His Beloved

Chapter XVIII

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Chapter XVIII

"It's so cold!" I called out from the water as I danced on the tip of my toes, Aron sitting back on a chair as few others toddled around the beach. The water looked scary further out, it looked like it got deep quickly and I wasn't going out any further anyway, my toes were about to fall off.

After not being able to take the cold any longer I quickly ran up the beach, my toes freezing as I scooped up my towel and wrapped it around myself. The air itself wasn't cold, but that water made me shrivel up.

"Enough swimming?" Aron asked with a smile.

"I think I'll just enjoy the sun."

"Willa has arrived home safely."

I perked up, "her mate is going to be so mad at her. I was so surprised she did that."

Aron made a dark face, "I wasn't. I'm glad it was you who was my bride and not your sister. She's a nightmare."

"Aron," I grumbled. "She's just passionate."

"You make a lot of allowances for her."

I didn't know how to answer that. It wasn't like it was a question, it felt like one but how did I answer that? I knew I overlooked things when it came to her –my family even...but what was the point of butting heads with her?

"Maybe I do," I conceded. "I can't help it."

Staring out into the waves was calming and I felt incredibly relaxed, but I also felt drained, like I had no energy. Maybe I was too relaxed.

Stretching out I yawned, pulling my hat over my eyes.

"We'll have to head back soon, I have to go into the main part of town, and unfortunately you won't be able to come."

"That's okay," I yawned. "I might sleep."

As the sun began moving closer and closer to the horizon we headed back up to the house where a meal was waiting for me, by the generous house staff. Aron parted with a kiss to my forehead and I vaguely wondered what he was doing.

Probably council stuff, we were in a different territory now.

After a while of picking at my food, too tired to actually eat it I wondered through the large house, admiring the shadowy light that came through the windows. It was a sight I missed, I hadn't seen the sunset through curtains in a very long time.

As I stood on the balcony of the bedroom, watching the sun set down I took a breath and relished in the feeling of a sudden burst of energy that suddenly hit me. My eyes widened in surprise as the heaviness of my eyes disappeared and my limbs no longer ached.

As the sky became darker and darker I felt more alive – like I did when back at Aron's – our – manor. My palms felt like they were pulsing and it was like I could feel the blood in my veins.

My mind slipped back to the night on the balcony, when I had killed and then gave life back to that flower.

Or when Aron had taken my blood and the lights had pulsed.

These things all occurred at night.

Willa's magic was at its strongest during the day, while I felt weak and less like a witch. Yet at night I felt alive...Was it possible my magic was connected with the moon – not the sun? That there was nothing ever really wrong with me to begin with?

It made sense that my soulmate would be a vampire, how worried I had been about being bound to the night...yet maybe I had been created for it as well.

I felt excited, eager, to try out my theory.

What could I do? I'd never really practised anything because I'd never had the means to do so. Going back into the bedroom I looked around the room for something I could play with...maybe turn to dust? I don't think I could transform anything...unless...scurrying into the bathroom I found what I was looking for.

Taking the candle off the sink top I took it back to the bedroom and sat on the floor, placing it in front of me.

Trying to control my excitement I placed my hands over it, as I had watched Willa do many times before. No chanting, not noise, just silence and concentration – picturing exactly what it was you were going to be doing.

So as I shut my eyes and steadied my hands I began to steady my thoughts, just trying to form the picture of the candle in my mind, thinking very carefully of what I wanted from it – the last thing I wanted to do was set the room on fire, just the candle.

I pictured it flicking to life, the gentle glow of an orange flame that would wave whenever a small bit of wind hit it.

Concentrate.

Breathe.

Imagine.

I was stunned when I felt the heat beneath my palms and I opened my eyes and removed my hands, laughing in shock as I watched the candle flicker with light – light given from me!

"Well, weren't expecting that were we? Think the boys here wanted to see ya' in the shower, ever hopeful they were."

I jumped in fright as the candle went out and I quickly scrambled to my feet, facing the four men in the room who were covered in blood. "W-w...who..." They weren't friendly looking, not someone I'd want to be around – alone.

"No time to chat, love, we've got a deal to uphold and if your mate comes back before we leave – well we know what happens to wolves who touch what's his."

I let out a shocked screech when he lunged and grabbed my arms, bounding them behind my back.

"No! Let me go! Aron!"

My heart thumped in my chest, where was he? He'd been gone for a long time, who were these men? What was going to happen to me? This wasn't happening, this was a bad dream – maybe I had knocked myself out from doing magic and I was dreaming.

"Shut it, you leeches whore!" One of them snarled as he twisted my arm.

"It almost feels wrong doesn't it? Her sister is mated to a wolf, technically it makes her kin. It makes Lord Aron kin."

"Well the pompous little shit turned his nose up at that didn't he? Now it's our turn to get our payback. Our revenge. Who better on, than his little bride?"

"Please," I pleaded as they dragged me through the house. Whatever I was going to say next got caught in my throat when I saw the mangled body of one of the housekeepers, pinned to the wall.

"We can't drag her the whole way, knock the bitch out, we'll move faster. Her mate will feel her panic."

"No!" I shouted, before an intense pressure was felt on the back of my head and darkness enveloped my senses.

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