Venom (Book I) ✓

Chapter Ten

The walk was almost surreal for Ruby that day. She was exhausted in a way she had never experienced before, but when Ulric had suggested taking the day off she had adamantly refused, the image of Edward's prone form back in the village burning like a scar across her mind. This displeased Ulric greatly, but upon her panicked and muddled explanation he gave in. She couldn't help the sneaking suspicion that it was mainly for her mental health. She had looked half crazed when she begged she was sure.

Now, they moved slowly and on a clear path. It was the first time in their trek that they had stayed so long on such an easy trail to follow. Ruby noticed this, of course, but only in the dazed way of a person too cloaked in exhaustion to properly care or truly think much at all about it. And so, it went unmentioned.

Ulric stayed close to her side, much closer than usual. When she began to stumble he caught her around the waist. Finally, around midday, when she could no longer remain upright he sighed and stopped, lowering her gently to the ground.

"Hey Red, how about calling it a day?" He prodded gently, crouching before her.

"Just a little farther." She begged, interrupting herself with a yawn.

Her eyelids were heavy and as she gazed up at him he swam in and out of focus. The effect gave him two noses and four eyes and she nearly giggled at the sight.

"Nope. Come on. We'll camp right up here."

She made a small sound of objection, but he either did no hear or did not care. He gathered her up in his arms and before she could say anything he had swept her off of the ground and was walking leisurely toward the trees.

"I can walk." She mumbled into his shoulder, curling against his chest comfortably.

"I'm sure." He answered.

Maybe he said more, but she was too tired, and finally sleep took over. This time, she let it.

***

Ruby awoke to a shaft of golden light glowing across her face. With a groan she rolled away from the unwelcome intrusion and buried her face in her pillow. Across the room somebody chuckled. But it was not Appa's jovial, wizened chuckle. It was rougher and darker and somehow more...Animal.

"Come on Red, you've slept the day away. We've got to get going."

"Ulric." She muttered, her voice muffled by the pillow still pressed against her face.

"Yes Red?"

"Whose bed am I in?"

He chuckled again, this time closer, and she felt him sit on the edge of the plush, warm bed she was tucked into. "Nobody's...that I can tell."

She rolled over, squinting against the light. He sat over her, his skin seeming to glow golden in the light, his scars stark and silvery, lending to his ethereal appearance. he gazed down at her and she couldn't help noting just how stunning he looked just then, smiling at her.

"This town has been deserted for ages, but it's still perfectly kept. I'm sure it's some sort of weird magic, but I guess it came in handy. You needed a real bed."

For a moment she was too caught up in the way he looked, smiling and talking and drenched in the light, to answer. Then, he caught her staring and quirked a brow at her and she turned away with a blush. "Thank you. I did need it."

With no warning a hand brushed gently across her cheek. She jumped in surprise and Ulric recoiled, a look of hurt flickering across his stunning features. "I'm sorry." He hurried, "I won't--"

"Wait. I'm sorry." Ruby hastened, pushing herself into a sitting position with trembling arms. "You startled me."

He nodded, clearly unconvinced and moved to stand. A thread of power wound through Ruby's veins and she reached out to catch his hand. "Please wait." She begged, clinging to his hand with all her might.

Unfazed, he shook her off and stood. "I get it. Don't worry about it."

She threw off the blankets and scrambled to stand before him. His eyes wouldn't meet hers and if she wasn't mistaken the glow in them was dimmer than usual. "I don't think you do." She hissed.

"I do. I'm a monster, Red, and I know it. I'm nothing like you or your precious knight in shining armor back home."

She recoiled from this as if struck. "No."

He scowled and started to step around her. Empowered, she caught his wrist and forced him to face her. Surprised, he met her eyes and found them bright and violently blue. "No, you're not like Edward. Edward is...powerful and daring and charming and yet so...careless. You...you are gentle and mindful and graceful and so, so..." Her mind cast around for the word desperately, "beautiful."

It came out before she could consider it but there it was and it fit him too well for her to regret it or try to mend it. So it hung like perfume in the air and he gazed down at her, looking as if he was too afraid to inhale. He was too afraid that the word tickling his nose was somehow a mistake.

"You're not a monster." She whispered, her voice a lurid breath as it slid past dry lips and parched tongue. "You're an angel."

He seemed at a complete loss for words, his mouth working hopelessly around silent syllables. Then he seemed to steel himself and, eyes burning, he shook his head, his long dark hair swaying across his forehead. "I'll go find us dinner." He growled.

Then, turning fast on his heels, he all but fled the room. Ruby sighed, hugging herself as if that could dissipate the adrenaline thrumming directly behind her eyes. A door slammed somewhere in the house and Ruby turned and wandered toward the door.

Nothing could be done about that now, not until Ulric returned. However, that didn't mean she couldn't accomplish something herself. She felt dirty, dust and grime coated her skin and knotted her hair and her clothes were ripped and stained with blood.

Ulric had said something about magic maintaining these homes, did that include their closets?

She wandered hopefully to an armoire and threw it open. A cloud of dust greeted her, and she coughed, batting at the suffocating air. There were clothes here all right, standing like sentries from the sort of life she had never been fortunate enough to live. Full, long gowns hung alongside a small collection of what could only be riding clothes in the tones of the forest.

She delicately sorted through to find an emerald shirt and dark trousers. Reluctant to disturb any of the more exquisite garments, she closed the door tightly once more and made her way to the door. She would find a place to bathe, she vowed, if it was the last thing she did.