Reverence - Book 2

- 32 -

The wind was whispering hoarsely against the glass. It's fetid fingers scrapped and pulled at the idyllic panes, voice tinny and grasping. It knocked and moaned, waning and wanting. The rain was careful slight needles, glinting as they pierced the mirrored lake. 

The wind, it sounded like running paces and hushed sincerity. The rain, it sounded like soft satin floating over cobblestoned corridors as the midnight air filled its creases and caressed it sensually. The storm, it was breaking. Breaking up like black waves on wet cement sand. Breaking like hard slanderous wind on timid cheeks of windows seldom taught to this abuse. It was breaking, tinkling, chiming on hard floors and high walls. 

It was breaking...like glass. 

I sat up, the warm silk sheets pooling in my lap. The softly breathing silhouette of Luca lie undisturbed beside me, his shoulder rising slightly along his peaceful breaths. I reached for him, a shaky finger poised over his burning skin. 

The house was dauntingly quiet. The shadows were darker, the air futilely still. I swallowed a nervous breath, leaning beside the bed now. My fingers grasped the cotton edge of Luca's shirt, and they pulled it over my bare shoulders as I stood. 

My feet grew chilled as I crossed silently across the hall, watching my shadow leer in the pale silvering moonlight. My fingers nervously grabbed at the shirt, it's warming security rolling away from me like turning tides. 

I felt the whipping chill crawl around my legs like a feral cat, hungering and vile. The moon was refracted in diamonds on the floor, the vase sloughing in the trickling death of water and scattered waxy white tulip petals. 

I should've yelled. I should've woken him. Instead the hands round my neck were clawing and the fingers that snaked over my pressing lips were hard and calculating, that snake hissing and snaring between perfect white carnivorous teeth. Foxen honey eyes were flickering hellfire in the darkness, her tan skin pallid against my saliva. 

"Shhh..." 

Coaxed the snake, her soft slight body pressing assertively against my own, pinning me to the rough woolen rug.  

"Don't wake him." 

She slithered, wagging pink tongue pinched over slight jackal lips. My eyes widened, my chest inflating with coerced panic. I nodded quickly, begging for her hand to withdraw from me. 

My hands came between us, shoving her roughly away, her back colliding into the mauve couch, her frame tumbling down into the waiting hands of the fabric. I went over just as quickly, my knee slamming into her taut stomach, a bitten wince coming from her throat as my own hands crushed against her skin. 

"What are you doing here." 

She choked, fingers clawing mercilessly against my hands.

"What are you doing here Asa." 

It was a growl, no more words. 

"You're in my house," 

She wept, dewy tears beading in her animal eyes. 

"Get out of my house." 

I pushed away from her, her soft body rolling off the velvet fabric and onto the cold stale floor. My hand clasped around an onyx lion sitting helplessly on the side table, my wrist shaking at my false bravery.