Golden Keeper Ch. 04

Chapter Four: Yeah, yeah.

"Hello."

Grant fought the urge to clean out his hears; her voice was so unnaturally musical, yet so perfect to him. His eyes dropped to the source of the word and saw two light pink, bow-shaped lips still parted. Grant's mind wandered as he stared at the woman's lips, her bottom lip slightly larger than the top. He started to imagine all the things she could do with her lips… Easy, man! G rated thoughts, please, he told himself. He shook his head to rid himself of his lustful thoughts, only to have his focus drawn once again to her sensual mouth. They're so perfect, he thought again, just imagine what they'd look like wrapped around my— gah! Talk about a one track mind, and of all the times to be disgustingly perverted…

He shook his head, letting his black hair fall into his eyes making him shake his head back twice more for good measure.

"Hello," he heard again, only this time the end was a question, an incredibly lyrical question, he thought. Grant shook his head… again… to clear his mind.

"Ah-Hello," he said; his voice still husky from his quick fantasies, "so what brings you out here?" She probably thinks I'm a complete moron… shaking my head all over the place…

___

If it was possible she thought the man's voice became even dreamier. The woman cleared away her thoughts and focused on what to say to him next.

"I-I was just resting for a bit," she said quietly, all musical quality vanished from her voice leaving behind a tiny, scared voice, "just passing th-through, you see. T-traveling."

"Oh…" the man said. He paused for a second before adding, "well I have a cabin just through the woods there," he pointed back to where she thought the wolf had gone before.

Looking back to him, she decided that she wouldn't mind the company… or some food… when was the last time I ate something? She asked herself. Although still skeptical of him, the woman told him she would like to join him figuring if something bad happened she could just fly away… right?

___

Grant watched her as she got up. Her long, silvery-blonde hair hung down to her waist and seemed to caress her slim figure. He started at her feet which, while mostly covered in dirt and sap, were still cute to him. Cute? Geez… he thought. His gaze traveled upwards along her pale, lean legs that went on for miles only to be covered by his shirt… he almost growled at the thought. Her slim, round hips and thin, taught stomach were hidden from his watch, but just barely, for the plain, white shirt clung to her body in the most enticing ways. He could see her firm, full breasts that looked to be a perfect handful and her nipples that were somewhat visible protruding from her flesh from underneath his tee-shirt. Grant kept looking up, past the elegant slope of her neck to her face… her very beautiful face, he amended. Her chin was daintily set in her heart-shaped face, and Grant skipped over her lips knowing the temptation that was there. She had a pointed nose but not overly so… it fits her, he thought. The woman had high cheekbones which were hollowed at from what Grant guessed was a lack of nourishment. Over her hypnotizing pale grey... or is that blue… eyes were perfectly arched pale eyebrows knit together in confusion as he continued to stare at her, they made a single crease in her otherwise crease-free forehead.

Grant raked his eyes hungrily over her once more, and then took in the entire beauty before him with a small gasp, shocked at the incredible vision before him.

___

If the woman had any doubts (which she did,) they had now been confirmed when she saw the man finally look at all of her and gasp. With her battered and bandaged wing she was most definitely a freak of nature.

She turned to flee; afraid that he would… what, report me? She thought. Besides, who'll believe that there's winged freak running around in the woods? Ha. The minute her foot started to backpedal he was right next to her.

"Where are you going? I didn't mean to upset you… my cabin if this way," he said, and then grasped her arms gently to guide her. That one touch—so insufficient to him—made some of her old, unwanted memories surface.

"NO!" She shrieked, "No! No, no, no. No more, please," she was pleading now. "Don't hurt me again. Please, Collin, no! No, no, no, no."

Through the haze of her memories she saw the man look at her, concern in his deep, golden eyes. "Are you alright? What's wrong?" His voice sounded concerned too. How strange, she thought subconsciously.

"No!" She continued to scream, but no one else was there besides the two of them. "Collin, please, why are you doing this to me?!" The woman started to sob hysterically now, clearly not in a well state of mind. "No more. I can't take it. N-Emmett? Emmett please! Emmett help me!"

___

Grant was utterly confused as she screamed and struggled against him. His temper flared at the sound of another man's name coming from her lips… especially since it was in terror. When her legs gave out underneath her body and her conscious mind gave away to sleep he was there to catch her.

___

"Well if this isn't déjà-vu then I don't know what is." Grant turned his head to see Doc walking towards him, his ever-present smug smile plastered on his face.

Grant looked down to see his angel sleeping with her wings folded beneath her… again. "Ha-ha," he laughed sarcastically, "but I caught her this time," he joked.

Doc walked over to where Grant had stopped and looked down at the sleeping mystery. "Find out anything?"

"No," he started and absentmindedly stroked her long hair out of her face and continued to pet her as he finished, "I offered her some company, she accepted, and then flipped a shit when I touched her." Grant heaved a sigh and looked up to Doc who was smirking like always.

"Well she's still a beauty," Doc said teasingly. Regardless, Grant almost growled at him.

"Excuse me?!" came a sweet, feminine voice from over Doc's shoulder. Doc jumped and let out a yelp before collecting himself.

"JesusHolyMotherofMary, could you not do that, sweetheart?" he turned and pretended to glare menacingly at his mate.

"Hey Madeline, how're 'ya?" Grant said, although his comment went unnoticed to the pair. Even though everyone was used to Madeline teleportation it still surprised them.

"Oh, Monty, you know you love it… and who's Mary?" She joked, calling him the one name she knew he hated… in public… and smiled sweetly up at him.

Grant let out a barking laugh, "Monty?! Oh my, old man, that is just too good. Monty," he repeated, "MONTY!" he continued to laugh; his large frame shaking. They all knew Doc's name is really Antimont but Grant had never heard that pet name before. Soon they were all laughing and teasing him.

"Ugh," Doc sighed dramatically even though his face was still a little red with embarrassment, "I swear woman, you will be the death of me."

They joked some more and Grant ended up almost doubled over in laughter. Chuckling once more he looked up only to find that the old couple was staring down… at his arms… oh, crap, he thought and looked down.

The woman was staring up at him with wide, pale eyes, most likely woken from being jostled by Grant's laughter.

"Hey, it's alright," he said stroking her broken wing, "you fell and I was just bringing you back so you could rest properly." Holding her with one arm he pointed to the other two people there. "That's Antimont and his wife, Madeline." Grant had to stifle his laugher at saying Doc's name.

"Doc," Antimont amended.

As the sound of another male voice registered in the woman's mind she jumped up and out of Grants arms. She was backing up rather quickly and Grant swore under his breath.

"Hey, now, it's okay." He tried to calm her at not avail so he looked to Madeline for guidance.

"Dear," she said in a motherly voice, "no need to be frightened." She stayed facing the woman and kept her eyes on her but said to Grant, "Grant, how about you take my idiot husband and go to the Main Hall and find Finn or Amira or someone, alright?" She didn't wait for an answer; she just kept her hands up and looked at the woman with warm eyes.

"Alright, honey," said Doc and he walked slowly—very, very slowly— to give Madeline a chaste goodbye kiss.

___

It all happened very fast then. The woman saw the man they called Antimont-err, Doc, bend down to kiss the small female. Even though she saw the lady tilt her head up to him she was still worried so she did what she couldn't do for herself. She rushed forwards and crashed into the male, and the impact made an unearthly boom, and she gathered the woman into her arms and swopped up into the sky.

When the woman felt that the other was safe she stopped soaring and floated gracefully below the clouds. "It's alright," she told the small redhead in her arms, "he can't hurt you now."

"Dear, he wasn't going to hurt me," Madeline opposed.

"Yes. Yes, he was. They all do," the woman replied morosely.

She thought you were going to hurt me, Madeline told her mate through their connection, I think she's just afraid of men in general. She heard her husband growl in her head, well, babe, you know I'd never hurt you. Come down, please? To that she responded: I'm going to try and talk to her. Just take Grant and go to the cabin, we'll be down soon. Love you. Please behave. She closed of her mind temporarily so she could concentrate on the poor mystery before her.

Madeline sighed, "Child, Antimont has been my husband for nearly one hundred thirty-eight years, and I was perfectly safe; he was just giving me an innocent goodbye kiss Now, if you don't mind, could you put us down… I'm awfully afraid of heights."

___

They ended up on a top, thick branch of a large tree just inside the edge of the forest. The woman was hanging upside-down by her knees on the branch, and she felt like something was missing.

"Isn't all your blood rushing to your head? Come, child, sit up." She heard Madeline say.

So that's what's missing… the woman quickly swung herself up and flipped onto the branch with her wings fanned out behind her. When she stood up, "No," served as her simple response.

"Well…" started Madeline, "you're making me terrible nervous standing like that. Could at least sit down, please?"

Not wanting to make the woman uncomfortable, she slipped down with a leg on either side of the branch. The woman looked up to find the petit fiery-haired woman clinging to the tree with all her might and she resisted the absurd and foreign urge to… giggle? After moment of peaceful silence, Madeline initiated more conversation… she wanted to get this woman talking.

"So, dear, what's your name?"

The woman looked puzzled for a moment, "My name?"

"Yes, child; what may I call you?"

"My name…" the woman repeated then fell into a thick, black abyss.

Madeline lunged forwards just in time to stop the pale woman from sliding off the branch entirely during her deep slumber. Clasping her tiny hand in the other woman's, she brought them back down to earth.

___

The woman knew she was dreaming. How else could they not notice a woman floating, with wings, in their sunny, yellow kitchen?

The woman looked down and saw a tiny girl, no more than four or five years old, tugging on her mother's apron; her long, white-blonde hair gleaming from the sun.

"Momma, why did Poppa run away?" She asked in a small, yet beautiful voice. "Did he get lost? Is that why he's not here with us?"

"Honey, y—" She was interrupted by a new voice, much younger than her own but still older than the tiny child.

"Daddy didn't run away. He just walked right out the door like a selfish jerk with that blonde lady that he likes more than us. They live on a boat somewhere now so, no, he's not lost."

"Kita!" scolded their mother, while putting her hands over the little one's ears, "Not while you sister's around, please, watch your mouth!"

"Its okay, Momma," said the tiny girl, removing her mother's hands from her listening ears, "Sissy's just sad because Poppa's gone, ain't that right, Kita? But it's okay. You have us now Momma. And we love you," she smiled a big, toothy, smile up at her mother then at her older sister… then back at her mother… waiting for Kita to catch the hint.

"Right…sorry, Momma," Kita said and walked over to giver her mom a hug.

Their mother sighed, "It's alright dear. Take your sister outside; it's a beautiful day out. I'll make your favorites for lunch."

"'Kay, Momma," said Kita and she skipped out the back-door into the sun.

"Momma, don't be sad, we'll be okay," said the little child, hugging her mother.

Her mother patted her little head then told her, "I know, dear, I know. Now go play before the clouds roll in."

The little one ran to the door and as she reached for the knob she heard, "Baby?"

"Yes, Momma?" she replied.

Her mother adjusted the girl's sun dress with the flick of her hand from across the room and smiled, "Be good."

"Always, Momma." And she ran outside into the yellow fields to play before the rain came.

Their mother turned back to the counter and picked up the knife to resume cutting the carrots with a shaking hand.

___

The scene was changing but the woman wanted to go back. Back to the sunny days, the happy times… As the new scene unfurled, she was now floating in the vast courtyard of some local University. She saw that same child only older. She was clenching a map tight in her pale hands, her eyebrows knit in confusion until the clouds rolled away and the sun came out.

She lifted her face to heavens and smiled as she absorbed the light form the sun.

"I don't think that's the best way to find where you're going."

Startled, she snapped her head down and made a double-take searching for the voice.

"Over here," it came again, and she turned to see a man sitting and smiling at her from a bench.

She giggled and replied, "I know, but it's just so wonderful out!" She refused to let this new stranger put a damper on her happy mood.

The man stood up and stretched his legs and she realized he was pretty tall, which was saying a lot because the woman was tall herself.

"Well then," he said, obviously not put out but her cheerful disposition, "allow me to escort you to your destination." He made the end a question, awaiting her permission with his arm out.

"Why thank you, kind sir," she giggled and accepted his arm and they made their way to the café she was looking for across the sunny campus.

They ended up laughing and talking like they'd been friends for years along the way. Some time during their walk he asked her, "So, my fair lady," picking up the royal pretense again, "may I be graced the knowledge of thy name?"

"My name, good sir?" she replied and followed along.

"Yes, dear… what may I call you?" he asked.

"Ahhh, my brave knight; I am known as Charamaine Hale" she winced at the old fashioned name, "but you can call me May," she added.

"Not liking the old fashioned name, I see," he said in response. Charamaine was happily surprised at the fact that he understood. Smiling up at him, she continued with their banter.

"And if I may be so bold, sir, as to ask of you your name?" She asked him.

"My dear, I am known as Emmett Cade… but you can call me Emmett," he teased then asked, "I wonder what your siblings' names are?"

"Just a sister," May replied with a smile, "her name is Rikita; everyone calls her Kita for short though. She used to beat it into people but I she's recently resorted to less… violent means of communication."

"Just as unique I see," Emmett said, "Fear not, maiden, for where you have one sibling I—unfortunately—have seven."

"Seven!" May gasped. "Whoa! Your family is huge!"

"Sure is," he chuckled, "It's me, my mom, my dad, Xavier—he's the oldest, Aiden, Dexter, Camilla, Sayde, Fina, and Kaia—she's my twin."

"Awe," May cooed, "a twin? I bet you were adorable babies… always dressed up in matching outfits… oh! How cute!" She started to giggle uncontrollably while Emmett turned his face away and grumbled.

___

The woman was comforted by Emmett's presence. She… missed him… somehow. She was reluctant to leave again but the scene changed against her will.

"I know, I know," May said into the receiver that was levitating mid-air by her ear as she hung upside-down off the bed. She struggled to stay focused as all the blood rushed to her head. "Well… yea…I-No…well how's your new place comin' along?" She said into the phone as she flipped back up onto her stomach on the new mattress.

A very loud "TOTALLY AMAZING," was heard from the other end.

"Kita, calm down, I can hear you," May laughed and put the phone on speaker… still suspended only now it was in the center of the room as she went to get her hairbrush off the dresser.

"May-May it's gonna be so great. I-Oh, wait. Kaia wants to say hey."

"Ha, alright Kita. Love you, talk to you later."

"Yeah, yeah… ditto kid."

"Maaaaaaaay?" Charamaine heard from the phone, "May! It's Kaia! How are you?! How's by big doofus of a brother treating you? If he there? Can I say hi—"

May was barely holding her laughter that threatened to bubble up and burst, "Calm down, K. He's not here, he's still on his—" She stopped when she heard a loud bang from the kitchen then Emmett yelp.

"Never mind, Kaia; he just got back."

"Tell him I said hey, will 'ya?"

"Right, hold on." May dropped her hair brush and flicked her hand to lower the phone to floor to muffle her voice.

"EMMETT!" she hollered.

"Yea, babe?" he yelled back.

"Kaia's on the phone. She says 'hey'!"

"'Kay, tell her I said hi!" he called then stumbled into the doorway. May laughed at him then repeated what he said to Kaia.

"Ha-ha. Alright girlie, I've got to go. Kit-Kat and I have to go shopping before Ayako get here. But I'll make sure we call back when we're all here, alright doll?"

"Okay, Kaia. Talk to you soon." May chuckled after she hung up the phone and used her fingers to move the phone back to its cradle. "Kita's gonna hate that nickname," she told Emmett who was still in the doorway. He nodded and chuckled with her. When May patted the spot on the mattress next to her Emmett pounded over like a loyal Labrador and flopped down. He figured he could make himself confortable before the inquisition began.

"Okay… so?" May asked him, lying down on top of him.

"So…" he replied, grinning like the cat ate the canary.

"Oh come on!" She said and poked his ribcage, "You've been gone on that date for over twenty-four hours… and you've got the day-after look written all over you," she continued as she took in his rumpled but satisfied appearance.