Sophie smiled, and while she still said no words, I knew by the look in her eyes she was coming back. Until then, she was still like a doll that I posed and dressed. I placed her in bed, covered her, and asked that Samantha find someone to watch her door just in case.
It had been a long day of looking at dresses and trying them on. I retreated to my bedroom, a room bigger than the entire first floor of my home in Akana. My bed was across the room, and I sat on the sofa in the sitting area.
I sipped on a warm beverage called tea, while curled up with a book I had found in the room. The book was odd. It was big and thick and had names with numbers next to it. I couldn’t figure it out and wondered if it was some sort of code.
My mind was already too crowded to break the code of the big book. I had only a couple of days until I was to marry Iry. Not long to devise a plan to get back to Angeles City or bring down the Sybaris.
One problem remained. Sophie. She was a Sybaris; she was also my responsibility. If I made one wrong move she would die and so would I.
The large book barely fit in my lap and when there was a knock at my door, I jumped and the book fell with a hard ‘thump’.
Iry stepped in. “Are you alright? I heard a bang.”
“It was the secret book.”
“The secret book?” he asked.
“Yes, I found it in the closet. It has yellow pages and numbers.”
“Ah,” Iry bent down and grabbed it. “This is a phone book. Back in the day humans communicated using telephones.”
“Yes, I know what they are. Alf got himself in trouble using it.”
“Exactly, and this was a reference for people to find numbers of people they were trying to reach.”
“Silly me, and here I thought I was uncovering something.”
“You know, perfect timing then if you are looking for something to read,” Iry said. “I brought you a pre-wedding gift.” He extended his hand and in it was a book. “Do not let this be found.”
“A book?”
“Yes,” he said. “Enjoy.”
I looked at the cover. “Twilight?”
“It’s a love story.”
“Oh, will I like it?”
“I hope. It’s about a young girl who falls in love with a vampire.”
Immediately my eyes shot to his. “Is this a mind game?”
“What?” he laughed. “No. It is my way to show you that not all are bad. Even though I’m not a vampire.”
“I will read it, thank you.”
“Sure. I have to do something to get you to like me. We are getting married.”
“If it helps,” I said, walking back to sit on my sofa, “I do not dislike you.”
“That’s a start.” Iry sat down next to me. “I am nice, Vala. The maidens all like me.”
“Hmmm…”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Why do they all like you so much? Although Samantha fears you.”
“Samantha does not fear me.”
“I heard stories back in Akana. I didn’t understand what they meant then. I do now since I have been educated in Angeles City. They say the Sybaris men take human women.”
“Take them where?”
“Take them,” I repeated. “They choose them just to… take. What is that word? Seduction.”
“Ah, I get it. Yes.”
“I see. Did you chose a human woman to take.”
“You’re my first choice, Vala. And I didn’t chose you to take. Remember I just became old enough.”
“So you have not taken any human women?”
“I…uh …” Iry cringed, “would rather not say.”
“You have!” I gasped. “The women here?”
“Vala...”
“You have! Do you make them pleasure you, Iry?”
“I would like to think I pleasure them in return.”
My mouth formed a circle as I fought back my disgust. “You are blinded by your own arrogance if you think that it is pleasure to them.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Well…” my chin dipped to my chest as I sought the right words, “I am informed. Marie explained the act. It sounds violating. A woman is placed in a very vulnerable position.” Feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed by the subject, I stood quickly.
“You have it all wrong. It’s not a violation if both people agree, and it’s hardly torturous. There is more to it all, Vala, you just don’t know.”
As he spoke I heard his voice getting closer and softer.
“It’s more than the act,” Iry spoke near a whisper, so close behind me. “It’s every aspect of it.”
I felt his finger trail softly up my arm. Then he moved to my shoulder and trickled his fingers down across the front of my chest.
“And with the right person…” his breath was close as his hand made its way from my shoulder to my neck. The tips of his fingers tickled lightly up to my chin and his hand then extended across my face, “…it can be unbelievable.”
My heart beat fast, why was that? Why was I breathing so heavily? A flutter hit my stomach as I felt him move behind me, his body against mine. I let him touch me.
“You don’t know what you are missing, Vala.”
On his last word his breath hit my ear and a shiver shot through my body. I couldn’t move.
Iry stepped in front of me. His hand remained on the side of my face. His eyes locked on mine.
I was caught up and then I snapped from it. “You cast a spell on me.”
“When?”
“Right now. You used a Sybaris spell. Right here I was almost drawn into your seduction ways.”
“You weren’t caught in a spell, Vala,” Iry said. “You were caught in a moment.” He paused. “And so was I.”
Before I could respond, Iry widened his hand on my face, pulled me closer. He stepped to me and his lips met mine.
The second they did, he pressed against me and I felt something, a shock rippled up my chest and when he widened his lips in connection with mine, my body felt numb.
My first kiss. My very first kiss in my life was from a Sybaris and my body and mouth responded with enjoyment. His lips were soft, they moved in a sweeping motion, not too wide and not too fast.
It was as if he paced his affection, and I found myself wanting more. More intensity, more of what he had. My head knew it was wrong, but why didn’t it feel wrong?
It felt good.
No, I told myself. Stop. Just stop. He is the enemy. He is … My hands reached to him, pulling him against me. Feeling his chest to mine, his hips against mine.
My breathing intensified, quickened and he lifted his lips from my mouth and glided them to my neck. As he kissed me there, my eyes rolled and my head flung back and then Iry stopped.
When he did, I pulled from the moment and was speechless.
“See?” he said softly. “It’s not all that bad.” Iry darted a quick kiss to me, then turned and walked to the door. “Goodnight, Vala.”
I believed and hoped the second the door closed that the magic he used on me would go away and I would stand repulsed at my actions.
But I didn’t.
The touch of his lips was still strong on my mind and thinking of it caused my stomach to flip. Instead of being disgusted, I found myself wanting him to kiss me again, touch me again. I longed for it.
What was wrong with me?
I heard Marie’s voice in my head. I needed it because I was human, but Iry was not. So why did I like it so much with him?
In the after moment, I searched for answers. Was it the sensation of being touched for the first time or was there something about Iry I was attracted to more than I cared to admit?