With her eyes shut and her breathing slow and even, I thought she’d gone to sleep. So when she spoke, she startled me.
“Brad’s a narcissist and probably a sociopath,” she said. “A control freak. And abusive.”
“How’d you fall in with a guy like that?”
“He hid his true self from me.” A tiny smile curved Hayley’s lovely lips. “Sound familiar?”
“I refuse to answer on the grounds my answer may incriminate me.”
“He’s been following me, and planned to keep me in his apartment. His sex toy.”
“Bro is a loser.”
This time, Hayley did fall asleep. All the vodka she’d drunk finally worked against her. Though it wasn’t truly cold in my house, I covered her with a light blanket, and left her to rest. Shutting off the table lamp near her, I walked from my home, locking the front door behind me. Doubting Brad could find her here, once he escaped police scrutiny that was, I felt confident Hayley was safe from him.
The darkness was nearly absolute. I picked this house for its isolation from neighbors, and its close proximity to the sea. Naturally, it cost me a small fortune, but well worth the money spent. I walked part way down the long driveway before shifting.
Spreading my wings in a long luxurious stretch, I gazed up at the stars. They gleamed more brightly here, not obscured by the city’s lights. They called to me.
I answered.
I leaped into the air and caught the sea breeze under my wings. I flew higher, gaining altitude, aiming for those very stars. Thousands of feet over the restless ocean, I soared. Far below, ships’ lights dotted the black sea. I listened to whales’ breaching, the burst of their breath before they splashed below the surface.
For hours I flew, flying high only to fold my wings and drop toward the waves at a speed only an eagle might match. If I encountered the occasional light plane or helicopter, I beat my wings hard in order to fly high above them.
My kind must remain unknown to humans.
Only when dawn flushed the eastern horizon a dull pink did I return to my house and my two-legged form. I paced quietly inside, not wanting to awaken Hayley if she still slept. She did. She lay right where I left her, snoring peacefully, on my couch.
In the kitchen where my voice wouldn’t rouse her, I left a message on Willow’s cell. “Hayley was in an accident and won’tbe coming in today. She agreed. Start working on the contract. Talk soon.”
***
Hayley examined the contract with the intensity of an attorney. Frowning she pored over every word, often returned to what she’d already read to reread, then continued on. I shared an amused glance with Willow as we sat in my office with the door shut. Bertie answered the company phone in addition to her work while Richard added new listings into the computer.
“Is this for real?” Hayley asked, displaying the numerical amount I offered for her “bride price”.
“Of course,” I replied. “Is it not enough?”
“It’s –” Hayley flushed a bright crimson. “It’s a lot of money.”
“Read to the end, dear,” Willow suggested. “Make certain you agree with all of it and the money will be transferred to your account this afternoon.”
“I’m not seeing any requirement that I cook and clean as part of my wifely duties,” Hayley commented, still blushing.
“You can continue to work here if you wish,” Willow said. “Or not. It’s your choice. Though I do hope you’ll stay on with us.”
Dropping her face to the contract, Hayley continued to read. “I’m to make a will stipulating that in the event of my death the money will return to Alaric.” Hayley raised her head. “Interesting.”
“Do you object?” I asked.
Pursing her lips, Hayley pondered. “No. I suppose that makes sense. If I’m dead, I sure can’t use it.”
“It’s comparable to a pre-nuptial agreement,” Willow explained. “If Alaric dies before you, you will also receive an additional yearly amount as support for the rest of your life. More if there are any children.”
“That’s fair.”
Hayley signed her name with a flourish, then passed the contract to me. I also signed, then offered it to Willow for her to witness.
