Angel in the Moonlight

I awake suddenly, and sit up in bed.

I listen intently. I am sure I heard her again, calling out to me.

But there's nothing; it's all quiet in the room. My glowing amber eyes give a cursory scan of the bedroom, noting the tasteful furniture, the stone walls, and the moonlight shining through the windows.

Satisfied there's no danger, I breathe a sigh of relief and slowly lie back down. Sometimes I think I still hear her, even though I know she's dead.

Natla: my creator, my former mistress, my demon.

Then I turn my head and look at the most beautiful sight in the world. There you are; I marvel at the sight.

You lie next to me, sleeping peacefully; in the moonlight, you look like an angel. Your head rests against the pillow, tilted facing me so I have a perfect view of your beautiful face. Your brunette hair, loosened from its usual ponytail, cascades around your face and pillows like a soft field that I want to bury my face in. Your smooth, tanned skin glows in the moonlight against my paler, veined skin. There is a slight sheen of sweat on your brow, proof of our vigorous and passionate lovemaking only hours ago.

You are everything to me. You are my friend, my fellow adventurer, my lover, my liberator, my savior, my angel, my template.

I know I am your clone, produced by ancient Atlantean magic; that I'm am something not natural of this world. But you and I don't care about that; we are two halves who have come together in a wonderful, loving bond.

I was created for two purposes: to do my mistress's bidding, and to destroy you.

Natla's final orders to me before she died were to destroy you, and then to kill myself.

But you saved me; you gave me free will and the power to defy my maker. That in itself makes you the most important, most special person in my life.

When I watched Natla dissolve in the Eitr with the desperate, powerless look on her rotting face, I knew I was free of her forever. It was the very best feeling I had ever experienced.

At least, it was at that time. When I sought you out, I did not know what to do with my life. But you took me in, allowed me to accompany you on your treasure hunting expeditions. And then we became so much more. Everything I feel from being with you, loving you, and making love to you are the best feelings I have now and they never grow dull.

I know that as long as we're together there's no reason to worry about Natla coming back; that right now, lying beside you, I'm safer than I have ever been or ever will be.

I continue watching you for a few more seconds before I lean down and give you a very, very gentle kiss on the lips. Exhausted from earlier, you only stir as I taste your lips.

"Good night, Lara. I love you," I softly whisper to you, my angel in the moonlight.

As sleep claims me, before my eyes close, I see your lips twitch into a beautiful smile.

FIN