CHASE

Chapter 27

     "Do we have a problem?"  Insinuated Duarte was adjusting his hat.

     "I don't see any problem."  Orsmund used a pretense.  "I don't know what you're talking about."

     "Do not lie! I saw very well how your apathy came over me!"  He straightened up in vain pretense and demand.  "I know how you've been trying to arouse me... Now the matter is still to be discovered!"

     "I still have no idea what you're talking about."  He highlighted.

     "Convenient and effective!"  He straightened the bottom of his hat.  "I'm not about to get into miserable jokes! It's for your own good that all this isn't charlatan talk! You will regret it if my money is spent in vain!"  He threatened in a sharp voice.

     "I don't think so!"  He laughed, fully, relaxed.  "That devious mind brings with it an absence of intellectual gifts! A great lack of establishing justice connections! A feeling of superiority, indeed, enough! However, created and addicted to concepts lacking perception and common sense!"  Orsmund enumerated as he read the hostile signs in her body language and proceeded with greater vivacity.  "What? Hate to be contradicted?"

     "I would be careful with the next words coming out of that filthy mouth!"  Expelled.

     "Oh, yeah. I'm not contradicting!"  He stressed his satisfaction.  "I'm showing the ideologies of a twisted madman! I have in front of me an egocentric sadist who lives in charge of his whims. It's amazing this false defense mechanism that feeds this fake self-esteem that is reinforced when it is flattered with hallucinating fantasies!"

     "What's going on here?"  Raimundo intervened.

     The tavern keeper examined them both closely, his nerves on edge. He sensed a conflict on the way. Duarte about to withdraw the subtle sword, secretly, latent from his stick and Orsmund that towered over his stature. The Viking was, admirably, taller, and bulkier than his rival. Who wore a size, shamelessly, skinny. To avoid confusion at this hour of the morning, he cleared his throat to distract them from a possible fight.

     "Guilherme won't leave here without you, sir!"  Raimundo indicated with a slight bow with courtesy for Duarte to go home. Then he turned to Orsmund.  "It's getting late!"  He cleared his throat, hard.

     "Of course! I don't want to be late!"  He proclaimed as Duarte walked through the door.  "I'll not miss the moment to see my beautiful and sweet Aurora!"  The taunt worked perfectly. His opponent stopped and looked over his shoulder with a fiery squint.  "No one can resist the serenity of dawn."  Added this misleading link. In fact, he was referring to young Aurora herself.

     "Be careful that this disproportionate haughtiness doesn't blind you!"  Raimundo replied, sternly, after ensuring they were alone.  "It can lead you to paths of imminent danger... Who knows?"

     "Since this time, it won't be known who is left to lose... Who knows?"  So, he departed in a merciless farewell. Which, surprisingly, made the tavern owner clumsy.

     He found himself decompressing in the icy breeze. He had let himself be affected by unreasonable exaltation. He walked the streets watching the darkness of the sky, absorbed in thoughts that led him to the mansion. He leapt onto the porch with the agility of not disturbing the silence. There she was. Lying with the face soft between the pillows.

     He turned, intending to retreat, although a dry noise made him turn around. Aurora was on her feet. A beautiful sleepy figure in which the dark circles under her eyes became, incredibly, amorous. On impulse she ran into her lover's arms. She snuggled into an embrace that covered her with the cool breeze. With her cheek she touched his hard chest, appreciating the soft fabric of his shirt.

     "What are you still doing around here?"  She murmured with her eyes closed in a sleepy voice.  "The morning approaches! Did you come to spend the day with me?"  Distracted, she stroked his forearm.  "What's it? Is it all right?"  She stretched her neck.

     "I would die at the first ray of sunlight."  He cupped her chin, admiring those innocent eyes.

     "You mean that... the sun is like a poison for you? How do you do it? Do you walk in the shadows?"

     "With the dawn I get petrified in general."  He clarified.

     "It's a curse, then."  She said a little pity sounding.

     "It's a price to pay for my immortality."  He kissed the top of her head, panting the calm scent of chamomile.

     "Immortality?"  She was silent for seconds.  "I realize now that I trust you to get me out of here... And I don't know anything about my savior."

     "I also question the way you give yourself to me... besides, depending on the point of view, it's still early or late..."  He assessed the horizon.  "To tell you about me. We'll have time when we get rid of this."

     "I will be happy to share all my confidences with you."  She got tangled up in him.  "Although I wish we had a more... intense relationship..."  Sly, she smiled.

     At that moment, Orsmund took her with both hands in a sincere and energetic kiss. The pair didn't cooperate only with their lips. Fingers, hands, arms, legs. The bodies were wrapped together. They joined in an affectionate incessant dance. Then he leaned his forehead against hers to rest her enthusiasm and catch her breath.

     "Soon we will see how our relationship works."  He winked and disappeared leaving her excited and leaning over the porch railing.

     She lingered with her eyelids closed until the temperature grading took place with the light ripping through the periphery of the atmosphere. The morning heat that penetrated her skin brought with it a drain of energy. She yawned at the drowsiness present and settled back between the appealing sheets. Her body demanded more hours of sleep. Which made her sleep longer than expected. A crash, accompanied by low roars, jerked her roughly from her resting state. She sat up in bed, straining to hear clearly what was going on downstairs. As she turned to the side to get ready, the bedroom door was flung open with a reckless atrocity. Aurora's heart suddenly fluttered. Duarte was a few meters away, seething with rage. He slammed the door again, locked it and pulled the key out of the lock irritably as he slipped it into his coat pocket.

     "Sit down!"  He ordered her in a harsh and austere tone, pointing to the chair.

     In fear,she crept slowly to the seat that had been set for her. Subservient, sheobeyed, attentive to the bloodshot eye sockets that analyzed her. Abruptly, hegripped the armrests in a blind grip and bent over her by inches. What scaredher. The hot breath in front of her face made her feel even more cloistered.Terror made it impossible for her to move. She thought repeatedly what haddrawn him here with such behavior. She could hear muffled voices in thedistance. However, she knew that it would do her no good to scream for help.She was part of one of his belongings. She was his property. She belonged tohim, period. He had every right to do with her what he wanted, and no one wouldstop him. It was and always would be. There were no limits to what he wanted.She could beg, scream that everyone would turn a deaf ear. They would neverdare object to one of the most powerful men in Fragqua.