Ascension - Book Eight - Man x Man

Chapter 7

6 Months Later
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"Thank you, Chispa. Can you show us the dance hall?" It was unavoidable, that eventually, I would have to come to this place and scout it out. Unnecessary as it felt considering that I'd been married here once before, there had been changes made to the structure and I didn't want to be caught off guard on the day of.

Dressed in civilian wear, I feel quite common amongst the beautifully carved walls and intricate stair cases leading to the variety of halls and rooms. The gardens were in full bloom, a variety of flowers that teased my senses and pulled on my attention span to investigate their origins. The tresses of well-manicured green leafy vines climbing the walls finished the fairy tale touch of a castle long since preserved in its portion of time. 

 I walked arm and arm with Helen, to the uneducated eye it was almost as if we were a couple. In the middle of summer, it wasn't often that a man and a woman might share arms, not at a venue such as this. In truth, she was my life line, my starved wolf cried out desperately for attention that I had refused to give it. 

Much to my dismay, my progress had come to a screeching halt. 

With this looming over my head, the thought of my wedding night was something I was mournfully avoiding, putting me in a foul mood among the mountain of frustrations. I had hardly allowed Verando to touch me since our last fight. 

In a way, it was a method of smoking the wolf out, just as Malka had been forced out of hiding. I was hoping the wolf would grow tired of the bland life and step into the open, but it only seemed to wish to sabatoge me at every corner, and that included getting anywhere near my soon to be resworn husband. 

Surrounded by the wonderful vaulted ceilings, large paned windows, and expansive square footage, I felt like I could breathe and that was a positive for this outing. I often worked diligently to plan escape routes, just in case. Though the creature had proved to be all talk and no bite, it had yet to try and show itself.

 The venue was open with plenty of space. 

All positives when considering my condition. 

I feel the lumbering eyes in the back of my mind, annoied at how I spoke of being possessed in my inner monologue, as if th creature were a parasite instead of a companion. Unshamed, I pull my lips into a thin line, shutting the door on the looming gaze before startling as Chispa wheels around. 

"Honey, you need to put some pep in your step or I'm calling this whole thing off, nobody should be walkin' round here with a face like that." Chispa claps her hands daintily at us both, her over the top accent was a mixture of pop culture and feminine flare. "This place is very expensive, at least have the decency to look stuck up about it so that I can properly enjoy it." 

Her full-lined lips, glistening a deep maroon, pull over her teeth in a warm, large smile. 

I offer my best attempt and she exhales roughly at me in exasperation with a heavy roll of her eyes. "Listen, you picked me as a wedding planner, I want to see this place and you're killing my buzz."

"Lotta picked you." I retort only to lament at the slight fall in her face. I couldn't be upset with her, Chispa had been exactly what I needed. "I'm glad she did, sorry, I am excited. I was married here before-"

The gloved hand raises; fingerless and black leather with long fake, red nails. "Excuse me, what?" 

Helen's eyes glance around the expanse, uncomfortable with the memory. She had been brought to my first wedding and I was not happy that she had been here. It only brought forth the memory of Lady Ana and her thoughtless gift of bringing all my friends.