The Angel of Scarlet Rose, chapter 7

"Kuru would be upset if I didn't visit." Thes sounded as if he were teasing me, joking. We were still quite high, the street lights below mere pinpricks against the black cloak that draped the sky. I watched Thes inquiringly, searchingly. He was acting strange, and of course, he had since the day I met him, but I sensed there was something he wasn't telling me. Something he was hiding. Strong hands clasped mine and we plummeted toward the ground, Thes's wings drawn in sharply. I had experienced the maneuver before, but was just as shaken as I had been then by the sudden drop.1

My legs trembled weakly beneath me as Thes lead me down the stone path to the mansion, grinning like a child with a lollypop. He ushered me up the steps and onto the luxurious carpets of the downstairs, waving his hand almost playfully at his brother, Thell, who leaned against a wall in the living room. Tall beams reared high above my head, built in bookcases lined the walls, and several reclining chairs dotted the red carpet on the floor. I nearly gasped, it was my first proper look at the enormous room. 2

"Big, isn't it?" Thell's voice cut through my awe, stinging me sharply like the thorns of a rosebush. 3

I glanced at him, the wolf's tail falling across his back, his hair flowing down over the robe-clad shoulders, a flowing cascade of dark hair. "Yes, it is." I answered, feeling the breath catch in my throat. He smiled. "I wont drink your blood, don't go all tense with me. I'm not going to harm you." "How can I be sure?" Thell titled his head. "My brother mentioned you saying that to him, when he met you. I'll give you the same answer. You need not fear me. The fears you have of me are because you are unsure. I am not here to harm you. Of that, you can be sure." 4

Thell bowed to me then, motioning toward an overstuffed armchair. "Sit and relax. My brother should be back in a moment."5

As Thell's words echoed hollowly around the room, Thes entered, carrying what appeared to me to be a bundle of rusty orange fur.6

Then I jumped. Two eyes glittered out at me, glaring through half-closed lids. "I...Is that a...a fox?!" I stammered, blinking in disbelief at Thes. 7

"No, my rose. This is Kuru, my little pet." Thes spoke silkily, running his hand over the tall eats and black edged snout. "Kuru, met my guest, Scarlet." Thes set the fox on the ground, where it stood staring at me. Then it swiped its tongue over its muzzle, trotting over and sniffing my hand like a dog. "Gar, owl de yorowl de?" I gapped at it beast with astonishment. "He can talk?" Oh, can't I say anything the way I want to? Really, can he talk! Humph! he looked up at me with his round liverpooled eyes. "Yers Ahm growlt, ahm gered aet growlter. Ahm, Kurubane, mady." "Your name is Kurubane?" "Yers." I noticed Thes watching me, and tried to act as if he weren't.8

Kuru smiled as only a fox could. "Kuru mike mady, mady gered!!" 9

"Yes.." Thes spoke now, eyeing me with something close to amusement. "Yes, she is good.“10

The warmth and passion in his words struck me, I nearly toppled out of the chair when he spoke.11

Looking into the silver abyss of his sincere eyes, I knew he meant every word. And curiously, I felt the same.12