Love Is Never Ugly

Chapter 40

It started out slow with three forward walks, followed by a side step and lastly a drag step. Vagatha messed up a few times but eventually learn to get the hang of it. Their next move was for Anthony to lunge back on his left leg and shape her legs over their right legs. She bent her shoulders and neck back to create the illusion of a back bend. That's when the passion started to kick in.

He slowly moved in as if to kiss her only for her to coquettishly swivel out of his arms. He chased her with an expressive use of the arms and rhythmic stamping of his feet. When he caught up with her they dancing cheek to cheek. Feeling bold, Vagatha used her wings to lift her up a little bit which allowed her to briefly wrapped her legs around Anthony's waist so he could spin her around. They both had flirty smiles on their faces and even laughed a little. The song was soon ending and for their last move he gave her another spin and dipped her.

Everyone else in the room applauded them and later proceeded with their own dancing.

"I told you that you would be a natural." Anthony said to Vagatha.

"I have a question. How is it that you know how to tango? I've known you twenty-three years and the subject never came up."

"Hey you're not the only one who wanted to learn about other places. I was looking for inspiration for new clothing so I asked Marie to teach me about the fashion of other countries. Like Italy, Japan, China, Germany. She mentioned the cultures you were mostly fascinated in and I decided to educate myself on Spain, Africa, Mexico and Argentine so you and I could have other things to talk about. That's how I learned about the dance."

"I must admit I always appreciated how you would take an interest in what I liked."

"I had to. Right away I knew that my good looks may have attracted you to me but they would hold your favor for long."

"Yeah about that your good looks." She said making quotation marks with her fingers. "Aren't what attracted me to you."

"They weren't?" He said.

"Oh please Anthony. You should know me better than that."

"Well if it wasn't my flawless body which drew you in, what was it?"

"First of all I don't believe anything is flawless. Especially you." She teased. "And second what attracted me to you is that you made me laugh."

"You liked me because you thought I was funny?"

"Well yes. Sometimes when you would get really flamboyant it annoyed me but other times I thought it was very funny. Like that time when Alastor was three and Marie had to go some fairy ointments, leaving him alone with us for the first time, He cried so you dressed up in a powdered wig and frilly dress to cheer him up."

"You saw that?" He blushed. "I thought you were in the pavilion that day."

"I was. I finished counting the gold early."

"How humiliating."

"No it was cute."

"Oh God you didn't tell anyone did you?"

"No but I don't see what there is to be ashamed of. You were cheering up a little boy who missed his mother. It showed that you were not only funny but caring. I find that very attractive."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"If you like me so much and found me so attractive why did you leave me? I thought things were going good between us. But after Marie died you just called it quits and you didn't even give me an explanation for why. You know that wasn't fair right?"

Vagatha suddenly looked at him in a very remorseful way. Now feeling very regretful for how she ended her romantic relationship with Anthony thirteen years ago.

"When Marie passed and Alastor turned cannibalistic I got scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Of falling in love with you. When Alastor started eating people I was so sure that he'd never break the curse and if that was the case then eventually we would forget all about each other and go back to what we were in the beginning. I would fear you, you'd try to eat me, and nothing that we had would have made any difference. It broke my heart to think that we would love each other but end up becoming predator and prey again."

"Vagatha why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Because I knew you would never accept it. You would have gone out of your way to somehow convince me that the spell could be broken and we could have a life together. I don't have hope like that Anthony."

"I can understand you thinking like that back then. Really I do. But you have to admit things are different now and Alastor does have a better chance. I mean look at those two."

He pointed over to Alastor and Charlotte once again sharing a romantic waltz. The whole time they were locked in each other's arms and unable to look away from each other. Their faces painted with the most sincere of smiles.

"Now if that isn't love in the making I don't know what is." Anthony said.

"Alright there is a connection but how can you be so sure it'll lead to something more?"

"Let me put this in a different perspective. Before Marie changed us, I ate moths. I ate other insects too but moths were among them. Now when we were together did you ever once think that I'd try to eat you or any other species related to you?"

"You still eat insects."

"I don't eat butterflies and moths anymore. Admit it. You never once saw me eat any of them after we were changed."

"No I didn't."

"Alright so if you and I can make a relationship work despite our differences why can't they? I mean he's already given up cannibalism, it's obvious they care for each other, does love between them really seem unlikely now?"

"When you put it like that I suppose not."

"Okay. Maybe now you can try to have a little hope?"

Hope wasn't easy for Vagatha to hold on to. She was so used to seeing horror and heartache. To her it seemed foolish to hope for anything better. But she couldn't deny that things were much different now. Alastor was almost no longer monstrous and his relationship with Charlotte was growing. Maybe things would finally get better. Maybe she could have a life with Anthony. Maybe she could have hope.

"I guess I could. For now."

She gave him another smile and took hold of his hand which he gently grasped.