FOREVER KNIGHTS: #9 Feral Breed

“Where is he?” Chastain worried aloud. Rubbing her aching forehead. Karina stood next to her in the garden. Eying her concernedly.

“The women don’t know either?” Karina queried with a frown disturbing her dark eyes.

Chastain shook her head. “I just want to know he is okay.” In her desperation to understand, Chastain had confided everything to her longtime friend.

Karina had been surprised then angry with Chastain at discovering he was something lurking in the woods, to joy at his attentions, to confusion at what Chastain had seen that last day.

The crimson beast rearing onto back legs and then snapping forehead to slaughter the dark beast.

“I never knew what a true friend he was until I find only silence where his voice used to be.”

“It sounds as though he is more than a friend.” Zuriena’s eyes brightened.

Chastain did tilt her head slightly in acknowledgement. “There are sparks in my skin when we touch.”

“Oh…” Karina lifted an interesting brow.

“Now I hunger for his presence.” She quietly admitted.

“Are you going back to the caves to wait for him again tonight?”

“Every night.” Chastain worried her lips.

“Will I see you tomorrow?” Karina asked.

“Yes.” Chastain sighed.

“How long will you keep going?”

“I don’t know if I can stop.”

“Does he mean that much to you?”

“I think maybe…Even more than that. I-I” She blew a long breath. “need to see him again.”

It was true she found herself laying in his cot later, mere moments from sleep. She had been falling asleep there and waking when the moon lent its full glow in through the cracks in the stone wall. She would wake then and sneak back to her chamber to change into her nightclothes.

Sighing deeply, she stared at the dense gray-black of the cave wall.

“I can still smell you here.” She took in the masculine scent still embedded in it. Giving it a last loving caress before rising.

“I miss your voice.” She still somehow hoped for that far off sound of his voice in her mind.

Several long nights later Acharius lay in his plain cot staring at the cave ceiling.

I want so badly to go to her. Talk to her.

I miss her.

His last attempt to confess all to Chastain had failed. Though it had been a pleasant enough walk she had not let him show her the caves as he had hoped.

Denying my need to confess everything to her.

Who would have thought a little slip of a thing could end up being meaning so much to me?

Acharius could see the gold glow of the morning sun filtering in the corridor outside his sleeping cavern. Beckoning irresistibly. His slid to his feet and pulled on his breeches and boots to follow the lure of the pink morning rays.

“Wake up.” Margaret’s voice carried through the woods to his acute his hearing.

She’s waking Chastain.

“I’m coming.” The younger girl groaned in response.

“Morning tendings, Dear.”

“I’m up. I’m up.” But he heard the distinct rustle of the rushes in her cot as she flopped onto her belly. Likely to bury her face and steal a few more minutes. As was her wont.

An hour later she wore a path in the garden with her pacing. Her hands tucked into her skirt worrying one another. She was startled when she bumped into someone but did not bother looking up. “Sorry Marg…” She trailed off as she realized the hands instinctively gripping her shoulders were not the delicate touch of the old sisters.

Her eyes lifted, and she met warm aqua eyes. Backpedaling she stared at him jaw agape.