Silk Skin and Smoke (Age Gap)

Prologue

Prologue

Ferrara, Italy year 1351

Augustus' POV

Emil was ill, there was no doubt about that. His green eyes dulled with every wheezing cough. It wasn't allergy's, mother was lying to us, lying to herself. Black Death had crept itself into our home. I imagine I had a week before the illness spread to my lungs as well.

However, I seemed to be more consumed with the fact that I wouldn't be going north for Venice to explore my identity through adventure and work. I wouldn't make a weeks travel with tar in my lungs. Maybe it was selfish to think of myself while my brother suffered. Or maybe I took after my incompetent mother, choosing to blind myself from our families demise.

"Turn the log Agostino, Emil is shivering." Flora asked, motioning to the dying fire. What my little sister didn't understand is that it was our last piece of wood. The last ounce of warmth we had. Father left for more, but I noted he left his boots and heavy winter coat. He wasn't coming back. I watched him walk into the forest, preferring the environment freeze his veins, rather than face the truth that even he couldn't protect us.

The only person my heart leapt for was my innocent sister, Flora. She didn't quite grasp the reality of what was happening. So instead of spewing my rage, I stood, turned the log, and pulled on my fathers coat and boots to see if there was any dry wood to be found.

My mother looked pained as she sat by Emil's side. He was her first born and favorite, Flora was my fathers, but only for reasons between them. I didn't like thinking about their father daughter trips into the woods, the way Flora would come back flushed and disheveled, refusing to look anyone in the eye for the following 24 hours. My father was a disgusting excuse for a man, and my mother even worse for feigning oblivious.

The brisk cold burned my cheeks. Years flashed before my eyes. I've been stuck here for the greater part of my young adult life. And just when I'm finally ready to live, death knocks on our door. There were many a nights I begged for death to come knocking when I felt trapped here. I wasn't sure if there was an afterlife, but black oblivion was better than this.

I fought through the thick snow, trudging deeper into the words. I found a few dried twigs, but nothing that would last us through the night.

"What a handsome man." A feminine voice slithered through both ears, coming from all directions, I wasn't quite sure where to look.

"You reek of illness." Her voice was closer, clearer. I turned and finally saw her hooded frame in the white wood. Dressed extremely light for the middle of the forest. She lifted her hood with her dainty pale fingers. I stumbled backward, cowering from her pitch black eyes, she looked sunken and deathly.

"How old are you boy?" She stepped forward. Her voice was so soft and feminine, but she held the face of a monster. I was utterly shocked I could manage a reply.

"29 come spring." There was an obvious wobble in my throat. She smiled, I didn't think she could get any uglier.

"I promise I don't always look like this." She felt a hand to her sunken cheek, something a bashful innocent girl would do. But she was neither. I clutched the twigs under my arm as she neared, some of them breaking and falling into the fresh snow.

"I'm just so hungry." She whispered, nearing me with every step. I was as frozen as the earth beneath me.

"What are you?" I didn't try hiding the tremble in my voice.

"I promise I won't kill you. You're too lovely to kill."

Just as I built the nerve to turn and run she had grabbed me with the strength of ten swordsman, jerking me close by my coat. Before I could scream I felt the pressure of her mouth on my neck, the pinch of her teeth seared my flesh. One gurgled suck from the holes in my neck and I saw stars. She had taken the fight from me in a single second. The heady scent of her burned my nostrils as I tried my best to fight the dying light in my narrowed vision.

"Thank you." I felt her murmur against my neck. Warm wet fluid fell into my shirt, I was so cold, so content, watching flecks of snow whip the air around me.

What a way to die, I thought to myself. I think I preferred it this way. I wish I had the energy to tell the she beast to do the same for my family. A quick euphoric nap, one that I hope lasts forever.

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~Okay so I'm doing quite a bit of music in this book. Tilly loves her jams and Augustus loves his classics. But I wanted to inform you that when there is a music note (🎶) that is the scene the song is intended for.~