The Hissing Beauty (Undergoing Edits)

Chapter 9

Sariff's POV:

It was a few days after what I would remember as a rather disastrous dinner that I was finally done shedding. My scales were now brighter in color as they were always were for a few weeks after shedding, but I couldn't complain. I was just happy that the irritating feeling of it was over with for another few months at least. I had also decided to sit with Daniel every few days in the library as he would read aloud from the collection of Greek Myths. Though when I did I was covered as much as I was that night at dinner.

I sighed as I watched the rain come down in the gardens outside the library window. Pulling the hood closer over my head as I waited for Daniel to come. I missed the feeling of the rain on my skin, something that once annoyed me to no end was getting wet from the rain but now I longed for it. I usually couldn't go out in the rain unless it was an unusually warm rain as my body temperature would drop too quickly. I hadn't gone out in the rain in nearly three years and I missed it.

I heard the library door open and then heard his footsteps pause in the doorway before I slowly turned towards him, bracing myself for his possible reaction. He couldn't see anything from under the hood, something I made sure of before I left my own room, but I could see him smile at me regardless. It wasn't the reaction I was expecting, him smiling at me like that.

"Well this is a pleasant surprise I must say." (Dan)

"I thought I would join you today. We are about to begin the tale of Apollo and it hasssssss a few difficult wordsssssss. Do you mind?" (Sar)

"Not at all Sariff. I would love for you to join me." (Dan)

I heard the sincerity and happiness that leaked out of his voice and I felt a small rush of heat flood my cheeks. I didn't even know I could still blush but I suppose now I know I can. He sat down on the small couch and I sat beside him, not touching him but close enough to wear I could feel the heat coming from his body.

I tasted his scent on my tongue again, something that once disgusted me that I could do, but now doesn't bother me much. His scent was always matching that of the gardens, though he spends so much time outside when not in the library it does not surprise me much that he smells of the gardens. He opened to the tale we were to begin today and began reading, I aided him when he needed it and corrected him as well. The smile on both our faces remaining as I sat next to him.

It was over far too quickly for me, but I knew that his reading was improving and soon there would be no need to continue our lessons. My heart grew heavy at the thought of not hearing his voice read aloud some of my favorite stories every day, or not seeing his face in the library each day. He placed the book back on its spot on the shelf before he leaned against the window.

"It sure is stuffy in here today since we can't open the windows. Are you a bit warm as well?" (Dan)

I felt my body stiffen as I knew what he was implying. I stood from the couch and quickly made my way over to the door of the library. I heard him move from the window but before I could leave the room I felt his hand grab my gloved one.

"Sariff I'm sorry, forgive me." (Dan)

I felt my eyes widen as I felt his touch through the glove. My breathing increased as I stared at his hand holding onto my own tightly but not in a painful way. I glanced up to see him staring at me with slight concern but he didn't make any effort to remove the hood.

"Sariff, what's wrong?" (Dan)

"I cannot remember the lasssssst time sssssssomeone touched me ssssssso willingly. I musssssst go. I'm sssssorry." (Sar)

I pulled my hand from his and quickly left the room. The sound of my increased breathing and fluttering heart echoing in my ears as I made my way back to my room, shutting the door carefully behind me. I threw off the hood and stared again at my hand in wonder as the tears began to fall from my eyes. He touched me, even with the glove, it was not something I would likely soon forget.

Daniel's POV:

I realized my mistake as soon as I saw her stiffen on the couch. I watched as she stood up and starting walking towards the door of the library. I don't know what possessed me but I walked after her and took her hand in my own before she could leave the library.

"Sariff I'm sorry, forgive me." (Dan)

I felt her stiffen under my touch, and then I heard her breathing increase as my hand held onto hers. She seemed to just stare at my hand on hers and I wondered if I mis-stepped by grabbing her hand in the first place. I found myself staring at the darkness within the hood where I knew she could see me as concern for her began to take over.

"Sariff, what's wrong?" (Dan)

"I cannot remember the lasssssst time sssssssomeone touched me ssssssso willingly. I musssssst go. I'm sssssorry." (Sar)

I watched with pain in my heart for her as took her hand out of mine and quickly left the library. Her own voice had been full of pain and sorrow as she spoke to me and I realized that though she had Jacque and the rest of the servants she probably hadn't had any human contact in several years. I took my seat back on the couch in the library, hoping that I didn't scare her off from our lessons knowing that without talking with each day my time here would soon become dull and lonely.