The Beasts of Baye Road

In Matteo's Arms

Blanca missed the aroma of freshly baked muffins. Mixing eggs and flour and filling the air with vanilla essence helped calm her soul. It had been a terrible night, despite the celebrations in the mansion that went deep into the night. Blanca trembled in her bed.

Trembled in the arms of the one that saved her. He refused to leave her alone. He couldn’t question her all he did was smooth her shoulders and ran his fingers through her hair. Blanca couldn’t even enjoy the moment.

Blanca pulled out the tray of muffins from the oven.

‘What a waste of perfectly good muffins?’ Blanca said to herself.

‘Why would you say that?’ Matteo leaned against the frame of the kitchen door, his legs crossed at the bottom a grin played at his lips as he watched Blanca work.

‘Because everyone here only ever eats meat.’

Matteo straightened and walked over to Blanca. He touched her shoulders and ran his hands down her arms and cupped her hands. He brought them to his lips before holding her head in his hands and bringing it to his lips. Blanca shut her eyes and let butterflies flatter around the walls of her belly.

‘I’m so sorry about what happened yesterday.’

Blanca walked out of his embrace. The incident only reminded her of her true intentions in Baye Road. To find the traitor and protect Gianna. After that she would be gone. He would never want to see her again anyway.

Before Blanca could open her mouth the heavy front doors slammed against the walls, a sign the guardians had arrived for breakfast.

‘Anneska make breakfast today extra special! I want the whole table to myself! Those beasts didn’t know what was coming! I’d like to see them back here again.’

Matteo grinned. ‘You’ll have your hands full. I’ll check up on you later.’ He winked and strolled out of the kitchen as Anneska appeared in the doorway. Their eyes met for a brief second.

Blanca span to rummage through the cupboards for a box to put the cupcakes in. Gianna was just like the guardians but she had some diversity to her eating. She hoped Anneska wouldn’t make anything of her exchange with Matteo.

‘I heard you were attacked by the beasts last night.’ Blanca couldn’t pull her body out of the cupboards slow enough.

‘Yes, but nothing happened.’

‘Maybe, but your little exchange with Matteo isn’t nothing! Have you forgotten why you came here?!’

‘No, Anneska. It— he was just worried.’ Blanca attempted to side step her but Anneska grabbed her arm, her nails dug into her skin.

‘I don’t want to remind you why you’re here, Blanca. Don’t get stupid. You better stay away from that boy.’

Blanca ripped her arm free she was left with claw marks for her troubles. ‘I told you Anneska it was nothing. I know why I’m here you don’t need to remind me.’

Matteo pressed himself against the wall beside the kitchen door. His head rattled with questions. His heart shred into a thousand tiny pieces. Footsteps came his way and he darted down the hall. It was Blanca with a tray of sausages headed to the table. He balled his hands into fists and stormed downstairs.

***

Blanca hadn’t seen Matteo at breakfast, she assumed he had work to do. She didn’t want to think about Matteo especially since Anneska warned her to stay away from him.

Blanca couldn’t help search for his green eyes. She slipped downstairs to change before she left to see Gianna. She glided through the door and pressed her body against the door.

‘Why did you come here Blanca?’

Blanca gasped and threw her hand across her chest. Matteo lay on her bed with his arms behind his head and his legs crossed.

‘You scared me Matteo!’

Matteo sat up on her bed.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘That’s what I asked you Blanca.’

Blanca scratched her head. The mischief had left Matteo's face, his green eyes narrowed at her, accusing her of treacherous things. When Blanca didn’t respond Matteo jumped off the bed and crossed the room to the door.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about Matteo!’

Matteo’s body was so close to Blanca's he could feel her heart hammer against her chest.

‘What did Anneska mean when she asked you if you had forgotten what you came here for? What are you hiding Blanca?’

‘I came here to work Matteo! What else could she mean?’

‘You tell me! Ever since you came here there’s always been an air of mystery around you. I’m going to tell you now I don’t take traitors lightly.’

Matteo ripped his body away from her and marched to the desk on the corner.

‘Anneska brought me here to work not to flirt with the boss. She only wanted me to remember my place as a maid. That’s what I am Matteo a maid. You shouldn’t have slept here last night Matteo.’

Her heart broken with every word that tumbled out of her mouth. Whatever chance she had with Matteo was being destroyed with each lie she uttered.

‘Don’t give me that Blanca. Tell me the truth.’

‘I don’t know what you want to hear. The truth is I’m just a maid… I’m not even… one of you. I’m not part if your pack.’

Matteo closed the gap between them. He cupped her cheeks but Blanca couldn’t meet his face. He lifted her head.

‘I don’t care.’

Before Blanca could think, their lips brushed against each other. His mouth moved to her neck and soon her apron was on the floor, her top and his shirt…

***

Blanca’s head rested on Matteo’s chest, his arms cradled her. She felt warm in his embrace. She shut her eyes and recalled every trace of his lips on her skin. It was right, but wrong. Scenarios of Matteo hating her flooded her mind. He told her he didn’t deal lightly with traitors. Blanca thought she was searching for a traitor in his own home but she was also concealing what could save his town.

Matteo's fingers traced her arm. She didn’t want to move she wanted the moment to last a little longer. If only she could capture it and save it until she needed to relive it again.

‘I should go.’ Matteo whispered, breaking out of their embrace.

‘Did I do something wrong?’ Blanca sat up, her chestnut hair fell down her chest.

Matteo grabbed her face and brought her mouth to his. ‘Of course not. Why would you ask that? I have a meeting with a member of The Guardians.’

‘It’s about the beasts isn’t it?’ Her heart beat speed up. When the guardians and the monsters were mentioned Blanca remembered her duty to her sister.

‘Most likely.’ He searched for his pants.

Blanca rolled her eyes. He still didn’t trust her.

‘You’re not going to hunt them are you? You guys didn’t even kill that one.’

‘Of course not, we’re not stupid. Look, we’ve been looking for a werewolf to help destroy the beasts. I think I’ve found her.’

Blanca swallowed, blood drained from her face. ‘What are you going to do with her?’

Matteo threw his shirt over his head. He look Blanca's head in his hands and lowered his body to bring his mouth to hers. He ran his fingers through the hair that teased him for days.

When Matteo left Blanca scurried to put on her clothes. She hyperventilated as she grabbed her things and barged out the door. The guardians had discovered her sister!