Evelyn

As soon as I shut my door to my room, I leaned against it, breathing hard. The interaction with Damien had left me a little frazzled. A vampire! The vampire! The one that there are reasons why we do not interact with vampires. He had killed a Coven leader’s son! I drew his cloak closer to me smelling it, it was woodsy pine and musk. Honestly, it smelled great, with those thoughts, I pulled it off and fling it on my chair beside my bed. What was I doing?

I looked back at it again, he didn’t seem that bad. Am I just thinking that, because of that amazing kiss he gave me. Is he playing me like everyone else? He looked angry when I suggested that, even… the memory of his appendage pressed hard against me got me blushing, the mere thought, my pulse started quickening.

I learned my lesson though, he was as handsome and smooth talking as Calous, who I had original thought cared about me. Once, sweet words, show kindness, only to talk behind my back, like everyone else. Although… those deep blue eyes, the way he pulled me close with such hungry in them, and that kiss… Stop thinking about it…

There was knock on my door, nearly making me jump a foot in the air. “Evie?” I allowed my heart to get under control before I opened the door for Jules. She started talking before she had fully seen me, “Where hav… what happened to you? Oh dear, I was afraid this would happen, I hate your father. Why can’t he just buy the right size for you? Here let me help you get that off. Have you been hiding out in the woods all this time? Your father has been looking everywhere for you. I told him your stomach was feeling queasy, it’s that time of the month. He seemed to buy it, but I’m sure tomorrow, he’ll berate you.”

I allowed her to ramble as she helped me out of the dress and corset, leaving only my shift. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to tell her how one of the women from the other Coven did this to me. Jules had a way of always wanting to defend me, and I didn’t think we needed that right now when we’re trying to align the Covens. Although, should I tell her about what Calous said. No, this was mine to bear.

As I changed in my night dress, Jules voice broke through my thoughts, “Oh my, who’s cloak is this? Were you with Calous all this time? He disappeared too, shortly after you vanished. Although, I don’t remember him wearing this… Evie Rose, have you consummated already with you betroth? Is that why your dress is torn? I knew someone…”

I looked out at her from behind the screen, her hands on her hips, “No, Jules!” I stated harsher than I meant too.

Jules stared at me in shock, I usually never raised my voice at her, “Sorry Jules, tonight has been a lot, I’m exhausted.” I wanted to share my experience with her, but then I would also have to say why I was out there. She was my best friend, honestly my only friend… “Can we speak tomorrow, Jules? I swear, I’ll explain all tomorrow.”

Jules eyed me for a few minutes, finally she sighed, “Alright, I’m not letting you off the hook.” She gave me a quick hug and slipped out of my room.

I lay down on my bed, as I closed my eyes, his deep blues haunted me. He had seemed to really listen to me, angry at those who were mean… called me a goddess… I glanced over at his cloak. I grabbed it off the chair next to the bed. I wrapped it around me smelling his scent. An image of him leaning down kissing me, this time I didn’t scold myself for thinking it. I let the memory wash over me as I trailed my hand down to my throbbing nerves.

I began rubbing small circles as I thought of his words, calling me his, imagining him touching me. It didn’t take long for me to get worked up, soon I was tipping over the edge, his name a silent whispered on my lips, “Damien.”

When I came down from the pleasure, I had a moment of guilt. I was saying another man’s name when I was engaged. Although, engaged to a man who thought I was a disgusting pig. And, Damien was not just any man, he was the man who caused the rules to avoid vampires.

I couldn’t tell anyone about him, I would be thrown out of the Coven within seconds of others finding out I spoke with a vampire. This also meant, I would return the cloak before the appointed time. He will find it there. That was going to be the plan all along, I was never planning to meet him again.

Once satisfied with that idea, I curled up in my bed snuggling closer to his cloak, just for one night. Even if he smells me on this, we’ll never see one another again. Nothing to be embarrassed about. I’ll live a little longer in my fantasy world.

***

The next morning there was an urgent knock on my door. I got out of bed assuming it was Jules, she was never patient. I opened it, but instead of Jules it was Calous. I felt my face turn crimson, my nightdress barely covered much, it ended just above my knees and had very thin straps at the top. Damien’s words came back to me, ‘no one but me is allowed to look at you.’

I spun quickly to move to my screen, to grab my robe, but Calous grabbed my wrist tightly, moving into my room, shutting the door. He leered down at me, his grip tight, too tight. “You embarrassed me last night. Where did you run off to you…” he paused his eyes landing on the cloak in my bed.  He released my hand and picked up the cloak. “Whose is this? This is a man’s cloak.”

“It’s mine,” I quickly lied, “it fits better than most women’s do.”

He looked at me, as if he was gauging whether or not I was telling the truth, finally he smirked, “Of course it would. You know, you don’t look too bad this way.” He moved closer to me, I took a step back. “We could always start things early.” He pinned me against the wall. He leaned closer, “see what I’m getting in the bedroom.”

“Please don’t,” I whispered, yesterday if he would have done this, I would have gone to him. But after hearing what he said, and Damien…

“You should feel grateful that I’m marrying you. You should show me how grateful you feel,” demanded Calous, grabbing my chin and pulling me roughly to his mouth. I bit his lip and jerked back, hitting my head on the brick wall. It stung… “You bitc…”

At that moment Jules popped in, “Hey Evi… Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Calous looked over at her, “It’s fine, I was just leaving.” He leaned down to whisper in my ear, “I will break you, and you will be the duteous wife you are meant to be.” He straightened, turned, bowed to Jules, even taking her hand to kiss, and walked out of my room.

My pulse felt fast, oh god and goddess how could you? Am I meant to be an object my entire life? Pawn in someone else’s game, a means to an end? They needed me to heal their Coven, and my father needed me to marry to expand ours…

“Evie?” Jules looked at me concerned, as if waiting for me to answer some question she had asked. I felt a tear slid down my cheek. “Evie, what’s wrong? Did Calous do something to you? Something that you weren’t ready for? The first time usually does hurt, but I promise it gets better after that. He was probably just too eager and pushed in too quickly.”

That pulled me out of my self-pity, “Jules, you’ve been someone already? Why have you not mentioned this to me before?”

Jules looked embarrassed, but quickly switched gears, “We’re not talking about me, we’re talking about you and what just happened now, and last night.”

I sighed, “Jules, why did you not tell me you’ve been with someone?” I wasn’t going to let it go. I had a feeling I knew why she never said anything. Because fat Evie could never be with a man, no one would ever want such a chubby bunny.

“It’s personal, and we weren’t telling anyone.” Jules attempted a lame excuse.

“Not even your best friend, you know I wouldn’t spread it around, I don’t exactly talk to anyone besides you.” I felt hurt about this. This also made me wonder if I should tell her about last night…

“I’m sorry Evie, I felt ashamed about this.” I looked at her expectantly. “It’s Calvin.”

“He’s like twenty years older than you Jules,” I commented surprised.

“See.” She made her point.

“Sorry, how long has this been going on?”

“If I tell you, can we go back to you?” I nodded my head yes, with a smile.

“Last year,” she admitted. “Now, start wherever you think I need to be filled in at.”

“No more keeping things from one another?” I rested my hands on my hips, her personality always had a way of centering me when I felt overwhelmed. She agreed. “Calous is an asshole, so is some of his Coven…” I quickly filled her in on what one of the girls did, Jules fist tightened angrily, then what I heard Calous stated, she barely controlled her impulse to run out the room, then I told her what happened right before she came in.

“We need to curse him Evie, he deserves it. I’m sure the goddess would forgive us.” Jules pounded her fist into her other hand.

“Jules, we can’t. Half of his Coven is sick, I can help them. Apparently, that’s part of the agreement to the marriage. And this marriage will build up our Coven’s strength.”

“Evie that’s not fair, you shouldn’t have to go through this. You deserve to be with someone who appreciates you.” Jules came over and hugged me.

“I mean, he was willing to do things with me a moment ago, maybe we could learn to love one another,” I suggested.

Jules pulled back, her face a mask of annoyance, crossing her arms, “Evelyn Rose!”

“Jules, I’m the daughter of the Coven leader, it’s my duty to help our Coven.”

“Since when have they ever helped you?”

I sighed, “Jules, not all of them have been rotten to me, it’s only ever been a handful?”

“And did any of the others stand up for you? No.” She let her arms fall to her side, concern for me undeniable. But I didn’t change my stance, “Fine, we’ll come back to this at a later date, we have time yet.” She looked to the bed, “Now, are you going to tell me where you got that cloak?”

Jules knew everything I owned, I couldn’t lie to her like I did Calous. “When I went to my place in the woods. Someone was kind to me.”

Jules eyes widened with interest, “Oh? Who? A traveler? Someone just passing through?”

“Sort of,” I admitted, she gave me the look. “He was heading here on business. He needs to speak with my father.”

“A leader from another Coven?”

“No, I um…” I swallowed. I wasn’t sure how she would react to the news.

“Evie, I’m hanging onto a thread, spill it,” demanded Jules.

“A vampire.”

Her eyes grew round, hand flying to her mouth, then she ran over to me, looking closely at my neck, all around. “Oh, my god and goddess, Evie. Did he hurt you?”

“Do you think he would have lent me his cloak if he had?” I questioned, allowing her to look me over, otherwise she wouldn’t rest.

“Yes, vampires are lairs and deceivers. They’ll say and do anything to get what they want,” stated Jules, backing up then, seemingly satisfied that I had no bite marks.

“He was kind Jules. He stated that he wanted to make peace between our kinds.” My mind once more drifting to the part where he wrapped his cloak tighter around me.

“Evie…” began Jules, as a knock sounded at my door.

I grabbed my robe before answering the door this time. I cracked it open, “Father.”

He pushed himself in, “What happened to you last night?”

“Time of the month father,” I used Jules’ excuse, he nodded once sternly.

“You should have mentioned something to someone.” His eyes turned to Jules, “other than Jules. Are you feeling better? Shaun wishes to have a word with you, be in the sitting room in thirty minutes. You will not give him the ingredients to the antidote.”

“Father?” I called back before he walked out. He looked at me, “Could I not just give him the antidote, they will still be indebted to us.”

“I would rather wait until after the marriage, you have very few prospects my child. I know I am harsh on you, and you may think I do not love you, but I do wish for you to have a future with a good witch, a Coven leader.” I nodded, that was the nicest thing he has ever said to me.

I decided to press forward, “What if I do not wish to marry Calous?”

His eyes flashed, “The agreement has already been made, to back out now would embarrass our Coven. As I said, you have very few suitors. You are duty bound to the Coven as is Calous.” I swallowed and looked to the ground. Vincent cleared his throat and I looked back up at him, “I thought you were excited to be marrying Calous?”

“I was excited,” I began, “I don’t think he wants me.”

“The contract has been signed. To break it, one would be thrown out of the Coven. He will grow to love you, as has most of our people here.” With that said, he strolled out.

I felt as if I should be excited about having a husband, a least I wouldn’t be alone…