Immortal Heart

Chapter 8

“Raine, wake up,” I heard Hunter’s voice called me.

When I opened my eyes, I was welcomed by his warm eyes. I smiled at him. He did stay with me until morning. I reached out my hands to caress his face, but when I was about to hold his face, he started fading.

“H-Hunter?” I called him.

“I’m sorry, but I have to say goodbye.” He said with a bitter smile on his face.

Tears started fell down my eyes as my trembling hands kept on reaching out for him desperately. My chest tightened as I felt the pain started to pierce to the deepest part of my heart.

“No! Don’t go!” I called for him, but he just kept his sad smile while he was fading. I tried to get up, but I was tied down to the bed.

“It’ll be fine Raine.” He said. I can no longer see his face, and I can no longer remember how he looked like. It’s as if he’s existence is disappearing.

When I opened my eyes, I felt my tears streaming down my face. I immediately looked beside me and was relieved to find Hunter’s sleeping face. It was just a dream, but it felt so real that I can’t stop my tears.

I lifted his arms and went inside it as I buried my face to his chest.

We’re not dating, and we’ve only been together for almost three weeks without me, realizing how important he had become to me. The fear of losing him felt so real that I can’t stop my tears from falling. Have I fallen for him already?

“Raine? What’s wrong? Did you have another bad dream?” he asked me as he rubbed my back to comfort me.

I just shook my head as I hugged him tightly. I suddenly missed him for no reason.

“Are you sure?” he asked me again.

“Y-Yes.” I answered, as I tried to calm myself.

He gently let go of me and raised my face. My eyes met his, and I wanted to melt in front of him in an instant. He placed his thumb between my eyebrows, then gently massaged it. I felt a sudden déjà vu, like it had happened before, but I don’t know when.

“Stop frowning.” He said with a smile on his face. I smiled back at him as I nod as an answer.

“You’ll going to be late.” He added. I looked at the clock on the bedside table and I almost jump out of the bed when I saw that I only have half a minute.

“Why didn’t you wake me!” I told him while I was rushing to the bathroom.

I took a quick shower. When I went out of the bathroom, Hunter’s already gone. I immediately fixed my stuffs and pulled anything that I could wear into the closet. When I finished, I rushed down to the living room and found Hannah, who’s about to leave.

“Raine! What took you so long? We’re going to be late.” She said as she rushed to the door. I quickly followed her.

I frowned when I noticed that Hunter’s car was already gone. Did he leave without me?

“Raine! Let’s go!” Hannah called to me. I immediately went inside her car before she stepped on the gas.

“Where’s Hunter?” I asked her.

“He left, two hours ago.” She replied which made me looked at her.

“Two hours ago? That can’t possibly true. I just saw Hunter in my room earlier. He woke me up.” I said, with an obvious confusion in my tone.

“That must be his astral body.” Hannah casually replied, as if it was a normal thing.

“Astral body?” I asked her.

“Hmm.. I don’t know how to explain it, but I’ll try.” She said before she tossed me her notebook.

“While I’m explaining, please copy some of my new notes. The professor’s going to check it today.” She said while her eyes were still on the road.

I looked at it for a few seconds before I took my own notebook and started copying what I had missed.

“Do you know what’s astral projection?” she asked me. I just shook my head while I was busy copying her notes.

“I see. Astral projection mostly happens when a person’s consciousness falls into the REM stage.” She started.

“What is a REM stage?” I asked her while my eyes and hands are still on the notes.

“It’s the last stage of sleep. Awake, light sleep, deep sleep, and REM. During REM, the rhythm of every part of your body increases while your temperature regulation is switched off.” She replied. I just took a quick glance at her while I was still copying her notes.

“When that happens, your spiritual energy awakens, which enable your spirit to separate from your body.” She added. I stopped writing, then looked at her.

“Your spirit separates from your body?!” I exclaimed.

“Yes. While your body was sleeping, your spirit can wander to wherever it wants, then go back when it’s time to wake up.” She answered.

“How? What will happen if the spirit gets lost?” I asked her as I closed my notes and put it back in my bag.

“The spirit never gets lost because it is connected to its body by the astral cord. The astral cord was as long as eternity, which enables your spirit to wander to wherever it wants. The spirit that separates from your body is called astral body, so probably it’s Hunter’s astral body that woke you up.” She said, while laughing at me.

“If what I saw earlier was Hunter’s astral body, then that means he was sleeping?” I asked.

“Not necessary.” She replied before she maneuvered the car. I was too focused on copying while listening to her that didn’t even notice that we’re on the main road.

“What do you mean?” I asked her.

“Unlike humans who can only fall on the REM stage when they're asleep, my brother can go to the REM stage without even falling asleep.” She said.

“I’m confused, I thought REM is the last stage of sleep? So how come he can go to the REM stage without falling asleep?” I asked her.

“Hunter can increase the rhythm of every part of his body while he switches off his temperature regulation. He can easily awaken his spirit without even falling asleep.” She replied.

“He can do that? Can all vampires do that?” I asked her with amusement.

“Uhmm, nope. We can do astral projection only when we’re asleep. Only a few vampires, who’s special, can do that while wide awake.” She replied.

“But how can he do two things at the same time.?” I asked her. I was so curious and amused at the same time that I can’t help myself from asking.

“The astral cord plays a big role in that. I don’t know the details, but the astral cord serves as a bridged that allows the body and the spirit to act separately. More like, the astral cord is sending the brain the information, and it allows the astral body to act according to what the main body thinks. It kind of complicated.” She answered.

“Then where is he?” I asked again. I felt a pain in my chest upon knowing that what I saw earlier was not his physical body.

“He’s probably at work.” She casually replied.

“He has a job? But he’s a student!” I exclaimed.

“He’s older than you think he is. The student part was just our excuse to hide our identity.” She replied before she opened her car door.

I looked outside the window and was surprised that we were already at the university’s parking lot. I didn’t notice that we’re already here.

 “We should probably run, the classes are starting.” She said as she took long strides.

“What kind of work does he do?’ I asked her while I was following her.

“That’s something that only Hunter can explain to you.” She replied.

What does she mean by that?

I was about to ask her another question when a hand grabbed me by my wrist. I looked at the person who grabbed me. It was Tristan. He is smiling at me widely while he was still holding me by my wrist. I looked at Hannah, and she just gave me a confused look.

“What is it?” I asked him.

“Looks like the guy who’s always around you is not with you today.” He said.

“Uhmm Raine, we’re late.” I heard Hannah said.

I looked at Tristan before I looked at Hannah and sighed.

“You go ahead. I’ll just follow you.” I told her. She gave me a worried look, but I just smiled at her, telling her that I’m going to be fine.

I watched Hannah walked away before I looked at Tristan.

“Do you need something?” I asked him.

“Nothing.. I just want to hang out.” He replied.

“I’m sorry but I have class.” I replied and was about to walk away but he gripped on my wrist even more to stop me.

“I know, but it’s the only day that he’s not around.” He said. Is he talking about Hunter?

“I think that Hunter likes you too, and with the kind of situation you’re in, I’m sure he’ll never let me go near you again. This is my only chance to introduce myself to you.” He added. He looked so desperate that I can’t even met his eyes to refuse him.

“Just let me.” He said as he looked at me with an earnest eye.

I took a deep breath as I think about things thoroughly. Spending a day with him wouldn’t be too dangerous, right?

“Fine, but you better make sure that this is worth skipping my classes.” I replied. He brightly smiled at me as he started pulling me towards his car.

“Where are we going?” I asked him when I was inside his car.

“We’re going to the zoo.” He cheerfully asked.

“The zoo?” I asked him.

“Yes, you love going to the zoo during our dates before.” He answered.

Anxiety started to flood through my entire system as I recall what happened to me when Hunter and I went to the zoo. I shut my eyes tightly as I tried to calm myself. I don’t want to go there again. I don’t want to see that woman again. If I go to the zoo without Hunter, I might lose control and kill people.

I flinched when I felt a thumb in between my eyebrows. I looked at Tristan and he was just smiling at me while he gently rubbed it.

“Hey, you’re frowning.” He said. Hunter did the same.

“No, not the zoo please.” I said. He looked at me with confusion.

“Why? You used to love the zoo. It might bring some of your memory.” He replied while he keeps pressing his thumb on my forehead. It honestly calmed me down, but not as much when Hunter did it.

“No, I don’t like it. Let’s not go there.” I said.

I can’t enjoy being in that place knowing that the woman might still be around and Hunter’s not with me. It wouldn’t help me with my memory either. I had been there, but I didn’t remember anything.

“Sure. We can go somewhere else.” He said before he started the car.

We were awkwardly quiet inside the car, but surprisingly, I was comfortable around him. I looked outside the window, while fidgeting my fingers. I flinched when I felt Tristan’s hand on mine.

“Is there something bothering you?” he asked me.

“Why?” I asked him back.

“Well, you used to do that when something’s bothering you.” He replied.

“Is that so? Well, I guess old habits never die.” I said.

“Are you bothered because you’re with me?” he asked me.

“No, I’m bothered because I can’t remember anything about you.” I replied.

“It’s fine. We can take small steps.” He said before he parked the car.

I went out of the car, hoping that he brought me to somewhere special, but I’m wrong. I’m standing in front of a park gate.

“Why are we in a park?” I asked him as I followed him inside.

“Whenever we can’t go to the zoo, we always meet here.” He answered.

“Really? Why is that? Is this where we first met?” I asked.

I closed my eyes for a minute as I feel nostalgic. This places feels awfully familiar. I love how the air breeze touches my skin and makes my hair dance to its flow. The sound of the children playing and the dogs barking felts like an old song of my heart. I don’t know why, but I feel at ease in here.

“No. We first met at the university. But you told me that this is where you used to play. You also liked it here because it's near your house.” He said.

“My house? But I don’t see any houses near here. Not even an apartment.” I said, as I recall the different stores that we passed by. The villages are far away from here.

“I know. I think you were lying about that part too.” He said with a smile, then he sat under the tree and patted his side to tell me to sit beside him.

“Come here, it’s your favorite spot.” He said.

I smiled and just sat beside him quietly. I looked up and was amazed at how the leaves sway according to the air’s direction. It’s beautiful.

“You’d never been to my house?” I asked him.

“Sadly, yes. You never told me your personal background. I don’t have any idea if you had a family, or if you live alone. Every time I asked you about that, you’ll just smile at me and tell me that you’ll tell soon.” He answered.

“You never asked why I can’t tell you?” I asked him.

“No. I respect your decisions, and I don’t want to rush you. I can always wait, you know.” He said.

I looked away from him to avoid making any eye contact with him. Being with him, and giving him false hope, makes me an unfair person to him.

I felt his hand touched my face and gently raised it, so that his eyes would meet mine. I don’t know what kind of emotions he has in his eyes. He sadly smiled at me.

“I don’t know why, but for some reason, I felt like you’re always so far away from me, Raine.” He said. I felt so guilty that I just want to run away from him. I am hurting him, and I don’t want that.

“Don’t push me away, Raine.” He added before he leaned closer to me.

I did not move because I don’t know what to do, or what he meant by don’t push him away.

I felt his lips on mine, and I almost choked when I caught my own breath. The moment our lips touch, I felt an unknown pain in my chest. I felt a certain guilt and regret that I can’t even describe. It’s painful, and it’s unbearable. I felt tears streaming from my eyes as my heart continues to ache.

I think he felt that I was crying because he pulled away from the kissed and looked at me.

“Raine? What’s wrong? Am I being too much?” he asked, which hurt me even more.

I don’t know and I don’t understand, but I want to fall into his arms and at the same time I want to push him away. I was trembling in pain as I continue to sob in front of him.

He was about to pull me into a hug when I suddenly stood up, startling him.

“Raine?” he called me, but I don’t want to hear him call my name.

He stood up and was about to hold my hand, but I turn around and run away from him. I heard him calling me, but I ignored him and continue to run away.

I immediately called for a taxi and told the driver my address, leaving Tristan in the park.

It hurts. I don’t know what hurts, but it’s too painful that I can’t bear it. I was sobbing when I heard my phone rings. I immediately picked it up when I saw Hunter’s caller ID on the screen.

“Raine? Hannah told me that you weren’t in the class. Where are you?” he asked me. I started crying even more when I heard his voice.

“H-Hunter.” I called his name between my sobs.

“Raine? Are you crying? Where are you? Are you alright?” he asked me.

“I-I’m on my way home.” I said.

“Okay, wait for me. I’m going home.” He said before ending the call.

The driver kept on asking me if I really want him to drop me in the middle of the road, but I insisted that someone is going to pick me up.

I went out of the taxi and paid for it. Then I started running as fast as I could in the middle of the forest, towards the house. When I reached the house, I immediately went to my room and covered myself in a blanket while I was still sobbing.

A few minutes later, I heard Hunter’s car outside. In an instant, I heard the door opened and someone sat beside me on the bed.

“Raine?” I heard Hunter’s voice called me.

I immediately went out of the blanket and throw myself all over him while I was still crying. He was confused, but he just hugged me as he runs his finger from my forehead, down to the bridge of my nose. Just as what happened last time, I started to calm down.

He didn’t say a word and just gently lie down while he was still holding me.

“I went to the park with Tristan.” I said when I finally calmed down. He was quiet for a few minutes before he hugged me even tighter.

“Is that the reason why you are crying?” he asked me.

I did not answer him and just looked at him.

“Kiss me.” I said. He was surprised at first, but he then leaned towards me and kissed me gently.

For some reason, his kiss felt more painful than I felt with Tristan, but somehow, it also comforts me at the same time.

“Don’t leave me again.” I said before I felt my eyes started to feel heavy.