Crescent Bound (46 page)

Even the hot minted breath he
whispers
reeks with
a heavy smell of
Altoids against my ear,
“
Leave Kelly and Marc alone, honey, I
’
m only going to give you one warning.
”
  He releases
my shirt and grabs my chin roughly, making me look directly at him.  My hands are on his chest instantly feeling my ice surging deep inside me.  I want to freeze him and kick his frozen ass out of my car.
Keep in control
. I tell myself and bite my lip trying to focus.

He keeps looking at me and slowly runs his hand down my chest.  My mind screams inside
,
Oh
no please, no...
By
the gods please no…
closing my eyes as he takes his other hand and holds my face firmly.

“
Look at me.
”
  His hand continues following along my body, down my stomach, until he comes to my jeans. He unbuckles my belt and I start struggling against him.

“
Don
’
t!
”
I warn him.

Dale
’
s smile
display
s
all h
is pearly whites with amusement,
“
o
r what little girl?
”

The next moment happens in almost a blur, he starts sliding his hand down and then Dale
i
s gone.

I grip my seat and quick
ly pull myself back up,
finding Marc as he locks Dale in a choke hold.  He instantly swings Dale around and slams him hard into the back of my car.  Dale viciously tries to grab Marc
’
s arms, but you can tell he
’
s pretty dazed from hitting
his
head first into the car.  They brawl together until Marc eventually has Dale down in the embankment.  I can see Marc
’
s hands are beginning to freeze up. 

Dal
e begins to lose consciousness
by the second as he slumps down into the abiding grass.  Marc still maintains his stance over him, but finally releases his lethal hold, in return for Dale
’
s ability to breath, he starts fiercely pounding Dale in his side, then in one hand freezing blow I hear a loud sickening crack and know that Marc just broke Dale
’
s ribs. The sound doesn
’
t slow Marc down, and that
’
s when I realize he isn
’
t going to quit his assault.

“
Stop, Marc!
”
I yell out to him in panic, and slowly he stands up, kicking him before he walks away.  Dale doesn
’
t move, and the only noise that comes from his massive form is a small anguishing groan that seeps out as he grips his ribs.  Marc never says a word to
him;
he just turns briskly away and walks back up to me.  

Once I cinch my belt together, Marc pulls me into his protective embrace.
“
I
’
m so sorry, Alyssa are you hurt?
”
He leans back a bit scanning me steadily.

Shaking my head as I adjust my shirt,
“
I just want to get out of
here;
can you help me with my tire?
”
Relieved
,
he lean
s down and kisses me gently. 

Within a few minutes he has the spare on, taking his outstretched hand he leads me back to his car.  He opens the door and motions for me to get into the driver
’
s seat, pee
ring down he says,
“
I want you to drive my car to your
parent
’
s
house and I
’
ll meet you there.
”
 

I stare at him with concern and confusion as I clear my throat and ask,
“
What are you going to do?
”
 

He absently takes my hand as he thinks how to answer. 
“
I need to take care of something, give me about an hour and I
’
ll meet you, ok
ay
?
”
 

I trust Marc and know whatever he needs to do, he needs to do.  I buckle up as Marc hands me my cell,
“
Don
’
t leave home with
out this.
”
 

I drive Marc
’
s car past my house and on down to a lake not that far away.  I park on the grass just by a picnic area and look over the dash, watching the lenient waters splash up and down the bank.  Letting out a deep sigh I lean my head on the steering wheel. 
Why is the human race, in general, greedy, obsessive, controlling
,
and heartlessly cruel? 

I
’
m not trying to say that the witch world is absolute, but within the Witches Rede,
a
s it harms none, do as thou wilt, lest in thy self-defense to be, ever mind the rule of three. Follow this with mind and heart, and merry ye meet, and merry ye part.

Ever since my earliest memories I can remember my father
’
s persistent words.  I don
’
t force my will on others, nor do I desire power over others.  I do not wish to harm the innocent and I am not untrustworthy because, my word, once given, is my oath.  I do not betray those I love, because those I love, I cherish.

Suddenly, I realize something, not only about myself, but others as well. 
Kelly
is a human, a non-witch and she didn
’
t have my father or my mother along with the coven to give her the knowledge and guidance that I possess, nor Dale.  That
’
s the difference in our two worlds.  Naomi did however have the same morals and oaths to attain to, but she didn
’
t grow up having my father.  I realize that whatever we are exposed to we cho
o
se to take either the good with us or the bad. 
It
’
s
different for each of us, witches and humans. 

I sit staring off as the fading radiant sun descends over the shimmering lake when my cell begins playing
,
S
tolen,
“
Hey,
”
I say smiling, waiting to hear his voice, and Marc
’
s tone sounds more at ease.

“
Hey, I see we
’
ve added more songs to your
iPod
, but who put the the
me music from Bewitched in here
?
”
H
e
laughs. 

“
Gotta love Megan, she can brighten any oubliette you fall into.
”

“
I
’
m pulling into y
our parent
’
s driveway right now. W
here are you?
”
he asks.

I hear concern etching his voice. 
“
I
’
m on my
way…
I
’
ll be there in about ten minutes, maybe fifteen since I am in the
grocery getter
.”
  Softly
,
he chuckles knowing I
’
m razzing him a bit.

I travel back down the winding scenic road, and pull into our driveway. My smile widens as I see him sitting
casually
on the back of the
Shelby
.  Parking his car next to mine, I jump out and run into his arms.  Tightly, I seize his vigilant embrace.  In this moment the encumbering world quietly vanishes entirely away.

Marc gently moves back grinning contently,
“
I believe your parents want me to stay and have dinner.
”
  Threading my
fingers through his, we walk inside
the house.  I instantly know my parents have something up their sleeves for tonight, I just don
’
t quite know what.

Mom decides to show off her skills in the kitchen, with her most scrumptious Mongolian beef Pad Thai dish and spicy fried rice on the side. To complete the evening she and I bring out the Crème Brulee for dessert.  I am eating slowly, savoring each succulent bite, peering over at Marc through
my lashes
, and smile inside.  Taking each tantalizing bite into my mouth reminds me of how Marc voraciously devoured me with his own hunger for rich, hot caramel.  It definitely resurfaces extremely fond memories.

As if he can sense my wandering thoughts he quickly helps pick up a few things from the dinning table and follows me into the kitchen.  Standing beside
the
sink, I place the dishes on the counter.  Feeling him behind me, he turns me around with a promiscuous grin,
“
I believe you missed a spot of caramel, here, let me help you.
”
He moves in, with a wicked grin he leans down and gently licks the bottom of my lip. No hesitation on my part I reach around and grab a handful of his golden
hair and avidly pull him to me,
I need to show him how much I want him and not use a single word to do so.  

Suddenly, I hear someone setting some plates and glasses next to us.  Marc and I quickly stop and stare at my father standing there.  Smiling, he shakes his head at our antics.  He turns around and starts walking out of the kitchen, over his shoulder he says,
“
When you two have some time we have something for you.
”
  I lean back against the counter, as Marc keeps his arms around me.

“
Do you know how much I love you Alyssa?
”

  I look into his deeply rich russet eyes, and
rise
up my tiptoes and whisper,
“
Tell me how much.
”
 

He glances down,
casually
observing my attentive eyes,
“
You know, I believe there is no beginning or end to our love, perhaps we have been together before in another life, which only makes sense because we are bound together as one, not only today, but forever.  I will always love you and I promise this will never change.
”
 

My arms drop around his neck and pull him down and kiss him passionately, Marc completes me just as I do for him, mind, body, and soul.

Chapter 31

Sitting next to Marc, my dad hands
us a small wooden box as my mom begins to ask,
“
Do you remember when your father told you that we had two gifts for you?
”
  I definitely remember the night of the prom, and receiving the mystical blue diamond, but I have forgotten about the other gift.  I glance back briefly at my dad and then nod to her with building curiosity.
“
This is your second gift Alyssa, we wanted to give it to you sooner
, but
things...came up.
”

I open the rosewood box and inside
,
a brass key with two white ribbons wrapped around it.  Picking it up I examine it, which my suspicions soon tell me there is more to this.  Looking back at
Mom
and
Dad
with eagerness, I watch as my father
stands and
lovingly places his arm around her, a pleasing grin curves at his lips,
“
Let
’
s
go for a ride.
”
 

Marc and I ride in his car and follow my father
’
s Corvette, driving for about an hour or so.  We finall
y pull into a private driveway with a
n array of lush pine trees lining
the drive up to a three story log house.  It reminds me of a ski villa in
Aspen
,
Colorado
, absolutely majestic as it sits nestled within the forest.  The front of the house has huge glass windows showing the massive vaulted ceiling.  All the lights are on which makes the house glow.  A deck wraps completely around the second floor and a small stone path leads from the front
doors to the driveway.  I note the
whit
e candles surrounding the house as we
get out and stand in front of the stone path.