Unexpected Turmoil

Brit woke about an hour before sunset. Her resplendent dress was crumpled, creased and torn. Threads poked in all directions at the pulled seams. Looking to Ethan still resting, she noted that he seemed more relaxed than he did as he rested the night before. She struggled to wriggle free and, once upright, Brit crawled to him to observe her husband better. He looked peaceful but disheveled. Like hers, his clothing was rumpled. Her lipstick was smeared on both of their lips. As she did when he was in torpor, she observed him. Fang marks were visible deep in his wrist and on her throat surrounded by dark bruises – all of which were healing. She pulled his strands of hair back in place and watched him rest. Gone were the fangs that were still visible when he rested the night before.

Two nights before, Joah had been freed of a presence that had captured her body. Lorne, Denny, Blue, Rhaven, and many others worked to coax the presence to leave. Brit had followed the crowd who observed the mayhem inside of the library. She noted the stench that emanated from the building and she saw the layer of maggots that coated the floor. Grr was at the door standing guard: His mind clearly. It was as if something was trying to crawl within her and was frustrated that it failed. Brit had felt the presence grow angry and agitated. She was sure that Ethan’s gifts of the necklaces and his vitae had protected her. Lorne and Denny struggled to reach her and help. Then as fast as it came, the presence left. To where, Brit did not know. With the exception of some scratches, that quickly healed, and Brit having the wind knocked out of her, she received no injury.

Returning the Shelter, she expected Ethan to be pleased that she fared so well. She was even able to help clean up library. When she arrived, he told her that she had given him quite a scare and he quickly patted her down observing her. At hearing of her evening, Ethan went silent and seemed to be processing her words. Repeating her, he broke the silence, “You left the Shelter.” The only thing that moved on his body was his hands that clenched into fists. Brit assured him that there was no real danger. Folding his arms, Ethan said, “I take it involves the Horsemen issue that we ran into the other night. I also take it, since Joah is now okay as you have said, that there was a banishment of pestilence. Such a thing is nothing but danger actually and it could have gone wrong in so many ways that it hurts my mind to even begin thinking about them.” His words had a hard edge.

Excusing them both from those who were present, Ethan directed Brit to their resting place. Sliding a bundle on the desk, Ethan said, “You will wear this and we will take the clothing you wore to the washing machine now so that it can dry over day.”

Brit followed him feeling troubled. His demeanor was impartial and efficient. His voice was detached. Processing as she walked behind him, she whispered, “You did not give me my kisses.” It was the first time he did not give her the triad of kisses.

Taking a seat behind his desk, he gestured for her to pick up the clothing he had placed for her. “Everything at its time.” Silence followed as he tapped his fingers. “Get out of those clothes, Brit,” he said. His voice was low and direct with no hint of emotion within. Puffing her cheeks, she peeled out of the soiled clothes while pouting over her lack of kisses and his odd behavior. Ethan’s eyes turned darker as he focused on her skin inspecting it for any hint of healing. After stripping, Brit picked up her bathing basket and went to shower. Ethan focused on a spot on the wall until she returned. Watching her dress, he said softly, “Tell me something. Why did you leave the Shelter after I told you repeatedly not to do so under any circumstances?” Brit started to pull on the clothing he had laid out for her. “I said not to leave, no matter who requested.” His hands adjusted a sleeve as she dressed. “I said not to leave, no matter what happened.” She turned and he took the laces of the gown’s understructure and pulled them tight.” His voice continued, “I said not to leave, unless I was with you.”

Feeling the stays rob her of breathing room, she adjusted and countered her weight to his adjusting the gown before replying. “No one, Ethan. I followed b..because I was curious. So many were going…and I heard someone mention the library.” He said nothing. “I…I suppose that I forgot for that moment.” Brit peeked at him and whispered, “Sorry.”

Ethan blinked a few times before looking at her directly. With a scowl, he arranged her dress on her perfectly before returning to his chair. Gesturing, he said flatly, “You need to dry your hair or it will stain the dress. The weather is cold and I will not have you freezing.” Fingers tapped again on the arm of the chair as he refocused on the spot on the wall. Brit could see his jaw clench a few times. His words were measured, “I told you to do something and I pointed out its importance more than a dozen times. You forgot, you say? This wasn’t a shopping list, Brit. I requested this of you so many times….What would happen if you forgot what you promised to God in the church for a night and did things that don’t abide by those agreements? Or if I forgot that you are my only beloved?” Shifting, his eyes narrowed as he continued to stare at the wall and his fingers curled into a fist.

Brit turned to him as she picked up the towel starting to dry the water from her hair. She noticed the clenched jaw muscle and his eyes. His fingers forming the fist only to tap a moment more on the chair were also noted. “But…I am your only beloved.” He glared slightly up at her seeing that she was missing his main point. She hushed and processed more. “You are angry,” she lisped contritely. Brit put her towel down and picked up her comb to remove any tangles. As she combed, she realized that he was indeed angry and that he was angry with her. “Do not worry…I will not forget again.” Slipping into his lap, she kissed his clenched jaw muscle lightly.

Seeing that she obviously felt that the discussion was over, he growled low, “You will not leave this room until I tell you that you can. If you forget about it again, I will see what else needs to be done. You disobeyed me and you got hurt. You were injured, Brit, and only my blood kept you from being injured much more. And grim things could have happened.” Clasping her fingers that were caressing his skin, he turned to her, “I do not accept your reason of…forgetting.” Her blinks let him know that his words had finally made an impact. Of course, he had thought that his words prior had. To emphasize, he continued, “And I mean…you will not leave the room you and I are in at this moment. The Shelter as a whole is off limits. Any other place is off limits.”

Brit fidgeted slightly on his lap not knowing what to say to him. Ethan’s mind darkened as if his beast within was trying to rush forward. He wanted to claw the bricks. His eyes flashed red for a hint of a moment. Her closeness was the only thing that kept him from letting go of the limited control he had at the moment. With his eyes still focused, he muttered, “Things that I ask of you personally and many times and that you agree to…I should not need to make you promise before God that you will do them. A wife does not disobey something her husband has asked of her intently and repeatedly..You will not disobey me again.” His words stopped suddenly and the fingers tapped again.

Processing more, Brit’s eyes formed tears that did not fall. “I did not do it on purpose, Ethan.” She noticed his eyes narrow again and so she stopped realizing that she was not saying anything that was helping. Wriggling her foot, one boot fell to the floor with a soft thud. His fingers continued the annoyed tapping on the arm of the chair. She wriggled the other foot and that boot fell as well. Looking up, she noted he was watching her yet again. “Sorry,” she whispered.

Ethan nodded and went back to musing for several moments. His whisper was barely audible to her. “The road to hell is paved with the best of intentions. It is not about what we wish to ultimately achieve. It is about what actually happens and its consequences. I refuse to take risks where there is no need for them to be taken and you will prove to me that you are past the stage of being prone to forgetting anything and that your sense are keen at all times as long as we share blood. Once I am convinced of this, we shall see about expanding your world to the entire Shelter again.” Both were silent. He saw her wipe at her eyes. She touched his hand caressing the skin with her nails while watching him from beneath the veil of her hair. “You are no child, Brit.”

Leaning against him, she laid her head on his shoulder. Ethan looked at her and gave a small nod before staring back to his random place across the room. “You will not disobey me again.” He could hear her heart sounding strong. Beating….beating. Her blood pumped through her body. Her mortal body. She nodded saying nothing at all, and he felt the soft splatter of a tear that fell from her lashes. Brit’s body was warm, but Ethan did not seem affected by her warmth or her tears. Seeing streaks of light start to appear in the sky, he directed her to change into her sleeping attire indicating his favorite gown with the Victorian lace dripping at her sleeves. He could sense Brit’s bewilderment, but let her process. No cuddles or kisses followed. She had never felt him angry at her before, and she was confused why he was not forgiving her. After all, she said she was sorry.

Ethan remained silent and was hell-bent on not showing emotion tonight. His fangs could be seen beneath his lips as he lay on the bed next to her. “You will not disobey me again,” he repeated before his body went rigid in his rest.