Chapter 66: The Menial Things/Remember Me?

Ares:

She had been playing erratically all throughout the day and night. Nothing had changed since last I’d seen her and we did not part on the greatest of terms then.

My little pet was not the happiest of campers when I intervened in her last meal. Though part of her, I’m sure, was relieved when I did interrupt her last kill as this one, unlike the others, was simply an innocent man trying to get home to his wife and children.

I stood at her door for a moment, not saying anything. There was no point, to be honest. We both knew that she was not in a talking mood. I just needed her to know that whether she was in the mood to talk to me or not, I was there nonetheless. And with a present for her, no less.

“I could only imagine how incomplete you must be feeling about not having your bow.”

It was then that I relinquished the bag in my hand and gingerly laid it against her door.

"These are specially made. Just for you,” I said.

I was under no assumption that she would open the door for me just because I had given her something. I knew mimar better than that. No, I just wanted to contribute in any way that I could to any semblance of reachable peace.

I turned to leave when I heard the door open from behind. First thought told me to keep walking, but neither me nor Bain had the strength to walk away.

“She opened the door! She is here!” Bain excitedly said in the back of my mind.

I see that Bain, I retorted in my thoughts as my eyes fell on her.

Valene immediately went for the cloth back. She glanced at me for but a moment before looking into the back.

“Special?” She said in a voice so soft, that I could barely hear her nor the inquiry in her tone.

“I had it enchanted by the witch mages, or whatever they are…so that they will not break under your…passion,” was the word that I chose and for second, I could have almost sworn that I saw the hint of a smirk on her forlorn and distressfully beautiful face.

She ran her hand adoringly across the bow for a moment. “I never thought to do that. Smart,” she said in her throaty accented voice.

“You would have by millionth bow, I am sure,” I teased lightly.

Again, I thought I saw a smirk before it quickly disappeared into a tight-lip and slight frown.

“You don’t have to do this for me, Ares. Just because we are mates does not mean that you have to do things like this. I can-”

“Because you are my mate I will do everything for you,” I said without reluctance of any kind. “Regardless of how you feel about it, Vale. Even if it involves something as menial as buying you unbreakable bows so that I can hear that hauntingly beautiful music you play.”

She gripped the bag to her chest tightly, her amber eyes turning distantly to the ground. I could tell that Valene had considered her words carefully before she said them.

“What…what you’ve done, Ares…this was…it wasn’t menial, this.” She looked down at her bows again and then at me. “Thank you,” she said. Then seconds later, she was back in her room with the door closed.

I walked away and headed for the street again. I wanted so badly to ask her questions. I wanted her to know how worried her father and mother were for her. I wanted to know what had been driving her to madness over these last few days. Most of all, I just wanted to know what I could do to make it better for her.

As I stood on the street, leaned against my vehicle, the sun began to set. Between the time I had gone to her room and returned to my station position outside, I had gotten five calls from both her mother and her father and three from my beta and delta.

Needless to say, things were hectic around Shaadow Veil but not enough for me to see the need to leave my post. I waited by my vehicle and then eventually, the music began to play again.

It was haunting, yet softer than before. I could feel the sadness and confusion emanating from the notes she played in that room. She was in pain, and….there was nothing that I could do about it. I had never been so heartbroken.

“She was always exceptional with a bow and cello wasn’t she?”

The voice from behind was vaguely familiar, but I could not place it. Not until I turned around saw that face.

“You.”

“Me,” he smirked and then shrugged while he leaned next to a car on the side of the street. “We’ve not officially met,” he said. “I was always two feet behind with my eyes to the ground,” he said.

“Your eyes were never to the ground,” I stated. “Rather on her,” I gestured toward the dimly lit window of the inn.

The young man chuckled. “How would you know if you weren’t looking too?” he asked.

Touche.

“So,” he continued on, and began to approach.

I kept my cool as the once human made his way toward me. I did not sense that he meant this moment for danger, but I was still heavily on my guard.

“You’re the one I lost her to, I’m guessing.”

I found him amusing, that was for sure. “If that is how you’d like to put it, I guess so.”

He did not find offense in my amusement and it was at that moment that I realized that had I not potentially had to put the kid down, I might have liked him. He seemed to have a good sense of humor.

“You don’t even remember who I am, do you?” he asked me with amusement. I could not tell whether it was one of bitterness or simple sincerity.

“Oh, I remember exactly who you are,” I replied and then I began to take steps toward him. “You are the one who has a crush on Valene. I sense that you always have.”

“True,” he said. “Then, you wouldn’t have to remember me to know that would you?” he asked a rhetorical question. “You have that special mentality gift, don’t you?”

“I do,” I replied.

“So then you don’t remember me.” He countered.

At this point we were standing face to face, silently sizing one another up.

“It’s okay to confess. I’ve heard that your kind pay very little attention to those who are…of lower importance than you…unless you’re intrigued or find one of us of use.”

“Us?” I found his choice of words amusing. “I find your word selection quite intriguing. Are you not one of us now?” I asked.

“I wouldn’t say I’m human anymore for sure,” he countered. “However, I am nothing like you either.”

I smirked. “Humans always find a way to take less accountability than other species. That is why we seldom hold sympathy for humankind.”

“Everyone has their faults, I guess.”

“Yes,” I replied. “However, it seems that only our kind, as you put it, should be the only species to take responsibility for ours.”

Instead finding fault in my words, the kid seemed to find amusement. “You’re right,” he said and shrugged.

“What are you doing here, boy?” I asked.

“Whoa, whoa, I find that term offensive,” said the young man. “I’m a grown man, just as you are. Just…not as old.”

“What do you want?” I pressed, ignoring his cheeky remark.

“I am here to talk to you,” he said. “About her.” His eyes glanced up at the window and suddenly I saw a seriousness in them.

I sized him up a bit more, part of me wanting to put him down before any risk of him getting to Valene could even be had. However, I could tell that despite whatever orders he was to carry out, he wanted to protect her.

“I am going to give you five minutes of my time. If I do not like what you say….”

“Then we’ll have it out, I’m sure,” he said, practically finishing my sentence.

I scoffed. As it happened, I really did like the kid’s spunk and realized that I had wished we’d met under different circumstances.

Oh well, that just simply was not the case, was it? Now, all was to do was listen to what he had to say but not before I set him straight on something.

“And I do remember you…”

“Really?” a small grin played on his expression. “Who am I?”

“You are the beta’s ward,” I said to him. He started to speak but I did not give him a chance to. “You are the one who protected Vale that night on the beach.” his expression turned sullen. “You are the one who gave your life for hers and the same one…who haunts her dreams at night.”

There was nothing left for him to say at this point. Not yet anyway. Finally, I rendered the kid speechless.

“So yes, I do remember you….Tobias.”