The Solitarian: Part 1 of The Amaranth Series (12 page)

“Cortina, I love you and I will never love another. You are my mate for all of eternity.” He places her hand over her heart and stands. His father enters the room and begins to douse the room with a solvent. He ignites a flame and yanks Keyan from the room.

I blink as I try to focus on the lightened road. I glare at Keyan. I remember every detail from the grisly tour through Keyan’s bloody pre wedding day slaughter. My heart feels heavy as I see his tear filled eyes in my mind. It is forever etched there. I can’t help but think about me being sloppy seconds. She was the one. Cortina was his soul mate and I’m a mere replacement. He has his elbow propped up on the door on his head is resting on his hand. I steal a few glances before he notices that I’m awake.

“Good morning beautiful.” He smiles as he lifts his head.

“Where are we?” I ask looking around.

“We’re in Louisville, Kentucky.”

“Oh wow. How long was I out?”

“All night. About nine hours.”

“I guess I was tired.” I sit up and stretch. “How about some breakfast?”

“Yes I could use something to eat.”

“Just pull into a drive through or something.” He turns off of the highway to search for a place for us to eat. He finds a small quaint little place right off of the main road. I go inside and order breakfast to go. We eat it inside of the car. I decide to take the next shift of driving.

“There is something that you would like to ask me. Go ahead and ask.” I will never get used to this. After we consummate this relationship he will be able to know exactly what I’m feeling and all of the details. I don’t know if I’m really ready for all of this. My most inner thoughts will not be my own.

“I don’t want to ask you anything Keyan.” I snap. He drinks a swig of orange juice then looks over at me.

“I can feel your frustration. You are very agitated about something and you feel different about us, why?”

I jerk the wheel pulling over to the side of the road. I park the car then I switch the engine off. I inhale slowly pulling air into my mouth and then blowing it back out. I look at him begging my tears to stay inside.

“I dreamed of you and Cortina again. But this time it was the day before your wedding.” He turns away and looks out of the window. That lets me know that he kept it from me intentionally. “I saw everything. Even the part when you swore to her corpse that you would never love another. I saw you slide the ring onto her finger and promise that to her and yourself. You are married to another. So why are we running away to have this fabricated life when you promised to love Cortina forever?”

“It’s not fabricated McKenna I do love you. Please understand that I had just lost my wife to be before I could even tell her about me. She died totally oblivious to the wickedness that a life with me brings. I feel responsible for not giving her a choice. It wasn’t fair to her. So I figured if I remained true to only her that it would help make a little sense.”

“Then why did you follow me here?” he nods and drops his head.

“I am very tired McKenna. It has been two days since I had a full night’s sleep. Let’s just stop here for a few days. I can’t even think straight.” And that’s it. Without another word he has shut me down. I don’t even get an explanation of why he felt the need to keep it all from me.

I start the car and drive until I find a decent hotel. We pay for the room with cash under aliases. Once we settle into the room Keyan goes straight to sleep. I watch him as he falls into a quiet coma.

I decide that I would rather not rest beside him. I am way too angry about him omitting the solemn vow that he made to Cortina in death. I didn’t even realize that she died right in front of him. I deserved to at least know that little bit of info. So I leave the room to search for something to get into. I walk through the halls listening to the various sounds that echoes from the other rooms. I see a young couple not much older than me holding hands and walking into the gift shop. He buys her a bouquet of flowers and she is overjoyed. I go back to the room after my heart breaks from witnessing their love. I mind as well stay inside for the rest of this gloomy day. I mosey around the room as bored as anyone can be. When I can’t find anything on the TV, I decide to rest in the chair.

Keyan only wakes to eat then hits the sack all over again. I dare not sleep beside him. I give him the space that I assume he needs. I can’t help but stare at him while he sleeps. He is unbelievably gorgeous. I know that it shouldn’t be one of the things that I adore but it is. How could anyone not love a creature so strange and so wonderful? The whole day passes us by without us saying so much as one word to one another.

The next few days are the same. Friday September 6
th
I wake up and Keyan is gone. He has left the room without informing me. I guess that this seeing into his past is not as great as he thought it would be. I decide not to stay hidden away in this room for another day. I think that I could just go for a swim. Maybe the coolness of the water will relax my mind. Maybe I should consider going home. We have been on the road since Monday night and we haven’t spoken in three of the five days that we have shared. My birthday is Sunday and he hasn’t so much as hinted at our plans to mate and activate the gene. He may have changed his mind. I know that our connection is fading. I haven’t felt anything from him since that day in the car. I buy a blue and white tie-dyed bathing suit from the gift shop. I put it on and hurry down to the pool. The loud room is filled with children as parents watch from the side lines. I walk slowly around the edge searching for an area for me to hop in. When I get to a clear corner, I stick the tip of my toe into the water and it is as cool as I imagined. I step in and my body plunges into the water. I dunk my head beneath it to get used to the temperature. When I pop back up there is a young guy staring me dead in the face.

“Hello, I’m Orion.”

I extend my hand after smoothing my hair and spitting out a mouth full of chlorine filled water. “McK…I’m Laine.” I say unable to think of any other name.

“Laine…what a beautiful name.” I smile as he bobs in and out of the water. When he raises up the last time he wipes the water from his eyes. “I’m here spending the weekend with my parents before I start school at KU Monday. How about you? Do you live around here?”

“No. I’m passing through.”

“Where are you going? Because I’m going to need to see you again.”

“Need is a strong word. I’m sorry but I’m here with my boyfriend.”

“Oh. It doesn’t take the need away but I apologize all the same.” He smiles. “So… I’m going to swim to that side of the pool.” He points. “Just in case your boyfriend is the jealous type and decides to kick my ass for hitting on his beautiful girlfriend. See you around Laine, I hope.” He smiles then dips deep into the pool and swims away.

After spending the day submerged in the watery playground my hands are shriveled and whiter than before. I wrap my towel around my waist and take the scenic route back to my room. I slowly swipe the key and enter. A sweltering aroma hits my nose upon entry. I inhale the wonderful scent and when the door opens there are several candles lit throughout the room. The fragrance is heavenly. I peek around the corner and Keyan is sitting on the bed with a dinner tray and drinks.

“Hi McKenna…” he says slowly. “I know that it has been days since we’ve talked. I feel terrible that you had to witness that horrific scene before I could tell you about it. Yes… I loved Cortina. But so much time has passed. I couldn’t imagine why you would doubt that I could love again. It’s been a hundred years for goodness sake.”

“I know.” I fold my arms. “It’s just when I felt the love that you had for her I was…intimidated. You loved her so much Keyan.”

“And I love you even more. It took me a few days but I finally figured out what I can do to show you.” he stands and walks over to me. “I want to protect you. And the only way that I can do that is if you’re like me. Be my mate McKenna. Let’s not wait until Sunday, let’s do it tonight. Then we can travel all over the world. You will no longer be vulnerable; you will be a little stronger, a little faster, and smarter if that is possible. You will heal and you are going to be a hell of a lot harder to kill.” He pulls me close and his breath is even and cool on my face.

“Are you sure that you can love me as much as you loved her?”

“I love you more than I have ever loved anyone on this earth.” I smile. Every thought or every other thought that I’ve had since the day that we actually met involved him. I stand awkwardly waiting for his next gesture. He stands in front of me taking deep exaggerated breaths. I look away toward the window and his lips slowly and gently graze my neck.

“I want this to be exciting,” He pecks my neck. “Romantic, and completely gratifying. I want it to be all that you have dreamed of and more.”

I close my eyes and I realize that he said all that I have dreamed of. “Are you able to see my dreams?” I whisper as he plants distracting kisses on my neck.

“Sometimes our dreams are connected.” He says sucking my skin into his mouth. I’ve awaken to some extremely intense feelings only to look over and you are feeling the same. I want to make this the way you imagine.”

“I…” he stops my sputtering with a sensual lip touch. He slides his hand up my back and my skin tingles. It glides along the dip in my back and teasingly across my behind. I clench the towel and he gently removes it from my grip. He tosses it and it lands on the floor beside the bed. I take his hand and place it on my shoulder and his lips remain in place. He removes them only to spin me toward the door. He replaces his hand with his lips, kisses my shoulder only to unite my bikini top. It falls down in front of me. Then he does the same with the bottoms. I’m standing naked so I quickly cover my breasts. He smiles as he steps in front of me and his eyes hungrily caress my nude body. He slowly pulls my hands away exposing my hills. My heart is beating so fast. I try to calm myself. Not only am I going to lose my virginity, I will no longer be a part of the human race. I will be Amaranth like Keyan.

“Calm down McKenna.” He whispers. “I promise I won’t hurt you. Remember this is my very first time as well. And I was born in 1884.” He pinches my chin between his thumb and forefinger. “The pleasure that I give myself is nothing compared to what I feel when I’m with you.” he stares into my eyes, but it’s as if he is looking into my soul. He removes his hand from my face and slides it into my mine.

He leads me into the bathroom and there is a bath drawn. The bubbles are bubbled over, some are even on the floor. He lifts my hand so that I can lean against him as I step into the water. I sit and our hands break apart. He takes a washcloth and tosses it into the water.

“After you bathe, come back me. I’ll be waiting in the bed.” I plunge my hands into the water and sit on them. The cloth floats on the top of the bubbles and I shrug my shoulders as the water rinses the chlorine from my skin.

I imagine how life will be a hundred years from today. When Keyan has aged a hundred more. Will I still love him the way that I love him today? Will we love one another period? I grab the cloth to twist it dry. I start by scrubbing my face and work my way down.

I watch as the water swivels down the drain. The last of it swirls around it and I feel like the existence of my youthful innocence will disappear just as quickly. I sigh as I stand to dry my body off. I lift my hand in the air and it is literally trembling. I take several deep breaths while watching my childlike curves in the mirror. I wonder if Cortina would have still been as eager to marry Keyan if she had really known what he is. Would she have given herself to him so freely? With the different kinds of contraception we could just have sex and not turn me. Not today at least. Maybe I shouldn’t think about changing my entire DNA for now and focus on sleeping with my boyfriend for the first time. But will he be angry? Will he want to have me even if I choose to wait on the actual activation? I know that it is already lying dormant inside of me. Waiting for my fluids to exchange with some poor unfortunate soul. But what if I had allowed Rylan to sleep with me? We would have both been changed without even knowing. This is my destiny so here I go.

I enter the room slowly and he has the lights off. The only glimmer of light is the flicker of candles. I look around the room and I notice the dancing shadows. I notice my dancing shadow. As I approach the bed I see him lying there watching me. I glance over at my shadow once more. When I look back to him he has slid to the corner of the bed. He smiles as he reaches for my hand. I nervously take hold of it. I tilt my head as I admire his good looks and the way his hair is slightly tussled. I smile and my heart starts to beat faster with anticipation. He pulls me close.

“Are you sure that you want do this?” he asks.

“Yes.” My voice cracks.

He grins. “I wasn’t sure that you were for a moment.” I can still hear hints of his accent when he speaks. He has gotten great with hiding it in a few short weeks.

“I had a moment of doubt but it’s over. I’m positive that this is what I was meant to do. You are where I’m meant to be.” He gently pulls me down onto his lap. He slides my damp hair behind my ear.

“I’m so glad that I have you in my life now, McKenna. The years that I spent in that cave turned me into a creature without feelings. Then when you found me the possibility of love was awakened and I didn’t want you to leave me in the Palasca Mountains wondering what I could’ve had.” I stare at his spiral life-ring as he speaks. It is really a beautiful sight. It sparkles like a star if you look close enough. I break away from our hypnotizing eye contact to look around the room. There are a dozen of bright red roses on the desk beside the television.