Gilded Faith

GILDED FAITH

BOOK II

J. Woods

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Copyright Page

Dedication & Acknowledgements

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

Gilded Promise

About the Author

COPYRIGHT

Gilded Faith

J. Woods

Copyright 2013 J. Woods

Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, places, events and incidents either are product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Discover other titles by J. Woods at Smashwords.com

Or

http://caesarsandstraws.com

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

DEDICATION & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To those spirited enough to imprint their dreams within the trust of gilded faith...

I want to thank those who encouraged me to indulge in the juices of creative fantasies. And thanks to my cat, for without a cat door I was forced to get off my ass to let you out.

CHAPTER ONE

I pulled the scratchy wool blanket farther up under my chin to stave off the chill that was threatening to settle in. In the wake of the storm the air was decidedly cooler, preparing for a harsh winter. A last quench of thirst before nature itself was enveloped in a blanket of frost. The excuse of a tropical storm halting the extent of our vacation seemed to be understood and unquestioned which had me breathing a sigh of relief. I felt strong, aged fingers wrap around my arm tugging me closer to his side, the swing gently swaying in the newly autumn breeze.

He kissed the top of my head, I’m glad you’re back safe and sound darling. I lifted my chin away from the trees in the front yard to his eyes that held such warmth and wisdom.

Me too, old man. Me too. I rested my head against his shoulder as I snuck a peek at Drex sitting on the rocking chair a few feet away. He moved his head ever so slightly and with a quick wink he returned his gaze out over the yard. The extraordinary feeling of the wind as it whipped through my loose tresses had me feeling... Happy. As the wind whistled its song, I was captivated by the tune of resounding freedom, of the mundane activities that followed me day in and day out. The sound of the kettle screaming from the kitchen was our cue to escape the dampening cold and enter the warmth of my childhood home.

My mother walked into the living room with her arms full of three shoeboxes and a book tightly tucked into her side. I didn’t even try and suppress my groan. With questioning eyes Drex turned to me and I could only shake my lowered head. Loose jumbled photos of day trips, camping trips, birthdays and anniversaries were being leafed through as my mother excused herself saying she hadn’t gotten around to organizing them in an album yet. Drex was staring at the photo of my eighth grade graduation, the image of me standing in my ice blue floor length gown that was custom made. At the time I thought it was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen; looking back on the photos I wish someone had told me the truth. My hair was piled high on my head, flowers stuck in each spiral and colourful elastics on my braces that matched my ensemble. I stood awkwardly on the outside of the group of students in the graduating class, a goofy smile on my face. Well if that’s a picture that wasn’t going to turn on your superhero boyfriend I didn’t know what would. The devil on my shoulder was actually pulling me to hide behind her chaise lounge in an effort to completely deny that the situation was actually happening. I didn’t blame her. The next was an older photo that had her handing me a twenty sixer of gin to play pass the bottle. It was a picture of me giving the camera a cheesy grin as I sat at a rugged wooden picnic table at an amusement park. I was eight. My hair took on a life of its own in the humid summer heat; the rays glinted off the brand new metal wire that was strung across my very crooked teeth. It was the first day my braces went on and my parents thoughtfully devised the fantastic idea of taking me to the children’s heaven of rides and candy and fun – it wasn’t. I sat wide eyed in my state of crimson disbelieving the ghosts of haunted past were emerging from the snapshots of memories long ago and far away. Drex reached over and squeezed my hand in an effort to calm the red blush that now covered my entire body - it didn’t help. As an only child every damning action and adventure was documented on film, there was no other smaller life form to take over the spotlight, only me. Lucky, lucky me.

Sitting on top of the pile she placed on the coffee table was a subject I didn’t want to breach now. Or ever. Drex picked up the photo and I felt my stomach plummet.

Who’s this? he asked curiously. I immediately heard my mother trying to pawn off another photo onto him instead of the one he held. I felt my palms reach up and covered my face in total shame. His fingers wrapped around my wrist gently prying it away from my cheeks. With a warm smile and calculating eyes he asked again quietly, Who is this? showing me the picture. He didn’t have to, I knew what picture it was and for the past six months I thought it had been destroyed. I sent daggers at my mother who mouthed her apologies going back to sorting her pictures. I took a deep breath.

That’s Brandon.

And Brandon is...?

No one of consequence, I stated. Which was true.

Cole, he warned.

My ex boyfriend. He stared at the picture some more nodding his head slowly and judging by my reaction I couldn’t blame him for his next question. He leaned in speaking so low only I could hear.

Did he hurt you? His eyes promised retribution if I said the wrong answer. My hand came up to cup his cheek as warmth flooded my heart.

Not in the way you’re implying, no. He stared into my eyes looking for the lie and found none.

Okay, he nodded.

I took the picture from his hands and stared at the boy who took my heart and my confidence and shattered them in a moment of complete and utter selfishness. The photo was taken in my parent’s backyard and thinking back on it; even then I had an inclination the relationship was running out of steam. I never brought him upstairs to my room for a quick make out session and I guaranteed he slept on the couch – I put the pillows and blanket there myself as disapproving parents looked on with skeptical glances. Later that week when I found him over top of a girl that obviously wasn’t me, it had a significant impact not only on my self esteem but with the level I trusted people. I immediately put out the order, the tiny construction workers pulled out the brick and mortar getting straight to work on rebuilding the damaged walls of the fortress I kept around my heart. When I thought of the untrustworthy personalities that lived alongside us I never thought I could be so naive to believe I would allow one of them into my life so deeply using me as a pawn in their game. I could only look at it, not as a regret and not even a mistake but as a lesson as I questioned what other challenges were in store. With one more glance at his surfer boy hair and his riveting betraying blue eyes I smiled at the bitterness that I no longer felt when I saw his face or spoke his name. I tore the picture in half giving the half that pictured me back to my mother to put in her disorganized jumble of photos. She smiled a knowing smile – no sense in throwing out the half that looks good, the other half would go into the trash following the relationship.

I wanted to crawl into the tiniest ball my body would allow as I plugged my ears yelling la la la until it was all over. Out it came, the most embarrassing collection of my worst nightmare breaking through my reverie with a thump onto his lap. Image upon image of my formative years that included everything from diaper clad thunder thighs to my awkward metal mouth and frizz infused not entirely sure what to do about my feminine body adolescence. I stared at it in contempt. I’d searched for years for the disconcerting book filled with pages of my well hidden secrets and that was where I liked to keep them, well hidden until Momma Evans decided they weren’t embarrassing – they were cute and funny and cute. Cute my ass. I was a nerd to the core of my being and although that girl was still very much a part of me, I now knew how to embrace the other parts of me as well. Drex looked me over with assessing eyes. I narrowed my gaze daring him to say something while I felt the heat of my cheeks deepen. I raised my eyebrow as he tried in vain to contain his smirk before diverting it back to the pictures my mother pressed so hard for him to see. Trouble, that’s what she was in. Shit. Deep, deep... deep shit. Deep.

After an afternoon of the Lets Get To Know Cole In The Most Embarrassing Way Possible show, we sat laughing at a story my mother was extremely animated about over mugs of steaming tea. She rambled on about my sixteenth birthday and when most teenagers wanted a party and maybe sneak in some booze all I wanted was a weekend that consisted of a day at the Art Gallery and the Science Center that absolutely had to include experiencing the planetarium. And I got it, a weekend I would never forget filled with art and space and a chocolate cake decorated with sixteen silver candles at midnight in a luxury hotel suite looking over the Toronto skyline. Drex threw in his own childhood memories when prompted as he casually dazzled and thoroughly riveted my mom with every word that escaped those luscious lips. It wouldn’t matter if he was talking about garbage disposal she hung on to each syllable like he was discussing her favourite subject. Oh yea, she was a goner.

I dragged Drex upstairs after everyone had gone to bed. I pulled him into my bedroom the same time he swung me around, pressing my back against the slowly closing door. The last thing I heard was the soft residual click of the handle echo in my ears before his lips found the pulse in my neck.

I’ve never had a boy in my room before, I breathed in an attempt to maintain a coherent thought. He brought his head up with an arrogant smirk.

Never?

Never, I mouthed wordlessly. He groaned capturing my mouth as I lifted my legs to wrap around his hips. He moved to the bed, dropping me like a sack of potatoes onto the comforter. I squealed as I bounced off the mattress.

Shh, he reprimanded before predatorily coming over me. We don’t want to wake up Mommy and Daddy, baby.

I huffed a laugh, As much as I want to literally rip every piece of clothing from your gorgeous body, I promised Mommy we would be respectful in her house. God that awkward conversation with my mother about where Drex was going to sleep would haunt me till my dying day no doubt.

You’re a big girl now Cole. You can make your own decisions about where you’re boyfriend sleeps. If you choose for him to share your bed, I would only expect for you to be respectful in my house. She smiled that knowing smiles only mothers possessed. I tried to run out of there as fast as possible before the impending birds and the bees lecture started.

I wouldn’t dream of being anything else, he murmured bringing me out of my reverie. Pulling back the covers, I settled into his arms for a very junior high sleep over, I considered myself lucky to get to second base. I felt safe in his arms, loved feeling safe in his arms. And unbelievably I felt that security even when he introduced me to a world where anything and everything was possible; where a jet was a spaceship, the trees were homes, and a home was a castle. Under a sky that was constantly covered in a blanket of sporadic grey cloud, in the light of the day the shadows of the moons hung in the wake of a looming planet surrounded by rings of protection. When the sky grew dark the clouds disappeared and the stars shone a silver light over the angry oceans and snow covered mountains, humid rainforests and dry deserts. When a message was to be delivered, a bird with gilded feathers soared on the breeze. With creatures that lay beyond the capacity of my imagination with scales of an alligator and tails of a cougar, with skin the colour of coal and gold chains strung from every orifice and small bodies with large black eyes, the lands they roam left me with the inability to form a definition. A part of me was attracted to it and a part of me pushed away and in a matter of a moment my uncomplicated life became less so. Proof of the resilience of what we call life; it was sometimes filled with callous realities and sometimes filled with ecstasy and sometimes the two came together in a cataclysm of something spectacular.

He'd shown me parts of the world; the universe I didn't even know existed. A realm called Parth, a planet called Daysiine. It was by far the most wild and crazy thing I had ever done. Cole Evans did not run off with boys. Dreamed about it sure, fantasized about it in the dead of night especially after reading a racy romance novel definitely, but actually for real do it? Never. Especially boys who wore black artistic ink covering half of their skin, manoeuvred planes that turned into spaceships and had a body that could make a nun sin. And he entered my life, an impossible prediction and nothing I was able to fathom and for the first time in my twenty two years, my hollow heart was willing to absorb the life that was breathed into it because for the first time in those twenty two years it couldn’t control it. I’d given up trying to unravel the mystery, writing it off as part of a grander plan that never ceased to amaze me. With a hobby boarding a passion of astronomy he took me to the heart of it and wrapped me in a blanket of blackness that sparkled with the glow of the energy of the stars. Proving to me by night the balance of power shifted as the stars held all the supremacy, the dreams, the wishes of sleeping souls below them.

Abstract from the reality of one moment defining your life, one conclusion becoming who you are I found myself becoming vulnerable to the concept of the fragile balance between reality and illusion. I was straddling an unfathomable line which had gravity sending me to my knees. The writings of a woman who I never knew but created my life, the blood that ran through my veins, the beat of my heart, sat in my black nylon backpack resting in the corner of the bedroom. Nightmares that skulked in the dark shadows of my mind became memories of a past that ran a line of history through my female lineage. My spirit felt bound tighter as it held onto its kindred mates, an aging man with silver white hair and a warm heart, a tremendous fowl adorned in gold.

I looked beside me, his breathing evened out as he fell into a much needed rest. I stared at his still features as he slept, his own subconscious travels reaching out to the far depths of the universe. The beauty of the man and the strength of the warrior meshed together in a peaceful slumber as I felt the slight shift in my own world as it started to orbit his being. I slid out of the bed soundlessly crouching down into a box I kept sealed on the bottom ledge of the white oak bookshelf. I pulled out the classic film camera, the weight a familiar comfort in the palm of my hands. I removed the black cap emblazoned with red letters reading NIKON across the smooth surface. I brought it up to my eye as my muse became focused in the circle of the lens. After a few silent clicks of the growing frames he stirred in his sleep reaching out for me. I turned placing the camera on the bedside table before moving against the warmth of his strong body. I closed my eyes as the beats of our hearts synched together as one. I felt my muscles lose their final tension after getting off the plane late last night. I smiled remembering the meeting, boyfriend versus parents. It went quite smoothly in my opinion; Drex was his respectful charming self which had both my mother and my father eating out of the palm of his hand. With embarrassing talk about old family pictures on the wall and chat about the beginning of the football season, he had it in the bag. I closed my eyes welcoming the first relaxing sleep in what felt like ages.

Come join me outside darling. It wasn’t a question and I knew the conversation that had been occupying my grandfather’s mind since we arrived yesterday afternoon was coming to fruition. I left Drex charming my mother in the kitchen washing the breakfast dishes. God she was embarrassing sometimes; ogling him like a female in heat – join the club, the devil on my shoulder mouthed. He sat down, pulling me into his side. The brisk wind from yesterday clung to the morning air, the early whispers of winter distant on the breeze.

He grabbed my chin to look me in the eye, Are you alright darling?

Of course, why wouldn’t I be?

Well it is quite obvious the two of you are smitten with each other. But I can’t help but think something has happened? How I desperately wanted to cling on to the proverbial life raft I knew he always carried. To tell him about where I was, what I saw, my mother’s journals; it was all on the tip of my tongue; the dire need to talk to someone had my jaw in a painful ache as I clenched my teeth.

Nothing happened Grandpa, I promise, I’m fine, more than fine. He studied me closely as I heard the first crack; albeit only a hairline but a crack nonetheless in my lies knowing he could see the surface of my secrets, kindred spirits and all that. Gratefully he let it go and we moved back inside where I found Drex enthralled in one of my old sketchbooks at the kitchen table.

And where did you find that? I asked slyly. He grinned not looking up from the pages of pencil sketches that consisted of landscapes, birds, and portraits of my grandfather usually smoking his pipe or reading a book, my mother gardening or doing her makeup and my father excited about a touchdown or working on his car.

Do you still sketch or is it just painting now? he asked.

Oh no, I usually have a sketchpad somewhere within reach. I was glad he found only that book and not the one that held the images that refused to disappear with the rest of my dreams, the images that held on until I put them to paper.

I quickly wrapped up our stay with the parentals eager to get back home and back into the routine activities of my daily life and my little apartment. After a few strong hugs and misty eyes we were finally on the road, finally.

I turned awkwardly in the passenger seat to get a better view of fine specimen driving us home. I drank in his profile, his straight nose, strong jaw, defined cheek bones, the plump of his lips.

Enjoying the view? he asked, never taking his eyes off the road ahead.

I sighed, How could I not? I countered. He turned to me with a grin, grabbing my hand and entwining my fingers through his. I had to restrain myself from climbing over the center console into his lap and ravishing him right there. Instead I chose to go with the conversation that had been weighing most on my mind.

You know how I’m going out for dinner with Chloe tonight, right?

Yes. I stayed silent not knowing how the next part was going to sit with him. Cole? he prompted.

Drex, I need to tell her. I need to talk to someone about everything that’s happened.

I’m right here. You can talk to me about it. I took a deep breath, drumming my fingers against my lips. Okay, how to explain this?

I know I can talk to you about it, but you’re not Chloe. She’s my best friend; I don’t keep anything from her. I seek her advice on almost every part of my life and to be honest, this has turned out to be a pretty huge part. I need to talk to her. Please. I gave him my best puppy dog eyes. He turned a sideways glance toward me pursing his lips. She won’t tell anyone, she’s not like that. The only person would be Tommy and if I ask her not to say anything to him she won’t. He was silent for a long moment as I held my breath waiting for his answer. I felt like a small child asking for an extra cookie after dessert – Mommy please, just one more!

I’m not worried about Tommy, he already knows. I coughed on my quick exhale.

I’m sorry? What do you mean he already knows? What? How? He pulled my fingers up to his mouth before running his lips along each knuckle. Yea stop trying to soften the blow buddy, out with it.

He’s my brother.

One simple statement, three small words – he’s my brother. I almost expected him to break out in song – He ain’t heavy... Of course he’s your brother, why didn’t I put that together? What in bloody hell was I supposed to do with that? After taking a deep breath and sorting through the words that wanted to fly out of my mouth I stared at him for a moment longer reining in my anger.

"Okay, how about this. If you have any more grenades you’d like to throw down, about your life, who you are, who your family is... do it now. Rip off the band aid. Because at the rate you’re going with me, these heavy yet sporadic increments of information you like to throw out there so casually are going to give me a goddamn heart attack. He’s your brother?" His chuckle reverberated through my fingers that he kept against his lips, conveniently refusing me access to forming it into a fist and hitting some part of his person.

No more grenades. That was the last of them, promise. Yes, he’s my brother. Let me explain.

Yes, please do, I snapped. He turned his head quickly giving me a look that had me clamping my lips together. Please, go on, I amended sweetly, sarcastically.

Tommy is mortal; he ages as a human would. His DNA has been fused with my own as well as animal DNA. He was part of a genetic hybridization experiment when he was a baby. The endless questions bombarded my brain before I could sort through them.

Does Chloe know? Does he ever go back to Daysiine? Is that why you chose to come to Toronto? To Ryerson? He laughed at my tirade of questions, he had no idea; I had lists upon lists with this new information.

I don’t know if Chloe knows, but I’m going to advise you not to bring up Tommy to her if she doesn’t initiate it. That is his life, his story to tell, understand?

Yes Dad, I pouted.

Good. Now, you may tell her about me. I trust you, therefore in turn, I trust her. To answer your other questions, no, Tommy doesn’t go back to Daysiine, he lives on Earth permanently and he is considered, for all intents and purposes, human. As for your last question, no, it’s not why I chose Toronto. I had no idea Tommy was here. The last time I spoke with him he was travelling so it was a pleasant surprise to find him here. I watched as his eyes lit up talking about Tommy, he loved him like they came from the same womb, shared the same mother – something I hadn’t noticed before. And even if they were grenades that would undoubtedly cause early onset aging, I was desperate for any kernel of information he was willing to share.

I can’t believe he’s your brother, I sounded astonished even to my own ears. His returning smile took my breath away. I couldn’t help myself any longer. I unbuckled my seat belt to climb onto my knees. I leaned forward loping my arms around his neck.

Cole! What are you doing? I felt his arm tense as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. I kissed him soundly on the mouth. I moved my lips to his cheek and rained kisses down the side of his face to his ear moving my face so only a breath separated us.

Thank you. I love you, I breathed.

He gave me a quick chaste kiss, I love you too baby. Buckle up. If you keep laying those gorgeous lips on me, I’m going to pull over and show you just how distracted you make me. I giggled and took my seat like a good girl. I felt the breath of relief leave my chest at the permission to talk to Chloe. Just to hear her opinion, to have someone to talk to about it other than the voices in my head. The devil and angel that I refused to claim as my own stood there with their hips cocked pursing their lips at me, yea whatever.

Since we are talking about heavy grenades here... he started.

Oh God, what? I thought you said that was the last one? He gave me a wicked smile – the smile that never failed to flip my stomach, that smile always meant trouble.

I want you to move in with me.

CHAPTER TWO

What? I asked stunned. O-kay that was not what I was expecting him to say. I didn’t know how much more I could take of this car ride.

I want you to move in with me Cole. I want you in my bed, warm and safe. With me. In my arms. Every night. Well hell, how was a girl supposed to refuse that!

What about Aaron? The inevitable too handsy when he’s drunk roommate.

Aaron moved out this weekend, not that he ever really lived there. It’s only lonely ol’ me in that house now.

Why did he move out? I asked taken aback by this little kernel of information.

He’s always stayed at his parents, it’s closer to campus anyway.

Oh. I stared out the window, pondering. The thought of not living with Chloe scared me. She was my rock, my go to. I’d been with Drex night and day and the thought of not having that scared me more.

You’re going to chew you’re lip off, and personally I quite like it where it is.

I turned to him, Okay, I whispered, praying it was the right decision. Our relationship was moving at light speed and it terrified me; I had never lived with a boyfriend before. The only roommate I’d ever had, had been the hurricane known as Chloe Collins and before that my roommates consisted of my stuffed white teddy bear I got when I was three and a goldfish named Featherfin. The bear was left at my parents and the fish died after two weeks – died, dead, six feet under.

Okay? I nodded my head yes. Are you sure?

No, not really, I said in honesty.

He smiled and squeezed my thigh; the arrogance of victory reflected in his eyes had me rolling my own chasing away some of the shadows of doubt.

Drex dropped me off at my apartment for my date with Chloe, a much needed girl’s night. I unbuckled and crawled into his lap. For some stupid reason I felt my throat get tight; I didn’t want to leave him, if only for a few hours - aftershocks of traumatic events and all that, at least that’s what I told myself. He smiled, running his fingers through my windblown hair. He took my lips against his, a kiss that had my toes tingling and the flames of hunger burning. Everything disappeared like it always did when his lips consumed mine, his mouth devouring my every sense. He pulled away