Faeted Lovers [Sample Only]

Chapter 10

Doven Falls had ponds, perfect mossy ponds with tree trunks the thickness of family cottages. In fact, there were such ruins of ancient cottages here, where Vladimir and Vlaric ventured.

Missy and I followed them to the place of blue, green and moon water. The whole place had light, from glow worms, fire flies and other strange things that had luminescent qualities, like night butterflies.

Missy and I have been following from a bit behind, taking our time slowly because we are not used to trekking at night on foot.

When we turned to see where we'd end up, first it was the scenery that held out attention.

Then, the fact we couldn't see Vlaric or Vladimir anywhere!

But we could certainly hear them.

I could hear Vlaric's drunken foot falls and soft chuckling.

But it didn't sound... so real... it sounded... strange and wispy.

Like it absorbed into the air or something.

"We can hear you, boys, but we can't see you," Missy speaks as if she is enchanted by it all too and she steps forward boldly first, while I hang back by a tree.

My heart is beating fast, like I can feel something coming.

I'm not sure what it is I'm expecting.

"Over here!"

Missy's head turns to the sound of Vlad somewhere ahead, and his deep laugh when we can't spot him.

"He's hiding behind a tree," I suggest, while leaning on mine, my hand wrapped around the mossy trunk.

I feel a bug slither across my hand and I flick my fingers to get it off.

I hear a crunch by my tree. The hairs on the nape of my neck rise.

Wait... I step back, starting to smile... but that easy smile falters on my lips at what I see.

The side... the side of something richly red and golden. Robes? Shimmering skin, like it's reflecting the humidity in the air... or giving off it's own mirage effect. Was this person boiling?

But it's no stranger leaning against the other side of my tree.

My eyes dare look past the bare feet and the royal clothes, past the neck to the familiar jaw... the pointed ear... and Vlaric's head finally turns so I can be captured by his blue eyes, now swirling like miniature portals, with his blonde hair set rather naturally, as if combed back but wisping out at all the perfect angles.

It's not really a human I'm staring at. Rather something totally strange.

My hand is already pressed to my chest as I take a step backwards, my words gone as Vlaric finally steps out and toward me, a little wobbly.

"...don't you like what you see?" Vlaric whispers it at me and my heart flies into my throat.

It's so sexy, and my face just starts turning bright red.

Oh, no.

I spin around and quickly stalk off to the next tree to hide myself.

One step, one lunge, a jump over a log and –

"...hmm, Monaaa?" Vlaric is in front of me.

Did he teleport?

I walk right into his chest and freak out, flailing my arms in panic as I yelp out, "Wah! Um! No! Go away! Ah – neek!" I don't know what I'm saying, but I manage to push myself back and I run around into the clearing, where I halt in my anxiety attack to see Vladimir spinning Missy around with one hand in the clearing, in a slow dance... teaching her how to... how to twirl.