Fatal Attractions : The Masquerade

Chapter Two

     "There you go... Good girl."

     I had a firm grip on the reins, and was honestly a bit nervous. It had been a while since I've rode a horse. A few weeks ago, Sam let me ride Rosie through the forest, and that was when she asked me if I wanted a horse of my own. Ever since then, I was much too excited to go riding.

     But Aurora was calm and steady as she trotted down the path, breaking through the forest. It was still sinking in that she belonged to me, my own horse. I still couldn't come up with the words to thank Sam for such a generous gift.

     "Look at you guys, the perfect match!" Sam said, coming up from behind with Rosie.

     "You think so? I was scared she wouldn't like me."

     "Oh, she loves you, Lena! You see how her ears are pointed up and forward? And her head is high, but her body is relaxed? She's showing she's comfortable with her surroundings and comfortable with you. She's also taking in the beautiful view, I'm sure. When Rosie first arrived, she was always checking out the surroundings." Sam let out a giggle and scratched Rosie's head.

     "What about Midnight? Did he like Alex right away?" I asked.

     "Oh goodness, the two were inseparable! Midnight adored Alex, and the change in Alex was amazing."

     "Change? What do you mean?" Sam seemed to catch herself, as if she said something she wasn't supposed to.

     "Oh, um. It's nothing really. Alex was just having some problems upon returning to the Council. We were all very worried about him. Grace, mostly. She suggested Alex start spending time in the stables, grooming the horses and whatnot. It's known to be therapeutic, you know? Brushing the horses and feeding them. It's relaxing. Calms a person, opens their mind. Anyways, after about a week, Alex was a little less touchy, but that was the only change. He wasn't eating, wouldn't talk to anyone, and pretty much secluded himself from the others. 

     "Then one day Grace said that's enough, and found a highly reputable breeder. The next week, we had Midnight. Alex had no idea, but when Grace called him into the stables, I don't know. His eyes just lit up when he saw Midnight. As gorgeous a horse he is, it's no surprise, but their bond immediately began in that moment. I'm not sure if it was because Alex finally had something of his own, or if Midnight really is that special, but every single day Alex spent hours in the stable, grooming Midnight, feeding him, talking to him, and taking him out for rides.

     "His attitude immediately changed. Suddenly he had an appetite, he was no longer irritable, and everyone started seeing a lot more of him. He was no longer locking himself up behind his bedroom door. It was amazing."

     Sam looked at me and smiled, then turned her gaze back onto the paths.

     "If Midnight changed him so much... Why was Alex so difficult when I first came here?"

     "Because that was twenty-five years ago, Lena," Sam said, twisting her lips. "Midnight has reached the endings of his life, and Alex has slowly been losing his best friend for the past couple years. We all started trying to accept the fact that once Midnight passes on, Alex will return to his old self, maybe worse." She turned her head and smiled at me. "But then you showed up."

     I raised my eyebrows. "Me?"

     "Surely you can't be that blind, Lena. Look at how he was when you first came here, and how he is now. You two couldn't be in the same room together without trying to rip each other's throats out. But when Jack took you... I don't know, it changed something in him. Alex has had affections for you from the beginning, I'm certain of that until the day I die. But he's never been one to show his emotions. Then when you were taken, I guess he realized it was now or never. He could either show you how much you mean to him, or risk losing you and never being able to experience that sheer happiness with someone."

     My heart skipped several beats at her words. Yes, the changes in Alex in the past year were extremely obvious. But I never realized how much of a mark I made on his life.

     "He's such a difficult person to figure out, though. I knew I meant a lot to him, just not that much," I said.

     "That he is, Lena, and that he always will be. Alex hasn't gotten' this far in life by sitting around and letting the world pass by on its own. He's been through a lot, fought battles, wars. Lost loved ones, almost lost his own life more times than I can even count. Mostly, I'm just thankful he's had Andrew by his side, and now you. At first glance, Alex is a stubborn man, with guards up as tall as the sky, and a heart as cold as stone. But you and I both know that's not true at all."

     "He's kind-hearted, and cares a lot. He just prefers not to show it. He'd rather stay locked up in that tough exterior than appear soft and get himself hurt once again."

     "Exactly," Sam said, looking forward. "But he's let those guards down for you. Consider yourself one of the lucky ones." She smiled at me, and I couldn't help but smile back.

     I was in love. It was with a vampire a good century or so older than me, but it was still love. 

     "I had no idea Midnight was that old," I said. Sam chuckled.

     "He maintains his youth well, doesn't he? He doesn't look a day older than ten."

     Sam and I both laughed together. 

     The conversation was still running through my mind, though. It never ceased to amaze me how much of a great person Alex was, and how much he's been through in his long life. I loved learning about him. I loved hearing about his life, and how I managed to get to lucky enough to be in it.

     I still had so much more to learn about him, though.