My chest burned like the inferno that engulfed my home. My eyes stung worse than the lacerations that were torn with every swipe of the tree branches. My legs ached almost as painfully as my heart that somehow kept beating despite losing the very thing that gave me safety. I prayed for my sister's safety. If I died wishing for her to live I hoped that would secure her resilience.
On wobbling legs I fell to my knees. My head was cold. I felt light. Nauseous. I knew I must have outrun them; it had been what felt like days before I heard the cheers for death. The trees like skyscrapers towered over me, thick beams of light bleeding through the cracks between the leaves to warm my skin. I could hear the babbling stream just inches away. My mouth was so dry but I couldn't risk drinking.
Groaning I pulled myself to my feet and removed my shoes before I stumbled into the stream. I walked forward to the waterfall. The stones were slick against my feet. The sounds of water crashing came with every step. I stood under the waterfall, my eyes closed, my head tilted back. The cool water brought me back to life. I leaned forward, thinking I'd lay my head against the hill but I just kept moving until I opened my eyes again and found myself in a cavern.
Before me laid a woman. She was blonde with long, soft, straight hair. Her soft sin was lightly sun kissed. She was small. About the length of my forearm. I came closer to her, lowering myself to my knees. Slowly I pushed her hair behind her ear to find that it came to a point. It was then I noticed her eyes were twice the size they should have been. Now that I was closer I could see that her skin sparkled with flecks of gold. I didn't know what I was thinking but I slipped my hand under her to cup the back of her neck as my other hand secured her legs. I felt something. Turning her as I crouched over her, attempting not to disturb the sleeping creature, I saw golden, translucent wings. I laid the woman on my lap. She wore a white velvet dress that flowed lazily over her defined curves. She had thick thighs, a cute tummy, a full butt, and large breasts.
My vision was beginning to cloud, turning the ethereal beauty before me into a heartbreaking blur. My body felt cold. Looking down at my hands I was met with a startling shade of white. I was too far away from myself for it to be led with anything other than curiosity but I turned to look at my side where my blood was rushing from my body, pooling against the stones and slipping between the cracks. I figured I must have been hallucinating, and so I turned back to the perfect woman in my hands. I bent to lay my lips onto her own. She tasted like honey. I cradled her as I kissed her and suddenly I felt her fingers trail down the side of my face. When I pulled back her eyes were open. They were gold. Then all was black.
I awoke amongst what felt like a cocoon of moss. I opened my eyes to see exactly that. The entirety of the floor was a large bed of moss complete with pillows and leaf blankets. The room was circular. To the right of me was a spiral staircase. Lined up beside the staircase were bookcases that reached to the ceiling. Far above my head was a window that allowed me a view of the starry sky. Hanging from the ceiling was a chandelier.
I stood and found myself in my boxers. My wounds were gone. I walked to the staircase and carefully squeezed myself between the bars, easing myself to the first floor. I found myself in a cozy living room. The walls were lines with vines and the floor a blanket of moss. Wooden chairs were built into the walls to create little nooks below bookshelves. The middle of the room held a round table where a tea set and a porcelain doll stood. I walked into the kitchen, then. The chocolate brown walls and cupboards were aglow with candles. The walls were lined with shelves where jars of dried meat, herbs, mushrooms, vegetables, an fruit sat. Beside the archway was table and chair set.
The fairy sat atop the counter as she washed the dishes. She was just as beautiful in the light of the little fires surrounding her. She struck me with her enchanting eyes but broke my heart with the hurt within them.
"What happened?"
"You came to me dying and you kissed me, making me your slave."
"What?"
"I had to save you. A kiss between a fairy and a human is a soul bind."
"I thought I hallucinated you. I thought you went extinct."
"We didn't. We went into hiding. I can't give you commands but I must ask that you not tell anyone of me."
"Why not?"
"Your kind would enslave us, as you have done in the past."
"We did?"
"I am not surprised that your kind has hidden your wrongdoings. I cannot lie to you, however."
"I understand," I brushed my hand through my hair, taking in a deep breath as I did, "When you said you're my slave... what does that mean?"
She put down the dish and leaned against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest, "I have to do whatever you say and grant whatever you wish," She said simply.
"With what stipulations?"
"I have a limited power source. It replenishes when I sleep. Like your energy."
I leaned against the wall, "Is this a custom or..."
She sighed, her shoulders sagging, "No. I'm physically incapable of lying to you or denying you."
I nodded in understanding. A moment of silence passed as I watched her avoid meeting my stare, "I won't take advantage of that."
She picked at her long, silver nails. Her head bowed.
"I know you don't believe me."
She took in a deep breath. With a toss of her hair she returned her attention to me, "So, what happened?"
I explained everything to her. She already knew that our town had become overrun with crime and so I only needed to tell her how my sister had come to live with me when she left her ex for getting involved with a crime syndicate. They found out the things he'd told her and so they killed him and sent their men after her, and by extension, me. I distracted them while she ran. In telling her the story, after finding out I saved my sister, I saw a hint of a smile.
"We can bring her here. I wouldn't want her to be unsafe."
"Thank you."
We went outside together and I was struck by the dense greenery. The colors of the trees and flowers were so bright they were blinding. The trees were pact so tightly they formed walls around her home. Toward the line of the trees a massive hawk laid in a nest. The bird was twice my size.
"That's Hannah."
"Hannah?"
"Her name is what you find odd?"
I laughed. The girl flew to the hawk where she perched onto its head. She beaconed me toward her, patting the bird's back. I climbed atop Hannah and we took to the sky. The wind whipped my face, branding me with ice. The fairy sat atop the falcon's head. She turned to me.
"My name is Gold."
"Dorian."
She turned from me again. Her hair blew over her shoulders, bringing her soft skin into view. It almost glistened in the sun. She was perfect.
We landed at the base of the abandoned lighthouse. Hannah waited for us. Gold, however, had to remain hidden, and so she clung to my back, hidden by my wild mane of black hair.
My sister and I had agreed to meet at the lighthouse if ever our home had been incinerated or we had to hide for whatever reason. The second I stepped inside I felt as though I'd been hit with a brick. I fell to my knees. Despite the men in the room I stared at my sister. I could feel the strings of my heart pull tight, burning as they refused to snap. Hot tears welled in my eyes. My vision tunneled.
I felt cool iron kiss my temple and my sadness melted away. My jaw set. As my muscles tightened I swore I felt my skin harden. My ears rang with the sound of the gunshot that should have killed me. Instead I looked up at my shooter. His eyes bulged out of his head. The horror written across his face was unlike anything I'd ever seen.
I came to my feet, keeping my back away from the men as more of them tried to shoot me. I kneed him in the gut and when he fell to the floor I grabbed the gun and executed each of his cohorts. I saved the man that shot me for last. I climbed atop him and wrapped my hands around his neck and squeezed. His face was the color of chalk. I'd never forget how the horror drained from his face as life did the same.