to move forward after losing someone, was to promise to do something in their honour. I promised my mum that I would get through college and become a hairdresser.’ Kerry smiled at me.

I blinked, seeing her for the first time since I had come in the pub. Her hair was loose around her face. The blonde was darker next to Cancer.

‘That’s a great idea!’ Cancer exclaimed hugging her friend.

The tequila burned my throat as I chucked it in my mouth. It was a bit fanciful, but if it made Cancer happy, I would indulge.

‘I promise Sophie that I will write the book I’ve always wanted to write.’ She downed her drink and thumped the glass down on the table.

‘What about you?’ Kerry asked me.

I glanced at Kerry. She smiled at me. I had forgotten that she knew my secret. She knew what I had almost done all those years ago. She wasn’t judging me.

‘I promise to…’

What could I do? My life was a pile of crap. I looked down at my glass, watching the bubbles of the lager lift to the surface. What was a worthy enough pledge to the girl that had died because of me?

The others stayed quiet as I thought. I could feel their eyes on me as I contemplated the biggest promise I had ever made. I looked at Cancer. Her gaze was expectant. I hadn’t looked at her properly for a very long time. Images of her playing with Pisces when we were children came into my mind. Aries hitting Leo and hiding behind me played through my head. My siblings were always there on my birthday, celebrating with me, no matter what.

‘I promise to…’

Nick’s flashback consumed my vision. He had been staring at the crazy man when he had claimed that they had to keep evil on the planet. My chest almost exploded with memory. I closed my eyes and put my head in my hands as fragments of something unfamiliar tried to worm its way out of my memory.

‘Are you okay?’ Kerry’s voice filtered through the rushing sound that filled my ears. A hand landed on my back. The soft touch was soothing as it broke through the confusion that raced through my head.

‘I’m fine.’ I grunted as the weird head rush left me.

My body was calm. The alcohol I had consumed was working its way over my muscles, relaxing them. I patted my trouser pocket to make sure the small baggie of white powder was still there. One more time. I would get high on my own, without Nick. I needed to know one more thing before I could leave the past behind and plan my future.

‘I promise to stop lying to myself and others. I promise to give up drugs.’

The others stared at me, their mouths hanging open.

‘That’s not an attractive look, ladies,’ I joked, lifting my beer. ‘To Sophie.’

They shook themselves and slowly started to smile. ‘To Sophie!’ they chorused before we downed our drinks in one.

Chapter Seventeen

‘I know this is a bit weird, but I have to do something and I need someone here.’

I undid my jeans and let them drop to the floor. Kerry’s eyes widened as she took a step back.

‘Sorry!’ I jumped forward to stop her from leaving. Not that she was leaving. I tripped on my jeans and landed on the floor at her feet.

‘What are you doing?’ She laughed.

I sat up and looked at her. It was a good job she’d stepped back quickly. She wore a short flowy summer dress. I wouldn’t have been able to resist a peak if she had stayed where she was.

‘This is going to sound mad. I need to take drugs one last time. I can’t go into it. I just need someone with me for safety reasons.’

Her eyes were so wide I wondered if they would pop out of her head. She didn’t run for the door like I thought she would, but put her hands on her hips.

‘You’re the only person I trust enough to ask.’

Her shoulders relaxed. ‘What about the others?’

I shook my head. Not one of them would stand by and let me take drugs. I was still unsure if Kerry would, but I had to ask her. I was a little apprehensive at taking the white powder on my own.

‘This is the last time I’m taking it. It’s for a specific reason.’

She lowered her hands from her hips. The frown didn’t leave her face.

‘I don’t understand why you need me here. You’re a regular drug taker. You know how it works.’

I scooted back and leant against my bed. The door was locked. Gemini was with his lady friend and Aquarius was at his day job. If the timing of the last few doses was right, I would be out for a few hours. I wanted Kerry to keep an eye on me that was all.

‘This is a different type of drug. I hallucinate on it.’ It was the best way I could describe it without sounding too airy fairy. In fact, it was probably exactly what was happening. That’s why I wanted to control my own trip.

‘You want me to watch that?’

She rubbed her neck as she licked her lips. It was a lot to ask. Since I had opened up to her, she felt like a best friend. Someone I could trust. Someone who actually wanted to hear what I had to say.

‘I go to sleep. It’s hard to explain. I just need you to trust me.’ I couldn’t meet her gaze. She was trying too hard to delve into me and see what I was hiding. How could I tell her that I was about to go back in time to try and find out why I was here?

‘Okay.’

I almost didn’t hear her. The corner of my lip lifted into my cheek when I looked up at her. She relaxed even more when our gaze met. I nodded once and pointed at the television.

‘You can watch television when I’m asleep. Or read. Just keep an eye on me, okay?’

She nodded and picked up a book from Aquarius’ shelf. Flicking through it, she ignored me as I pulled on my joggers and took out the white baggie.

‘I don’t know how you can snort that up your nose,’ she said, making me jump.

She was standing right behind me. I had been so wrapped up in making a line from the white powder, I hadn’t noticed. Her breath fanned the back of my neck as I leant over. It was comforting, in a weird sort of way.

‘I’m used to it,’ I replied, chuckling when she shuddered.

The disgust on her face shut me up. It was a filthy habit and one that would kill me if I didn’t stop. It ruined lives. It had already ruined mine. But it wasn’t too late. I was sure of that. If I gave up now, I could turn my life around.

‘Are you ready?’ I asked, too ashamed to look at her as I hovered over the line that would hopefully answer my question once and for all.

‘Just get it over with,’ she murmured.

I put the rolled note to the end of the line and pulled it along, sniffing up the white powder as I went. The sound echoed around the room, louder than anything I had ever heard. It was tinged with shame and disgust as it died away.

I rubbed my nose and closed my eyes as the sting dissipated. When I glanced at Kerry, she quickly looked away. The expression that was on her face etched into my mind. It solidified my determination to get off drugs. I never wanted anyone to think of me like that again.

The effects rushed over me quicker than they ever had before. I lay on my bed, facing away from her. I didn’t want to look at her anymore.

‘What should I do if anything happens?’ she asked.

I turned to her. ‘Give me mouth to mouth.’

She tutted and shook her head. Her pursed lips parted when I stuck my tongue out.

‘Seriously…’

‘Put me into the recovery position. If things get really bad, don’t ring an ambulance. I’ll be fine…don’t panic.’

She frowned. ‘Don’t ring an ambulance?’

My head started to beat in time to my heart. A warm floating feeling enveloped my whole being. My eyelids started to droop.

‘No. I’m sexy, I’ll get through it.’

Her tongue flicked out of her mouth, caressing her lips. My eyes focused on the slow motion. It was as if she was inviting me. I blinked and the image was gone. My eyes couldn’t stay open anymore.

‘I’ll be fine,’ I muttered as I drifted into unconsciousness.

*

‘I’ve been waiting for you.’

It was Nick. His eyes were hard, the grey shining from out of the darkness.

‘He told me that they would send you to stop me.’

I stretched my back, putting my hands on my coccyx and leaning forward.

‘Who are you?’ I asked as a yawn overtook me.

His eyes blazed at my indifference.

‘I’m the man that will always stop those in love from being together.’

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. What was he talking about?

‘Nothing can stop love.’

I had never encountered anyone quite so…dark. When we were asked if we wanted to help the planet to become a better place, we had agreed. A soul contract was signed before we even incarnated into a body.

‘You’re one of the warriors, aren’t you?’

I smiled. He was clever. He was powerful. I looked down at my sword. My hand was wrapped around the cool handle. He would never stop us.

‘I’ve heard about a new threat. Is that you, I wonder? What is your name?’

His laugh echoed around the shadows. The back streets of London smelt like a pisshole. I had never experienced the disgusting aroma in all of the countries I had travelled.

‘My name is Nicklaus.’

He stepped out of the shadows. Music from an inn up the road floated to us. He had startled me as I pushed the prostitute against the wall. She had run, screaming from fright. Stupid woman.

‘That didn’t look like a woman you loved,’ he said, interrupting my thoughts.

My smile returned. ‘No. I may have come here to promote love, but there’s nothing wrong with having some fun along the way.’

He clicked his tongue, so I sheathed my sword. We would not fight tonight. I could tell.

‘How do you know you’ve come here to promote love?’

His question was odd. Did he not know who I was? We went by different names every time we came to earth, but our mission was always the same. Love as hard as we could. Show others that love exists so that they could experience it themselves. Since the moment my soul was created, I had known that I would fight this battle for eternity. A love warrior wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

‘I was created with one battle in mind. Win the war on good versus evil. It’s a long, drawn out battle. The balance on the planet is hardly…balanced, right now.’

His eyes narrowed as he took a step closer. The confusion on his face gave me entertainment. It had been a while since I had encountered a true non believer. A man that had been so overtaken by negativity and jealousy that he proclaimed to have his own mission.

‘What are you here for?’ I asked.

‘To stop people like you.’

My head tilted to the side. It was quite a broad statement.

‘And what type of person am I?’

He had no idea.

There was a presence at my back. I tensed, annoyed at the interruption. All of them were there. The energy had changed too dramatically. The man’s eyes widened as my warrior brothers and sisters came into view. Twelve men and women with one goal in mind. Show the world that true love existed.

‘Who are you?’

He held his sword high as the others flanked my sides. We wore the same outfits. Leather hides fashioned into trousers and sleeveless tops for the men, and dresses for the women. The girls’ hair was braided and the men’s was sawn off short.

‘We are the people that are here to stop you.’

‘No! Evil will prevail. You will not win.’

The chuckle that fell from my mouth was echoed by my siblings. The man fell to his knees, grasping his chest. The skin on his arms was paper thin. The hair on his head was sparse and white. It was his time.

‘I promise you that I will come back and haunt you until you no longer exist. Evil will always run through me so I can come back and stop you from achieving your goals. I will never allow you to love another.’

We froze as he choked and fell to the ground. His words echoed through our minds. The battle had been going on for years, but the war had just begun. His evil intent meant that he would come back. He would know us, as we would know him. The man Nicklaus had become our soul enemy.

*

Kerry’s soft singing filtered to me as I woke up. The world spun in my head as I tried to wrench open my eyes.

‘Water.’ I gasped as my tongue got stuck to the roof of my mouth.

The shuffle of movement alerted me that she moved closer. She cradled my head, pressing a cool glass to my lips.

‘Are you okay?’ she whispered, stepping back once I’d had enough.

I nodded but the movement made me nauseous. I had never felt this dodgy coming out of the visions. It wasn’t over.

‘I think I got an answer.’

The memory was so vivid in my mind, it had to be real. It was as if I had just been standing in the alley with Nick, but it had been many, many, years ago.

Kerry smiled down at me. Her hair fell forward as she leant and stroked the stubble on my jaw. ‘You’re still high.’

I smiled. ‘You’re still pretty.’

She rolled her eyes and moved away when I went to take her hand. The dark pulled at me before I could say anything. I watched her as she looked down at me. Her face morphed into someone different but her eyes stayed the same.

‘I can’t believe we get to spend the rest of our lives together,’ she said.

I blinked. Her face moved, changing shape. Again, her eyes kept the same colour and intensity.

‘Father said we cannot marry,’ she sobbed, wiping her cheeks.

I tried to open my mouth. It was stuck shut. She changed again. Her hair grew out and turned black.

‘I love you so much! I can’t wait until our baby is born.’

A blast of love burst through me as she leant down and kissed my cheek. Her heavy stomach pressed against my side. I grinned as the pressure reminded me that I was going to be a father. A father!

‘Why do you have to leave?’ Her scream was loud in my ear as she changed yet again.

The baby bump left and another woman stood in her place. But those eyes…they remained the same.

‘Wait!’ I called, shaking my head to stop the vision from turning.

She froze as her eyes met mine.

‘Who are you?’

Her face crumpled even more. Sorrow filled my own heart and squeezed a tear from me.

‘I think I love you,’ I whispered as she reached for my hand and covered it in little kisses.

‘Of course you do! I should hope so, too,’ she said letting me go. ‘Plus, you don’t really have a choice. We agreed to do this. Now you have your answer.’

My body started to shudder. Bile surged up my throat as heat descended on me.

‘Don’t forget, will you?’ Her voice faded as I leant to the side and emptied my stomach.

Hands pulled my legs to the side, too.

‘Are you okay?’

Kerry’s voice was high pitched. My muscles had taken over. Shaking of their own accord. I was hot, then cold. Sweat popped out on my skin, covering my whole body.

‘I’m cold,’ I muttered.

Kerry put a cover over me. An arm wrapped around me from behind. I turned towards her, pressing my head against her forehead.

‘You were there, I think. No…maybe it was…’

‘Don’t talk. Shall I call an ambulance?’ She was rubbing my back in slow round movements.

‘No. I’m okay. She said that I couldn’t forget, but I can’t remember.’ I laughed.

My eyes closed again. I didn’t want to go back. I had no choice.

‘Taurus?’

The voice was different to the other girl.

‘Over here.’

I turned. Sophie was sitting on Gemini’s bed. Her eyes were different from the girl in my previous dream, but she was similar.