Mated Enemies

I played in the water feeling the unease dissipate as I splashed and dove to the bottom before coming up for air. It was then that I noticed the strange actions of the fish, they weren’t following me up to the surface like they usually do.

Wait! I looked around the woods trying to see into the trees as I recalled the absence of my four legged friends when I made my way here. That’s odd! I can always expect an escort to the water whenever I make this trek.

It’s the only time they’re not fighting with each other and something I look forward to. But today they were eerily silent. That feeling of being watched grew stronger and I climbed from the water much sooner than I’d planned.

As my feet touched land that overpowering feeling hit me again, stronger this time. It was the same feeling from before, the one that’s been dogging my steps for weeks, months, only it was more intense than before. I felt as if something was standing close to me, something I couldn’t see. A presence that was close enough to touch.

My skin began to tingle and my fight or flight kicked. I grabbed my gown and pulled it on in one fluid motion as I ran back towards the house somehow knowing that I couldn’t win against whatever was out there.

My heart thundered in my chest when I bounded into the house and closed the door behind me, slamming the bolt shut. But just as soon as the feeling of fear came it went away again, only to be replaced by something new, something I’ve never felt before.

What’s out there? I peeped through the glass that ran along the side of the thick mahogany door and saw nothing, not even when I opened up my senses and searched the darkness.

My pulse raced as the feeling intensified and I felt a strange sensation between my thighs. Lifting my gossamer gown slowly above my thighs I looked down to see wetness there, a wetness that did not come from the stream.

Sticky, with a hint of arousal. Sudden realization dawned and I shook my head in denial. It can’t be, but I knew that it could and is. But why would my mate instill fear in me, and why hadn’t anyone told me that the time was near? Granted it can come at anytime and sometimes without warning.

Is that why I’ve been seeing the strange man in my dreams? But who was he? I know most of my people and he did not look like anyone I’ve ever met. Besides, in my dreams he seems much darker than my kind who happens to be fair.

Unless he’s some weird mix like myself. Then again if he were like me why couldn’t I feel him, sense him completely? Why had he been shielding if he is in fact my mate? It was too confusing and I called out to my mother with my mind.

She didn’t answer which was strange but she could be asleep seeing as she was in a completely different time zone. No, she’s never ignored my call before. Is something going on? It’s amazing how many avenues the mind can go down when things are out of order.

Okay Natalia think! You’ve been having weird dreams about a handsome sexy stranger, some strange feeling has been following you around for weeks, and you just sensed what or who may or may not be your mate out in the woods surrounding your home.

I’d always expected my mate would be one of my kind, that’s the way it’s always been and what the one who would be leader of her clan should expect. There were more than enough suitable candidates among the fae after all.

So why did I get the sense that this man I’ve been seeing was not someone known to me, was somehow different? I tried to remember if anything had ever been said in the past. Of course there has been talk about my future marriage over the years.

As the one who would lead my people my marriage is of the utmost import. But no one had ever said who or when I would be married. My mind traveled back in time to conversations of the past but I still came away with more questions than answers.

I decided to put it aside until I could talk to my mother later. I’m sure she’d have the answers and me making myself crazy wasn’t going to help anything. It helped that I have enough faith in the elders to know that whoever they choose will be right for me. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something afoot.

All through my shower and as I got ready for school that odd feeling stayed with me. My body felt strange to my touch, sensitive, and I knew what it meant. It was preparing to mate. I tasted fear on my tongue, fear of the unknown.