Crow - The Awakening

by Michael J. Vanecek

  Steven gulped. He remembered Asherah crying as Sarah sang their ballad. Asherah's face was so close to his. He could feel her breath again on his cheek, and he was trembling, gripping his pants harder to keep his hands under control.

  "I miss you so much, Steven," Asherah whispered, pulling closer to him. He could feel the warmth of her body just millimeters from him. Steven felt like he was going to pass out as vertigo washed over him. He missed her too, but that was a big problem since she was imaginary.

  Asherah looked behind her at something Steven couldn't see again, then looked back at him, caressing his face with her hand. Shivers went up and down Steven's spine at her touch and the depth of emotion brought tears to his eyes. Waves of joy shot through him and he shivered as it lingered. "Listen, Steven. Things are not as they seem. I can't tell you more than that yet. Not now. Please don't torture yourself because of me." She followed Steven as he backed away, nearly overwhelmed by her touch. "I promise I'll explain it all soon, and it will change everything."

  She moved in on Steven and brushed against him. He could tell she was trembling too, barely able to restrain herself. She took a deep breath and he felt her breasts against him as she leaned into him. She felt so good and it was driving Steven crazy. For a second he was sure she was going to throw her arms around him and he so desperately wanted her to, then suddenly she stepped back, breathing deeply as she put her hands on her breast to still her racing heart. Steven could feel it, her heart. The sensation was dizzying as it raced as hard as his did and almost in sync. She closed her eyes and Steven felt her calming down. His own trembling abated somewhat. She opened her eyes, her look fierce as her eyes shifted from blue-gray to yellow and back. "Soon, Steven. Soon you'll understand everything."

  Steven shook his head, wondering what she was talking about. "Understand what?"

  She looked down, still trying to catch her breath. "Not yet." She looked around, back at something he couldn't see, then stepped closer to him, less seductive now. "But this guy, I don't trust him."

  "Okay, you're my intuition. An unusually... pretty intuition," Steven said, breathless as she looked at him longingly, tears of frustration flowing down her cheeks. Her crying made him cry and she kissed his tears gently as he closed his eyes. She moved in closer to him as he backed into the potting bench, and stopped just short of fully embracing him, her chest heaving. She leaned over, her fur just barely brushing his cheek.

  "I'm happy to be that for you, Steven," she whispered in his ear. He could feel her warm breath puffing on his ear as she talked and it sent shivers of anticipation down his spine. "Remember, we are part of each other, now and forever." Her lips just barely brushed his ear as she moved closer, her trembling chest against his as she nuzzled his neck.

  Steven turned to look at her face, wanting so badly to kiss her, but she suddenly disappeared. "Oh, this is so weird," Steven said as he left his greenhouse, his legs decidedly wobbly as he leaned against the door. He still felt her lingering touch on his chest and he took a second to collect himself before walking back toward the party. The music and dancing were still happening, but he was ready for bed so he gave Sarah a hug, shook Charley's hand and waved to the guitar player. He then retreated to his apartment, his heart still racing from his encounter with Asherah. He had no idea how much longer he could resist his imagination. He almost gave in tonight.

  Chapter 15

  The night was positively tropical. There was a slight glow to the east. The sun was about to rise. Steven lay back under the tree soaking it in. He loved watching the sun rise from there and often would take a break from his chores to go out there and experience it. He looked up, and even in the light of the waning full moon he could see the tall, solitary tree swaying in the gentle wind. He sat up and put his hand on it, feeling its strength and energy. The meadow around him was full of a cacophony of chirps and whistles, nighttime noises of frogs, crickets, and other creatures advertising their presence to each other. It had been a long time since he had been there, but he was home now. He lay back, wondering where he had been. He couldn't quite put his finger on it and stopped trying. After all, it didn't matter now that he had returned.

  He closed his eyes, feeling Asherah's presence within him. Steven missed her physical presence, however, and opened his eyes, scanning the meadow. She should be there. She usually was. But sometimes things just didn't work out and one of them would often get distracted by some task. He relaxed, waiting for her. He didn't want his love to miss the sunrise that he was so excited to share with her.

  He felt a presence and sat up. Looking around, he saw two shadows seem to materialize from the darkness. No, not Asherah. He grinned. It was his wolfman and vampire friends. What had they been up to while he was away? They must have been very bored to not have anyone to chase. But he wasn't really interested in playing right now. He had a date and was impatient for her to arrive. It had been an extremely long day, and he was more interested in soaking in the ambiance of the meadow with her than playing with his nightmares. He reclined back against the tree and the shadows seemed to fade away.

  Steven closed his eyes and savored the dizzying aroma around him. His favorite flowers were in full bloom and the air was thick with their scent, even at night. Sometimes Asherah would rub the flowers on her body, letting her fur absorb their aroma. She smelled good to begin with, but the scent of the flowers really took things up a notch. He picked a few flowers, excitedly anticipating aiding her, then sat back against the tree again with the flowers in his lap.

  His eyes drooped a little as Steven got sleepy. But no, he had just woken up. Maybe he didn't sleep well last night. Asherah wasn't there yet, perhaps just a little nap. But it seemed to get lighter through his eyelids and he opened his eyes to see the sun had already risen. Did he just take a nap? It seemed like he just closed his eyes. He must have dozed off and felt disappointment over missing the sunrise. A figure stood in the meadow amongst the tropical plants, looking at him. He rubbed his eyes. "Asherah?" No, it wasn't her. But she looked so familiar. Steven got up and suddenly the Elf was right in front of him, inches away. Steven found her eyes mesmerizing and he reached out to touch her. She recoiled at his touch but didn't back off. Her skin was soft and slightly furry.

  "Where are you?" she asked. Her authoritative voice seemed to bore into his head as she peered intently into his eyes. Steven gulped and bit his lip. The woman was emanating seduction as she leaned toward him. But while he could tell what she was doing, it was completely futile with him. Asherah was his heart irrevocably and completely.

  "Huh?" Steven looked around then back at her. "The meadow, of course." He wondered what sort of question that was.

  "Not here. Where are you?" she asked again, moving closer, keeping his gaze. Her irises were pulsing slightly with her heartbeat and Steven found it almost mesmerizing. Asherah's eyes did that too and he blinked, looking around and wishing she was there. He looked back at the woman. "Where?" she repeated softly, barely above a whisper. Steven cocked his head, confused. Where else would he be but there, his favorite spot? "Where else would I be?" he repeated his thought out loud. He shook his head. "Who are you? I've seen you before."

  "I'm her mother," Penipe said, trembling a little and moving even closer to him, looking into his eyes. Steven got the distinct impression she was trying to do something that wasn't quite working and it was frustrating her greatly. Steven stood there, frozen by her presence. It felt very familiar and Steven was sure he had met her before.

  "You're so beautiful," Steven responded, not able to help himself. The woman was stunningly gorgeous, even if she didn't look very happy right now. "Just like Asherah." His heart swelled when he thought of Asherah. The woman's eyes flashed yellow when he mentioned her daughter's name. Steven found it all so fascinating. This woman's familiarity perplexed him, and he tried his best to remember her. Who was she? Where had he met her before? She certainly seemed to know him.

  She reached out and put her hands on his c
heeks. They were soft, but surprisingly firm. She moved in closer to him, her body up against his while she looked deep into his eyes. "This is just a dream, Steven. Where are you?" She was pulling out all the stops to get a reaction out of him, to get him under her spell, but it still wasn't working. Everything she did just reminded him all the more of Asherah.

  Steven put a hand on one of hers. Her touch was reminding him of someone else who would also touch him like that and at that moment he missed Asherah greatly. "Please. I don't understand what you're trying to ask. This is the meadow. I come here every day. Asherah is supposed to be here, maybe she can tell you." He looked around with his eyes for Asherah, a little nervous now.

  Suddenly his head throbbed and it felt like spikes of hot iron were being forced through the back of his skull and the woman grew furious, her face lighting up with unbridled anger and her eyes flashing a rich yellow. "Where are you!" she screamed at him, and curled her lips back to reveal her canines as she grit her teeth and poured pain into him. Steven's head seemed to fill with fire as the pain shot all the way through to his fingertips.

  Before Steven could respond to the pain, the woman was ripped away from him and thrown up against the tree hard enough to shake it and send leaves falling down around them. Steven bent over in pain and fell to a knee, holding his head. The agony still coursed through him as if she was still holding his face and he hurt so much he couldn't even cry. Looking up, he blinked and saw that Asherah stood between the woman and him. He rubbed the back of his head and suddenly he felt Asherah in him very strongly, washing over him and through him in massive waves that made him shudder. His pain subsided abruptly so he could finally breathe again, and he cried out from the pain finally. Taking a deep breath, he looked up at Asherah. "Did I say something?" Steven gasped.

  "No, honey. You're just not familiar with dreamscapes." Asherah looked back at him, making sure he was okay, then turned her attention to Penipe. He had never seen her so furious and she was almost predatory as she defended the love of her life. "And you should know that." Her words dripped with restrained ferocity as she maintained her defensive position.

  "Well, tell her I'm sorry if I made her mad, okay?" Steven sat down hard, rubbing the back of his head as the agony slowly subsided. The woman looked sharply at him, surprised. Then she looked back at her daughter, absolutely stunned. Steven shook his head, wondering what he had done. He couldn't for the life of him think of anything he did to make the woman so angry, and yet he felt bad that she was mad at him. For some reason, it was important to him that the woman like him.

  Penipe ached from the strike and she winced as she stood up. Asherah's strength surprised her. But even more so, she was stunned that the deviant had apologized to her for something he didn't even know he did. Things were quickly getting upside down for her. She looked at Asherah and her heart broke for her daughter. Why was she defending the deviant against her?

  "Don't worry, Steven. She's just leaving," Asherah said to the deviant as she walked up to her mother and they stood face to face staring at each other, her intense rage just barely restrained.

  "You've grown so big," Penipe gasped as she looked at her daughter as if for the first time. Her knees threatened to buckle and she had to grab the tree to stay upright. Asherah stared at her, not responding. Penipe fought back tears as she hesitantly reached out to touch her daughter, regretting the missed years of her childhood with all her heart. Asherah flinched, defensive of the woman who was a threat to the one she loved. Penipe stopped, hurt, and pulled her hand back and looked at Steven. "You don't know what you are doing, Asherah," she said, urgency filling her voice.

  "Yes. I do. You must respect that," Asherah said firmly, glaring at Penipe.

  "Why are you fighting me? I'm your mother!" Penipe pleaded, heartbroken as she reached out again, wanting more than anything to touch her daughter.

  "I don't know you, Mother. I do know him. Far better than you ever could," Asherah stated matter-of-factly. She maintained her position between Steven and Penipe and stood just out of reach, scowling at her mother.

  "He will kill you! You know he's a deviant," Penipe stated, incredulous at her daughter's rebellion.

  "You would kill me by killing him," Asherah responded coldly.

  "I didn't bond with him! You did!" Penipe insisted, sobbing at the horrible reality of the circumstances. She couldn't comprehend how anyone could have committed this atrocity, much less her own daughter.

  "And you don't trust your daughter," Asherah said, sternly but softer as she moved closer to her mother.

  Penipe got a strange look on her face, unable to respond. She opened her mouth but had no words to say. She looked over Asherah's shoulder at the deviant then back at her daughter who maintained her gaze, her eyes softening to blue-gray.

  "Trust me, Mother. That's all I ask," Asherah whispered to her. She reached out and touched Penipe's cheek. Penipe breathed in sharply and put her hand on Asherah's and they stared into each others eyes for a long moment, then Penipe suddenly disappeared.

  Asherah deflated somewhat and her shoulders sagged. Steven looked at her for a moment and went and embraced her to keep her from falling. She embraced him back, sobbing briefly as she quaked in his arms.

  "Parents," Steven said, caressing her hair, hurting and crying with her. "What can you do with them?" It was a rhetorical question, of course. He sorely wanted her mother to like him.

  Asherah composed herself and she took a deep trembling breath as he kissed her tears. She looked at him lovingly and they sank down together into the tropical meadow together, sitting amongst the flowers. "They're close, Steven. But they won't find you. I promise that." Her eyes flashed yellow briefly and he felt her intensity wash over him.

  "Who?" Steven looked at her, confused.

  She smiled and caressed his face. "Don't worry, honey. Just sit here with me. Hold me." She put her head on his chest and he ran his fingers through her hair as he embraced her, overwhelmed with love for her.

  "I'm always here for you, Asherah." Steven put his finger under her chin, tilting her face up slightly. "As you like to remind me, we are a part of each other - now and forever."

  Asherah met his gaze for a long moment. "You remember that?"

  "I know. Guys aren't supposed to listen to their women. I goofed." Steven grinned.

  Asherah giggled, sniffing a little. Steven wiped her tears from her moist cheeks and kissed her softly, then more passionately as she returned his kiss. She put her head back on his chest and they sat there enjoying the morning sun.

  "I'm your woman, huh?" she said, smiling, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

  "Oh, yeah, baby." Steven hugged her tighter.

  "I can't wait for you to meet the Elder, Steven. He'll fix everything." She snuggled deeper into his embrace.

  "The who?" She was always surprising him with something new.

  "Don't worry, sweetie. You'll know him when you meet him." She looked up at Steven. So much she needed to tell him and yet so much she mustn't. Not yet.

  "Steven?"

  "Yes?" Steven answered, closing his eyes and soaking in the meadow. Asherah's voice sounded different, however, and he furrowed his eyebrows.

  "Steven. You need to wake up."

  "What? I'm awake." Steven clenched his eyes tighter, holding Asherah in his arms.

  "C'mon. Your alarm didn't go off."

  That didn't sound like Asherah at all. He opened his eyes and saw Richard standing in the bedroom carrying a toolbox. Steven looked down and and saw that he was wrapped up in his covers and embracing his pillow. Blinking, Steven looked back at Richard as he grunted and walked out of the bedroom.

  "Did I oversleep?" Steven propped himself up on his elbow, rubbing his eyes as the last of his dream faded away and reality took hold. His heart was racing and his head still throbbed, but that too faded as he started waking up more. He never overslept. Steven was usually up before even Richard, who himself was an early riser.
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br />   "You could say that. You guys stay up all night partying again?" Richard put the toolbox down and sat at the bar. They always stayed out longer than he did but then he had to get up early in the morning to keep their building from falling apart around them. Steven seemed to stay up later too, but appeared to not need as much sleep as most. Except today.

  "Naw. I went to bed early. Must have been really wiped." Steven stretched and rolled out of bed, tripping a little on the covers that still clung to him. "What do we have today?"

  "Air conditioning fan bearing is squealing. It's time to replace it before it fails." Richard munched on a donut he brought up with him as he fingered through one of Steven's technical books. He was still awed at just how smart the kid was. And yet Steven never lorded it over anyone.

  "That's what that sound is." Steven stumbled out of the bedroom. He was surprised at how high the sun was, squinting from the glare coming in his window. He usually got up before the sun rose. "It was starting to get really irritating."

  "I'd be working on it now but it's over by your bees." Richard looked sideways at Steven. He couldn't complain too much. He really liked the honey.

  "You have a problem with my girls?" Steven grabbed a mushroom and started munching on it as he searched around for his box of figs he recently harvested. He would normally make some eggs to go along with the mushroom, but it would appear that the day had started without him and he didn't have time.

  "Your girls like you. They don't seem to care for me." Richard rubbed the back of his neck where a small welt still itched. They weren't really defensive, for honeybees. But all honeybees have stingers for a reason and one saw fit to remind him of that little fact.

  "You just don't have that touch, Richard." Steven found his figs and grabbed a handful. "That's okay. You just listen to the love doctor and I'll fix you up." He grinned as he stuffed a fig in his mouth, savoring its rich taste.

  "Uh huh. You and your bees." Richard stood up, shaking his head and grabbing another doughnut. "I'll see you out there." Steven waved as he stuffed another fig in his mouth, trying to rush breakfast.