Betty and The Beast Slayer (Book One: Deliverance)

Chapter Nineteen: Premonitions

There is a time before the sun rises when all is still in the world. I lay there in Marcus' arms, quietly listening to the sound of his heartbeat and breathing. We were unclothed, our bodies exposed to the world, but no one saw us. I slowly let my fingers trace the curves of his rib cage, fascinated by the flesh before me. His body was masculine, defined, and contoured, evident of a life full of fighting and work. Something about the wideness of his shoulders kept my curiosity, probably a fleeting memory of his silhouette hovering over me from the night before. The world was so very calm and perfect, and I knew it was temporary. I laid with this man, my husband in my heart only. I had forgotten the world, and somehow, I felt free. I felt no shame in his arms.

Marcus took some time before he stirred, his eyes fluttering open as he gazed upon me.

"Do you watch me as I sleep, Elizabeth?"

"Yes," I said. "My heart is so full."

"I can hardly believe we are not dreaming. When you married Samuel, I thought we would never speak again, let alone be together."

"And yet here we are," I whispered.

Our eyes met and I searched his face for some traces of regret or remorse. The only thing I saw, more visible as the sun began to break through the windows, was the hint of desire. He pulled me closer, our flesh melded together in the absence of any barriers. His lips met mine as I felt myself give in to the familiar desire. I lost track of the world again. The stillness of the air crackled with an electric current and I remembered what it was to be living, to breathe in deeply, and feel the breath fill your lungs. The numbness of this life faded and everything was beautiful again. As the sky was painted with the hues of the morning sun, Marcus and I etched our own portrait with every touch and whisper. Soon, the masterpiece was complete.

Later that morning, when we had tired of our embraces, he left to prepare us for the journey. We dressed and ate a meal, wordlessly speaking to each other with potent gazes and soft embraces. Marcus intended to take me to live with Jacey's tribe, so I waited as he gathered the essentials and went to prepare Samson. It was so peaceful in this small cottage, and I wished to stay there forever. I glanced upon the simple floors and windows, tracing my fingers over the surfaces.

In the distance, I felt a familiar stirring of darkness. Out of thin air, Roan appeared in the room. His dark figure and cloak felt as though a portal to the hall had erupted in the room. His eyes burned as though a raging fire appeared before me, coursing through me as I watched him materialize. As if a stranger was acting, a small scream left my body and ripped the air in half. My hands shook as Roan became more permanent, more real. The traces of his body were so defined and I could feel something sinister radiating from him, dark energy. He held up a finger to his lips in a gesture of silence.

"What do you want?" I asked. "Have you not put me through enough torment?"

"Betty, as I have stated, this was not my doing. You chose not to be with me, and you faced the vile torment Samuel designed for you. The only intervention I offered was having me, well, the beasts save you from the death Samuel planned for you."

"How noble of you," I shook my head. "I will not go with you, so unless you intend to exact murder upon me or Marcus..."

"I would never hurt Marcus, Betty. I know what he means to you, what he has always meant to you. I am here to tell you some truths that you could not know."

"You have done nothing but hurt Marcus, you vile fiend. You murdered his mother, and burned his flesh. And then unleashed evil on this earth. And you may claim to love me, but that does not erase all you have done."