Twilight Island

[pryatama aphrodite]

"Most likely. Kishan and Ren are drawn to me, protective of me, in love with ME. Therefor, Lokesh would hurt or even screw me to get under their skin." She rose from the table and began cleaning up. "Did you want anything before I put it all away?"

[Wicked Basket]

Anzio simply shook his head.

"I'm finished."

Whoever this Lokesh fellow was, he needed to die. He presented a threat to Khainley, and that was intolerable. Anzio stood and put his mask on. Without a word, he went to the library for some alone time so he could think. He figured that the library was the best place for him to go because it was the last place someone would look for someone who was illiterate.

[pryatama aphrodite]

She cleared what was left, and did the dishes. She turned only to find Anzio had gone somewhere. She decided to opt for a relaxing swim.

Khainley made a beeline for her room, climbing the stairwell, and reaching for the knob. "Kells."

She jumped, and spun around. Ren stood a few feet away, hair damp and wavy, with a silk blouse and black yoga pants that hang off his hips. She had to swallow before matching his gaze entirely. "Ren`."

With that, she slipped into her room, and shut the door.

[Wicked Basket]

Anzio stood in the library staring at all the books that he couldn't read. Something was going on here. Khainley had never mentioned those two guys before, two guys who, apparently, have feelings for her and will be staying in the mansion. She also failed to mention this Lokesh fellow before now. What else wasn't she telling him?

[pryatama aphrodite]

She peeled the dress from her curvy form, applying a bikini, and doubletiming it downstairs. Her hands clamped on a cobalt blue towel, and she quickly chose another. Not wanting a single thing to remind her of Ren, Kishan... or even Anzio. She saw how resigned he looked, before his expression had hardened. Keeping to revealing nothing to her.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, and tossed the towel on a lounging lawnchair. She descended the pool stairs into the water, slowly, savoring the cool wetness against her sweaty body.

She swam laps with her head below the surface, before halting. On the deepest side of the pool. Like suspended animation.

[Wicked Basket]

Anzio began going down the rows of books and reading their titles  trying to find at least one word he could identify. He has had no luck so far. Why was she keeping secrets from him? She had told him her life story, but she seems to have left out a lot of minor details. What was going on here? Who really was this woman that he had fallen in love with?

[pryatama aphrodite]

She was under for about five, six minutes before her lunges gave way. Her head popped to the surface of the water. She was on the farthest side of the island. Where stars twinkled constantly, and the sky was barely dim, almost dark blue.

She looked down at the surface of the water, seeing her chest rise and fall fast. She then blurred that image, and focused on the mirroring face of the pool. Seeing herself, before it twisted into another form.

One in a clean buisness suit, and dark purple tie. With dark brown hair gelled back and a wicked grin. Lokesh.

[Wicked Basket]

Anzio was getting really tired of trying to read, so he decided to take a walk through the garden he never had. He grabbed his staff, just 'cause, and began making his way to the backdoor to get to the garden.

[pryatama aphrodite]

She froze.

His lips curled into a smirk, and his lips moved in a chant. This time, the view changed, as did the setting. He was standing above a crumpled body removing a sword plundged into it. When he was upright, bloody blade in hand, he smiled at her, licking crimson from the edge.

She sank back under. A sob burst from her mouth, drowned out by the water. Her breath left her lunges, and she was on her knees under 8 feet of the water, with her face in her hands.

The man dead in her vision was her father, Mr. Kadam.

[Wicked Basket]

As Anzio stepped outside, he noticed the pool and was instantly intrigued. He walked over to it and looked at the water. It was so clear that you could see to the bottom. Wait a minute? It looked like someone was down there. Someone was down there. It was Khainley! Anzio quickly took of his coat and shirt and dove in after her. If there was one thing he could do, it was swim.

[pryatama aphrodite]

Her lunges were screaming for a breath, but she woudn't rise. If she could merely drown, maybe she might see her father again. Her actual father. The one she loved to no end, before she watched him die at the hands of Lokesh. Ren and Kishan and her all screaming for him to live. Just as the life drained from his eyes, and his hand went limp.

She didn't want that as her only memory. She wanted him back. To see his bright smile and the wise look in his aging eyes. She wanted him to hug her, and tell her it was ok. HE was ok.

But he wasn't. He wouldn't ever come back.

[Wicked Basket]

Anzio grabbed a hold a Khainley and yanked her to the surface of the water and then to the edge of the pool.

"What the hell were you doing down there?"

[pryatama aphrodite]

She went into a coughing fit. Wretching up both water and blood. It mixed and mingled on the surface of the concrete. She looked away from the man in front of her, and let her legs go pliant under the water, holding the side with her arms propped out. "Nothing. Just thinking." She let go, and swam to the division of shallow to descending deep. The water encircling her waist. And she took to looking at the forest, back to Anzio.

[Wicked Basket]

Anzio swam over to her and stood next to her.

"You just decided to stop and think under eight feet of water," Anzio asked. "What's been happening to you lately? Does it have to do with that guy?"

[pryatama aphrodite]

"I knew I shouldn't have taken you here. Knowing the chances. Why am I such a brainless idiot..." she muttered. Water dripping from her hairling down her cheeks like tears. "Anzio... Don't pretend you aren't the least bit shaken. Just don't. It's better to just be honest. Honest with each other."

[Wicked Basket]

"Of course I'm shaken," Anzio said wrapping his arms around her. "So far today I've killed you ten times, learned that some psychopath is out to get you, and you almost drowned. I'm just really good at burying my feelings. I've been doing it for years"

Anzio realized that he still had his mask on. Normally he would take it off around Khainley, but he wasn't going to take any chances with those other guys around.

[pryatama aphrodite]

She felt a heated gaze, and shifted her eyes to the source. Ren stood on the third floor balcony. His eyes cold and shadowed, with flushed cheeks and parted lips in supressed surprise. She took a deep breath. She was not about to ride on a rollercoaster of feelings when she obviously knew what she wanted. She wanted the ride to end.

She made sure Anzio had hs back to Ren, when she reached up and removed his mask. She placed it on the ground behind her, wrapped anarm around his neck and waste and softly pressed her lips to his.

She wouldn't deny that she had once loved Ren. But ever since Anzio had jumped into that bar, she had rearranged her life. He broke the walls around her heart, and gave her his love. And she had givenhimhers. Ren's sudden appearance never changed that. "I love you. Only you, Anzio." she murmured against his lips. Meaning every word.

[Wicked Basket]

Anzio wasn't sure where that came from or why there was such a random show of affection, but he wouldn't press the matter. He didn't know what was wrong, but something obviously had Khainley very distressed. Anzio returned the kiss, deciding that all he could do was be there for her, and that's exactly what he planned to do.

"I love you too," he replied softly. "Always and forever."

[pryatama aphrodite]

A tear slipped, and she shakily exhaled. When she needed air, she pulled away, breathing heavily as more tears poured. "Anzio. Please forgiv me. I never told you any of this. I swear I would've, but I didn't want you hurt, killed. Lokesh had killed two tiger princes before. Made Ren go through hell by forcing him to forget me, so he couldn't tell Lokesh where I was. He made Kishan have constant dreams of me dying, or running from him, and I just coudn't put you through it. Anzio, I garantee I don't want to spend my life with anyone but you. And one day, Ihope we could get married, ave a kid, a together. She didn't want him to be scared shitless,so she rushed the next part, "but we don't have to do that right now."

She didn't want to rush their relationship, but another part of her, deep inside, knew shemight not live long enough to do all the things she said...

[Wicked Basket]

Anzio gently wiped Khainley's tears away and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"I would love to," Anzio said offering a smile. "I thought we'd see the world, jump off some more buildings, and swim in lava first before we settle down."