Ten of Coins (Reversed)

The day went as it usually does...painfully slow. All I could do during the time I mindlessly did the stack of paperwork that had piled up on my desk since I first walked in that morning, was replay in my mind all of the events of the last few months. Everything seemed so simple. So clear. But it was far from that.







Being a gifted one, was not easy. Trying to balance a "normal" life while still trying to figure out my magickal one was not easy in the least bit. My abilities seemed to have had a mind of their own, and to add on top of that, my home life was falling apart. Or, I was allowing it to fall apart. I hadn't been happy in years, but I dragged along thinking that with time I would finally accept this existence and be content. But I wasn't...and I'm still not.







Since May, I had been in contact with an old friend. He was different, like me. But, he was far more. This friend (let's call him S-) was not exactly human. He was way older than me, but because of his immortal blood he looked no older than I do. Unfortunately the strife he was experiencing in his own extended existence was playing across his face, and causing his eyes to betray him and show his true age. S- is a satyr. A mythical creature shown throughout the centuries in artwork as being half beast and half human, but all animal because of it's strong sexual desires. What a lot of people don't realize is that while yes, satyrs have physical attributes that have a beast like quality to them, they look more human than anything else. Which is one reason why S- was able to do a simple glamour to hide the few attributes that would have set him apart in the human world. [*Side note: Satyrs are very handsome, and alluring. The only thing that would have given S- away as being not human were the two horns that protruded from the top of his forehead and curved ever so slightly upward and back, and the rather sharp but proportionate set of fangs on the top and bottom of his mouth. But those were two of the things I found oddly attractive about him.]







S- came to live in the human world over 50 years ago. Long before I was born. But we met one day on my first excursion between the veil of my world and the magickal one. He was in the open market just outside of a little town known for producing bloodlines of very powerful elemental witches. When I first saw him my breath caught in my throat. He was sooooo beautiful. Not like any other man I had ever seen before. His skin was the color of light caramel, his hair was curly and jet black, and his eyes were dark...darker than the blackest piece of onyx you could ever find. His body was perfectly toned and every movement he made, was like a choreographed piece as his muscles responded without hesitation. When he finally turned and looked at me (yes, I was gawking at him like a love sick teen-ager) a smile slid across his face with the greatest of ease and lit up everything around him with a warmth that I had never known. He was perfection. My vision of perfection. And I knew then that I had to meet him.







As I started walking towards him in a daze, I was yanked back to reality by my friend, Delia.

"Hey...J. It's time to go. J?"

I didn't hear her at first, I was still locked in a gaze with this dreamy creature I was so rudely being torn away from."

"J!" She shouted at me, and then pinched me for good measure.

"Ouch! What the hell was that for?", I said.



"We need to go, and you were perpetually stuck on stupid."







She finally looked over to see what had caught my attention, and smirked. "Girl, please. As if!






"But I want to meet him. he just seems soooo *sigh* lovely." Taking a step closer to the man who had had every fiber in my body vibrating.







"Snap out of it! Satyrs have the ability to attract who ever they want. It's what they do. And trust me little miss goody two-shoes, you are faaaaar from being ready to get caught up with one of them. Physically or otherwise. Now let's go. It's getting dark, and I would like to get to the veil portal before sunset, and those damn night fairies come out. Last time I got caught out here after dark, they took my stuff, and had me wandering into dragon territory...not fun AT ALL.






Sighing, I finally broke free from the gaze that had me ensnared for what seemed like an eternity. I felt a deep sadness wash over me as Delia took my hand and dragged me from the market. As we started to walk away, I thought to myself that I did not even get his name. But just as quickly as I was finishing the thought I heard a smooth deep voice circling around in my mind. "My name is S-. And don't worry. We will see each other soon, sweet-cheeks."







My mouth dropped open, and I turned just as we were about to walk out the gate. S- grinned, then winked at me, and walked away further into the maze of stalls that is the market.

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S- was and still is my best friend. He has saved my tan behind on more than one occasion. And helped me to work through the pain of being being ridiculed and abused and tortured by my non-gifted, human brethren. And during all that time, I loved him. Loved him more deeply than I have ever loved anyone in my whole life. Unfortunately, because I was such a chicken shit, I never told him this. And I just let the years go by with this knowledge tightly locked away in my heart. He was a satyr. He could have any woman he wanted. Hell! He's fucked more nymphs, elves, fairy and dragon witches (when they were in their human like forms), and human women alike. What would make me so special that I could stand out from all the rest?

Shaking the thought out of my head, I went back to typing trying very hard not to think about the last time I saw him. It was enough to make me want to forever sever those magickal and emotional bonds that had me tied to the person I had chosen as my mate. That evening was intense. Too intense. Drinking Elven ale 'til the wee hours of the morning, and then having to catch a ride back through the Dawn Portal, to my home...Remind me to thank Delia for that one. [*Word of advice, never drink Elven ale on an empty stomach.]

We partied, and talked, and drank, and drank some more. All of our mental and emotional barriers were down, which for a gifted one, and especially a human witch who travels beyond the veil, is dangerous. We require greater concentration to control the vast amounts of power that flows through us more easily there. So being uninhibited and completely open like I was could have gotten me killed, or worse yet could have caused me to harm someone unintentionally. But, at that moment I didn't care. I felt free and alive. Something I had not felt in a very long time. And I absolutely loved it. In the midst of my revelry, I tripped and landed right into S-'s arms. He lifted me up as though I were as light as a feather. and placed me back on my feet.

Now, maybe it was the ale, or maybe it was the fact that he was just pure hotness from head to toe, but I swallowed all fear and reservations and finally gave into my feelings for him and...I kissed him. I...KISSED...HIM. It was soft, and warm, and slow. It felt like coming home. And I didn't want to ever leave. By the time we pulled pulled back from each other, the desire we were both feeling was causing sparks. No, LITERALLY sparks! They were red and orange and yellow like a candle flame jumping off and in between us with such heated electricity that the bar keep told us to take it outside so we wouldn't burn down his establishment. We both walked outside (I stumbled more than walked) and waited for a carriage to take us to the Dawn Portal. As we stood waiting, I leaned against him for balance and warmth, and took in his sweet earthy scent. Close to touching him again, a carriage finally arrived. We climbed in, and I stretched out across him and the seat. as the door closed and the carriage began moving, I started drifting into a much needed slumber. But I did not rest long. S- being more use to the other-worldly drinks was not as inebriated as I was even though he drank more than I did. I felt one of his hands start to slide under the light layers of my cotton dress, and the other grabbing a breast. I gasped in complete pleasure, as he worked me into a frenzy. Where my arm and head lay in his lap, I felt the evidence that he was needing relief as much as me. Just when it got to the point that neither one of us could take it anymore, the carriage approached the gate to the portal. S- let out a low guttural growl, removed his large warm hands, and smoothed out my clothing. After he hopped down and stuck the landing with no effort at all, he took my hand gently, and lifted me out and down, but making sure to let my body slide down his almost 6ft. frame before he let me go. [* That was sooooo not helping matters.] He paid and thanked the driver, who tipped his hat, and drove his carriage away.

Being too tired to speak, I mentally showed him where my home was. He touched three ancient runes that were on the gate and each one lit up in turn before the portal opened and we walked through. It was less than a second before we popped out on my front lawn. S- touched my cheek, and hesitated before pulling his hand away. He looked at me with those deep black eyes. So much want...no. So much NEED, was there in his eyes, but just as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. Touching my mind, he spoke.

"I have to go..."

"This night ended too soon," I said.

" I know."

That was it. That was all he said before he turned and walked away. I stood at my door watching him until he was gone. Walking into my house, I felt the gravity of what I had done that night. I had let another take hold of my heart. To take up residence in my heart, my mind, and my spirit. I grabbed my right hand as I felt the invisible, but tightly wound magickal bonds that were placed on me and the man I had chosen as my mate. They writhed and tightened even further each time my heart and my body started to ache for S-'s touch again. I relaxed and cleared my minds of such thoughts. I did not want my psychic link to my mate to pick up on what I was feeling.

Stripping out of my clothes as I walked up the stairs, careful not to hit the squeaky spots on the floor as I crept into the bedroom, I climbed into bed and tried to sleep. Suddenly I felt arms and legs wrapped around me and a kiss on the back of my neck.

" Did you enjoy yourself tonight," he said.

"Yeah...but I drank way too much Elven ale."

Sleep finally came, but it was not dreamless.