Run to me - Darlene Gibbs (free children's ebooks pdf .txt) 📗

said I wanted you to be my wife.”
“I’m sore.” I sobbed and his thumb grazed my cheek as he removed a tear from my face.
“It will pass.” He said.
“Why can’t I leave?” I persisted.
“Was it so bad...with me?” He asked and I turned a bright red.
“Let me go.” Was all I said, he looked upset and frowned down at me.
“Fine. If after five days with me you still want to go...I’ll take you to the next town myself.” He slid out of the bed and tidied himself and hurried towards the door.
“Thank you...thank you...thank you so much!” A sense of relief flooded through me. Freedom, at last, at last I would free.
“I ask only one thing.” He said before he exited.
“Anything!” I said exuberantly.
“At least give me a fair chance.” And then he disappeared through the door.
Chapter 5
The day was surprisingly normal. Anzel grew several produce and spent his time tending them. He maintained precious few animals but yet lunch consisted of a good helping of meat and vegetables. He was a good cook.
We didn’t speak much during the meal, it still felt remarkably embarrassing to look at him, each time I did I found my breath catching in my throat, though I must confess I snuck several looks when he was not noticing me.
“I’ll tidy up.” Anzel was saying as he collected the plates from in front of me.
“Please, let...let me. I feel like I should work for my lodging.” I muttered and then blushed a bright red. Some might say that I was working for my lodging already.
“You don’t have to.” He said firmly but I was already on my feet and taking the items from his hands, when our hands touched I pulled away suddenly but Anzel caught the wares before they could crash to the floor.
“Sorry...” I muttered, the tips of my fingers still burning from where they had brushed him. I turned away and hurried to the door, I needed some fresh air.
“Carrie.” He said.
“Yes.” I stopped and turned to face him.
“I’ll show you around a little later.”
“I...” I was not sure if I wanted to be in his company, he made me so nervous.
“If you’d like that?” He added hastily and turned to hurry off to the kitchen to rinse up the wares. I could tell he was not accustomed to forming requests, and I was slightly heartened by the fact that he made the effort for me.
“I...I think I would.” I raised my voice ever so slightly so he would hear my words from the kitchen.
“Am...how is your foot?” He shouted back to me. I could hear the water slashing about in the kitchen as he cleaned up and I hurried back to my chair and slipped off my shoe. How very unusual, there wasn’t so much as a scar to show I had been cut.
“Why...why it’s fine.” I muttered.
“Great!” His voice carried a hint of a smile in it and I wondered why he was so pleased with himself.
“Finished.” He presented himself to me, hurriedly drying his hands with a kitchen clothe. “Are you ready to go for that walk?”
He was quite handsome; I could almost excuse myself for being so easily seduced by him. Just watching him I was almost moved to go to him, to embrace him, to treat him as the lover he truly was to me. Instead I nodded my head stiffly and headed out of the door ahead of him.
“I’ll show you the stream. This morning you washed in water I brought in, but mostly I bathe at the stream.” The long strides had brought him in line with me and we were now walking side by side, every neuron in my body was on edge.
“Oh.” I spared him a swift glance hoping he wasn’t looking my way, our eyes met and locked; I stumbled forward awkwardly and he grabbed me and pulled me protectively towards him. I leveled my hands against his chest and pressed myself away.
“Thank..thank you. I seem to be rather clumsy.” I knew my face was a bright red and it turned brighter when he smiled his acceptance to my excuse. “Won’t the water be cold?” I muttered.
“Yes. But I don’t mind.” He glanced over at me. “I’m sure I could keep you warm.”
“I...am...I...” I was genuinely too flustered to make a coherent response to his comment. He laughed at my discomfort and I stared at him with daggers. Five days could not go fast enough.
“The cabin is surrounded by fruit trees, so we won’t lack for food.” He was saying as he scampered down a small slope and stuck his hand up to help me. I inhaled deeply and then placed my hand in his and hurried down beside him.
“I make a fairly decent husband.” He said; my hand was still captured in his and my heart was beating double time.
“I..perhaps not for me.” I suggested; forcing my voice to sound even. He pulled me against him and his lips covered mine; they were tentative, testing and askance. I melted against him and found my own lips answering the questions of his.
When he pulled away we were both breathing unevenly.
“Definitely for you.” He said firmly and still holding my hand continued his trek away from the cabin.
“Oh!” I couldn’t help but gasp, the entire area was beautiful but the stream was positively panoramic with its adorable water fall and ethnic rough edges.
“I love it!”
“I thought you would.” He was chuckling. I slipped off my shoes and dipped my toe in, I was surprised to find it not as cold as I would have imagined.
“Who owns all of this? The village?” I asked.
“No. It’s mine. In fact, the village is on my land as well, but I have tolerated them over the years.” Anzel explained as he started to strip away his clothes.
“What are you doing?” I asked nervously.
“I can’t swim with my clothes on.” He said flatly, I stared at him and then turned my face away as he peeled off the last of his garments.
“You’ve already seen everything.” He pointed out and I blushed.
“I...a young lady...” Arkel’s rules swam about in my head. “Arkel says a young lady ought not to look on a man’s body!” I explained.
“You’re my wife. That sort of changes everything.” He pointed out.
I blushed and was glad my face was turned away from him.
“At the Village...when a woman was married she would dress pretty, and they would be a big feast and...she would be given a ring – and the two would make great vows of life long commitment.” I explained. It was foolish I knew, but it was what marriage meant to me. He had taken me, but was it marriage?
“Here...in my land, marriage is what I determine. You are my woman that makes you my wife.” He said simply.
“Of course.” I settled down on a rock nearby and turned to face him again, he was standing waist deep in the water. It was pointless to argue with him, he wouldn’t understand what I felt.
“Join me.” It was probably supposed to be a question but it sounded suspiciously like a command.
“You’re...” I bit my lip, it was amazing how the very thought of his nakedness made me warm. “You’re naked.”
“So what?” He scrunched up his face. “When we lay in bed tonight I shall be naked as well, and so will you.”
“But you promised you would give me five days!” I exclaimed jumping up from the rock hurriedly.
“And I will. In those five days you will be a wife to me. If...” He tossed water over his head as he spoke and I watched his black hair become shiny and sleek and cling to his head and face. “If you still don’t want me, I’ll take you to town. That’s what I promised and that’s what I’ll do.”
“But...but I thought that...” I bit my lip, he was such a monster!
“You thought wrong.” He said bluntly and dove beneath the surface of the stream.
I didn’t need to take this from him! I was no toy he could use and send back to the shop! I was leaving and I was leaving now! I turned on my heels angrily and started my march back through the woods. I had gone only a few yards when I felt Anzel’s body against mine hot and damp and his arms encircling my waist.
“You’re getting me wet!” I complained.
“That’s good news.” He muttered and I blushed.
“Let go of me.” I whispered through clenched teeth.
“You think this jungle is a park?” He asked. “That you can go strolling off in any direction you want to?”
I refused to answer; choosing to pout instead.
“There are wild animals in these woods. Animals that would tear you apart and devour you in two bites.” He said as he twisted me about to face him.
“Liar!” I answered. “Why haven’t I seen any?”
“They stay away from the house, because they fear me.” Anzel explained and I swallowed hard. “But they won’t hesitate to attack a human.”
“Human...” The word slipped off of my tongue nervously. It was amazing that I had been here less than twenty four hours and I was already starting to forget what Anzel had shown me that first day. “What...what are you?”
I wasn’t even sure why it mattered what he was, in five days I would be free of him.
“I’m a werewolf.” He said. “Do you wish to see?” His face actually looked hopeful that I might say yes. I wet my lower lip swiftly with my tongue, I remembered how he had looked earlier, so scary and his eyes.
“I..” I wasn’t even sure why I was hesitating. I didn’t need to see that thing again, but somehow a part of me was curious, curious to know all there was to know about Anzel. I nodded my head slowly; perhaps this would make the decision to walk away in five days so much easier.
“It can be scary.” He said softly and I was surprised at his thoughtfulness. Yesterday he had wanted to scare me, today; he wanted me to accept what he was.
I nodded my acknowledgement of his statement, not trusting myself to speak. He grinned suddenly and I almost melted against him.
“The truth is, I can’t transform right now, I can only transform at night, and I am at my strongest only on a full moon.” He was still smiling.
“Oh.” The tit bit of information surprised me; Anzel was sharing a weakness with me.
“So, you are just a man now?” I asked and he nodded. “You feel pain; you can die as easily as a man.”
“Almost.” He said simply.
“No special abilities?” I asked.
“Not too much.” He responded.
“Good.” I slapped his face, hard. He laughed.
I had expected anger or reprisal; his laughter