Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Chapter 115-Homecoming



I put Gabriella back in her crib. She was the last one fighting sleep, but luckily she didn’t wake her siblings. I look around the newly decorated nursery courtesy of Bynni, CeCe, and Nina. They all got together to redo the place as a surprise to me and Amari. Amari. I felt my anger surge at the thought of her still with him. It had been nearly 2 months since he took her. To make matters worse I had no idea where she was. The only communication made had been through Aric.


I left the nursery and headed to the empty master bedroom. Two months I’ve slept in that bed alone, worried, wondering. She hasn’t called or even written. She’s with him and I know exactly why she hasn’t called to talk to me. The thoughts that haunt me at night again start racing through my mind. She’s with him…she’s been with him. The longer she stayed gone, the more I doubted she’ll ever return. That man has always wanted her, and now he has her. 


I remembered my change very well, the insatiable appetite…for all things. I tried to tell myself she was being held against her will, that he was holding her somewhere and keeping her from contacting her family, but that was becoming harder and harder to believe. Whatever they had together, it clouded her judgment and now she would be even more open to his influence. I needed out, I needed air; the thought of losing her to that bastard was suffocating me.

Amari POV



I was nervous as I stood looking out at the water. I hadn’t called to let anyone know I was coming. I was scared. Mulo brought me to the small beach not far from the house. I knew I couldn’t have him drive me home and this place was always good for a little escape. I could steady my nerves before heading home.

“Are you ready for this, Love?” he asked taking my hand.


I smiled and nodded. Taking a deep breath, I pulled away, preparing myself for what was to come. He’d protested me going home alone, but it was best he not be with me. Facing Marcus was going to be hard, but I needed to do it alone, it would hopefully be better that way.


With each step I took, my heart got heavier with the knowledge my marriage could end today. The door was locked, I had to ring the bell.

“Mom!” Finley cried as she threw her arms around me.

I hesitated a moment before hugging her back. I could hear the pulsing of her blood through her veins. The smell of it made my fangs lengthen involuntarily. I pressed my lips together tightly as I put my arms around her, hugging her in return tightly. I’d missed her.


“I didn’t know you were coming, Dad will be so happy to see you. Everyone will be…oh I have to make calls to let them know,” she said talking a mile a minute.

Being back home felt surreal. Finley pulled me upstairs continuing to chatter away.

“Dad, look!” she said when we got to the nursery.

Marcus held a small bundle in his arms. A lump caught in my throat as I saw one of the babies for the first time. My baby, our baby. I started to walk towards him, but stopped when he shot me a look.



“Did you know she was coming? Why didn’t you tell me I would have set up a welcome home party,” Finley continued, missing the tension that was filling the room.

“I didn’t know, your mother didn’t bother to contact anyone,” Marcus replied, keeping his eyes on me only briefly.

One of the other babies started to cry; I walked over and picked him up. My son. He was so small, but he was here, they all were.



“What is his name?” I asked turning towards where Finley was only to find her gone. Marcus finished his task of changing the baby’s diaper then started out of the room.

“Graham,” he said pausing in the doorway.


I was left alone holding my tiny baby. For the first time I looked around the room noticing it was different. I liked the new look. After getting Graham taken care of, I took a look at the other babies. I laughed seeing that we had three girls. Three girls and a boy…

“There’s four of them,” I said to the air. Mulo had told me about them, but seeing them now in person made it real.

“Yep, and man are they a handful. But you’ll be happy to know we’ve all pitched in to help Dad out since they came home,” Finley said, appearing out of nowhere. “Everyone will be here in about an hour; they were so excited to know you were home.”


I gave her a warm smile, it felt good to have someone excited to have me back. We went to her room to talk about everything I’d missed while gone. Things at school were going well. The principle had been reassigned and the guys that had attacked her and Zana were suspended. She said Marcus wanted to file assault charges, but she talked him out of it because she just wanted the whole thing to be behind her.

She also filled me in on the nursery redo, I couldn’t wait to see the girls to thank them for what they had done. I stayed in the room with Finley letting her talk and grill me on how I felt. We stayed there until I heard the doorbell ring.


I knew I’d have to face Marcus when I went down there and that thought terrified me. I tried to act like everything was okay. I smiled, I laughed, I hugged, and I noticed that my husband chose not to remain in the same room with me for long periods of time; in fact he spent most of his time upstairs in the nursery. I wasn’t the only one to notice, but no one said anything. Aric reminded me he was just a phone call away before he left. Cece convinced Finley to come home with her, so it was just me, Marcus and the babies.



I walked into the nursery as he was putting Gabby down. I picked up Gwen, changed her diaper and made sure she was fed while Marcus took care of Gracie. When he was done, he left the room while I tended to Graham. I stayed in the nursery for a while just watching them, and stalling. They were sleeping peacefully and I told them all how much I loved them and had missed them.


I entered the room expecting to find Marcus, only it was empty. I checked the boys’ old room, also empty. Did he leave? I heard faint grunts coming from downstairs, I followed the sound until I found him. He was in the gym, punching the bag with such force I was sure it was going to break.


His eyes glanced up and saw me, he swung again, the seam ripped, I turned to shield my eyes from the flying sand. A weight settled in my stomach. I knew this would be hard, I knew he would be angry, but I was unprepared for the level of hostility rolling off of him. Marcus moved past me without so much of a glance in my direction.

“Marcus, talk to me,” I pleaded.
Continue Reading: "Chapter 115-Homecoming"

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Chapter 114-As It Should Be



“Good Morning, Love,” I said gently brushing her hair to the side.

Amari turned and smiled at me, giving her body a lazy stretch.

“Are you hungry?” I asked, leaning down to give her a soft kiss on her neck.

My hands roamed down the soft curve of her hip, easing the covers down to reveal her gloriously naked form beneath. Amari rolled to her back, wrapping her arms around my neck. When her lips met mine, the intense heat of desire burned through me quickly. Her eyes held a mischievous gleam as I settled between her legs.


“So breakfast in bed?” she asked. Her fangs extended and she sank them into the soft flesh on my shoulder as I entered her body.

Amari propped on her elbow, smiling down at me once we were finished a few hours later. She was more radiant now than she was in her human form.


“I used to really think I would live forever, but I do believe you are making it your mission to kill this old man.”

The musical sound of her laughter filled our room. The warm salty, breeze blew through the open doors. My fingers traced the outline of her jaw, before picking up a strand of her hair and twirling it around my finger.


Amari leaned down to kiss me. “Well, you shouldn’t taste so good for one. For two, maybe you should actually bring me food in the mornings if you are going to insist on waking me up with that question, yet never providing me sustenance.”

I quickly rolled us, pinning her beneath me. “I provide you with plenty of sustenance. Shall I show you again?”

I felt a warm hand on my cheek, I turn and see Amari’s smiling face looking at me.


“You look like you were having a pleasant dream.”

“Yes, a dream,” I replied taking her hand and bringing it to my lips. “One I wish I could share with you.”

Amari POV


I pulled my hand away and gave Mulo a small smile. I hated to admit it, but I felt empty, almost alone now that our link wasn’t there any longer. He’d been with me for so long, always there, always close, I actually missed it. We could still talk, if I concentrated on it, but it wasn’t effortless and it was limited.

“How are you feeling today? Are you hungry again?” He asked rolling off the bed.

“I am, but it’s not as bad as before. I think I’d like to try one of the alternate options today. The plasma fruit, instead of the blood, just to see how I handle it.”

Mulo turned and gave me a forced smile. “Of course, I’m sure you’re eager to get home.”


The melancholy in his voice was unmistakable. I grabbed his arm to stop him. Mulo and I had a long, complicated history, and as much as I should hate him, a small part of me would always love him. I knew he was sorry for most of the things he’d done and he would change a lot of those things if he could. The past was the past and dwelling on it didn’t do anyone any good.
 
“Thank you,” I said, letting my fingers run across his knuckles.

“For what?” he asked taking a seat again.

I dropped my head onto his shoulder, linking my arm through his. “For not taking advantage…”


Mulo turned and kissed me on the forehead. “As much as I want you, I couldn’t let you do something that I knew you’d hate yourself and more importantly, me for.”

“It always has to be about you,” I replied jokingly.

“But of course Love.”


Mulo turned, our faces mere inches from each other. His thumb caressed my cheek. I could feel the pull, the same one that had me acting out as this change transformed my body. It was strong, the unexplainable desires I had for him. I’d nearly committed adultery a number of times since the need was driven higher after I fed from Mulo. I knew he could have given in, and taken advantage of the situation, after all it was me that would initiate things, but he didn’t. Mulo was no saint, and he did enjoy me throwing myself at him so fiercely, however he always pulled back before letting me cross a bigger line. I could see in his eyes he wanted to kiss me and sadly, a small part of me wanted him to do it.

“Let me get you something to eat,” he said pulling away and breaking the connection.


I flopped back on the bed trying to push down my feelings of arousal. Mulo told me it was natural, that when the change takes over for a while our needs are strictly primal. Food. Sex. Sleep. Mulo tried to make me feel less guilty, saying I had no control, but it didn’t really help. I knew facing Marcus was going to be hard. He hated Mulo and Marcus would know how my body would have reacted since he’d gone through it. Intense feelings of guilt and shame hit me. I was glad Mulo wasn’t in my head at that moment. Marcus was a patient and understanding man to a point. His feelings about Mulo tended to cloud his judgment and I worried that my actions might be unforgivable to him.

Continue Reading: "Chapter 114-As It Should Be"