CHAPTER NINE-ANTARES

Ben walked Imara home the old-fashioned way that night. As they strolled lazily hand in hand with a bouquet of colored orbs surrounding them, Imara looked up in the sky and stared into the constellations that lit up the heavens above them. “Do you know much about the stars, Ben?”

“I know they sure are pretty. Not nearly as much as you are though,” he said as he smiled at her.

She glanced back to him and rolled her eyes then looked back up. “I know a little bit. I like to read all the stories about the ancient Earth gods. They were some mighty strange folks. Like that constellation right there, that’s Antares. It’s my favorite story of all. You see, this gentleman named Orpheus could charm everyone with his magical harp. He could even stop battles with the beautiful music he played on it. One day he married a beautiful woman, I can’t recollect her name, but on their wedding night she was bitten by a snake and died. He had to go all the way to hell to find her soul and bring her back to the land of the living because he loved her so much. Isn’t that just the most beautiful story you’ve ever heard?”

Ben huffed through his nose and pushed out his lips. “That doesn’t sound like much of a wedding night. I’m kind of hoping I fare a little better tomorrow night, baby.” Imara laughed out at his joke, not realizing it wasn’t one. 

“He loved her so much he braved the fires of hell to bring her back. Can you just imagine?” Imara sighed as she dreamed of what it was like to be loved that way.

Ben stared at Imara with wonder as she missed the irony of her words. “I’d do that right now, Imara. I hope you know that; I’d do anything to keep you safe with me. I’d be right down in the thick of it with that harp man to save you.”

Imara curled her lips under as a tear fell from her eye, then she pushed it away. “Oh, I’m sorry. I just get real emotional sometimes. It’s just, I didn’t ever think I was going to find you and here you are. I can’t believe how very lucky I am that Thorin found that old house in the newspaper.”

Ben lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of hers. “It was meant to be, Imara. This was one thing the Fates got damn right.”

Once they got back home, Imara opened her bedroom door and Ben looked around before he passed through the threshold. His eyes settled to the rug beside her bed and he said, “I’ll sleep right there.”

Imara walked to her dresser and opened the top drawer as she searched for something appropriate, but not too much. She was getting married to this man tomorrow, there wasn’t much point in hiding her body to him now. “You don’t have to stay on the floor tonight. I don’t bite, I swear.” 

Ben took off his socks and placed them inside his boots, then looked up to Imara. “It’s not proper for me to sleep in your bed.”

Imara rolled her eyes playfully. “Not proper? I’m a witch and you’re a werewolf and we’re getting married tomorrow after knowing each other for less than two weeks. What about any of that says proper to you?”

He looked her over then asked, “Where’s the washroom?”

Imara removed her nightgown from the armoire then held it to her chest as she turned around. “Down the hall, last door on the right.”

Ben looked at her gown and nodded before he left the room and shut the door. He rubbed the back of his head and chuckled to himself as he walked the hall. “Just keep your hands to yourself Ben. She’s a lady. You can get all over that tomorrow.”

Imara hurriedly took off her dress then shimmied her gown over her head. She walked to the vanity and took the clasp from her hair then shook it out and licked her lips. “Is this really happening?” She pinched her cheeks a few times then went to her bed and sat down on the edge. Her hands trembled as she imagined what might happen when he came back.

A light knock came at the door and she said, “It’s alright. I’m decent. Come on in.”

As Ben opened the door, he saw her sitting there in her silken white gown and his heart fluttered in his chest. He stopped to take in her nipples poking through the fabric like ripe cherries and blinked away as he closed the door. The fire inside him started to rage and he worried he wouldn’t be able to handle this because all he really wanted was to taste them.

“Please lay with me Ben. I don’t want you sleeping on the floor.” Imara made an x across her chest with her finger. “I promise I won’t do anything naughty.”

Ben huffed through his nose and grinned then he pulled his shirt over his head. Imara curled her lips under and blushed as Ben slowly came to the bed and sat down beside her. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he leaned into her ear. “What makes you think that I won’t?”

Imara laughed out then looked up in his face. “Because I can see what kind of man you are. You’re a real good man, Ben.”

Ben put the back of his hand on Imara’s cheek and gently slid it down. “I’ll be good to you, Imara. So good.”

She took his hand and said, “Oh, sweetheart, I know that. That’s the one thing in this crazy world I am sure of. You.”

He looked around the room at her expensive furniture, fine clothes and perfume bottles he imagined cost more money then he’d ever seen. “I know you’re used to certain things. I won’t be able to give you everything you want, but I’ll always make sure you have what you need. You’ll never go without.”

Imara leaned against Ben’s chest and rested her head on his shoulder. “I just want you and our little house, Ben. Nothing else in this whole world matters to me.”

Wrapping his arm around her, Ben pulled Imara closer and kissed her forehead. As his soft lips rested against her skin, Ben’s eyes grew heavy and he turned his head to yawn. “I’m so sorry.” 

Imara patted his leg. “Come on, sweetheart.” She stood and pulled his hand to bring him with her, then she pulled the covers down and slid in. As Ben took his place beside her, he wove his arm under her neck and wrapped her in the other. She combed her fingers through his black hair and smiled. “Is this a dream? I’ve seen this in my head so many nights now, I just don’t know what’s real anymore.”

Ben nodded. “I think it might be. Every time I wake up though, you’re always gone. I’m going to hold you real tight tonight, I won’t let you get away from me this time.”

Imara rubbed the tip of her nose against his. “I don’t ever want to wake up again if it is, Ben.”

As he flinched at the way her soft touch tickled him, Ben said, “Neither do I.”

She sighed and said, “You won’t be here in the morning, will you?”

“No, but I’ll be back as soon as I can. I’ll always come back to you, baby.” He smiled as his heavy eyes started to knit together. Imara leaned in and kissed his lips. “You shouldn’t do that. I’m a weak man when it comes to you, Imara. I won’t be able to stop if you keep doing what you're doing to me. I want you too goddamn much and I’d like to do this right.”

Imara softly dragged her fingertips down his cheek. “Soon.” Ben opened his heavy eyes and nodded, then pulled her close to his chest and went to sleep.

Ben tried not to wake Imara as he got up to leave the next morning. He smiled and looked her over while she slept as he put on his shirt.  “Look at you laying there like a little angel.” When he was finished putting on his boots, he leaned over and kissed Imara’s lips gently. “See you tonight, baby. I’ll be the one in the suit.” When he was finished putting on his boots, he leaned over and kissed Imara’s lips gently. “See you later, baby. You’re all mine after tonight.”

Ben made his way down the staircase and as he got to the bottom, he noticed the front door was already opened. A flash of an image of his cottage door half opened appeared across his vision. The hairs on his arms and neck stood on end as he was suddenly struck with a sick feeling in his gut. 

Smelling Shaw’s pipe, Ben smirked to himself and went outside then pulled the door shut behind him. As he blew out a smoke ring while he rocked in his chair, Shaw shifted his eyes towards Ben. “Morning Ben.”

Ben tucked in his shirt as he stretched out his neck. “Morning. What are you doing up so early?”

Shaw set down his pipe on the side table and then pushed off on the balls of his feet as the floorboards creaked underneath the chair. “Wanted to catch you before you left. We need to settle a few things between us.”

Ben crossed his arms and inhaled through his nose sharply. “Go on speak your mind then, I got to get to work.”

“I’ve been looking after Imara since she was a baby and when her parents told me about that ridiculous woman on the street, I swore to them I’d protect her to my dying breath. She’s like a daughter to me. It’s my job to make sure she’s taken care of.”

Ben looked him in the eye and shook his head. “No. That’s my job now.”

“I know that, but I’m never going to stop looking after her. Know that. I don’t agree with all that mess Thorin said to you at your Momma’s house. I know y’all believe in Fate and that everything’s meant to be kind of horseshit.” Shaw held up his two hands. “But I believe in these and they’ve kept her safe for 25 years now. Whatever’s coming for Miss Imara, it’s not Fate, it’s an evil curse the devil himself put on that sweet angel. You can’t change Fate, Ben, but you can break a goddamn curse. You can crush its fucking head in those two hands of yours like a real man. You understand me boy?”

Ben looked at the floor and nodded as he considered what Shaw said. “Yes, sir. I do understand.”

Shaw stood and offered his hand to Ben. “Thorin may be comfortable accepting this thing, but I intend to fight it until there’s no more breath in my body like I promised her folks. Don’t you give up on her, Ben. Don’t you ever give up on her. You keep fighting no matter how hard it gets or how long it takes.”

“I will, Shaw. I won’t ever stop fighting for Imara, I promise you. You can count on me. We’ll beat whatever this thing is if I have to spend the next hundred years doing it.”