The Exponent of Breath-1
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the plot, ideas, facts or characters in the book Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klaus. I don't even own the poem that inspired me to write this story. The poem "The Look" belongs to Sara Teasdale, and I got a lot of the idea for this story from it. I don't own the other poem in here either, it is without a name, but was written by Emily Dickinson.
Poem that inspired this story:
"The Look"
Strephon kissed me in the spring
Robin in the fall
But Colin only looked at me
And never kissed at all
Strephon's kiss was lost in jest
Robin's lost in play
But the kiss in Colin's eyes
Haunts me night and day
"Echo Miree! As queen of the pack, and your own mother, I forbid you to even get near one of those putrid, awful, uncaring…humans!" My mother spat the last word in such disgust…I almost believed her. Almost.
She used my middle name as if it had some effect on me, I shrugged it off for now, eager to confront her about it later. She had no more power over me than foolish Finn had over Gabriel.
Her brows connected in the center as she glared at me deeply, and her tawny hair flew around her face in an invisible wind, her piercing eyes boring into me. I scowled at her defiance and the transparency of her words.
If you knew my mother, you really, truly knew her…you'd see the shine of worry in her eyes. She didn't really think all those things about humans, she just said so in hope for me to believe her, she didn't want me to get hurt like she did only a few years ago..
I caught my breath, a sentence struggling to form in my throat, but nothing exited but a low and strained snarl. I stared back with equal fierceness in my topaz-gold eyes, the skin beginning to tighten over my balled up fists that I hung at my sides.
I simply would not give her the satisfaction of muzzling me from all human contact, confiding me to the family inn, and cramping my desires into false lies and dishonesty any longer, I simply wouldn't have it. After all…she may be the queen, but I am princess.
"Vivian…it's not your choice to make…." stated a wary and smooth-velvet voice from the shadows of the trees, entering the clearing. The early sun's weak rays slithered through the tree's shade and landed lightly on Gabriel's solemn and serious face, and as the mist floated around him he began to look more and more like a mysterious Greek god brought down from the heavens. For being the alpha-male and father of a sixteen year old, he still had female's sending him inviting and entrancing stares almost every day of his life.
Vivian spun on the heels of her feet to gape open-mouthed at Gabriel's undisturbed figure. He leaned against a tree and chuckled softly at her reaction. I didn't notice until later that his smile and chuckles were filled with a dark grieving pain, that were hidden well, under his hard core appearance.
I felt the release of endorphins as a sudden breeze of happiness swept freely throughout my whole body, making my fingers tingle at the tips. I felt my cheeks flush and the corner of my lips turn up, trying, but failing horribly to remain emotionless.
Unfortunately…Gabriel saw me and laughed loudly, his voice a booming echo bouncing off the trees and ringing through my ears. His smile only widened as he saw he had caught me off guard and winked at my startled expression.
"We certainly have a little troublemaker here don't we?" Vivian said sweetly but sadly. I only smiled innocently, and then…like always when all else fails…give the puppy dog eyes. Or as my dear friend Tiny would put it, "when in doubt…pout!"
My strawberry colored curls flew around my face as a gust of wind blew by and one of my male age mates dropped from a tree, he didn't startled me at all, he only ruined my performance by making me burst into a fit of hysterical laughter. He had fallen from the tree, obviously meaning to scare or surprise me, but then as his feet hit the ground he stumbled and his confident smirk transformed into a look of shock as his face made contact with the mushy, dew covered grass.
Vivian's stern glower instantly changed to the soft and adoring smile she always wore when I was with Chaos. Despite his name, he was one of the sweetest and clumsiest persons I'd ever met. A very endearing boy, one of the most innocent Loup-Garou's, and he always says exactly what I need to hear. He's been my savior for the last couple years, and my mother thinks he's my mate…only he's not, and no matter what they all say, I don't…think…I could ever love him that way…
"Can I come too?" His gleaming pearly white smile flashed and his fangs threatened to grow, only he stopped them, and that made me consider it.
"Can you handle it?" I asked sarcastically reaching my hand down so that I could help him up. I saw out of the corner of my eye, Vivian lightly started shoving Gabriel in the other direction, he only scowled and threw Vivian over his shoulder in response. He didn't quite approve of Chaos as much as my mother did, actually…I don't think Gabriel approved of anyone except for that cocky-faced Trey Torrealis.
Chaos's smile disappeared as he took my hand. His body tightened and his nostrils flared as the wind blew again, my delicate scent surrounding us. Many always said it was of sweet peaches and freesia, but I never noticed, the only scent that I bothered to recognize was Chaos's.
His blue eyes seemed to turn to liquid and his tensed expression softened and he looked up at me from underneath his thick dark, sooty eyelashes.
I took his hands into mine with an eager smile planted upon my face.
"But really Echo…do you really think we should…what if we lose control, or crave them too much…or…or…" I pressed my finger to his lips, loving the fact that he couldn't form a straight sentence in front of me. He blushed a light pink at my gesture and watched my fingers cross-eyed with amazement. I stopped his concerned stuttering with my pearly white smile and his eyes shot up to mine again. He was always kind of shy and timid ever since I've known him, but to past that he was deep and serious and knowing. I'm not quite sure when I had acquired a certain power over him exactly, I suppose it was around when he started looking at me a bit differently.
The wind whipped Chaos's scent through my nose like hot flames ignited from lighter. The spicy cinnamon and warm earthy dirt smell drifted through my mouth and I could almost taste his lips. My fangs grew involuntarily. I ruffled his shaggy blonde hair and grinned, beginning to take advantage of his vulnerability. Ready to tease him and all his glory.
"You can't stay a baby forever…live a little! Loosen up a bit! But, most importantly…." I dragged the last word out tasting the atmosphere happily whilst anticipating Chaos's reaction.
"You need to learn the reason of our existence…"
He cocked his head to one side curiously, his crooked smile still gleaming. His eyes began to glaze over as he saw my lithe and graceful movement as I circled around him.
I leaned in from behind and clung myself to him slowly, every second leaning up against him further, my arms snaking around his waist. His body stiffening beneath me, I felt his back tremor and I edged him on. Oh, the power of a woman, I thought gleefully as my lips began to quiver and I delicately brushed my teeth against his ear. He turned around to face me, his eyes fully blurred with desire. I closed my eyes and came close to his trembling lips that slowly parted and I exhaled slowly as I stated a poem I had once read.
"Love is anterior to life
Posterior to death
Initial of creation, and
Exponent of breath. " I stated breathlessly, adding an unexpected gasp of surprise at the end, as his firm and smooth hands took my face and pulled me in closer to him. His warm and full lips came plunging in…but they ended up just brushing lightly against my cheek. I was left with a curious emotion… disappointment maybe, that he hadn't actually kissed me. He had never kissed me, he longed too much for Gabriel's approval, he simply wouldn't allow himself to do anything he wanted. But I didn't mind, I was independent, an independent warrior. I didn't need to steal kisses from boys to feel empowered.
I ignored the emotion, wishing it away desperately. And I simply stepped closer to him. I took his hand and placed his palm on my full chest, this sent a brief spasm throughout him as his breath came in quickened stutters and he squeezed his eyes shut leaning back away as far as he could while I held him. My blood began to boil and my veins throbbed inside of me. I leaned my lips in closer to his, my face millimeters from his.
No doubt I had gone too far, his attraction for me was already unbearable I saw it in his eyes everyday, along with forced resist. I shouldn't have pushed him so hard, this must be immensely painful for him, I thought guiltily.
I pulled away reluctantly, for his own good of course, and he staggered back and leaned against a tree his eyes closed and his breath coming in shuddered gasps. As his chest eased up and down to a normal pace, he smiled weakly and tried to laugh only it sounded weak and strangled.
"Why do you do that to me Echo…" He pleaded, his eyes opened, waiting impatiently for a response.
"I'm sorry…" I said with non-chalant. It was all I could say and I shrugged my shoulders with no better answer.
"I guess I just like kissing you…"I nodded simply and assuringly, hoping it would lessen the intensity of the moment and make him laugh, only it didn't sound half as assuring as I hoped it would.
"You'll be the death of me Echo…you know you will….I swear, when you took my hand to your…" his eyes glazed and he shook his head violently and struggled to finish, "my heart stopped." He clutched his chest where his heart would be and I could see the blur of desire coming back in his remembrance.
I grinned playfully.
"Come on, Gabriel said we could go down to the city…" I didn't get to close to him, in fear I would push him to far again, "but you have to promise if any meat-boys want to talk to me, you have to let them." I added whilst I smoothed my short, lacey white dress down and straightened his light-blue polo shirt. He adjusted his jeans nervously and then took hold of my right hand and led me out of the clearing, muttering more to himself than me.
"But, if something doesn't smell right, I'll have no choice but to defend you against them."
I smiled at his obvious care, but it quickly turned to a frown, because I then realized just what he meant by defend.
A/N: Please, please, please review….and suggestions are welcome, thank you.