Oh.... yes, I love it.
Gathering my wits, I slide to a sitting position as I take his face in between the palms of my hands. Directing our faces closer together.
"Not anymore." I whisper as our lips touch, breaking out in to a wanton display of our deep desires. His canines grace my tongue as we kiss deeply, sharing a mutual domination of each other, until I let out a primal moan.
Bav pushes me back onto the bed, and hops over to straddle my body, letting one of his hands roam across to grip and pull, where ever it lands.
Something begins to beep, making Bav pull back and look at the clock. Cursing under his breath, he looks defeated as he kisses my lips softly.
"I have to go. I will see you soon. I promise."
"You just got here? Bav!"
He's already off the bed and I reach for him, "Please, just one more minute?" I beg wishing to be held in his arms.
He turns to me and opens his arms, and I fall into them happily. "Thank you. My love." I whisper against his chest.
"You're welcome. I have to go dear. I shall see you soon." He kisses me one more time as he strokes my cheek before disappearing.
My arms are wrapped around the air, feeling empty as where my heart was beating a moment ago. Tears worked out of my eyes as I blinked. It's only been two days for me and I am weak with out him.
Part of this frustrated me. It made me weak, vulnerable, distracted. However, when he's here, I feel stronger, happier, more focused on my future goals, while still living in the moment.
'What am I going to do with my place in the cogs later?'
This thought frightened me.
'What if Bav changes his mind and does not want me when he finds out, I'm a criminal? He does business with the government in the very thing we smuggle and risk so much to get our hands on.
Our scientists use it for all types of experiments and the making of so many different new inventions. They are going to help fuel the The Works and Undercarriage in bettering their lives to help bring them out of poverty.
The profits we make off of all of it, helps us raise ourselves in the ranks of the class system, bringing us closer to the Gilded and access to the government.
Bav is a perfect resource for not only tungsten, but also the in to the Gilded district and government officials.
'If I tell him..... he will think I am just using him for his connections and resources....'
"What do I do?" I stress to myself as I lay down to sleep.
Dreams of my Feral Fae Prince enter into my head, teasing and making me beg for his touch.
****
"Oh please Bav, touch me! Make me yours!" I'm begging as I'm straddling Bav's lap reversed, as he looks over my shoulder down at my naked body, slowly touching me every where with intent.
He pushes me from his lap to the floor. As I stand in the dream, I'm dressed and in a different location with Bav.
"Tell me KARA! What is this about!" He throws some tungsten at my feet, and I know it's his. I've been found out.
"Bav! It's not what you think!"
"Is this all I am to you?! IS MY HEART, BODY, MIND AND WHAT'S LEFT OF MY SOUL NOT GOOD ENOUGH?! All of my riches were for you to use as you wish! WHY?! WHY DID YOU LIE!"
"NO! Bav, YOU ARE ENOUGH! I swear it! I LOVE YOU!" Tears are rolling down my face in the dream, my heart aches as he paces the room, tormented by the truth.
A bad taste enters my mouth.
He stops and quietly says, "How can I believe anything that comes out of a liars mouth? Do not look for me, I will not welcome you into my life any longer." With that cold, devastating statement, he leaves, slamming the door behind him.
"NO BAV! NO PLEASE! I LOVE YOU!"
I am left there on the floor, shattered and wailing in agony, reaching out to run after him with limbs too heavy to move. I notice a small box, I recognize it as my my mother's, and it appears with in reach. My heart is broken and I am alone, so I reach for the jewelry box my mother gave me.
I open it and place the pendant around my neck and flames explode everywhere. Engulfing my vision, until I walk out of the flames.
I feel like a third person watching.
I see myself but it does not look like me. There is something off in my appearance and in my face and eyes.
My eyes are telling the story of a woman, who will never love again, who loves nothing and no one, and only wishes to watch the world burn.
I open my mouth and scream in terror, releasing more flames, that come straight for me.
***
I wake with a start, sweating and crying. The pain of the dream, feeling all too real still, has me clutching my heart, as I try to calm down. Hugging my knees to my chest, I try to shake the feeling of anxiety overwhelming me.
I notice the sun is up higher than it should be and glance at the clock.
8:30....
"BLOODY HELL!"
I hop up and hurry to get dressed and ready. I fly downstairs, finding Etty and Elaine handling everything.
"Oh good looks like your fever broke!" Etty exclaims dusting her hands off and checks my temperature with the back of her hand on my head.
"My fever?" I ask her as she goes to wash her hands.
"Yes, when we showed up and the door was locked, I used my key for emergencies, went upstairs and found you moaning, shivering, even though your head felt like it was on fire. I looked in your medicine cabinet and was able to get you to sip some fever syrup and covered you up to let you sleep. If it had not of broke by opening, I was going to call the doctor. You had us worried."
Elaine frowns from the pastry rolls she's working on to stick in the oven. "You were talking in your fever dream as well. Is everything alright, between you and Mr Fairchild?"
Feeling a little weak, I take a seat on a stool. "Yes. It was just a bad dream. Why what was I saying?"
Elaine and Etty exchange a look before Elaine elaborates. "It was something like... not what you think. No. I love you.... "
Blushing, I rest my head in my hand. "Oh my." I feel dizzy, and can feel my hand grow sweaty from my head. "I'm sorry, ladies. I do believe I am really ill. I should go to my office, I can do work in there today."
I go to stand and my head feels lighter, as my vision goes black. I come to, with Etty holding me in her lap and hear her telling Elaine to call the doctor. I try to move and black back out.
I awake to strong arms picking me up and carrying me upstairs. I look up and my eyes can't focus on the person at first. I notice the clean shaven face, dark finger length hair combed neatly first.
They look familiar... When the face comes into focus, I start.
'Mr. Chambers! NO!'
I meekly try to remove myself from his arms, making him wobble a bit as he moves up the stairs.
"Whoa! Don't worry ma'am, my father asked me to carry you upstairs to your bed. Just calm down. If I fall, you will too, and I don't want a broken leg or back."
I stop wiggling and he takes me up, setting me in my bed. I notice he's got a split lip and one side of his face is swollen and bruised in the shape of a hand print.
'Was that from me?'
A moment later and older, slightly hunched, gray haired man comes in with the aid of a cane.
"Oh, These stairs are just no good on my hips at my age. Now, good you are awake I see. Ms. Langridge, I am Doctor Elijah Chambers, but please call me, Doctor Eli, or even just Doc or Eli will do. Now, let's try to figure out what is the problem here."
He see's the chair at my desk and motions his son, "Derek, can you please bring me that chair son." Derek Chambers, moves the chair over for his father who takes sits down with a sigh.
"Now, your employees informed me that when they arrived this morning, you were still asleep and shivering with fever. They gave you fever syrup and you went downstairs thinking you were better and fainted. Does this sound about right?"
I nod, not sure if I should speak with Derek in the room, he may recognize my voice and then I will be in deep trouble.
"Good, now I'm going to check you, listen to your heart and so forth, then I will ask you a few questions. Alright?"
Once again I nod and he turns to Derek who opens up a travel trunk, I just noticed was here in the room. Derek hands a stethoscope and a few other little things for his father the doctor to begin.
"Okay my dear, I need you to unbutton your blouse just a few button, so I can get my tool over your heart and lungs."
I look to Derek in the room, eyes wide and the doctor seeing my hesitance chuckles, "My boy is a gentleman, Ms Langridge, he helps me access my tools while I am working with a patient. If it makes you more comfortable I can ask him to turn around."
I croak out, "Please."
"Ah, some irritation of the vocal chords... Derek? I need you to boil some water and make a..."
"Salt gargle and rinse for her throat, of course, that will give you both some privacy as well." He smiles at us both and grabs a jar of salt from the trunk and leaves the room.
"He's a good man, my boy. Helps me most of the day and then manages the a few smelters down at some of metal factories. Lean forward please." He says all this while I unbuttoned my blouse to let him listen to my heart and lungs.
"Works hard, I am mighty proud of him to say the least. I just wish he'd give me some grandchildren, while I am still around to see them. Tell me Ms. Langridge, are the rumors true? Are you courting a foreign diplomat who the government does business with?"
I'm just finished buttoning up my blouse when Derek enters, holding a hot cup of the salt water mixture.
Thankfully my voice is still hoarse as I rasp out, "Yes, I am courting Mr. Fairchild, I care for him deeply."
Doc nods his head, "Well then, if you are happy, that is what matters most. You know my son went on a date last night..."
"Dad!" Derek cuts him off but the doctor just looks at him chuckles and turns to me to finish.
"She slapped him!" He starts to chortle with mirth.
Uncomfortable over the fact that he was right there, I look down averting my eyes.
"It's alright Ms. Langridge, I deserved it. Here is the rinse, just gargle and spit a few times. Should help your voice."
"Thank you." I rasp. 'At least he knows he deserved it.'
His dad stops laughing, "Darn straight you deserved it. If she had not slapped you, and I had found out, I would have knocked the manners your mother and I taught you back into that head." He turns back to me, "He kissed her on the second date! Without her permission!" He goes to the trunk and a red Derek takes his seat holding a basin.
The doctor start rustling around in the suitcase as Derek holds a basin for me. I look up at him questioning it's reason.
A warm smile crosses his face. Then he pauses looking at my eyes, before snapping to and then he straightens up, "You may gargle and rinse, just spit in the bowl when you are done. Ms Langridge."
He keeps stealing looks at me. I think he might recognize my eyes... or at least see the resemblance.
As I am gargling and spitting, Doctor Eli is pulling out large vials and tinctures, setting some aside, putting others back.
"Thank you." I whisper softly when the salt water is gone from my cup.
He takes it and nods, "No problem. So you're courting a Fae diplomat, Ms. Langridge?"
I clear my throat and nod with a smile.
"I see... He treats you well? You are happy with him?" He interrogates me and it takes everything in me to control my facial features.
I nod and croak out, "Yes. Very."
A defeated look crosses his face for a second before he nods, "A beautiful woman like you deserves to be happy, Ms. Langridge. HE is a very lucky man. I wish you the best." Derek gets up and dumps the basin and rinses it, placing the cup inside it. The doctor turns to me and puts some smaller vials he has prepared before me.
"Alright, you seem to have a light case of the ague. You should rest today, drink half of each of these after you've had a light lunch and the rest after you have had supper. Rest all day tomorrow and you should be fine by tomorrow evening."
The doctor pets my hand, and tells Derek to pack up, he would meet him downstairs.
Now I am left with Mr. Derek Chambers in the room, who's demeanor has changed since his father left .An oppressive aura hangs in the air and at the moment.... I knew.
He knows who I am.