Chapter 11: Chapter 11
Their pointer fingers hooked together as their hands swayed back and forth between them, and a bouquet of colored orbs followed along. The road back to Imara’s house was not even a hundred yards, so they walked as slowly as possible.
A satisfied whimper hummed through Imara’s lips as her eyes rose to the sky. “Do you know much about the stars, Sweetheart?”
“Only that they sure are pretty.” He tugged her into his side and wrapped his arm around her back, then kissed her temple. “Not as much as you are, though.”
Like a child seeing the heavenly lights for the first time, her eyes twinkled as she gasped at the beauty of it before resting her head against his shoulder. “I read a little about them. Like that constellation right there.” She pointed up at a red speck in the sky, but Ben couldn’t take his eyes off her. “That’s Antares. It’s my favorite story of all. There was this gentleman named Orpheus, and he could charm everyone with his magical harp. He could even stop battles with the beautiful music he played on it. One day he married a woman, I can’t recollect her name, but she got bit by a snake and died on their wedding night. He went all the way to hell to bring her back because he loved her so much. Isn’t that the most beautiful story you’ve ever heard?”
Little silent chuckles came from his nose as he laughed. “Doesn’t sound like much of a honeymoon. I’m kind of hoping I fare a little better tomorrow night.”
She placed her hand on his belly and looked up into his face. “He loved her so much he walked through fire to bring her back. Can you imagine?”
He stopped her in the road with the crickets calling out to them and encircled her cheeks with his hands. “I’d do that right now, Imara. I’d do anything to keep you safe with me.”
Like little pools of green water, her eyes were thick with tears, and she puffed a breath of air up in her face to blow them away. Ben moved the ones that spilled over aside with his thumbs. “No matter how long it takes or where you go, I will find you. You never have to worry, won’t nothing stop me from getting to you.”
***
The scent of apple pie made Ben’s mouth water when Imara opened her bedroom door. Everything in her room was bathed in his mate, and every primal instinct he possessed told him to claim her.
His eyes settled on the oriental rug poking out from under her bed. “I’ll sleep right there.”
Stopping the search for something appropriate to wear in her lingerie drawer, Imara peeked over her shoulder. “You don’t have to stay on the floor tonight. I don’t bite, I swear.”
He pressed his hand against the doorway as he pulled off his socks. “Not proper for me to sleep in your bed.”
She rolled her eyes as she hugged her best white nightgown against her chest. “Not proper? I’m a witch, and you’re a werewolf, and we’re getting married tomorrow after knowing each other for less than two weeks. What about any of that says proper to you?”
His thumb pointed over his shoulder toward the door as his other hand pulled at his shirt buttons. “Where’s the washroom?”
A flush of pink crossed her cheeks, and she lifted her chin to the wall. “Down the hall, last door on the right.”
The rug lining the hall squished under his toes as he rubbed the back of his neck and tried to force the wolf back into its den. “Just keep your paws to yourself; she’s a lady. You can climb all over here tomorrow.”
Imara yanked her dress over her shoulders and wiggled it down her hips as soon as the door shut. The silky nightgown fell over her hot skin while she pranced to the mirror and straightened her hair. “Is this happening?”
The light raps of his knuckles against the door made her lift her eyes to its reflection. “I’m decent. Come on in.” Her shaking fingers reached behind her and felt for the mattress, then she lowered herself on the white fluffy blanket. “Please lay with me, Ben. I don’t want you sleeping on the floor.” Her finger made an x across her chest. “I promise I won’t do anything naughty.”
He pulled his shirt over his head, then slid onto the bed next to her. The heat of his breath against her neck made her close her eyes as his lips grazed her ear. “What makes you think I won’t?”
“Because I can see what kind of man you are.” Her fingers brushed the hair behind his slightly prominent ears. “The Creators didn’t give me many gifts, but I can see your light. You’re a good man, Ben.”
He pulled her hand close to his chest and pressed his forehead to hers. “I’ll be good to you.”
After she kissed the tip of his nose, she rubbed hers against it. “I believe you. The one thing in this world I am sure of is you.”
Blinking around at her expensive furniture and the perfume bottles that probably cost more money than he’d ever seen, Ben shook his head. “I realize you’re used to certain things. I won’t be able to give you everything you want, but I’ll always make sure you have what you need. You’ll never go without.”
Even the soft wavy hair falling down his chest when she laid her head against his shoulder sent a shiver through him, and he cursed the beast inside him that growled to be set loose. She pressed her lips against his neck and traced his collarbone with her fingers. “I only want you and our little house, Ben. Nothing else in this universe matters to me.”
The lifting of his shoulders pushed her free of him as he took a deep breath and yawned. “I’m so sorry.”
Imara patted his leg, then wrapped her fingers around his and tugged him up with her as she stood. “Come on, Sweetheart.” The blanket balled into her hand, and she inched down the bed, pulling it along with her. “You must be exhausted after working all day.”
She pushed herself to the top of the bed, and he slithered in beside her, laying his head on his arm. “Every time I wake up, you’re always gone.” He tugged at the lock of her that fell across her neck and shook his head. “I won’t let you disappear on me this time.”
Pushing away from the dark hair that fell over his eye, Imara sighed. “You won’t be here in the morning, will you?”
“No, but I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He smiled as his heavy eyes knitted together and his breathing slowed. The first soft snore came from him, and Imara pressed her lips to his and closed her eyes.
***
The wolf in him could hear the rooster crow as Ben rubbed his eyes and made his way down the stairs in the morning. The fresh morning air found him, and his eyes snapped up to see the front door open.
A sickness rose through his throat as the image of Imara lying on the floor came across his vision. He held onto the newel post and closed his eyes, then shook it off. “Don’t see it.”
Cherry and vanilla-scented smoke puffed into the air blowing through the doorway, and Ben smiled as the relief pushed down all his worries. He pulled the door shut behind him, and a mug of coffee appeared in front of him as Shaw’s booming voice welcomed him. “Morning, Ben.”
After he finished tucking in his shirt, Ben took the coffee from Shaw and brought it to his lips. “Thank you. What are you doing up so early?”
Shaw set down his pipe on the side table and pushed off on the balls of his feet as the floorboards creaked underneath the chair. “Wanted to catch you before you left. We need to settle a few things.”
Ben swallowed his mouthful and glanced up at him as he waited for him to continue. “Go on, speak your mind. I got work to do.”
Massive arms crossed his chest as Shaw narrowed his eyes and nodded. “Alright, then. I’ve been looking after Imara since she was a baby, and when her parents told me about that ridiculous woman’s warning, I swore to them I’d protect her to my dying breath. She’s like a daughter to me. It’s my job to make sure she’s taken care of.”
His head shook from side to side as Ben set the cup on the windowsill. “No. That’s my job now.”
His lips twisted as Shaw shrugged his shoulder. “I know that, but I’m never going to stop looking after her. I don’t agree with all that mess Thorin said to you at your Momma’s house. I know you all believe in Fate and that everything’s meant to be horseshit.”
With his two massive hands between them, Shaw stared into Ben’s eyes. “But I believe in these, and they’ve kept her safe for twenty-three years now. Whatever’s coming for Miss Imara isn’t Fate. Just an evil curse the devil himself put on that sweet angel. You can’t change Fate, Ben, but you can break a goddamn curse. You can crush its fucking head in those two hands of yours like a real man. You understand me, boy?”
His teary eyes rolled to the darkness, and his nose wrinkled at the wicked thing he knew was barreling towards them. “Yes, sir. I understand completely.”
With a nod of this head, Shaw reached out his hand to Ben and shook it. “Thorin may be comfortable accepting this thing, but I intend to fight until there’s no more breath in my body like I promised her folks. Don’t you give up on her, Ben? Don’t you ever give up on her? You keep fighting no matter how hard it gets or how long it takes.”
He backed away to the stairs as Shaw slumped into the rocking chair and picked up his pipe. “I will, Shaw. I promise you; we’ll beat this thing is if I have to spend the next hundred years doing it.”