***
Josephine was more trouble than anything [yes she is] and he had to get to her before she got to Draven…
He had no idea why she had come tonight and more importantly, how she came to know about the event. He had explicitly avoided sending the invitation to her whole family and was sure that none of the other families told them. Everyone was aware that the Culzeans and the Draefends had fallen out of each other’s favour the night Josephine left the castle.
“That woman tests my patience,” he cursed as he found himself trailing after her scent. Even though he was annoyed, he couldn’t deny the tiny flickers of heat gnawing at him, at the memory of her scent. He never loved her –or so he told himself –but she was his first… and no one forgets their first.
He followed her scent along the secret corridors that only the family members knew of and knew that he needed to move faster…
A flash of chestnut hair caught his eye.
“Josephine!” he called out and was relieved when she stopped.
The second her eyes turned to face him, all he saw were two silver orbs staring at him. Aramis felt his body stilling. He recognized that look.
“What are you seeing?” he asked, suddenly concerned. The only time he had seen her eyes that way was when… she left him.
“They’re coming…” she whispered; her voice breathless. “The wolves…”
***
“Josephine, you’ve got to wake up soon or I’m leaving you here,” he said, giving her shoulder a shake but she was like dead to the world.
Folding his arms impatiently, he stepped away and leaned against another pillar and just stared at her. Had it truly been five centuries?
She never looked a day older than the four and twenty that she was when he first met her but he had seen her eyes; they echoed of a much older woman’s wisdom and sadness.
The sadness in them clawed annoyingly at the back of his mind but he chose to ignore it for now. Moving forward, he knelt down and gave her another shake.
This time, she responded.
“Yes, yes, stop your caterwauling,” she complained even as her eyes blinked back to normal before widening in surprise at how close his face was to hers. Her lashes fluttered slightly but she forced herself to turn away. There was no need for this right now.
Aramis seemed to have come to the same conclusion for he suddenly backed away and thrust a dispassionate question at her.
“How much time do we have? Are they already on the way?”
She looked up at him, masking her erratic heartbeat with an irritated look on her face. “You know fairly well time collapses when you’re looking forward or back. All I can tell you is that it is dark; probably night or early morning. Possibly even now.”
“How many of them?” he demanded, pretending he couldn’t hear how fast her heart was beating… for him.
“Five. But one of them is the Alpha. It’s in his eyes.”
Aramis locked his gaze with hers for the briefest moment before breaking away. “Stay here. I need to let the guests out,” he informed her and on hindsight, added, “If I don’t find you here when I return, I’ll hunt you down Josephine… to every nook and cranny of this goddamn country.”
Then he disappeared into the shadows.
“How romantic,” jeered Josephine as she got up to brush the dust off her dress. This was exactly the state he left her after she told him about her vision the last time. It was obvious that he didn’t trust her any more than she trusted him. That’s why she kept certain things to herself- like seeing her son in pain.
She needed to get to her baby and his mate.
***
PS: Brat if you're reading this, you owe me Godiva chocolates. I had a hard time writing romantic scenes with your name in it. Anyway, this is for you. Fly safe! *hugs*
Oiiiiiii.... okay I'll find your goddamn chocolates. Do they have them in Prague? Haha you deserve them for writing such a 'me' scene. Or maybe Easter eggs? No?
ReplyDeleteBut why must I be paired with an old guy? Like ooooooooollllddddd?
liking the expert too. J, he may be old but i'm pretty sure the scenes to come will prove that his age is of no concern, not really *grins* ;-)
ReplyDelete(beside you asked for it. better bribe her some more with Godiva's)
Just finished up reading the entire chapter! WOW! The buildup, crest, and level descent were superb in this chapter!
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I love about your writing is that you can make readers feel sympathy for the "bad" guy. I have never trusted Aramis, he was so coldly calculating and cunning in his successful scheme to get Eian's legacy in his clutches, and Eian was supposed to be his 'old friend'. But in this and the previous chapter, you showed a side of Aramis that has me bending toward him a little. I still see him as cold, cunning and calculating - the whole thought process he went through getting battle ready when Josephine told him the Wolves were coming . . . I was thrown for a loop that Eian and Fiona hadn't been invited to the event!
Josephine has definitely piqued my interest! Her take calm take charge personality is refreshing in a female character, not yet seen in this story. Amber had been a kick-butt, take no crap from anyone kind of lady, but the Dame is almost a female Eian - at least that's how she comes across to me. I wondered, though, why Eian didn't recognize her - he'd have known all of the heiarchy of any 'other' being who and what he is.
Alaron just keeps snuggling deeper under my skin. I like how his character is progressing, but I keep wondering if some of his pain, resentments and insecurities will rear up, since he's yet to confront the feeling of being overlooked and reject by everyone he's ever loved (except Draven). If so, I hope Erika is there for him!
I was a bit put out at Draven for his thoughts and reaction to what Fiona had done. Would he have preferred to have Amber go rogue and act as Alaron had then have to be put down? He left it to Eian and Fiona to take care of fallout from his decision, then wanted to round on them for doing what they thought best for all involved. TSK!
Thank you so much! This story is thoroughly enjoyable, and I look forward to reading more from you ~
Seph... see everyone likes your character. So don't complain about your 'old' boyfriend. Hahaha. As Mokkelke has said, you'll find out in the next chapter that age is of no concern. LOL!
ReplyDeleteTo SizzlinSis! You totally NAILED my writing style! Yupp, unless a character is specifically bad, I do try to give them some sympathy points. I think by the time we get to the next chapter, Aramis will cease to be a bad guy. =p And yes, Josephine is the female Eian [kinda] but they do know each other *oops saying too much*
I browse Lit like most others for the erotic aspect of the stories. Yours are one of the few that I find myself drawn to, erotic or not. The interaction between the characters are fantastic. The storylines suburb. The cliffhangers just wanting to draw you in and look for the next chapter. You have turned what you had started as cold hearted old man, into a caring individual that no one saw coming. Looking forward to the next chapter or two, don't keep us waiting!!
ReplyDelete