Believe Your Lying Eyes
1862 Words
Josh sat there and read each article. It even surprised him that he paid attention that long to one task. She just brought something out in him and it made it important.
"Here is an article about your parents before they died." There was a black and white picture of them in the article. "I can see you look like your mom."
"Umm no way. She's beautiful." Nicole was dismissived.
"If I say you look like your Mom, you do. In fact I think you are more beautiful that your Mom." He didn't look up from the article as he said it, he was just being honest with her. She was quiet and he looked up and her face was flush and she had a slight smile on her face. "What?"
She couldn't believe he said she was beautiful. Nobody had ever thought she was beautiful, not that she knew. "Nothing." She pulled out another article and pretended to read it. Her mind was spinning.
He watched her for a moment, it was like she was fighting herself almost constantly. "Hey, you are beautiful." He said it more pointed this time not taking his eyes off of her.
She could feel his steel blue eyes on her and it made her hot under the collar but not uncomfortable. She had never met anyone that made her feel this way. She looked at him and what she saw there amazed her, but then she stiffled it down. "Thank you, but you are a liar."
He could tell she was getting uncomfotable so he backed off. "I have not lied to you one time, so you don't have a leg to stand on." He tried to make a joke.
"Anyway, this artcle talks about your parents work with the hungry children in Russia. Quiet the world travlers." He read on "They were some kind of dignitaries but it didn't say from where. Do you know where you were born?"
"My birth certificate says Florida on it." Now she felt not so sure about that.
"Let's separate the articles based on their story line. Seems that kidnapping is over here, parents here, deaths here and artifacts here." Josh made the 4 piles and they divided them up.
"Now lets look for any cross referrences such as places and names." They read them all and placed the ones together that referrecned each other.
"Okay. I am not seeing anything defining. Are you? Anything that comes up mulitple times that isn't your parents?"
Nicole thought for a moment and then like a light buld went off. "Wait" and she went and got the pictures "This Wolfgang whatever is referrenced here, here and here in correlation of several deaths. "
"Hummm...good detective work. Smart AND beautiful." She smiled a shy smile and he noticed that she didn't fight it so hard.
Inside he heard Trenton 'I think I made contact. There is definately something there. She is trusting you more and more.'
"Now lets see what else this box holds. Are you ready?" Josh stood over the box. She stood up and pulled the box toward her and Josh stepped away. "Looks like it's all you." He smiled holding his hands up.
She pulled out a leather bound book that was tied shut. It was well worn and about an inch thick. She set it aside. Next she pulled out a map with writing on it and then she pulled out a wedding phote. It was Uncle and some woman she had never seen before. She looked at it for several moments.
"I have never seen this and I don't think that it's real." She was almost offended by it. Had she lived her whole life with him a lie?
"Well, as I have seen in a movie once, look inside the frame." Josh interrupted her thoughts.
She flipped it over and worked to release the picutre. As she pulled the back of the frame off a neatly folded peice of paper fell out. She set the picture aside.
"My Dearest Nicky Bicky-
If you found this then you are well on your way to learning the truth. There are many things that I could not tell you because if you knew them I could no longer protect you. Now that I am gone you need to know. Your parents were not just people. They were magical beings called Lycan's that lived among the people against the will of a very powerful coucil. They had tried to reason with them but they wouldn't return to their world because they could do more good here. They wanted to be ambassadors and help the wicked and poor. This stance caused their untimely death.
I do not know who the council is, where they live or if they even know where you are. Your birth name is not Nicole. It is Katrina Batella and you were born in St. Petersberg Russia. That is where I went to get you. I was never given an actual birth certificate so I had one made for you. Besides it helped hide you.
I am sure this comes as a terrible shock and I am truely sorry. You were my whole life and everything I have done was to protect you. Soon you will meet your 'mate' and he will give you all the strength you need to get the answers you need. If you belong to a royal family I don't know for sure, but Lycans are royals amoung the werewolf society.
Please heed my warning that your life is in danger simply because of who you are and who your parents were. As you get stronger it will be easier for them to find you.
Always, Uncle
Nicole felt her head spinning and Josh was at a loss for words. His mate was a Lycan? Did they even really exist? He thought they were a folktale. "What in the f**k?" She had a million questions in her eyes as she looked over at Josh. "Are you"...she looked back the letter for a moment.."my mate? If you are what does that mean exactly?"
Josh cleared his throat wanting to tread lightly here. This was the bombshell of bombshells and she looked like she was going to pass out. "Ummm, yes but.." He was too shocked.
"But what? What does this mean? Exactly please." Her heart was beating wildly in her chest. She crossed her arms and sat in the dining room chair.
"Okay, just let me get my thoughts in order." He sat down in the other chair and took a deep breath. Trenton warned 'Be honest here. She is very confused.'
"Okay, he took her hand in his. Do you feel that?" He waited for her to answer.
"Heat? Energy? It feels good."
"Okay, good, now I want you to breath in your nose and tell me what you smell."
She did as she was asked closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath. "I smell pine and beaches. I love it." She smiled. She could feel herself relaxing.
"Excellent. You are smelling me. Now when mates pick up each other scent it make them feel good. Do you feel anything?"
"Yes, I feel warm all-over. " She opened her eyes looking right into his. "Will it also make you get lost in their eyes?"
"Yes." He couldn't help but kiss her. Her lips were soft and warm and perfect. She didn't shy away but instead let him explore her. It was fireworks between them. She pulled herself away and let go of his hand. "Sorry but I have been wanting to do that since I first saw you." Josh apologized.
"Me too but..." She turned red just admitting she was attracted to him.
"Now, the mating bond is a lot like love but just more instant. Love just helps us grow stronger. We mate for life. We never leave each other, we are supposed to never hurt each other. We protect each other because we are important to each other."
He was quiet just letting her take everything in. "Can I have some time to myself?"
"Sure. I will be outside your door."
"Really? Like right outside my door?"
"Yes. You are my number one and after earlier I won't leave you. I can't really." He smiled slightly but it was true.
"You are telling that this bond is so strong for you that you won't leave me?"
"I would rather die than let anything happen to you." He caressed her cheek with his thumb.
"So no matter what you will stand guard outside my door?"
"Yep"
"Okay" she opened the door and waved him out. "We'll see about that."
He walked out the door and she shut it behind him. She went and took a shower and noticed that she felt lonely without him around. She changed cloths and re-read the letter a few times. She went back to the door and knew he was still out there.
She opened the door and saw him standing there. "Fine, you proved your point." She swung the door open and let him in. She felt a lot better with him close.
Her hair was down and damp from her shower. Her eyes free from the glasses that he knew she didn't need. She was so beautiful and she didn't even know it.
"So, if I read this letter correctly. You are a werewolf?"
He nodded.
"Do you only change in a full moon?" .
He shook his head 'no'.
"So you can change now?"
"If you want me to."
"I think it would be best."
He took in a deep breath "Okay but you need to leave. I have to get naked."
"I will be in the bedroom then?"
"Sure, just don't scream. Trenton really likes you. You could hurt his feelings."
She closed the door as they looked at each other.
'Is this a good idea?' Trenton asked.
'It's for her. She is just in a state of shock.' Josh said as he took his shirt off.
'I don't know. She might think I am ugly.' Trenton took a deep breath and shifted.
He scratched the floor to let her know she could come out. He didn't look at her he didn't want to see the terror on her face.
Nicole came out of her bedroom and Trenton stood there looking down and away from her. His coat was a solid grey and velvety looking to her. She caught her breath and was not afraid as she moved closer. She didn't say anything to him. Just looked at him. He did finally look at her and his yellow eyes were speaking volumes to her. She got close enough to touch him. His fur felt just like it looked soft and velvety.
"Josh" She said and he looked down "Trenton?" He looked directly at her.
"So this is real?" It was a rhetorical question. She made her way back to her room. Her stomach swirled with anxiety. She shut the door and silent tears fell.
"Nicole?" She heard Josh speak but she couldn't answer him. She was trying to stifle her sobs."Nicole?"
- Writer
