Bears of Burden: HUTCH

by Candace Ayers

  Dimitri touched my wrist gently as he returned and faced me. “I will give you a more complete tour some other time, as I’m sure you’re very tired. This is the casual living area, and straight ahead are the kitchens. Downstairs are the servants’ rooms, and to the left is a study where I take visitors. The study is locked when I am not there and if you need me for any reason, I would prefer that you send a servant to find me rather than coming in yourself. Upstairs is the library and two suites of rooms, one of which is yours. The floor above is a parlor and other guest suites. If your rooms are not to your liking, you are free to look around the guest floor and see if there is another suite you would prefer.” He reached for my hand, but I pulled it away. He inclined his head, and for a moment, his genteel expression slipped, and he looked utterly exhausted. “Follow me, Anna, and I will show you your rooms.”

  I reached for the skirt of my dress, gathering up the long train in my hand so I wouldn’t trip on it. At second thought, I slipped off my heels as well and held them. The polished wood of the staircase was joltingly cold on my toes as I followed Dimitri up the staircase, and I wondered how the heating was in this building. Now that my coat was gone, I was starting to feel a bit chilled.

  When we reached the landing, he gestured to the left. “That way is my suite. Just down the hall is the library, and to the right are your rooms.” I followed him, and he pushed open the heavy mahogany door.

  There was a wide entryway, with a tightly woven velvet rug over the wooden floor. I heard a crackling as we walked into the expansive room, and I suppressed a small gasp. The bedroom was huge. A four-poster with a canopy and velvet bedding was along one wall, and directly opposing it was a massive stone fireplace. There were bookcases along one wall and iron bars screwed into the stone wall, with my clothing neatly hung. To one side of the bars was a huge wardrobe, where I suspected the rest of my clothing and shoes probably were. The windows were hung with velvet drapes matching the bedding, and to the right I saw an archway that led to the bathroom. I couldn’t see much of it, but there was a massive claw-foot tub in my line of sight. There was another door just past the bed. “Where does that go?” I asked, unable to help myself, despite how little I wanted to talk to Dimitri. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of it.

  “There is a small sitting room that way, with a desk and couches where you can entertain guests if you like. There is a fireplace in there as well.” His mouth was twitching slightly, and I knew immediately that he knew how awed I was by all of it. It irritated me immensely.

  “Thank you for showing me up,” I said as stiffly as possible. “Good night, Dimitri.”

  “If you look in the wardrobe, there will be some new items for you that you may enjoy.” He paused for a second, and then inclined his head again. “Good night, Anna.”

  He’d barely stepped away when I realized suddenly that I was still in my wedding dress, and I hadn’t the slightest idea how I would manage to unbutton the hundreds of tiny buttons on my own. “Dimitri,” I called, trying to sound casual. “Is there, er…is there anyone who might be able to help me with my dress?” I cursed myself inwardly for not thinking to have my mother help me change before I left the reception.

  “The servants are all asleep by now, but you can certainly ring for your maid if you like.”

  “I…I have a maid?”

  “To keep your room clean and assist with laundry and any errands you might have, yes.”

  I hesitated, feeling a powerful wave of guilt at the thought of waking up my maid, whoever she might be, to come up and help me undress. I heard Dimitri speak, a soft chuckle in his voice.

  “If you’ll allow me, Anna, I can help you.”

  I wondered if it was a sort of olive branch on his part, or if he simply wanted to undress me. I supposed it could be both. I felt a small stir of wickedness at the idea of letting him see me half-naked, knowing he wouldn’t be allowed to touch me further. I wanted to toy with him, suddenly, to make him as miserable as I felt.

  “Okay,” I said softly, and I could have sworn I heard him breathe in sharply.

  I heard his footsteps as I stood facing away from him, my eyes fixed on the blood-red duvet on the bed. I felt his cool fingers at the nape of my neck, deftly undoing the top button, and then the next, and the next. I tried to keep my breathing steady as his fingers skimmed down the row of buttons, grazing against my skin here and there as the satin parted away, the sleeves slipping away from my shoulders. I held them in place to keep the bodice from slipping down altogether as he worked his way down, exposing my bare back. I felt him undo the button at the base of my spine, just above the nude satin of the panties I’d worn under the gown, and there was no sound for a moment as he paused. I felt his fingertips touch my spine, brushing against my skin, and for a moment, I wanted to turn and kiss him. I could feel my heartbeat fluttering in my throat, the blood pulsing through my veins, and I could feel his presence behind me, could sense how much he wanted to touch me. “Anna,” he said, his voice barely audible, his fingers still barely touching my back. I hugged my arms to myself, the satin under my hands a reminder of why I was here.

  “Thank you. Good night, Dimitri.” I said, hating the way my voice trembled.

  “Anna,” he said again, and for a moment I thought he was going to press the point. But I heard his footsteps receding and felt the weight of his presence disappear, and then he was gone.

  I let the dress slip away from me when I heard the door shut, stepping out of it and leaving it in a puddle on the floor. I walked to the wardrobe and opened it, blinking hesitantly at what I saw there. Hanging up with the rest of my clothing were two evening gowns—I supposed for whatever events I might have to accompany him to, and several pieces of lingerie—or at least what I would think of as lingerie. I guessed they were actually for me to sleep in—silk nightgowns or varying lengths and two silk robes, one short and one long. I reached for one of the nightgowns, a deep teal blue with a soft white lace edging, and pulled it over my head. It fit perfectly, hitting just above my knees, and I felt a small shiver as the silk brushed over my breasts. It reminded me of Dimitri’s touch on my back, whisper-soft and sensual, and for a sudden moment I wished he were still there.

  It was only the first night, I thought, and already he was getting into my head. How would I resist him for the rest of my life? I had to hope that the newness would wear off; that he would find some other human to toy with; that I would grow accustomed to his presence. My lifetime suddenly seemed endless, stretching out in front of me, and I had to fight back tears as I slipped under the velvet duvet, onto the sheets that felt cool and sensually soft against my body, and laid down to try to sleep.

  Despite my anxiety, I must have fallen asleep relatively quickly. I woke sometime in the middle of the night, I suppose. I could hear a clock ticking at the far side of the room, but it was too dark to see what time it might be. I closed my eyes again, but I felt too restless to fall back to sleep. The room suddenly seemed constricting, the blankets too heavy and hot. I flung them off, and walked to the wardrobe, pulling the long black silk robe out and shrugging it on. I pushed open the door to my room, venturing out into the hallway. The house was dark and silent, and I furrowed my brow. Didn’t vampires sleep during the day and stay awake at night? I’d expected that it would be one way that I’d avoid Dimitri, that he wouldn’t really be around during much of my waking hours. But the house was silent as a tomb, and I realized suddenly that somehow he must be sleeping. I had a sudden wild desire to go to his rooms and peek in, to see what he looked like when he was the closest he would ever be to death. But I felt a shiver of fear at the thought, and instead I turned towards the library.

  I was surprised, when I pushed the heavy door open, to hear the crackling of a fire. The library itself was overwhelming—floor to ceiling bookshelves took up most of the walls, and where there weren’t shelves, there were huge, arched windows with reading nooks built into them. There was antique velvet and wood furniture s
cattered throughout, chaises and sofas, and as I stepped into the room, I saw the stone fireplace at the far wall. To my shock, there was a man leaned against the mantel, his back to me. There was something very familiar about him, but I couldn’t place it until I was fully in the room, and he turned at the sound of my footsteps to face me.

  It was the man who had looked at me when I was walking back to the sweetheart’s table at the reception. The one I suspected was another vampire. By the firelight, I was even more sure of it. The firelight carved shadows out of his face, making him look positively ancient. It was expressionless as he took in my presence, his hands shoved into his trouser pockets. He was wearing the same clothing he’d had on at the wedding, but he’d shed the jacket and tie, and his white shirt was partially unbuttoned. I could see the hint of his chest, muscled and tanned, and I felt the same wash of desire that I’d felt before, when Dimitri had touched me. What was it about these men that affected me so?

  “What are you doing here?” I blurted out, and bit my lip the moment I said it, regretting speaking at all.

  He regarded me casually, raising an eyebrow. “I live here, cherie.” His voice had the hint of a French accent. “You’re Anna, yes?”

  “You know who I am,” I said, my voice more biting than I intended it to be. “You were at the wedding.”

  “Oh, yes. That lovely spectacle. I was there. Didn’t you see me, standing next to Dimitri at the altar?”

  “I did,” I said. “So you’re friends?”

  “Friends.” He rolled the word over his tongue, as if he were tasting it. “Yes. That is a word for what we are.”

  “But, but you live here?”

  “As do you, now.”

  “I’m Dimitri’s wife,” I said, a touch haughtily. If I was going to inhabit the role, I supposed I might as well get comfortable with it. “Of course I live here.”

  He walked towards me, his stride lazy, and stopped barely an inch away. I could smell the wood smoke from the fire and the hint of his cologne. His skin was flushed slightly. He reached out, his finger tipping my chin up so that he could meet my eyes. “Yes,” he said softly. “Dimitri’s wife.” His fingers were warmer than Dimitri’s had been. I wondered what that might mean. “Dimitri’s wife,” he repeated. “Such an innocent little thing. Such a shame, on your wedding night.” His fingers trailed up my cheek and cupped my face, his thumb brushing over the shell of my ear. “Such a beautiful bride you made.”

  “Dimitri promised not to touch me,” I said, shivering a little from the sensation of his hand on my face.

  “Yes, Dimitri said that to me,” he said, his accent thickening. “But I made no vows to you.”

  I shuddered. What could he possibly mean by that?

  “Are you cold, cherie? Come over by the fire.” He took my hand, and I felt how strong his grip was. I followed him to the fireplace.

  “Don’t worry, cherie,” he said, seeing the expression on my face. “I won’t hurt you. Dimitri would never forgive me. But you are so very beautiful.”

  I had never thought of myself as beautiful. I had never thought of myself as anything but very plain. It had been such a strange night, all silk and lace and candles, ancient buildings and creatures just as ancient. I felt as if I’d slipped into some other strange dimension, as if I were part of some story that I’d read. How could this be reality, this home in the midst of Manhattan, so full of the past, and a centuries old Frenchman who looked like a brooding, handsome poet caressing my face?

  I felt the heat of the fire creeping into my bones, softening me. His fingers slipped from my cheek to my neck, tracing down the column of it, the tip of one finger settling in the hollow of my throat. “Dimitri would let you molder in that room all your life, and he is so much of a gentleman he would never try to convince you otherwise. There is nothing more valuable to him than his word.” His finger traced my collarbone and I shuddered. I felt hot and languid, some sensation creeping through my veins that I had no words for.

  “I will not harm you, cherie,” he whispered. “Say the word and I will stop touching you. I will walk you back to your room and bolt the door, I will sleep at the foot of the steps for you so that nothing may ever harm you.” He was closer to me now than he had been before, his body nearly touching mine. “You looked like a princess tonight, like a queen, a woman who should command men to kneel at her feet, not a bride coming as payment for a debt.” His hand slipped to my shoulder, fingers trailing down my arm. I could feel my skin prickling under his touch, and then his hand was on my waist, and he pulled me against him.

  He was lean and muscled, his body hard as stone. His fingers curled into my back, pressing against the place on my spine where Dimitri had touched me earlier, his touch so much softer than this. It had been easy to tell Dimitri to leave, easy to dismiss his hesitant touch. This was much harder to deny, and suddenly I didn’t know if I wanted to. This man had done nothing to me or my family. He had never hurt me. And he had called me a queen, was looking down into my eyes with the kind of desire I’d always dreamed of.

  “You should know what it is like to be loved by a man,” he murmured. “And what better man to show you than a Frenchman, yes?” His mouth curled up on one side, laughing at his own joke. “Let me kiss you, mon amie,” he whispered, and then his lips were on mine.

  I had been kissed before. More than once. Or at least, I thought I had. But those were not kisses compared to this. His lips were somehow soft and demanding all at once, sweet and insistent. His hand pressed into my back, pulling me tightly against him, and his other hand cupped my face, his fingers in my hair. I felt the press of his tongue against my lips and I parted them involuntarily, letting him taste me. I felt his hips arch against mine, felt how hard he was, and his fingers slipped from my face to my neck. He pulled away from the kiss, his forehead pressed to mine, his breath sharp and fast. “I wish I could taste you, mon amie.” He pressed his lips to my throat, his fingers threading through my hair and pulling my head back gently. “How delicious you would taste. How sweet.”

  Minutes ago, I would have been horrified at the very thought. But now, with desire suffusing my body, making me ache for something I wasn’t even entirely able to comprehend, I was having difficulty objecting.

  He let go of my hair. “I can’t,” he murmured. “He would not forgive that.” And then his hand was under my chin, pulling my mouth to his once more, and I began to think of the chaise lounge just beyond us, and what it might feel like to be trapped under the length of his body. My hands drifted to his waist, my back arching into his hold on me, and for a blissful moment, I was lost.

  And then I heard the door crash open, and felt him stiffen, pulling away from my mouth.

  “What the hell are you doing, Raoul?”

  Chapter 5: Dimitri

  I don’t know what woke me up in the middle of the night. I normally sleep like, for lack of a better term, the dead. But I did wake, and Raoul was gone. I wasn’t altogether surprised. He’d been distant when I’d come to bed after leaving Anna, brooding by the fire for several long minutes after I’d undressed and slid into bed. Perhaps I hadn’t been all that understanding of how he was feeling. But it was difficult to deal with his emotions when I was feeling out of sorts myself. I hadn’t expected to feel anything when I’d offered to help Anna with her buttons. It had been an altruistic gesture, as I’d seen how uncomfortable she was with all of it, and I didn’t think she would wake the maid. I’d suspected she’d have slept in her wedding dress rather than do such a thing, and I wanted her to be comfortable. So I’d offered, and been mildly surprised when she accepted.

  I’d been even more surprised at the way the sight of her pale skin, slowly revealing itself from under the creamy satin, had affected me. Perhaps it was the memories of Katerina, leftover from our long-ago wedding day. Perhaps it was the oddness of expecting to sleep in a room that was not my bride’s on our wedding night. Perhaps it was a little of everything. But I’d ached, with every shiver of
her skin when my fingers grazed it, to reach for her and pull her into my arms. I’d imagined, as I’d undone the buttons, turning her around to face me, bending to kiss her soft, full lips. I’d imagined laying her back on the bed and sliding the dress away from her body, revealing it inch by inch. I’d thought of what it would feel like to bury myself inside of her, to make her truly my bride.

  I knew that none of that was remotely within the realm of possibility, and I’d given her my word not to touch her without her consent—not that I ever would have, anyway. So I’d withdrawn from the room, my last glimpse her standing in the middle of the room, frail and delicate, clutching the dress to her arms.

  I’d still been aching when I’d gone to Raoul’s and my room. So I’d had very little patience with his mood. And I wasn’t shocked to find his side of the bed empty when I’d woken. I knew he’d be in the library, and so I’d climbed out of bed, intending to go to him and apologize. And then I’d opened the door and seen him by the fire, Anna clasped in his arms, his lips on hers, her body soft and compliant.

  I’d wanted, for one furious, red-washed moment, to kill him. Anna was mine by law, even if I’d likely never have her body or her love, and with the memory of undressing her so fresh in my mind, it drove me nearly mad to see anyone else touching her in such a way. And not just anyone, but Raoul. My friend, my bedmate, and my partner. And he was seducing my wife.

  Raoul’s face was expressionless as he turned to face me. Anna was flushed and trembling, her eyes wide with fear. She rushed to me, grabbing my hand. “Dimitri,” she breathed. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking. It was a mistake, Dimitri, please don’t do anything rash. It won’t happen again. Please, please don’t kill him.”