ORPHEUS

Chapter 21

Orpheus couldn't stop smiling to himself.

He was outside currently, chopping wood for the winter. He needed to keep his shed stocked up, he did not fancy the idea off his fingers falling off from the cold while chopping wood in the middle of winter.

Mated. Katherine wanted to be mated to him. He beamed at himself again, not caring for the sweat coating his body. That woman would be the death of him! He thought, remembering his reaction upon her asking. And he would die happily at this point.

He placed another log on the stump and swung down his axe. Woosh-thump-snap. The rhythm continued.  He felt at peace at the moment, if not a little excited. He hadn't been this happy since forever. He was going to get mated to his Angel, in everyway possible, since he didn't know how hybrids mated. He would have to wait for the Blood Moon to exchange blood with her, but the Elven ceremony could take place in a fortnight, under the full moon. The undead usually do not mate, but he said he would take her to a chapel and they would exchange rings.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew they were moving too fast, but he wanted her and the happiness she brought him. He had gotten a chance at happiness after centurion of loneliness, he wasn't going to let that go. She was the first to accept him, to embrace him, with all his loads and burdens. He wouldn't give that up.

He had sacrificed enough for the Council. He wasn't giving them anymore. He would make sure nothing would tear him apart from Kathy. He would have to go through a few more assassinations before they were bonded and wed. Then they would have to disappear. He did not have a particular destination in mind, but when he thought of something, he would have to consult a sorceri for a protection spell. He cringed at the thought. Katherine wouldn't like that, the sorceri were not the most... virtuous creatures in the mystical world.

Just as he bent to pick up another log, Orpheus felt himself frozen in place. He thought he heard a screm. He stood tense for a moment, until her heard it.

"Orpheus!" It took him no time to comprehend that it was Kathy calling his name and he rushed inside, almost with supernatural speed, hearing the panicked note in her voice.

"Katherine!" He shouted bursting through the door. He looked around until he saw her standing near the table, her new sewing kit scattered on the surface along with a wad of silky yellow fabric. She was faced away from him, standing still as a stone, so silent that he couldn't even hear her breath.
That was until she gasped, as if holding her breath for a long time and collapsed on the chair next to her. Orpheus immediately rushed to her side.

"What's wrong?!" He asked, his brow creased with worry and his voice filled with concern as he neared her. "Is everything alright?"

"Orpheus" she said, her voice hushed as she glanced up at him then at her left hand that she was currently cradling in her right. "Look at this!"

"What is it?" He said, slightly releived that she was not in hysterics. He leaned over her shoulder to se that the hand she was cradling had a smear of golden liquid on her middle finger. He repeated the question.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide as she explained how the shimmery golden liquid came to be.

"I was sewing the frills of my sleeves as you can see, when I pricked my finger." She said still wide eyed with awe and worry. She looked back down at her finger. "I think this is my blood"

Orpheus' shoulders slumped when realisation came to him. A short chuckle escaped him, causing Kathy to glare at him. He only placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her cheek.

"It's nothing, Angel" he said airily. "Elven blood is golden"

She looked surprised, and Orpheus couldn't help but think of how adorable she looked to him. He couldn't resist dropping another tender kiss on her forehead.
She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to seem undeterred, but Orpheus didn't miss the twitch of her lips. He gave her a sly little grin and watched her cheeks pinken as he expected it would.
She tried to swat him away to no avail.