So Close

Cara literally ran back to find Ashton, afraid to see him nearly dying, for they've been away for more than fifteen minutes already. "What's wrong with me? I forget about Ashton the moment I see Theo." She scolded herself while she's dreading to find Ashton in a grave situation because of her.

She controlled her pace when she saw a crowd gathering nearby. Cara is hoping and praying dearly that it is not Ashton that the crowd is gathering around.

"Isn't that Ashton Crafter?" A woman exclaimed nearby. It alerted Cara, it is him. She rushed towards the crowd.

"One at a time, ladies." Cara heard Ashton's voice. Cara threaded the crowd to see what was happening. And there she found her husband, busy taking pictures with women who flocked around him.

With her arms crossed over her chest, she waited for Ashton's eye contact. Cara's incredible hearing is working for her now, hearing people speak simultaneously and distinguishing the words properly. It is amazing how she develops her super powers and the funny thing is it is adapting to help her whenever she's mad.

"What a lucky girl."

"Did you see how frustrated Ashton was earlier? This woman does not deserve his love."

"Yeah, he almost fainted. Good thing the other girls saw him."

"What do you mean almost fainted? He fainted, those girls just helped him stand up and all he said was Cara, Cara..."

Cara heard the other women's conversation all and now she feels all the more awful for not noticing that he was not around her. She would not be able to forgive herself if she would recklessly put Ashton's life in jeopardy.

"Oh, shit." Ashton and Cara's eyes met, and in that's the moment he knew he fuc*d up. He smiled at Cara, trying to hide his nervousness. He is feeling Cara's piercing gaze a few meters away from him. "Okay, ladies. Time's up. The owner just came to claim the lost puppy."

Before Ashton was able to finish his words, Cara came straight to him and hugged him tight. It left Ashton speechless; he expected coldness and a slap on his face from Cara, but he got the exact opposite.

He felt her warmth, pure affection, and sincere concern for him. "Am I dreaming?" Ashton wanted to slap his face to bring himself back to reality.

But when he embraced her back, it changed his perception. He can feel Cara's heartbeat against his chest. He can smell Cara's happiness, but then he also felt her tears on his chest.

Cara is crying and is happy at the same time. Even if Cara deny it straight to his face, she could not hide this fact from him. Only he can sense her true happiness.

Ashton kissed Cara's forehead and whispered to her ears. "I'm sorry. I did not notice that you were too far from me. I lost you for a moment."

Cara looked up to him and pulled his hand out of the crowd. Hand in hand they went to the farther end of the cove, through the woods, and ascended until they reached the peak.

"I hate you, Ashton." Cara's eyes swelled with tears in an instant. She removed her sunglasses and was not afraid to show Ashton her worried eyes.

"I'm sorry, babe." He replied. Ashton hugged Cara. "I was so jealous of Theo that I was out of my mind, I did not realize you were gone." He tried to explain, but it further brought questions to Cara.

"Why are you jealous of Theo?" She asked him.

"Well, you looked happy when you were together." Ashton wants to keep the fact that he can smell Cara's happiness to himself.

"Silly guy." Cara chuckled. She felt like she's going crazy. Her tears are a mixture of emotions.

"I'm not going to lie to you Cara, it hurts me to see you happy with other guys." He tried to wipe Cara's tears while his other hand is holding hers tightly.

"You don't have to be jealous of him. Isn't it normal for family members to miss each other and be happy when you get to see them?" She wanted to be vague as much as possible, baiting Ashton of what he thinks.

"Family? So you mean?" Ashton is stuttering, wanting to know more about her statement.

"I don't want to confirm or deny anything, Ashton. But you are my husband and I can assure that you have my loyalty and faithfulness one hundred percent." Cara said as she is slowly gathering her composure.

She feels so safe with Ashton that she can breakdown in front of him and knows that she won't be judged.

"I mean, I told you about my love for Theo, but you are my husband now and whatever I had with Theo is all part of my past." She further explained to Ashton.

He clasped her face with his big palms. They looked directly at each other with eyes full of love, but a feeling they could not confirm.

"Thank you. I feel the same for you Cara. I'm dying and all I can think of is you being with Theo and how I failed guarding you." He could not finish his words as Cara covered his mouth with her own mouth.

This is their love language, the confirmation of their feelings for each other.

"Don't ever go far away from me. My worry is killing me too." Cara smiled at him as she wiped his lips.

The scene was so breath-taking; a couple lovingly embracing at the top of a cliff. They were facing each other with the beautiful colors of the sunset at the beach as their backdrop. A few minutes later the moon is there almost hugging Cara.

*****

"Are you sure there are no witches there?" Jason, the sniper Theo brought, asked him disappointedly.

"Yes, I'm sure. Let's go. The security is too tight here. We might get into trouble." Theo begged his Phantom brother to go.

He tried to get Cara out of the cove so that Jason could wreak havoc in there but with Cara still there, he cannot risk it.

Jason's firing would signal the other witch hunter to storm the area and stab all the women marked by Jason's hit.

Theo is aware of his selfishness. If Cara was not there, he would be happy to shoot at the witches himself. The past few experiences of eliminating witches made him lose himself. His mandate consumed him. Remorse is no longer a word he could relate to. The Theo Cara knew is gone.

But for Cara, that is a different story. Theo is risking his mandate as a witch hunter. Risking his father' and his brother's trust. However, as compared with Cara's safety nothing comes close.

Theo turned on the boat's engine, wanting to go before Jason notice the witches from afar.

"What happened to the hot babe earlier?" Jason asked while he was still using the scope of his sniper gun to look at the people at the cove.

"Hmm, she went back for her husband." Theo answered briefly.

"Oh, shit. Look what we have here." Jason fixed his position., still in disbelief at what he is seeing. "Hey Theo, stop the boat." He ordered Theo.

"What? Why?" He protested.

"The Sakalam, I saw the Sakalam." Jason said.

"That is impossible." Theo said and shook his head.

"Look at the sky you idiot! The moon is almost hugging her. And she is illuminating and these sparkles on her, no other than the Sakalam." Jason explained to Theo.

"You are dumb, if what you are saying is true. You won't be able to kill her. You know we need to stab her with a wand." Theo said.

"I don't care but she's going to hurt with this bullet." Jason looked back at Theo when he realized something. "It might surprise you bro but I am looking at the hot chick you wanted to bring with us earlier."

"You must be kidding me!" Theo blurted out at Jason.

Jason handed his sniper to Theo. He walked closer to take a look at it himself. The truth stunned him.

"You are an idiot. She is not the Sakalam. I grew up with her, I know her." Theo reiterated his claims.

Jason took his aim. "I don't care about your history with her. I'm shooting the bitc*"

****

"Let's go back there and join Percy's family for dinner." Ashton stood up and extended his hand to Cara.

Cara smiled at Ashton. Now their relationship is clear to her. They accepted their exclusivity for each other. Cara held Ashton's hand. Ashton turned his head toward their path when he heard the scariest sound he has ever heard in his life.

"Bang."

Cara let go of Ashton's hand and held her abdomen. She looked down and saw blood dripping from her. Ashton turned around to see Cara bloodied and fading away from his grasp.

He shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Cara!"