Chapter 25: The hours alone tonight.

I woke late the following evening. Every muscle in my body ached as if I had gone through the most tremendous amount of physical labor the night before, which in ways, I guess I had.

"Oh god." I groaned heavily as I sat up in bed, feeling a deeper pain shoot through my muscles. The bed shifted beside me as a still sleeping Viktor turned on his side. I smiled over at him; he looked absolutely harmless as he slept, not the well known cruel leader he was led up to be thought as. He was wrapped up in the dark black sheets in such an odd position that I was unsure how he could be comfortable. They were wound around him in a similar fashion that spider would wrap its prey in.

I pulled the cover back trying to be as quiet as possible, as I slid out of bed with some difficulty. My feet hit the ice-cold stone floor, and I wanted to make some kind of shocked sound but I held it inside unsure of how deep a sleeper Viktor was. I tiptoed quietly over to the corner of the room where I had brought an assortment of my clothes. Instead of choosing the normal elegant dress, I grabbed my old warrior outfit, wanting something comfortable. I just was not in the mood to put my body through more pain then necessary.

I slid the clothes on and walked to the mirror. My hair was a knotted mess, I had visible bruising on my arm, and my neck was reddened with two noticeable puncture wounds from Viktor's bite. It seemed his bite mark had been sharp, almost like a branding. I wondered if I had done the same to him. I did not remember us being that rough, but if my body had not fully healed over night it meant we really had. This drew a small laugh from me. Later I would have to inspect Viktor for my marks, I'm sure I had to have atleast one claiming him as mine secretly.

I walked towards the door, with shaky steps. The muscles in my thighs hurt worse but I did my best to walk normal. It would be obvious if I was cringing with each step I took, and I could not afford that kind of slip up. I pulled open the door peeking outside, when I saw the hallway was empty I crept out of the room closing the door behind me as I walked down the hall. I wondered where everyone was, or if there was something I was unaware of.

"Good morning, M'Lady." Tanis said with a bow. I smiled at him and adjusted my clothes to better hide the marks Viktor had left behind. I felt Viktor and I had managed to mentally scar Tanis enough after that one council meeting we had gone a bit over the edge with our words.

"Morning Tanis." I said walking beside him with a soft smile. I was trying my hardest to make it appear I felt no ache or pain but my body did hurt.

"Is Viktor still resting?" He asked curiously, he almost seemed nervous to ask the question. I wanted to laugh but instead I just nodded my head.

"I did not have the heart to wake him." I replied. "So I decided I would take a short walk outside the coven walls." I glanced to Tanis who looked on edge instantly. Oh great, I had done something else wrong.

"I do not think that is a good idea." He said worried. "Not when the Lycans are somewhere out there. If they attacked abruptly, you would have no chance. You saw what happened to Viktor when the numbers are against a vampire. Even an Elder." He explained trying his hardest to get me to stay. I smiled.

"Your worry is cute, Tanis." I said grinning. "But I can make my own choices." I answered heading towards the front door of the castle. Tanis groaned.

"Amelia." He said more urgent. "Don't go, if Viktor knew you went out there at a time like this he would be furious." Tanis sounded stronger as he spoke, it was the first time I had ever seen a sense of courage rise in him.

"I won't be gone long, and if Viktor gets mad, you and I never spoke before I left." I smiled at him continuing to the exit. I had no reason to tell Viktor Tanis had known, he dealt with enough as it was, I didn't want him to have a panic attack over it all.

"Will you atleast bring a weapon with you?" Tanis pleaded, wanting a compromise. I nodded my head.

"I will bring my sword with me, there, better?" I asked. Tanis nodded his head seeming more at ease now.

"And be careful." He shook his head heading down the left hallway. Why did all men think I was so readily capable of getting into all kinds of trouble? I knew how to take care of myself. Really, I did, when Viktor had saved me I had just been caught off guard but I knew what to expect now. I stopped by my room, grabbed my sword and put it in its holder as I exited through the main castle doors.

The air was surprisingly warm and sticky as I walked through the deserted 'town' section before the main stone gate. Without the Lycans inhabiting it, there really was very little going on. I had two of the guards open the massive door to the coven's large wall before I walked outside into the night.

A thick, heavy fog covered the ground as I walked into the forest. It must have rained sometime during the day for the weather to be so different from normal. I continued into the forest making sure to stick to the main path as much often as I could, but one in a while I would stray away finding something interesting elsewhere.

I came to a small pond, in the middle of nowhere and could not resist going over to it. There was a large fallen tree on the outer rim of the pond and I walked to it taking a seat on the massive fallen trunk. I watched the water reflecting the night sky, and the way each star seemed like a small spark pooling in the bottom. It was beautiful, the one calming thing I could find in the entire forest.

I looked up quickly when I heard the sound of twigs breaking nearby. I lifted my head glancing around to try and see what was making the sound. In the distance I could see a midnight black silhouette. It was running on all fours at a fast pace, and it was very tall as well. I continued to watch trying to pick out just what it was but trees continued to obscure my view. It turned down the pathway heading straight for me, fog swirling in the wake of its disturbance.

Only then did I finally realize what it was. I took my hand from my sword and leaned back in my relaxed position as the horse trotted over to me. It's owner looking more then livid. I was in trouble, I was fully aware of that but the trip had been worth it.

"Amelia!" Viktor scolded harshly. "Get on this horse now." He demanded in a low tone. I continued to look up at him, making no effort to move.

"I wanted to go for a walk." I explained, watching the fog swirl around the horse's body from being agitated by its movements.

"I do not care what you were doing, do you understand the dangers in these woods?" He asked glancing around as if expecting to see something any minute.

"Viktor it was only for a moment." I explained looking away from him and into the water instead. I was not ready to leave; it really was alluring here. An intimate sanctuary, that I had discovered all my own. Viktor dropped down from the horse going over to me. He took a hold of my arm, trying to be firm, but he used no pressure. I knew he could not bring himself to be rough with me, he cared too much for me to behave with me as he did others.

"I thought you were dead." He confessed. "When I awoke and you were gone, it was the worst feeling. You risk to much for a husband to permit." He glanced down then back to me. "Do you understand the contrition I felt? I promised your father I would take care of you." He stressed to me, wanting me to think about my actions. I was instantly sorry. I had not meant to make him feel that way.

"I didn't think." I explained about to stand and leave with him right away. Viktor let go of my arm and sat down on the trunk beside me looking into the water with a sigh.

"I do not care that you leave." He said leaning his back against a tree still rooted, I watched a wince escape his mouth and wondered why he had made the sound. "Just tell me before you do something so that I may be there encase something goes astray." He looked over to me. His eye color dimming now that he knew I was safe. I looked to him and silently put my head against his shoulder.

"I won't do it again." I promised him. "I just didn't want to wake you. You looked content." I said wrapping my arm around his waist, snuggling against him. Viktor slid his arm around my back pulling me close. He let out a small sigh.

"We can only stay a few more minutes." He told me keeping watch for any indication that there was danger. I nodded my head and continued to stare into the water. I was certain there were Lycans scattered around us in all directions hidden in the shadows, hidden in the fog, but as I rested with Viktor I felt safe. I felt as if we were entirely alone in the world, a moment in time, just our own, where there was just the stillness and us.

A/N:

-Just a cute little romantic chapter. I'm a big sucker for romance. Lol.

-Plus I figured it'd be nice for them to have a moment of peace before all hell breaks loose again. (Muahahah).