Minute of Love

Chapter 10

*A/N- Can you guys believe I finally got something out in a timely manner! :D I'm proud. Heads up this chapter isn't really happy, it's pretty sad. So maybe if your feeling sad, it might not be a good time to read it... maybe later? :) anyway there was my warning. Please review, talk to me people ;). I hope you enjoy this chapter and even if you don't still let me know :) love you guys!

As always, Love Lily

*patience*

Intense wind blows deep into the forest. The sun is setting, and casts a warm orange hue that reflects off of the leaves. The earth is silent.

"...Why didn't you run?" she says.

No response was given.

It was minutes before my brain caught up to the situation.

Tears began to well up in my eyes. I was horrified. The day I had wished for, dreamt of, was finally here, what was dead is now alive!... my sister was alive! She was back! So why am I shaking like i'm staring at my murderer.

"Wh…..w….wh….." I choked out, beginning to hyperventilate.

"I…. and, and I … I have" I sobbed, gasping to intake air, but my throat was so tight.

Sweat ran down my body at alarming rates and began to fall into my eyes and sting.

"Breath Zalara"! Livius shook me from the side.

"What are you doing to her!" He screamed, holding out his hand to attack

But like a mirror Neil held out his hand towards Livius and they glared at each other.

"I dont want to hurt you, but I will" Livius said

"I do want to hurt you, and I might" Neil replied "You have already been warned, lay a hand on her and one of us is dying today"

"STOP!" I screamed. In a full on panic attack. It was like someone poisoned me the way that my lungs were burning.

I must have looked like i was dying because Livius looked at me like I was on my death bed.

My stomach felt so uneasy. I thought I was going to lose control of my body with the way that I was shaking.

The pitch of my voice went up "Raina?!" I felt like I screamed, but it came out as a strained whisper.

She just looked at me, her eyes glowing

"Why didn't you run?!" she yelled at me.

"...I…!" was all I could choke out until I legitimately choked on vomit.

My body expelled the contents in my stomach so fast I didn't even realize how much came out.

"Raise your voice at her again and I swear"! Livius hissed as he lifted me out of the pile of my own bodily fluids.

"Keep your promises to yourself" She whipped back, and Neil shifted in front of her as if he was waiting for a cue to attack,

"STAND DOWN!" Livius commanded Neil.

He shifted his weight but didnt move.

With that Livius growled and I could feel energy building up within him.

And just like that I saw black.

"Zalara! He called as I faded in and out of consciousness as he cradled me.

"Why?" I whispered. "Why is this happening to me?"

"WHY DONT YOU LOVE ME?!" I screamed, pushing away from Livius. "WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME ?! YOU LEFT ME ALL ALONE! TO DIE? I ALWAYS LOVED YOU, ALWAYS MISSED YOU, I WOULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING RAINA ANYTHING FOR YOU! I NEEDED YOU!" I weeped. "I needed you!"

But she didn't give me a reply

"Why did you leave me?" I choked out over and over again.

The sun passed over the horizon and the sky began to settle into the first blue hues of the night,

She walked over to me briskly. The air never seemed colder in the safari than now.

Raising up my jaw, so that I was looking directly into her eyes.

She looked so strong, her eyes were defiant, so very beautiful.

"She pushed my head to the side, practically throwing my jaw to the side, as she looked over my body"

"Rai…..na" I weeped.

Then she looked back into my eyes.

"You …. Disgust me" she pushed me hard, but Livius was right behind me so I didn't fall.

I could feel his anger boiling up behind me, but I was numb. Like the stitches that held my heart together all of these years were ripped open, and I was just bleeding out.

"Get a grip" she said as she turned around and walked away.

Her image was a blur to me and I inaudibly screamed after her.

"Raina wait!"

"Dont leave me please!"

"Please!" I begged, but all sound seemed to be fading as she continued to walk away from me until she was beyond my sight.

Even if she were to disown me a thousand times over, she still held such a large portion of my heart.

The last thing I saw was Neil looking at me, his bright eyes looking down at me glowing, expressionless. Then he turned around and followed her.

…

Livius must have carried me, because when I woke up, I was on the largest most extravagant bed inside of the largest most decorated bedroom I had ever seen in my entire life.

My clothes were completely changed into a beautiful silk nightgown, but I didnt have time to think about it.

I heard Livius talking in the other portion of the room, and I went into the bathroom.

I looked horrible.

My eyes had the deepest dark circles I had ever seen, and I looked like I had just witnessed a murder.

Maybe it is because I did.

"Morning gorgeous" Livius said from the doorway. It was still clearly night time, probably less than an hour from what just happened.

Without a smile I turned to him. "Was that Vic on the phone?" I asked.

He walked up to me, picking up my hand, which I laid lifelessly into his. "Yes that was Vic, he wanted to know where you and Neil were, I told him I only knew about you" He said pulling me toward him. "I only care about you"

I nodded my head. That may be the case for him but I needed to know where Neil was.

He sighed and pulled me back into the bedroom.

He helped me onto the bed and sat across from me so that we were facing each other.

" Was that your sister?" he questioned? "She looks very similar to you….but I always thought her name was "Ina".

I was tense, I didn't like talking about it, everyone with eyes could see that I looked nothing like Raina. She was gorgeous, unspeakably. Almost like you were looking at hidden treasure that wasn't meant to be discovered.

A diamond in the ruff.

I felt so much hurt. Pain unfathomable.

"I…..disgust her" I whispered, my voice felt so small, feeling the tears tear through me once again.

I stopped to take a jagged breath, as I could already feel the headache beginning to form.

"Zalara….." Livius gave a warning look that I needed to calm down

I looked at him still panicking when he grabbed my palms and put them over his heart

I could feel the steady beat, it was solid and strong.

He demonstrated breaths for me, deep and slow, while maintaining eye contact with me.

Soon my breathing mirrored his.

"We clearly have stories that we both need to share with each other" Livius stated.

"Im not ready" i immediately whispered. Where would I even begin?

"Fine, but you need to know why you seriously cannot run from me Zalara" he said

"I refuse to ever let anyone I care about suffer alone, … ever again" he whispered

I looked up at him then and he was looking down at his hands in which he clenched tight.

Pain was all over his face as he struggled to start his story.

"From Yvanna to my dark past Ill tell you it all" he said powerfully, looking sorrowfully into my eyes.

"I wish you didn't have to hear of any of this, I wish now that this was not my story, but it is" he whispered.

He opened his hand and inside was a child's necklace.

"But first…

Let's talk about Lani"

"Why are you still following me?" Raina hissed into the night

"...why did you do that" Neil whispered. "Why would you hurt yourself like that"

"Listen kid, go home its late… im sure your family is worried about you" Raina spat.

"My name is Neil" he corrected.

To which she didn't respond, just continued walking.

After about another 100 feet she turned around again "LEAVE! What is so hard to understand about that?" Raina said in a cold tone glaring at him.

"...You cant fool me" Neil replied, catching up to her so that they were walking side to side.

"I wouldn't even waste my time, trying to fool a child like you" Raina replied.

"First of all, i'm not a child and second, why are you lying to yourself" Neil countered reaching for her hand.

"First of all you are and second of all i'm not" she countered

"... if you cry you will feel better, Zalara feels better after she cries" Neil stated " Ill be here if you wa..

"I SAID I WOULDNT WASTE MY TIME ON A BRAT, NOW LEAVE…...before I really hurt your feelings" She whipped.

"... You know, your words are harsh, just like your facade…. Maybe that's why she believes you so easily" Neil said, easily keeping up with her quickened pace. "But I dont"

" I dont need you to believe anything" she snapped.

"Are you going to cry?" Neil asked innocently.

She halted "no….why would I cry? What is there to cry about? You heard her, I never "Loved" her, I only would cry over someone I love" Raina said nearly running now.

Not paying attention to the cliff she was about to fall over Neil grabbed her shoulder but couldn't stop the momentum.

The cliff was short but steep, their bodies continued to roll down the hill, until he caught himself but she was still falling.

When he reached out to catch her she blocked him, then caught herself.

"Dont touch me!" she exclaimed, then turned and began her track up the hill.

Neil stood shocked, his eyes traveled across her back where her shirt had been completely slit open.

Scars seemed to cover every last inch of her torso, but one in particular seemed to travel from the from the back of her neck and wrap around her torso and down her leg where he could not see.

"...You were caught?" Neil asked, half in a hiss.

She turned fast, looking and realizing he could see her skin, she quickly turned around , facing him with a pained expression, which she cleared instantly.

"Hahahaha! ….ugly right!... Get the hell away from me" she said to him glaring

"You got caught for her… didnt you" Neil said.

"Hell no! I was lied to…. I was supposed…" she choked, but then cleared her throat " I was supposed to live a life I had always dreamt of!" she said with an evil smile on her face "But it was a lie, I was tricked",

"BULLSHIT!" Neil shouted "You knew what that man was going to do, you knew he wasnt real, he was never going to give a life like that to a Jagu..

"AND WHAT DOES IT MATTER TO YOU!" Raina screamed "WHO CARES WHAT I DID! I DID WHAT I HAD TO!"

"I did everything I could….." Raina whispered.

"You didnt have any family to ask?"

"... yeah I had some sorry f*****g excuses of parents, that did nothing…. You know one day they told me to kill Zalara…. Haha just because she is different they wanted me to KILL… to kill my baby sister" she barked out.

" clearly you didnt" Neil stated "...why, if you were going to end up with a life like this…. Why didnt you"

"... How could I? She was so innocent, so pure, naive" she whispered " so beautiful….. She was my everything."

"How…. HOW COULD SHE BE SO DUMB?!, HOW COULD SHE SAY I DIDN'T LOVE HER?!" she screamed, pained

"Raina….." Neil whispered

"I…. I gave my life for hers….. And yet she still lived a life full of pain…. Its too cruel" Raina whispered as one tear fell down her cheek.

"Are you happy kid? Im crying. Look you got what you wanted" she snapped.

"...That kind of crying won't make you feel better…. You have to really cry" Neil said. "Like make a really ugly face and cry"

"I don't have time to waste on crying" Raina said as she walked further into the forest.

"Then spend my time….. I have more than enough time for you to cry" Neil pressed.

"...what is wrong with you? Have you just never lived a life where you were told no?" Raina said

" more like ive been told no so many times that it has no meaning…" Neil replied. "Why did you say those things to her….. Why didnt you just explain to her what happened"

"... telling her the things i have been through would be the worst mistake of my entire life" Raina stated.

"... more of a mistake than leaving her?" Neil countered.

She paused and walked up to him "Leaving her was the best decision I made in my entire life and I would do it all over again" she stuck a finger in his face.

" To me it seems like if you never left, you never would have been caught" Neil stated.

"YEAH YOU'RE RIGHT, WHAT IS YOUR MOTHERFUCKING POINT?" she screamed. "IT WAS GOING TO BE HER!" , "ANYONE WITH EYES COULD SEE THEY WERE COMING FOR HER"

"She is younger, and easier to program…..easier to get to…" she shivered her eyes seeming far away and empty "..i dont want to talk about this anymore… I dont want to talk to YOU anymore. Ok do you understand" Raina said picking up the pace.

Neil grabbed her arm pulling on her shirt that exposed scars on the front of her neck.

He hissed, and she snatched her hand away.

"It …. It looks like you've had to do many things, you didn't want to do… but talking to me shouldn't be one of them." He said trying to control this new type of anger that was consuming him.

"...Listen why do you care? huh ? What can you do? You're just a baby" Raina shot out.

"Look!" Neil said finally losing his temper "Im not kid, child, little boy, baby or any other name outside of Neil, got it"

"Sure Neil! I got it ! Now get this, get out of my life!" Raina exclaimed.

"I can't do that" Neil declared.

"You so sure about that BOY!" she put emphasis on the name , gaining power to attack him.

"IM POSITIVE" he growled , his eyes swirling like a tornado, "AND YOU CAN TRY WHATEVER TRICK OR SPELL IS UP YOUR SLEEVE, HURT ME BRUISE ME f*****g BREAK ME, IM NOT LEAVING"

Raina looked up into his eyes , first sorrowful and then pained. She shook her head.

"...Listen kid, I dont know what unfortunate fate linked you to me, but I suggest you act like the rest of the world and pretend I don't exist."

"Im not like the rest of the world…..im never going to be like the rest of the world" Neil rebelled. "Not to you…"

"LOOK KID IM RUINED! She screamed taking off her shirt and endless scars and bruises covered her body, Niel stood shocked as he couldnt decipher where one ended and the next began "trust me, that's not all…." she looked down at her body and smiled "Im giving you the option to create your own destiny… take it" she turned "Now leave"

Unbelievable rage tore through Niel "I will live for you…." "f**k i would even die for you 1000 times over…. But i will never leave you"

"You dont even know me!" She whipped.

"I don't need to know you to know I cant go another second without you" Neil said strongly

"Save the poetry…"she glared at him . "Look, there is nothing under this sun that hasn't been done to me, you'll never experience a normal relationship with me, I will NEVER EVER be able to connect with you…. The damage is done...please just leave" She declared.

"Im not leaving" He repeated defiantly

"You just dont stop do you?" She sighed

"Absolutely not, Zalara named me Neil, for Champion, I won't stop until I have won" He stated

"Well isnt that tragic, looks like this will be your first loss" she said as she used her power to create a barrier.

"Hate to kill your winning streak…" she said as she walked away from him

"You can leave me, you run to the ends of the earth, but know somewhere in your heart, I will find you" he promised.

"Hah! She shook her head, the world has only been able to find me when I wanted to be found, my entire life" she said

"Yeah but I am not the….."

" And Ki… Neil" She said cutting him off, "As to whatever you currently consider yourself to me, do me one favor while you still hold yourself in this position" she choked "And realize…. Realize I have never asked anyone for anything my entire …..life" tears finally began to pour down her eyes endlessly " you better keep your mouth closed"

Full tears cascaded down her face and he felt pained " I can't promise you things that might hurt you" he whispered affectionately, an emotion he felt was completely new to him.

"Then you are useless to me….. You are worthless…. Nothing!" she screamed at him.

"If saying these things to me makes you feel better than please continue, but regardless of if you accept it or not im am still your.."

"You are nothing" she said cutting him off " and if you were in your right mind you would agree" wiping away her tears angrily.

"Anyways… messing around with children….. Really isnt my kink…" she said smiling up at him.

"Im NOT.." but before he could finish his sentence, she vanished from before his eyes and he couldn't move, her power was still holding him to that spot.

"Im not a child…" he fussed angrily into the silent forest slightly pouting, just like the child he feared he still was.

" I won't lose" he whispered to himself "I can't lose"

As the feeling of her absence all ready began to settle within him.