Who is my Husband

Chapter 6 Past and Pain

            Liquid trickled down the side of her head. She opened her eyes from the darkness. She rubbed the side of her face and felt the dampness. She pulled back to see crimson sticky liquid on her fingers. She didn’t understand. She squinted her eyes as she tried to come into focus. She could see a fire burning in front of her. Out of the corner of her eye she could see another flame next to her. She turned her head slowly to see Sparks sitting there. He came up closer as he inspected her lying on the ground.

            “Where is everyone?” Kailee whispered out as she tried to sit up. She winced at the electric jolts of pain that shot through her body. Why was she in so much pain? What had happened to her? Her eyes began to tear as she watched her home get devoured in flames.

            Sparks began to squawk and flap his wings as a figure approached them from the house.

            “I see you have woken up. Do you know what happened?”

            Kailee looked at her uncle Fredrick and shook her head no. He nodded his head and looked at the phoenix that was noisily flapping around.

            “Your master is dead bird. Go!” Fredrick reached out and lifted Kailee into his chest. “Your parents and my wife were not able to escape from the flames. You were the only one I managed to pull to safety.” He sat her inside of a wagon as Sparks flapped his wings in defiance. And then flew up into the sky.

            “You’ll be living with me from now on.”

            Her uncles’ words were like ice. There was no feeling or remorse in his voice. There was nothing. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she watched the flames from her home get farther away. They were dead? Her mother and father were gone? What happened? She couldn’t remember anything. She shook her head and began to sob. “No… no… don’t leave me alone.”

            “Kailee.”

            The tears continued to pool from her eyes as she heard her name called in a muffled voice.

            “Kailee.”

            She watched the flames and could almost feel their heat. No, she was feeling their heat. Her insides were burning. It felt like liquid iron was being poured into her veins. Her chest felt heavy. As if she was suffocating. She whimpered as she struggled for air.

            “KAILEE.”

            Her eyes popped open then. She was breathing heavily as she stared back in the darkness. She quickly moved to sit up and a stabbing pain in her side reminded her of her wound. She felt two hands land on her shoulders.

            “Easy. Easy. Kailee.”

            She reached her hand up and wiped the tears that had dampened her face. She was dreaming. She was dreaming of a memory. She started to relax some until the burning feeling laid siege on her again. She clenched her fingers in the bed sheet and whimpered again at the searing pain.

            “Kailee, what is wrong? What hurts?” Trey’s voice sounded laced with concern.

            “It hurts.” Was all she managed to breathe out.

            “Damn it.” She heard his voice and felt his presence leave the bed.

            A volcano was exploding inside of her as molten lava rushed through her veins. Beads of liquid formed over her forehead as she thrashed her head side to side. A light soon flickered in the room and came closer to her side.

            “Kailee, you have to tell me what hurts. What is wrong?” Trey asked urgently.

            “Everything…is…burning.” Kailee breathed out in ragged breaths. She felt his hand move over her forehead and she fluttered her eyes open. She could see he had put his mask on and was leaning over her. She felt the blanket get pulled away from her as he slowly inspected her body. He checked over the wounds and then looked back up to her face.

            “The wounds look healthy. This isn’t an infection. Why are you hurting?” Trey’s hand landed back up to her forehead and he gently smoothed her hair back.

            Kailee could feel her body trembling. It wasn’t just her outside body though. Her insides felt like they were trembling. And then deep inside she felt a profound fear wash over her. As if there was something she should be afraid of but couldn’t remember. Outside she could hear the loud howl cry out loudly. She didn’t know why but she felt like the howl was crying for her.

            “What is happening?” Her voice whispered out as another wave of pain rippled over her. Then like a flash of lightning it dissipated. She laid there panting with her eyes closed waiting for the pain to come back but it didn’t. She took a few more steadying breaths before she opened her eyes again. “It stopped.”

            Trey sat next to her on the bed. His hand held onto hers as he looked down at her with worry. “Has that ever happened before?”

            “No.” She looked over to him. “I’m sorry for waking you.”

            Trey let out a quiet chuckle. “Don’t apologize silly woman. I’m here for you. That is my job.” His eyes settled on her. “Is everything okay?”

            “Mmmm. I think so. Everything feels fine now.” Kailee scooted up a bit and his hands gently lifted her into a sitting position. He pulled his arms around her and held her from behind.

            “You had me worried.” Trey’s voice gently whispered near her cheek.

            She could feel the cold from his mask brush against her face. And the heat from his breath as he talked.

            “I was dreaming… of the time when my parents passed away.” Kailee said quietly. “I don’t remember anything from that day. I don’t know what happened. Why can’t I remember?” She felt his hand rub over her arm tenderly.

            “It’s okay. Don’t try to force it. Maybe it was very traumatic, so your mind chose to block it out.” Trey’s voice was soothing as he kept her body close.

            She relaxed her body into his. Her body was tired from the fight it had just gone through. She started thinking about her parents then and her sweet aunt who passed away with them.

            “They were the sweetest parents.” Her voice whispered out. “They were always doting on me, spoiling me. I still remember some things clearly. While others I do not. I remember my mother was always offering me life lessons and various sorts of wisdom. She wanted me to grow up to be a kind person but to still stick up for myself.” She giggled a bit. “My father had more of a temper than my mother. She was always cool and collected and the littlest of things could set him off. Especially if he thought something upset my mother.” A wet crystal trickled down her face. “I can’t remember that day at all. It is like it doesn’t exist. I feel like I am forgetting something important. I don’t know what happened. Were they really in that fire? Am I to believe they really were unable to get out? Why was I left alive…”

            “They sound like they were wonderful people.” Trey rested his head onto hers. “For what it is worth I am glad you are alive.”

            “Why though? You don’t even know what kind of person I am. Why do you even care?”

            “I already told you. You are mine so I care.”

            So vague. She didn’t understand but she knew he wasn’t going to elaborate either.

            “Do you remember your father? He died in a carriage accident when you were young, right?” Kailee remembered that the older lord of Clover Estate met an untimely death earlier the same year her parents did.

            “Mmmm. Yes, I remember clearly.” His voice came out quiet and a bit edgy.

            She opened her mouth and then slowly said the next thing she was thinking. “Was it just an accident?” She felt his body tense. “Sorry.”

            “Why would you say that?” His voice sounded a bit alarmed.

            She inhaled deeply. “I don’t know if what happened to my parents was an accident. I… I guess I just… never mind.” She reached a hand and rubbed it over her chest. “What do you think that pain was?”

            “I don’t think it was natural. Can you describe what it felt like for me?” Trey’s voice sounded back to normal now.

            “Like being stabbed by burning knives on the inside. As if boiling water was rushing through my body with hot razor blades. It was like something I have never felt before.” Her voice whispered out.

            “Hmmmm.” Trey pondered quietly to himself. “That doesn’t sound natural.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “That sounds like magic. Like maybe someone had cast a spell on you.” Trey scooted Kailee to the side and stood up. He grabbed onto the candle and blew out the light. He laid his mask back down and scooted back into bed, gently positioning her body into him again.

            “Why would someone cast a spell on me?” Kailee asked as she laid her head on his chest.

            “I don’t know. I need more answers. I’m going to be away for a day or two. I need to talk to someone about what happened. They might know more.”

            “Do you think it is necessary? Could have just been a fluke.”

            “I want to be sure.” Trey smiled as he kissed the top of her head. “Are you going to miss me?”

            She smiled. “Do I know you enough to miss?”

            Trey chuckled. “My cousin Reggie may end up showing up while I am away. He is due to visit. Don’t be alarmed. He is a good guy.”

            “Let me guess. Brown hair and green eyes?” Kailee said letting him know she was on to the mass resemblance of himself.

            Trey chuckled. “Actually yes.”

            “It is a good thing you let me know when you won’t be around at night.” Kailee said coyishly.

            “Oh? And why is that?” Trey said with laughter in his voice.

            “Well, anyone could walk in here with a mask on and I would be none the wiser. And if they come to me at night, how am I supposed to know if it is you holding me close or not.” Her voice was a bit coquettish as she smiled.

            A low quiet growl sounded in his chest. “If anyone else dares to touch what is mine I will rip them apart…” He paused as his hand trailed over her side. “Besides… you’ll know. You will soon learn my touch. You will know how I feel at night. I will be sure to engrain it in your memory once your wounds are healed.”

            Her cheeks heated up red again in the dark room. “Would that be enough though? I’m not sure I’ll be able to recognize the difference.”

            “You’ll know. Your body will know, it knows who it belongs to. We just need your mind to know now.” Trey’s voice was low and seductive.

            “Hmm that may take some time.” Kailee teased the man, she barely knew, who was her husband. She had to admit she felt comfortable around him. And already she felt like she might end up missing him tomorrow night while he was gone. It was probably from sharing something so intimate with him. In fact, that is exactly what she reasoned. Naturally after giving someone your virginity, you would feel bonded and closer to that person. Yes, she was sure this was the reason. She hardly knew this man, right? So, it couldn’t be anything else.