Queen of His Heart

Eve’s folks returned home, but they were gone again by the next morning. She woke Eros and led him to the bathroom to brush his teeth and comb his hair.

“What’s this?”

Eve looked down at him, unsure of how to answer. It was a toothbrush; everyone had a toothbrush. But then it hit her that, no, not everyone had the luxury of clean water and fresh breath.

“It’s a toothbrush,” she said.

His dark hair fell into his eyes, and he quickly brushed it aside. “What is it for?”

Eve squeezed a bit of toothpaste onto a blue toothbrush and handed it to him. She lifted him up and sat him on the edge of the sink so he could see himself in the mirror.

“We use it to brush our teeth. Like this, watch.” Eve brought her purple toothbrush to her mouth and opened wide. She brushed gently, flashing him a bright smile.

With a bit of hesitation, the little boy brought his own toothbrush to his mouth and started to mimic her. When they were done, Eve gently wiped away the leftover paste from his mouth and set him down.

“Why do we brush our teeth, Evey?”

“Because our smiles should be inviting. Do you think dirty teeth are inviting?” Eros giggled and shook his head.

Eve scooped him up and carried him downstairs, setting him at the kitchen table. She cooked breakfast: eggs, bacon, and toast, before strapping him into her car and driving into town.

She was playing hooky today; this was far more important. First stop was a Gymboree to get him some clean clothes. They left the store sporting matching sunglasses.

Eros had forgotten how much fun life could be. He was so used to needles, machines, and really mean men hurting him. He was enjoying this life. Eve was really nice to him. She reminded him of his luna.

After shopping, Eve drove to Planned Parenthood. As she lifted him out of the car, she silently prayed everything would be okay. They walked hand in hand into the building and were ushered into their appointment.

They sat down and waited for their names to be called. Once they heard their names, they followed the doctor back to the exam room.

When they were left alone, Eros finally spoke. “Evey…this place looks like…”

From the tremble in his voice, Eve could tell he was on the brink of tears. She should have realized how much this place could trigger him. Rising from her chair, Eve wrapped her arms around him.

He’d been through hell, and she just brought hell to him.

“Would a story help?”

Eros nodded.

“There was a young girl who dreamed of leaving her small town. She dreamed about traveling, loving, painting, celebrating…she wanted more than her life was giving her.

“When her parents told her they would be traveling to Russia, she was over the moon. She was getting to leave her quiet town.

“They arrived in Russia and immediately got ready to attend the party of the century. The girl danced the night away at this party, but she hadn’t realized the party would only start when she met a certain handsome king—”

When the door opened, she stopped talking, and Eros looked at the man in a white jacket. The man made the young boy nervous, but after a while, he settled into the rhythm.

Once the appointment was over, they both happily went back to the front of the building to pay the bill.

Eve looked down at Eros when he tugged her hand. She bent down to hear what he had to say.

“Evey, I think I have to shift…”

Shift? Eve’s eyes widened, and she realized that a boy turning into a wolf would not be a great idea.

“Do you think you can stay in control for a few more minutes?”

Eros nodded, and Eve quickly paid the bill before carrying him out of the building and to her car. She drove to the park, and they walked to the woods.

When they were far enough in, Eve nodded and smiled at him. “Go ahead, Eros.”

The boy smiled as his bones cracked and he shifted. Eve still winced as his body morphed into that of a wolf.

They stayed outside, playing together until the sun started to set.

Eve was relieved to see her parents still weren’t home as she pulled into the driveway. The duo made their way inside and quickly got ready for bed. As they lay down in Eve’s bed, Eve began to speak.

“Maybe instead of shift you could say, ‘Evey, I think I have to play’?”

Eros giggled and nodded, kissing Eve’s cheek. “All right, Eve.”

***

When she woke up, the first thing Eve realized was that it was still dark out. The second thing she noticed was that Eros was screaming.

She sat up and heard a gunshot ring through her room. Glass shattered as the bullet lodged itself into the wall. She rolled off her bed and covered Eros from the debris.

“Eve.” Eros sobbed.

“Shh,” Eve responded. Quickly, she grabbed his hand and pulled him down the stairs and to the kitchen, where she rushed to grab the landline.

“Eve, they’re here for me. They came back for me.”

For a moment, everything was silent.

“What do you mean, Eros?”

“I can smell them. They’re here for me. They’re the men who…I have to go back. I have to save you, Eve.”

“Eros, no!”

“You have been so nice to me, and I cannot let you d-die because of me.”

Without another word, Eros shifted and raced out of the kitchen. Eve blacked out. Someone had hit her before she could follow her pup.

***

When Eve woke up, she was in a strange bed. Her head was throbbing, but other than that, all her wounds were bandaged, and she was okay.

Sitting up, the first thing she realized was that she was in someone’s bedroom. As if on cue, the door opened, and in walked her saving grace.

“You’ve woken up,” Adlaric whispered, sitting beside her.

“What happened? What happened to him?” Eve asked, worry lacing her words. She trusted Adlaric.

He felt safe to her.