“Just another dinosaur. Extinct.”
“Unicorns?”
“Real.”
Now her favorite. “Fairies?” she asked, her eyes wide with anticipation.
The corners of his lips turned up even more. “Real,” he breathed.
Danielle’s hands flew to her mouth, her jaw dropped. Fairies exist!
“Here?” She came to her knees and began scanning for little fairies because this was the kind of place she could imagine them living.
Ethan chuckled. “Nope, sorry.”
“Dang it!” Danielle wanted to see a fairy. Her eyes returned to his grinning face. “Can you show me?”
“Yes, I can do that.” He rolled his eyes, as if to say, Of course she wants to see fairies.
Danielle let out a squeal of delight. She couldn’t believe it, the enchanting myth seated before her was going to introduce her to another. “Now?” She was practically bouncing up and down with childlike enthusiasm.
“No, later ... is that all right?” Apparently he feared her eminent displeasure.
“Yeah, I guess so.” She sighed.
“They’re hard to find,” he explained, trying to soothe her obvious disappointment. “It will take another day trip and more hiking.”
“Okay,” Danielle said, as she tried to imagine where they could be. But it didn’t take long for her thoughts to return to the subject of him. Hesitating at bringing back up the topic she’d happily left earlier, she notched her chin a bit and asked, “When were you born? When did you become a vampire?”
“I was born in eighteen thirty-four, and I grew up here. I was transformed into a vampire when I was twenty-three.”
“So you’re how old?” Math was never her strong suit.
“I’m over a hundred and seventy years old.”
Even amazed by his age as she was, she knew there was much more she wanted to know, so she pushed the staggering thought aside and continued, “So you were able to stop that heavy lamppost and send it flying like it was weightless because of this curse? But how did you know where I was?”
“Yes—and, I was already following you.”
“What?” She hadn’t expected that. “Why?”
“Lucas hasn’t stopped hunting you since that first night.”
Goosebumps crawled their way across her skin as fear crept in. A vampire was hunting her specifically?
“You should fear him,” he said, making her aware of the fact that the worry was visible on her face. “He wants you dead, and it is personal.”
“Personal? Against me?”
“No, personal against me. I’ve managed to interrupt his hunting many times—and he knows that I’ve taken a personal interest in you. He wants you to get back at me.”
“So you’ve had to follow me to keep me safe from him?”
“Yes.”
Stunned by this information, she fell silent for a moment, rolled down onto her stomach, and hid her face in her folded arms. This was more serious than she'd thought. She would never feel safe in the dark again. Her thoughts drifted back to her family and how all of this affected them as much as it did her. She lifted her head, suddenly concerned. “Ethan, my family!”
He smiled a comforting smile. “Don’t worry, I’ve had watch on your house almost twenty-four-seven.”
“How can you do that?”
“I have shifts worked out with the Order. We don’t have to watch too closely during the day, mostly at night.”
“Beon?”
“Yes, and a few others. Max was the one you saw briefly last night.”
Danielle wasn’t sure what more to say except, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he whispered.
* * * * *
Restless, Danielle stood, forgetting about her ankle. She winced and bit her lip when the pain reminded her. Ethan nearly sprang to his feet. She held one hand out, stopping him. “No, it’s okay.” Her voice was high, hinting at her fib, but she was determined to walk on it anyway. She’d dealt with worse pain from karate injuries. Danielle wanted to explore the ruins more thoroughly.
She glanced back at Ethan who remained somewhat relaxed on the blanket. She could tell it bothered him to watch her limp. It seemed after a few moments of agonizing over it, he decided to join her.
“What was this place like?” She tried to imagine the ruins before they were ruins. She wasn’t getting very far.
“It was built in the sixteen hundreds, and it was old even when we lived here. I shouldn’t have allowed it to fall into ruins, but when my parents died, I had to let it go along with them.
“It was as big as your uncle’s place. There was a garden there. They kept the carriage and horses there. My room was here. The kitchen was here.” He ran to each location, trying to give her a perspective of size.
“What was your life like?”
“In my eyes it was wonderful.... My parents were quite happy even though they hadn’t married for love. The servants were like family. Clair was the cook; I was very fond of her. She took the time to teach me many things besides cooking. My father was a Duke. He taught me to respect ladies, and to treat them as such.” Ethan stroked the back of his fingers along her jaw line.
“My mother read stories to me, and sang me to sleep when I was sick.” He dropped his hand, paced around her in a circle, and then began singing the words to the song his mother had sung. A song that had been forgotten over the centuries, no longer passed down from mothers to their children, with words that were gentle and loving, and meant only for a child. Danielle liked the sound of his voice, even though he wouldn’t necessarily be considered a great singer.
She could imagine a mother singing that song to a child, and it broke her heart to think she was gone. Danielle’s easily touched emotions melted and tears filled her eyes. She tried to stop them, but they overflowed anyway, slipping down her cheeks. Danielle felt sorry for him—his mother, his family, his childhood home—all gone. He’d out lived them all.
Taking in her sentimental reaction, Ethan wrapped his arms around her.
The temptation to breathe in his scent was too much. Danielle inhaled deeply, and then began feeling dizzy again. She didn’t really care, but she pulled away to look up into his face. “So all of this ... your scent that makes me mystified, your eyes that entrance me ... are all just part of the curse? How do I know how I really feel about you?”
A confused expression overtook his face. After a few moments while he studied her face, it shifted into understanding. “I’m sorry I didn’t explain this better before. I thought I had.”
“Explain what?” she asked, secretly liking the fact that he hadn’t let go of her yet. Her fingers found and hooked around the belt loops on his jeans.
“It’s daytime right now, the curse is weaker. You shouldn’t be influenced in the same way as you would at night, but somehow you are. And it is only you, Danielle. I can look other people in the eye during daylight and not make them faint.
“However, I do have a theory.” Ethan mused for a moment, his fingers playing with a lock of her hair that hung past her shoulder. “It may have something to do with another thing I noticed the first time we met, and this is what I thought I’d already made clear, but apparently not. The recognition—”
“That’s what you were talking to Beon about at the tea party!”
He froze, his lips curled into a smirk as one eyebrow lifted. “You heard that?”
“Sorry.” She flashed a guilty grin at him.
“You’re the one who was in the kitchen.”
“Really sorry. I didn’t mean to listen. I couldn’t help myself ... but why couldn’t you smell that it was me?”
“It was daytime.” His smile suggested she should understand that by now.
“Right,” she said. “Again, I’m sorry—”
“You don’t need to apologize, Danielle. I’m glad you heard us.” Again he paused. “May I?”
“May you what?”
Ethan
took a gentle hold on her waist and moved her until her back was against the timeworn wall. He placed each hand on the wall on either side of her. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, then her jaw, soft feathery kisses that felt tender and again—familiar. He drew a line of comforting kisses from there to just below her ear. She tried not to react to the proximity of his mouth to her throat, but felt her muscles tense anyway.
Noticing, Ethan said, “Danielle, I can’t bite you in that way right now. Trust me.” He nuzzled her skin with his nose. “There’s something else I need you to understand,” he whispered, his gentle lips now moving against her skin. She relaxed as he lifted his head and looked into her eyes with the full strength of his bewitching gaze. Danielle’s head began to spin again. With the length and intensity this time, it somehow felt different, even more overpowering. She felt naked, like he could see all of her. Her knees turned to jelly and began to buckle under her weight. Ethan wrapped one strong arm around her waist to hold her up, and the other he placed gently on the side of her face to keep her head from lulling to the side, not allowing the gaze to be broken—and then—something magical happened. She started to see something in his eyes she had only experienced whispers of previously. She felt an overwhelming feeling that they knew each other before—before this life!
“Do you see it, Danielle?” he asked gently. “Do you see what I see?”
“Yes ... I—I think I do.” She gasped. “I really do know you!” she said in awe. Before, she’d only thought it was this strange déjà vu, but it was so much more! “You know, if you’d shown that to me earlier I wouldn’t have run away.”
“Sorry, I thought I had. Apparently I was horribly vague about it.”
“So, you can see my soul? Do you know me?”
“Yes, I know you. When I look into your eyes, Danielle, I see everything about you: your innocence, your sweetness, the secret violent side you hide beneath ruffles and lace.” He smiled knowingly. “Even that streak of impatience you have.”
On a gasp, she said, “You’re old, educated...”
Laughing, “You’re creative.”
“You’re so patient.” Compared to her impatience, they were opposites in that. Looking again at eyes of sapphire she noticed something else. “You’re possessive!” The jealous type. “How did you really feel about my date with Peter?”
Offering a crooked smile he responded, “You really think I left?” When she didn’t respond to that, he added, “You did see Lucas, by the way.”
A lump of fear sank to the pit of her stomach. “But you were there...”
“Yes. Beon and I kept him away.”
So that’s why he’d fed the caution spawned by that worry. Their gazes lingered as they studied one another, got to know one another.
“You’re...” His expression changed as he trailed off and an amused suspicion lifted the corners of his poetically handsome mouth. “You’re not simply frightened of spiders and—”
She looked away, severing the connection. Apparently he decided to let it slide when she asked, “Can this really happen?”
Ethan chuckled softly at her shocked reaction. “Danielle, I think we were meant to be because I think we chose one another before this mortal life, and that’s why we recognize each other.”
“Is this some reincarnation sort of thing?”
Shaking his head, he said, “No. I don’t believe in that. We only live one life here. I’m certain our spirits have lived longer than either of us have on this planet, and because of that, I strongly feel we knew each other there.”
“But how do you know?”
“I suppose I don’t truly know, but I do believe in God.” After another pause where he touched the collar of her jacket, he said, “I think Heavenly Father may have actually allowed me to suffer this curse so we could meet. We never would have otherwise.”
She too shared his faith in a higher being and was relieved to hear such words from him. However, there were problems with this scenario. “I—how can we be together if you—if we live different lives?” He was cursed! And a twinge of panic flickered over her when she realized he might want to.... “Does that mean you want to make me into a vampire?” she asked nervously, trying to escape his arms. She wasn’t sure that was something she wanted, even though she wanted to be with him.
Stopping her struggles, he tugged her to his chest and kissed the top of her head. “Shhh.” He tried to soothe her by stroking her hair gently. “No, never. I can’t curse you too. I know some have chosen to live the curse, immortal life is a tempting thing to many. But it is still a curse. I could never bear to see you consumed with the bloodlust that haunts us. I want to keep you exactly as you are. And I could never watch that happen to you knowing I was the one who did it to you.” He paused, his brows furrowed. “Even though Beon suggested that is what I should do,” he confessed.
“Beon?”
“He leads the Order. I trust him.”
Danielle gasped, deciding maybe she didn’t like this Beon guy. Hot tears tracked down her cheeks again. She felt like he was the one for her, yet she didn’t know if she could be with him. It seemed hopeless. “Can’t the curse be broken?” she asked desperately.
A small but sad smile touched his mouth. “There is a legend or prophecy amongst vampires. It talks about the curse being cured or lifted. But I can’t recall it. I know it’s very vague, and doesn’t make much sense, so most of our kind have thrown it out as nonsense.”
“Oh! The Frog Prince!” she clamored. She felt certain he was wondering where in the world that random statement came from, and then a light bulb went on in his expression.
“Yes, that one is true too, but it was an enchantment cast by a witch. It was easier to break the spell with a simple kiss.” He watched her sadly with patience. “Danielle … we’ve already kissed. I’m still a frog.”
“Sorry,” she muttered with a frown. “Just grasping at straws.”
He laughed and enveloped her body into a tighter embrace. “All will be well, have hope, chérie.”
Is there hope? She had no idea if there was because she wasn’t sure if she really wanted a relationship with a vampire. Scared and uncertain, she snuggled into his neck and shoulder breathing in the dark magic that enticed her as much as it repulsed her.
Danielle pulled back, just enough to lift her face toward his, wishing for another taste of him. Lifting off her heals she pressed her mouth against his. Smiling, he returned the kiss. Their lips lingered, gently caressing. His scrumptious, though wicked scent swirled around her until his flavor saturated her tongue and she consumed the enchantment holding him.
Ethan stiffened and pulled away to study her face. His love-struck smile was replaced with an impish one. “Danielle, are you under my spell again?”
“Maybe,” she sighed appealing and went for his lips again.
Placing his hands on either side of her face, he stopped her just before her mouth touched his. “But, it’s daytime! I still don’t understand this. This is what confused me so much the first time we talked at your uncle’s place. You nearly collapsed then, and I never even touched you. Why does this wicked curse affect you now when I should be mostly free of it?” The question wasn’t for her.
“Maybe you just get to me like that.” She giggled like a drunk, which surprised her, she didn’t normally act like this. It was like she was intoxicated with a potent love potion. But she couldn’t help it, and she liked it, completely forgetting the evil surrounding the hero of her story.
Ethan ignored her obvious enrapture. “Maybe … maybe it does have to do with our connection. Hmm, I wonder...”
“What? You wonder what?”
“I’ll tell you later, I want to test something out first.”
“Now what?” Danielle tried pouting to persuade an answer out of him, but he wasn’t falling for it.
“I think it’s time we got back.” His brawny arms released her along with his desirable spell, and he started packing up the picnic.
“We’re leaving now?” She frowned. Danielle wanted to stay; she wanted to hang out, to make out....
Aware of her disappointment, a grin drew across his face. “I need to talk to Beon. I need to ask him about this prophecy right away, and you need to meet the Order.”
“Now? This is only our third date!” In truth she wasn’t sure she wanted to meet this Order or Beon who wanted to curse her.
Ethan dropped what he was doing and turned to take Danielle by the arms. He paused like he wasn’t sure what it was he meant to do with her, then as a glimmer of mischief flickered to life in his gaze. He kissed her until she couldn’t stand and helped her settle down onto the low part of a crumbling wall.
With her drugged by his magic, he softly placed a kiss on her forehead, and went to gather up the picnic items as before. When finished, he turned to scoop her up and hauled everything—including Danielle—back to the car. He was using his magic on her to get what he wanted! And Danielle wasn’t sure how she felt about that, secretly hating herself for liking it so much.
Chapter 9
Where the Cursed Dwell
It was early afternoon, and they were on the way to what Ethan called Order headquarters.
Still not fond of the idea, Danielle sat quietly and watched out the window, not really seeing the scenery as she went over everything she’d just learned in her head again.
Ethan had been really quiet too and she glanced at him briefly. “What’s wrong?” she asked when she took in the upset twist of his mouth and the lines of stress around his eyes.
He met her gaze, held it for a beat or two, then reached over to sweep Danielle’s hair out of her face. “While I feel it extremely important we go to Beon and learn more about this prophecy,” he swallowed, “I’m worried about one of the Order members.”
“Who?” Why?
Ethan sighed before saying with a note of anger in his tone, “Celeste.”
“I thought most of them where men.”
“Most of them are, but not all. There are many who support our cause.”
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