The Butterfly Effect

by Renea Porter

  He pulls me roughly and I clash against his hard chest. His lips meet mine and I invite the lust filled kiss. When he breaks the kiss, my eyes flutter open and meet his.

  “I never noticed the flecks of gold in your eyes,” I tell him.

  “This is a magical place, Riley, and you will see things you haven’t noticed before. We are surrounded by magic, so it’s only natural that you will see things here that you haven’t seen.”

  It’s quite amazing. His eyes the gold is so bright and beautiful, like lightning bolts through his brown irises. His strong hand grips mine and I hear a horse’s gallop approaching. The horse and carriage comes into view and it’s nothing short of amazing. The driver hops down and takes off his top hat and bows. Nathan and I both nod, and Nathan helps me up the carriage. The driver grabs our luggage and puts it in the carriage for us. Nathan wraps an arm around my shoulders and smiles. I smile back and watch the scenery around me.

  The village is unlike anything I have ever seen with evergreen trees lining the small bungalows and houses. The horse trollops on a cobblestone road and leads us through the village. I see vendors with fresh colored vegetables and fruits, as well as vendors selling merchandise such as Afghans, necklaces, and more. This place is so beautiful and breathtaking.

  I feel Nathan’s fingers rub my shoulder. “Remember to breathe while you’re taking all this in. Okay?”

  My eyes meet his and I smile. “Okay.”

  We arrive at a grand mansion called The Manor as a sign welcomes us. The carriage pulls into a curving driveway before pulling into a stop in front of The Manor. Nathan jumps off and makes his way over to me to help me down. With Nathan’s fingers wrapped tightly around mine; we make our way inside. The grand doors swing open and we enter. Upon entering; a young girl holding a wreath of flowers, yellow daisies, offers it to me, I bend down so she can place it on my head. When I stand back up; she smiles and tells us to go through.

  We are then escorted to the deacon, who is a tall man with a long robe that is deep burgundy with gold trim. He greets us with a bow and Nathan and I nod. At the podium, Nathan and I face each other while the deacon opens up a large book.

  “Nathan Murphy, are you here by your own free will?” the deacon asks.

  “I am.”

  “And Riley Warren, are you here by your own free will?”

  “I am,” I find myself saying while looking into Nathan’s eyes.

  The deacon thumbs to the next page and clears his throat. “Do you, Nathan, take Riley to be your life long partner?

  Nathan smiles. “I do.”

  The deacon asks me the same, and I respond by saying I do.

  “Do you, Nathan and Riley, promise to protect each other at all costs?”

  “I do,” Nathans says.

  I repeat the same.

  The deacon asks, “And do you promise to be true to each other?”

  “I do,” Nathan says.

  “I do,” I repeat.

  “Now join hands and look deeply into the other’s eyes,” the deacon instructs.

  We do as we are told, and Nathan’s gold flecks mesmerize me again. The deacon places his hand over ours and chants with his eyes closed. The energy around us is so special as we are bonding together.

  “Now close your eyes and repeat the words I say in unison,” the deacon says. “Our bond is sacred.”

  “Our bond is sacred,” we repeat.

  “Our bond will always be in place; even if we lose our way, we will find our way back to each other.”

  Nathan and I repeat the words.

  “Our bond is unbreakable and will always remain intact.”

  We repeat those words, too.

  “Okay, now open your eyes,” the deacon instructs. Removing his hand, he turns toward me and places a crystal necklace over my head. He repeats the same with Nathan, but his is a little shorter than mine. “This crystal necklace will always keep you both together, protecting the bond you share, so no matter what, you will always be together. The power of two is greater than one.”

  With those final words, he bows and we nod. The person that led us to the deacon also escorts us back through the way we came. Nathan reaches for my hand and squeezes it. We let the silence fall around us with no words needing to be said. Even though I just repeated what the deacon told us to, I meant every word deep down to my soul. I will forever be bonded with Nathan, and I love knowing that out of everything in our lives, that one thing remains simple and true.

  Chapter Twenty

  RILEY

  The carriage drops us off at the edge of the village, instructing us the follow the instructions on the paper that he hands Nathan. We walk on the cobblestone road a little ways and there are small houses on each side of the road along with the vendors I had seen earlier. Some of the folks nod our way and we do the same.

  My insides are filled with so much peace and the serene beauty that is before us. Nathan and I haven’t spoken since the ceremony, and I’m more than comfortable with that for the moment. Looking at the map, Nathan stops in front of a bungalow and puts the key in and turns the knob.

  Inside, I place my crown of flowers on the end table. The stone walls aren’t painted, but there is still a beauty about this place. There are a few stone pillars throughout as we walk through and I can’t help but reach and touch one. They are from floor to ceiling. It’s one big room with a couch and a bookshelf with books. We enter the small kitchen area, which includes a microwave, a refrigerator, and an oven. There is nothing modern about this place, and that’s why I love it. The dining room table is small and quaint, housed in the corner of the kitchen by another window. Then off around a room divider is a high, majestic looking bed with a canopy above, draped with white see-through curtains surrounding it. There is a bedside table on each end, along with a high dresser where our suitcases are placed along the wall. A bathroom sits off in one corner, the walls separating the living space and bedroom.

  Standing by the bed, Nathan wraps an arm around my waist and brings me close. “Is this all you imagined it would be?” he asks in a soft voice.

  “It’s so much more than I anticipated. It’s beautiful.” Suddenly, tears flow down my cheeks and I try to quickly swipe them away.

  “Why the tears?” He brushes his thumb over a stray tear.

  “I’m so happy. Being here with you is causing a flood of emotions to come through and I can’t hold it in. This is just so surreal. I don’t think I could love you any more than I do in this moment.”

  “I love you, too, Riley. Forever and always.”

  “Forever and always.”

  “Are you hungry?”

  I nod. “A little.”

  He grips my hand, and we walk toward the door and he opens it. There is an array of food sitting on the step. We both bend down and pick the trays up and carry them to the table. Removing the saran wrap from the trays, Nathan hands me a plate. Taking the plate, I pile on some cold cuts, cheeses, and finger sandwiches, along with an egg salad wrap, some grapes, a slice of melon, and fresh bright strawberries.

  “This is so good,” I say, covering my mouth. “Wow.”

  “This is delicious,” Nathan says, pointing to his wrap.

  After eating, I excuse myself to the restroom where there are toothbrushes still in the package, and a new tube of toothpaste. I do my business and brush my teeth and then rinse my mouth. I rejoin Nathan at the table where he is finishing eating. He also excuses himself while I sit at the table, as I try to calm the nerves in my stomach. I know what’s about to happen. We’ve done it before, but this time will be different. It will be special and on another level of our union, solidifying us as one. While he is in the restroom, I wrap up the food and place it in the fridge and sit back down.

  When Nathan emerges from the restroom, he removes his suit jacket and hangs it on the back of a chair. His eyes meet mine; I can see they are lust filled. He offers his hand and I take it, standing up, and he kisses me. His kiss is slow and purposefu
l.

  “God, you are so beautiful,” he finally says.

  He takes my hand and leads us toward the bed. I love the softness of the curtains hanging over the bed canopy. Nathan walks behind me, and slowly unzips my dress while planting soft kisses on the back of my neck. Chills run down my spine and my heart kicks up a few notches, almost making it hard to breathe. Taking his hands, he slowly shoves the dress down my body as it lands by my feet. I kick my shoes off and step outside the puddle of clothes.

  While still behind me, he undoes my braided hair, letting it fall into loose waves. He unhooks my bra and comes around to my front. His lips greet mine again as he walks us back toward the bed, the curtains enveloping us into our own world. He lifts me up so we fall on the bed together, and my hands are around his neck while we kiss. Our bodies are pressing together as he tries to unbutton his shirt and my fingers move down to help. Now, bare chest to bare chest, I place a trail of kisses along his collarbone on each side. I love how slow we are going toward building the anticipation of our love making.

  My mouth kisses up his neck and onto his jaw, finally meeting his mouth. His thumbs lightly twist my hardened nipples. Leaning over me, he kisses my neck, working his way down to my breasts, sucking on each nipple, causing me to let of a moan. I pull my arms back, stretching them above my head, while he kisses down my stomach and stops just above my pelvis, and I feel him inhaling. His fingers latch onto each side of my panties as he pulls them down. Nathan undoes his belt and pants, revealing his tight briefs underneath, and he pulls them down as well. His body is that of a Greek God, muscled in every place.

  With his lips back on mine, his hand finds its way to my clit, rubbing and then inserting a finger inside. My mouth opens against his as I let out a gasp. His mouth, hands, and fingers assault my body into a sweet torturing bliss until I beg him to be inside me.

  “I need you. Right now.”

  “Mmm, I love the way you say that,” he says against my mouth.

  With a hard but satisfying thrust he’s inside me, our bodies rocking to the same rhythm. When I can’t take much more, my body convulses against his.

  “God, you feel so good. Oh god.” His body jerks against mine.

  Resting his forehead on mine, I snap my eyes open. “Is this real life?” I ask.

  “This is our life.”

  Our life is a good place to be. I brush a few strands of his hair back and look into his eyes. The gold flecks are reflecting back at me, now brighter than before, almost turning his eyes completely gold. Jesus, could be any sexier?

  He rolls over to my side and rests his head on his elbow. “What are you thinking about?”

  “How beautiful your eyes are and how sexy you are,” I confess.

  “Mmm, don’t even get me started about how sexy you are.” He leans over, kissing me again. “I’m going to devour you again and again over the next few days.”

  “God, I hope so.” I smile.

  His fingers reach down for mine. “Ever since we found each other again, I feel like I can’t get close enough to you.”

  “I like feeling you near me.”

  “You and me forever, baby,” Nathan says.

  “Forever.”

  I plant another kiss on his lips before snuggling into the crook of his arm and my eyes suddenly feel heavy.

  ***

  Movement from the space next to me causes me to stir awake. The bed is so luxurious and comfortable; I’m tempted not to leave. But with the day ahead, I’m too excited.

  “Good morning, gorgeous,” Nathan says with a grin.

  “Good morning, handsome face.”

  Nathan pulls back and looks at me funny.

  “What is it?”

  “Your eyes changed. They are a deep purple with sparks of blue. Go look in the mirror.”

  Excited and nervous, I shake the sheet off and walk to the bathroom. Leaning over the single counter, I look into the mirror. My eyes definitely changed. They are so pretty. The blue is very bright against the deep purple color. Turning to my side, I look over my shoulder at my butterfly tattoo, and it is the most vivid tattoo I have ever seen and almost lifelike, the colors so bright and beautiful. I smile.

  Moving back to Nathan, I see him picking up food from the front porch. I pull on his dress shirt and button a few buttons. The shirt hits just below my butt. I glide to the table where there is an array of breakfast items such as donuts, Danishes, bagels, and fresh fruit.

  I clear my throat. “There is something I have to tell you, now that we have gone through a commitment ceremony and we have realized we are meant for one another. The tattoo on my back is a symbol of sorts. When I was little, my mom told me it would be so bright and vivid when I found the one. It would have faded over time if I didn’t find the one, and I would have died by my twenty second birthday.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

  “It was against the rules. You had to be the one to make things right between us when you broke us apart. And I couldn’t tell you until we were married. It’s a family thing.” I slide the top of the shirt down to show him the butterfly.

  “My god. It’s so beautiful, Riley. I remember seeing it before, but it wasn’t that bright and vivid. You are just full of surprises, aren’t you?”

  “I couldn’t tell you, even when I so desperately wanted to. I wouldn’t even tell Bea who you were, for fear she would interfere and seal my fate. You see, if we hadn’t found each other, I would have died like some of my ancestors. If they didn’t find the one by their twenty second birthday then they died. My mom didn’t want that for me. Unfortunately, Bea will suffer the same fate if she doesn’t find the one she is meant to be with. And I’m very worried about her. Sometimes she can be careless, and I don’t know what to do to help her.”

  My words were going a mile a minute and Nathan reached over, placing his hand over mine.

  “Breathe, Riley,” he tells me.

  I take a deep breath and grab a donut.

  “Everything will be fine.” He cups my face. “You found me, didn’t you? That day you walked into my class, my whole world changed. Bea will be fine. I promise.” He leans over to kiss me on the forehead.

  “How can you promise that?”

  “Riley, we’ll figure it out. Maybe when we get back, we can go on a little road trip to visit my brother. Maybe she just needs a change of scenery.”

  I took another deep breath and slowly let it out.

  “Now, as much as I’d like you to wear my shirt all day and nothing else, I do have a plan to leave the house. We are going to a very special and sacred place.”

  Standing up, I turn, but Nathan grabs my wrist, pulling me back.

  “Have I told you how beautiful you are Riley?”

  I nod.

  “Well, you are. My beautiful gorgeous love. Your eyes damn, are they magnificent. I love you and never want to be away from you.”

  “Do you promise to never go far from me?”

  “I promise. I don’t even want to breathe without you.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  RILEY

  After eating and showering, I get dressed in one of the dresses Bea let me borrow. It reaches down to my feet and has spaghetti straps. And I slip my feet into flip flops.

  “You look pretty. Is that new?”

  I look myself over and smooth my hands over the light material. “No, Bea let me borrow a few of her dresses. So, where are we headed?”

  Nathan takes my hand, as we walk out the door. “We are headed to a very special place my lady. You’ll just have to see it to know what I mean.”

  I smile. Hand in hand, we walk along the cobble stone street, my flip flops patting against the stones. Some passersby wave or nod at us, and we nod back. The community is so genuine and holy that no crime exists in this town. Nothing bad happens, and you can just feel the magic in the air. The people are nice and don’t hover. They nod in acknowledgment, but don’t ask questions. They just go about their day. We pass a
few merchandise stands and stop at one in particular that sells jewelry.

  “We should get rings, to represent our bond,” Nathan suggests. “What do you like?”

  Scanning the wide array of rings, I point to a ruby diamond with a silver band, simple yet elegant.

  “Try it on,” Nathan suggests.

  Sliding it onto my finger, it fits perfectly, like it was made for me.

  “I love it.”

  “Then we’ll take that. And I’ll get this silver band to match.”

  He slides the ring on his finger and it fits. With our new purchases, we are on our way, continuing on our journey.

  “Thanks. How do you know so much about this place?”

  “I’m a wizard, remember? I know all the magical places and what we need to do to bond. Plus, I’m immortal. Guessing by your new eye color, you’re immortal now, too. You will never age, physically. Usually, these things don’t progress so quickly. Our bond must be so solid and strong that you are changing quickly. Do you feel different?”

  “I kind of feel different, but in a good way. It’s hard to explain. It feels like colors, sounds, and everything is more heightened.”

  “That’s good. We’re almost there,” Nathan says as we walk up a green hill. The grass is so green, I bend down to touch the blades and the diamond in my ring sparkles against the sunlight.

  We make it to the top of the hill, and before me is the most gorgeous view. A waterfall.

  “Wow.”

  “We are going to go there. Get in the water naked and let it bless us. This place is the most sacred place on earth,” Nathan says.

  “Won’t anyone see us, naked?”

  He chuckles. “No. No one will see us.”

  He squeezes my hand.

  “The water is pure, and nothing affects it. They say it’s a magical place, to be able to come here, to be blessed by the townsfolk, and the water is the most exquisite temperature.”

  Walking down the opposite side of the hill, we make it to the lagoon. No one else is around, and I can’t help but still feel nervous about being naked. Somehow, Nathan ends up behind me and slides my spaghetti straps down until the dress has fallen to the ground. He places soft kisses along my butterfly tattoo and my nervousness disappears. When he comes face to face, I can see the desire in his eyes.