touch

Off to the left, a table laden with elegant tiny sandwiches waited for the malnourished. My stomach growled. A punch bowl stood beside it.

He smiled and, taking pity on me, led me to the table. I gulped down a tiny sandwich and made room for a newly arrived flock of starved teenage girls. Several stopped me to compliment my dress.

The music turned from background noise to an opening slow song. Morik turned to me, circling me in his arms and we danced in the shadows near the back of the room. His fingers brushed the skin of my back.

“I love this dress,” he whispered. “I’m glad I get to see you in it again.”

I smiled at him while thinking of the wedding. I hoped he would see me in it again.

“You look very fine yourself,” I returned the compliment.

We swayed quietly to the music. Wrapped in his arms, watching the light play on his liquid silver eyes behind the yellow lenses, I lost track of time.

He remained equally focused on me. I wished we could spend all of our nights like this. Together and happy. Worry free. When he dropped me off at school, I missed him. I wished we had more time together and resented that I needed to follow the rules again about the chant. I missed watching movies or playing video games with him after dark. I wanted to spend every moment with him. And not just because I felt our time ran short.

No, I needed it. He made me feel alive and loved. Loved...

My heart seized heavily for a beat and then picked up a faster rhythm. It matched the fast beat of the music we continued to slow dance to. I’d wanted to know what I meant to him and what he wanted from me. I had the answer.

My eyes widened in surprise and I looked at him with renewed intensity. How hadn’t I seen it before? His caring began the first moment he touched me with Mr. Jameson’s hand and had grown into something more with time we spent together. He loved me.

The mark ignited like flash powder burning a new segment into my skin. I embraced the feel of it, while swimming in an emotional storm. Something in my eyes gave me away. He pulled me tight to his chest and kissed my forehead. The music abruptly changed from a steady punk beat to a slow soft symphony.

Standing in his living room still held tight in his embrace, I leaned into him choosing a safer topic than the one swirling in my mind. “Did we just ditch Beatriz?”

“No. I spoke with Brad earlier today. He wanted to pick her up from the dance.”

The heavenly aroma of food tickled my nose. After a rushed breakfast, skipped lunch, and skimpy snack, my stomach rumbled at the smell, but I ignored it.

“Thank you for tonight,” I whispered.

His heart beat steadily under my ear and he placed a kiss on the top of my head. We continued our slow sway dancing to the soft music.

Knowing he loved me, and the subsequent burn of my new mark, filled me with guilt. It should have led to an epiphany of my love for him, but instead I hesitated delving too deeps into my feelings. I still wondered what loving him, truly committing myself to him, would mean. He didn’t expect kids, but wanted my time. He liked my family, but only Belinda’s deal tied him to this world. Could I choose him knowing I would eventually give up my family? I wanted to say yes. I wanted to be so selfless as to give them a chance for freedom through my choice, but something in me stuck on the fear of losing them and I didn’t know how to get rid of that fear.

I felt horrible for not giving him something in return for his love even though he didn’t ask for anything. I lifted my head. His dark eyes met my gaze. Brown threads swirled within the black void proving his complete contentment of the moment.

Cupping his face in my hands, I gave him what I could. “I’m so glad you found me. I didn’t know it then, but I know it know. That was one of the best moments of my life. It always will be.”

A pained noise escaped him a moment before he set his lips to mine. He kissed me softly, sweetly. My heart flipped over and my skin tingled. My stomach twisted. Waves of heat alternating with chills swept through me.

My stomach growled again. I willingly ignored it, threading my arms around Morik’s neck. He, however, heard it and pulled away.

When he shifted to the side, I saw a small table in the dining area that used to stand empty. Two elegant place settings sparkled on the white tablecloth. A shallow bowl rested in the center. Tiny flowers floated on the surface of the red water. Already the flowers’ petals streaked with color from the dye in the water. Changing. Like me.

The flickering of several candles caught my attention. A long taper stood in each window stuck to the sill with wax. Outside the softly lit window, I caught the flicker of green and knew Ahgred watched.

“It’s very pretty,” I commented turned back to Morik.

“So is your new mark,” he murmured. The brown fought for dominance in his gaze and won.