A Vow So Beautiful

"Cleo," Prisana stalked Cleo through the kitchen. "My husband is still alive, is he not? Why can't I visit him at the office? Grr, it's been longer than a week since I've heard from him!"

She peered up at him, expecting him to give in but he didn't. Cleo kept to his duties as usual, cleaning like no tomorrow. He actually had the audacity to whistle to himself, trying to ignore Prisana's words. But she wouldn't let him get away because she at least wanted to see the beast for herself to assure her worries were just simply plain worries.

Prisana poked her face in front of the kitchen stove to catch his attention, "Must I file papers to become a widow? Why won't you take me there?"

"N-No! Please don't and uh...Dane would want to come back home and be with you. The moment he sees you, he'll forget about his...responsibiltiies. That's right! His responsibilities!"

"He always sacrafices his responsibilities and never cared about it before," she mulled over, clearly suspicious.

"Dane is fine...He just doesn't want you to worry."

Enough was enough. Prisana didn't want to sit around and wonder if her husband was still alive. She was going to Dane to check on him whether he wanted her to or not. At least, she just wanted to see with her own eyes that he was okay. There was this gut feeling that things could be terribly wrong or perhaps, all in her imagination.

The moment she saw him from afar okay as Cleo stated then she could leave and sleep at home in peace. Prisana eyed the keys on the counter and snatched it while Cleo shouted, "You don't even know how to drive!"

Prisana smirked, "I'm sure I'll figure it out. You should have taken me when I asked. There's maps on the internet so I'll find it if that means I have to search all of New Jersey!"

When she opened the door, Prisana found Bailey standing there with eyes wide open since Cleo was tugging on Prisana's arm to stop her from leaving. Both Cleo and Prisana cleared their throats while stepping away from each other. Prisana just glared at him for being so complicated the whole week and evading all her questions about Dane.

"What is going on?" Bailey asked, searching the vicinity. "Where's Dane?"

Prisana pointed to Cleo, "I'm forbidden to see my husband so I thought I would recklessly drive over to find the very man you're also looking for...Um Bailey, what are the flowers for?"

Bailey held a boquet of colorful poppies in her arm. Prisana's eyes couldn't help but be attracted to them.

Bailey sadly smiled and looked down at the flowers, "...I came to see if you and Dane wanted to come along to visit the grave...For my daughter's death anniversary, as well as my son in law..."

Dane's parent's annivesary?

...What?

"Oh dear, don't tell me my stubborn grandson didn't tell you..."

Bailey's words repeated inside Prisana's mind like windchimes striking this foreboding storm in her heart. And then suddenly, everything made sense. Everything clicked. No wonder her beastly husband was avoiding her. Again. He was resorting to pushing her away. Why didn't he just tell her? Prisana frustratingly ran past the both of them with keys still in hand as Cleo shouted, "...Prisana wait. I'll take you to him."

She sucked in her breath before turning around with grave eyes beyond worried, "H-How bad is he?"

Cleo didn't asnwer her.

***

"I can't believe you're making me lecture you but the issue stands...When are you going to stop drinking and start working?" boomed what sounded like the devil's voice. "Time is ticking and it's only long before the bomb explodes my friend."

"Leave me alone, devil. Grr and we're foes I'm telling you!"

Dane's mind was so muddled that he thought he was imagining Leo's wretched voice. He shook his head and ran his fingers through his disheveled hair. And then, he swirled and looked into the glass of strong whiskey. It was his unkept appearance. A beard protruding at his chin. Dark circles clouded under his eyes because he hadn't had a good night's sleep ever since leaving his lynx.

Disheveled hair that curled and furled as it liked. And even, his shirt unbuttoned to reveal his hairy ungroomed chest. This was not a sight he wanted to show her. Never. It was like he was turning into that shell when she first met him in the woods. The caveman that desperately sought another sip but when someone held the cup from him, he glared at what must the devil who dared to take away his only solace.

"Damn devil, what do you think you're..." his voice trailed of as pretty brown eyes he knew so well met his own feverish ones. "...Prisana."

God, she was his light and saving grace in this dark hell he found himself warping inside. So beautiful and bright unlike any other, it was hard for him to look at her. He had to turn away his gaze even though he wanted to keep looking at her forever.

It wasn't just his imagination because when he squinted he saw Leo back away to the door and speak, "I suppose this is my cue to leave. I'll leave you two to your lover's quarrel hmm?"

This had to be a mistake. He clutched his migraine forming at the temples of his forehead. Dane specificaly ordered that damn secretary to keep her away at all costs. So why was she here, right in front of him? No matter whether if this was reality or not, he wanted to drink away his nightmares. And forget about the pain stinging every fiber of his existence.

Dane cruelly regarded her without mercy, telling himself this was yet again another of the countless dreams he's had of Prisana this week. And then he snatched the glass of brandy from her and finished it to show her he was beyond help at the moment.

"Leave, I'll be fine eventually," he growled, almost hiccuping. "...This is how I always mourn."

He dashed back to his liquor cabinet and grabbed the half empty bottle of whiskey. But this version of Prisana wouldn't disappear. No instead, she bravely marched over to him and tipped up to grab a hold of his hand with the bottle.

"Enough Dane...I know you're hurting but this isn't the right way to mourn. Please, enough is enough. No more...Ah!"

A loud crash startled the both of them. The contents of the bottle entirely spilled onto Prisana to soak her completely as the glass shattered at their feet. His instincts mmediately prompted him to carry her over to the large black sofa. He set her down and began scanning her feet through a daze, for any scratches or blemishes among her precious skin.

Dane heaved a beastly sigh as he found none and glared at her, "...Lynx don't try to save me when I'm far gone like this. I don't know what I'm capable of. Hell...my state of mind right now isn't rational...Please leave and I swear I'll be back by morning light but not now. I'm not myself..."

"No, I'm staying right here with you through hell or high water."

The beast wasn't rational because as he found her drenched in alcohol, it was almost irresistable to him. He waited for her to leave but she didn't. And so Dane leaned forward and licked her cheek. He heard her gasp. All he could think was that she was ripe and delicious, perfect for his sweet invasion like every other time.

She tasted both like whiskey mixed with her scent and softness. By now, he wasn't sure if he was growing delirious by either Prisana or the alcohol. It was intoxifying and he wanted to get hooked on her body dripping wet with whiskey.

"What are you doing!" she shouted, pulling him back. "Dane, I don't want this. Not right now. Not when you are like this!"

"Then leave!" he lashed out at her so much that she actually shrunk away to the couch.

"...No!"

"Then don't blame me for warning you dearest..."

But he wasn't in the state of mind to listen to her worries laced in that sweet angered voice calling him to abandon all reason. Dane licked her nose before trailing down to her plump delectable lips. At the same time, he was undoing her shirt buttons. He was doing his best to get her to reciprocate but she was still and unpassionate. Prisana simply refused to kiss him back. Yet, she just looked at him with eyes so sad it hurt his soul to look at. That did it. He couldn't go through with it.

This made the beast cower away and he turned his face away because something in his heart twisted knowing he must be hurting her. His hands fell to his sides and he moved away from her petite body underneath his. He sat beside her until Prisana used a hand to turn his gaze to hers yet again.

The both of them were breathing heavily, looking each other in the eyes until she shakily said so calmly while taking off her shirt completely so she was only in her white bra, "...Fine. Do whatever you want. If this is how you want to mourn then so be it. Destroy your sanity. Take my body. Do whatever you bloody need to because I would give you anything as you have vowed for me."

She finally broke him when she whispered tenderly this time as he remained silent."..Dane, have you truly ever mourned for your parents?"

The question stunned him because he never truly thought about this matter. He struggled with his words through that haze clouding his right sanity of mind, "Mourning...Hah instead of mourning, I poured my heart and soul on revenge. My life's purpose was to bring justice to my parents...But since I've met you, I've been trying to deserve happiness. I-I…"

Dane's eyes widened as he felt warmth pool around his head. His lynx had pulled him into her chest so he lay against her with her arms protectively wrapped over him. Time seem to really stop as he somehow knew this wasn't a dream. He could smell her vividly. He could grasp her in return so tightly that nothing had shattered. He could feel so many tumbling emotions hit him at once that it was had to breathe properly.

"Shh," she cooed sweetly even though he knew he didn't deserve this. "It's okay to mourn. Don't hold anything back with me. I know you've been hurting all this time…"

"...Oh Dane..."

Everything he had been holding back just unleashed. Her warmth and sweetness was the last straw. He clutched her like she was the last thing he had in this world.

The beast wept inside her arms for a long time.