The Awakening - (Evian) - Chapter Seventeen
by lala02
Chapter XVII
Eve and Julian had to wait another week because of the injuries Gabriel
suffered at the hands of Joseph. They entered the cabin when the smell of
blood entered the air and found Gabriel hunched over by the door with bruises
everywhere and Joseph sitting a few feet away. From the way the room was
looking, Eve and Julian both knew what had happened.
When Gabriel was well enough, the four of them headed back into town.
They needed more weapons since the ones Eve, Julian and Joseph had before,
were taken when Dante attacked them. Once they had everything they needed,
Julian took Eve aside to talk privately.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I’ve been thinking about a lot of things and I really need to see Max.”
Julian said.
Eve was surprised to say the least. So much had happened in the last few
months that neither of them had time to think about anything else.
“Alright.”
“Just like that?” he asked.
“Yeah, just like that. I know he must be worried about you. He hasn’t
seen you in so long.” She said.
“I know. I miss him a lot.” Julian smiled then sighed. “I wonder what
he’ll say when he sees me now. I’m not the Julian Crane he once knew anymore.”
“Don’t say that.” Eve said as she placed her hand on his face. “You’re
still the same man as before, just with some tweaking.” She smiled.
“You think so?” he whispered then closed his eyes at the wonderful feel
of Eve’s hand on his face.
“Of course I do. Just because you have enhanced senses and you’re a little
stronger then before, doesn’t mean anything. You’re still the man I fell
in love with.” She said before moving her hand to the back of his head and
pulling him down to claim his lips in a mind-blowing kiss.
Joseph had just returned from back of the artillery shop carrying a box
when he found Eve and Julian lip locked. He smiled a bit then turned and
left them alone. Once he was out of sight, he leaned up against the wall
and sighed.
Arianna…
He missed her so much. Her hair, her beautiful smile…everything about
her. After that night at the cabin, he tried his hardest not to think of
her or what she and Gabriel did to him, but couldn’t. It was still too fresh.
He then thought back to the fight he had with Gabriel, and the way Gabriel
wouldn’t fight him back. He was just so blinded by rage that he didn’t know
what else to do.
Did beating Gabriel up that way solve anything?
No
Did the pain of what they did to him hurt any less?
No
He was just as lost now as he was back then, but he knew he had to move
on for his son’s sake. His son…
Tears immediately formed in his eyes as he thought about Xavier. What
was he going to do? What was he going to tell Xavier about happened to his
mother?
“Joseph…” He blinked his eyes when he heard Gabriel call out to him in
his thick Irish accent.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“You were thinking about…”
“Don’t say her name!” Joseph snapped.
“I’m sorry.” Gabriel muttered.
Joseph lowered his head and sighed. “What am I going to tell Xavier when
he’s older?”
Silence-
“Nothing.” Gabriel whispered then watched as Joseph looked up at him confused.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“What I’m trying to say is, you’re the only father he’s ever going to
know. Xavier doesn’t need to know about me or anything else. You’ve been
there for him since day one. And that’s the way it’s going to remain.” Gabriel
whispered somberly.
Joseph just stood there and stared at Gabriel speechless. Truth be known,
he wasn’t expecting that. He was expecting something entirely different.
“Gabriel, I…”
“Don’t…” Gabriel stopped him, “Everything is ready. I’m going to go tell
Eve and Julian.” He said completely changing the subject then walked away.
“Yeah.” Joseph whispered then turned to follow Gabriel.
Sitting behind his desk, Dante began formulating another plan to get Eve
back. After the argument he had with Amon at the brotherhood’s headquarters,
he knew it was time for him to get the hell away from his brother as fast
as possible. So instead of going back to his headquarters stationed outside
of Huntington, West Virginia, he decided to make a temporary headquarters
here in Harmony.
“Mortal…” he called out.
“Yes sir?” said Garth as he entered the den.
When Garth heard rumors about Dante staying in Harmony a while longer,
he decided to locate Dante himself just so he could see him in person. The
moment he laid eyes on Dante, he was instantly frightened. He had long dark
colored hair that flowed down his back, menacing light blue eyes, that could
strike fear in the hearts anyone, bronze color skin and he had to at least
be about six foot four.
“I want you to send word out to every vampire here in Harmony and tell
them, that the one who finds Eve, will be promoted to one of my highest ranking
coven officials.”
Garth nodded. “Yes sir.”
“You’ve helped me find Eve, not once but twice and you have yet to receive
your immortality. Maybe it’s time that I gave you your reward now.” Dante
said.
“Really…sir?” Garth asked hesitantly.
Instead of getting another reply, Garth was immediately met with the stinging
sensation of Dante’s fangs piercing his neck. He grabbed onto Dante’s back
as hard as he could and held on for dear life before his eyes rolled to the
back of his head and his entire body went limp.
Once Gabriel and Joseph found Eve and Julian and they had everything that
they would need, it was time to leave. The drive to Max’s house was a quiet
one, but that was fine by Eve. The plan they had come up with weeks ago was
bothering her. Something was off and normally when something was off, she
knew something bad was going to happen.
Pulling over to side of the street in front of his home, Julian and Eve
got out of the car then walked up to his front door. There, Julian knocked
three times.
“Look, I know you’re nervous,” Eve whispered in Julian’s ear, “I can smell
it in your scent. Calm down.”
“I’m trying to, but it’s not working.” Julian mumbled nervously.
Eve sighed. “Please try harder.” She pouted.
Julian just rolled his eyes. “You really shouldn’t pout, you look like
Miss Piggy when you do that.” He teased.
Eve’s mouth dropped open, then she quickly recovered. “Well I know someone
who likes it, right Kermit...” She teased backed then kissed him quickly
on the cheek.
The front door opened a few minutes later. The moment Max’s eyes met those
of Julian’s; he gasped and stumbled back a bit.
“Julian…” he said, his voice trembling.
“Who else would it be, Max? I mean, you only know one Julian, right?”
Julian teased before a smile appeared.
Max regained his balance then pulled Julian into a warm embrace.
“I haven’t seen you in months. I thought you were dead.” Max said before
pulling back.
“It’s good to see you too Max.”
Max then looked to the person standing beside him and pulled her into
a hug as well. Eve was completely taken off guard when Max her hugged, then
looked frantically to Julian. He was trying his best to suppress his laughter
but couldn’t. She looked so cute like that.
“It’s good to see you too Eve.” Max said.
Eve smiled timidly before patting his back. “You too Max.”
Pulling back, Max took Eve by hand and pulled her inside as Julian motioned
for Gabriel and Joseph to join them before walking inside as well.
They were now sitting in the living room catching up on things. Max had
informed Julian and Eve that the Sheriff was looking for him, following
the incidents that happened at his home months ago. He also told Julian
that Meredith and Sam were now in jail awaiting trial, both up for attempted
murder. Just hearing her name after all this time, made Julian growl and
his eyes flash light blue. The minute Max saw Julian’s eyes, he gasped in
shock.
“Your eyes Julian. They were just light blue.” Max pointed out.
Julian sighed, “Max…”
“You’re hiding something from me. What happened Julian?”
Julian was about to speak, but Eve beat him to it.
“It’s my fault Max. I’m responsible for Julian being like this.” She said.
“What are you talking about?” he asked, confusion etched on his face.
This time Julian spoke.
“After I left the hospital that day, I went searching for Eve. I wasn’t
fully healed yet, so I went into hiding for a while. When I was ready, I
went looking. It took me three months, but I found her at the house.” Julian
said then sighed. “To make a long story short, I was mortally injured awhile
ago by the guy that’s been looking for Eve for years. He killed Joseph’s
wife and mortally wounded me.”
“Oh my God...” Max gasped.
“I couldn’t leave Max. I couldn’t leave Eve...” Julian trailed off.
“You’re like her aren’t you?” Max asked then watched Julian nod.
“It was the only way Max.”
Max sighed. “I understand. I mean, I would hate to leave a pretty woman
like Eve behind too and if there was a way us to be together longer, then
so be it.”
Julian could feel it and he smiled. He knew that Eve was blushing right
about now.
The rest of the day went by uneventful. When they gathered to leave, Max
insisted that they stay for the night. So he gave the Gabriel and Joseph
the rooms upstairs and gave Julian and Eve the other room down the hall from
den. Julian held Eve in his arms as they lay comfortably on the bed staring
outside the window, looking up at the stars.
“Something’s not right here.” Eve whispered.
“Why do you say that?” Julian asked.
Eve turned in his arms so that she was looking at his face.
“I know you’ve known Max a long time but something is off. His scent,
I’ve smelt it somewhere before…a long time ago…”
“You have?”
She nodded.
“I’m surprised I didn’t notice it before. It’s very old. It’s…” Eve’s
eyes suddenly grew huge with recognition.
“Eve…”
“He’s related to her somehow.” She mumbled.
“Related to who?” Julian asked. He really wanted to know.
“His scent is similar to Arianna’s…”