by S. N. Hunt
Micheal paused as he grasped the doorknob. He turned back to reply and saw that he stood back in the hallway. He turned the knob and walked in.
Chapter Eight
Sarah noticed a tickle on the end of her nose. She opened her eyes and looked at a little woman laying on the bed next to her. The little woman was no bigger than Sarah’s hand. She laid on her side, looking into Sarah’s eyes. Her short hair was spiked and a deep brown. Her eyes were the color of spring grass. She was clad in a dress that looked to be made of petals and leaves. Her feet were bare, and she was slender like a twig. She smiled at Sarah and tucked her arm under her head.
Sarah blinked and smiled back. She heard giggles in her room. Sitting up, she spotted a dozen other women at the foot of the bed. They were laying a purple dress across the bed. The one lying next to her jumped up and flew, joining the others. They all had gossamer wings that reflected the light like a prism, creating a cascade of colors. They giggled once more and flew out the window near her bed.
Sarah had been so tired after eating, that she had laid down in bed and fallen asleep. She was still dressed, but a cover had been laid over her. She climbed out of the bed and looked around the room. A white wardrobe was against the left wall. Carvings of trees and animals covered the doors. Opening a door, she saw it was stocked with multiple dresses. The bed took up the back wall. It was carved in the same fashion but had vines and flowers curling all around the foot and headboards. By the right wall was the pool of water that Dyrinn had talked about.
Sarah walked to the edge of the wide pool. Steps descended into the pool on one side. All around the edge of the pool, vines dipped into the water. She dipped a hand into it and found that the water was warm. She disrobed and stepped into the pool. Sighing with contentment, she leaned back against the side of the pool. She watched as vines sprouted flowers and dipped them into the water. The sweetest perfume she had ever smelt drifted in the air as the flowers rose from the water. A flower opened near her shoulder and nestled inside was a bar of soap.
Sarah quickly cleaned herself, then lounged in the water. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been this relaxed. Lifting her legs, she floated on the surface of the water. She closed her eyes and sighed.
“As much as I love the view, the queen is expecting us soon.”
Sarah snapped her eyes open and sunk into the pool. She covered herself quickly with her hands. Glancing over her shoulder, she caught Micheal standing at the edge of the pool.
“What the hell, Micheal? Can't you knock!”
He chuckled, “You said you were going to bathe last night. I knocked, by the way. You were just enjoying yourself too much to notice. Time to get out, princess.”
He held up a towel in front of him. She noticed he was standing right in front of the stairs. She gritted her teeth.
“I am not coming out till you turn around or leave.”
“Then you are going to be one hell of a prune.”
He can’t get it up, anyway. He has said many times he is cold and dead. Fine, he wants a show. I will give him a show.
Sarah dropped her hands and turned around. She sauntered towards him. She reached the steps, gazed up at him and licked her bottom lip as she ascended the steps. Halfway up, she stopped and lifted her arms. She grabbed her hair with both hands. The water cascaded down her as she wrung and twisted her hair. She then lifted it over her shoulders like she had seen models do in those sexy commercials on tv. Continuing up the steps, she stood in front of him. She lifted her arms above her head as he wrapped the towel around her.
He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her against him tightly. She lowered her arms around his neck. He ran a hand down and gripped her buttock tightly. She swallowed hard, her breathing hitched, and a blush stained her cheeks.
“Nice show, princess. It almost makes me regret having to meet the queen.”
His smell surrounded her and made her feel lightheaded. Warmth curled in her belly and she leaned into him. His hand released her buttocks and skimmed up her arm. His touch made her close her eyes. Goosebumps spread over her skin where he touched with his gloved hand. He grabbed her hands and pulled her arms from his neck. She whimpered before she could catch herself.
He chuckled and led her to the bed. Her eyes went wide, and she felt her womanhood clench. He grabbed the dress off the bed and held it up to her. The blush on her face grew deeper. This time in embarrassment.
She grabbed the dress and lowered her eyes, trying to hide her disappointment. He put a finger under her chin and raised her gaze.
“If only we had more time, princess. If you knew all the answers to all your questions. I promise we wouldn’t leave this room for days.” He said in a husky voice.
Her legs turned to jelly instantly from his voice. She leaned against the side of the bed, afraid she would collapse. Micheal took the dress from her and laid it back down on the bed. He unwrapped the towel from around her. Tossing it to the side, he grabbed up the dress again. He slipped it over her head and put her arms through it. Gently, he sat her on the edge of the bed. He then grabbed a brush from the nightstand and worked it through her strands gently.
Micheal slipped flats onto her feet and helped her stand. He walked her to the door. Quickly turning, he pulled her into his arms. He reached up and brushed a strand of hair from her eyes.
“I like your hair down, princess. You should wear it like this for me more often.” He said as he walked them through the door.
∞∞∞
Sarah and Micheal stood in a grand hall. Queen Lyris sat upon a silver throne at the end of the hall. Micheal guided her down the aisle toward the woman. All around them, wood elves regarded them with curious eyes. Dyrinn stood to the right of the queen and followed their approach with a smile.
The queen shined like a star. Her silver dress reflected the light in the hall. Her long blonde hair was braided and hung down around her shoulders. Sarah was in awe of her beauty.
Micheal bowed to the queen and pulled Sarah down with him. Sarah stumbled against him and shot a look up at the queen. The corner of the queen’s mouth twitched and her brown eyes twinkled. She gestured with her hand at Micheal. He stood and with a light touch on her elbow, guided Sarah up.
“Good morning, Sarah and Micheal. Welcome to the wood elves’ kingdom of Ollsrion. Come, let us walk through the courtyard.”
Lyris stood and strode behind the throne. She walked through an archway into a courtyard. Micheal and Sarah followed closely behind. Sarah saw a fountain in the middle of the courtyard. It had a sculpture of two lovers embracing. The queen stopped and looked up at the fountain sculpture.
“It is quite beautiful. I have seen a fountain like this one once before, though the sculpture was different, Your Majesty.” Micheal said as he looked up at the fountain.
“Oh, really? I have never heard of another like this one. Very strange. Sarah, are you enjoying your accommodations? I hope the pixies were not too troublesome this morning. They love new people and volunteered to make your clothes. They can be quite mischievous.”
“The room is lovely. The little women this morning?” she asked.
The queen nodded.
“They were wonderful. I had no idea they made this dress. They are highly skilled.”
The queen smiled, “They made all your clothes. Not just the dress you wear, but the ones in your wardrobe as well. I ask you to stay for a few days. I wish to learn more about you, Sarah.”
Sarah looked at the queen in confusion.
“Why? I am a human. As far as I can tell, humans aren’t exactly welcome here in the Veil.”
“You are much more than human, Sarah. But that is not my story to tell. Tonight we will have a grand feast in your honor. It has been an awfully long time since we have had guests. I think my subjects deserve a night of merrymaking.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Micheal said with a bow.
Lyris walked around the fountain, deeper into the courtyard. The
vines stretched out to touch the bottom of her dress. Almost as if they were seeking her attention. They came to a curtain of vines. Lyris raised a hand, and the curtain parted.
Sarah looked out over the forest. Thousands of balconies could be seen against tree trunks. Wood elves crossed bridges between trees and laughter could be heard. Looking over the edge of the courtyard, she saw a lake below them. Boats dotted the lake as fishermen hauled in nets.
“It’s beautiful.” She said as she stared at it in awe.
“That it is. Thousands of wood elves live in this city. We prefer the solitude of our forest. It is peaceful. We protect all that nature has to offer. But something threatens that peacefulness.”
Sarah turned from the picturesque city and looked up at the queen.
“The man that hunts you. Do you know who he is?”
Micheal stiffen next to her. She squeezed his forearm and shook her head no.
“His name is Antony. He rules over a small corner of the Veil. He threatens to break our peacefulness. His army and minions hunt our forests. We want it stopped. I offer you my assistance in your fight against him.”
“I don’t have a fight against him. I don’t even know why I am here.”
“You are here to right the balance between good and evil. You are meant for great things. I have foreseen the battle to come. Know that if you require help, I will assist you. I can say no more on the matter. Just know that I am your ally.”
Lyris gestured away from the ledge and led them back through the courtyard to the fountain. Sarah stared down into the water of the fountain. She examined the ripples across the surface. They cleared for a moment and she saw herself in the arms of a man. She wrinkled her brow and looked closer. The man wore a black cloak, but his face was not covered. He was kissing her deeply and his coal black hair covered his face. Just as he lifted his head, she felt a tug on her arm. She broke eye contact with the water and looked up at Micheal.
“Sarah, are you alright?”
She looked at him for a moment. Then looked back into the water, but the scene was gone.
“I thought I saw something in the water. But there is nothing there.”
She looked up at Lyris. The queen smiled widely and nodded. Her eyes seemed to stare right into Sarah’s soul.
“I will see you both at the feast. Till then relax and explore the city. There is a market close to your rooms.”
Micheal bowed to the queen and took Sarah by the arm. He led them from the courtyard. Sarah looked over her shoulder one last time. The queen stood smiling at her. The fountain changed to a trio of women. Sarah blinked and the courtyard scene disappeared as Micheal led them through the door.
∞∞∞
“She looks just like her mother.”
Dyrinn nodded as she approached her queen’s side.
“Alavara would have been so proud of her daughter. She has grown into a beautiful woman. She will have so much power. I can only hope that Micheal will balance her out. I fear what will happen if he does not.”
“Your Majesty, you know he will love her.”
“Yes, but what is stronger? Love of a woman or love of a brother. That will be his choice. The waters show nothing on that matter. It has yet to be written.”
“Why do you even intervene? It is not like you to help any outside of our city.”
“I did not help when my sister was brutally murdered. I did not help when her babe was taken out of the Veil. But I will help now. I have seen what will happen if my niece cannot defeat Antony.”
Lyris turned to the fountain and dipped her hand in. Dyrinn observed as the water cleared. She saw Sarah sitting on a throne next to Antony. Her gaze was sightless and dull. She looked at the city of Ollsrion on fire. The elves screaming and begging for mercy. Antony on a horse following Sarah, as she touched her hand to each tree. Flames licking up from her hands. Queen Lyris lying half in the fountain as the waters slowly turned red. The trio of women crying tears of blood above her.
Dyrinn fell to her knees as the images burned into her brain. Her tears flowed freely. Lyris knelt and held her as she cried.
“If this is our fate, why not kill the girl now? End it before it starts.”
“I will not have the blood of my niece on my hands. She must decide the path she will walk. It hinges on not just her, but him as well. Both their choices will determine the outcome for not just us but all of the Veil.”
Dyrinn dried her face and nodded. The queen knew how the fates decided it all. She had taken care of and guarded the waters of sight for hundreds of years. Dyrinn had to trust in her queen.
Chapter Nine
As soon as Micheal shut the door to their suite, Sarah opened her mouth.
“Did you see the sculpture? It changed! First, it was lovers, then when we left it became three women. I saw something in those waters, Micheal.”
Micheal stood there looking at her in silence.
“Are you listening to me, Micheal? I saw a black cloaked man embracing me. He was kissing me. He had coal black hair. I couldn’t see his face. But his cloak looked just like yours.”
Micheal stepped up to her and pulled down his cloak hood. Then he yanked the hood off his face. Sarah gasped and looked at him with her mouth open.
“Did his hair look like this?”
She nodded and raised a hand to his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. He had coal black hair that almost looked blue in the light. His skin was tan and smooth. His lips were full, and she saw tips of fangs against his bottom lip. He opened his eyes and looked into hers. His eyes were blood red.
“I can’t tell you everything. I promised to leave that to someone else.”
“Are you human?”
“I am a vampire that has forsaken it to be your Guardian. That is all I can say. I am sorry. I would tell you more, but the promise is enforced with magic.”
Micheal removed his gloves and threw them onto the table. He cupped her face in his hands and leaned his forehead against hers. He kissed the tip of her nose.
“I have wanted to do this for a long time.”
He tilted her head back and kissed her. She moaned deep in her throat, her arms wrapping around his neck. He flicked his tongue against her lips. She opened her mouth and let him slip in. She leaned against him and he wrapped his arms around her. He pulled away and looked down into her eyes.
Micheal pulled out of her arms and grabbed his hood off the ground. He slipped it and his gloves back on. He grabbed her hands and led her back to the door.
“Let’s visit Angel and Lucifer. Then maybe we can see about this market.”
They walked down the hall and out the arched door. She followed him blindly. Her lips still tingled from his kiss.
Did I do it wrong? Is he angry?
Her thoughts jumbled around her brain. She had been rejected and tears pricked at her eyes. She blinked rapidly to hold them back. When she finally regained control, she looked up and noticed they were standing on the platform. Micheal had his arm around her, but he appeared tense. She took a deep breath and looked down at the wooden planks under her feet.
He is mad. Perhaps I am not what he wants. I must be a horrible kisser for him to turn away.
∞∞∞
Micheal kept a tight rein on his control. He had almost given into his bloodlust. Thinking over the last few days, he couldn’t remember the last time that he had taken his elixir. He had been so wrapped up in Sarah he had forgotten to drink it. His elixir kept his thirst for blood under control.
When he had kissed her, he felt it rage up inside him. He picked up the sound of her heart pounding, her blood rushing through her veins. His eyesight had tinted red and hazy with it. He sensed her sadness as she stood next to him. But he could not comfort her. Not till he had the elixir from Lucifer’s saddlebags. He would explain it to her later. Once he was in better control. The platform stopped, and he quickly got them off. He descended the stairs quickly and moved toward the stables. He knew he
was moving too fast, he could hear Sarah struggling to keep up. The pounding started in his ears. He let go of her hand and rushed to the stables, leaving her behind.
He spotted Lucifer in the last stall. The stable boy approached him and he growled dangerously at him. The boy put his hands up and backed away. Lucifer neighed and banged against the stall door. His friend knew what was happening. Micheal ran to the stall and yanked the saddlebag from the hook by the stall door. He grabbed a bottle from the bag and popped the cork. He lifted his hood enough to drink and down the elixir.
Dropping his hood, he stiffened as the magic worked through his veins. He grunted and opened the stall door. Closing it, he leaned against the wall. He slid down to the ground, the elixir was fire in his veins. The drink brought pain, but it would take away the thirst.
“Micheal? Micheal? Are you in here?”
He grunted and leaned a head on his knee. He swallowed hard and tried to ignore the pain raging in his body. Lucifer nudged his shoulder, trying to comfort him.
“Hello, Angel. I have missed you so much. I see you, Lucifer. Yes, I missed you too. I guess Micheal took off.”
Micheal heard the stall open next to him. Angel neighed to Sarah. He felt the vibrations of her slide down the wall on the other side of his. Then he listened to her sobbing. He tensed as her cries intensified. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. In fact, he was trying not to hurt her.
“Oh, Angel. We kissed. And it was wonderful. But apparently just for me. He pulled away and said let’s visit Angel and Lucifer. I think I am a terrible kisser or something. He got so tense and as soon as we got close to the stables, he took off. He didn’t just run, he almost flashed into here. I couldn’t even track him with my eyes. I thought maybe he just missed Lucifer, but he isn’t even in here. What have I done?”
Micheal heard her moving around in the stall. Lucifer turned and looked at him. The horse stomped his foot at him. The pain subsided. The pounding in his ears faded. He looked down at the empty bottle he still held. Shakily, he got to his feet. He walked out of Lucifer’s stall when Lucifer nipped at his shoulder. Clenching his jaw, he turned and looked at the horse. Lucifer waved his head toward Angel’s stall. He mouthed, “I know,” back at his steed.