VII

relations
Fingers raced along her arms to her shoulders, tangled and twisted in her hair, tugging so gently
and so lovingly. He pulled her face to his, lips brushed against each other, eyes closed, skin
sparking at every touch.
She was trying to see the situation through clear eyes, but whether the wine had dropped a
haze over her vision or the lust that boiled in her veins had clouded her mind, she could not. There
was only his hands, his lips, his skin. He lifted the hem of her dress, pulled it over her headshe
raised her arms, felt more than saw the dress hit the floor, standing before him in her lace
undergarments.
He touched her chin, her eyes cast down, focusing on the grain of the wood that made up
the floor. He ran his fingers along her jaw, touched his thumb to her lips, opened her mouth a
fraction to feel her breath on his fingers.
His jacket and shirt were on the floor, his shoes and socks by the door; she had not noticed,
had not realized until he stepped out of his pants, that there was only a soft, lacy barrier between
their bodies. He moved forward, sending her back toward the bed; another step, and she fell back
onto the mattress, her fingers gripping the sheets. He knelt at the foot of the bed, at her legs; he
kissed her shins, her calves, her ankles. He spread her legs and kissed the inside of her knees and
her thighs; he looked up at her face, his eyes heavy with desire.
You are beautiful. He whispered against her skin. His breath, those words, sent chills
through her body. His lips continued up her legs to the barrier between their bodies. His fingers
gripped the lace, tugged down to reveal bare skin, the mound of flesh between her legs, the most
secret place her body had to offer. She lifted her lower body, felt the fabric slide against her skin as
he removed the garment and tossed it to the ground.
Her body responded to every touch, her back arched, her eyes clenched shut. She gripped
the sheets tighter, scratched at the bed, a moan escaping her lips. He looked at her face again, this
time a smile playing on his lips.
You taste amazing. The kisses continued, the moans growing in her throat, threatening to
break out, she wanted to scream and thrash. She did thrash, against her own skin, against the bed,
against his lips. His mouth travelled to her stomach, his hands moving around her sides to back,
lifting her body to meet his mouth. He continued north, to her breasts, and his hands followed to
the latches on her bra strap.
He took in a deep breath as he buried his face against her neck, unhooking her bra with
ease. He pulled the straps from her arms and tossed the item awayit landed on the floor,
somewhere near the night-stand, and her breasts her bare against his chest. She felt his heart
beating within his rib cage, his breath ragged.

You smell of earth and lavender and coffee grounds. Like the forest just after a light rain.
The words were a whisper, breathy, heavy with need. His fingers traced the curve of her waist,
trailed over her hipbones, found their way between her legs, and his lips found hers.
Ecstasy flooded her nervous system, she bucked against him, yelped as he replaced his
fingers with another appendage; her hands moved from the sheets to his back, nails against skin,
gripping and dragging and grabbing. He wouldnt let her lips leave his, and he kept his eyes open
she was unable to close her own, pull her gaze away, she was mesmerized by their colour, but
their intensity.
He broke the connection, lifted his head, buried it in her neck. Bites and nips and licks and
kisses as he rocked against her, as they moved in unison, perfect timing. Their breathing and their
rhythm increased, sweat against sweat, mingling together.
It was over with a scream as they both fell away to their own hazy thoughts, their hands
finding each other, fingers laced together.

She awoke to the smell of coffee and a delicious aromareaching across the bed, she felt for
Vincents arm, and when she didnt feel his warmth, she opened her eyes and sat up. A fresh cup of
coffee steamed on the night-stand beside her, and he had placed an outfit on the chair in the
corner, near her closet. Smiling, Effie stood from the bed and slipped the nearly see-through
shorts over her hips, fastened the bra behind her back, and pushed her arms through the sleeves of
the shirt. She left it unbuttoned and slipped her feet into her slippers.
Holding the cup, Effie walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. There, standing at her
wood-burning stove, was Vincent. Nimbus stood a few feet away from him, staring up at his hands
and mewling. He dropped a piece of egg to the floor, and Nimbus nibbled at it.
It seems like you two are getting along. Effie laughed, sitting down at the small table in
the corner. He turned and smiled at her. What are you making?
Bacon, scrambled eggs, and country fried potatoes. Vincent responded. He tossed a cloth
over his shoulder and lifted the pan from the stove, shovelling the eggs onto two plates.
Do you take anything with your eggs or potatoes? He asked, carrying both plates to the
table. Hot sauce, sour cream, ketchup?
Hot sauce please, its in the fridge. He nodded and retrieved it, placing it in front of her on
the table.
Thank you, for all of this. I didnt expect you to be here this morning.
You expected me to just leave in the dead of night, without even saying good-bye? He
questioned, taking a bite of his potatoes. She shrugged and nodded. That wouldnt have been very
respectful of me, Effie. Im a gentleman.
She felt guilt for thinking that he would treat her that way, but she couldnt stop herself
from believing that he would turn out to be just like her previous lovers.
Im sorry, Vincent. I havent been the luckiest in this department. She confided. He looked
at her as if he both understood and wanted her to continue. You know about my most recent
relationshipthe addiction that he fuelled. Ive dealt with abuse, both physical and emotional, and
Ive been walked out on a few times. She shook her head and laughed, at herself and at the words

she was saying. Ive had a few one night stands, but they all ended with my lover leaving in the
middle of the night. A few times, they left money.
Vincent reached across the table and grabbed her hand, rubbing her skin with his thumb.
The look on his face was both sadness and anger.
That is not how a gentleman treats a lady, Effie. You can trust me to never walk out on you.
Im fairly straight-forward with my words, and I have never hit a womanand I dont plan on
starting. Please, trust me. I am not them.
His words filled her heart, warmth flooded her veins. She wasnt sure that they would make
anything of the energy that surged between them, she didnt know if either of them felt anything
deep for the other, but she was sure that he was being truthful, and she was grateful for that.
When breakfast was finished, she sent him upstairs to take a shower while she
straightened up the kitchen. She placed the pan and the plates and the forks in a sink of warm
water to soak, and she made herself another cup of coffee. As she left the kitchen and stopped in
front of the staircase, she could hear him whistling in the bathroom. A smile spread on her lips and
she settled into the couch, sipping her coffee.
He came down the stairs thirty minutes later, in nothing but a towel around his waist. She
raised her eyebrows at him and laughed, giving him a wink. He returned the gesture and laughed
as he stepped into the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee.
When he returned to the living room, he sat beside her on the couch and, in silence, they
finished their drinks. Effie watched as he moved, lifting the cup to his lips; she was mesmerized by
how the soft sunlight bounced off of his skin, glittered in his hair, and how his muscles moved
under his skin.

Nimbus purred against her neck, the kittens fur tickling her ear. Effie opened her eyes, stretched
her arms over her head, and yawned. She searched for Vincent, but could not see him or hear him
a small piece of torn paper sat on the table by their empty coffee cups.
A twinge of fear tickled at the back of her mind as she lifted the piece of paper from the
table.
Hello Beautiful,
Im sorry I had to leave without saying good-bye, you were too sweet
to wake and work called me in. Why dont you meet me Harborview, the
restaurant down by the docks, tonight around seven oclock? Ill be there,
waiting.
Vincent
Effie blushed and chided herself for the fear she had felt previously. Smiling, she checked
the wall clock across the roomit was one oclock; she had been asleep for four hours on the
couch. Stretching again, she made sure Nimbus was comfortable on the couch and she stood,
tilting from side to side.

She walked to the desk that sat against the wall, under the windowshe hadnt sat down to
write anything since she arrived in Norswood, and something about her encounter with Vincent
the night before had inspired her. She uncovered her typewriter and sat down in the chair.
A new beginningthat is what I needed. To get away from the city,
away from the temptations of the concrete and the high rises and the stench
that seemed to permeate the walls and the side-walks. I needed the freshness
of the forest, a quiet town, and by far the most needed at this time: a lover.
I understand that recovering addicts should not enter into a relationship
too soon after starting their recoveryif that romance were to go south, it
could act as a trigger for the addict, dragging them back to their choice poison.
The thing is, romance was never the triggeryes, my previous relationship
was the reason I started down that dark path, but it was not the love that
drew me in, it was the lover.
There is no better distraction from your current craving than distracting
yourself with someone that fills your senses, takes over your mind.
I know, I know. I do not suggest this for anyone, as it always has the
potential to take a downward spiral. But, for me, our one night together thus
far has given me hope for the future, hope that I will get better and stay better.
She stopped typing, removed the paper and inserted a clean sheet. Tapping her finger
against her nose, she thought of the words she wanted to use in order to describe everything she
was feeling and thinking.
I met him in townI tripped and fell, and he helped me up. Then, I saw
him at the Autumn Celebration that same week. We spent the entire night
talking. He has this way about him, this ability to coax your deepest secrets
out of you. I opened up to him completely, in a way that I am incapable of
doing with anyone elseincluding family.
He showed up at my cabin yesterday and asked me out on a date. He was
forward, which was a nice change from the men in the city. The date was
wonderful: dinner and a walk through the forest. Simple, but perfect.
We ended the night in a way I had not anticipated, and I awoke this
morning to breakfast. He has already broken down a few of my walls, and
though I am happy to have met him, I fear that there is something waiting in
the shadows, some sort of evil that will prove that this is too good to be true.
Perhaps that is just my pessimism showing through, perhaps I am too
worried about history repeating itself again. Who knows? I am trying to take
this one day at a timenot just this situation with Vincent, but my recovery
as well. That is my first priority, I must make sure that I am on the right path
and that I stay on it. If I dont, it most definitely may be the death of me.

Effie stretched her arms over her head, bending to one side then the other until her back
and shoulders felt loose. She stood from the desk and grabbed her coffee cup, settled on making
tea and some soup from her cupboard. Nimbus followed her into the kitchen and mewled at Effie,
sitting by her bowl.
Oh, youre hungry? Effie giggled, bending down to scratch the kitten behind the ear. Well,
let me put some water on and Ill get you a bowl of food.
During her last visit to town, Effie had purchased a small bag of kitten food to supplement
her companions diet and get her ready for adulthood. Nimbus didnt seem too fond of the dry
food, but Effie continued to give her a small portion each day. As she watched the feline nibble on
the food, albeit without enthusiasm, Effie recalled the night beforethe feeling of Vincents
fingers on her skin, his lips against hers... She shook her head to remove the memories, not
wanting to fall into old habits so early in their relationship.
She poured the boiling water over the tea bag, then into the cup of soup, waiting for both
items to finish steeping. During what seemed like an eternity of waiting, Effie heard a strange
sound from the back porch. Moving toward the window, she looked out into the forest and saw a
white figure limping through the trees.
Ohoh my god... Her voice trailed off as she dropped the kettle to the ground. It made a
clatter against the wood, but she stepped over it and opened the back-door. The moaning grew
louder, echoing through the trees, hitting the trunks and the walls of her house and ringing in her
ears.
The figure emerged from the tree-line, arms limp, feet shuffling through the leaves and
grass. Her face was slack, her pants and shirt covered in blood. The woman lifted her arm, reached
for Effie, and moaned.
Hehelp me. Her voice was low, hoarse, and she choked with every breath she took. Effie
took a step, ready to help the woman, but saw that her wounds were more severe than she had
originally thought. The womans throat was ripped open, the blood pouring down her chest.
Please. Hehelp me.
Effie ran through the back-door and dialled nine-one-one, her eyes focused on the woman
outside. She kept walking, stumbling, dragging her feet, reaching for Effie, for someone.
Nine-One-One, whats your emergency?
Theres a woman who is badly injured in my back-yard. It looks like her throat has been
mauled, there is blood everywhere. Effie cried, moving to close the door. She didnt want to leave
the poor woman outside, but she was too scared that whatever had harmed the woman would
harm her.
All right maam, calm down. What is your address? The operators voice was soothing as
Effie tried to breathe through her panic.
I live out on the highway, number seven. She said to the operator.
Thank you, maam. EMTs are on their way. Are you able to secure the victim, staunch the
blood-flow?
I can try. We are out back, behind the house. Effie said.
Ill update the EMTs.
The phone clicked, leaving Effie alone, staring at the bloody woman. She grabbed a pile of
wash-cloths from a drawer and steadied herself her the taskshe had never enjoyed the sight of
blood, but she needed to help the woman.

Effie closed the door behind her and skipped a few steps as she ran down to the grass. The
woman had grabbed her throat with one hand, the other still loose by her side.
I called nine-one-one, they are sending EMTs. Here, lay down and Ill try to stop the
bleeding. Effie helped the woman to the ground and moved her handthe wound was worse than
she had first thought. Flesh ripped, torn, blood still flowing from the gash, Effie covered the
wound with the wash-cloths and put light pressure on it as she tried to reassure the woman. Can
you tell me your name?
Ida. The womans voice was barely a whisper, and Effie gave her a weak smile.
Well, Ida, help is on the way. Theyll make you good as new.
Ththank you.
Can you tell me what caused this? Effie inquired. She remember the odd dream she had
previously: the animal, the blood soaking the ground. Perhaps she hadnt been dreaming, but
maybe sleepwalking?
Monmonster. Man. She gurgled. Idas eyes rolled in her head and her breathing slowed.
Ida? Ida, stay with me. Help is coming. Effie said, leaning over to listen for breath or
words or anything that would signal the woman still had life in her body. Nothingthere was no
breath, no movement, from Ida; Effie removed her hands and the wash-cloths, and sat beside her
until the EMTs arrived and asked her to move away from the body.
She told the police everything Ida had said, which wasnt much to go on. They found her
family, but when the deputies returned from searching the surrounding area, they had found no
evidence of a man or the crime-scene.
The sheriff left Effie with his card, told her to call if she saw anything suspicious in the
coming days. Effie walked into her house, locked the back-door, and sat at the kitchen table.
Who would do something like that? Who could do something like that? She put her head
down on the wood and closed her eyes, her soul tired from the experience. She fell asleep, Nimbus
curled on her lap, her head covered by her arms.