Huddled in the toilet, Carine braced the door with her back as she relived the event that had forced her to hide here.In the middle of assessing some applicants who wanted to adopt dogs she had stretched, her aching back.Poor posture. She had thought.The face that had been staring down at her from the roof had terrified her, her intestines going cold as they seized up. Fingers of ice had trailed down the inside of her ribs, clamping around her heart and squeezing until she thought it would stop. Without looking again she had bolted for the toilet, slamming the door and locking it before sliding down it and hugging her knees.It’s Hann or Glenn come to finish the job! Her mind screamed.It can’t be. A more rational part told her. They don’t know where you work and Vanadine made sure they were out of action for a long time. How would they even get up there? You imagined it because of the stress and being here alone at night.Despite the soothing words her mind offered, Carine knew sh
Nerves jangled as he sat in the taxi. His proximity to her was driving him insane with the need to touch her, to hold her and never let go. Yet the more rational part of him still overrode his needs, constantly reminding him he was dangerous, his darker side just seconds from being free at any point. Even so he could feel the darkness had abated, retreated farther back into his psyche and a hope sprung up in him.Might it be because of her? He wondered as lights flashed into his eyes. Could it be that being near her forces the darkness back?Wishful thinking. Another part of him said. That is what you wish to believe, therefore that is why you feel the darkness has retreated.Vanadine tried to ignore the savage voice as they took the turn towards the centre, the darkness almost swallowing everything but what the headlights revealed.“Thirty quid, gov,” the driver said when they reached the building.Vanadine handed him some notes without counting and opened the door.“Hold up, mate, y
Black rage had driven her onwards and her twisted claws drove her towards the thin Vanadine had disappeared into.Do that to me!? She had raged inside her shattered mind. I will kill you whether in the human world or Elaris!Talons had dug into the soft grass on the far side of the thin and her vision adapted rapidly enough to see Vanadine slip from one shadow to the next. What had once been a hand but was now a clawed paw of a thing, lashed out, sending a psychic tag to attach to Vanadine. Her power failed and she ground her fangs in annoyance.No magic here? What a pathetic excuse for a world! She had thought disdainfully as she had set off after him.Dropping to all four limbs like some twisted animal, Horann reached the edge of the park and watched as Vanadine scaled the facade of a building across the street as if he was on a stroll. Horann matched his grace, heading for the opposite side of the street they were on.Do not approach too closely, he is still strong. Her mind warned
He is insane. Carine thought with a stab of sadness. I thought he was a little quirky but this..? And I can see he believes it utterly. He actually believes he’s a dark Elf from another world.Misery spread through her tempered by a heavy dose of pity for him. She had read stories about people who believed they were different, believed they were superheroes or advanced in some way. The human brain could convince itself of almost anything under the right conditions. A slight chemical imbalance and people were seeing fairies or thought they could wrestle tigers.But this?“I said you would not believe me. I said you would think me mad if I told you,” Vanadine said in a sad voice.“It’s not that,” Carine said carefully, not wanting to upset him. “It’s just a lot to take in,” she added gently.Now what? I can hardly say I believe him but we’re here alone and no one knows where I am, if he decides to attack me they’ll just find my corpse ripped and bloody.Don’t be so dramatic! Her mind sn
Carine was silent as he escorted her to her flat. She would not let him hold her hand or touch her in any way and had pulled his coat around her tightly, walking with her head down.Great job! His mind said nastily. Now she is likely to shun you as everyone else does.Disappointment rippled through him at the thought of not being able to see Carine, or speak to her. The memory of the kiss in Elaris still played over his mind as did the feeling of her body pressed tightly against him, warm and soft, supple and ripe. His mind craved more and he would be denied the contact if she no longer wanted to see him. Physical pain carved a hollow in his chest at just the thought and he walked along beside her in the dark, hoping she would accept what he was.A bastard hybrid of Elf and human? How can anyone accept you? You are nothing but a failed experiment, the product of rape and Carine would be far better off without you.Vanadine tried to ignore the nasty voice within his head but it was ins
Even the warm buzz from the wine could not reduce the pounding in her heart at having Vanadine in her room. It seemed even smaller than normal with his huge presence filling it. He stood by the door as if waiting for instructions as his eyes roamed over the few things she had there; chest of drawers with various items of make up and perfume on top, a mirror hung on the wall and the stuffed rabbit on her bed. A shock of embarrassment hit her at the thought he saw the toy but he said nothing about it and looked at her as she crossed to the far side of the room.“You can come in,” she said. “I won’t bite.”“Pity,” Vanadine said with a smile.Her stomach flipped as she realised his mind must be in a similar place to hers.“Was that a joke?” She asked in a playful tone. “Mr. Serious has a funny side?”“I happen to be hilarious, especially in social gatherings,” he said. “Oh, no, wait a second,” he added with a smirk.The expression combined with his dark eyes made things squirm deliciously
“I’m gonna be late,” Carine said, standing.“What for?” Vanadine asked as he sat back, satisfied.“I’m in work today,” she said. “We take it in turns to go in at the weekend and today it’s my go.”“Shall I come with you?” He asked as she went to the bathroom.Carine paused and leaned against the frame, looking at him.“I’d like that, she said.Half an hour later they were on the bus, Vanadine looking about nervously as his hand on her leg shook slightly.“What’s the matter?” She asked gently.“I am unused to being so...exposed, he said. “It is unnerving to be seen by so many.”Carine looked about the bus, apart from the driver there was an elderly man dozing in his seat, a teenage boy glued to his phone and a pair of women in their thirties who chatted and stared out of the window.“Nobody’s looking at you,” she said. “No one’s interested in anything beyond the end of their nose,” she told him, squeezing his hand.Vanadine nodded but did not seem to calm much.“Haven’t you been out in
He occupied himself with making coffee while Carine spoke to the young family who had come to get a dog. Trying to dispel the darkness that Paul had brought out, he shook as he forced the dark thoughts back. It had surprised even him how his darker side had reacted when Paul had been unkind to Carine, snapping to the front of his consciousness and ready to devour.Yet there had been a subtle difference to his darkness that he had never expected. While his dark half was always ready to kill and maim and injure, this time he had felt a difference. It had felt as if it was protective of Carine. As if it cared about her as much as his human side was beginning to. He frowned as he poured hot water, wondering over the change. The darker side of his personality had never cared about anyone before, mainly concentrating on anger, hate and violence.What does it mean? He asked himself, stirring the coffee. Is this because of her? I have never felt about anyone in the same way as I have with Car