“Um,” I stuttered, looking around to the various shops.
“How about we go get you some clothes? You’re falling out of mine.”
“I don’t have any money,” I whispered sideways towards him, hoping the guards wouldn’t hear. Theo’s smile grew, and he squeezed my hand.
“Well, I guess it’s a good thing your mate is a very important official with money to spare,” he smirked. “Whatever you want is yours, Margo, just say the word.”
We stopped into a few shops, and Theo began grabbing everything from thick leggings and snow boots to socks and pajamas. I stayed at the sides of the shops near the guards, watching him and the ladies who worked in the stops pick items out.
“Margo,” Theo smiled apprehensively. “Will you please come help me pick out things you want? I’ve got some of the basics, but I don’t know what you like to wear, and I’m pretty sure you don’t want me picking out your undergarments.”
I cautiously walked over to him, trailing my fingers over the racks of clothing. I had never picked out my own clothing. Sure, Caddy had bought me a few things for my birthday or a special occasion, but most of my clothes were hand-me-downs, what little clothing I did have.
Theo held up a crème sweater in one hand and a silk top in the other, looking at them like he wasn’t sure what they were for. I glanced at them and back to the rack in front of us. I ran my hands over a denim shirt, a plain gray sweater, a distressed pair of stone-washed jeans. Theo set what was in his hands down and picked up anything that my hands touched. Nothing I ever owned was sparkly, flashy, or audacious, and I greatly preferred things that were subtle and comfortable.
I didn’t notice Theo’s arms were full until I had maneuvered around the entire shop. I stared at his arms, piled up to his shoulders with clothing, and to the guard behind him that had become Theo’s lacky when his arms grew too full.
“Theo,” I hesitated.
“Margo, whatever you want is yours.”
“It’s just so many things.”
“Yes, and we have three more shops to go to today, and if you don’t have this much clothing after each, I’m going to take you back out tomorrow. So, you might as well fill up now.”
I nodded, scared that I was asking too much of him. Somewhere in my head, a thought reminded me he took me; he was the one forcing me to stay here. In a new haste, I grabbed another pair of shoes, four pairs of socks, a headband, a soft cotton jacket, and a stack of plain, gold bracelets near the cashier.
Theo smiled encouragingly, not realizing I was punishing his wallet for his actions. He paid for everything, and true to his word, we did the same in the next three shops. He stayed close to me, deliberately watching me to learn what kinds of things I liked or disliked. I had to sneak away to look at undergarments, though when he found me again, he blushed, and called a store worker over to help me.
I decided to make my room in a quiet sanctuary, filled with books, art, and embroidery tools. Theo gathered as much as he could, promising that when we got home, I could pick furniture out online to be delivered.
By the time we got home, we had eaten dinner and filled up the entire car with my new belongings. Theo and the other guards carried everything inside and set the bags in my new room.
Theo had paperwork to finish, so he left me upstairs to sort through my new things. There was a box of hangers to hang my clothing in Theo’s closet, where he had cleared out half of the rectangular room for me. I stacked the books and paintings against the stone wall and began sliding my clothes on hangers when I noticed a faction of men walking quickly through the woods towards the house.
Blood Ties
They looked up and saw me in the window, and their smiles grew. They quickened their pace as I raced to the stairs and called Theo’s name loudly.
He rushed to the stairs, climbing them in three motions, and grabbed my shoulders to check if I was injured. I stepped out of his reach and pushed his hands off me.
“Theo,” I panted. “Men were coming toward the house.”
He turned his head quickly, listening to the sounds outside, and then went down the stairs in the same motion as before. The door flew open, and three men, along with a nervous guard, came in. Theo growled loudly, but the three men only laughed.
“Why are you in my home?” he fumed.
“Emily told Mom you had a human girl with you today, buying her all sorts of things,” one said humorously.
“Got yourself a little human plaything, have you?”
“She’s none of your concern,” Theo shot back.
“Theo, we just wanted to make sure you aren’t torturing the girl,” the smallest one said, peeking his head around the tallest. “We saw her in the window. She’s really pretty.”
I took two steps down, peeking over the banister to look at the men. They were tall with the same dark brown hair as Theo; I assumed they were his brothers from the way they spoke.
“She is nothing to worry about for now,” Theo said calmly, straightening his back.
“Come on, we’ve never met a human girl before,” the middle one said. “What’s she like?”
“She is a human, that’s all you need to know for now.”
“She is not just a human,” the middle one rolled his eyes. “You’ve never had an interest in them before, so why is she
