Chapter 19 - The Invitation

Amelia

After my wild encounter with Martin, I experienced sleepless nights and uncertainty. I constantly questioned whether it was all a dream or reality. The feeling of Martin's kisses consumed me, a sensation I had never felt before, even when I was deeply in love with Dave. The warmth and passion I experienced with Martin were different from Dave's caresses. It felt as though I had been hypnotized; it was magical.

Perhaps it was the instant nature of our connection that made it seem like mere lust to some. Maybe I had been craving this for a long time, or maybe I was under some kind of spell. It was hard to believe that a brief encounter with a stranger could leave such a lasting impression in my mind.

I have learned to let go of things I cannot control, like Dave's unexpected decision to finally accept us, my mother's death, and Phoebe's quick acceptance of Dave. But this situation hit me hard.

I have become accustomed to living with pain, but the sudden separation from Martin, without any assurance of seeing him again, is causing me immense heartache. It tears at my heart and soul every single day, as I fear that I may never see him or experience those moments again. However, I find solace in this pain because, despite the uncertainty, there is always hope. And that hope manifested itself before my eyes in an unexpected time and place.

When I spotted him in a crowded street, my lips trembled with both happiness and fear. My eyes welled up with tears, and my hands become sweaty, longing to touch his arms once more. However, I couldn't let go of Phoebe's hand; I didn't want her to feel abandoned.

He slowly approached my path, and it felt like an eternity. I had to suppress my desire to talk to him again, so as not to give Phoebe any indication. I let out a sigh and took a deep breath, only to realize that he was with someone I had also seen in my dream.

Martin

It has always been my desire to get married someday. A Luna that will bear another generation of pack and will continue the tribe. With this human’s ivory skin, mesmerizing eyes and red luscious lips I am bound to be cursed to fall in love with her forever. 

My dreams are so close yet so far, but with beneath the same sky , same air that we breathe, I will risk everything and love her all the way. Heaven forbid but I cannot let this extraordinary moment pass.

I found this human a blessing rather than a curse. I can finally reform the law and make a beautiful mixture of a breed of creatures, a precious gift from our deity. Hurdles may come as we build our world but I won’t let any evil gods or the tribe stand in our way.

But I smell a strong blood scent from the child that she’s holding. I wonder why her eyes scream of vengeance.

Phoebe

Mommy has been acting strangely lately, and I've noticed her crying in the kitchen late at night. It makes me feel weak and worried. Even though my dad suddenly reappeared and wants to spend time with me, I can't forget that he left us first. My mom has always been the hero in our stories, and she deserves happiness.

But there's something strange about this new man in her life. His figure doesn't seem quite right, and his shadow doesn't match his body. Maybe I'm the only one who sees it, but I'm certain he's not human. His shadow looks like the reflection I see in the mirror, with thick white fur covering my face.

I have dreams and places I want to go, but having fur all over my face would hinder them. My mom doesn't see it though; she sees me as a normal human. And she sees this man standing beside her as a normal human too.

The other man's shadow reveals a half-human, half-horse creature. I don't know if this is all in my head or if it's really happening before my eyes. But my hand trembles when they look at me directly.

Something is definitely going on, especially since my mom invited these two creatures into our house. I'm anxious about what will happen next, and I'm afraid that Nanny Martha will see them too.

-   -   -

"Martha, we're here!" Amelia exclaimed as she opened the door. She quickly removed her shoes and placed them on the shoe rack before heading to the windows to open them.

Martin and Nano exchanged a knowing look, understanding that they should follow Amelia and Phoebe's lead. They slowly made their way to the couch, their eyes wandering around like curious children at a new birthday party.

Phoebe didn't acknowledge their presence and went straight to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Amelia was taken aback by her daughter's behaviour and whispered to Martin, "Oops! I'm sorry guys, she's like that sometimes. She has her down days, and she doesn't know you at all, so it's understandable." She finished her explanation with a quick wink and headed to the kitchen to get some snacks.

The doorbell rang, and Martha entered carrying a bag of sweet potatoes she had bought from the market. Martin stood up to offer help, but Martha's demeanor suddenly changed. She seemed panicked and her hair stood on end.

She saw the two strangers sitting across from each other and fear filled her eyes. "Amelia! Amelia! Are you here? Oh my god!"

The two men bowed their heads in a show of respect, but Martha didn't bother to look at them. Instead, she rushed to the kitchen, where she could smell something cooking.

"Oh hi Martha, I didn't know you went out. I told you I would fetch Phoebe because I forgot to buy something from the market."

Martha interrupted Amelia's breathless explanation, "Who are these men, Amelia? Are they your friends? I'm sorry, but I have to be honest..."

Amelia cut Martha off and patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Haha! Relax, relax, I invited them."

"Who are they? I have a bad feeling about them. They're not like us, Amelia. They're different."

"What do you mean?"

"Where on earth did you meet them?"

"It's a long story, Martha. When I visited the house we'll be moving to, I met Martin. It was strange and unexplainable, but I couldn't get his image out of my mind since then."

"And the other man?"

"Honestly, I don't know much about him. But it feels like déjà vu. I feel like I've seen him in my dreams."

Martha grabbed Amelia's arms and spoke with worry in her eyes and a low voice. "Amelia, I'm afraid to tell you this, but you know I have the gift of sensing those who are not like us. From the moment I saw them, I knew they weren't human like us. They're elemental creatures who can shapeshift into humans to deceive us and get what they want."

"And what do you think they want from us, Martha? I was the one who invited them. Well, it was only Martin I wanted to invite, but he came with someone, so I had no choice."

Martin appeared and interrupted their conversation. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but can I talk to Amelia for just a second?"

Martha lifted her head and whispered, "Oh goodness gracious, an elemental creature has invaded our house. I must protect Phoebe."

Amelia eagerly approached Martin and offered him a glass of water. She took his hand and led him to the dining table. "I'm sorry about that. Martha has been stressed lately, and she's just very protective of me."

"Yeah, I understand. I'm sorry for cutting your conversation with her, but I wanted to talk to you. I've been wanting to see you again, and I've been searching for you. I can't believe you're right here with me, in the flesh. I'm so nervous, and I'm running out of words, but I just want you to know that..."

"That...?" Amelia's smile never wavered as Martin struggled to find the right words. She couldn't believe how quickly things were progressing.

"That I want to get to know you better. I want to be with you always. I want to take you out on a formal dinner date at my house."

Amelia nodded, her eyes gleaming with excitement. However, Phoebe watched them from outside her bedroom door, feeling bothered and distressed.