Unlawful protector

 I knocked on my mother's door and she called me to come inside. Her room was much more cluttered than mine. In the middle of the room was a bed larger than a king with a canopy that fell to the floor with red fur that matched its blankets. The frame was the same mahogany as the desk beside the door. Lining the walls were bookshelves overflowing with books. Some were stacked atop the desk, and some stacked on the floor. To the left of the bed was a tall, roaring fireplace that mostly was only lit for Velvet. Before it was a marble coffee table that matched the fireplace. It sat atop a bearskin rug and two wool pillows. Atop the coffee table was a bottle of red wine and two goblets. There was a platter of cookies and fruits. 

 Velvet laid atop my mother. She lifted the younger girl to lay her head onto one of the pillows before the fireplace. She leaned down to kiss Velvet's forehead. Even in her hazy state she smiled. Mom grabbed a cookie and placed it in Velvet's hand.

 She sat on the loveseat before the bed. I closed the door and sat in her desk chair. I rested my ankle on my knee.

 "She needs time."

 I nodded, "Are you alright with her staying here?"

 "I am."

 "Where is she now?"

 "My bedroom. Reading."

 Her eyes lit up with an idea and she moved to the bookcase in the corner where her journals were displayed in chronological order. Her finger moved across each one. As she looked for the right journal my eyes wandered to the desk where Sneak, the tarantula, sat. He was her soul bind. He was the size of her face. He was black with a silver pattern on his body. He was as deadly as Venom. The two got along well.

 My mom glided to me without sound. As she handed me the journal she held out her hand for Sneak to crawl up her arm and her neck to rest atop her crown.

 "This is the journal I wrote during the divide. Once she has more of an open mind it can give her more context."

 "Thank you," I said as I took the journal.

 She kissed my cheek and I left. I walked back to my room. When I opened the door Misty's eyes immediately assessed each of my movements.

 I laid the journal atop the fireplace and sat before it. I looked down at Venom. Most soul binds are united within their first year. My family and I lived in the far southern side of the province in the buried city. it was close to the south pole; the coldest part of the province. Snakes could be found far north. When I was born he travelled for months. When he made his way into my room I was six months old. I remembered seeing him slither into the bassinette. I couldn't sit up yet but my tiny hands reached out to grab him. He wrapped himself around my face, his head resting between my eyes. I didn't know yet that it was a defensive position but already he was protecting me.

 When my mother came into my room her first instinct was to kill him. She grabbed his neck and pulled him from me. When he didn't hiss or bite she paused. She looked into his eyes. She grabbed her dagger and slit his throat. When it closed immediately she laid him back into my bassinette. 

 She began making traps for rodents then to atone for what she'd done. She's told me several times since how much she regretted attempting to kill him. He understood. He had a love and respect for her.

 Venom curled into a ball to sleep. Later today he would go to my mom for food. Velvet kept a cage of rats within the hideout for him. 

 I looked at Misty. She had been watching Venom, too. When she felt my gaze she looked to me. Her thoughtful expression turned hesitant. Still, she held my eyes. I felt guilt for the safety I could feel seeing her in my room surrounded by only those I trusted.

 "Why did you bring him?"

 "Why wouldn't I?"

 "Not a lot of people would want a venomous snake in their home."

 "I'm not quite a person."

 "There's humans here."

 I sighed. I didn't know if the truth would change her perception of him. At first he stayed with her to protect her but quickly he grew to love her. I couldn't lie to her.

 "He's my soul bind," When she raised an eyebrow I elaborated, "Vampires and werewolves have a soul tie. That soul tie comes to them. They can speak to each other, they protect each other."

 Her hands fell. Her eyes moved to Venom. Her lips quivered. He turned to watch her and tentatively he crossed the room to be with her.

 "He loves you."

 Her attention returned to me as she slinked her arm over the side of the bed to let him slither onto her, "You're why I found him?"

 "Yes."

 "I had him before the night in the woods."

 I could feel the walls close in but still I explained. If I wanted her to trust me then there had to be no secrets between us.

 I began to relay the events of the first night I'd seen her. She was eighteen and fleeing from an attack on the castle. Her bodyguard, Dorian, and her were riding his horse down a dirt road while I was hunting. I could hear the horse and I stilled atop a deer I had killed for the humans. I turned to see Dorian's horse halt and rear back.

 When I caught sight of her my heart began to beat again. Through her drunken haze she watched me, perplexed. Her head laid against Dorian's back, starting a fire within me.

 "Stay," Dorian ordered, jumping off of the horse and grabbing his crossbow.

 I leapt from the deer and scurried up a tree. I laid Venom on one of the branches and immediately he made his way to the ground. 

 I dared to look at him and an arrow shot past my face. I watched him through Venom's eyes. Before he could reload I launched myself from the tree and tackled him to the ground. I bared my fangs and sunk them deep into his throat. His scream expanded his chest only to die in a gurgle. 

 I could hear Misty screaming behind me. I watched her as I drank. Her eyes fell to the crossbow and I fought the smile that began to bloom.

 When she hopped from the horse and started for the weapon I let him go and stood. He was alive but heavily sedated. I turned to her. Like a deer in headlights she stood still. I could hear her heart pounding. Slowly, as I stood there, fear drained from her face to be replaced by confusion. I wiped the blood from my mouth with my thumb and her eyes followed my hand. 

 "Is he dead?"

 "No."

 "I'm sorry he attacked you," She hummed as she swayed on her feet.

 "It's worth it."

 She blushed, her head turning down and away, "Can you stay with us? We were attacked."

 I took the horse's reigns and motioned for her to follow me into a small clearing just off of the trail. I tied the horse to a tree and she sat down against it to wait for me as I hid Dorian behind a bush. When I returned to her she was watching Venom as he flicked his tongue over her fingers. I sat down before her.

 "His name's Venom."

 "He's yours?"

 "He is."

 "He's handsome."

 "I agree."

 Her hooded eyes met mine. A lazy smile graced her lips.

 "I shouldn't feel so safe with you."

 "You are safe with me."

 "I know."

 She closed her eyes and rested her head against the tree trunk. I stayed there with her. Something about her drew me in. 

 When I heard Dorian wake I hid in the trees. I told Venom to hide in her dress. A pang of jealousy shot through me when Dorian knelt to rouse Misty. When she woke he brought her home.

 For the next week I watched her to be sure she was safe. My intrigue turned one week into two, then a month passed, then a year, and before I knew it I was in love. A day without her voice was a fate worse than death and within the palms of her hands laid my world.

 As I relayed the story to Misty she watched me with bated breath. When I became silent she broke the lock of our joined gaze. She licked her lips. We were silent for a long time as I stared into the fire and she read. 

 "How do you feel?" I eventually asked.

 "Tired. I'm constantly hungry."

 "You'll have to eat three times as much. Especially now. I can get a servant to tend to you if you'd like."

 "Can you show me to the kitchen?"

 I stood and motioned for her to follow me. Together we left my room and walked downstairs, past the dining room, and into the kitchen. 

 She walked to the island in the middle of the room and sat on a stool. Venom was laying lazily around her neck.

 Velvet turned from the furnace at the far right corner of the room. Her glowing smile lit up the room.

 "I'm just making pizza. Do you want some?"

 Misty hesitated before saying, "I'd like some, thank you."

 Velvet sat beside Misty and I excused myself to the study. I knew Misty's turmoil in regards to her transformation but keeping her in the dark wouldn't help her.