Dark Love

Part 6

The intensity of their coupling pulled her under and when she came to it was to find herself alone in the abandoned church. Saera unfurled herself from the chair and stood on shaky limbs. The experience had been out of this world. Nothing in all her reading had prepared her for it. But she had her powers now and her future awaits. She strode forwards with a sudden sense of purpose. But glancing down at nakedness had her stopping searchingly for her belongings and there they were stacked in a corner by the door.

She dropped to her knees reaching out to unlatch the trunk and dig about for something she could wear. Knowing she would have to head straight off to school, she took a moment to step out into the elements and embrace the downpour as it worked to wash away what remained of the dirt, blood and the essence of the men who had had her.

She was still reeling in shock over that. Her hand reaching up to clasp at her neck where the vamp had broken skin to drink from her. Who was he? Better yet, who had she fucking married?

Saera strode back in. The chill of her wet skin sending shivers down her spine. She broke out in goosebumps missing the heat the men had swamped her in. Or at least one of them had. The other was the epitome of death. Cold and brutal.

Not that she'd minded his brutality to her person. After shocks of her encounter with both men still rocked through her. It couldn't have been normal what happened to her. If it had been she would have heard of it. Read of it definitely. Such mind boggling sex had to have been penned down somewhere as a precursor to married life. Shit if she'd known sex was going to be that great she'd have hounded down strange men and accosted them for a sample long before she came of age to wed.

It had to have been an abstract encounter. She couldn't imagine another man having the same ability to rouse her desires to such a fevered pitch. And she hadn't been alone on that ride. The men had been right there with her lost to reason, surviving only on sensations every step of the way.

They had all been reduced to their baser urges and loved the doing of it anyway.

It was unnatural.

No doubt an aftereffect of the curse worn out as soon as the deed was done. That would explain why the men could just up and leave. Just think about the sex they shared had her senses searching for more. It was a good idea they left when they did. The whole thing was clearly addictive. There was no knowing what she would have done had the men remained. Then again she'd have to be able to move in order for her to do anything at all.

Saera reached for the towel she laid out then mopped up the water dripping down her frame. She noted no bruising or scarring from the encounter either. Perhaps it had all been in her head. A vivid imagination coming out to play.

Shrugging into a pair of slacks and pulling on a snug t-shirt, she slid her rainjacket over her shoulders and her feet into a pair Wellingtons. Defended against the inclements, she armed herself with her phone and put in a call to the one person who could explain it all.

"You took your time," came the response on the other end as soon as the line clicked.

That had Saera pausing.

"What time is it?"

"You missed both day busses to the Academy. You'll have to make it for the midnight run."

"Huh?"

"Start walking."

"Oh right!" Saera hauled up her trunk and set off into the rain once more. Lighting lit up the skies and thunder hammered home the fact that the rain had not let up in all this time as and had all the appearance of having no inclinations to do so. Not any time soon.

The mud dragged at her feet but Saera held strong. She shifted her phone beneath her hood and raised her voice against the thunder.

"Who the hell did you marry me off to, Massey?"

The sigh that rang out at the other end was soft but not without recriminations of its own. "You had every chance to find yourself a man, Saera. Every opportunity to do so. But you blasted it all away behind the closed doors of the Shore library. And look where that landed you? With me, making your life choices for you."

"Who is it?"

"He approached me with the proposal. He had only one request. One there would be no getting around of, to not tell you his name." Massey paused pointedly. "Naturally, I agreed.  I'm afraid you can never know just who you married Saera, unless he decides to tell you himself."

Saera felt her heart thud in a rapid beat. And a strained silence held out between the two of them. Until her mother broke it.

"Let it go, Saera. You got what you needed and he got his. Leave it be... and tell me what the hell happened to this dress?"

"Huh?" The sudden change in subject left her reeling.

"The dress. Your wedding dress. It's practically in rags now."

"I don't understand." The last she recalled the dress had been shredded off her. Either way, it's remains should have been scattered around this church. Why did she have it?

"Anyway, I'll have it dry cleaned and hung away. Who knows your daughter's might have a need of it."