“Stay safe, Master.”
Inayah glanced up in time to see Mathilde carefully treading behind Salem who strode whilst buttoning up his midnight black coat. She stood in the kitchen with either of her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, churning butter. The process had been tedious and ran from dawn up until noon, Inayah had pounded away in silence, struggling to ignore the burn in her biceps and triceps.
“Where is Inayah?” She heard Salem ask followed by a long hesitance on Mathilde’s part.
“I will request her…” short hurried steps, the anger in each clicking subtle.
Inayah glanced up just as Mathilde appeared by the doorway, hovering with certain uncertainty. “He calls you.”
Inayah released the pounder and drew her wrist across her forehead, wiping away perspiration. Face flushed from exertion, she made her way to the parlor where Salem stood holding a leather bound book.
At the sight of
Cold.Inayah felt a gust of cold night air brush across her body, and she in turn shivered uncontrollably. She felt ill, terribly so, eyelids laden with sickness and her body radiating heat like a brick.It was the sound of a door slamming shut that forced mild consciousness into her trembling body with a low, struggling moan, she forced her eyelids open. Inayah was staring at something blank, a wall, she realized, and lay there unmoving.Her head felt as though it had been stuffed with cotton, and a sudden wave of pain washed over her. It was exquisite, and debilitating even for her. It was the worst burning sensation she had ever experienced, even worse than the burn of the poker.Inayah whimpered as her body shuddered violently, beaded sweat surfacing along her forehead and upper lip. Adrenaline had masked the injury for at least a little while, but now it was biting. In that moment, she wished she could pass out again but her body was fightin
Inayah woke to bitter cold thrashing across her bare cheeks, drying them. She cracked open her fatigued eyes and peered at the slightly lit room.A low mournful sound sang across the empty room followed by slight hammering sounds. Another gust of cold crossed the woollen blankets piled over her shivering form, offering little to no heat. She blinked hard and forced her attention towards the source;The cabin’s front door was gaping open, beating against the wall each time wind surged through from the outside. From where she lay, Inayah was able to make out the whiteness that piled beyond the barrier. Soft flakes having drifted inside and settled on the rags, along with frost spreading like a fog on the wooden door.Snow.It was snowing.How long had she been asleep?Inayah struggled to bring a thought to completion but could not, she still felt terribly ill and her mind addled like soup, swilling about the confines of her skull. She co
Inayah woke to bitter cold thrashing across her bare cheeks, drying them. She cracked open her fatigued eyes and peered at the slightly lit room.A low mournful sound sang across the empty room followed by slight hammering sounds. Another gust of cold crossed the woollen blankets piled over her shivering form, offering little to no heat. She blinked hard and forced her attention towards the source;The cabin’s front door was gaping open, beating against the wall each time wind surged through from the outside. From where she lay, Inayah was able to make out the whiteness that piled beyond the barrier. Soft flakes having drifted inside and settled on the rags, along with frost spreading like a fog on the wooden door.Snow.It was snowing.How long had she been asleep?Inayah struggled to bring a thought to completion but could not, she still felt terribly ill and her mind addled like soup, swilling about the confines of her s
Lycus circled the mauled bear thoughtfully, his muzzle and paws were wet with blood and melted snow.The kill had been effortless and easy. Perhaps what had been the most difficult part was tracking the hibernating animal so far off into the forest and the further he walked, the more hesitant he grew over the human girl who currently was passed out on the cot.He did not know whether she would dare escape again, though it was obvious that was more hesitant knowing he could easily track her. The forest was large and she did not know where they currently stood.She was foolish enough to escape once.His brothers on the other hand… Lycus’ wolf growled lowly before his bones began to snap and realign themselves, fur sinking in on itself. He straightened with a sigh, rolling his stiff shoulders back and cracking his neck sideways.His body was sleek with blood, bits of flesh and fur stuck between his teeth from
You and I are mates.Mates.Inayah lay awake on the bed, wide eyed and staring at the ceiling above in mute contemplation. Lycus’ words had left a sudden dryness to her mouth, and her heart had not ceased its nervous beating throughout the night.The past two days had gone by rather calmly, and he seemed -unlike her- quite at ease despite confessing his never ending feelings and utmost loyalty to her.I belong to you.No one had ever spoken such words to her, an oath that seemed to bind one person to another. He barely knew her, and yet there he stood with honesty dripping from his tone, claiming to be her everything if she would let him.She flipped onto her side, tucking a hand beneath the pillow.No, that would be wrong. What would Salem do if he found out?Doesn’t Lycus fear him?His own audacious confidence scared her to no end. Inayah turned over onto her side and sta
Inayah lay on the snow laden earth. The coat she wore was large, hood draped over her head allowing only her eyes to peek through from beneath. Her breaths came in misted forms of heated clouds by her flushed lips and cheeks.Her eyes quietly drifted across the stretch of land before her. It was silent, eerily so. The only sounds that could be heard was her hammering heartbeat and crunching of snow each time she tried to shift about in search of a comfortable position.Inayah scowled as time passed by and Lycus had not yet shown.She considered getting up and walking away but he made it clear that she was not to move. Inayah blew out a breath of exasperation and checked her nails for dirt. He had brought her to a field of snow and instructed that she lay on her belly, unmoving, before leaving her.Inayah peered up at the grey sky. A flake of snow drifted onto the tip of her reddened nose. It was getting cold and her clothes were growing so
Lycus stood by the hill’s edge along with his mate.He watched her silently as she stared at the drift of life below. Despite the cold, darkened weather, it was easy to spot the slant of roofs in the short distance, the thin billows of smoke that rose from chimneys. Occasionally, the bleating of sheep that triggered his hunger reflex, unconscious piling of saliva between his cheeks.He swallowed with a sigh then forced his attention from the sheep and back towards Inayah.She had crouched low, elbows balancing on her knees, hands cupping her cheeks. Her eyes remained fixated on the silhouettes of people moving about, drifting laughter of shrieking children as they played. A slight glaze overcame her eyes, almost serene and satisfied. Yet beneath it, he saw slivers of longing.Lycus shifted onto his other foot. “Do you have any family?”“No,” Inayah replied and a breeze sighed past them, stirring loose strands of hair that fell f
“Three hundred silver coins?” Lycus heard Inayah’s incredulous voice as she counted the coins set on stone by the steaming bath’s edge.He hummed in acknowledgement.“Three hundred silver coins,” she repeated, then shifted, the sound of water splashing her movements, “Kade paid you that much to find me?”“He did.”“Oh,” another shift. The tone of her voice had Lycus lifting one end of cloth placed over his eyes. He peered at her with one eye. She sat a few meters from him, steaming water rising up to her neck, sodden hair held up in a loose ponytail.The bag of coins he had given her was now open, coins spilled over the bathhouse edge. Her chin was set on the edge, flushed fingers pushing them aside one at a time.Lycus picked a stray coin and flipped it towards her. It landed with a soft plop beside her; “Penny for your thoughts.”