chapter 3

Willow POV

"I guess we are doing everything?" the young girl asks.

"But first, what is your name?" I ask.

"Liz," she says.

"Okay, Liz. I need everything. Laz is sending someone to get me some clothes. I need hair and makeup. I need my nails done," I say.

"Okay, well first. Let's put you in the shower," she says.

She leads me to a room with a huge shower. There are big fluffy towels. I feel like I am dreaming. Liz turns on the hot water. I begin to undress.

"I will help you wash your wings after you get in," she says.

"Thank you. I usually wash them in the creek behind my house. This will be a treat," I say.

Liz looks dumbfounded. "You wash your wings in the creek. The fairy queen washes her wings in a creek," she says.

"Liz, I come from an impoverished family," I say.

"Me too, I work here, but they do not let me do a lot. I do not get many clients," she says.

"Sounds like we have a lot in common," I say.

"Well, I am no queen," she says.

"What tribe are you from?" I ask her.

"Manoalee," she says.

"I know them. They are very kind fairies," I say.

I step into the shower. I let the hot water run over my body. This must be what heaven feels like. If someone had told me I would get a hot shower, I might not have cried so much this morning. If I had known Laz was a kind man and not the devil I thought he was, I would not have cried so hard this morning.

Liz stands outside the shower giving me as much privacy as she can. She hands me soap and a scrub brush. As the scent of the vanilla and lavender soap fills the air, I no longer can smell the dirt that was caked onto my body.

Liz hands me shampoo to wash my hair. "I will wash your hair in the salon but go ahead and try to wash it some in here. It is a little greasy. I do not want those women making fun of your hair. No disrespect. I know how they can be," she says.

"None was taken," I say.

There is a peck on the door. Laz walks in to check on me.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

"I am fine. Liz is taking outstanding care of me," I say.

I open the curtain. I am standing before him naked with my long hair wet and flowing. I am free of the dirt and mud.

"I am going to wash her wings now. Suppose you want to see it. It is cool the way they shine when you wash them," she says.

"It is up to her," he says, never taking his eyes from my body.

"You will be my husband. Maybe you should watch in case you ever need to wash them for me," I say jokingly.

Lazarus watches Liz intensely as she takes the shower hose and begins to spray my wings with warm water. She takes a special sponge and begins to wash my wings. They begin to glow purple. The bright light is almost blinding to Lazarus.

"That is amazing," he says.

"You have to be very careful. Fairy wings are very delicate," she says.

Liz finishes rinsing my wings. I step out of the shower. Lazarus grabs a towel and wraps me in it. "My goodness, you are so beautiful," he says.

"Thank you," I say.

He leans in and kisses me softly as he holds the towel around my body. He looks into my eyes. His piercing blue eyes are staring deep into my soul. He touches my wet hair. He reaches for my wings. "They are breathtaking," he says.

"And delicate when wet, so be very careful," Liz says from behind him.

"Right, sorry," he says.

He kisses me again. "I sent the driver for you some clothes. I told him to pick up a few things, and you can choose what you want to wear home," he says.

"Thank you," I say. He kisses me once more.

"I need to go get my hair done," I say, looking into his eyes.

Lazarus seems to be caught in this moment. Did he think I was ugly? Maybe he did not believe I would be this pretty? Perhaps it is something else?

"Right, let me get you a robe," he says.

Liz hands him a robe. He wraps me up in it. He kisses me softly one more time.

"I am sorry, but I just cannot seem to stop myself from kissing you," he says.

I lean in and kiss him. "You have the rest of our lives to kiss me," I say.

"Yes, I do, my queen," he says.

Liz takes me to the salon to wash my hair. Laz goes to the other end, where they service vampires to have a spa treatment. I wonder what a vampire gets here. I will have to ask. I am curious about it.