The Cursed Gift | B1 [EDITING]

24 | Devillishly Tempting

Some years ago...

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With every passing hour for the last three days, the middle-aged man had grown as a person and learned things he hadn't ever thought he would get to learn in this life.

Days rich with foreign knowledge and nights full of everlasting passion that was imprinted into his skin and soul.

After awaking the very next morning of their greatest night together, the fair headed man rolled over, in the magenta satin sheets to an empty bed with nothing but a single piece of parchment atop the right velvet-red pillow case.

Thanks for being such an incredible and interesting person! I had the time of my life with you these past couple of days. You have shown me a whole new world and enriched my life in various ways. I hope your life is full of blessings. Be well, Landon.  A xox

With confusion, he sat up and scratched his head.

The night before they had made love for the first time, he was sure that he had found the one. Their souls had connected in such a profound way that bonded the two for life before their bodies had ever connected.

Preparing the entire speech that seemed almost useless now which only further cemented his belief in winging things and never planning ahead or you may accidentally jinx yourself.

The mysterious woman had left without so much as her name except the first letter. He couldn't believe he'd gone along with her telling him her name wasn't important for now.

Somehow it had become the only thing that was important.

He was never going to see her again, he could feel it. Their days of knowledge and one night of fleeting love making was all he had to remember her by.

He could've scared her off when he'd whispered that he loved her after they made love for the first and last time but he could've sworn she was fast asleep at the time.

"Dammit," he hissed as he ruffled his fair hair, sitting up on the bed.

The entire room still smelled of her intoxicating flower perfume. He couldn't believe he had found his actual mate and let her slip away.

As he noticed the bed side table, his wallet lay discarded on it unlike inside the draws where he'd left it.

Eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he reached closer.

He was quick to check but all of his money was still there.

A had not stolen a single cent but had gifted him a replacement of the one thing she did take. It was a photo of him and his best friend that he kept in the back pocket.

He thought it was strange of her to take that but maybe she wanted a memento too. Something to remember him by which felt stupid to him because she could've just stayed.

There's no need for mementos when you get to spend your entire life with them.

However, in replacement of it, she had given him the photo of the two of them in the market stalls of Eyebis.

A looked utterly gorgeous in a sundress and her hair pinned back with a smile on her lips. She had her arm slung around his neck and his around her waist.

He was wearing a hat from the stall and her wearing the necklace he had purchased for her only moments before.

They looked utterly happy and he knew they were in that exact moment they had been sharing.

The thirty-year-old man couldn't believe he had actually lost her before he had ever really had her. It was the stupidest thing he had ever done by far.

A slight smile tugged at his lips for it was a great photo of the two of them. He will always have this to remember her by. He quickly stashed it back in his wallet and then into his back pocket.

"What kind of idiot am I? The boys are gonna have a field trip with this," he mumbled to himself with dread as he packed his stuff up.

He felt utterly stupid, he shouldn't have let her get away without knowing how to contact her again.

A was in the wind and now he had to find her again. There was no way he would ever let this be the end of their story.

"So stranger, what brought you to Eyebis?"

The fair-haired man chuckled, "I could ask you the same thing, m'lady."

"Trinkets. I love to collect things. Now what about you?"

She smiled, teasing him a little.

"I was here on business," he murmured, feeling it the closest to the truth as he could get for now.

"Oh yeah? What do you do?"

She was an awfully curious girl and it made him want to spill all of his secrets.

"A little bit of this and a little of that," he replied, trying to squash the topic.

"You know you still haven't told me your name yet," he said, trying to avert the subject quickly.

"As opposed to yours being etched into almost all of your things, Landon."

He blushed bright red, rolling his eyes.

"Now you have to tell me yours."

"It's more fun this way as a mystery."

"It's unfair, that's what it is," he chuckled back, causing her to laugh too.

"In time," she whispered, thinking he had not heard her but his impeccable hearing couldn't have missed it even if he tried.

The woman was secretive but somehow freeing all at the same time. She made him want to enjoy life in ways he had never thought to.

Doors to new worlds had been opened and there was no going back.

At least a part of him knew vaguely where to start. She couldn't have been that far already. There was another human town not too far from here, he would just have to try and trace her steps.

As the days bore into the nights, Landon wasn't having much luck at all.

It was as if she really had vanished into the wind.

"Ugh, where could she be?"

'You scared our mate away.'

'Oh bugger off,' Landon replied to his wolf.

They had been at a crossroad ever since he'd lost the mysterious woman. No longer in sync, disagreeing over everything.

But nothing made him any closer to finding her.

In a last ditch attempt, he had decided to cross the bridge to Melodis, despite the hefty fee.

If she wasn't anywhere else, she had to be here. He couldn't be just missing her every time.

Landon vowed to find A even if it costed his last breath.