Midnight Cove

When I got home, I was still mad. I stormed around my apartment, stomping my feet on the floor like a spoiled child. I eventually got fed up with my surroundings and flew down the stairs heading for the main house.

When I stepped inside, I screamed my lungs out. I went to the living room and threw the pillows around, knocking over a blue and white porcelain vase that was sitting on a small table, it came crashing to the floor. It silenced my fit, and for a couple seconds more, I just stood there, my chest heaving, my breath coming in gasps.

I fell to my knees and cried into the couch cushions, smearing me mascara onto their soft, white fabric. After the tears ran dry, I got up and slowly made my way over to the broken vase. I started to clean up the mess, but in doing so, I wasn’t taking as much care as I should have. I cut a sliver in my finger and went to the kitchen sink to run it under some warm water. Watching the blood pool on my fingertip as I waited for the water to heat up, my thoughts drifted back to Phoenix.

I thought back to the first time we met. I had to smile thinking about how he had scared me then, and how my view of him had been entirely wrong. He had shown me so much kindness and magick. I thought about the enchanted night I had spent at the Dark Palace, and the beauty of the Portical. I couldn’t help but want nothing more in that moment than to see him again. Without another thought, his name fell from my lips in a soft whisper. “Phoenix.”

Then suddenly, he was there in the kitchen with me, looking as much the golden Greek god as ever. “You rang?” He said, his brilliant smile lighting up my dark world.

“Oh, Phoenix!” I exclaimed, wrapping my arms around his neck. I was so happy to see him and I realized that it was the first time I had been happy in a long while.

His arms came around me soft and slowly. “Hey, Beautiful.” His cool like tone, a melody in my ears.

“I missed you so much.” As I said the words, I knew that they were absolutely true.

“I missed you too, Bonnie. I always miss you when you’re gone.” I looked up at him and he smiled back at me. “I know you’ve been having a rough time. Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.

“No,” I shook my head.

I thought about depressing stuff way too much nowadays. I just wanted to continue being happy. It had been so long since I had felt any joy. Being inside Phoenix’s warm embrace was giving me the blissful escape from all my sorrow. He pressed his lips together and nodded. Then he looked down noticing my scrape on my finger and lifted it up.

I cast my eyes down in embarrassment. I felt his hot lips press against my finger and a quick flick of his tongue. I looked up seeing him release my hand the wound sealed shut by his magical healing powers. I smiled, again thinking back to our first meeting.

He raised his hand to interlace his fingers with mine and pulling me along, we left the kitchen. Once outside, I noticed it was a gloomy day. The sky was overcast with a thick grey cloud cover and the air was a little chilly. I hadn’t bothered to put on a jacket. It was a wonder that I had stopped noticing the weather. I was starting to try and remember when was the last time I had even noticed.

“Wow! This yard is amazing.” Phoenix was impressed. I looked around curious as to what he was talking about. Then I realized, he had never seen the backyard garden before.

“Yeah, but it’s better when there’s some sunshine.” I admitted. It was hardly impressive in this drab lighting. I was happy though that my dark prince seemed approving of my little haven.

Phoenix rolled his eyes. “You have to remember, Bonnie, this is a lot more sunshine than I usually get.” And he smiled. I smiled too.

“The Underground is still way more beautiful than my little backyard garden.” I countered. His smile grew with that statement. Without warning he suddenly seized me by the waist, wrapping his strong arms around me. His eyes took on a pleading look.

“When will you come back to me, my love?” His words were so heartfelt, I didn’t know what to say. “I have missed you so much, Bonnie. I have tried to carry on without you, but I just can’t do it anymore. You are everything I have ever wanted. You are my perfect woman, and I want you to be my woman. Please,” he begged me, “come back. Stay with me? I will treat you better than you’ve ever been treated before. You deserve so much better than how Cove has treated you. I can love you the way you deserve to be loved. Won’t you give us a chance?”

As I looked up into his deep dark eyes, I knew he was right. Phoenix could love me and make me happy. I didn’t want to be alone anymore. I longed for the escape from my life, for the safe haven of a lover’s embrace. The Underground could be the perfect place for me. I had preserved it perfectly in my memory.

The wonderful, low hanging starry night and the quaint shops of the Portical. Everything about the Underground realm drew me. I would never deny how my heart sang at the sight of it. The Dark Palace above all. Standing alone, with the snow capped mountains in the background, and the lush dark green foothills full of warmly lit homes leading the way down to the iridescent cove. Cove.

The one reason I hadn’t done anything. Somewhere deep in my heart, I was still holding out hope that he would come back and apologize to me. Somehow, I had secretly wanted him to deny that he had a wife. Claim that his brother was lying out of rage or jealousy, trying desperately to sabotage him and his happiness. But one look at the angelic face in front of me was all the proof I needed.

Phoenix was not lying, Cove had even confirmed it. Cove would never love me the way I wanted, and in truth, needed to be loved. But Phoenix could, he could and did love me. He didn’t care about anything, except my happiness. He had saved me numerous times and never expected anything. He hadn’t made any advances, I had kissed him. He was the right choice.

I nodded my head. “Yes. Yes, Phoenix. I want to be with you. Take me away from here. I want to go back to the Underground. I want to be with you.” Phoenix’s smile grew wider, elated with bliss.

“Bonnie, may I kiss you?”

The passion in his eyes and the overwhelming sincerity of his voice took me by surprise. I felt like a ball of nerves as I barely nodded my head and tiny smile formed on my lips. He didn’t need anymore encouragement than that.

Phoenix’s hot lips pressed against mine, soft at first and then more demanding. It felt like all his pent up desire had been waiting for this one kiss. A deep love burned in Phoenix and I didn’t know if I could return the kiss with as much passion. It was as though his love had dwarfed mine a hundred fold.

Any effort I reciprocated only seemed to please him more. But this kiss had planted a seed of doubt as to whether I would deserve the kind of love Phoenix was willing to give me. I realized with that kiss the depth of how broken I truly was. I began to pour myself and all of my desires and need to be loved into that kiss. With a foolhardiness I tried to trick myself into believing that Phoenix could somehow fix my broken soul. And with a selfishness I had never known before, I decided, I would let him try.

When I opened my eyes we were on our balcony in the Dark Palace, the perfect moonlit night stretching out before us. The sight was even more breathtaking than the kiss had been. I turned and walked a few steps to the parapet to try and get as close to the view as possible.

“Be still, my heart,” I whispered. The vision in front of me gave me the best feeling, as if I somehow, belonged here.

Phoenix came up from behind me, gently wrapping his large muscular arms around my small waist and snuggling into the nook of my neck.

“It’s so beautiful here.” I couldn’t bring my voice above a soft whisper in fear that in some way, I would break the spell.

“It isn’t half as beautiful as you are,” he said and kissed my neck before standing to his full height. In a deep sultry voice Phoenix said, “Welcome home, Bonnie.” And the words fit so right, I knew I had found my home.