Love Among Shadows

by Smokey Moment

  “Mmm,” she moaned, as she reveled in the flavor. Suddenly she heard faint sounds at her door. She stared off wondering if it was an animal prowling, after smelling her food. It wouldn’t be the first time she was surprised by an uninvited guest. Two light knocks startled her. “Damn Phoebe. She never calls,” she said, as she walked to the door. “Coming,” she shouted.

  Valentina could see from the silhouette that it was not her sister. That it was in fact, a man. She walked slowly, glancing at her reflection in the mirror to check if she was presentable. She believed the guest to be her neighbor. She wondered what he needed. It was too late for a house call and she hoped it wasn’t bad news. The last time he stopped at her house it was to tell her he had seen a pack of wolves on his property.

  Valentina looked at her door. The silhouette was gone. She hurried and opened the door. She wanted to catch him if he was getting in his car to leave. Valentina opened her door and looked out. She narrowed her eyes. She was surprised there were no vehicles in her driveway. She walked onto the porch and looked around. “Hello,” she said, looking into the brush. She wondered if one of her neighbors, Mr. Cooper had stopped by. It wasn’t a great idea to roam through the trees at night. There were large nocturnal animals around. The town hadn’t had an animal attack in some time. But they lived near the more dense parts and so they needed to be careful.

  “Hello. Mr. Cooper,” she shouted. She heard the faint snapping sound of twigs. Valentina became nervous. She turned to go back in. She could see a someone standing inside her home. Valentina stopped. Her mouth opened slightly. Shock set in. Someone was behind her and was now in her doorway. He stood motionless. Valentina’s mind raced. She wondered if it was the attacker. Or perhaps the sheriff. So many unseen faces had gotten close and the outcome was unpleasant and traumatic. Valentina took a step back.

  His face was covered by darkness. She wondered why he was so invisible. Just like the man in her dreams. Only this was real. The moonlight only uncovering the fact that his eyes were red. “Take what you want and leave,” she shouted. The man stood staring. Valentina took another step back and tumbled off the porch.

  Suddenly the man ran towards her. Valentina jumped to her feet and took off running. She ran through the forest. “Help,” she yelled, as she jumped over a downed tree, hoping to reach the Cooper’s house. Soon, she changed direction. Valentina feared the crazed man doing something to her elderly neighbors. She looked back. He was gaining. She ran faster, as she continued to yell. She hoped someone could hear her.

  Valentina picked up speed. She grunted and made a series of low whimpers as terror consumed her. She dodged thick wood and small shrubs, as she ran towards Snake River. She gained considerable distance from her would be attacker and picked up the momentum as she neared the water. She could hear the water as it moved vigorously downstream. The amplified sounds of splashing water from a six foot waterfall guided her steps. “Help” she yelled, terrified and afraid of falling. One wrong move and he would get her. Valentina reached the stream. It was too wide and deep to cross. She ran along the edge as the man continued to pursue her.

  “No! Oh no,” she said, as she realized that another deep plunge lay ahead. She was nearing the end and she would either need to jump or cross the violent water on top of a manmade rock filled bridge that was slippery and dangerous. Valentina could see him in the distance nearing. She looked around, then entered the water. She looked down, trying to steady her legs between rocks. It felt she would break her ankles. But she had no choice. The rocks would help her from being swept away. Valentina reached the other side. She tried to pull herself up on the huge log. She slipped then panicked. The algae on the wet rocks had them slippery. “Come on,” she pleaded, as she tried again.

  “Give me your hand,” a voice said. Valentina looked up. Her mouth dropped. Legend stood before her. His hand extended. She took his hand and lifted her leg onto the log, as he pulled her up onto the edge. “Someone is chasing me,” she said in a panic, as she looked back across the bridge. “There! That’s him,” she cried. Legend looked across the water. A shadowy figure stood just beyond the trees. The man stood under a tree. The lack of light made it difficult to see him clearly. And the clouds covering the skies, did not allow for much natural light. Legend had great night vision. But moon light aided in seeing things clearly and so he couldn’t see the face very well. Only the eyes. Legend looked menacingly at him. He hoped the man read the visual warning. Legend was convinced it was a Harou or Valkan.

  “Stay here,” he said, as he tried to leave. “No!” Valentina shouted, then laid her head on his chest. “Don’t leave me. I’m scared,” she said. Legend looked back at the man. If it were someone from his village then the fact that he helped and hugged a human woman would send shock waves. And the news would upset his father. He was supposed to kill her. Not aide in her escape or hinder someone else from completing the mission. Legend fumed. He believed someone else was sent to kill her. Perhaps because he was taking too long. Whatever it was, he would get to the bottom of it. Archaeus would know. It was either him or Montaan who sent the second assassin.

  Legend watched as the man turned and ran. He rubbed Valentina’s back in an effort to calm her. She was wet and cold. She trembled. And Legend’s mind raced as to what he needed to do. They were close to the edge of the waterfall. He could push her over and allow the rocks at the bottom to break her bones into a million pieces. Or he could slice her throat with his claws and watch as she bled out. Legend was torn. She was the beauty who he wondered about. She was the woman who sat in class in front of him. She was also the ruid who could destroy a civilization.

  “Thank you,” Valentina said, raising up off of his chest. She felt safe even though she questioned why he was there. “Do you live around here? Did you hear me screaming?” she asked. Legend nodded yes. “I heard you and I followed the sound of your cries,” he replied. Valentina wiped her face then looked down. Still too distraught to think clearly and too cold and uncomfortable to talk about it. “Can you take me home?” she asked. Legend looked intensely at her. He looked at her neck. He could easily open it. And it would all be over rather quickly. He looked deeply in her eyes. She smiled at him waiting on his answer.

  “Can you? Please? I know I’m not your concern…But he is probably waiting on me. I think that man attacked me before,” she said. Legend took a deep breath. He wanted to know more about the man who she said attacked her before. The man who created her. Legend would need to kill him before he created more.

  “Yes,” he said, staring intensely at her. Valentina smiled to keep from crying. He was the man of her dreams and instead of getting to know him she was being rescued by him. It was a terrible memory to cherish. She would always be known by him as the girl in trouble. Valentina turned back to the water.

  “The only way back is to cross over. We could go upstream then cross,” she said. “No…It’s deeper upstream. There are plenty of rocks here. This manmade bridge has been here forever. Further up, the water is five to six feet deep. At least,” he noted. Valentina looked surprised. She would not have known that. She was glad she didn’t ty to cross sooner.

  “Let’s go back across here. Hold on to me,” he said, as they ventured back onto the rocks, and crossed the river. Valentina looked around. She was still terrified. The man could be armed and hiding in wait. And there were also dangerous animals around.

  “We’re not safe. This forest is dangerous,” she said. “Yes we are. You’ll get home safely,” he said. Valentina smiled. He sounded like her hero. His confidence was reassuring.

  She took his hand as he walked. He looked down at her hand then at her. Valentina looked around, unaware he was studying her. Still admiring her. Legend was conflicted. But there was still time. After he got her home, he could kill her, dispose of her and report back to Archaeus. He needed to make the spirits proud. Someone else was looking to gain favor with the spirits. And he knew why.

  Ruids had until their fi
rst blue moon before they would be able to change into a wolf. Once they became a full lycan wolf, it would be nearly impossible to tell them from a pure, blood-born wolf.

  Legend held her hand as he walked the path back to her home. He detached emotionally. Her hand, a mere piece of flesh. He would remove it first as a sign to the spirits of his loyalty and ability to detach from human care and attention.

  Valentina was in awe. Her luck had turned. It was the man from class. And this wasn’t his first time saving her. He had saved her another way by taking a test for her. And she couldn’t help but fall even deeper for him. It’s him. He’s here, she thought. It felt surreal. She believed he had to live close. Perhaps on the opposite side of the river. There was a row of nice homes just off the stream. It was possible he lived in one of them. She hated to meet him in this manner, but it was a meeting no less. He had saved her. It was destiny. Her horrible night now made better.

  But reality had taken a huge chunk of her security. Phoebe was right. She wasn’t completely safe. She would need to move. Someone was stalking her. She now believed it was the man she met online. They had gotten close and maybe he found it hard to get over her.

  No matter what, Legend was there. They were fated, just as she envisioned. He was escorting her home, taking a chance and endangering his own life for her. She looked up at him as he led her through the woods. She never felt so protected. This is a terrible first date. I have to move, she thought as they neared her house. She had a second home in mind. It was at the opposite end of the forest. Further from her job but worth the distance. Her attacker knew where she lived. And it looked at those he was determined to get her. She counted her blessings. She was safe for the moment.

  “You’ll be fine. Go inside. I’ll hang out here for a moment before I go,” Legend said, as he stood on the porch. Valentina looked nervous. “I’m afraid to go in. What if he’s inside my house? I’ve lived here for years. Nothing like that has ever happened. It is a safe area. But I don’t feel safe. I can’t live like this. I have to change my entire routine. I’m not comfortable at my own home,” she said.

  Legend sighed. Deep down he knew she wasn’t safe. Part of him believed he was the reason. His pack was tracking him, unaware that he was on a mission as requested by the spirits. It was possible they were now after her. Afraid of what she knew, saw or was exposed to.

  Valentina’s mind pondered the idea of getting away. She was not comfortable. “I’m going to get a hotel room. I can’t stay here,” she said, looking nervously at legend. “That’s not a bad idea. At least for a few days,” he said.

  Legend stood a safe distance away. He could smell her. He wanted to taste her. Lick her up the side of her neck while his tongue picked up every vibration. Every beat of her pulse. He imagined the most erotic things as guilt overcame him. This wasn’t why he was there. Whoever wanted her, could have beat him to her death. She was supposed to be dead. And time was wasting. Legend was torn. He needed a moment. He had done this before and it was never this intense. Never this difficult. Yet there she stood and she was an easy kill. Single. Living alone. No close neighbors. No one knew he was there. She suspected nothing. She was completely vulnerable. Even if he attacked and she screamed, no one was close enough to do anything about it. He could be gone. Like a thief in the night.

  Valentina stared at Legend. She wasn’t ready for him to go. His body language spoke of a man distancing himself from a woman. His eyes spoke of something else. He gave no obvious clues. He was hard to read but he still sent the signals of a man attracted to a woman. He didn’t say much on their walk to her home and she was puzzled by him. Intrigued. What was this man about? What made him tick? Valentina wondered why he was so standoffish. She wondered if she should make the first move. She wasn’t the type. And he wasn’t your ordinary man.

  “You want to come in?” she asked, hoping to get more time. Legend started to become nervous. “I can watch you get your things if you want to leave,” he said. Valentina’s mind raced. He must be married. He is desperate to part ways, she thought. “Well, if you stay a while, I won’t have to leave right away. I just don’t want to be here alone,” she said.

  Legend looked fiercely at her. Her eyes danced between his. She looked like a heroine in a romance novel, that needed saving. It was dangerous. He had spent the last twenty minutes convincing himself of the need to end her. And now she was asking him to be a guest inside her home. It wouldn’t be so easy. He wanted it to be without ties. Without her smile. Without her warmth.

  “Alright,” he replied. What are you doing? You can’t be her house guest, he thought.

  Valentina turned and opened her door. She entered and held the door for him then locked the screen. “Can you please check my house. I’m terrified to go any further inside,” she stated. “Sure,” he said, as he walked away.

  Valentina waited. Every minute was intense. Her knight in shining armor had gone a step further and was checking her home for an intruder. He was unarmed and had no clue what lie ahead. It was a brave, bold move. He was putting himself in danger. She was proud. She liked him even more. She could hear him walk into every room and open and close, every closet door. She looked out the window, keeping watch in case the man was outside the home.

  “Everything’s clear. Your safe,” he said, hesitating to speak further. Valentina could see he was uncomfortable. He still seemed to search for a reason to leave. She believed he was judging her. That maybe he believed it was an old boyfriend or lover. She didn’t like the way things looked. And she decided to give him a dose of honesty. It was a long shot. But he needed something. So, she gave him a dose of her reality.

  “Listen…I know this is a lot. You barely know me and here you are saving me. I’m not this woman. I don’t live some drama filled life. I have no idea who was chasing me. It is possible it was a man I met online about two years ago. I believe he is stalking me now,” she said trying to gage his reaction. “Online?” Legend asked. Valentina nodded and continued.

  “He asked me to meet him at a bar. I met up with him. It was supposed to be our first date. I went. I had two drinks. Nothing heavy, just wine. But, by the second glass, I began to feel strange. I felt out of control. I trusted him. He seemed so normal. So safe. He suggested we leave. That the wine was too strong and I seemed intoxicated. But I wasn’t comfortable leaving with him. I tried to end the date. I went to the restroom and that’s when I was attacked from behind,” she said. Valentina paused.

  “I know you don’t know me. But I feel I must explain some of what I feel is going on. And I am shocked that of all the people who could have saved me, that it would be you. I looked for you. I wanted to meet you. To get to know you. I was upset one evening when a dirty cop prevented me from getting to you. It was the only reason I wanted to go to class. To see you,” she revealed.

  Legend was speechless. He looked off as Valentina continued. “I know it’s a lot. And if you want to run now, you can. I appreciate you saving me. You saved me tonight. And I got a chance to see you again, even if it was under terrible circumstances,” she said, as tears rolled down her cheeks. Legend took a deep breath and walked to her slowly. Valentina looked perplexed. He was coming towards her. His eyes staring deep into her. He got close and stood for a moment. She was unable to match his stare. He was intense. It was a lot.

  He wiped her tears. His hand felt good on her face. He was tender, as if he’d known her forever. She hoped it wasn’t a final touch before a final goodbye. She didn’t want to regret sharing the details so early. Men ran from trouble. Even the strong ones. Especially if the situation seemed too much to bear.

  “Run! No… I’m not going to run. That wasn’t your fault. Don’t cry,” he said. Valentina placed her hand over his, as he kept it on her face. She smiled at him. It was the luckiest she’d felt in a long time. She felt a connection with him. She believed the spirits sent him to her. That it was divine intervention. An unexplained bond.

  “What did he do to you?
” Legend asked. Valentina became more emotional. She had healed enough to talk about it but never did with anyone. She was glad he asked. That he cared. She wanted to share it with him. Especially if he didn’t judge her because of it.

  “He destroyed me. Disfigured me. My womanhood. He took that away. He wanted to damage me and I don’t know why. I didn’t feel good in my own body. It took a minute to feel normal,” she said. Valentina teared up again. She was ashamed. Her vagina no longer looked real. It was severely damaged and she hated to look at it. Dreaded visits to her gynecologist. It was a source of pain. The scars made her feel less than a woman. She didn’t like to talk about it. And she promised herself that she would make love under the sheets with the lights off for the rest of her life. That any man would be turned off by her unsightly body. Legend was angered. He wanted to kill whoever had hurt her in such a manner. He knew now that it was out of jealousy. That a Valkan wanted her and then attacked her when he couldn’t have her.

  “No one can take that from you. No one! And no scar can change who you are. What you are on the inside. You’re beautiful inside and out. None of that matters.”

  Valentina felt a rush of emotions. His words gave her strength. She felt womanly. Beautiful. Unflawed. She put her hands over her face. It was the first time she felt comfortable talking about it. He was the first person she told. The only person she could ever see herself telling. People knew about the attack but no one knew she had been physically damaged and in such a brutal way.

  She laid her head on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat. It was strong. The moment was intense. Legend held her tight. His feelings were overwhelming. As hard as he tried to fight it, he felt deeply for her. He felt her spirit the moment he saw her. The moment he smelled her. He thought long and hard but it was useless. He couldn’t bring her harm. And he knew why. He loved her. She was the woman in his dreams. He hadn’t thought of anything else. She was now in his heart. Etched in his spirit. Intertwined by destiny.