Blood Bound- Revelation
Chapter 13
The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day.
—”Old Man’s Advice to Youth: ‘Never Lose a Holy Curiosity.'” LIFE Magazine (2 May 1955) p. 64
“Laksh! What the hell?! you scared the crap out of me” Swara said trying to find her breath and balance again.
“What am I doing here!! What the hell are you doing here Swara this is a prohibited area” Laksh asked.
“I… I saw…” Swara fumbled trying to catch her breath but even she wasn’t sure if she should tell this to Laksh or not, he would surely think that she had lost her marbles and who would blame him. Who would believe in spells, magic and all the load of crap but then who could she share it with?! Not even Kavya and Ragini would believe all this.. Sanskaar? No! absolutely no she had just fought with him and now she couldn’t running to him just like that.
“Voh.. I was lost in my thoughts and forgot my way” she replied finally.
“Lost your way?! Swara have you lost your mind?! there are so many wild animals in this area and you’re saying you lost your way and in this past week you’ve already been harmed more than once” Laksh said his eyes wide with what seemed like worry.
“Laksh seriously stop behaving like my father. I am absolutely fine, now will you help me with the way out or are you waiting for some wild animal to prey on us” Swara joked trying to make it a light joke but Laksh din’t smile he knew about the dangers lurking around Swara to which she was oblivious and ofcourse that Sanskaar would have his head too if he let something happen to Swara under his watch.
Laksh finally sighed and signalled Swara to start walking. Swara muttered under her breath about him being an a*s but Laksh ignored her.
Finally after a long silence Swara remembered about him being Sanskaar’s brother. “I Know” she said.
Laksh raised his eyebrow. “What do you know?”
“I know you are his brother” she said sighing.
“We are not real brothers, if that’s what you are wondering but I love him as much as I would love my real brother.. So whoever hurts him hurts me and I do not deal well with pain” Laksh said narrowing his eyes at her.
Swara glared back at him with same intensity “Are you by any chance threatening me Laksh Maheshwari?”
Laksh sighed, she was not at fault and not the one to be blamed but he could not see Sanskaar broken everyday. These few months had been hell for Sanskaar and he knew it because Sanskaar bound himself to Swara and every inch of physical distance between would burn him.
“Just a precaution darling” he said trying to smile a little atleast for Swara’s sake.
Swara knew he was just pretending to make the moment light but she very well knew he was like a bomb waiting to blast any moment. She suddenly heard some rustling of leaves and turned around to look at the source of tue sound but all she saw was that boy looking directly at her from behind the tree. She held Laksh’s hand and walked as fast as she could manage so that they could get the hell out of the forest.
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Almost at the end of the forest area she found a restless Sanskaar walking back and forth as if he had been waiting for them specifically but that wasn’t possible, was it?! he couldn’t have known Swara was in the jungle or that she had run into Laksh she thought.
She straightened her shoulders looked right back and walked towards him as if she show that she wasn’t intimidated by him. She ignored the tingles that she could feel everywhere.
“What are you doing here?” she tried to sound irritated by his presence but totally failed. She could not hide her relief at seeing him as if just his presence was a soothing balm.
Sanskaar did not reply he caught hold of her hand and pulled her to him but her slight scream halted his actions.
“Aahhh” she screamed when he held her hand why hadn’t she noticed these burn marks before now. Dammit it was all so confusing that now it felt, was she here to make her report or was she the one being hunted.
Sanskaar cursed under his breath. He knew this could happen. He shouldn’t have let her out of his site. Without uttering a word he held her lightly where her body was not covered with burn marks and picked her up in his arms.
“Sanskaar!! Let me down right now” Swara gasped. Sanskaar ignored her and started walking.
“Sanskaar let me down or else I will bite you” she screamed.
“I would like to see you try” Sanskaar smirked at her.
Swara fumed in anger. That idiot had the audacity to pick her up like a kid and smirk at her… but why did she feel safe in his arms, Why didn’t she actually want him to let her go?! She really wanted to ponder on these thoughts but those burn marks were paining like hell, thinking about anything other than that increasing level of pain was becoming next to impossible.
Seeing her in pain was nothing less than hell for Sanskaar. He knew the reasons for these burns but to explain her the reason and make her understand would be next to impossible.
“Swara….” he said gently making er look at him in the eye. “Please let me take care of you” There was a look of desperation in his eyes which Swara could not ignore even if she wanted to so she nodded and hissed in pain again which made Sanskaar’s hold on her tighten.
They reached his house, he carried her upto his room and placed her on his bed carefully.
“You rest here… I’ll bring an ointment for you” saying this he left her with her pain but just as quickly as he had left he came back with an burn ointment.
Swara put her palm forward but instead of giving it to her he took a little cream on his hand and seating himself in a suitable position started applying ointment on her burns. After applying the cream he placed light butterfly kisses on her burn willing his care to cure her faster.
“Sanskaar…” she moaned not having the strength to fight against her feelings for him.
But Sanskaar knew he shouldn’t do this. It would be like taking advantage of her feelings and conditions and so after pressing a final kiss on her skin he stepped back. Swara was feeling soo drowsy that she slept.
It was the ding sound of the microwave that first broke her sleep and forced her to open her eyes. Getting up and leaning against the headrest she found herself in a strange room and then all the events came rushing back to her. She checked her hands for the burns but to her surprise those burn marks had already started fading. Her eyes widened and mouth fell open.
‘What the hell?! how are these marks fading and that too so soon’ she muttered.
She tried to get up but had to sit down at once as legs felt wobbly. Again she tried to get up as slow as possible and walked out to the hall where Sanskaar was sitting with his book and a mug of coffee but strangely he was not reading the book but was talking to someone on the phone.
“No.. I feed just a few hours back.. No I am hungry”
“Yeah I know but those burns, they are my fault how can I tell her about those burns without telling her about the past. That b***c could have killed her if she would have sensed her and it would have all been my fault”
“But recovering those memories so quickly might not be good for her” he sighed.
“Okay! let me sleep on it. I’ll call you later” he said and cut the call.
“Ahm ahm” Swara cleared her throat to grab his attention. At her cue he looked up, looking at her struggling to walk upto him he kept his phone aside in rush and walked upto her to help her sit next to him.
Holding and supporting her shoulders he made her walk upto the couch and made her sit on it.
“Why did you come down Swara? If you wanted something you could have called me!” He said breaking the silence.
“Sanskaar I walked because I wanted to you do not have to treat me like a child.”
“Swara I am not treating you like a child but as a person who needs a little help” he said.
Swara sighed, “I am sorry for being cranky and also for the move theatre incident, I should not behaved the way I did. Whatever happened, happened with our consent I cannot solely blame you for it”
Sanskaar smiled at her cute pouty face “you’re forgiven”
“So will you have some coffee with me?” he asked.
Swara smiled at him and nodded. He quickly brought a coffee mug for Swara. Swara blew on the coffee and sipped on it. “yuuummmm Sanskaar how did you know I like my coffee without sugar” Swara asked lost in her coffee.
“vohh… voohh.. I dint I just brought sugar pot separately that you could add sugar as per your want” It was an acceptable reason and so Swara nodded and lost herself in her coffee.
Swara’s eyes suddenly fell on the book resting besides him and laughed out loud. Sanskaar looked at her quizzically ‘What’s wrong with her?’ he thought.
“So the great Professor Maheshwari reads Twilight” She said in between her laughter.
Sanskaar chuckled but tried to look offended, “Why Miss. Bose I love reading books, Any problem with that?”
Swara tried to compose herself, “No, No I am sure it’s a great book to read! Did you feel bad for Edward when Bella was in the hospital and he blamed himself for it?” she joked.
But something in Sanskaar darkened. He tried to suppress those memories that tried to swamp him. “It’s not a matter of joking Swara, Love makes to you do and feel emotions which are unfathomable.
Swara lost her smile. There was something trying to invade her brains but could not penetrate through. What could it be?! She dint understand and Sanskaar once again cursed himself for scaring her off.
Finally Swara sighed asked, “So do you live here alone? I know you have a brother and a sister, who else?”
Sanskaar smiled, “Well I have Mom-Dad, Uncle- Aunt, two brothers of which one is a cousin, Two Sisters in law, One irritating sister. My Dad Ramprasad, my Mom Sujata, my Uncle-Aunt DurgaPrasad-Annapoorna, My Brother Laksh, Adarsh…..
Swara’s eyes widened in shock and the coffee mug fell from her hand. The coffee spilling all over his carpet.
#Manasie