Another Dream?

Darkness was in every direction almost like a thick blanket encrusted everything. A glance down revealed its black silk caressing the cool mossy floor. Its dark seduction lifted up into the trees towering high above the ground. Looking up into the tall trees he couldn't find the moon or any twinkling stars. Even with clouds, there would surely be a few stars making their appearance in the night sky. A chilling silence filled the air as if a sickening calm before a devastating storm. An almost silent snap is heard as a small twig is found by an almost nimble foot. The vaguely familiar skin-tingling sensation began to fill Brayden as he looked around in a panic. He knew with this sensation only one person could be walking toward him but this was different. His senses were telling him it was time to take flight and leave this unknown place. To avoid the fight that was destined to come if he waited any longer. As much as he knew he needed to leave this place he could not leave without her.

At the thought of her being in this strange place, a string of questions kept running through his mind. How did he get here? Why is it so dark? Where is he anyway? Most importantly where are Lilly and Claire. It was his job to keep them safe even if Claire insisted that she was supposed to keep him safe. Another twig snapped much louder than the first only meaning one thing, they could only be yards away now. Brayden spun toward the sound seeing a figure coming forward as if looking for something in the dark. Finally, the moon decided to peek around a cloud allowing very little light on the darkened forest. He watched as her almost snow-like skin began to glow in the moon's pale light. He couldn't help but admire the beauty of the woman he had grown to love over the years even if she had mostly been a huge thorn in his side. He watched her red hair slowly move from her face with the light sudden breeze pushing around the tall forest trees. It was the slight gleam of the sword from the moonlight, that cleared Brayden's mind. The flash was almost like a slap in the face. All too quickly he was brought back to his questions and a sudden realization. It was happening, again another fight with Lilliana. All his thoughts fell to the side, that is all but one. They were to fight in this dream yet again, but for what reason this time?

Suddenly he felt his arm become extremely heavy as if it were being pulled down. He glanced to his right hand to see a sword appearing in his hand as Lillian came closer he could see the sickening red tint in her eyes. Her small frame came into the light. The wind picked up from a breeze to just strong enough to remove her auburn red hair and reveal her perfectly shaped oval face. As the moonlight bathed her skin completely she looked paler, almost sickly. The longer Brayden stared the more he understood, in this dream, he had been saved and she had finally been caught. He wanted so deeply to run to her and protect as he had obviously failed to do. With the look in her eyes, this could only mean one thing. Her grandfather had finally caught her and turned her into another mindless follower. Brayden had failed his one mission he was to be born before the savior and entrusted to protect her to the death. Now it looked as if he would be fighting her to the death instead.

'This isn't real.' Brayden told himself. 'It's just a dream. Look at everything where are you? What can you see in this endless darkness?'

Brayden tried to scan their surroundings but failed he couldn't remove his eyes from the beautiful woman in front of him. He felt the pit of failure in his stomach grow and his chest pinched as he thought of how he had failed her, yet again.

"Oh dear boy." This sound came from her but was in such a grave tone it took Brayden by surprise. "You are sadly mistaken this is not a dream but prophecy. Poetic isn't it? The one you are born to marry will be the one to kill you?" Lilliana almost growled out her words as her head tilted to the side as if to measure how weak her soon-to-be prey really was. "That's what happens when you can't do the one job you were literally created and born to do."

At these words, she flung her head back releasing a deep throaty laugh.

Brayden shivered at the words coming from her mouth, he didn't know the truth behind them but felt it deep down. The way she said them was almost with disgust he had only seen when they spoke of her almost-boyfriend of the previous year. He knew that guy was bad news but she insisted he had a good side until he tried going too far and Brayden happened to get home at the right time. Brayden was again pulled back to the dream as Lilliana's laugh suddenly seemed closer. The laugh was almost like a sinister growl, it almost pierced his heart knowing he had failed to prevent this. This dream would not be allowed to happen! He would die before he let his Lilly be taken by her grandfather and turned into a blood-thirsty monster.

Wait... His Lilly? Did he truly just think that? Brayden shook the thought from his mind.

"Okay, so you say born to marry? Are we not cousins? Isn't there some kind of law against that? And what makes you think this dream is a prophecy? I will not kill you in this dream nor in reality. Now demon tell me what you wish me to know so I can return to the waking world! To prove my cousin is safe and sleeping as I left her earlier in the night." Brayden now knew this was another dream. He still shivered at the thought of insulting this fragile little girl. As sickly as she looked she still looked like the Lilly he had grown up with.

A grotesque grin grew across Lilliana's face before she flung herself forward faster than Brayden had ever seen her move during any of their training sessions with Claire. Before he could process anything she was on him pressing her lips to his. He felt as if this was wrong, this is his cousin why is she kissing him? But at the same time, the warmth filled his body and he couldn't push her away. There was an uncontrollable pull to her he has always felt but suddenly stronger in a different way. His lips felt not just the tingling feeling he got from her presence but felt a fire burn throughout his entire body. He dropped his sword wrapping his left arm around her waist and the right cupping her face to the right angle deepening the kiss. He felt her push her body into his and tip toe giving herself better access to his own lips. One arm snaked its way to the back of his neck almost tickling the bottom of his hairline with her gentle touch from her fingertips. They slightly paused to breathe and look at each other.

The red in her eyes slowly faded as they cleared again showing her almost emerald green eyes. Brayden never could stare at her eyes for long. They were always so alluring he never dared really look at them longer than a few seconds. When they were younger he would feel like he was supposed to be by her forever no matter what. As kids, he thought they would be best friends forever but slowly realized they were actually a weapon of war. But could easily be used as a weapon of mass destruction if caught by the Dark One.

For a split second, he forgot he was in a dream and began panicking about them being family. They were cousins for crying out loud this was not okay!

"Lilly we can't..." Brayden tried to explain his feelings but was struck in the abdomen with a sudden sharp pain. He felt the warm blood pouring out to the mossy forest floor pooling at his feet. Lilly had never dropped her sword and her arm that had been trailing beautiful lines along the back of his neck was only there as a brace to hold him in place. He fell to his knees as Lilliana withdrew the sword. The red returned to her eyes as an evil smirk devoured her beautiful face. Had blood not been escaping his abdomen he would have blushed at the sudden closeness between them as Lilly leaned in to whisper in Brayden's ear.

"I will find you and those two little whores, you think you protect. Hiding in plain sight? Not the best move. I'm close enough to smell the betrayal of that traitorous slut. I will find her first forcing her to lead me to you and when I do I will personally kill you all."

It was not Lilly's voice it was a darker voice from his past. It was so close to the recognition that it brought Brayden away from the physical pain if only for a second. He hasn't heard that voice anywhere but in dreams in many years. As he thought of where the memory took place he felt Lilliana backing away from Brayden her figure began to blur and shift into the form of a tall man. Darkness pushed its way into the small clearing as the moon began to again hide behind a dark cloud. But Brayden could still see the glowing red eyes through the piercing darkness.

"Demon! What have you done? And where is my cousin?" Brayden tried to yell these words but they only came as a hushed mumble. He knew the voice he tried to give only made his words sound less than intimidating. This took most of his strength as he fell forward bracing himself with his hands. He tried crawling to a sword to use what strength he had left to finalize his attack.

The figure unfazed by the words or actions of the young man lunged toward Brayden grabbing his hair and jerking him to sit up straight. Brayden held in a groan from the discomfort to prevent the demon from seeing any victory. Their faces were only inches apart as the hot breath from the demon spat in his face, "Soon my boy you will find you are not my grandson as she is my granddaughter. But yet are literal soul mates, by finally pulling you two apart I will bring this pointless rebellion to its end and claim what is rightfully mine. The two of you will not escape me for the third time!"

The words slowly faded as darkness took over. The pain began to decrease as all the words the demon had spat in his face replayed in Brayden's mind. The pain he felt in the dream was now replaced with a smothering feeling and sweat. He could feel the restriction holding down his body. Brayden flung his blankets and almost flew out of his bed running to Lilliana's room before he even realized he was fully awake. His heart fluttered seeing she was perfectly safe and curled up and asleep in her little bed. He couldn't help but smile at the make-shift bed she had left next to her own bed. She had made his little second bed from an unexpectedly comfortable thrift shop sleeping bag and duvet. Brayden did a quick sweep of the small 2 bedroom apartment seeing Claire had not returned from work yet. He checked the windows to find them still locked, the protective enchantment barrier was still strong and untouched. Meaning everything he had just endured was in fact only a dream.