Juliet
"Then you have to tell him, Julie. So he stops wasting his time… What do you know about a guy's hotness anyway! You haven't even manifested yet. When is that going to happen, do you think?" My dad teased, also biting into an apple.
"I have never dumped a guy… I'm still young... Maybe it's time." I ignored his jab at my vampire-less state; killing people wasn't something I was looking forward to.
"All seriousness, Julie, why don't you first go and see how it is. I haven't seen Qadir in hundreds of years, and I don't think I ever want to... But, if you really love Marcus, I will make the sacrifice," Liam dramatically placed his hand on his heart.
My mom and I laughed lightly, "No, I haven't thought of him in that way. But I will now… Let's see how it goes…."
My mom and dad seemed happy and a little too eager. "A little advice," my mom came closer and whispered into my ear, "If you can think about kissing him, it's a good sign."
"Mom… This is bad parenting!" I yelled, leaving the kitchen when she kissed my dad.
The seed was planted; kissing Marcus was my next goal. But I might have thought differently if I had known that one kiss would bring about the worst days of my short life.
The next time Marcus knocked on the door, I received him without my veil. Hair long, braided in a flattering way, hanging across my chest. Just a little bit of make-up. He had never seen me before, and he visibly jolted. Marcus's face was always an inscrutable mask. So, seeing his change from utter astonishment to a genuine smile was rewarding. My stomach flipped and reacted funnily. It was the first time I felt anything sexual. I smiled and pulled him into the house, "Come, I need to show you something. Don't worry… You won't turn to stone… Am I that ugly?"
Marcus's gaze was darting around nervously, "What are you doing? Where is your father? You can't just do what you want, you know!"
"You going to point a finger at me?"
I turned around and pushed my latest project into his hands. But he wasn't listening to me… Marcus just kept staring at me… for the longest time. His eyes took in my hair and slowly met mine. Strangely, I felt very exposed without the veil. His eyes dropped to my lips. He swallowed and let his eyes drift further down my bare neck. I smiled radiantly when he came back to my eyes. My eyes darted at his hands and up at his face. I did it a few more times. He didn't want to budge. I stood up and down on my toes a few times to get him to lose focus, "Come on, Marcus… look at it."
He shook his head and immediately laughed when he took in what was in his hands, "What is this? Did you try to knit something?"
"I did. What do you think?" he just kept laughing. My mom and dad came around the corner, hopeful and peeking at the two of us; he was as natural around them, and they seemed relieved he hadn't suddenly changed into a monster about etiquette. All three had a good laugh at my expense; my attempt to knit a scarf had not gone so well. Later, my dad took Marcus outside to have a beer, shoeing me away.
***
Marcus
"So Marcus, it's time we speak man to man," I sat up—I knew it was coming, and I was ready to plead my case.
"You know I can't leave the compound… Juliet will never be happy here… Over the years, I've given you some background into our race. Things your father conveniently didn't tell you… If you brand her, she will be under your protection! You can allow us all to leave. So… I know this is a lot of pressure, but I see how you are around her. Things have changed…."
I was spinning my beer bottle in my hand, nervously playing with it, "My father is completely against the match. You know it's been so long, and there were many times he raised his objections." Liam stiffened, "I'm afraid for her, Liam."
"But if you do it, Marcus. He won't be able to do anything—"
"I can't do it to her," I cut him off, "And why would he leave us alone after? She is one of those women who will hate me forever if I tie her down just to make her mine without consent." I got up, putting down my beer bottle, "I won't do it."
I went into the house. Juliet and her mother were washing the dishes. They talked in hushed tones and laughed… no, they were giggling. Juliet was still so young. I made my goodbyes and greeted them. Juliet walked out with me. She had never done it before. Her veil was back on. She took my hand like she had so many times… but it felt weird—it felt wrong. I shook her off. I didn't know what to do. She waved at me and skipped back into the house like a child, relieving me of all doubt that she was ready for anything else.
But… that was the first time she saw me as a man. She was growing up.
Sometime Later
Unfortunately, seeing her face made me think of nothing else. Those caterpillar eyebrows were bushy and lush. Icy blue eyes gripping your attention. A button nose. Soft, clear skin to go with her unthreatening and playful ways. Her lovable character. She was witty, and there was never a dull moment with her. I was trying to convince myself she would choose to come willingly. I would not be the one to make her bend into a box. But trying to convince Juliet to do anything was probably where my troubles started.
It was her birthday, and I went with high energy to celebrate and spend time with her. I didn't take anything because there was nothing you could give her. If you did try, she would tell you off, saying, "I don't want anything from you." When I got to the house, the door was open, and she was in the lounge watching TV. I went to sit next to her, taking in how beautiful she was. Juliet had opened a can of worms when she took off that veil—I was fixated. She could feel my eyes on her. Slowly, hers met mine, a seductive play in her manner, "So, aren't you going to wish me a happy birthday?" She glanced at my hands, "Where is my gift?"
I smiled and gave her a handshake, "There is your present. Where are your parents?"
"I don't know, making me a cake."
"You asked for cake again," I smiled at her. She seemed so different. For a while, there had been a shift in her towards me. I had noticed she liked me more than just a friend—it scared the hell out of me.
"Okay, obviously, you will not declare your love for me. So I'm going to have to give you a push."
And again, she beat me to it, coming right to the point and opening the next can, "There is no need to declare it. You're not a stupid girl."
She sat up and rested one elbow on her leg, staring at me. She whispered, "If my parents didn't tell me… the thought wouldn't even have crossed my mind."
Astonished, I gaped… but she was dead serious, "How?"
"You never said anything or did anything or… I don't know? Is there anything else? You are the same stoic Marcus day in and day out. How can anyone see what you're feeling?"
Feelings? Where I lived, there were no feelings. How can I bring lovable, joyful Juliet into my house? "Is that why you took off the veil?"
"Yes! I'm sick of seeing you and the world through that thing."
My dejection worsened. Juliet kept repeating the same things, and it boiled down to how she couldn't handle our way of life. She would not budge and that's why I hadn't said or done anything. I got up to go greet the parents. She jumped up and grabbed my arm, "That's it?"
"What would be the point? I'm not enough…."
She frowned; there was a pull around her mouth, "I have decided what I want for my birthday," I kept quiet, "A kiss. A first kiss."
"No, you're way too young."
She burst out laughing, "I will eat people soon and get married in a year, having babies…."
The idea of her with someone else sent me into a whirlpool of emotions, whether I wanted them or not. My jaw flexed involuntarily, and my fingers were fidgety. She noticed and smiled. She really did take my breath away. Unable not to touch her anymore, I stretched out my hand and let my fingers slide over the soft skin on her cheek, my thumb tracing her lips. She blushed from her chest to her cheeks, blotchy red patches all over her neck; I followed them back to her lips. She came closer and quickly pressed her lips to mine. I flinched back and stepped away from her. She nervously wrapped her arms around my waist, keeping me from going too far away.
"What now? I liked the idea of kissing you," she reached up on her toes and kissed me for longer. I just stared at her—open-eyed. I wanted to so bad; I unlocked my lips and unclasped her hands from my waist, "You have no idea what you're talking about."
She sighed heavily, letting me go, "I ask for one thing from you… you can't even do this for me. Who's not enough."
"You just got your kiss!"
"That's not the kind I was talking about."
"You won't be getting any other kind from me."
"I was right. You don't love me. We will always just be—"
"Don't say it!" I pointed a finger at her. She glared at the offending finger and bit down on it. I pressed my lips together, suppressing the laughter bubbling up. She let me go when there was no reaction. Juliet stepped back and away from me. I didn't like it; the gesture meant and said so much, "Why don't you come with me to my house. I want to introduce you to Qadir Ahmed, whom you dislike so much." The words were out before I could come to my senses.
Juliet nodded, and we walked to the kitchen, where I could pitch the idea to her parents. Liam was quietly thinking about it. Cindy said there was no way she would be going. Liam nervously stared at Juliet, deciding if he should send her into the lion's den because he knew if he went with—it would be worse.
Juliet wasn't stupid, and she noticed Liam's reaction. She frowned, staring at him, "Dad, you said I should go to see for myself… If I'm stuck here forever, this will be my life. Should I just go meet the man?"
Hope built up in my chest. Just maybe, I will have one person in my life… for the rest of my life… who would actually want to be with me. Liam was still thinking, "Will you bow when you see him?"
"I will."
"Will you keep that tongue in your mouth?"
"I will only speak when spoken to."
"That doesn't make me feel any easier. Are you sure, Juliet? There is still a chance to dump Marcus."
Imploringly, I stared at her, smiling. Her eyes fell on my lips, "No, not yet," she laughed lightly.
***
Juliet
Driving with Marcus in the car was the first time I had gone anywhere without my parents. In hindsight, meeting the most ruthless man in that small world of mine for a first outing… might not have been such a good idea. What was Marcus thinking?
"Why are you taking me to meet your father?"
Marcus seemed uneasy and nervous, "My father had noticed that I go there every day… I think he knows about Sundays as well."
"Probably that guy that keeps following you, your driver, Kubra."
Marcus smiled, "You're very clever. That's exactly what's going on. He's with me all the time. But because he's paid to be. I don't get to question my life companion."
"Oh, so you're gay? Is that why you don't want to kiss me?" Marcus laughed. I rarely saw him laugh. When he did… it was like seeing a rare bird in the wild. Those days, I had been staring at him a lot because he had been smiling more since I took off my veil. There was something so mysterious about him that you were always left wondering. Since the day I took off my veil, we had both been different. The day before, when our lips touched—it felt all kinds of wonderful; those butterflies I had for him were changing. Marcus, on the other hand, had become distant—colder in a way, but still there. Hot and cold like always. It was so strange… his behavior.
Driving through the gates of their estate was an eye-opener. Marcus lived in another tax bracket. The house alone was a mansion with a few stories up and in a Chinese style. Various courtyards around the main building with a different home for each wife.
"Who lives in the main building?"
"All the kids, servants… and my mother and father."
Getting out and meeting Agatha and Qadir went down without any problems, but his mother had yet to speak to me. So, as my dad suggested, I followed her example and kept my mouth shut, trying to follow the customs and etiquette to a tee. Head bowed the whole time. I even tried not to lift my eyes when we sat around the table.
During dinner, we were interrupted by one of the servants. He came to whisper into Qadir's ear, who was immediately angry. I didn't think the man's face could contort more than the constant scowl fixed around his eyes. Being as small as I was, it felt like he towered over me. "Well, Marcus, you want to play house today… Introduce us to a girl you want to take as a wife… No, not a wife… Your first wife."
Marcus choked on the sip of wine he was taking. It went down the wrong pipe, and he held my gaze while coughing. It was the first time we had made eye contact that day, and I was so happy that I flashed my eyebrows at him. Qadir took a deep breath when he saw my attitude towards his son. Marcus did treat me like a child and indulged me like a child. I could see he was trying not to smile, biting his lip.
"So Juliet, today you will see how we sort out these domestic situations. One of the maids was caught stealing." Marcus's whole body stiffened. His eyes changed from amused to horrified. His breath hitched. It scared me… I could sense the situation had taken a sour turn. What could be so bad? What could be the punishment for stealing? I had a million questions.
Nevertheless, I had just thought for a second that maybe, just maybe, I would be able to follow all the rules my whole life if Marcus could only treat me the same as he always did amidst everything. I could grow up and settle into other people's opinions—conform to the compound way of life… for that brief moment when Marcus was himself with me again. Marcus's elbow rested on the table, his head slumped into his hand, and our connection was gone. Qadir looked at me, "You must know we have a hundred wives in my house alone, between my other sons and me. Marcus is the only one old enough who hasn't married yet."
Qadir's eyes drifted over the table to Marcus's mother, "But just one is allowed at the table with me… So you better hope that Marcus makes it official soon… or else you will always be scraping the barrel." Qadir's voice had a drawl to it. In general… his manner was slow and steady; to him, nothing was a rush. He slowly pushed his chair out with his legs behind him and stood, wiped his mouth, and tossed the napkin on the table, "Come, Juliet, let Marcus show you how you will deal with your servants."
"I don't think I'll have servants," the moment I heard myself speak the words, I froze; dread climbed eerily up my spine. Marcus's head snapped up out of his hand, and he shook it ever so slightly to warn me. I had made a mistake. Qadir stopped and turned to me, pointing a finger right in my face. My eyes fell to the floor. "Watch your tongue, or you'll lose it." His voice was so menacing. I was too young to understand the threat. It didn't sink in at that point that he was serious. I wondered how he could say something like that? But it did make me shut up. I had never been afraid of anyone in my whole life, but there was always a first time for everything.
The four of us made our way to the servant's courtyard. The maid in question was already on a slab block. A panga blade stuck into a piece of wood next to her. I instantly realized what the punishment was for stealing.
It was losing a hand.
Marcus didn't seem to hesitate or show any weakness. He walked confidently to the blade. Jerkily, he removed it from the wood. Kubra was tying the woman's arms down. After Qadir's warning, I didn't think I would say anything… But… I hysterically yelled and ran over to Marcus, trying to stop him as he lifted the blade. He didn't even glance at me or try to placate me. His mother gripped my arms and pulled me back to get out of the way. The blade struck down behind me. The woman screamed. I was screaming. Marcus's mother shook me and opened her mouth. The stump of her chopped-off tongue shook me to the core. I gasped, eyes wide, and realized it wasn't that she had nothing to say or was forced to be silent; she could literally not speak. Seeing the horror in her mouth or what was left of it had brought me back to reason. I stumbled backward into Qadir, who turned me around and struck me across the face. The force made me fall to the ground.
There were a lot of firsts for me that day.
It was also the first time I saw Marcus's face like that; he had manifested. His teeth gritted in an angry line, and frustrated, he clenched the hilt of the blade he was holding, twisting it relentlessly. Regardless, Marcus didn't do anything, and I thought I would never speak to him again.
Lying on the floor, I blenched and struggled to regain composure. The woman on the block had manifested from the pain… or the anger… or I didn't know why. There was more to come… Other maids moved across the courtyard with a flaming hot iron ready to sear the wound; our eyes met in mutual understanding as she passed out. Tears pooled and spilled over my cheeks, and it felt so strange; I couldn't remember the last time I needed to cry.
"Marcus, you have no taste. This chit will never come into this house. She is and will always be her father's child. If she can't even handle this! There is no hope for her."
Marcus didn't help me up; I think he knew he shouldn't touch me right then. It would only make me slap him in front of his father, and I would've probably also lost an arm. He returned to his human face, casting his eyes down while he cleaned his hand with a rag and walked out.
Kubra knelt next to me, "Come, Juliet! Just a little bit longer. All you have to do is get up and walk out." Kubra had said just the right thing. I grabbed onto him as if he would help me do it. He did, and I almost ran for the door.
On our way home, Marcus tried to take my hand in the back of the car. I flinched at the touch. We've held hands so many times in the past, but at that moment, I couldn't stand him anywhere near me. Revolted that he would stand by and let things like that happen. He bit his fist, not knowing what to do.
My mom and dad waited outside to greet us when we stopped at the house. I sobbed and headed for my mom.
"You did her a disservice, letting her grow up like this," Marcus yelled at my dad, turning around and walking away.
I flung him back and hit him on the chest with a fist, "So what you want is for me to be treated like that! To accept stuff like that! Who does your father think he is? Controlling anyone like that! The last time I checked, he wasn't God! And you are not my guardian! My parents are not the problem here. Apologize!"
He stood staring down at me and wouldn't budge. Stoic, relentless Marcus was back. I hit him again when he ignored me. Again and again until my hand hit his cheek. I scared myself… I felt so bad that more ragged breaths and tears escaped. Kubra wanted to get out of the car. Marcus stretched out a hand and halted him. He grabbed my wrist furiously, swung me around, and pushed my back against his chest, holding me like a two-year-old who was throwing a tantrum.
Mom wanted to come, but Dad stopped her.
I was so angry—livid that we were stuck at the compound.
"I didn't want to hurt or make you sad, Julie," he whispered into my ear. "But this is how things are out there. You have no idea what's going on. You read all your books, but you know nothing. All you know about is the human world… You get to go out of the house… No other woman gets to leave their houses…." Marcus's head lifted… "How do you think she will make it in here, Liam? How will you get her out?"
Listening to his words made me calm down, "Let me go." Slowly, his arms released me. It wasn't like they were choosing to stay... There was a reason we couldn't leave… But why did we not make a run for it?
I walked into the house, hearing Marcus behind me.
"Qadir made me cut off a woman's arm. He hit Juliet for crying and screaming…." I saw my mom moving closer to him, "My mother shoved her cut-off tongue into Juliet's face. She meant it as a warning, but it scared her to death."
My mom grabbed Marcus around the neck and pulled him into an embrace. He shook as he cried. I was dumbstruck. It was a long while before he calmed down. She let him go, walked up to me, and we went into the house. I saw my dad take him aside. What was it they were always talking about?
***
Marcus
"You know what to do, but you refuse," Liam scolded.
"I won't do it!"
"She will go somewhere eventually. She will be stuck here forever."
"Then let's ask her and prepare her."
Liam sneered at me, "What? Should we tell her that she will be stuck with you for life? Death do you part. Tell her—she will have to go through a process so painful it will make you alone sleep for two weeks. And then we have to tell her—she belongs to you. She will live in fear that you will make her stay!"
"You're not scared Juliet will not do it. You're scared that you will be stuck here forever. Is this even about her?" If Liam got angry at my words, I would know he had some selfish motive; he scoffed and put his hands in his pockets, playing in the dirt with his shoe, "I know what I did. I know why I'm here. But you and Juliet are not responsible for our choices. You guys can get out of here if that's what's stopping you… We will stay, and the two of you can leave. Yes… when we met… I saw you… laughing at her jokes… I got to know you. I see how you treated her… You love her, Marcus."
I bent down, leaning on my knees. It was all too much.