Chapter 23

Everything that happened after that's a bit of a blur. I don't remember the moment from my past that he saw or when he let go, but I remember the joy and awakening feeling that filled my heart.
"I won't be able to hide this from my father," I said as we finished eating and a reassuring silence fell.
"It's your fault." He said angrily. "I wanted to drag this out as long as possible."
I played with my fingernails and refused to look at him. "You're mad at me, but I'm not sorry."
"Now you're wearing my scent and my mark." I risked a glance at him - his face flashed, his lips puckered, his eyes narrowed - and quickly looked back down at my hands. "Do you know what wolves will do?" His voice lowered menacingly. "You won't be able to hide your scent."
I shook my head. "I don't care." I really didn't care.
"You should. You're putting your family in danger."
"I'll go."
He raised an eyebrow in amusement. "And where will you go?"
"To your house."
He laughed humorlessly. "I can imagine how well that will work out." He said sarcastically.
"Great." I said, ignoring him.
"What did you do?" he asked more to himself than to me. "What am I going to do to you?"
I cringed. I looked at him from under my lashes and he cursed.
"Don't look at me like that!" he warned. "The answer is no."
"How did you know I was going to ask something?"
His face twisted into a scowl and he grimaced. "I know you better than you know yourself."
I stared at him in shock. His face relaxed its posture. He looked so stunning that it was physically painful to notice the difference between us.
"You can touch me." He finally said.
I lifted my trembling hand and stroked its back lightly over his smooth - childishly smooth - face. I didn't want to break something so beautiful, so tender.
And my track record for breaking things isn't exactly disappointing. How could I forgive myself if something happened to it?
I tilted my head to the side and fought a wave of jealousy. He was an angel - beautiful, unbearably - dangerously beautiful - but an angel nonetheless. While I was... I was good old Isabella, with nothing that stood out except... I shuddered: except for my ugly hair.
He gasped in fear and despair as he lifted his gaze to meet my eyes.
"What're you thinking about?" he asked, as if he couldn't read my mind.
I shrugged my shoulders.
"Come on." He shifted his divine body closer to me. "You're frowning, your eyes are twinkling, and you're biting your lower lip. You're thinking. You always do that when you're thinking.

I gasped. "Oh yeah?" No one ever paid enough attention to notice even the smallest detail, the color of my eyes.
"There you go again." His face was dangerously close. It did that wicked sin again-it made me forget how to breathe.
"Isabella." He scowled. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Of course I'm." I hear your heart beating quietly, the usual lullaby; I hear you breathing ...
"Isabella."
I jerked back in surprise. I blinked twice, trying to get my heart and breathing under control.
"Yes," I was out of breath.
"What're you thinking about?"
There was no need to lie. And I told him everything. When I finished, he said, "Everyone knows the color of your eyes. That's your best feature."
"Whatever."
"Close your eyes."
"Nah, uh," I shook my head.
"Do you trust me?"
It was painful to realize, "With my life."
"Then close them."
I did.
"Your eyes are a stormy gray with blue motifs that only float when you're really happy or angry. When you smile, your left eye almost closes, and then when you look at me, they're almost always full of pain."
As he spoke, pain filled my heart. I guess it showed how scared I was to let him go.
"I'll make you a deal," I finally said, opening my eyes. I hoped the tears I felt wouldn't come down.
"A deal, I can make a deal." He informed me with a roll of one eye. I wondered how he managed to do that, but I suppressed it when I saw his worried face.
"I'm going to buy a new perfume and try to hide my scent for a few months."
"And what do I've to do?"
"I don't want to go home tonight. I want us to spend the night here."
"In case you haven't noticed, there's no bed here."
I rolled my eyes, trying in vain to imitate his ability. He laughed and I groaned. I knew it was a bad idea. I could never do anything right. I bit my lip in thought. He was probably right, and I was surprised he didn't dismiss the thought as soon as he heard it. Or maybe he believed that the fact that I was in bed would change my mind.
I couldn't imagine that there was a bed somewhere in that cave that he didn't tell me about. I hope he didn't think so little of me that he thought he was winning.
"You take the couch and I'll sleep on the floor," I said, feeling like the smartest person on earth.
He looked at me like I was a complete idiot, and under his intense gaze, I felt like one too.
"What'll your parents think where you disappeared to?"
I smiled. Knowing Leslie, he'd know where I was. And I could only pray that he'd come up with the best stories, because I knew he'd stand by me. Besides, it wouldn't really bother Sue, not with the whole partner thing gnawing at her conscious. Inez was a whole other story that I didn't want to think about until the time came.
"I don't care." I crossed my fingers. "I won't seduce you, I swear."
"Do me this favor."
"I swear it by the moon goddess." I lowered my voice.
"Please don't get religious now." He blew out a lungful of air.
I bit my lower lip and fought against sticking out my tongue like a five-year-old and chanting la, la, la, running my fingers along my ears.
I pouted and said as tearfully as I could. "Please."
"If you try anything, I'll take you home!" he warned, even pointing his finger at me.
"You're lying."
"You know I'd." He said, pointing his raised finger at me. "Believe me, I'd."
I shook my head in denial. "You can't take a step into our territory."
He smiled. "Bet?"
I nodded.
He opened his arms to me and I willingly dropped into his embrace. It was like putting the pieces of the puzzle together. We were a perfect fit. I couldn't imagine her lying anywhere but in his arms at that moment. He wrapped a blanket over us and cradled us in an irregular rhythm.
"You know what I'd do?" he asked as he kissed the top of my head.
I couldn't speak. I didn't want to hear my own voice. It was good to listen to his musical voice. It was my personal lullaby. I could listen to it forever and not complain.
"I'd take you in my arms and go to your village and demand to speak to your father." I wanted to groan, but I held back at the last moment. "Your father would come out in a panic and ask me what I wanted and you know what?"
I turned slightly in his arms so I could look at him. I smiled and shook my head.
"I'd tell him that you were a witch and that I found you in my territory doing what witches do. You were with a short, stocky wizard who'd a wand. You were busy mixing potions."
"He wouldn't believe you," I said in my head.
I didn't think he heard, but he did. "Oh, he'd believe you marked me. I'd show him the mark and of course I'm wearing your scent now." I couldn't understand the pride in his voice. I thought he didn't want me to mark him.
I smiled at him and closed my eyes. They felt a little heavy. I listened to his voice and the sound of the rain. They merged into the most beautiful of songs.

I couldn't fall asleep, though. I wasn't going to let it happen . It wasn't because of the man holding me, or the fact that I could never sleep in peace because I knew he thought I was listening - which I was - but because no dream could surpass my reality.
He was a reality I didn't want to dream about, not when the real reality was right there.
"And you want to know what happens next?" I heard him ask in a whisper. Maybe he thought I'd fallen asleep.