The Devils Love Chp.1: Caught
COPYRIGHT FOR THE CHARACTER DARREN BELONGS TO DRAGONESSDEANNA!
"Sweetheart," My Mother said, gently shakingme awake. She turned around and lit the few candles that surrounded my room.
I sat up and rubbed tiredness from my eyes. On the table near my bed were a glass of fresh milk, an apple, and a few cuts of cheese.
My mind started to turn on things. Like how I was still alive after 15 years. I mean, father would always argue with Mother that he did not want a creature like me living in his house hold.
It was the 2nd of October, 1719. And soon to come, October 30th, a day father would say is a day to worship Satin, a day I should be very comfortable on. All Hollows Eve. Father keeps blabbering on how I should be worshiping my real father.
"Come on," she said. "Your father is out at the Tavern, so you have some time till he gets back and for you to get some sun shine." She gave me one of her motherly smiles--the kind that makes you warm and fuzz and shows that she truly cares about you.
I chugged the milk, ate me food and clothed myself, and walked up the stairs. My claws scratching the stair-railing as I rested my paw on it and my long tail, slowly wagged as I climbed the stairs to daylight. Once I got up, I was surprised to see Dr. Crystle sitting in one of the kitchen chairs.
"Hello, Darren," He greeted with a nod and a smile on his lips. "When you are ready, let me know and then we can start."
I just stared at him dumbfounded.
He chuckled at my expression--which I thought was funny since my face did not look human, well so was the rest of my furry body. "Our usual check up?"
"Oh." God, did I feel stupid.
So instead I just nodded.
I stood at the kitchen door and stared outside. Ok. Coast was clear. I walked out, one foot after another. The sun shone down and instantly warmed my gray fur. I lifted my face to the sun, feeling its sterling rays fall on my tail, wing, and my face, and muzzle. I instantly let my body absorb the warmth.
I walked back inside, took a piece of bread and followed the Doctor down to my room. I sat down on my bed as the Doc got ready. He first checked my muscle development and then he started the rest. He walked around me and held my tail, checking all the bone and muscles. Then he stretched out my bat-wings.
"Darren. How have you been with your wings?" He asked.
"Ok, I supposed. I mean, I can spread them to full length and I've been able to wrap them around my body."
"Have you been able to fly with them yet?"
"No, not yet. Well, not that I really get the chance. I'm usually down here. You know? Father does not want people to know that his son is the devil's child."
"Yes, well, your father is a hard, stubborn man. And truth be told, I never liked him all the time I knew him."
That earned him a giggle from me.
He smiled back as well.
"Ok. My check up is done, you have perfect health." He turned around and started packing his equipment into his leather bag. Once he was done he bid my Mother and me a good day and headed out our small, but spacious, cottage.
"Hmm . . ." She said. "Ok, now let's get to work, mister. We have choirs to do and then it is lesions for you." She walked out of the kitchen and went to collect the laundry. She arrived back and started out the door.
"Alright," I sighed, and followed her outside.
We walked crossed the lawn with haste, hoping no one would see us. But just as we were about head into the forest that edged the back of the cottage, Mother turned around; fear and concern set her face.
"Darren! Go back inside and grab you cloak," She hissed, pointing a finger back to the cottage.
I hastened back inside, glided down the stairs and grabbed my cloak. I tucked my wings closer to my body and let me tail go limp. I then draped the fabric over my wings, making sure my tail couldn't be seen. I tied the string together and brought the hood up.
But before I left my room, I checked my image in my mirror to make sure I could not be seen so easily. When I was sure I would not be seen, I walked back up stairs, out the door and headed toward Mother.
We crossed the thick brush of tall trees, cut through a berry bush plain and headed toward the creek that flowed from Arvic Mountain. I walked parallel from my Mother, caring my own bungle of clothing. The one thing I would find stressful is having to have my cloths custom fit. Mother usual goes to the market, picks a out a shirt and a pair of draw-string pants, brings them home and starts cutting holes in them for my tail and wings.
My bundle consisted of three pairs of shirts, two pants and I crimson colored vest.
We kept walking at a moderate pass, passing various trees, flowers and many animals. The grassy road started to narrow down as we crossed the thick woods. The pastor of woods opened up to a wide meadow. So after we moved past the meadow, my sharp hearing could pick up the splashing of water and soon I could smell the stream we were closing on.
When we got there, Mother went to the shallow part of the creek and started scrubbing her set of cloths. I stood on a rock that overlooked the deeper part of the creek.
"Darren, I want you to take a bath. Your fur looks filthy," Mother said.
I turned around and caught the bar of soap that went flying toward me. I stared at her hard. My eyebrows were furrowed into a frown, my lips set.
"Go on," She said. "Strip and get in the water."
I looked away from her. My face flushed a bright red at the thought of being naked in front of my Mother.
"Oh, come on!" She exclaimed. "It is not like I have not seen you naked before. Remember, I used to give you a bath all the time." Her face grew stern. "Now got in that water right now, young man, or I will come over there give you a bath myself."
That got me going. I so did not want her to give me a bath; I mean, how embarrassing. I quickly de-cloaked myself, slipped my wings and tail from their placement, laid my clothes neatly on the grass and slipped into water. My body shivered when I sank into the chilly autumn water, but soon my body adjusted to the temperature and my body relaxed as the water felt good against my furry body.
I dove under the icy water and swam toward my rock. Once there, I grabbed the bar of soap and started scrubbing my dirty fur. I let my mind wonder as I cleaned myself. It was to my amazement to how I have remand hidden. And to my astonishment, no one has ever asked where my Mother's and father's child was. I mean, she was pregnant--the obviousness to her swollen belly. There were times when I wondered what my Mother said about me. I presumed that she lied and said the baby didn't make it.
I had scrubbed the whole front side of my body during my pondering. I unfolded my wings and started cleaning then tidally. But soon I got to a road-block. I could not clean the back of my wings.
I tried cleaning them behind my back, but could not. "God damn wings," I grumbled.
Mother's head shot up at me complaining; she was obviously enjoying my struggle by the smirk on her face.
"Would you like help there, son?" She asked her voice amused.
I sighed, irritated. "Yes, Mother. Can you please help my clean my back and the back of my wings?"
She paused her cleaning, got up and walked toward me. When she go near, she knelt down and held her hand out.
I handed her the soap and relaxed as she gently lathered my wings. She started with the tips of my wings, following it down the skin-like materiel, then up the bridge of my wings and then to the placement on my back. When she was satisfied with my wings, she started scrubbing my back.
I started to swim away, feeling she was done, but was soon pulled back by my Mother. "Hold on," she said, sounding all motherly. She reached up and started scrubbing my midnight hair. She gently ran her fingers in my hair, getting all the knots out--which hurt by the way.
Ok, this was starting to get a little out of hand. I ran my hands under the water and found a holding within the rock formation. When I got a good grip on it, I held my breath and pulled myself under the water, escaping the grips of my Mother. I swam cross the stream and emerged out from the other side.
Mother started at me as I waved to her on the other side, grinning at her like a wolf.
Seeing that she was not going to get another chance to finish cleaning me, she sighed, picked up my filthy clothes and walked away.
"Thank you, Mother." I smiled.
She should her head, smiling as well.
I dived back under the water ran my fingers through my charcoal-black hair; I swam back to the rock, got out and shook myself like a giant dog. Water sprayed everywhere like when a waterfall showers the plants and earth with moister.
"Darren!" She laughed. I looked over to her and saw little drops of water drizzle down her face.
I smiled. God, I love doing that!
My ears twitched toward a twig snapped and the sound of the earth crunch at the pattern of footsteps. I jerked my head to the forest that lined our opening; I could see the faint shadow of a human walking toward us. I lifted my head to the cool breeze and sniffed deeply.
Ah, a girl--maybe about 13 years old.
"Dar--" Mother started to say but was hushed by my paw to her mouth. I nodded my head toward the direction of the human girl, then flicked my eyes toward the tree I planned to hide behind. She nodded and then went back to hear work.
I flitted toward the timber and slimed my body to the tree.
"Why, hello Miss. Paver," The girl greeted, surprised. From my vantage point, I could see she was wearing an elegant flower dress. She kept walking to Mother and sat down.
"Good day, Trina," said Mother; she put down my cloths. "Now, what brings you out here deep in the woods?"
"Should I not ask you the same thing?" Trina asked and then looked away; her eyes shimmered with guilt for her question.
Mother looked at her sternly. "What I am doing out here is none of your business, young lady, and what I am doing out here is washing clothes."
"Sorry, Miss. Paver, I meant you no offence. I'm just worried, that is all. Some creature with wings is stealing our cattle lately and it's agitating the people--especially the farmers," She said. Opss!
Mother's face hardened and her eyes darted toward my direction--a stare that made my fur brittle with fear. "Oh?" She asked, her voice leaked with anger.
"Yes, the farmers plan to caught it and kill it," Trina said. She looked up at the sun before saying, "Well, I must be going. Father and Mother will be worrying where I am."
When Trina was gone, Mother stomped over toward me, grabbed my pointy ear and started grabbing me back to her work-station. I kept repeating, "Ow. Ow. Ow," as she pulled me along.
"Wait!" I said. She stopped and stared at me. "I am still naked."
Obviously Mother did not care 'cause she kept dragging me along and I kept my "Ow," repeat.
"Darren . . . is there something you would like to tell me?" She asked.
I sighed. "I am sorry. I just get this craving for animals and so I sneak out and go hunting at the farms,"
Her face switched from anger of my secret to concern and worry. "Ok--," she inhaled and exhaled "--I just wish you would have told me. I may not like this, but . . . I understand."
She reached out and held me face. "Next time you go hunting, please be more careful. It would break my heart if you were caught," She said; her face lit with more concern.
A tear slowly drifted down my face and Mother wiped it away. She smiled her lovely smile at me and said, "Now, go lay in the sun and by the time you are dry, your clothes should be as well."
She started to pull away, but I braced my arms around her and pulled her into a hug, my wings wrapping around her. I tear leaked from her eye as well and I brushed it away with my thumb. "I love you, Mother," I said.
"I love you too, son," She replied, her voice was soft and sweet.
I released her and she walked back to her pile of clothes and I went to a sunny rock, laid down, and basked in the warm sunlight. Huh, who would have guessed a demon like me could cry and love.
Time whirled by as the day progressed. Mother and I just finished our choirs, and then I was sent down to my run to start my reading. I went to by book shelf--one that my Mother bought of me--picked out my book, plopped down on my bed started reading.
By the time I go to the 8th chapter, I was lost. I did not understand the character's reaction to the truth of his sister's secret. And by the time I got to the next chapter; I rested my head against the table I now sat at, even more frustrated. I started lightly pounding my forehead on the table. When head started to hurt, I stopped my pounding, rested my head on my arms and closed my eyes.
The sound of footsteps at my door alerted me that someone was about to come down. The door opened and soon the sweet scent of freshly brewed broth and my Mothers scent floated down toward me.
She walked down and placed the bowl next to me. She then lifted my head up and smiled brightly at me, and then planted a kiss on my forehead. "Having trouble?"
I nodded. "A little, after a certain point in the book, I got lost."
She reached under me and slipped the book out. "Oh," She said. "This is my favorite book: Come Past Love and Die Ever More. I'm surprised. I used to read it to you when you were--er, weren't born yet."
My eyebrows pulled up and arched. "Well, might be the reason I don't understand it." I said with fake anger.
Mother giggled and placed the book near my food. "Oh, well," She said, acting like it was not her problem. "I guess you will have to figure it out by yourself."
I rolled my eyes. "Well, as my Mother, you should help me."
"No. Figure it out yourself."
"Fine. But . . . I guess you do not get any more hugs from your furry-winged son," I said.
We stared at each other and then broke into laughter. "Ok, I guess you got me there." She walked over to me and gave me a goodnight hugs. "Ok, you got get some rest, sweetheart, and then we will go over it tomorrow."
She started up stairs and called out "Goodnight" to me.
"Night!" I replied.
"Sweet dreams, demon." My fur bristled to all ends. Father was being his usual hateful self. It was a good thing he could not read my mind 'cause he would be pissed at the profound things I was thinking of him.
"Night, Lord all Mighty," I whispered.
Wind wisped passed me as I started passing around my room, trying to shake this tiredness form my body and mind. But in the end tiredness won. I stripped down to my fur and crawl into the bed that looked way to inviting. I crawled under the covers and let the strangeness of the land of dreams seamed to hold with unending mystery.