Collection of Older Works

Faethfully Yours: Chapter Nineteen

Lying back on the floor, I steadied my breathing trying to recover. Maris' little panic attack left my bones feeling as if they'd been gnawed at by ferocious dogs wanting to break through a barbed fence.  The lingering nausea still gripped my stomach and my hand, though shaking, remained clenched tightly around the pendant. What on earth had just happened?

'Run' she had warned...run where?  If I would have let her, she would have thrown us head first out of the window but seriously, aside from where, the more important question was why?  Closing my eyes for a minute to tame my stomach, a distant clicking forced them back open. Great, Ivan was home. Just what I needed...

Struggling to stand, every inch of me forced me back down. That would have been okay but Ivan couldn't know what had just happened. He couldn't be reminded that I didn't have any control over Maris. Mustering up what strength I had, I crawled to the bed and dragged myself up.  

Within seconds of my collapsing like a sack of bricks, Ivan walked in...but didn't say anything. Standing at the door, he gazed at me curiously. Crap, no doubt he sensed something. Instantly I forced myself to think of a sunny beach. Could I have been any more obvious?

His eyebrows joined, "What happened?" he asked dryly.

"Nothing."

He stared, then walked further into the room stopping at the foot of the bed, "Are you sure? You seem...flustered."

I shrugged, "This place was a mess. I just now finished straightening up and was going to take a nap..." I told him, praying he didn't dig further but as things with Ivan go-

"And then what happened?" Crossing his arms across his chest, he focused intently. God, did his interrogations have to be so damned sexy. I shook the thought from my head, retreating back to my sunny beach.

"And then you walked in and interrupted me. " I snapped, really needing to wrap up our little session. It did the trick because though obviously ticked off, Ivan stepped back from the bed and left the room. But before I could even fathom a sigh of relief, he walked back in and tossed a white plastic bag on the bed. Pausing for a moment, he stared at me then shook his head and turned to leave once more.

Against my best judgment, I had to ask, "What?"

He stopped. Turning to me, he searched my face for a torturous minute. "Lying really doesn't suit you." he clipped.

What? As right as he may have been, that just pissed me the hell off but before I could speak, he shot me a disgusted glance,  "You reek of her." he said...then walked out.  So much for my damned sunny beach.

Sighing, I went to throw myself back when something caught my eye. The plastic bag.  Much too lazy to reach for it, I plucked it with my feet, bringing it to my waiting hands. My heart instantly plummeted.

Inside the bag were three boxes of hair dye. One black, one blond and one red. Shit, could things between us get any more worse?

Just then, the front door opened then slammed shut.

Could they get any worse, I had asked. Yes. Yes they could.

**

Emerging from the shower, I glanced in the mirror. While I would have loved to go back to blond, it would have been impossible to achieve it with store bought dye...especially over already black hair. And the red hair, well let's not even go there.  I hadn't a clue where it came from and had yet to ask. Surely it meant something but if Ivan hadn't mentioned anything about it, I'm sure it's was harmless.

 Ivan...I couldn't help but sigh.

The apartment was a bit chilly so I quickly dressed in some of Ivan's clothing I'd gathered before. A trip back home was mandatory but in the meantime, Ivan's clothing did the trick.  It wasn't exactly attractive but thoughts of anything happening between Ivan and  I were so ridiculous, wearing sexy lingerie would render the same effect as wearing rags.