Run to me by Darlene Gibbs (best sci fi novels of all time TXT) 📖

to accept what he was.
I nodded my acknowledgement of his statement, not trusting myself to speak. He grinned suddenly and I almost melted against him.
“The truth is, I can’t transform right now, I can only transform at night, and I am at my strongest only on a full moon.” He was still smiling.
“Oh.” The tit bit of information surprised me; Anzel was sharing a weakness with me.
“So, you are just a man now?” I asked and he nodded. “You feel pain; you can die as easily as a man.”
“Almost.” He said simply.
“No special abilities?” I asked.
“Not too much.” He responded.
“Good.” I slapped his face, hard. He laughed.
I had expected anger or reprisal; his laughter caught me by surprise. I smiled and tried to pull away from his arms.
“You have a beautiful smile.” He said softly and stared into my eyes intently.
“Thanks...” My words were cut off by the press of his lips against mine. I could sense the hunger behind his kiss but he drew away without deepening it.
“I’ll go dress and walk you back to the cabin.” He said and hurried back to the stream. I brushed my fingers lightly across my lips, savoring the tantalizing warmth of his lips that still lingered. I found myself looking forward to sharing his bed, it wasn’t that I was loose as Arkel would say; I simply had no choice in the matter. I nodded my head firmly; I would make love to Anzel tonight, because I had no choice. I licked my lips in an effort to retain the taste of him...yes, because I had no choice.
*****
chapter 6

Chapter 6
I was surprised to find that we spent much of the day talking. In spite of his rough exterior it turned out that Anzel was quite talented. I learnt that he had left his parents many years before and earned his way in life, I was amazed to find that he was numbered among the first people who inhabited the Americas, and swiftly obtained the land the space on which he now lived. I dared not ask him his true age, for though he looked a young man of no more than twenty two or three, he was clearly much, much older.
Talking to Anzel made me feel so lost and sheltered. To hear the things that he had experienced, the places he had seen – my own life seemed pathetically empty in comparison. I had never left the village, never knew more than the ten or so families that lived there, never knew a way of life other than the one they told me about. Anzel spoke of hundreds and thousands of people, of a freedom that I could only dream of and I wished dearly to experience it.
He showed me around the grounds, where he kept animals and grew vegetables and suffered to teach me how to maintain a kitchen garden. I daresay I ended with more of the mud on my face than in the garden. He had a fine time laughing at me.
“Is that not considered ungentlemanly?” I demanded, after a day of being told of all the fancy ways of ladies and gentlemen about the world I rather fancied myself an authority. He laughed all the more loudly. I grinned. I liked his laugh; it was earthy and so real and contagious.
“Come here.” He instructed; I stepped forward obediently and he lifted his shirt, revealing well sculpted abs, damping the end with his tongue he proceeded to rub the dirt from my face. I inhaled sharply; the action was so simple and yet so intimate it sent bolts of electricity through my body. Why did I respond to every thing he did like that?
“I shall start dinner.” I muttered pulling away from him I hurried towards the house. He hesitated only momentarily before joining me; I felt his hand slide around my waist possessively and was surprised to find that I liked it.
Anzel was most quiet during dinner and I could not help worrying if I had done something to offend him, we seemed to have been getting along quite well during the day. Perhaps I ought not to worry about such things; after all, in just a few days I would be leaving this place, never to see him again.
Having insisted that I needed no help with the dishes I watched Anzel saunter outside to chop wood for the fire. I had five days here but I knew instinctively a man like Anzel would take many, many, many years to understand. So tough and aggressive one moment and the next soft and playful, the question was, which was the real Anzel?
When I strolled into the bedroom I noted that Anzel had captured and left a basin of water for me to clean up and I was grateful. I was accustomed to hard work, but the long walk we had taken during the day left me feeling rather tired. I stripped off my clothes and pulled on what I could only presume was one of Anzel’s shirts, he had said that I would sleep naked, but he was wrong – I would fight his intentions all the way.
I climbed onto the bed and snuggled under the sheet briefly wondering where Anzel had disappeared to. The single candle I lit was growing smaller and still there was no trace of Anzel. I pushed the thought out of my mind that I was actually waiting up for him to come to bed. I slipped off the bed; hurried to the door and peeped outside.
“Anzel.” I whispered his name into the dark room, a little embarrassed that I was having some trouble sleeping in his absence.
“Carrie.” His voice responded from so near to me I stumbled back.
“I...I thought...well...I...” I wasn’t sure what explanation to give for my coming to look for him. I need not have bothered for he gripped my hand firmly and pulled me back into the bedroom. A breath caught in my throat and my stomach twisted with a combination of anticipation and nervousness, would he make love to me again? In the dim flickering light of the candle I could see that Anzel was fully dressed and looking quite splendid in a fancy gentleman’s suit and hair well groomed.
“You’re...you’re going out?” Where on earth could he be going in a jungle dressed like that; unless he had changed his mind and decided to take me into town and release me sooner. “You’re letting...letting me go?”
“No.” He rubbed what appeared to be a nervous hand across his mouth roughly. “I rather hoped you’d...” It was his turn to stammer now. “I hoped...” I stared at him, waiting to hear the hopes of this man that seemed to be such a crazy mix of personalities, but suddenly he was kneeling before me and from his extended hand he was presenting me with the most beautiful ring I had ever seen in my life.
“Anzel!” The word rolled off my lips.
“Be my wife.” He whispered, he looked shy, almost embarrassed but that just made him so much more endearing. “I’m sorry I have no fancy dresses here for you, or feasts, but tomorrow I promise you I can kill a lamb and prepare you a feast you would not soon forget. I know it could never be like the marriages you’ve seen but I promise I’ll take care of you and you never have to fear anything or anyone.” He was looking up at me earnestly and I could only stare down at him with shock. A tear trickled down my cheek and I brushed it away swiftly.
“I...” I wasn’t sure what to say, a part of me screamed yes and a part of me said that I wanted to be free. Agreeing to marry him meant never being free. I stood there struggling with my emotions until I felt the ring slide onto my finger.
“Anzel.” There were no more words to be said he had risen to his feet and lifted me into his arms and carried me to the bed. “Anzel.”
“I only ask for you to give us a chance, Carrie.” He whispered and then his lips were on mine, hot, passionate and his tongue demanding entry – I didn’t refuse him.

Chapter 7

Chapter 7
I picked my way along the forest gingerly, I was wearing one of Anzel’s shirts, I didn’t wish to take the time to dress more appropriately for the outside as I didn’t wish to wake him. Last night had been good; in fact it had been more than good, it had been extraordinary. Anzel had been gentle, thoughtful and loving. I would never have thought it possible, but in spite of what he was; I was falling in love with Anzel.
I smiled to myself quietly; it was so strange how he could be so soft sweet and kind. I glanced down at the ring he had placed on my finger that night, the ring that said Anzel wanted to be with me, forever. I caressed it gently and trudged forward determinedly. Since I had arrived it seemed it was Anzel that spent his time trying to make me feel loved and wanted; it was my turn now. Had he not said that he had gotten the rose he had brought to me that first day from around the forest? In fact I distinctly remembered him saying that they were all about and quite easy to find. I bit my bottom lip viciously; I had been searching for close to an hour now and could find not one.
“Darn!” I peeked behind a nearby bush and gave a sigh of frustration. I had hoped to make it back to the cabin before Anzel awoke, prepare breakfast and present it to him with a rose and announce that I desired