Beyond Human: Queen's Shadow Series

42.) Prelude to Masquerade II

~~~Anastasia May 31, 1951

"Apollos can you come out of the changing room?" I knew he wouldn't like the clothes designed for him but to react like this is just childish or has he always been like this? As much as I love him, I know how convenient our marriage was for each other. Even still, I love him and these small quirks that I see tell me that there was more to this man before he fell so far.

'I look ridiculous in this goddamn clown outfit.' "At least let me see it before you tear it off." 'So, my wife can laugh?' I knew it was bad when he started to act like this, I knew for him this was a horrible uniform but I know it meant he looked really good in it. He had a semi-low opinion of himself sometimes and it usually bothered me but this was one of those times where he was just being foolish.

Why did he always think that It matter how other people see him? Why did he always care about how he saw himself? I wish he would talk to me about that instead of being so angry. How did the world treat my husband before I met him? I'm always been seen as some Russian woman who talks, I've gotten a few snide comments, but my American accent is spot-on. I only ever allow my Russian accent to come out when I'm around the Mortens or him. The Mortens don't care one way or another. Knowing how accepting they really are shows me how happy I could be and how happy he has made me.

That love has always felt the most real to me and even though we aren't each other's first love, it showed me that I could be happy again. I guess I am willing to die for him, even though I knew it a long time ago. Seeing how he prioritized all of our safety in the beginning and seeing how he's always been fighting for us, made me realize good men were dying out and pretty soon, there won't be many left. I'm just happy I found one.

It was then that I decided to make the voice he hates, I spoke with a voice of authority most times but there was a voice he hated because it made him want to listen to me. "Apollos, could you please come out?" I said in the softest voice, "I want to see my husband." At that moment, he came out and said, 'I hate it when you do that.' I looked at my handsome man and I saw it, he looked good, better than he thought.

The fake black feathers littered his double-breasted overcoat, inside of the overcoat was a lining of grey and gold thread. He wrote black slacks but the slacks had a golden thread going through them. On top of that, he had black and gold cufflinks on his shirt. As I worked my way down past his legs, I saw black crocodile skin dress shoes. He looked so good in his clothes so why did he think otherwise? "You're being overdramatic, Apollos. You look great." The black silk dress shirt was enough for me to want to rip his clothes off, I loved how he looked all the way around.

Even the mask had thought put into it. From the fact that it had crow feathers on it to the fact that it had blackout eyes that were see-through. On top of this, his mask seemed to be durable and the design of the mask was beautiful. It had golden rims all around the eyes and it even had a matching hat, a perfectly black and gold wide-brimmed fedora hat.

'Why couldn't we just go as matching wolves?' "Well, I'm a white wolf and I come from a clan of white wolves and I am one of the last remaining white wolves, not including your son and my daughter. So of course, the Ninth Prince showing up to the masquerade in a white wolf outfit would definitely be strange." As I say this, I see him say, 'Of course and you get a nice white tail with it.'

'So, are you saying that I am the better looking of us two?' Apollos said with a smile. "Don't go so far with that, young man. I'm still 70 years your senior.' It's then that he kissed me and said, 'I don't doubt that but I don't care how old you are. You're still my Anastasia.' He always knew how to flatter me and I loved that about him. As Jordani was cooing up against my jacket, I could see him starting to paw at my breasts, it was almost time to feed him again. This kid could not give me a break but I love him all the same. As he suckled me more, I felt myself, realizing he was going to get a rise out of me, mostly because Apollos would just stare at me, taking all of my body in.