Gaijryc kept his back to her and heard the soft click of the door closing. He gritted his teeth in rage. He couldn’t say he was surprised that they had made the mating ceremony so soon. He knew his mother and father wanted him mated and producing offspring as quickly as possible. He walked to the window and stared out at the green fields. He saw the servants below, some trimming shapes out of the bushes, some cutting roses for the dining room. He looked to the side and saw the modest-sized house that Ryce lived in. It had been a servants’ quarter at one time, but when his mother had taken over the mansion, she had wanted the servants living in the mansion so they were available for her beck and call.
He could see Ryce moving around in the front of the house, picking flowers and placing them in a vase. Gaijryc knitted his eyebrows in confusion at why Ryce would need to pick flowers. He lifted one arm and leaned it against the molding, watching Ryce’s meticulous movements. The front door opening caught his attention and that was when his heart stopped. Out walked Helina, a cup in her hand, a long white tee-shirt the only thing that covered her body. Gaijryc knew just by looking at her that the shirt she wore was Ryce’s. His nails dug into the wood, the pieces splintering beneath his fingers and piercing his skin. He wanted nothing more than to go over there right now to kill Ryce and take Helina. He would have done just that if not for the memories of the night before, if not for the words that replayed in his head over and over again. You were nothing to me… I only fucked you to pass the time… I could never love a human, never will.
He dropped his head in shame. Then he lifted it again and watched as Ryce handed Helina the vase. Her soft smile lit up her face like one of those bloomed flowers.
Helina set her mug down and accepted the flowers, smiling at Ryce. “Thank you. They’re beautiful.” She took the vase and went inside, setting the delicate glass on the table and staring at it. Each bud was dainty in appearance, each silky curve of the flowers seeming to blend together into one smooth strip of velvet. She reached her hand out and ran her finger along one of the soft buds, letting the smoothness of it wash through her. Dropping her arm, she looked down at the shirt she wore. The front door opened and she turned to see Ryce standing in the entryway of the kitchen. His face was cast in shadows as he stared at the flowers.
“Thank you again for the flowers, Ryce.” He still stared at the flowers, but she saw the distant smile that tilted his lips. “I can make us something to eat if you like.” He looked down at his watch and then glanced at the front door. “If you have to go I understand.” He gave her a look of surprise before she heard him swallow.
“I’d like that, thank you.” His voice was gruff.
She cooked them breakfast, a meal of buttermilk pancakes, sausage and eggs. He told her about how he lived all those years ago, about everything he did and saw. She was fascinated by his experiences, intrigued by his very life. After he left she kept herself busy, hoping to keep her mind off everything that had happened. She knew she couldn’t stay there, knew she had to leave because this wasn’t the place for her. Guilt assaulted her at the thought of leaving without saying goodbye to Ryce, but she knew if she did he would only stop her from leaving.
She didn’t know if she would be able to survive once she left, but knew she had to try. Ryce had told her he wouldn’t be back until well past nightfall, so she had plenty of time to gather what she needed. She stepped onto the back deck and saw nothing but thick pine trees and green grass. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t scared, but she needed to move on with her life, no matter what the danger or consequence.
For the next several hours Helina gathered non-perishable foods and bottles of water. She was lucky she had found a few pieces of women’s clothing in the closet of the room she had been staying in, even more pleased that they were in her size. Going back to the cabin was definitely not an option, so she took whatever she could find and shoved it in an oversized bag. Glancing at herself in the mirror, she smoothed her hand down the black, long sleeved v-neck shirt she wore. A small red embroidered heart was stitched into the right hand corner of the shirt and she idly ran her finger across it. It seemed so familiar, but for the life of her she couldn’t place where she had seen it. A small wisp of hair fell down from the ponytail and she smoothed it behind her ear.
When the sun was finally starting to set nervousness assaulted her. When the rolling emotions passed, she grabbed her bag and headed for the back of the house. Everything inside of her warned her that what she was doing was a monumental mistake. She chose to ignore that little voice as she stepped off the stairs and walked toward the ominous forest.