by Rene Folsom
Rosetta.
I opened my eyes and straightened immediately. It was her voice. The woman from my dream. I scanned the area, somehow praying that she’d be there. I knew the thought was silly though. How could she be here, in the real world? She was just a figment of my imagination… right?
Just as I was about to call out, my cell phone buzzed in my pocket, startling me. I nearly jumped out of my cloak when I felt it vibrate against my thigh.
Reaching into my pocket, I entertained the thought that maybe my dream woman was calling me, but, unsurprisingly, it was not. Jen’s name shined on my phone’s screen in bold lettering.
“Hey, Jen,” I answered. “What’s up?”
“Hey.” Her voice came from the other end of the line. “I just got done collecting all the candy in town for Georgina. You ready for lunch?”
I nearly cursed aloud. With all of my daydreaming, I had overlooked the time and didn’t realize it was lunchtime.
“Yeah,” I said, brushing some hair from my face. “Just give me a few minutes. Totally zoned out by the lake.”
“Oh! I love the lake,” she chirped. “Stay right there. I’ll pick up our lunch and meet you.”
I smiled, glad that she wanted to have our lunch here. I was enjoying the peacefulness of the lake, and didn’t want to have to leave it for the loud clutter of the coffee shop.
“Don’t keep me waiting,” I teased. “I’m hungry.”
“I’m on my way,” she said before hanging up.
It definitely didn’t take the woman long to saddle up next to me with two delicious deli sandwiches and bottles of water. I was ravenous as I tore through the turkey on rye, my ladylike eating habits earning me a few sideways glances from Miss Prim and Proper.
“What?” I mumbled with a mouthful of sandwich nearly trickling from my lips. Catching a crumb that fell to the corner of my mouth, I used my middle finger to scoop it up and licked it off.
“Nothing,” she said, shaking her head as if she thought I’d lost my marbles. “I’ve just never seen you eat so… quickly. Lucky you’re not inhaling the napkin too.”
“Heh. I’d never do that.” Though, if any more of the sandwich fell on the wrapper in my lap, I might’ve had to make an exception.
“What’s up with you, anyway? You’re not pregnant, are you?”
Of course, she’d say that just as I was taking a rather large gulp of water. At the sound of the P-word, I couldn’t help but spew clear liquid all over the grass in front of me.
“You did not just ask me that,” I said in disbelief, wiping at the dribble on my chin.
“Well? You’ve been staying at Cody’s quite a bit lately, and you’re eating like a pig on steroids.” She shrugged. “It’s a valid assumption. Thank cripes you’re not hurling all over the place though.”
“Jen, I’m not pregnant,” I said with an adamant shake to my head.
“Then what’s up with you?”
Just as she asked, my phone, which was sitting between us in the grass, began to vibrate with a new call. Seeing Cody’s name on the screen, I quickly swiped to ignore it. No one needed to know I had been dodging his calls all morning. He probably wanted to know why I had bailed on him before he woke up.
“Uh huh,” she said in a singsong voice before taking another bite of her sandwich. Speaking with her mouth full, she added, “I’m guessing someone didn’t get any last night.”
I shrugged. “I just didn’t feel like it.”
“Things going okay between you two?”
I could tell her question was not meant to be nosey, but more out of concern than anything else. Could I tell her about how I’d been feeling the past twenty-four hours? I mean, did I even know enough to tell her? Surely not. At the moment, I just needed to sit back and let things pass—either that, or figure out what the hell was wrong with me before I started burdening Jen with my issues… or non-issues. Who the hell knew at this point?
“Things are fine. Just been busy helping my mom is all.” It was partially true, the helping part anyway. Though it seemed like I’d spent most of the day yesterday repeating the words I’m fine over and over again. I was actually beginning to believe them—for a second.
Jen seemed skeptical at first, but she didn’t push it. She could tell there was something bothering me—best friend’s intuition, I suppose—but knew not to pry if I didn’t willingly share on my own. I felt a little guilty keeping things from her, but this was something for me to deal with—at least until I could figure out what the heck it really was I was dealing with.
We sat and enjoyed the beautiful scenic lake view for a while longer, finishing our lunch and exchanging stories of our day’s events. Her day was much more exciting than mine, as she detailed her sister’s blushing face when they ran into a guy she liked while out shopping for candy. When I told her I had cleaned up the apartment, she laughed and hugged me in gratitude.
It was a nice distraction.
The Visit
When it came time for us to part—Jen wanting to go meet up with her group of friends and I opting to check in on my mom rather than join her—we said our goodbyes and headed off in different directions. I usually enjoyed gathering with all of the girls, trading harmless gossip and having a group consensus that nothing interesting ever happened in town, but I felt that being in a large group would only agitate me, so I decided that a trip to my mom’s would be a good idea.
On the way there, I had to ignore two more calls from Cody. Why couldn’t he just take the hint and leave me alone? If I wasn’t answering, there was obviously a reason. As bad as I was feeling for ignoring my boyfriend, he was starting to really annoy me.
Pulling my cloak closer around my body, I gave my mom’s door three knocks before letting myself in. She and I were never private from each other, so it wasn’t an odd occurrence for me to just barge into my old house unannounced. I only knocked to give her a few seconds to stash the bodies… or maybe make herself decent on a normal day.
“Mom?” I called out.
“In the living room, Rosie!”
I nearly rolled my eyes at my mother’s baby name for me. Ever since I was little, she called me Rosie, and even though I was a full-grown woman, she still insisted on it. I was pretty certain she only did it because she knew it bugged me.
“When are you going to stop calling me that?” I teased as I found her sitting on the couch, looking over some papers. No doubt double-checking the schedule for the festivities, booth locations, and the like. The woman never stopped working, I swear.
“When I’m dead,” she replied cheekily. “To what do I owe the visit?”
“What?” I said, sitting on the couch next to her. “I can’t come visit my favorite mommy?”
“Your only mommy, as far as you know.” She shot me a grin. “I forgot to thank you for picking up the truffles last night. I’ve been so swamped with all of this preparation that I’m losing my mind.”
“Can’t lose something you don’t have, Mom,” I said. “And don’t worry about it. I love visiting Granny.”
“How was the trip?” she asked. “Everything go okay?”
I paused to think about everything that had been happening since the day before. Did Granny somehow tell her something? I had to contemplate whether this was a trick question or if I should just blow it off as my mom’s normal way of making small talk.
“Yup,” I said, making the P sound pop with my dry lips. “Nothing to speak of.”
“That’s good.” She paused, a curious look crossing her face. Uh oh, what did she hear? “So, have your costume all ready to go for tomorrow?”
Breathing a sigh of relief, I smiled and was more than thankful to tell her about my attire. “Yes, actually. I found this adorable red dress that matches Daddy’s cloak perfectly,” I explained as I palmed the soft fabric wrapped around me. “It has a corset built in to the bodice with a short, lacy skirt. I also bought some fishnet stockings and red heels.”
“That soun
ds cute!” she exclaimed, excited to hear that I was actually dressing up. Just a few days ago, I told her only children dress for Halloween and I’d feel silly in a costume. But this one was tailored to my liking, and I wasn’t bound to represent any specific character. I could just be… me.
“I also found a gorgeous gold mask with ruby inlays. It’ll be the perfect addition to the outfit.” I beamed.
“That sounds just perfect for you, Rose,” she said, smiling sincerely before putting her nose back into her paperwork.
We sat in silence for a few moments, and suddenly, things seemed awkward between us. Could’ve just been me, but the fact that I didn’t feel confortable sitting in silence with my own mother strengthened my awareness that something was up with me. I had to do something to get my mind off last night’s dream.
“Hey, Mom. Need any help with anything? You know, before tomorrow?” I asked, hoping she’d say yes so I didn’t go stark mad in my own skin.
“Actually… yes,” she answered, her expression brightening at the thought. “Tabetha was supposed to help me set up the pumpkins around the town square and hang the lanterns between buildings, but she bailed, saying something about her back hurting. Girl just didn’t want to do the work from what I can tell because I saw her riding her horse about an hour after she told me. I was just about to go do it myself, but I could really use the help. We’d probably get it done twice as fast together. You up for it?”
“Definitely,” I said, clapping my hands together once and jumping up from the chair. “I’ll go load up the pumpkins.”
The Cry
Dragging my red-hooded ass into my apartment was a feat after the exhausting work my mom had me doing all night. Not only did that woman want me to help her hang lanterns and put out pumpkins, but I had to carve the damn things too. I was so not aware of just how much help she needed and was lucky I’d managed to get it all done before two in the morning.
Staying as quiet as possible so as not to wake Jen, I tiptoed into my room and lit a candle, feeling the need for muted light at such a late hour. I contemplated a bath, but was just too damn exhausted to even think of doing anything other than planting my face in my pillow.
Tossing my phone on my desk, I noticed the obscene amount of missed calls and text messages that littered my notifications. Rolling my eyes, I shut the damn thing off and pushed it out of my mind. I was way too tired to worry about the boy’s feelings right now.
With the cool weather rolling in, I opened my window just a crack so I could feel the glorious chill fill my room, cooling my body that had been worked to the bone all evening. Stripping down to nothing, I was able to see my scars again for the first time since that morning.
The urge to touch them, caress them, protect them, seemed to overwhelm me as I stood by my window with my hand over my heart. My breathing quickened at just the feeling of power and desire it gave me.
Did it really give me those feelings? Or was someone, or something, behind these passions that seemed to overwhelm me? Granny’s words repeated in my head like a broken record… you’ve been marked.
But by what? And for what purpose?
Well, something could mark me all it wanted, but there wasn’t much I could do about it if I didn’t know what it meant… right?
With the blood pumping through my veins, I made it a point to breathe, feeling the throb of my heart through the scratches on my chest. Looking down, I could see their beauty—marveling at the sight of the patterns etched in my skin.
Suddenly, a pang of craving hit me like a wrecking ball, slamming me with such mixed emotions of lust, need, adoration… it took my breath away. At that very moment, a wolf howled in the distance, bringing my attention back to the open window where the nearly full moon lit the night sky.
The sound seemed so sad, so distant. Almost like the wolf was calling out to a long-lost mate, desperate for the day they’d finally be able to be together. Then again, it was probably my imagination getting the better of me—with it being All Hallows Eve, a nearly full moon, and almost three in the morning.
Looking at the clock again, I sighed in disbelief. I couldn’t believe I’d been standing there naked in front of the open window for over a half hour. Anybody who was out walking on the street below would get an eye-full if they looked up. With that thought, my body slumped in pure exhaustion, and I sluggishly padded over to my bed.
It didn’t take long for the sandman to come snatch me up in a whirlwind of dreams.
The Protector
The sticks and leaves against the bare pads of my feet didn’t seem to hurt as I ran through the Shrouded Wood. Running… from something… though I wasn’t sure what. My heart pounded and my scars burned as I sprinted through the thick trees—terror streaking through me.
I was bare beneath my cloak, naked, except for the golden, ruby-encrusted mask on my face. My legs felt like they were getting heavier, weighted down by an unknown force, causing me to slow. Frantic, I fell against the forest floor, padded by leaves of all colors, my cloak covering my body like a shimmering waterfall of blood. I scrambled forward, unsure of what was following me, but needing to get away—far, far away.
Suddenly, I saw it. Or, rather… them. Three sets of eyes, glowing blue in the moonlight, stalking toward me like I was some kind of prey they had been hunting for miles. I was frozen, paralyzed by fear. I knew damn well if I stood and tried to run, they would catch me. I was certain of it. The hunger in their eyes spoke volumes.
I was done for.
Suddenly, the first one, spittle dripping from the fangs that poked through its rubbery lips, lunged, barreling toward me at lightning speed, the other two following close behind it. Before I could yell out, scream for someone to save me, a large ball of fur leapt over my prone body, coming face-to-face with my attackers.
She was magnificent. From the sandy color of her fur, to her strong, powerful stance… everything about her radiated protector, not attacker. The others regarded her with eyes that spoke of betrayal and fury, their snarls fierce and dangerous. As I watched her lunge for them, I suddenly felt heavy-hearted that I had caused this. Because of me, she had to fight her own kind. Why she felt the need to protect me was beyond my comprehension as my head began to lull to the side. I couldn’t seem to keep my eyes open, though I wanted to make sure she was okay.
Without another moment’s notice, my arms buckled and my upper body crashed to the forest floor as everything around me went black.
The Eyes
“Rosetta…”
Arms. Strong, feminine arms enveloped me, held me, as my eyes began to flutter open. Moaning, I examined my surroundings, unsure of exactly where I was. I could tell I was still in the Shrouded Wood, but not in the same place where I had passed out moments before.
“Rosetta…”
The feel of my name caressing my ear, the breath warm and inviting, had me tilting my head back, inviting more of the tantalizing feel against my skin. Soft, gentle lips caressed the length of my neck, sprinkling my skin with chills and making me whimper with need.
“There you are, my love,” she crooned, still poised behind me so I couldn’t see her.
“Mmm… you’re back,” I mumbled, unable to fully speak at the moment, but needing to let her know I knew she was the same woman from the night before.
“I’m always here, my sweet Rosetta.”
Bringing my arm up, I reached behind me to feel her, my hand landing on a soft, warm cheek—long strands of hair brushing against my knuckles.
Fingernails trailed down my arm, starting where I touched her and gliding all the way until she reached the side of my torso, lightly brushing the very edge of my breast. Looking down, I watched her beautiful hand as it came around and trailed back up the center of my chest.
Claws. Sprouting from her fingertips were real, actual claws. While I should’ve been scared, I wasn’t. The claws were unmistakable, yet beautiful, the perfect size and shape for her. It wasn’t until she reached the scars on
my chest that I realized… they matched up flawlessly.
“You…” I whispered, my lips quivering at the thought.
“Yes,” she hissed, her lips precariously close to my ear. “Do I frighten you, my lovely Rose?”
“No,” I said, not an ounce of doubt in my mind. “I was hoping it would be you.”
A light whimper caressed my cheek, almost as if she had been waiting for me to say the words—accept her for who she was. Sharp teeth grazed the soft padding of my earlobe as her claws lightly dug the same pattern over my heart, never breaking the skin, but sending a whole new wave of longing through me.
Continuing her hold, she wrapped her other hand beneath my chest, cupping one of my breasts in her strong, lean hand. As her fingers caressed over my nipple, I inhaled a sharp intake of breath, relishing the feel of her touch against my skin.
“Do you like it when I touch you?” she asked as her clawed fingers grazed up the soft expanse of my neck and to my jaw, her thumb tracing little patterns over my lips.
Biting and then kissing the pad of her thumb, I sighed and said, “God, yes.” My voice sounded strong, urgent, like my soul was thirsty and she was the only one who could quench it. Her grip tightened on my nipple as she toyed with my breast.
The fact I still had my mask on didn’t seem to bother me any, but I wanted to see her without obstruction—see who this woman was who was haunting these delicious, wonderful dreams. So, in turn, I wanted her to be able to see me.