Authors: Jess Parry
It had been close to dusk, when the boys began their taunting again. Shawn had stood just beyond the path his mother wandered daily. The whispers had gotten stronger, the chaos inside his was singing with release. His grandmother had whispered to go out the back and release some of the tension, but not into the woods.
He wandered the path, stepping softly along the edge; it had been his best mate who had balked enough to make Shawn take that fateful last step. He walked into the wildness within the woods. The darkness of the woods had descended faster than nightfall onto him. He stumbled a couple of times by a rotten tree stump, as a few low hanging branches lashed out at his face. He had felt the blood sliding down his cheek from a nasty cut, but there he hasn’t felt any pain. He stopped and sighed as he felt the release, a weight lifted slightly as some of the chaos seeped out of him. He had wandered deeper than he had meant to, lost his bearings, turning he searched wildly for the path that would lead him back to the light.
It was then he saw the shadows descend. They wrapped around him, nipping at his skin that wasn’t protected with clothing. Sharpness penetrated, but again more release and he felt the shadows pressing him onto the cool damp earth. He could smell the musty dirt below him, he felt ferns tickling his face, but was in sheer ecstasy as more shadows crawled over him. Power unbridled erupting from him as he screamed in pleasure. He didn’t know how long he laid there, but suddenly his grandmothers voice called to him. It was faint, but the call drew him off the ground and he followed the soothing voice.
Emerging from the woods, his eyes widened as the moon was high in the sky. He had stopped in the middle of the path and stared in awe. The fullness of it, the brightness of white against the black night, he couldn’t remember ever seeing the moon so full. It was bursting into itself; he understood that feeling all too well. He listened for the sounds of the night to call to him, but silence settled around him. The scream of pure hatred pierced the bubble surrounding him.
He cringed slightly as another memory of his mother standing in the doorway screaming that wild one wasn’t her child that hell would freeze over before she loved it. Those had been the last words he had ever heard from her mouth before she had ran away from him.
A few months later his grandmother had broken the news to him that his mother had died in the streets of Dublin. It was then that he had asked for her help to control the wildness within him. It had taken years of sheer stubbornness to not let the chaotic side of him take over. He had prevailed so far, but he had never been so close to the simmering power that was slumbering inside Siobhan. His grandmother had said he would one day meet a true one, that she would bring that wildness to the front. He had sworn that would never happen, he wouldn’t be his mother’s son and repeat history. He had asked his grandmother how his mother had died, but she had refused to speak of it. She had told him that when his mother had gone, she had been lost truly from everything. He hadn’t pushed the issue with his grandmother, knowing it wouldn’t have done any good, but years later when he had gone to Dublin for school he had searched the archives of articles in the library. He had found the story hours later, she had apparently taken her own live by walking into the oncoming path of a Lawry.
The one image that had always stayed with him had been the overly brightness of his mother’s blue eyes before she had run out the door that fateful night. It was the same brightness he saw shining in Siobhan’s eyes.
They drove in silence for another hour. Sarah would sneak glances at Shawn, but fear encircled her to tightly to let her utter a word. She had watched his hands gripping the steering wheel, she had seen him glance into the rearview, he had been staring at Siobhan as she laughed. She had watched his eyes widen as jealousy slowly crept into her bones.
Once again someone she had started to like had fallen under the wyles of her best friend. She had slouched into the comfort of the seat and stared out the window. She had felt the tears build, but blinked bitterly to keep them from falling.
Lost in her anger and fear, she flinched when she felt a warm hand encircle her cold hand. The grip tightened slightly causing her to glance over at Shawn. His blue eyes met hers for a moment then he looked back to the open road ahead of them. She watched the corner of his mouth curl into a smirk as he ran his thumb caressingly into her palm. The touch send shivers up her arm traveling straight to her heart. He raised their joined hands to his lips and lightly brushed his lips against her skin.
A soft moan escaped Sarah’s lips as she felt her inside tightening. Shawn looked at her and held her gaze, the look he gave stole Sarah’s breathe. His gaze penetrated the coldness that encircled her; she felt the heat of desire rise inside her. She wanted to look away for just a moment to collect her thoughts, but his eyes held hers. Unable to look away or blink she felt the images begin to flash into her mind. The coolness of sheets against her back, she felt the weight of another body on top of her bare skin. The warm touches along her belly, eyes half open she watched a sea of wild flaming red hair trailing kisses down her bare skin. She watched as the Shawn’s blue eyes held hers as she smiled wickedly. She felt heat seep into corner of her being as he breathed against her skin, felt the surge of lust as another kiss landed. She was burning up, but where she watched Shawn softly caress his lips coolness would follow. Another flash popped up, that brought a blush to her cheeks. A wave of lust punched into her and she shivered as flowed around her.
Laughter bolted from her lips as Shawn let go of her hand. He winked at her before he drew his gaze back to the road.
“We’re almost there; another thirty minutes and we’ll be at my grandmother’s place”
“Nice, I need to stretch my legs man, this car rides great, but the backseat isn’t for tall people” Jason called out as he sat up “It also doesn’t help you have the seat so far back buddy”
“bloody hell boy-o I’m just as tall as you what would you suggest I do?” Shawn replied
“Boys quit bickering” Sarah turned to look in the back “I swear Siobhan, we have got to travel alone next time”
Laughing, Siobhan shook her head and continued to gaze out the window.
“God, it’s beautiful here”
“It’s green Siobhan, everything is just green” Sarah replied
“Well it rains just about every damn day here, so naturally it’s going to be crazy ass green” Jason snickered
“Really, you went there?” Shawn replied tersely
“Oh crap everyone just shut the hell up” Sarah clapped her hands together smartly “I’m so not in the damn mood to listen to the testosterone”
Shawn chuckled as he reached for Sarah’s hand again.
“Oh hell no, you don’t get to touch me again if you are going to do what you did earlier” Sarah whispered hotly
“What was it that I did earlier?” Shawn replied
“You know damn well what you did. I felt like I was going to explode from the heat you directed my way.”
A low moan escaped Shawn’s lips.
“I don’t know what you mean…” Shawn replied husky
“Oh please, you do too!” Sarah pulled their intertwined hands to her lips and lightly brushed her lips over Shawn’s hand.
Smiling wickedly as she watched his breath hitch, his eyes close for a moment and another moan fell from his lips.
“Has anyone told you are truly a wicked one” his voice was low and husky with need as he squeezed her hand.
“Always”
“Hey!” Siobhan called
Shawn slowed the car to keep pace with the group. They watched as the horses charged a few more yards before the black stallion stopped abruptly. He stood a few feet ahead of the rest, turning he gazed at the car, his eyes catching Siobhan’s and holding it.
A brief feeling of recognition flashed into Siobhan’s mind. She could feel the sureness of the knowledge she knew this horse. She had ridden on the back of the stallion; she hadn’t been alone when she had ridden. She had been sitting astride him, but could feel the presence of someone else with her. She could feel the pressure of another body against her back. Strong thighs pressing against her, arms wrapped around her, the warmth of another body brushing against her. She heard the low chuckle of laughter brush past her ear before it was carried off into the wind racing around them. Happiness engulfed her.
The moment was gone as Siobhan blinked rapidly feeling tears stinging her eyes. She watched as the stallion broke the spell as he turned ahead then lurched up into the air. His great front hooves pawed the air a couple of times before he landed gracefully on the ground. He pranced in place before he shook his head and raced away from the car. The herd started to follow and Siobhan lowered the window to listen to the pounding hooves disappearing in the field.
“Wow!” Siobhan whispered
“Ah, the wild horses of the county have come to say welcome” Shawn replied as he chuckled softly
“They are all wild?” Siobhan asked
“Yes, the black one was once a tame horse, but his owner passed suddenly leaving the beast to fend for himself. He broke free of the stable and ran into the night. Several towns people tried to round him up, but he was an elusive bastard. A few years later we noticed several peoples horses started disappearing in the night, only to resurface days later in the herd of wilds.”
“Why didn’t you guys just herd them into a barn?” Sarah asked
“It doesn’t quite work that way love” Shawn replied between chuckles “We tried to gather them, every spring for years; the town’s farmers will ride out looking for them. They chase the herd for most of the day trying to veer them into one of the landowner’s fencing. One year the black one was nowhere to be seen and we almost got the herd onto McKliney’s property, but out of nowhere the black came blazing out of the woods surrounding McKliney’s. The Black bucked wildly as he raced towards us, our horse went wild as he raced towards us. We ended up turning face as he pulled his horses away from us.”
“Seriously?” Sarah asked her voice rang slightly in awe
“Who did Black belong to?” Siobhan asked quietly
“That’s the thing, we aren’t entirely sure, the story I grew up with was he was the stallion to the great prince of Shadows. His kingdom was nestled in the wilds of our woods. He was the son of the hoarfrost queen, now she was a piece of work.” Shawn’s lilting voice floated back to Siobhan
“Wait.. Prince, son of the hoarfrost queen? What the hell are you talking about Shawn?” Sarah laughed as she looked at Shawn.
“Fairies”
“Fairies… Oh that’s just bullshit” Jason snickered
“Not everything if so clear cut boy-o magick surrounds us constantly pulling at the strings that evolve our dreams, hopes, dreams. Some have more luck than others; some loves are truly beyond our beings, encompassing our souls to our lost halves completing them.” Shawn squeezed Sarah’s hand lightly as he finished the sentence.
“Yeah I read in the tourist magazines that how most of Ireland makes its money. Selling the stories of fairies, leprechaun’s and shit like that.” Jason snorted “Please, like I’m going to believe that shit”
“Well considering your girlfriend currently has a ring around her delicate finger that zaps you and protects her from the likes of you. I might suggest you open your bloody eyes and look around at the magick that is surrounding you at the moment” Shawn replied smoothly
Grunting Jason sat up and rammed his knee into the back of Shawn’s seat. Shawn looked into the rearview mirror to see Jason glaring at him. He let the laughter escaped his lips as he braked hard and watched Jason’s head jerk forward before he gunned the pedal causing Jason’s to snap forward.
“Stop it!” Siobhan yelled
“You are a bastard” Jason roared
“You have no idea how right you are on that one” Shawn replied calmly as he turned the car onto a tight pathway.
The sounds of crunching gravel echoed through the car as they continued down the winding path. Trees lined the way and Siobhan watched the sunlight peeking into between the trees flowing branches. A breeze lazily swayed the trees, calling invitingly to Siobhan. She had the sudden over powering urge to tell Shawn to stop the car so she could wander along the path. The need to be outside, to feel the cool ground under her bare feet was almost unbearable.
“We’re here, my gran’s house is straight ahead” Shawn’s voice broke Siobhan’s revelry
She turned to look through the windshield and inhaled sharply at the house that began to emerge before her.
The house sat before an immerse group of woods, it wasn’t a very large house, or maybe sitting before the vastness of woods, the house shrank. It’s thatched roof hung over the second story shading the flower boxes that hung outside the windows. Cozy white curtains closed out the world outside, but still enabled the inhabitants to see out. Bright blue shutters were opened against the creamy white paint of the house. The first floor windows were open and the same cozy curtains were blowing lazily outside the window into the afternoon breeze. Beautiful red blooms were spilling out of the lower flower boxes. They leaned out slightly with their petals facing into the sun, Siobhan watched as several butterflies danced among them blooms. Resting on top of one, their wings fluttering slightly before taking off to land on another petal to rest.