Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you a short oneshot on Wicked Lovely, just because I loved the book so much, and the idea just sort of sprung itself on me the other day. Let me know what you think!
BTW, it is set near the beginning of the book, just after the first time Keenan approaches Aislinn (pg 20 -23 if you need a reference). It's in the lupine- fey's P.O.V
The first thing I'd noticed when I saw the mortal running was fear. It was rolling off her in waves, catching many fellow fey's attentions. None of us can resist the chase. The fear pulled us along after her, and the more scared she got the more irresistible she became. That was why a crowd of us grew, all following her lead in this sinister dance of cat and mouse.
There was something special about this one though, something drawing me closer than the others. I snarled, shaking my head, making my claim. This terrified girl intrigued me, and intrigued I became possessive. Back off, I growled.
And so they did, one by one falling behind until all those that remained were me and the human. The only sounds to be heard were our footsteps, synchronized now that the others were gone, and her short, sharp breaths, her rapid but steady heart beats. She was afraid, but somehow still in control – how very unlike a human.
My long silver mane of hair jingled melodiously as I ran, almost a song of it's own. It lifted my spirits, and made me want to dance, rejoice in the world, as we fey are born to do. But I stopped myself. There was something nagging me about the girl, and my mind would not let it go unchecked. I would not break the chase until I found my understanding.
The girl slowed now, still wary, still afraid, but still completely in control. She seemed to be planning, calculating even. I wondered what had made her run so fast in the first place, for she had been running eerily fast for a mortal.
That though stopped me in my tracks, made me pause for the briefest of moments to consider whether she was indeed mortal, or one of us. The idea played in my head, weaving itself through my thoughts, though it should be impossible. But there was something about this girl, something indefinable that made me reconsider my definition of impossible. After all, I was impossible.
I felt my eyes glow red, reflecting a garish artificial light coming from one of the mortal's buildings. Hideouts more like. This was were they hid all the devious things they did, all the monstrosities of their civilization, pushed to the ends of their cities to collate, to become one giant evil mechanism. The humans went in one end, bright eyed and innocent, sweet things that you didn't mind sharing a world with. They came out the other end worn out and frail. Thin and bitter at the society that abused them, that took away the wealth of happiness, and replaced it with misery and desolation, filling the time between short lived chemical highs.
There is no doubt that fairie civilization can be just as – if not more evil, but our evil is more upfront, not hidden away like a shameful secret. Our misery is dealt with, our wrongdoings punished. I cannot say the same for all humans.
I began to growl as the girl came to an abrupt halt in front of a metal-faced man, pulling me from my speculations on the lives of less fortunate mortals. This was no place to be stopping, the man seemed to agree. Through his intimidating exterior, this man was benevolent. Even so, the faster the girl got away from here the better. I nudged her leg with my head, in a desperate attempt to get her moving again. Wrong move. She stumbled, but was caught by the mortal with an incredulous expression. Oops.
She started in the direction of a dark alley, in which I could smell all kinds of danger. I began to growl again. No, not in there.
The metal- man stopped her. I was beginning to take a liking to him, even though he wore all those draining steel bars. Boy do I hate steel.
The girl set off again, this time in a safer direction, but infuriatingly slowly. At this rate the danger will come to her.
I snapped at her heels, urging her on until she began to jog again, setting a pace I was more comfortable with, taking the opportunity to scrutinize her again. What was it? What was it that was drawing me to her, urging me to protect her, nagging me to figure her out?
Her blue black hair managed to shine gold, magically, in the fading sunlight. And there was this thing, like a faint glow coming from her skin, almost unintelligible, even to my keen wolf eyes, yet there it was, growing a fraction stronger with every step she took. Her face, though clearly terrified remained somehow composed, and there was strength behind her haunted eyes.
It was there, right in front of me, yet I couldn't see it. I let out a howl of frustration. The girl stopped, suddenly again. Was it me? Did she hear? The girl's worried expression began to smooth itself out, into a mask of almost-calm.
I followed the direction of her gaze, and my eyes met what she was looking at. A metal cage. Some kind of disused transportation device, an old train, painted beautifully in a mural of bold colours, different styles blending into the many bright flowers that surrounded it. Fitting together perfectly with the twisted metal sculptures, partially hidden by yet more flowers, kept but not restrained in a wild sort of splendor.
Captivating though it was, I understood the meaning. It would trap me, restrain me from staying near her, from discovering her secret. I howled again and again in anger at being led on like this, without being given my answers. The frustration was growing unbearable. Whatever it was about this girl, it was important, pressingly so. My howls hurt even my own ears, but I could not stop. I had to know.
The dreadful noises coming from me were cut short when the door was flung open and I saw the devotion on her face as her eyes met his. I lay down in the grass and honeysuckle bush where I was, silent, subdued. No matter how pressing or urgent this secret was, who was I to disrupt what looked like love? The girl stepped in to the train-house, obscured from my vision and hearing. Good. Love or adoration that strong is private, and even I could not ignore how at peace she had looked as she had caught sight of him.
I padded away, just back to the railway tracks, resolutely. Whatever her secret was, no matter how big it was, it could wait. I pricked my ears up. Just in case. She might need protecting, for the time being.
For now I would content myself with staying close by, and when I found out… something told me I would fall in line behind her, as would many of us. Having seen what she was like I felt oddly comforted by that thought. She'd make a good leader. Following her would be just as easy as falling into step behind her was.
Head resting on my crossed arms, stretched out on the grass and feeling oddly contented, I smiled to myself as I saw a gaggle of vapid Summer Girl's drift by. Smugly, my mind sing –songed.
I know something that you don't know…
So that's it! I hope you like it, it turned out a little longer then I had planned, but oh well.
Did it seem too rushed or too long?
I really would love to hear any thoughts, or speculations from you…