After a brief pause, he opened his eyes and let his hands return to his sides. He spoke again, sounding almost somewhat forlorn. Perhaps even regretful. "Goodbye, Bast. They now know of your intentions, and I do wish you well. When we meet once more, and we will meet again, unfortunately, it may not be as civilized or on good terms. We all will have our roles to play." Without another word or glance, he and his escorts walked out into the night. Through the window of the door, you could see their wings expand from seemingly nowhere as their forms took off into the sky.
As soon as they were gone, I allowed my energy to stop projecting. Everyone in the dining area was instantly relieved and inhaled more fervently. Someone could be heard coughing. Alaric was still standing there with his arms crossed, leaning into the doorway that led to the small dining room behind him. His pants were made to mimic woven cotton. They looked loose and comfortable. Reasonably practical as well. A certain... area was very visually prominent in his current stance. I licked my lips and let my eyes dance slowly upward as I admired him physically. Our eyes met, and he was glowering. A smirk began to form. Maybe glowering wasn't the correct word. He was enjoying being closely regarded. He was tickled.
I ignored this and stayed the course. Normally, I would generously stroke his ego for him. I was in no mood for it. Time was not on my side, and I needed to get away as quickly as possible. I walked past him as if he were not even there. No one stopped me on my path to the door David and his crew had used. It seemed this was the favored exit. No words were spoken as I preferred, though I could feel Alaric's unwavering gaze as I moved. When I made it there and began to turn the nob, I paused. Something made me stop. I can't explain what it was. A feeling in my depths was telling me not to go. That I couldn't go. I was where I needed to be. I turned around, and my gaze shifted from person to person, landing finally on the old woman.
She did not look well. So frail, I decided I would wait patiently for her to finish recovering. She waved at Khaleel, still hunched over the sink, and pointed to a cabinet above him to the left. He grabbed a glass and filled it at the sink. The angel looked a bit green in the face, and the old lady's breath was still achingly heavy, making a slight gasp for air every so often as he handed her the glass of water. It trembled in her shaky hands as she brought it to her paper-thin lips. After a few small sips, she set the glass down, closed her eyes, and took a few deep breaths. They fell directly on me when they opened, and she gave a weak smile.
It was genuine, which was nice to see. Observing this, I decided to be relatively pleasant. Normally, I would not give them a second thought in this circumstance. My family would come and surely kill them for even having the slightest contact with me. I owed them absolutely nothing. Especially after bringing David here, effectively adding more variables into the fold! They were innocent, though, however ignorant they may be. Still, and I'll be very clear, I am not under any obligation to spare their lives. Knowing all of this, I stay standing in that doorway, feeling compelled to remain here. Maybe it was to not be rude. At the very least, I can afford them a proper farewell. Or perhaps it was the superficial pressure and warmth I felt from Alaric's gaze when it was on me. It felt comforting in a way.
This was chilling to me. I admit to knowing this to be true, and even still, I did not waiver. I should have run far away from here. This was a mistake! What I was experiencing was unfathomable. In all my lives, I have never held witness to this. My feelings were always primal. It's what I was. Emotion was simple for me at best. Black and White. This or That. As straightforward as they can get. Carnal. This was not anything like the sensations that I was normally accustomed to. It was complicated and highly involved. Layers were existing on top of one another in ways I never knew existed. It was nowhere near customary! This did not bode well. It was beautiful, though. I found myself feeling a need to experience more and test its limitations. More importantly, I need to find a way to block them out entirely when needed.
His green eyes devoured mine every time they met. They were begging to be let in. I held his peering eyes fixedly, and a tantalizing chill ran down my spine straight to my desire. There was an itch building within me that I needed to scratch. The heat was building in my chest, and my eyelids fell slightly. My lips parted briefly. This was new. Once again, I am finding myself imagining my unconscious form being dressed by another. Now, instead, Alaric is the one set to the task. His large, strong hands brushing over and lingering in certain places. The heart that was in my chest made a sort of fluttering. These sensations, indeed, were new and fresh. They were frightening. I should've made my hasty retreat, floating out of the tiny house unnoticed.
