January Dreams by Carrigan Richards (best fiction books of all time txt) 📕

maze, hidden from view of the others. In the dark sky above, the full moon is our only light. We discreetly make our way through the maze but yearn to move quicker. We make it to the side of the palace where there is a lone white palomino waiting.

Casper swings onto the horse’s back and pulls me on behind him. I wrap my arms around him. The horse trots toward the wrought iron gate. Once the horse turns a corner, he breaks into a fierce gallop. Feeling the warm breeze, I hold Casper tight.

We are free.

I don’t know how long we race in the night, but when the auburn light barely breaks the horizon, we come to a stop. He gets off the horse and helps me off. Tossing his mask to the ground, my heart skips a beat at the sight of him.

I remove my mask as his lips press against mine. He lifts me by my hips and our mouths release the built-up passion between us. We are together again.

He eases me to the ground, still kissing me. He holds me so tight and I clutch onto his shirt, never wanting to let him go.

“I tried so hard to find the Jewel,” I tell him, breathless, the tears coming now. “I wanted to bring it back to your people. All this time, I thought you were dead. They said they killed Florence and put me in a cell because they thought I was a traitor. This whole time I’ve been pretending to love Vincent. I can’t do it anymore. I can’t be away from you.”

Casper draws me closer, holding me tightly against him. “I found a way to be together,” he whispers.

“We’re together, now.”

His thumb grazes my cheek, wiping the tears that escape. “So, we won’t have to run.”

“How?” I meet his beautiful, deep brown eyes. How I’ve missed them.

He hesitates. “The Witch.”

I gasp.

It takes me a minute to actually open my eyes. I swear they feel like they’ve been glued shut. My head is killing me with an ache that could kill a rhino. I sit up but I can’t see anything. Not even my hand in front of my face. Wherever I am, there’s a damp chill. Briefly, I think I’m dreaming and back in the cell, but no, this is real. All of it is real. Vincent tried killing Casper.

I roll over on what feels like a bed with a lot of blankets. I swear if I didn’t know better, I would think I’m blind. I sit up, feeling for anything that I might recognize, but even the wrought iron bed frame doesn’t feel like mine. The cold, concrete wall feels empty.

The last thing I remember, I was trying to leave Vincent’s, but everything beyond that is blank. I remember our conversation. His proposal. His confessions. My blood turns cold. I start to panic. Did Vincent put me in a cell?

“Vincent,” I yell. When I get no answer, I stand from the bed, cautiously. I’m barefoot and my feet land on soft carpet. I can tell I’m still wearing my prom dress. I hold my arms out blindly trying to find my way to a door or window. Anything. “Vincent,” I shriek.

I back up against the smooth cold wall. I can’t keep my breathing leveled and I start crying. I can’t stop shaking, I’m so scared and I have no idea how to get out of here, wherever here is.

A door squeaks open and I jump. Looking toward the direction of the sound, I still see nothing. Footsteps slowly meander down wooden steps. My breath catches in my throat and I try not to make a sound.

I hear a flick of a switch and I squint from a soft orange glow.

“Vincent?”

“Are you okay?” he asks, pure concern in his eyes. “Are you hungry?”

“Where am I?”

His lips press in a hard line. “In my basement. Sorry it’s not the Ritz, but I tried to make it homely as I could.”

Scanning the room, I see a bed, vanity, and a bathroom.

“It’s just for a few days.”

“Days? Why?” I’m trying so hard to keep my voice strong, but it’s hard when my psycho boyfriend has me locked up in his basement mere hours after confessing to killing a man and almost killing Casper.

He exhales. “Because I need you to stay here. I have things to do before we can go home. And I can’t have you going to Casper.”

“I don’t want to go to Casper. I want to go home. To my house. My parents are probably freaking out by now.”

“Stop all of this. This isn’t your home. You don’t belong here. You belong with me in Chateau de Fées. And as soon as we return, I will make sure you don’t ever remember Casper for as long as you live.”

“Please stop. It was all a story. A fantasy. None of it is real. I have to get home.”

He raises his hand to my cheek and caresses it. “It is real. All of it. We’re immortals who love each other. I’m sorry you don’t remember, but once we get home, it will all come back to you.” He takes my hands in his. “You are my life. You are mine and I am yours. You have to trust me.” His eyes are full of passion and it’s so easy to be swept up in his words. I can play along and maybe he’ll release me.

“I trust you. Please don’t keep me here. You’re right about Casper. He manipulated me.”

He studies me and I can tell he’s mulling it over in his mind. But he closes his eyes. “It won’t be much longer.”

“What do you have to do? Why can’t we go now?”

“I have some things to take care of in the meantime. Everything