We stopped at the bathing room. The smell of rose petals and lilacs wafted to me, making my head feel light. I watched as the woman set bottles of soap on the side of the tub and twisted a crank to stop the water from pouring into the bath that had puffed up bubbles. A quiet fizzing sound replaced the loud rush. She bowed her head, still smiling, then left me to bathe in peace.
The water was hot, but felt good. I stepped to the middle of the tub, able to stand with the water up to my chest. I smoothed the suds over my body and slipped under the surface to wet my hair. I swam to the edge, finding a ledge to sit on. I smelled each bottle of soap oil, finding one that was sweet and airy, like the garden, and poured the liquid on the top of my head. While I rinsed, I found myself captivated by the sky above me. I nestled up into a corner, laid my head back against the edge of the tub, and watched as the clouds floated by weightlessly.
The servant woman appeared, holding onto a pile of clothing and towels. She helped me out of the tub and let me dry myself, but insisted on helping me dress despite my plea for her not to.
The clothing was intricate. The sheer, white underdress had a fitted bodice that tied in the back. The dress was a stunning red that was soft, light, and felt like velvet. It laced up the back with a silk ribbon. The belled sleeves were adorned with clear crystals that caught and reflected the light in tiny beams of gold.
The woman helped me into all of them, ending with a pair of slippers to match, and then brushed my hair. She pulled strands of hair from the sides of my head and added them to the thick braid in the back. A metal comb scratched my head as it slid in place above the braid. I touched it, feeling gems of different shapes and sizes, then turned to face the woman who beamed proudly. I felt extremely unworthy of the attention I was given. But it still felt nice.
She uttered another thickly accented command for me to follow her, then grabbed my hand and led me out into the hall. We stopped at the top of the stairs. Marren stood at the bottom with his back towards me. My heart flipped.
The servant woman uttered a mouthful of an enchanting language, drawing Marren’s attention. He turned, lifted his eyes to me, and said something back, never breaking his stare. I felt my cheeks rush with warmth and smiled nervously.
The servant woman ushered me forward. I took each step carefully, not wanting to slip and fall. I gripped the wooden railing that felt like it moved under my hand as it slid down its breadth. My eyes leveled with Marren’s as I reached the bottom stair.
“You’re so beautiful!” He breathed the words as if it was the most truthful thing he’d ever said.
“Thank you,” I said. Fear of making a fool of myself prevented me from saying anything more. He held out his arm for me and then escorted me to the garden. It took several moments of slow and deep breaths for me to say, “Can I ask what the occasion is?”
“It's a surprise.”
“Oh.”
We walked the rest of the way in silence, through the garden and to the path that led into the woods. The tree’s canopies loomed over us, allowing for small beams of sunlight to filter through. Sounds of skirting animals happened around us. Each time I could, I followed the sound. Once, for a few squirrels chasing their love interest up a tree. They stopped every few seconds to bat their ruffled tails, then continued on into the branches. A few times, a couple of bunnies chased each other across the path.
“Spring is definitely in the air.” I giggled to myself and felt Marren's arm tighten around my hand.
“It is, indeed.”
He led me down a path that forked to the right and opened into a small field of the most beautiful, tallest, red tulips bordered by trees, as if he had cut out a place just for these flowers and they grew with the magic that had won over my heart. I held my breath for fear that letting it out would make them fade. “By the Gods, this is beautiful!”
“I thought you would like it,” he said, clearly pleased with my reaction. “Go on.” He motioned towards the field.
I looked into his eyes, as if to make sure he wasn’t joking, and then stepped tentatively into the field of flowers. Their light scent danced in the air. It was sweet and mild. At about the halfway point, I looked over my shoulder at Marren, still standing on the path. I smiled, facing him and cocked my head to the side slightly. I wondered what was taking him so long to join me. He nodded towards me, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. I turned back around taking another step, finding a rock that rolled underneath my foot. I fell to the ground and started laughing.
I was pulled up by Marren so fast it took my breath away. “Are you okay?”
I nodded.
Slowly, he placed my hands on his shoulders then slid his down the side of my arms, along my back and coming to a rest at my waist. He pulled me into him, pressing our bodies together. I took in a deep breath, feeling a rush pulse through my veins. The woods became silent, and the wind stopped blowing, as if the world stilled just for us. We started to sway, slowly, from side to side. It was awkward, like he was nervous, which made a giggle bubble out of me, shaking my frame against his. He chuckled in response and started spinning me as we glided through the flowers, twirling one way and then another in motions that were graceful, magnificent, and magical. I barely felt my feet touching the ground. The beauty and fluidity felt like flying.
We slowed, returning to the center of the field and shifting back into the sway before stopping completely.
“We have to get back, but I want you to promise me something...” Marren said. I worried that there was something on his mind, a weight that burdened him.
“What?” I asked.
“Promise you'll remember this day, no matter what decision you make.” His voice was sad and fearful.
“What decision am I to make?” I asked, twirling a strand of his hair around my finger and losing myself in his eyes.
He pressed his lips to mine. The sweetness in his kiss filled me but his lips were almost too soft. “You'll see…just promise me you'll remember today.”
“I could never forget, but, I don't understand. What is this about?”
He weaved his fingers through mine. “Come on, we need to get back.”
When we walked through the door, one of the servants ran up with a letter folded and sealed. Marren took it then read it to himself. I followed him into the dining hall and watched as he threw it into the fire. He stood, watching it burn while I felt helpless and lost. He leaned an arm against the mantle and clenched his fist. The muscles in his jaw bulged. I stepped forward as he moved to the table and sat down. I sat down next to him.
“Is everything okay?” I laid my hand over his. His eyes met mine, filling me with fear. I couldn't be sure why I was overcome with fear, nor entirely positive that it didn’t have anything to do with what was in that letter.
“We have some company coming from the other world. They somehow know about you and my intentions.”
“Okay, I'll do my best to impress them.”
A few servants walked in, placing goblets of wine and bowls of stew in front of us.
“They're not wanting to be impressed Relena, they want to find out if I've broken the law.”
“What law?”
“Can we talk about something else, please?” He was clearly agitated. It didn’t seem like something that normally happened to him. He always seemed so composed.
“Sure.” I sat back in my chair, slouching with my legs crossed and my hair over my shoulder. “What is a Therianthrope?” I knew it wasn’t the time to have that conversation, but the words slipped out before I could stop them.
He heaved a heavy sigh and sat back in his chair. “It is a person that can shape shift into different animals.”
I figured since he was willing to talk, I would keep going as long as I could. “What sort of animals?”
“It depends on the family.”
“What about your family?” I asked, feeling like he was close to shutting down again.
“I don't have any family left.�
�
“Oh, what happened to them?” I felt ashamed for bring up a painful subject, but my curiosity wouldn’t let it be.
“Nothing. I've never had one.”
“You don’t have a mother or a father?”
“I did once, but that was long ago.”
“I'm so sorry, Marren.”
“Don't be. I'm not alone in my kind. I just don't have a familial tie to them.”
“Oh…what animal do you change into?” I moved my hands to my lap and sat up so he didn't see the nervousness inside me. Since the night before, I couldn’t keep that picture from my mind for very long. Each time it came to the front, I struggled to push it back.
“I would rather not talk about that right now.”
“I know you're afraid. I get that. But you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm not going to leave and I could never run away from you. Especially after you came around when no one else wanted me, saved me from whatever twisted fate the Cyrs had in mind, and brought me here to a world beyond my dreams. If anything, I owe you my life.”
“You don't know what you are saying. The magnitude of the words you speak. You don't even know what I am.”
“I don't care about what you are Marren, only who you are. You‘re someone extraordinary. The only person who could break down my walls and my guard. So, don't dare tell me I don't understand the magnitude of my words when I know very well the weight they hold.”
Marren shifted his gaze from me and lifted his hand to his temple, making me feel rejected. Being dealt a low blow, I felt like I had gotten my hopes up on something that didn’t exist. I left Marren brooding alone.
When I got to my room I closed the door, happy to see a fire already roaring to life. I was going to have to remind myself to thank Enid when I saw him again. I walked to the table and pulled the comb out of my hair. It caught the glow of the fire, causing tiny beams of light to scatter along the gems. It was silver with red crystals set in shapes of flowers and silver leaves. I set it on the table and moved to take off the rest of the ridiculous outfit.
A rumble of thunder in the distance, followed by the cries of a lonely pack of wolves, sounded through the air and chilled my skin. I ran to the balcony and pulled open the doors, only to be disappointed by the empty garden below. Not so much as a shadow moved within the trees. I walked back inside to continue undressing—leaving on only the underdress— then parted the sheers surrounding the bed and climbed in. I wanted nothing more than to pull the covers over me and shut out the rest of the world.
6
Reveal Of A Dark Secret
I woke from a fitful sleep with a loud clap of thunder that shook the room. I sat up, struggling to catch my breath, when I saw someone at the foot of the bed. “Marren?”
“I'm here.”
“What are you doing at the foot of my bed?” I snapped, still angry.
“I want you to see me…what I am,” he replied as if he was surrendering to something he didn’t want to do.
My heart started to race. Questions and warnings rang in the back of my mind. But one thing overwhelmed them all. Need. A need to know, a need to see, a need to keep him with me because I was too proud to admit I was too scared to be alone.
I moved slowly, crawling on top of the blankets and to the edge of the bed. I stood on my knees and took deep breaths to calm myself as lightning and thunder crashed around me and rain pelted the stone balcony. I reached with trembling hands and pulled the sheers apart slowly. Marren stood on the other side of the bench, patiently waiting for my reaction. He stood perfectly still, like a statue belonging in the ball room with the other races, long fallen into myth and legend. Lighting flashed across his face and I knew then why he was so afraid.
I froze. Partly in terror and partly in awe. “You’re a werewolf.”
“Are you afraid of me?” he asked with uncertainty.
Of course I was afraid. It wouldn't be natural otherwise. But, I couldn’t tell him that. “No. More like…mesmerized.”
I leaned over the bench, reached out my hand and touched his face. It felt as soft and smooth as the human part of him. My fingers traced the changes, moving over the rises and falls of his features. Goosebumps rose on my arms and trickled down my spine. In another flash of lightning, I saw that his eyes were closed.
“You're beautiful,” I whispered.
“You—you don't think I'm a monster?”
I laughed under my breath, “How could I?”
“This is what I am. If living a life with me is what you really want, you will have to eventually make the change as well,” his words echoed soundlessly through my mind. I felt the urgency within them.
I dropped my hand and sat back on my legs. “Before I can think about that, you have to give me some answers.” He nodded slowly. “How old are you?”
“Old enough to have seen the changes in this world,” he spoke with sadness in his words.
“Does that mean you will you live forever?”
“Theoretically, yes.”
“So if I decide not to make the change, then...”
“It will kill me when you eventually die.”
“Why would my death kill you?” I felt like I was fighting a losing battle. Instead of getting answers, I found more questions.
His mouth opened as if he was going to answer but then he closed it, looking out the window. Worry creased his brow.
I tried a different approach, “Is that the decision you warned me of?”
“I wouldn’t want you to rush into something like this. It takes time. But, with the company that's coming, you'll need to make that decision sooner than I had hoped.”
I climbed onto the bench and to the floor to stand in front of him, my knees felt stiff from sitting on them. “When?”
“The decision will need to be made by tomorrow night.”
“What happens if I say no?”
“I would rather not have to think about that, but have considered that a possibility.”
“And?” I asked.
“And I’m hoping you won’t,” he said.
“Why is it important to you for me to say yes?”
“Because, my world was never complete until you were a part of it and you are my heart song.”
My mind emptied of everything. Every question, every thought and argument, even logic left my mind. Not once did I expect to hear words like his. I was never anything to anyone. My own father didn’t even want me, and yet, Marren did. The whirlwind of my life seemed less chaotic with him. He calmed the destructive force that claimed so much of me and when I thought about not having him around, my heart hurt. I’ve always been told persistence wins over patience. I just didn’t know how true that was until then.
My decision was made.
I lifted my hands to his chest, feeling his heart thumping hard enough to be felt through his shirt. I inched close enough to feel his breath blow over my neck and shoulders. His lips pressed into my forehead. I could tell he was holding back.
I slid my hands around his neck and pulled his lips to mine. Rushing fire pulsed through my veins, setting every nerve ending on fire. Everywhere his hands touched tingled like tiny bolts of lightning. Slowly, his arms wrapped around me as our kiss deepened. I felt my feet leave the floor as he carried me to the side of the bed, lying me down. His mouth traced the edge of my jaw and the length of my neck. He pulled away, letting his breath flow over my skin in warm waves, then said, “Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Yes.”
He pulled me into a sitting position as the light from another flash of lightning shone on his face. He was human again.
“Why change back?”
“I don’t know. I suppose it’s because I don’t want to overwhelm you.”
I let my underdress fall off my shoulders to my waist. His eyes took me in, pausing on my scar ridden torso. I moved to cover myself but he placed his hands on mine, moving them so his hand could trace the scars. I grabbed ahold of them when they started
shaking.
“They're just scars, Marren. Faded memories of a past I'm leaving behind.” My words came out calm and even, which was a surprise to me considering I was more nervous and unsure of myself than ever. His shaking subsided as our eyes met. “I promised to never run away from you. I owe you my life.”
“It will hurt,” he warned.
“No more than it would if you turned me away.”
He pulled off his shirt, tossing it to the floor then started kissing me again. I ran my fingers along the length of his back following the waves of muscle. His body felt like fire and as hard as stone, yet when he touched me or kissed me, it was gentle and subtle—like the touch of a feather. He breathed into my ear, “I have to bite you. I'll try to be as gentle as possible. But, I won't know if you’re hurting unless you tell me.”
“Okay,” I whispered.
He faced me. “You have to tell me if it hurts. I don't want to hurt you.”
“I don't think that's possible,” I said and pressed my lips to his, finding his kiss very addictive and that no amount would satiate me. Then a small fear crept into my mind. What if I'm not enough? What if he's had better? I pulled away from him. He looked at me with pursed brows, and was so still it was like he was afraid to move.
“Have you done this to anyone else?” I whispered to prevent my voice from shaking.
“Werewolves are just like regular wolves.”
I shook my head not understanding.
“We only fall in love once. You're my heart song, Relena. I've waited countless years for you. I'm never going to let you go nor could I ever turn you away.” His lips found mine as the weight of his body forced me on my back.
As he removed the rest of our clothing, his words rang in my head with a meaning I didn’t yet comprehend. You’re my heart song, Relena…I could never turn you away.
When he entered me, it hurt and yet was the best feeling in the world. I clawed him as a small moan escaped me, making him push harder into me. Everything within me pooled at my center. I craved release. Needed it. He brought me to a heightened level of pleasure I never knew was possible. The way we moved was like a dance. A constant rhythm and movement with our hands everywhere. Then he pulled me into his lap. I wrapped my legs and arms around him. He lifted my hair from my neck and shoulders and kissed the skin there.
Heart Song Page 6