Emerald Eyes by Elaine Waldron

you.”
    “Yes…But you have memories of me. And you’ve seen me…perform. Know that I am different. Also, I showed you my fangs. He has nothing to show you – apart from the fact that he is a lot stronger than normal men, though not quite as strong as I – other than himself as a wolf. And if he were to allow that to happen, it would surely mean your demise.”
    She was no longer really angry with Chuck. “Then he’s only trying to protect me?”
    “As much as I hate to admit it…Yes!” They had reached her cottage. “Do you want him back now? Now that you know the truth?”
    “I honestly don’t know. I still wish he had made an effort to explain things to me. Then I would have known that I could believe him…no matter what.”
    There was just a nuance of a smile at the corners of his mouth.
    “I need time to think about things. This is a lot to digest all at once.”
    “Perfectly understandable.” They had reached her porch. He wasn’t quite ready to let her know he had a romantic interest in her too. It was too soon for her.
    Now that he had told her the truth – though he hated taking the chance – he was too much of a gentleman not to let her make that decision for herself. “I will leave you now. I trust you won’t take anymore walks alone this evening.”
    She unlocked her door. “I won’t. And thanks for rescuing me. But it is a little hard for me to digest the number you did on that guy back there.”
    “That guy,” he said distinctly, “had nothing but bad intentions where you were concerned. He would have raped you. And probably have left you in a ditch someplace…wounded or worse.”
    “Oh?”
    “I could smell his intent, Madison.”
    She had no argument. Knew he was probably right. “Okay…Well, goodnight.”
    “And just so you’ll know…I can’t be about in bright sunlight. Get really bad burns. But I don’t ignite into flames. When it’s strongly overcast I can move about outside, and of a morning, and of an evening. I sleep primarily during the day, in my basement. So if you need me, that is where I will be. Knock. I will hear you.” He gently held out his hand then and she accepted. He gave a gentle squeeze and let go. “Night, Madison.”
    “Night.” She stepped inside, closed her door and locked it.
    She didn’t hear him walk off. So she glanced outside, and all she saw was that raven back on the railing. She took about two steps and it hit her. “Can it be?” She swung around and yanked the door open and stared at the bird. “It’s you! Isn’t it?”
    At once, he stood in front of her again, iridescent eyes smiling smugly. “Guilty.”
    “Oh my God! You’ve been watching me all along, haven’t you?”
    “I won’t lie to you, Madison. Yes!”
    “You…You watched Chuck and me—! Oh my God!”
    “I won’t tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me.”
    “But—!” She didn’t know whether to be furious, humiliated or glad. “That’s not the point.”
    “Again…Wasn’t spying, Madison. Watching over you. Wanted to make sure he was being good to you…That is all. I promise.”
    Angry or not, she understood that there was nothing she could do about it. At least, he seemed to have her best interest at heart. He was doing what her Aunt Mattie had requested. “Okay…Still, it makes me feel very…”
    “Naked,” he filled in for her.
    “Yes. Something like that. Am I ever going to have any privacy around you?”
    He let out a slight sigh. “During the day when I’m sleeping…And when I feel you are reasonably safe.”
    She blew out air. “I suppose that’s something.”
    “Now that you know I am here, I suggest you just go back to bed and get some sleep. I will leave when the sun comes up…cloudy or not.”
    She didn’t know what else to say. “Okay…Thanks again. Goodnight.”
    “And to you. Sleep tight.” He suddenly shrunk into a raven again and hopped back on the railing.
    “Shi-it!” Once more she went inside and closed the