The Beast Within

A Fire Inside Part 5

For a moment Selena remained in silence, letting the events of the night wash over her.

She didn't recall passing any other driveways when she arrived at the cabin and Selena had seen no lights from other homes as she had looked through her windows that evening.

Furthermore, Selena didn't know how far smoke from a small, wood burning stove could travel on the wind, but it certainly seemed...unusual...that a passerby could detect something so subtle.

Unless he was already very close, she thought.

She recalled the feeling of being watched that she had experienced gathering kindling that evening – the sound of snapping twigs in the darkened forest, just beyond her line of vision.

She shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts.

You can't push him out of your mind that easily, Selena.

Most people would be terrified.

Terror, however, did not describe the feeling that now coursed through her veins. Her skin still felt flushed and her breathing had become rapid and shallow.

Callinan Keane...why does that name sound so familiar?

It doesn't...it couldn't, she answered herself. You've never known anyone with a name like that.

You've never known anyone who looked like that, either.

Or anyone who smelled like that. Selena frowned at the strange thought. She'd never paid much attention to male fragrances, but what she had detected was no cologne – it was earthy, but somehow sweet. It reminded her of something she could not place.

At the thought of fragrances, her eyes trailed down to her dirty and disheveled clothes and she remembered with a start that the stranger promised to return to her later that night.

His name's Callinan, Selena. He isn't a stranger.

Bending down to the suitcase which still lay beside the door, Selena found her travel kit and a change of clothes. Snatching a lit candle from the window sill, she strode purposefully into the small bathroom.

The space contained no more than a simple pedestal sink, with a mirror above, a toilet and a free-standing bathtub - the latter of which Selena approached with curiosity. Though there was some dust in the bathtub and on the fixtures, the ceramic of the tub was still in good condition.

Whether the water would be suitable though, was another matter. Without electricity, there would be no hot water that she did not heat herself.

Her fingers slipped easily between the thick, rounded prongs of the cross-handle faucet and Selena apprehensively turned water tap.

At first, her effort was rewarded only with a grinding sound inside the pipe, but after a few moments a cold jet of unappealing, sepia-colored water exploded into the tub. The color of the water soon cleared, and Selena quickly rinsed the tub with her fingers, placing the plug into place.

Short and cold, it was hardly a satisfying bath. However, it was sufficient to clean the smudges of dirt from her neck and fingers and make her feel a bit more presentable.

The bathtub had no shower attachment and she had squeezed a bit of fragrant conditioner from her travel kit through her hair, rinsing hastily beneath the bathtub faucet, wincing as the freezing water coursed over her neck and shoulders.

"The things we do for love," she muttered, with a slight chuckle.

You just met him, Selena. It can't be love.

What is it, then?

Swearing softly under her breath, Selena realized that she had no towel. Wringing her hair to the best of her ability, she exited the bathtub. Rivulets of water ran over her breasts, training down her stomach and legs, pooling around her on the floor.

Goose flesh crept over her skin and the air washed over her wet, naked body.

Raising her eyes, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the round, wooden-framed mirror above the sink. Blinking in dismay, she stared at her image in the glass.

Her hazel eyes glowed with a bright, amber hue.

It must be the candle light.

Selena approached the mirror until the cold porcelain pressed into the soft flesh of her stomach.

Tilting her head slowly to the side, Selena observed the radiant golden-brown of her irises. The color did not change with the angle of the candle light. It was as if the true fire was behind her eyes.

Tracing her index finger along her cheekbone and over her lips she shifted her focus to her complexion. Somehow her skin looked clearer...healthier.

It's in your mind, Selena. You'll see.

Tearing her eyes from her reflection, Selena quickly brushed her teeth and ran a comb through her hair, which still clung to her naked flesh.

Wet and desperate for warmth, Selena tiptoed into the kitchen, kneeling before the heat of the wood burning stove. Ribbons of steam rose from her soft dark hair, shoulders and breasts as she rubbed her hands together before the blaze.

She paused to feed a few bits of kindling into the fire, watching as the branches were slowly embraced and consumed by tendrils of flame.

Aware that her guest could arrive at any moment, Selena pulled on the change of clothes she had retrieved from her suitcase. Simple cotton underwear, a black tank top and matching lounge pants would have to do – she hadn't packed with visitors in mind.

The soft fabric of the top adhered to her still-damp body. Between the remaining moisture on her skin and the chill in the air, the shape of her breasts was clearly outlined against the material. She knew the effect was immodest, but it did not embarrass her.

Selena felt alive and, for once, she was not the least bit concerned with her reputation.

At that moment, the silence of the cabin was broken by a forceful knock and Selena's heart responded in kind.

Don't run, Selena.

Whether she was afraid of running to, or from, the man beyond her door was unknown even to her.

Forcing herself to take slow, purposeful steps, Selena approached the door, pausing to take a steadying breath before pulling it open to the night.

Callinan stood before her, much as he had earlier that evening, his hood cloaking a portion of his face in shadow. However, his vivid blue eyes shown bright, as if they were lit from within.

Beneath his arm he carried a large bundle of firewood, secured with thick, rough rope.

She parted her lips to speak, but before she could utter a sound, his gaze locked on to hers. For a moment he studied her eyes intently, stepping closer to examine her with a knowing expression.

Lost in Callinan's eyes, she did not see his lips move. But from far away she heard a soothing, masculine voice whisper, "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to find you."

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