The Taming

Calisto's Help

The sudden rush of water outside drew her attention.

The river walls of WaterRose flooded into motion again.

"Did you stop the water?" She questioned nervously.

His gaze didn't flicker from her. Not advertently.

In his fury his power had surged out in a way that interfered with the balance of magic binding WaterRose together.

As he registered it, he forced his heartbeat to slow. Breathing through his nose until he felt his body easing. The tension making his hands fist, releasing.

The room brightened, and the warm glow of the fire returned.

She eyed those flames. Blowing a heavy breath. "You're calm now?"

She edged away warily.

Calm is a bit strong for it.

***

His face no longer showed the shadows of his skull. But his eyes remained on her, still watching her every movement like a wild cat ready to pounce.

She chewed her cheek. Her eyes skittering as her feet slid backward. Inch by inch as she tried to form a retreat.

You won't be fast enough...

He was annoyed by her line of thinking and thought to call her on it.

"What'd make you think that I'd hurt you? You've stabbed me, shredded me, and nearly eviscerated me-yet never have I touched you in harm."

She looked away, recognizing the truth of his words.

Regardless of his annoyance, he forced himself to be patient as he awaited her response.

"It's not you." She murmured so quietly he barely heard her.

But I did.

"Then who?" He asked softly. Leaping on the subject.

A chance to make her talk.

"A shadow in my past." She admitted weakly. Her gaze focusing on the doorway beyond his shoulder.

Who?

"Is it he that makes you hold your anger so close?" He probed.

In all the years I've kept her here, she's hardly softened atall.

She nodded slightly, not meeting his permeating gaze.

"What'd he do to you?" He pressed her. Surprised she'd answered as much as she had, and hoping for more.

She shot him an angry look.

And now it's over. He sighed.

***

"What concern to you, is the past of your captive?" She lashed out.

He was taken aback by her sudden attack. "It's the past of the woman, I wish to know."

"You think to taunt me?" At his blank look she surged on. "I don't care about your little kindnesses!"

She's attacking for the sake of building the distance back. He refused to rise to her baiting.

She scrambled for another excuse. "You wouldn't be faithful if I were yours!"

***

Where'd that come from? I'd be faithful to a mate. Shadows crossed his face and flames in the fireplace spat as they climbed over the mantle. Cloying fingers charring the walls to claw the ceiling. Roaring behind him and illuminating his ominous face.

He appeared much more then human with his broad-shouldered, muscular frame outlined by licking orange and red firelight. His square jawline and the straight bones of his cheeks jagged in his severe expression.

In turn she was a halo of silver and gold. Firelight tossing a glow over her soft skin. Making her seem incredibly tempting to touch.

He closed in.

She reflexively backed up until her legs encountered the chair. Teetering, she fell into it.

He leaned over her and gripped the twining gold armrests.

***

"You don't know me at all, Little Harpie! I'm a breed of the most loyal kind." He tilted his head to look at her. "When a man becomes my brother, I'd pay my life for his. If I chose to take a woman as mate, she'd be the only woman I'd lie with." He growled low in his throat.

His face distorted, shaping into something with an elongated snout and glittering gold eyes. The walls around her quivered and dissipated briefly as though nothing more than a mirage. The ground quaked and they settled back into place again.

"I don't have to explain myself to you!" He massaged his temples a moment before he rolled his shoulders and straightened.

"Then why did you?"

Because I wanted to!

"I don't toy with you. My interest is genuine, tangible. You fascinate me and I'm sure if you opened your heart to me, you'd have me as putty in your hands."

Her confusion was apparent. Rising from the chair she held it carefully before her. Opening her mouth to speak.

Then suddenly she wound around him and headed out the library door. Dully taking the steps up to the second floor.

Stepping from the library, he watched her climb the stairs in her dreamlike state.

Shaking his head, he went back in the library to carefully hide the book on the back of a different shelf.

How'd she find it?

He allowed her free reign of this room due to the certainty she'd never locate it. Someone helped her.

With a sinking stomach he looked around the room. Scanning every corner for orange eyed Nonis. Nothing.

His shoulders straightened. He shifted in the aisle between the shelves. "Calisto?"

He felt the smallest flicker of energy. Maybe her?

He waited. Watching carefully. Nothing.

"Why? Why betray me? Why show her?" His voice was wounded even to his own ears.

He thought he heard a tiny voice whispering a word. So, faint it could've been the wind, "Merlinus."

"What?" He turned looking for her. "Raese? I don't understand."

She said nothing more.

"Why would you talk to her but not to me?"

Only silence filled the library. The energy gone.

If she was here...She's not any longer.