Chapter Seventeen #2
“I-I tried at first to push him away. I said, ‘Braden, the king…’ But he laughed and said, ‘It’s you I want, not him. Make love to me. Pull me close and fuck me.’” He glanced up at me with a red face. “I-I’m sorry, Your Grace. But that’s what he said.”
“You mean that’s what the ogre said.”
“Oh…yes, of course. I tried to sit up and talk to him, but he was pressing me down, and he was so strong. He put his hand over me—there—and he kept whispering to me, saying things I could barely understand. He began to kiss me. My face, my lips, and trailing down to my throat… I felt his teeth on me, small and sharp and sinking into my flesh. But when it started to hurt, he began sucking my neck. My blood was singing, and I felt like I had to be dreaming, but I didn’t want to wake up.
Even though his mouth was on my throat, and the way he was sucking me was becoming painful. ”
Tadgh looked up at me then. “That’s when I heard you shouting at him, sire. ‘Get away from him,’ you said. But he only looked up at you and laughed.”
He took a deep breath before continuing.
“I tried to sit up and move the consort away from me, because I thought you were about to kill us both. I had this feeling that I needed to protect him, because you were surely going to murder us, but somehow, I couldn’t move.
I looked up at him then and saw him grinning at you.
Laughing and mocking, like it was all some kind of joke.
Then he rose straight up in the air, gracefully, almost seeming to float up, and he stood over me.
It was only then that I could move. Braden moved over to the window then. ”
“He flew over.”
“Oh…yes. And incredibly, I heard him still laughing.”
“I swung my sword at him,” I said, and Tadgh nodded.
“Yes. And he screamed. An unholy, chilling scream that stunned me and curdled my blood. His mouth seemed to stretch wider and longer, and I saw his wicked, long fangs, dripping with saliva.” He looked up at me. “
The ogre, I mean, sire.”
“Yes. The ogre.”
I heard Darragh in the main hall, calling for me. He came in quickly when I answered, his eyes darted over at Tadgh suspiciously.
“The horses are waiting, Your Grace.”
“Good.” I stood up and gazed down at Tadgh. “Be on your guard, Tadgh. Lock your doors and windows at night and post guards. This creature is dangerous. She wants you dead.”
He nodded, his eyes huge, and I went out with my captain to go find my consort.
****
Braden
I soon began to regret my decision not to chance it and steal a horse.
I was used to walking a great deal at home, before I came to this realm, but I’d been out of the habit for the past few weeks, and I felt it that morning.
The boots were too big and not very comfortable.
They were better than nothing, but not much as they were rubbing a blister on my heel.
Luckily for me, it was a full moon, and it was shining brightly, hanging in the sky like a big lantern behind a few wispy clouds. At least it was bright enough that I could clearly follow the trail.
I walked for hours that night, and by the time I finally reached the portal—I was pretty sure it was the portal—the sun was getting high in the sky.
I knew that by this time, Fionn had surely found my empty room and would be out searching for me.
Knowing I had so little time quickened my pace.
When I finally reached what I was pretty sure was the opening in the trees that led to the portal, it was almost dawn, and I allowed myself a few minutes to rest, to catch my breath.
I had pretty much convinced myself by then that he wouldn’t be coming after me, and that I’d be able to make my escape back to the mortal realm.
I was hopeful that if I was wrong and he did come, then he wouldn’t chase me through the portal, but let me go.
Maybe it was as hard for him to hate me once he’d calmed down as it was for me to think badly of him.
I said a prayer to whatever god might be listening that it would, anyway.
I sat there for a long time resting and catching my breath.
And I never even knew it when I fell asleep.
I didn’t wake up until I heard the sound of horses galloping right up to where I sat under the tree.
I jumped to my feet and ran in a panic toward the opening in the trees as if my life depended on it.
I was pretty sure it might at that. Behind me I heard men shouting in the Faery language and horses whinnying and I ran as fast as I could, stumbling along in those awful boots.
But a strong, implacable hand gripped my shoulder, as I made it to the trees and whirled me around so hard I fell to the ground at Fionn’s feet.
I put up my arm to shield my face, thinking he was about to kill me, but he made a scornful sound, grabbed my arm and hauled me back up to my feet.
“Did you think you could run from me, Braden? Did you think that if you made it inside the portal, I wouldn’t follow you?”
“I was hoping you might let me go.” I looked up at him and directly into his eyes. “That you still might.”
“And if I did, where would you go? Back to the mortal world? Looking like you do? Knowing what you really are?” He shook his head.
“The Greeks say a man can’t step into the same river twice, because it is not the same river, and he is not the same man.
So it has to be for you. Otherworld is your home now, your only home. And you’re coming with me.”
“B-but where? You said I was a demon, and you wanted to kill me.” My voice broke about halfway through and I hated it, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“I’m not exactly sure what you are, Braden,” he said, looking down at me, “Though I’m convinced you know.” He stepped closer then and murmured in my ear, “But whatever you are, you’re mine. Make no mistake about that. And you’re coming with me.”
He took my arm to lead me to his horse, but I couldn’t go with him.
I wouldn’t! What kind of life would I have with him if he despised my very existence?
I twisted out of his grip, pushed against his chest as hard as I could, while putting my foot between his ankles to trip him.
To both my surprise and his, he fell backward on his ass and sat there staring at me in shock.
I turned and ran like hell, praying that he wouldn’t follow me.
My mind was still confused, fearful and distracted, but I imagined that I knew what was in store for me if I went with him.
I was feeling slightly crazy and truly “away with the Faeries” now.
Maybe there was more of my mother inside me than I wanted to believe.
And I wondered if I’d ever get back to my own world and my old life there again.
Still panicked, I ran for my life and entered the portal, hidden in the trees ahead.
I remember wishing I could go to someplace I’d be welcomed home, and like the last time I’d entered the portal, the glow formed all around me.
The ground dropped from under my feet and I fell down, down, down into eternal darkness.