…
Ezra woke early to an empty bed. He’d finally fallen asleep just after three, and now at six-thirty, he was awake and still alone. Louis never came home. It wasn’t the first time he worked all night in the duty of his position as Master, but again it was the first time that his duty was to an ex-lover. Had Louis spent the entire night caring for Aldessa?
Afraid of spiraling again, Ezra jumped out of bed and headed for the shower. He needed to think about something else, or Louis was sure to pick up on his wretchedness. While standing under the cold shower, Ezra realized that Louis had only contacted him the once. Worry began to form just as Louis’ thoughts touched his and Ezra felt his mood lightened instantly. The care and affection he felt were coming through to him as was the regret Louis felt at leaving him on his own.
Ezra soaked it in needing the tender reassurance of his beloved. He pushed out the same calm, quiet stillness that he had last night. Having his beloved reach out to him was a balm to his ravaged nerves and eased the jealous envy he was experiencing. Thankfully Louis accepted his sense of peace and wellbeing and, after a few minutes, retreated leaving Ezra more settled than he had been since reading that horrid historical account last night.
After his shower, Ezra dressed and prepared a light breakfast. He had plans in the garden and wanted to get started early. He ordered breakfast, and with a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal in hand, he sat at the table beside the large bay window and gazed out at the amazing landscape. The new growth in the gardens gave him a sense of accomplishment. He assumed it had to do with his herbalist beginnings and the slight earth magic that still sparks from his fingertips from time to time when excited. The plants love that spark.
He was sitting on a chaise, reading a book when the bell at their door rang. At the door, with two hot caramel macchiatos in hand, was Easton. He handed Ezra one as he entered and then closed the door behind him. “I suppose Louis asked you to check on me.” Ezra surmised.
Easton smiled and nodded. “He’s been with Ismael and Silas most of the night. I guess the Duchess is turning into a major problem.” Ezra leads him into the living room and they both sat near the fireplace which Ezra had switched on. It was getting colder outside as winter set in and the Palace sometimes had a chill to it especially when Louis wasn’t around.
“Is she hurt badly?”
“Knocked herself out apparently. The doctor said she'd be fine with rest but in the meantime, we’re stuck with her unconscious self.” Easton grimaced. “She was supposed to be leaving Saturday but now that’s up in the air. They have to wait until she is well enough to travel.”
“Oh my God, how long is that going to take?” Ezra didn’t even try to hide his exasperation and finished by rolling his eyes and leaning back in his seat. “I was so looking forward to Saturday. I’m sorry, I’ve had enough of that woman interfering with my beloved.” He knew he probably said too much by the look on Easton’s face.
“You do not need to be jealous, not that I’m saying you’re jealous, just that you have no need to be.” Easton danced around.
“I’m seething with envy and jealousy every time Louis walks away to go take care of her and her issues. I know she hurt herself, and I’m sorry about that, but I can’t help how I feel.” Ezra was unloading on Easton as he tended to do.
“You don’t have to apologize; hell, Ismael was with Louis all last night, leaving me to stew all alone in our large bed. This woman is cramping everyone’s style.” Easton assured. Ezra was comforted by the fact that Easton had been alone last night too. It was terrible but misery really does like company.
“I made the mistake of looking her up online. I found a historical account of her and Louis from the 12th Century, and it really set me off.” Ezra explained his mood. “Louis de DuCane, Son of Hugh and leader of the conquering army and Aldessa the fair and beautiful.” Ezra tried to mock but his heart was stinging with bitterness.
“Yeah, I read that too,” Easton admitted. “When I first heard she was coming, I did a bit of research just for my own information. I didn’t share it with anyone.”
“Do you think he still loves her?” Ezra blurted.
Easton jerked up straight in his seat and looked at Ezra with a hard stare. “No, he does not. You’re his beloved, and we both know what that means. She is not a threat to you Ezra.”
Ezra shook his head at the misunderstanding. “I’m not saying that he doesn’t love me, I know that he does, but I wonder if he still harbors feelings for Aldessa as well. They go back a long way, and she is from a day and culture that he understands and venerates. I worry that although he claims to be happy and satisfied, perhaps there is something missing that he sees in Aldessa, a woman from his past, from his years as Louis, son of a Duke and conqueror of nations.”
“I hear you,” Easton said and then continued. “But I see Master DuCane as a man who pays homage to the past, but who lives in the here and now. He might show nostalgia regarding a weapon or a battle tactic, but not romance or relationships.” It was Easton’s turn to look at Ezra directly. “He has one relationship that matters and that is with you. No one else qualifies for any reason. She’s playing with your head Ezra, don’t let her plant doubts.”
“Yes, you’re probably right. I’m letting her get under my skin and escalating something that was probably not important at the time.” Ezra agreed, but his heart was not completely convinced.
CHAPTER FIVE
Ezra went to Louis’ office after Easton left. He’d left a pair of gloves there that he wanted to use in the garden. Louis had purchased them for him and said they were better suited for protecting his hands against the rough branches.
He considered everything Easton had shared and wished he could dispel the sense of apprehension he was feeling about it all. He thought about going and looking for Louis just to set his mind at ease and to feel his nearness. But he changed his mind for fear Louis would be able to pick up on Ezra’s misgiving and general uneasiness where the Duchess was concerned.
Hopefully, she would recover and be gone soon, but if the situation degraded, then Ezra decided he would have to discuss his worries with Louis. He’d kept things from him before and in the end, it all but blew up in his face. He wouldn’t let the uncertainty and discomfort he was feeling drag out like he had in the past. For now, it was just a fit of niggling jealousy but if it became more, he vowed to share his feelings with Louis.
Feeling more settled after speaking with Easton and deciding on a plan forward, Ezra entered Louis’ office and headed to the small table by the window where he’d left the gloves. There was a leather upholstered chair next to the small table that Louis often sat in when relaxing or contemplating his day. As he turned to leave, a book caught his attention. It was lying on the seat of the chair as if Louis had been reading it and placed it there for later.
It wouldn’t have been unusual except that the name on it was familiar, and there was a bookmark sticking out from the top of the book. Ezra felt his heart begin to beat in his throat as the ramifications of this find hit him. Reaching down, he picked it up and looked at the cover.
It was written by the same historian who wrote the distressing article he’d read the night before. Flipping the book open to the marked page, Ezra held his breath and began reading. It was the detailed account of Louis’ affair with the Duchess.
Ezra simply stared at the page for what seemed like forever, trying to come to terms with what it meant. Was Louis pining for this woman, reliving their life together and the feelings they’d had for one another? He closed the book and sat it back in the chair and left the room.
…
It was now nearing lunchtime and still, the relocation of their house guest had not been completed. Louis had not seen his beloved since late last night and he was beginning to feel the effects of it in terms of his patience and attitude. Although Dr. Evens had okayed the move, her guard was resisting stating she was more comfortable where she was, and he could better p
rotect her there. His complaints were without merit so, with Louis’ goodwill coming to an end, he ordered Aldessea moved and for the Doctor to stay with her.
Unfortunately, her condition appeared to worsen when the medical staff attempted to remove her from her bed, according to Dr. Evens. The Doctor had no explanation for it and Louis assumed it was a game she was playing but decided not to press it further at this point and allowed her to remain in the Palace for the time being. Although he instructed her guards to begin packing her things, informing them, they would all be leaving very soon.
If she hadn’t been the daughter of Hugo Foix, an old ally, he would not be treating her with such care. But Louis was finding that his patience, ally or not, was growing thinner by the minute. Her behavior was becoming intolerable, and he knew that her current contrived illness was just another attempt to disrupt.
He walked into his office and shut the door. Reaching out to his beloved, he found him in the rose garden. The sense of love and connectedness washed over him and he drank of the energy and vitality of his lover. Ezra was a soothing balm to his anger and frustration. He needed to see him; they had been too many hours apart.
He pulled out his phone and called Ismael. He was done; it was time for her to go. “Move her to the guesthouse, if she dies on the way, so be it, but get her out of my house.” He wanted peace and he wanted his beloved and that meant the Duchess and her constant interference had to go.
It wasn’t but a few minutes and Ismael called back. “As soon as the order was made clear and the medical staff began to move her, she suddenly awoke and is now asking to see you.” Ismael’s irritation was clear in the way he clipped his words.
“Leave her be for now, but do not allow her or her guards to leave their rooms. This is ridiculous. I’m getting an uneasy feeling about this. She’s about to have us chasing our own tails. This visit must end.” Louis fumed.
“Her things are packed, and she’s well and able to leave in the morning as previously planned.” Ismael pointed out.
“And she will,” Louis vowed. When he closed the call with Ismael, he made another call this one to Yuri Petrov. It was time that the Duchess’ world was upended.
…
Ezra finished the fruit trees, apple, and cherry, the only fruit trees that flourished in the mid-Michigan climate and was now pruning the roses. He discovered that the gloves Louis had bought for him were very helpful, especially when dealing with roses.
The gloves were both flexible and protective. Thoughts of the gloves caused his mind to wander back to the discovery of the book in Louis’ office. At the time, he’d immediately pushed the hurt aside and focused on his work, which helped a little, but very little. He refused to go on like this.
It was time to discuss what he was feeling with Louis. Hiding and denying his emotions would solve nothing. They were a Fated pair, destined to be together forever so they could certainly manage to work this out. Ezra had no intention of sharing any part of Louis with Aldessa, and he would make that crystal clear.
It was getting late in the afternoon, and the sun was beginning to go down. The days were getting so short but, although quite cold, they hadn’t gotten much snow, just a light dusting on the ground. Christmas was but a few days away and Ezra was hopeful that Aldessa would be gone, and all this upset and suspicion would be behind them before the holidays were upon them. He could hope.
He finished up and put his tools in the shed before heading back over to the fruit trees to look them over and make sure he didn’t miss anything. Zipping up his coat now that the temperature was beginning to drop with the setting of the sun, Ezra tucked his head down and hurried over to the adjacent garden.
“Ezra.” Came a voice from behind him hidden deep in the trees. He stopped and looked around and at first saw nothing and then gradually made out a shadowy figure coming towards him from the darkened enclosure of several trees. “Louis told me I would find you here.” She said with a satisfied grin. “He said we should talk.”
Ezra didn’t respond; he just kept his eyes on her. She seemed slightly off like perhaps she’d been drinking. The Duchess had been always been elegant in dress and manner, a bit rude and snide but still elegant every time he saw her. Now she stood before him barefoot in just a dressing gown. Vampires could endure a lot but still, it was too cold to be dress in such a way.
“Does my presence bother you, dear boy?” She patronized. Ezra was concerned that the bump on her head might have caused more damage than Dr. Evens realized. Head wounds were unpredictable in humans and maybe it was the same for vampires. She took a few more careful steps towards him and Ezra found himself stepping back. Her aura was highly charged, and Ezra didn’t understand why. She had no reason to flaunt her power in front of him.
“What do you want? Why were you seeking me out?” Ezra wanted this conversation over as soon as possible. She smiled before glancing around the enclosed area and then trained her blue-gray gaze back on him.
“Louis would have spoken to you himself, but he thought it would be easier for you if you heard it from me.” She ran her fingers idly through the leaves on a nearby branch. She was enjoying herself. “Where do you think your precious Louis was all night and all day?”
Ezra didn’t respond. She was goading him, and he refused to play this game. “What is it that you wish to speak to me about?” He brought the conversation back to her original assertion. She moved closer, and this time he didn’t back up. He stuck his hands in his pockets and eyed her carefully.
“Louis wants you to leave.” She said without preamble, and Ezra couldn’t help his shocked reaction, but he shuttered it quickly. He didn’t want to give her anything to feed into.
“I believe it is you that he wants gone,” Ezra stated forcefully and this time held her gaze. She responded with the same satisfied grin.
“Don’t fight it. You know he has changed since I arrive. You feel the change in him, the neglect. He can’t resist me; he never could.” Her tone became pitiable, treating him as if he were pathetic. “He stayed with me last night and we talked about you. He doesn’t want to hurt you, but he can’t go on with the charade when his heart belongs to me and only me since the day we met so many centuries ago.” She moved towards him once again. “Do the right thing, boy and leave before he throws you out. My guard will drive you wherever you wish to go, do it quietly and save your dignity.” Aldessa raised her hand and one of her guards, the blond, stepped out to stand beside her.
CHAPTER SIX
Ezra could feel the power surging around him and removed his hands from his pockets to push back on her encroaching presence. She was standing there looking all kinds of crazy with her white dressing gown blowing in the non-existent wind and demanding that he vacate the premises so she can have his beloved. Not going to happen.
“I know my Louis, and I don’t doubt his devotion to me.” He shot back and braced himself in case she went for a magical retort. Instead, she started to laugh and glanced over at her guard.
“Show him what Louis gave me last night right after he made love to me.” The guard stepped forward and pulled from his pocket a deep blue velvet box, and inside was Louis’ ring. It was embossed with his family crest and his military insignia and Louis always wore it. It looked like Louis’ ring, but he didn’t believe that it was. Illusions were easy for a powerful vampire like Aldessa. The guard closed the box and then stepped back keeping his eyes on Ezra.
“Your magic is impressive, but your lies are thin,” Ezra stated and took several steps away from the pair and stole a glance towards the Palace.
“He has abandoned you, Ezra, don’t make a fool of yourself over a man who simply used you while he waited for the love of his life to return. It was always to be, Louis and me, it was written in the stars. Be rational, how could a man like Louis DuCane ever be satisfied with a little nondescript nobody like you. He needs someone at his side who will give him children, an heir and take care of him in a way that only a beautiful an
d sophisticated partner can.”
She was going too far now and the insinuations she made that, at first, brought a stab of pain were now sounding absurd. Her words were starting to resemble those of the historian who wrote their bogus love story. Ezra smiled, seeing her taunts for what they were and it infuriated her
“You dare to laugh at me!” She barked.
“You dare to insult me in my own home and try to turn my heart against my beloved.” Ezra countered.
“You don’t have the juice to confront me, boy. So don’t embarrass yourself.” She warned. “In your heart, you know that I’m right, and it’s the truth. Louis is mine and he has always been mine. His dalliance with you meant nothing; I am his forever love. We were destined to rule together, his coven and mine.”
Ezra stared at her for a moment and then turned and started walking very determinedly back towards the Palace. There was no point in arguing with her and he wanted to get away and back inside before she decided to escalate their discussion to something more physical in nature. He wasn’t sure what she was willing and capable of doing and he didn’t want to find out.
“Don’t you walk away from me!” She shouted at his retreating back, and Ezra started to move faster. “This is no longer your home; you do not belong here.” She continued her taunts.
Ezra started to run just as she suddenly appeared in front of him. Startled, he jerked backward and nearly fell. She stood there with her hands on her hips and laughing. “My intention when I came here was to return home with Louis, my lover, on my arm. He’s interested, titillated even, at the prospect of us getting back together, but then there is you. Even though there is no love between you, he still feels a responsibility. Don’t draw this out, release him to live the life he deserves with the love he has always sought.”
“Get out of my way.” He told her as apprehension filled his mind. She was becoming insistent in a way that spoke to madness. She wanted Louis and saw him as the only deterrent to her end goal.
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