Chapter 27: Good Night Kisses

“Chancellor?” I whispered, muttering to myself because I need to stop my whole being from dragging my situation worse.

“Yep,” the woman replied and looked at his father, who turned out to be the Chancellor. I don’t understand anything. Can’t understand anything. Are they some sort of King or… something?

“Oh, right. You don’t know anything. My father’s kind of the one who’s the peacemaker between…” she turned right and sighed, “werewolves, vampires, and witches. You’re kind of the problem here, girl.”

“And why am I the problem?!” I asked angrily.

Her twin brother replied instead, “Because you shouldn’t be born.”

I laughed, though no amusement resonated with it.  Every minute that passed by, my raging heart roared louder and louder. “Okay?” I don’t shitfully understand anything. The girl must have weird telepathic skills that read minds because she seemed to read mine. “Oh, dear. You don’t have to understand anything. We’ll just kill you to end the problem here.” Then, she smiled sweetly.

Fuck you. I said inside my mind. Her smile disappears then. “You can’t kill me,” I said, to all of them. “I’m just a human!” I screamed, tears watering the dry ground below. “So please… just let me go…” my voice became softer. “I promise to all of you, I’m going to hide! You won’t find me in your place. I will move, far, far, away, from the likes of you!”

“That’s not enough.” Finally, their King or Chancellor (whatever they call him) spoke while staring straight at my soul. “No, no, no, please…” I pleaded one more time when their face told me that killing me is their final decision.

“Leave the girl to us,” the Chancellor spoke to the dwarf-like creature. “We won’t kill her. Not yet.” Our eyes met briefly.“We’re going to go to the Moon Goddess and let her decide what to do with her.”

***

I woke up in the middle of the night, all sweaty despite the chilly weather. A man was staring candidly at me. “Hey…” I murmured, trying to cover the goosebumps on my body with the comforter.

Zarion was watching me all along. He did not sleep. He just pretends to when it’s night, but I know when the clock ticks at eight in the evening, he’s out in the woods.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his eyes becoming droopy while looking at me, trying to catch my breath. He touched both of my arms and I couldn’t explain the feeling when he did that. It felt like… I’m safe with him. In his arms.

When I didn’t open my mouth, he scowled. “Bad dream?”

“I really hope it was just a dream,” I sighed.

“Different than the one before?” There was a trace of malicious smirk on his face. I rolled my eyes and let a ghost of a smile interrupt my frowning face. “Oh please, don’t get me started.”

He bit his lower lip and exhaled. “I want to show you something.” He grabs both of my hands, intertwining our fingers. He was always, always, warm. And I couldn’t get enough of his unyielding warmth.

“Where are we going in the middle of the night with that weather?” I took a quick glance at the window, pointing out there was still a blizzard outside that would probably lead me to a death of hypothermia.

“Come on, you must trust me.” Zarion was the one who put layers of clothes on my body. The beanie was the last thing before we slipped out of the cabin. He shifted into his wolf form when we went to the woods, the bright moon illuminating our path.

“Hold on tight, Cassidy!” Zarion shouted while I clung to his back. I did what he told me. “Tighter!” I could feel him smirking when I clung to his back like a toddler, tightening my hold on his warm body. And for a second, I did not feel the cold.

“Zarion!” I shrieked when he ran faster that I couldn’t see anything other than the blackness in the woods. We arrived at the top of the mountain, the same mountain where he showed me how brutal he can be. He shifted into his human form with only dark jeans clinging to his hips. No sheets on his upper body.

“We’re here.” I swallowed and looked up at his already smiling face. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

I looked at where he was pointing, and my mouth fell open because it was true. It’s so magnificent where we are standing, the city lights under the hills of the mountain were absolutely amazing. I did not know we’re that close to the humans. “Wow,” I breathed and held his hand while trying to balance myself on the gigantic rocks to get a clear view. “It’s amazing. I love it. Thank you for showing it to me, Zarion.”

He just smiled and took a step back, shaking his head. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Zarion replied, still smiling at me. “What?” I asked.

“Your face right now, Cassidy… it’s priceless…” he whispered like he was struggling not to do something. “What’s with my face?” I chuckled, my fingers laced with his as I waited for an answer from him.

“Don’t…be so… near…” his forehead creased, his eyes shut, and his mouth in a thin line like he was struggling with his breath. Oh my God—

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of heights?” That must be it! That must be the reason why he’s shaking.

But my tease only let him cackle, grabbing my waist as he kissed me.

He kissed me. Hungrily. His tongue delved into the corners of my mouth, taking a slow adventure on it, passionately. He stopped and licked my lower lip. “Uhm, I’m… s-sorry. Did that catch you off guard?” Zarion was still struggling with his breath, as did I.

I bit my lower lip, my eyes unblinking while we gazed at each other. I shook my head. “No, not at all.” I smiled at him and held his face while my other hand was around the part where his neck and jaw met. “Uhm, so, why did you bring me here?”

He beamed at me. “Well, my girl was having a bad dream so I thought a little adventure in the night might help her?”

And with that, I ended up blushing.