I'm With You

Chapter Twelve: Marcella

Chapter Twelve: Marcella

The second we step foot into Vallion the intensity of the heat hits me like a Harry Potter book straight to the head.

It seems I've stepped through the portal from a cool summer night and straight into this heated oven of a world they call Vallion. Seriously, it has to be above a hundred degrees here! I can already feel the humidity clinging to my skin.

Ash doesn't seem the least bit affected. In fact, the second we stepped away from the portal he takes one big deep breath and relaxes all at once. Going through the portal must have changed him back to his elvish form because he has become a few inches taller, his eyes have a slight glimmer to their emerald shade, and his skin glows a soft gold. And for the first time I notice his ears are curved up into a sharp point (I wonder how offended he'd be if I reached out and touched them.) He is comfortable in this perfect skin. He is home.

When I look away from Ash, I can't help gasping in surprise and jumping into a defensive position with my fists raised. Surrounding us and the ancient tree are four figures backlit by a silver glow from the moon sifting through the trees around. All the figures are tall. All are beautiful with their glowing skin. All are deadly with their glittering weapons in plain view.

Just as I'm about to draw the dagger Ash lent me, Ash lets out a joyful chuckle at the figures surrounding us, and within seconds they are hugging and pounding each other on the backs like long-lost comrades finally reunited after a long battle.

After letting my fists drop, I stand off to the side awkwardly watching the familial exchange between the four strangers and my boyfriend-ex-boyfriend.

When things finally settle, and their words finally slow, Ash turns toward me and gestures with his arm that I come to his side. After a moment of indecision, I walk as confidently as I can to Ash's side and meet each of their eyes in turn.

There are two men and two women. Both the women scowl down at me with unveiled disgust. The taller of the two men gazes at me with indifference. The other man smiles widely at me as if we have been friends for years. I immediately like him.

"Sisters, brothers, thank you for coming to meet us. I can only assume our King caught wind of the failure of the Salvion weaklings that King Hal sent into the human world." It's less of a question, and more of a statement which no one refutes.

One of the scowling women, the one with what looks like red hair that tumbles down her back and a body rippled with muscles and blessed with busty curves, laughs heartily with Ash. Obviously, they're great buds.

"They obviously didn't believe the rumors that our greatest warrior left his home to live with a little pinch of a human." The red-headed vixen remarks, not bothering to spare me a glance. "Otherwise, they would have sent Ziv and his crew after you."

"Please. You act as if Ziv is even remotely a threat to me." Ash scoffs, and I look at him with new eyes. I've never seen him act so comfortable or cocky around others like this before. Whenever I introduced him to my friends he'd be charming and friendly, but never fully comfortable.

"Oh, so your little pet isn't missing a finger because you've grown slow in your time as a human?" The vixen cocks her head to the side, and its clear she's trying to rile him up. There's an underlining of anger in her words, but it's no match to the flare of indignation I feel for standing here and being both belittled and ignored.

"I don't know who the hell you think you are, but my name is Marcella and I am no one's pet," I snap, but I have to force myself not to show how unnerved I am by these strange beings, and by her creepy attention to detail. How she managed to spot my missing finger in the dark and assume it was because Ash was too slow to "save" me, I don't know. "And five foot one isn't that little in my world!"