by Alexis Batty
Ash rests his head on top of mine, and I have the sudden urge to cry, again. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. There’s also the possibility I’m going to die.
“Gwen, I can’t promise nothing will go wrong tomorrow, but I can promise I will do everything in my power to fight with you every step of the way,” Ash whispers.
I smile weakly as I dig my face into his chest. “Ash you have a life you have to get back to at some point. You can’t just babysit me for the rest of either of our lives.”
He wraps his arms around my shoulders while I cling to him. “There is no one else I would rather spend the rest of my life babysitting.”
I close my eyes wishing that could always be true. Ash runs his hands up and down my back. The tension slowly eases out of my body. I didn’t know I had been holding on to it.
I’ve always been able to let stress and tension roll off of me, but then again, this is the first time that my life has literally been on the line. I can die the moment we leave this place, so the tension is to be expected. I just didn’t expect it, silly me.
We stand like this for a long time. I would have stayed like that except Ash picked me up. I keep my eyes closed enjoying the feeling that I’m completely protected in his arms.
Somehow, he manages to lie down on the blanket. Snuggling into his heat is so relaxing. I let out a long sigh. Ash, of course, chuckles. I roll my eyes, which is quite a feat since my eyes are closed.
13
Grumbling, I get up on one arm. I forgot to close the blinds now the sun is blinding me. Squinting, I look around to find the offending blinds and sun. My eyes land on Ash. He’s sleeping on the blanket next to me. His arm is draped across my hip.
Ash’s eyes fly open and his hand grips my hip while a wicked smile graces his face. He’s up to something devious I’m sure of it.
“I actually meant to have you back before morning. Xerxes is probably beside himself. When he sees us come back together and disheveled, he is going to think the worst of me. It’s going to drive him bonkers,” he says between cackles.
I roll my eyes and smile. He’s adorable, but I did need to get back. “I need a bath. There’s no way I’m missing out on that amazing tub one last time. Also, I still have to figure out what to wear and be lectured by Xerxes and solidify the plans for tonight. Sounds so fun, right?” I say while maintaining a sarcastically upbeat tone.
Ash pulls my face towards his and kisses me. It’s a deep and desperate kind of kiss that sends currents of sparks and heat through me. We break the kiss, breathless and wanting more.
“Let’s get you back Buttercup. I’ll keep Xerxes off of your back, so you can enjoy the rest of your day till we leave.” Ash tries to smile reassuringly, but we both know he is as worried about tonight as I am.
“How exactly do you plan to do that?” I ask as I help Ash fold the blanket.
“Oh never you mind that,” vaguely responds Ash.
We walk back at normal speed, while Ash asks question after question. He doesn’t give me time to ask any questions about him. It’s like he’s trying to learn absolutely everything he can about me. I have to admit I am enjoying the attention. No one has taken as much interest in my life as he has.
I laugh, “You can’t possibly have any more questions. Well, I guess you could ask what toothpaste I use, but outside of that you really know all there is to know about little ol’ me.”
“You use Crest Toothpaste, and I can’t place the brand of shampoo and conditioner but it has a citrus smell to it. Personally, I do like the shampoo but your own personal fragrance is better than the soap you’ve been using. It’s not the same one you used before we came here though. That one was amazing.” Ash was practically purring.
Ash’s reaction made me want to make a new batch of soap. I had almost forgotten that he knew what kind of toothpaste I use.
“How do you know all that?”
“My sense of smell is attuned to such things. It comes in handy being a cop. I can pinpoint a suspect by the smell. Where did you get that soap you were using? I can have someone pick some more up for you, and we can get it tonight,” Ash said excitedly.
He looks like a little boy in a candy store as he bounced on the balls of his feet begging to know my big secret.
“I make it myself. I can just make a new batch this morning.”
Ash’s eyes lit up with excitement, “Perfect. Can you use it before we leave?”
“It takes some time to cure normally at least twenty-four hours,” I giggle.
“Oh,” he sighs looking crestfallen.
We are walking past the garden when we see him. Xerxes is pacing on the back porch.
“Lovely,” I groan.
Xerxes storms towards us like a freight train. This is going to be unpleasant, to say the least. His face is an interesting shade of purply red, the darkest I’ve ever seen. His knuckles are white as he clenching his fists.
“What are you going to do if he hits you?” I ask Ash tentatively.
“Laugh because he should know better.” Ash shrugs as his wicked smirk appears once again.
“What are you doing? How can you possibly think taking her and running off all night is beneficial! She needs to be here learning exactly what is expected of her tonight. Now the whole night is wasted. What did you do to her?!” screams Xerxes.
“Excuse me?” I say challenging his possessive words.
“I will deal with you later,” hisses Xerxes.
Ash moves so fast that Xerxes doesn’t have time to even flinch. I watch as Ash’s canines grow to fangs and his nails turn to claws around Xerxes' throat. The growl that comes from Ash is low and menacing and sends a thrill through me. He really will do anything to protect me from anyone.
“Go ahead mutt. Go ahead kill her own father while she watches. She will know exactly what kind of monster you are,” taunts Xerxes.
“You are not my father. The way you treat me and those I care about makes you more of a sperm donor in my eyes. My real father does everything he can to keep his promises, you forgot almost instantly,” I enunciated each word carefully. My voice is low and calm belaying the fury raging through me.
Xerxes looks confused. “What are you talking about?”
“You promised me you would not resort to dictatorial tendencies,” I remind him. “Now if you'll excuse us there are some things that need to be done to prepare for tonight.”
“Go ahead Buttercup. I think the two of us need to have a chat, just a nice harmless chat I promise,” growls Ash.
“Be good,” I say as I kiss Ash’s cheek.
“Always Buttercup.”
I walk into the house weary from the confrontation with Xerxes. Even though it was a short argument I feel drained, like the weight of the world has come crashing down on me once again.
To distract myself, I make a list of the things I need to make soap. As I think of each ingredient and piece of equipment, Binawalka makes them appear on the counter in front of me.
I throw myself into weighing ingredients and putting them in the crockpot. Once everything is in, I make my essential oil blend. It’s a floral and woody fragrance. I think I could get used to not having to pay for my essential oils.
I test the blend by mixing a few drops with some coconut oil and rubbing it on my hands. It smells perfect.
Ash walks in and takes a deep breath through his nose. “Now that is divine,” he sighs.
I can’t help but laugh as he takes my hands and practically shoves them up his nose.
“You should just slather this stuff all over you. It works just as well. The coconut threw me off for a second.”
“I don’t think I’m going to do that. I have a better idea anyway.”
“What?” asks Ash. He takes another inhale.
“Nope, not telling you. Now if you’ll excuse me I have to finish making my soap,” I jokingly reprimand him. I finish the soap and grab my blend bottle. “I am going to go talk to my mom.”
“S
he’s in the library.”
“Thank you, why don’t you go for a run?” I suggest.
Ash takes one last smell of my hands and kisses me gently. I sigh as I watch him transform into his wolf form and take off for the woods.
Life is just not fair. Why couldn’t I have met him long before all this drama started happening? We could be married already with a couple of kids. No, that would be worse because then they would be after our children. Fear gripped me tight as I think about the possibility of my children being hunted.
“So why did you have to send him away to talk to me?” asked Jacqueline from the kitchen entrance.
I sigh, “Because he has supersonic hearing, and I didn’t want to take the chance of him overhearing us. That would be embarrassing. I just need a little girl talk that’s all.”
My mom cocks her head to the side staring at me. “Well, your father and I approve of him. He would make a wonderful addition to the family. Complete with the added bonus of him being immune to magic, so he makes an excellent bodyguard.”
“Mom, how much time have you spent with him? You can’t give me advice to jump right in and marry him the next time he brings up the m-word just because he is immune to magic,” I scoff.
Jacqueline laughs, “We have spent more time with him over the past six weeks then we have with you. He has helped us in the garden and gone fishing with your father in the pond.
“Mark, his father, is the Alpha of the Sterling Pack which is the local pack back home. They’re also the second largest pack in the world. The first one is in Russia.
“Xerxes and the Sterling Pack have a history of misunderstandings and are currently in an unstable truce. Xerxes does appear to be the biggest problem; he has racist tendencies when it comes to lupines. Want more? I can go on if you like.”
“Um, no you can stop. Also, I noticed that his tendencies,” I snort. “It’s a little obvious.”
“It’s a very sad story. Xerxes and Mark were friends until Xerxes’ wife ended up dead by what appeared to be a lupine’s hands. Mark said it didn’t smell like a lupine, but that there was a strong smell of magic. Xerxes had been trying to heal her and says that is the magic Mark smelled.
“No one knows who did kill her and Xerxes blames Mark for not siding with him. But Mark wasn’t willing to start a witch hunt for a lupine when he wouldn’t be able to ID them by the smell, so they split ways and now avoid each other.”
It’s a sad story and it makes sense why he is so horrible to Ash. However, he’s going to have to learn to deal with it if he wants any kind of a relationship with me.
Ash is a part of my life at least at the moment and a large part of me hopes that he always will be. There’s a distinct possibility that is entirely possible if I die soon.
“Gwendelyn, you have to forgive him. Not just for how rude he has been to Ash but also for not finding you sooner. Piper had written a letter for us that included a picture of him. We burned both after reading them. She told us that Xerxes would want to find you and try to keep you safe on his own. She said he would be set on it once he found out and she was going to tell him,” Jacqueline sighed. “Apparently, she convinced him not to look for you.”
“No, she didn’t. He looked for me, but he realized she was right after failing year after year. She died when I was six months old,” I said. It feels like a confession.
“Then you need to ask yourself what the real problem is. Why are you so bent on not liking him?”
“I don’t know, Mom,” I complain.
“Yes, you do. There is nothing he can do that will replace Fred as your father. Being a father is more than just providing half of a person’s DNA. It’s spending time with your child and helping them learn and grow.
“Gwen, both your adoptive and biological fathers understand this. Don’t shut out Xerxes without giving him a real chance to prove that he wants to be a part of your life.”
“Then he better be nicer to Ash. I want to claw his eyes out every time he calls him mutt,” I growl. It’s a growl that would have given Ash a run for his money.
“Tell him that the next time you see him,” suggests Jacqueline. “Go take your bath. I know you want to go soak in that fragrance just for Ash. Hopefully, he doesn’t try to shove all of you up his nose like he almost did with your hands.”
I laugh as I head to the stairs, “Thanks, Mom.”
I have to pass Ash’s room to get to mine. His door is open and I can’t help but sneak a peek. This is the room that Ash has called home for the past several weeks.
I had told Binawalka to change everyone’s room to what they want. I didn’t want to control other people’s bedrooms. A bedroom should be a person’s escape from whatever they need to escape from.
My jaw drops. It’s nothing like what I had pictured. There’s wood everywhere. It’s like the inside of a cabin, except this wood is various shades of gray. It’s somehow a very bright room, but still cozy.
There’s a fireplace in the middle of the room with a large shag gray rug in front of it. A large stump sits next to the fireplace and has a large pile of books on it. He’s definitely a man after my own heart. I can’t help but look at what he’s reading.
Ash has astronomy books and murder mysteries. I pick up one I had read and find a sticky note inside. There is a list of possible suspects and why he suspects them.
“You know snooping isn’t polite.”
He’s so quiet I didn’t hear him move up behind me. I almost jump out of skin. I carefully set the book down before I drop it.
Immediately, I turn red and clench my hands against my stomach which is tied in knots. “The door was open and I was just,” I stammered.
“Curious,” whispers Ash in my ear. “You are always welcome in my room day or night.”
“Down boy,” I laugh. “I’ve got something, um, I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later.” I make the mistake of looking into Ash’s eyes. Ever since I first opened my eyes that morning so long ago, his eyes have a habit of holding me captive. I watch as he leans his head down towards me. Instinctively, I rise up on my toes to meet him. His kisses melt my soul even the short ones.
“Go do whatever it is you need to do before I decide to hold you captive,” growls Ash.
“Always the big bad wolf.” I smile shaking my head as I leave for my room.
None of the doors have locks. I’m always worried that someone would come barging in when I didn’t want to be bothered. Whispering, I ask Binawalka to keep the door locked until I say otherwise.
The bath is the best thing about this bathroom. It’s large and comfortable. I end up completely relaxed. I can feel myself dozing. My mind swirls with all the recent events. I’m not sure what to think. A day will come where I am going to have to let Ash go.
14
“GET UP GWENDELYN!”
I wake gasping for air and coughing up water. My dozing had turned into sleeping. Bath time is over.
I look for the woman that had saved me. No one is in the bathroom, bedroom, or the closet. It must have been my subconscious fighting for survival.
It’s easy to forget the encounter when I walk into the closet again. It’s completely empty except for one dress. It’s a beautiful dress and is traditional style of clothes from, you know, the Middle Ages.
It starts out black at the shoulders, but the further down the sleeves and the dress you go the more the color changes to dark navy blue. Moons are embroidered on the hems of the sleeves as well as the skirt. Tiny gems are sewn into the fabric of the skirt scattering light like the night sky.
I look at the back and discover a major problem with the dress. It requires someone lacing me into it like a corset.
“Ash I need my mom, now please,” I sigh.
Binawalka has a tendency to be rather stubborn. I’m still stuck in mostly black clothes like he wants me to be hard to see. Good grief, I’ve been calling Binawalka a he like he’s a real person or something.
Clutching the bathrobe even
tighter around me, I worry that one day I’m going to meet Binawalka. What if the house decides I need an actual physical being to talk to?
I mentally tell Binawalka that the only time he’s allowed to physically manifest himself is if I pop over wounded and needing medical attention with no one else here.
“Gwen where are you? Why won’t your door open? There are no locks. Gwen! Are you alright? If you don’t answer I’m having Ash break the door down,” yells Jacqueline.
I can hear Ash saying he doesn’t smell anything wrong and trying to calm her down.
Silently, I ask Binawalka to open the door for them. “I’m in the closet, Mom.”
“Gwen, you nearly gave me a heart attack. What is the prob-oh wow,” responds Jacqueline. “Is that the only thing in here?”
“Well no, there is a pair of leggings in the drawer over there. So once you include those in the inventory of clothing in here, then yes this is all I’ve got. Nothing I think or say or do makes any difference,” I complain.
“So just wear the dress. It’s my understanding that is the style that is supposed to be worn,” Ash suggests while trying to sound innocent and leaning against the door frame.
He’s staring at the dress with an impish smile on his face. I don’t have to imagine how much he would love to see me in the dress. All night long, I’m going to be stuck in it. I’ve never been particularly fond of dresses. If Ash is excited to see me in this one, then maybe for one night I can deal with it. Besides I don’t think I have much of a choice, my only other option is my birthday suit.
“You’re right,” I sigh. “Mom I’m going to need your help lacing this thing up.”
“I’ll be in your room if you need me. I can be helpful,” said Ash as he glances at my mom. My mom looks a little sheepish.
“Mom, what did you do?” I ask.
Jacqueline looks down at her feet and shrugs. I notice the bandage wrapped around one of her fingers.
“Never mind I don’t want to know.”
“Xerxes healed most of it. He said he isn’t very good at healing spells and Jared wasn’t here to help, so it is still there but it isn’t that bad. You weren’t even here how did you know?” Jacqueline asks Ash.