One For Sorrrow [MxM]

Chapter 6

Daerna: Dern-uh
Mouryll: More-ill

I would've fallen asleep much quicker if I hadn't been so keenly aware of every time its fingers brushed against my neck. Nevertheless, the feeling of the monster's hands in my hair was unholy. It was relaxing in a way it shouldn't have been.

The only reason I knew I had fallen asleep was that, hours later, I woke with my head resting on the vanity. I yawned and stretched my arms above my head.

Then I saw my reflection. I let out a small gasp. My hair was longer than I would've liked and hung around my ears.

But it was short.

Thank the gods, it was short.

Long hair made my life miserable, not only because it was embarrassing but it also got caught on branches in the forest.

I clenched my jaw. The monster would probably never let me back in the Mouryll wood again. Unless it's intention was to leave me to starve or die.

For a few minutes, I just sat there staring at my face and playing with my hair. When short, I realized, the strands were curly, like Callista's.

I closed my eyes, already missing them. What if something went wrong and they starved through the winter? I couldn't bear to think about it. Instead, I turned and saw it sprawled across the bed again.

My hand wrapped around the hilt of the scissors that still lay on the vanity. I could end this right now, go back to my sisters.

I walked to the side of the bed and was frozen by how human it looked in its sleep. Face slack and calm, unlike the usual condescending smirk. Its chest rose and feel with each slow breath. I lowered the weapon to my side and just soaked it in. My fingers clamped over my mouth as I dug my teeth into my cheek. It was showing a lot of- erm, skin. I found myself wanting to run my fingers over its exposed chest.

It couldn't be that much of a monster if it could look so human like this. It might be insufferably snide and patronizing, but there was something human inside him. If not he would've let Callista be run over by that carriage.

But I lifted the scissors up again. Hesitated. Repeated. Finally, I sighed and threw them across the room and turned to stomp out.

"I was wondering if you'd do it, turns out you're not a killer" he spoke and my breath hitched at how rough his voice sounded in the morning, "but that will only make it much easier to bend you to me."

"I've killed," I muttered, ignoring his last comment, and clenched my fists at my sides, "those scissors probably wouldn't have done any good anyway."

"A daerna doesn't exactly count," I still hadn't turned back to him, but the cockiness seeped into his voice. He was smirking at me. I listened to the rustling of sheets but remained still as he crept up behind me. "But you're right, scissors would just mildly annoy me," the monster added and placed his cold fingers on my shoulders. I shivered as they ran up my neck and into my now short hair. "You don't want to annoy me, do you, Kellen?"

My eyes fluttered when his mouth strayed too close to my neck and his warm breath hovered over my ear.

"No," I breathed and clenched my fists tighter, fingernails digging into my palms.

"Do you like your hair?" He asked and sifted his hands through my curls, "it's just the perfect length for this," I remained quiet and still and allowed him to tug lightly on my hair. I bit down on my bottom lip at the surprising sensation it gave me.

"Yes," I muttered and crossed my arms over my chest self consciously.

"Do you like it when I touch your hair, Kellen?" He mused, purposely using my name to enact authority over me. I grit my teeth and wrapped my fingers around his wrists in an effort to remove them from my hair. Because embarrassingly enough, I did like it. "Answer me."