Chapter Five: Uncontrollable

Tamsin Eventide:

He moved without telling his body to do so. The illusion of control he had over his curse broke. The safety of the new moon was a lie. He moved stealthily through the trees, his sea green eyes slashed with silver crescents. He could feel himself change, not wholly, but enough.

Enough for what? He didn’t know.

His lips peeled back from his teeth, now sharper, elongated, and his nostrils flared. He tracked the Dain through the trees, intent on killing the monstrous son of Carmun if he must. Nothing could touch his woman. His mate.

His curse demanded he have her. Possess her. No treaty made in heaven or hell could stop him or stay his hand. Tamsin had never wanted anything so badly in all his life. Just this woman. River. Though he couldn’t see her now as he moved, silent and deadly, through the trees, his mind supplied him with the picture of her beautiful, tear-stained face. Her sweet cries for help.

The rational part of his mind, what little of it remained, told him this was likely an elaborate trick. A trap devised by the Witch Queen and the Fae Cinder. Cinder was the Queen’s consort. There wasn’t much the Fae wouldn’t do for his vile mistress. And the Queen would be delighted if the treaty were broken.

She’d have his brother Aelnith then. In whatever capacity she desired.

But even those thoughts, those dire consequences, couldn’t stop him. Every step forward was a step closer to her, to River. He’d take her from this dangerous woods to his manor. There, he would make her his. He couldn’t accept anything else. Wouldn’t.

Ah, he could smell her. So sweet. So afraid. But he wanted it all greedily for himself. Even her fear. Her submission would be to him, not the monstrous son of Carmun. It wasn’t her death he wanted. It was her. All of her. The thought of it drove him further into madness. Tamsin felt a shift was inevitable. Only the sight of her, standing there atop the stone, the Dain so near he had mere moments to act, kept the curse at bay. But only barely.

#

River Black

It crashed through the trees, breaking huge limbs and branches, and rushed towards River, snarling, growling, making noises she’d never heard before. She could feel it’s thudding footsteps as it hurtled towards her.

There was no time to run or react. Terror froze her in place. Locking her to the stone. It would be over in moments and her last thoughts would be blank, just screaming horror.

It moved so quickly, River couldn’t even see it. All she could track were those baleful, huge red eyes as they got closer and closer. She didn’t want that to be the last thing she saw. She closed her eyes as tightly as she could.

River swore she could feel its breath huff over her. It stunk, like rotting flesh left to fester in the summer sun. This was it. It would kill her, whatever it was.

Something grabbed her around the waist, yanking her off the rock. It knocked all the breath out of her as she hit the ground with bruising force. She didn’t mean to, but she cried out in surprise and pain and fear. She’d thought the next thing she’d feel were the jaws and teeth of the creature with the red eyes, but instead, hands helped her to her feet.

“It’s okay,” a hushed whisper came in her ear. A male voice, a deep rumble. “You’re safe with me.”

Whoever this was, stood behind her, hands on her shoulders. Dazed, River looked ahead of her and saw ‘it’.

The creature stood at least fifteen feet tall and had leathery, patchy skin stretched over jutting, jagged bone. It’s face was a skull with razor sharp teeth as long as her forearm. Gore, blood, and ichor dripped off its patchwork body and flesh hanged from the uneven antlers that protruded from its skull. It’s glowing red eyes were wide and fixed on her. Drool spattered to the ground as it watched her, unmoving.

“Oh...my god,” she breathed, feeling sick, the world spinning. Its stench alone made her head swim.

The beast raised up on its hind legs and gave a mournful, rage-filled howl. It hurt her ears, and she slapped her hands over them in pain. Every instinct she had screamed at her to run, but reason won over panic, and she stayed put. The stranger behind her kept a firm grip on her shoulders. His hands were warm.

“Wh-what do we do?” she sputtered, wanting to back up. But with him standing there she had nowhere to go.

“Just stay still,” the voice said calmly, right in her ear. “The Dain won’t hurt you if you’re with me. As long as I’m touching you. He’ll go away in a moment to resume his hunt.”

“His hunt,” she repeated through numb lips.

The man didn’t answer, but kept his hands on her shoulders. At first, that had scared her too, but now it was reassuring. She felt oddly safe, even with ‘the Dain’ bearing down on them.

The Dain snorted, tossing its great head, flinging slobber and drool. It gave one last, great cry full of rage and frustration before it turned and plodded off into the trees from whence it came.

River stayed still long after the Dain retreated back into the forest. The man kept still too, his hands still on her shoulders. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he slowly turned her to face him.

She held her breath, fear returning all over again.

He was tall, almost a foot taller than her 5’4 frame. His skin was pale and his cheeks were dusted with freckles too. His hair was long and tied in a loose tail at the base of his neck and wild waving curls spilled down his back and around his shoulders. It was a sandy brown, almost blonde. He looked young. Her age. Maybe a little older. Even in the dim light she could tell his eyes were sea green. The man gave her a shaky smile.

“I’m sorry I grabbed you like that,” he said, finally dropping his hands from her shoulders. “There wasn’t time to explain.”

“That’s okay,” River stammered unsure of what to do or say next. The man she’d met previously seemed amused that she was about to be eaten by the Dain.

“I’m Prince Tamsin Eventide,” he said with a short, little bow. Just like the previous man, he was dressed strangely. He wore dark blue velvet set with twinkling silver stars. At least he had a shirt on, she thought.

She caught the prince title. It had to be some live action role-play or a festival or something, she thought. She was too tired and shaken to argue or ask. She would later.

“I’m River,” she said, her voice still trembling. “And I’m lost. I don’t know how I got here, but I shouldn’t be here.”

Tamsin nodded solemnly and seemed to believe her. “You were chosen,” he told her. “You’re the tithe.”

Frowning, she shook her head. “I don’t know what that means.”

“I’m sure you don’t. It’s all right. Will you come with me? I’ll take you to my manor. It’s...safe there.” He said it with some hesitation. River didn’t miss it.

Normally, she wouldn’t go off with some stranger in the night. But what other choice did she have?