The predator yellow eyes of the man she saw on the way to the altar watched Aurelia with hunger. She drank in every second and allowed her face to redden under its intensity. Who was he, and what nation birthed his beautiful form? His attire suggested he came from a distant land to Shadowfen. He towered above all the other men by at least six inches.
Unfortunately for Aurelia, embarrassment would still find her on this day either. The priestess tapped her on the shoulder, “Forgive me, your majesty, but the public awaits your words. Perhaps you would like to cast the spell?”A wicked smile played across the face of yellow eyes, and Aurelia felt hot and bothered, “Could I get a cold glass of water, please? The heat in here is unbearable,” she whispered while she waved a silver fan she carried with her at all times.The priestess nodded and returned with a crystal class. Ice clinked against the side of the cup. The liquid vanished down Aurelia’s throat in the most unladylike fashion possible. She even belched a little at the end. Sophie pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed loud enough to garner odd looks from the crowd.“I think our blond friend isn't going anywhere, your majesty,” the priestess pointed to the scroll, “Just read the spell and let the dice fall where they may.”Aurelia practiced the spell so often she could recite it by heart. The scroll had religious sentiment attached to it, and she opened it with a flourish of her hands and dropped it under the gaze of yellow eyes. Aurelia picked it up and pretended nothing occurred. She cleared her throat and began to recite the verse.“We are not born complete. Each one of us waits for love's power to make us whole again.My heart cries out for the other half to crush me with their affectionMy mind speaks directly to the goddess of love AmericaThrough her wisdom will the suffering of a thousand lonely nights end.Through her benevolence will my soul find rest in the one meant for me and me aloneI ask for Amouria to reveal the one etched on my soul from birth into eternityComplete me.”When the last words left her crimson lips, a glow emanated from her chest. The light increased in size and length. A second later, long silver bands erupted from Aurelia's chest. The shiny bands wrapped themselves around every eligible bachelor's wrist. With each negative match, the bands turned black and vanished, and those men threw their hats on the ground and marched out.Bit by bit, the uninteresting men thinned, and only the unique remained. Warriors, traders, lords, and officers stood in rigid discipline as they waited for the spell to confirm or deny them. Yellow eyes kept his eyes fixed on her as if he waited for something to happen.The unique men began to file out as each silver band faded to black and then into oblivion. The wildman watched the silver bracelet with cat-like curiosity. His eyes looked up at her and almost seemed to plead his caseThe final three men remained. A portly fellow with a chest-length beard looked at the wild one, and then to the refined knight in polished armor, shook his head and walked out, “Like I ever stood a chance.” Aurelia breathed a sigh of relief.Aurelia clasped her hands in front of her and hoped the spell worked this time. Not because she feared loneliness, but because she feared the embarrassment that would follow if the damn magic failed again. Then it would be on to arranged marriages, and the pickings were slim on that front.“Please, Amouria, I have done everything you ask. How long must I suffer? Do I not deserve a little ray of sunshine to get me out of bed in the morning? I will make a great queen. Choose the man who will help me find the greatness hidden within.” Desperation had brought Aurelia to prayer.The knight's band vanished, and he gave the wildman a nod of respect. He strolled out the door without a care in the world. The knight could be halfway around the world for all she cared. The real prize was the wild man with yellow eyes. Thirty seconds, Aurelia had to wait thirty agonizing seconds. Thirty seconds determined her fate for the next year, would she walk out of the temple with pride, or would she suffer the slings and arrows of defeat.The spell ended, and the silver band on the savage's wrist turned to gold, as did the bracelet on Aurelia’s arm. Her brown eyes softened at the sight of him. Strong, silent, confident in who he was.The priestess clapped her hands, “Well, it looks like you got what you wanted out of the deal. Let me have a word with him first, and I’ll announce the good news while you get acquainted.”The berobed woman glided up to yellow eyes, “I bet you have a lot of questions.”Yellow eyes shook his head, “No.”“Oh,” The priestess said, taken aback by a single word, “Do you have a name?”“Zinjo,” Yellow eyes said in a gentle tone.“Just to be clear, you understand what happened?”“Yes.”“Okay.” The priestess seemed reluctant to leave the two of them alone, “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Just talk among yourselves and leave your clothes on. I will not have a repeat of your mother's ritual day.”Zinjo looked at the priestess with shrewdness and then shot Aurelia a quizzical look.“I’ll tell the story another time, Zinjo,” Aurelia slowly stepped toward him.A pained expression rocked Zinjo’s face for all it was worth, and he gripped the pew in front of him and bared his teeth. His bones snapped and contorted. Long tan fur covered his body, and his body grew another six inches. His face became more feline and sleek. Muscles and tendons became more defined, while hands became massive paws with sharpened claws.Aurelia looked up at the lion man. She could not decide if it was sexiest thing she’d ever seen or the scariest. None of it mattered as he approached her. She tried to move, but her feet remained nailed to the floor. The massive paws lifted her off the ground with no effort. There was a softness in the yellow eyes that belied his fierce animal state.He moved his head toward hers, and Aurelia tried to scream, but nothing came out. Soft silky fur touched her forehead, and he took her small hand in his, “It has been decided,” his voice growled a little,Aurelia gulped and hoped the people found him favorable in their eyes.Aurelia squirmed in the lion's grip, “Put me down, Zinjo. We have to go out and face the public. I hardly think a seven-foot lion man is going to inspire confidence.” You are the future queen, yes?” Zinjo gently set her back on the hard stone without injuring her. Aurelia noted he smelled like fresh grass, sweat, and leather. The scent tore at her pleasure center. “Yes, I am," Aurelia’s face grew hot under the yellow eyes. Something about his gaze caused a deep longing in her. Zinjo knelt, “Then you must step outside with me like this.” "Why?” The lion's smile unsettled Aurelia a little, but all the same, it had a certain charm to it. “The people will respect your bravery,” He said. Aurelia thought it might encourage the townsfolk to bring their torches and pitchforks to her front door. However, Zinjo had no plans to change back into a human any time soon, “Okay, just remember your
Aurelia secretly envied other girls. Some she envied for their way with men, others for their skill in matters of statecraft, and those who had been gifted in the chest area. Today, the tables had turned, thanks to Zinjo, the werelion. Aurelia walked tall next to him and carried herself regally, and pretended not to hear the petty comments coming from those who ridiculed her. “It won’t last, the princess in black is jinxed.” “He can do better than her. She messed up the heart’s call twice…” Each comment became a small arrow piercing the stoic visage of Zinjo, who probably heard everything thanks to his enhanced hearing. He turned to face those who would insult Aurelia. Aurelia didn’t know much, but turning into the werelion wouldn’t solve anything. She gripped his hand and pulled him back, “They are entitled to their opinion. I am in a position of
The gothic style suit did wonders for Zinjo’s appearance. Mr. Silke clapped his hands as the young werelion emerged from his cocoon, a stunning butterfly. “A finishing touch,” he placed a pair of glasses with red lenses on his face. Zinjo didn’t care what the human tailor had to say in the least. He responded with, “Hmmm.” He faced Aurelia in his finery, “Does this please you?” he asked. Aurelia swore she heard a hint of worry in his voice. Words could not describe how Aurelia felt at that particular moment. In her mind, she had already torn the suit from his body and took what was rightfully hers. A second thought reminded her, they still had dinner with Sophie. An overprotective queen for a mother complicated matters a bit. Aurelia found her voice, “You are easily the most handsome m
Aurelia laughed at the way people hurriedly ate in the presence of Zinjo. Everyone left and Zinjo, The Queen, and Aurelia remained. The werelion was dangerously close to stealing her heart. Since they’d met, Zinjo had done nothing but lift her and made her feel like a person again. It bothered her that people hoped to see her miserable. It bothered her that everyone waited to laugh at her next mistake. The queen kept watching her with a strange look on her face. “Something wrong mother?” Aurelia asked. Zinjo sniffed the air and kept the raptor yellow eyes on the wall, “Hmmm.” his ears twitched. “No,” she put her hands down and folded her hands on the table. “Tonight was not what I expected...is he okay?” Sophie pointed to Zinjo who now walked along the wall, his nose in t
The queen urged Zinjo to bathe before they spoke again. Aurelia led her future husband to the tub area where a fresh bath awaited him. He began to strip in front of Aurelia who closed her eyes tight and put up her hand. "Zinjo, you could've waited for me to leave." She fumbled around and almost fell in the tub. Zinjos' strong hands guided her to the chair in the corner, "You smell embarrassed," He commented as he sat her down. "I'm not embarrassed, I've never seen a man naked before," Aurelia stroked the muscular chest and felt dizzy with excitement. Apart of her wanted to join him in the tub. A part of her said to savor the first steps i
Aurelia found it odd to have any man sleep in her room. Even if that same man was technically her future husband. Zinjo did not try to force his way into her bed, even though a part of Aurelia desperately wanted him to. To fill the long awkward silences she asked the gorgeous man about his life. “Why do you think the Hyena man attacked my mother?” she asked. Aurelia spent much of her time trying to divine their purpose but lack of information saw her come up empty. Zinjo laid out a bedroll for himself next to the fire, “It will depend greatly on how many more remain. If this is indeed an isolated incident, we can close the book on it.” “And if not?” “The hyenas are like the lions, if it serves the whole tribe, then it is an action worth taking.” “You think there is more?” “I smelled many different hyenas on t
Before they left the market in search of the Hyena's origin, Zinjo armed himself. The polished bone and Ivory shoulder guards highlighted the silk tan face and hair. Interlocking plates made up the chest guard and shin protectors. Zinjo turned to Aurelia who was dressed in her usual black and red silk gown, and hair in a tight elegant bun. “How do I look?” he asked while he gingerly cradled a rolled-up blanket. Aurelia's whole body reacted to the werelion's appearance. Her hands shook with excitement, and then a thought crossed her mind: What if she removed the armor and they stayed in versus going to the market. “I am more than proud to walk beside you,” She gripped his hair and pulled him down for a kiss, the image of the last one was fresh in her mind, and her loins begged her to take another. “What's in the blanke
Down in the sewers, Aurelia and Zinjo stalked their prey. Well, Zinjo stalked, Aurelia clung to his back like a tree trunk as he waded through the murky smelly water. Despite the low light, Zinjo negotiated the stone maze with ease. He stops and sniff the air and would adjust his course according to what his nose told me. Aurelia couldn't help but question how he could smell anything over the stench of human feces and excrement, “How do you know which way he went?” Zinjo gave a throaty chuckled, “The thief does not smell as bad as this tunnel,” He turned down a much larger tunnel and growled, “There are many bad men down here, I can smell them. Do you know how to fight?” “No, I was raised in statecraft.” “Foolishness, every leader should know how to protect themselves. Guards can be bought, best friends can become enemies in the blink of an eye, enemies can