MIRA

✨Chapter Six✨

Mira swallowed hard. "I don't know. Why are you being so manipulative?"

Rillan moved away from her. She barely caught the change in his expression before he turned. "I'm done for this day. Go back to your rooms." At that Rillan headed toward the door.

He had almost vanished completely into the darkness when Mira realized what he was doing and called after him. "I know why." She heard his footsteps stop. "You give us two choices. You or complete and utter loneliness. That's why we can't talk with anyone but you. That's why this place is so dark and frightening. Then you wait until we are so desperate from the loneliness that we willingly submit to anything just to be near another body. In a strange way you've set yourself up to be a savior so that you don't have to rape us."

Rillan's tone was sad and hollow. "Go back to your room Mira. In a week's time I'll come for you. I won't be able to resist the thirst much longer. Prepare yourself for it." Then he was gone.

That night and through the next day Mira thought back to the first lessons she had been taught. The lessons in the beginning spoke of the great warrior who had come to the druids. He had been a good man. So this is what happens when a good man is turned into something that people believe to be inherently evil, she thought. He must truly despise himself. All he really wants is someone to care for him. It's hard to believe that he hasn't gone insane.

It took Mira most of the afternoon to reach the decision she finally came to. She soaked in a long bath, then put on one of the dresses in the closet that she was particularly fond of. It was a soft green and reminded her of spring. It wasn't one of the overly fancy ones. In another lifetime she may even have been able to own this dress. It fitted her personality much better than the heavy brocade and beaded gowns that it shared the closet with. She brushed her hair out and placed some barrettes in it. She had never owned jewelry so this seemed as good an occasion as any to wear them.

Mira stood in front of the mirror looking at herself. She decided that under the right light, she may even be considered pretty. She took a deep breath and realized that she was excited. She had been waiting a long time to lose her virginity. In some ways she was a little disappointed that it hadn't happened sooner. She was actually more scared that he wouldn't like her than she was of what else he may do to her. She pushed those thoughts out of her mind and resolutely walked out of the rooms and down the hall. Mira held the lantern high and stared into the darkness around her. She was familiar enough with where she was going at this point. She noted the sound of her feet on the stone floor and wondered how good his hearing was. She could feel a chill rush through the hall and wondered how cold it had become outside the cave. She thought about everything other than what she was doing. There was no point in dwelling now. Her mind had been made up.

Before she realized it she was standing in the room that she had now met him in twice. It was dark as it had been the last time she was here and he was nowhere to be seen. Mira turned around and headed out the door she had come in. Since she had thoroughly looked through this room for a door the last time she was here she was positive that his rooms had to be elsewhere.

She had passed several doors on her way to this end of the hall so she figured that she'd just have to start looking. She hadn't gone far when she came to the first set of doors. One led left and one led right. Well it's one way or the other. If one doesn't work I can go the other way. Mira walked up to the door on her right, turned the knob and opened it onto another hallway. She sighed. She hated that there was no light anywhere down here. Forcing herself forward she walked into the hall and the light from the lantern fell on a set of rooms similar to the rooms she was residing in. The only difference was that it was obvious no one had been here in a long time. There was a fine layer of dust covering everything. The bed wasn't made and there was nothing in the closet.

Mira turned and walked out of the rooms and reached for the other doorknob. When she heard a door slam somewhere further down the hall she jumped. It sounded as though it came from the direction of her rooms. She hear footsteps coming down the hall. They were heavy and fast. Suddenly her resolution failed her and she felt the need to hide. She turned the knob on the door and she slipped into the room closing it softly behind her. After a moment of heart pounding she thought to put out the lantern. She stood in the dark staring at the door she had just come through. The footsteps came closer.

Mira turned and softly padded down the hall into the main room at the end of the corridor. She was taken aback at what she found. This was what she had been looking for. Rillan Tiernay's rooms. There was a large bed similar to hers. The fire was lit and candles about the room were burning nearly completely down making the shadows dance strangely across the floor. The room smelled clean, like rain. That's when she noticed a small crevice in the cave wall that led up a shaft. There was a heave stone and metalwork cover that could be slid over it, presumably during daylight hours. She could smell fresh air wafting down the shaft and rain. It was pitch black but she knew that if there had been stars that night she would have been able to see them.

"You shouldn't be here." The cold voice made her jump. Mira turned around to see Rillan standing behind her glaring at her.

She swallowed hard. She had promised herself that she wouldn't let him frighten her. She was going to offer herself to him. That's what I was trained for. I belong to him. He's been more than reasonable waiting for me. "I don't want to wait a week. I've come to you now."

Rillan was amazed at the strength in her voice. He almost believed that she wanted to be there with him. Almost. "I'll not argue with that decision if it's truly what you want, but if we begin this and you change your mind I may not be able to stop."

"I don't want you to," she said in that same strong, resolute tone.

He reached out, allowing his fingers to graze the white skin of her neck. She shivered, from the coolness of his hand. Mira's eyes fluttered closed, and she breathed softly. She felt his fingernails tracing the line from just below her chin to the bodice of her dress. They continued around the rounded edge, then back up the other side of her neck, until his hand was pressed against her hairline. I never expected him to be so gentle, Mira thought, as she felt his other hand on the opposite side, turning her around and cupping her face. He's painted as bloodthirsty, a warrior with uncontrollable hunger. The druids never talk about this side of him.

Rillan watched Mira as his hands caressed her neck and cheeks. She had not flinched, as though he was a monster. The shiver that he felt against his palm was like that of an excited lover. He had expected frightened trembling. He leaned down, his lips only a breath away from kissing her. He still didn't quite trust her offering, coming as it did on the heels of his ultimatum. But she was soft under his touch, and he was nearly blind with hunger. He couldn't refuse her, not now that she was here. Her breath warmed his lips, and Rillan pulled her to her tiptoes to close the distance between them. The contrast always overwhelms me, he thought. Their warmth against my cold, balance. Mira accepted him, pressing her lips back against his. The kiss seemed to last forever.

When Rillan released Mira from the kiss, she sighed. "I wondered how that would feel," she said. "I spent a long time wondering." Her eyes were still closed, and a small flush began to creep up her chest, beginning just above the bodice of her dress. Rillan smiled, reminded that she was so much younger than he was. He moved his hands down her neck, caressing, pressing palms on her shoulders. Mira felt the movement and held her breath in anticipation. I'm enjoying this, she thought, surprised. Finally she opened her eyes and held his dark gaze. "So much I expected has been wrong," she admitted.