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  You’ll be the death of me, love.

  “Why would I be the death of him?” I asked myself out loud.

  His eyes grew wider, and he sharply inhaled.

  “What did you just say?” he asked with caution.

  “I just keep hearing someone’s voice in my head saying I’ll be the death of him, but how?”

  Ales blinked and dropped my hand. He ran his fingers through his hair and stopped midway. I knew it was his tell for when he was frustrated. He looked up at the ceiling as if he were trying to play whatever scenario out in his head. He did it all the time.

  Wait? What? How did I know he did it all the time?

  “Do we?” I cleared my throat before speaking again. “Do we know each other from somewhere?” I asked him. Something didn’t make sense to me. I needed to know why I felt like I knew everything about this man.

  Chapter 4

  Ales

  I didn’t say anything to her at first. I just watched her as she looked at me in a different way. This was the moment I had been waiting for, yet I didn’t answer right away. What made me hesitate was the message she saw in my phone. When she ran off, I picked up my discarded phone on the floor to see what she saw that made her bolt like that. I didn’t care that she saw it. I would have never hidden it from her; but now that she saw it, she could be in danger. The same feeling I had before I left for the Trojan war came back full force. I shook my head and tried to concentrate on the now instead of those memories that randomly resurfaced. I would never forget the fact that I died, but I was able to suppress the memory until now. Until Elani appeared and my worries came back ten-fold.

  I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. I would never tell her to go hide this time. The only way I can protect her is at her side.

  “I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me,” she said as she stared at me.

  She was so much like Alana, she didn’t even know. It was paining me even more, now, because she was so close, yet so far away.

  I pointed at my heart.

  “It’s like you’re there but,” I pointed at my temple. “You’re not here. You know me, yet you don’t.”

  She slowly removed her hand from mine and looked away from me to the wall.

  “What does that mean? I don’t understand what it is you want from me?” Her words a mere whisper.

  I sighed, reaching out to touch her cheek and she looked at me once again.

  “We know each other. I know you more than you know yourself and vice versa.”

  “That makes no sense. I’ve never seen you a day in my life,” she exclaimed.

  “I know… I know αγάπη μου. Tell me what did I just call you? Say the first thing that comes to mind.”

  “You said I know my love.” She gasped and took a step back. “How did I know that? What language is that?”

  “It’s ancient Greek. Every word I would say, you would understand.”

  “Why?”

  “Because of who you are.”

  “I know who I am,” she said offended by my statement.

  I shook my head and asked her something she would answer without even thinking about it.

  “Who am I to you? Again, don’t think, just say it.”

  Her pretty little mouth opened, and the words sweetly left her mouth.

  “ἄναξ μου (my liege).”

  I couldn’t help it as expletives flew out of my mouth. I didn’t expect her to say that, but she just did. I closed my eyes and ran my fingers through my hair, speaking without opening my eyes.

  “I need you to remember me, love. I really do.” I finished speaking and opened my eyes to look down at her.

  She stood there with a bewildered look on her face.

  “What do you mean remember you?” Her eyebrows furrowed. “I remember everything in my life from when I was younger until now. You’re not part of it.”

  I shook my head.

  “I’ve always been part of your life, baby. I’ve never left you, not even in death.”

  Before she could respond to what I said, Patro, the only other person who had the code to get into my house, walked in.

  “Achilles, are you ready to leave? I know you got the message too.”

  He didn’t see Elani because my big body covered her, and I saw the alarm in her eyes come back. There was something in her eyes as Patro called me Achilles. There was a moment of recognition. Then, just like that, it disappeared.

  “Patro, wait for me in the car.” I gave the command without facing him.

  “What? Why?” He questioned me but then, as he got closer, he saw Elani and stopped. He must’ve finally remembered that I brought Elani home with me.

  I turned and glared at him for questioning my command and for bringing up the message too.

  “Damn!” he hissed. “Hey, Elani, morning. How’d you sleep?” he asked.

  I tilted my head and almost laughed, causing me to calm down a bit. I turned to look at her, and she gave Patro a slight smile.

  “I’ve never had such a peaceful sleep in my life,” she answered. She was always so damn honest.

  “Probably because you’re back in his arms.” Patro smiled widely at her.

  She didn’t say anything. I guessed she was trying to decipher what he meant by that.

  “Give me a second,” I said to Patro.

  That time, he nodded waving at Elani as he made his way out the door.

  I ran my fingers through my hair again. It was becoming a habit again now that Elani was back in my life. I scratched my scalp before looking at her and speaking. I hoped to the gods she would listen to me.

  “I’m going to ask something of you, and I would really like it if you could obey me this time, my love.”

  Her brows furrowed once again. “What?”

  “Can you stay here until I return?”

  “Why? I want to go home.”

  I wanted to scream ‘this is your home.’ A home I built from the ground up, thinking of her living here and being comfortable to do whatever.

  I sighed. “I need to make sure you’re safe.”

  “Why wouldn’t I be safe?” Her eyes narrowed.

  “You saw a message you weren’t supposed to see, and I don’t want anyone to know you saw it.”

  “What?” she asked. “Am I in some kind of trouble? Are you going to kill me because of the message now?”

  I grunted and dragged a hand over my face. Why did she keep thinking I would kill her?

  “No. That message was top secret and only I should’ve seen it. Until this situation is handled, I don’t want anyone to see you coming out of here, thinking you know more than you do. Do you get that?”

  She took another step back from me. I was getting tired of her stepping back from me.

  “Are you, like, in the mafia? Are you going to eliminate me? Like an assassin?”

  I could’ve laughed if it wasn’t such a big deal.

  “No. I’m not in the mafia. Now, if I tell you, can you promise to not say a word?”

  “How do you know I won’t say a word once I leave here?” she questioned me.

  “I know this because I trust you. I trust you the same way deep down you trust me enough to know I would never harm you. All I would do is protect you, and you know that already.”

  “I don’t know anything!” she yelled at me.

  I took a threatening step toward her and watched her reaction. Her pupils dilated, but she didn’t take another step back.

  “See? Even your body knows me. It knows I would never.” I stretched out my forefinger and touched her heart. “Trust this. It knows me,” I said as I walked away.

  I didn’t give her time to argue with me anymore. I raced up the stairs and changed in record time, so I could go do what I was good at.

  When I came down the stairs, she yelled after me, “Wait! Please, just tell me? Are you an assassin?”

  I turned to face her.

  “No love. I’m in the delta force.”
I winked at her and watched her for a moment. “I’ll be right back,” I said then walked out.

  Elani

  I waited for what seemed like an eternity before I swiveled on my heel and tried to run toward the back door. I had to figure out the code. He’d said I knew him very well.

  So, then what the hell is the code?

  I stood in front of the backdoor staring at the damn thing and then couldn’t help but to start pacing the floor. Was it his birthday? What the hell was it? I paused for a moment and did what he told me to do before, to just stop thinking and concentrate on the first thing that came to mind. I took a deep breath and held it as my trembling hand went to the keypad on the side of the door. I pressed the numbers 25262. The thing beeped three times, then I heard the door click.

  I let out a breath and squealed. I touched the knob and opened the door. It completely opened for me and I could’ve cried. I smiled hard as I took one step out, not bothering to look at my surroundings. Before I could lift my other foot out the door, I was tackled to the ground by something big and heavy. It moved off me and I lifted my head to look around. I spotted the biggest, blackest dog I’d ever seen in my life. It stared at me as I stared back at it. I wasn’t sure what it was, but when I finally made an attempt to get up, it growled at me.

  I whimpered.

  I should’ve known someone like Ales would have a dog, almost my height and large as hell, patrolling the grounds. I wasn’t afraid of dogs or anything, but this one made me want to be afraid. I looked at the dog then the door that had slid shut. The damn dog stood between me and the door as if it was left instructions to make sure I stayed there. I tried to talk to the dog, hoping maybe then it’d be nice to me.

  “Good doggy… Good boy? Girl?” I wasn’t sure, but at the sound of my voice, it barked.

  A bark so loud and powerful, I almost pissed myself. I slowly sat up, and tried to stand up, then the dog got into a pouncing stance causing me to sit back down on the floor. The dog mirrored my actions by sitting back.

  “Please don’t hurt me,” I pleaded with the dog, but it merely stared at me as if it was its mission to watch me. What was I going to do now? I couldn’t outrun the dog. Even if I made it to the door, before I could punch in the code again, it would have already bit me. I didn’t want my death to be due to a damn dog attack. So, I sat there, facing the dog as if I had nothing better to do.

  I don’t know how long I was there. I’d fallen asleep, but the pain in my lower abdomen shocked me awake. I tried to sit up, but couldn’t, the pain was too much. I felt liquid between my thighs but couldn’t get up to check. The pain increased, and I cried out. It hurt so bad I began sweating profusely; even the damn dog whimpered.

  The dog came near my neck and nuzzled me with its snout. It whimpered again then sniffed me. It sniffed my entire body, and it ran off. The tears flowed more now. I would die alone; even the dog didn’t want to be there. I was going to die in Ales’ house. Then, as my eyes drifted, the loudest noise blared throughout the whole house. The dog came back to my side, still whimpering, trying to stop me from drifting off.

  The pain didn’t let up and neither did the loud alarm in the house. I was so out of it that I conjured up images of Ales running toward me and scooping me up in his arms. I wanted to live so badly. He was my rescuer, and I imagined him looking down at me with such worry in his green eyes. I must’ve drifted off, but I felt like we were in a car driving somewhere. Ales still held me in his arms with someone else driving. He caressed my cheek and unshed tears glistened in his eyes. The way he looked at me was how I wanted to be looked at; with love and adoration and with such passion. I was dying for conjuring up my deepest, darkest desire and letting Ales play them out. I tried to smile at him.

  “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted,” I claimed.

  “Shhh. Baby, stop talking. We’re almost there.” His voice was hoarse, as if he had been crying. The things my dying mind conjured up.

  “I know this is all in my imagination and even then…it’s okay,” was all I was able to get out as I passed out, hearing Ales call out to me, but I felt far away.

  ***

  My eyes fluttered open, and the lights blinded me. I shut them again. I breathed in and out before opening my eyes, again, letting them adjust to my surroundings. I turned my neck and tried to sit up, but there was a heavy hand over my body not permitting me to do so. I looked down at the tanned arm and then at the head full of golden blonde hair lying face down on the side of my bed with the rest of the body in the chair. I knew who it was without having to guess.

  “Ales…” I called out to him.

  His head shot up. His face displaying a look of worry, bloodshot eyes and a five o’clock shadow.

  “Elani…” he called out to me with longing. He didn’t move a muscle as he watched me for a moment. Then, he slowly stood and leaned down, gently pulling me into his arms. “I thought I lost you again, love.”

  I blinked. My body wanted this hug so bad I didn’t bother running away. I wrapped my arms around him too, and he buried his nose in the crook of my neck causing electricity to shoot from my head all the way to my toes. I shut my eyes and stayed in his arms. I wasn’t dead, and I had never been so grateful in my life.

  “I didn’t die,” I said, and Ales placed a kiss on my neck that caused goose bumps to appear.

  “No, baby, you didn’t. Lady saved you.”

  “Lady?” I probed.

  “My dog, Lady. She saved you.”

  “How?” I asked but then someone cleared their throat.

  Ales reluctantly let me go and my body felt empty. It immediately felt alone as if Ales was the heating blanket it always needed. He moved out of the way and the doctor was standing there smiling.

  “You’re up? Great! I was passing by and wanted to see how you were. I’m so glad you’re up, Mrs. Petras. Your husband was really worried about you,” she said with a smile.

  I turned to see a smirk on Ales’ face and, before I could argue that I wasn’t his wife, the doctor came closer and began her examination. Ales cleared his throat and had the common decency to stand up, trying to give me privacy.

  “Oh! Before you leave, Mr. Petras, I want you in the room for the news,” she exclaimed.

  “News?” we said at the same time.

  “Yes! So, what happened to you, that awful pain, it was a close call. You almost miscarried, but you are fine.”

  “Miscarried?” I repeated her, not understanding what she was saying.

  She nodded. “Yes, but you and the baby are fine.”

  “Baby?” I repeated, the news not clicking in my head.

  “Yes. Oh, you both didn’t know. You’re sixteen weeks, congratulations!”

  I turned to look at Ales who blanched, and my reaction probably mirrored his. I hadn’t had sex with him or with anyone for that matter in years. What the hell kind of twisted game was someone trying to play with me?

  I’m not pregnant.

  “Do the test again!” I gritted my teeth.

  The doctor’s smile slipped.

  “Can we do an ultrasound?” I heard Ales, but I was so angry that my vision was blurring.

  “An ultrasound for what?” I screamed. “I’m not pregnant!”

  Ales finally focused his sight on me and shook his head, as if indicating for me to shut up. I opened my mouth to scream at him some more, but he spoke before me.

  “You trust me, don’t you?” he asked.

  I wanted to scream, but he spoke again.

  “I told you I would never let anyone hurt you. I won’t. I’ll explain it all later, love, okay?”

  I gritted my teeth and looked away.

  Chapter 5

  Ales

  Elani’s pregnant.

  I knew how that could’ve been possible in the simplest term, but this wasn’t the simplest term. We sat there as the doctor started to show us the ultrasound. The room was in silence as the first heartbeat came through. I stared hard at the monitor
as the doctor spoke, but I watched her fingers. Her voice was no longer audible as the only sound in the room was the heartbeat of the child. I knew without a doubt it was mine, but how would I be able to convince Elani that it was mine? She would think I was crazy.

  I knew how this was possible; the same way we were taken out of our old world and placed here was how all of this was possible. I needed Patro to confirm what I was thinking and, luckily, he was out in the waiting room. If I knew him, he hadn’t gone anywhere, especially where I was concerned. I didn’t realize she was squeezing my hand until the doctor called my name out multiple times. I cleared my throat.

  “Sorry? You were saying something, Dr. Simmons?”

  She offered a polite smile.

  “Yes, I was asking would you like a picture of the ultrasound?”

  I nodded without even having to think about it. I would never think about it.

  “Yes, thank you,” I replied.

  She smiled once more and looked at Elani who refused to look her way. Dr. Simmons cleared her throat.

  “Well, I’ll give you two some time to clean up. I’ll be right back with your discharge papers.”

  “Discharge papers?” Elani asked. “Already?”

  Dr. Simmons offered her a small smile once more and nodded.

  “I was reassured you will be better taken care of outside of our facilities.” She looked at me before standing and leaving the room.

  I wouldn’t be the one to start the conversation. I knew her. Whether her name was Alana or Elani, it didn’t matter. I knew her inside and out. I pulled out my cell, texting Patro to come into the room as Elani cleaned her belly off. She pulled her shirt over her slightly protruding belly, such a tiny change none of us would’ve picked up on if it weren’t for her pain. I looked away from her belly as Patro walked in. He was silent when he came in looking between Elani and I. I cleared my throat.

  “I need you to tell her, Patro.”

  His eyebrows furrowed.