Bound Trilogy: Bound: A Supernatural Story (WLW)

Chapter Fourteen

Something weird wafted into Bastet's nostrils as she sensed nothing but warmth around herself. The place she laid in was so soft, yet something from just beside herself remained even more inviting and was waiting for her to open her eyes. Something that held a different scent. She twitched and flared her nose, slowly opening her sleep covered eyes as the other, more beguiling scent flooded her nostrils. It wasn't the scent she first caught when waking. It was something more...hopeful? Although, it felt as if that word fell short.

She turned her head toward the scent and took in saltwater...and maybe coconut and... Warmth...

Bastet relaxed her head along her pillow as she came face-to-face with the woman from before. Only this time, she didn't look like a cross between a temptress and an angel. All Bastet saw was an angel. An elegant one at that.

She began to recall the woman. Penelope... Then, the memory of her calling out to Bastet in a time of need took her over and she sat up. She ran her eyes along the length of Penelope's body and checked for any signs of assault, then chastised herself.

The hell are you doing? Get up and... She trailed off as something caught her eye. There was Penelope's face again. So delicate and fair. Bastet shook her head and warned herself to focus.

She glanced around the room she was being held in. She'd been captured. That's what had happened. She was being held and--

The room was filled with Penelope's scent and gingerly decorated with calming things like crystals and images of the ocean. A small hammock hung in the far corner and a bookshelf held herbs, figurines and books. A desk sat at the end of the bed and held what smelled like freshly washed clothing, a journal and a water basin that scented of the sea. As tempting as it was to go read the journal and find out more about the woman beside herself, Bastet swallowed down the impulse, grumbling under her breath.

Penelope stirred from beside her and she knew what she must do. In one fluid motion, she noticed the window to the left side of the bed and leapt to it. What she hadn't accounted for was the dreamcatcher hanging in front of her face and the plants just outside the window. The dreamcatcher hit her in the face and she hissed as her foot slipped, sending the plants falling to the ground outside with a series of loud thuds and crashes.

She winced and peeked back over her shoulder. Fuckin' hell...

Penelope was watching her through tired eyes, then blinked a few times. She shivered and jumped to her knees as she reached out. "W-Wait...!" Her face became strained and Bastet nearly lost her footing as she was lambasted with a sense of ultimate dread. "Please, don't...don't leave..."

Bastet felt a tug at her shirt and looked down to find Penelope's hand fisted around its hem. "Let go."

"N... N-No." Penelope winced as she let out a sharp breath, but didn't move. She rapidly blinked a few times and tugged on her earlobe with her free hand. This was...odd. Bastet tilted her head to the side and watched the tiny twitches of her face and the way she moved. Penelope was such a weird woman, but something about the little movements pulled Bastet in. "Come back to bed, Bastet. Please."

Bastet felt like her skin rippled with gooseflesh in an instant and she snarled. She turned back towards the window and was just about to leap outside when something tenderly wrapped around her waist. It was the most comforting sensation, sending her libido into a state of response nearly instantaneously. That wasn't right.

"I don't know who you are or how long I've been here, but let go."

"A week. And yes, you do... P-Please... Don't leave, Bast..." Penelope replied as she tightened her hold.

In a fury, Bastet spun around and pushed her away. "You don't know anything about me, Aquatic!" Penelope slinked back and shuffled off of the bed. She hit the dresser with her hip, letting out a tiny gasp, and went past it, finally landing against the bedroom door. Bastet advanced on her talking all the while. "Just who the fuck do you think you are? Keeping me prisoner for an entire week? You're not my pack! I have no pack! And I go where I please, when I please! I'm not going to let you people pull any more tricks on me! To hell with all of you! I'm leaving and there's nothing you, or anyone else can do about--"

She stilled as two gentle hands touched her collarbone, their fingers resting along her shoulders. When had she gotten so close to Penelope? Bastet quaked under her soft touch and couldn't tear her eyes away from hers. Penelope trailed one of her hands up her shoulder and to her neck. She touched a deep scar along her jugular and stared back at her with tears in her eyes.

"You've been on your own for a long time." She simply stated.

It wasn't a question. It was like Penelope knew her unequivocally, with absolutely no doubt in her mind. Everything and anything about her. It was like she could see her past circumstances playing within her eyes and Bastet felt her body moving closer toward hers without her permission. Their faces were now mere inches apart and Penelope's breath quickened. Something about Penelope just pulled her in, told her to come and that she was welcome. Something in her body, her demeanor spoke to Bastet in ways she couldn't recognize. The way Penelope looked at her with something that may have been pity at first, but now said so much more.

A knock came at the door.

"Is everything alright in there, Pen?" A male voice called from beyond. "How did your new plants get knocked down?"

Bastet ignored whoever it was and latched onto Penelope's hips. The gentle curve of them sent a tingle through Bastet's spine and she moved closer still. Penelope ran her fingers gingerly along her jaw and took a deep breath. She placed her finger along Bastet's lips and made a shushing sound, then nodded. Before she said anything, however, she waited for Bastet to nod back and let out a whimper as Bastet dropped her head to her shoulder.

She sucked in Penelope's scent and wrapped her arms around her torso, surprised in how unabashed she was in her own actions. Penelope ran her hands up and down in soothing motions along her back, coaxing her turgid muscles into further relaxation and her anxiety away.

"We're fine, Sera. We'll be out in just a little while. Go back downstairs. Please. I'll take care of the plants soon." She finally said, sending a jolt through Bastet's body.

Bastet felt a growl growing from her chest at the sound of Penelope's sing-song voice and burrowed her face deep into the crook of her neck. She could almost taste the ocean on her skin and became ultimately fascinated with the woman in her arms. It was...a solace. Relief when so many things stormed within herself and she snapped her eyes open in shock, staring at the wooden door Penelope leaned against.

What the hell is going on?