Katrina, The Beginning (34 page)

“You have
no idea!”
I thought.

“Someday I’d like to hear
your whole story, Eric.”

“My memory is still coming
back in bits and pieces. I hope soon, I can put them
together.”

“El might be able to help
you. I’ll send her by tomorrow.”

“Thank you. Maybe someday
I’ll be able to repay all of you.”

“You’ve been through a
terrible ordeal, Eric. Just concentrate on getting well. Is there
anything else I can do for you?”

“Come back and see me again
soon.”

“I will, but now I’ll let
you rest.”

“Thanks again for
everything.”

“You’re
welcome.”

I opened the door and found
Kate on the other side ready to knock, an arm full of books and now
wearing a surprised look on her face.

“Well, look Eric, you have
more company. I said you wouldn’t be lonely.”

“I thought you’d be gone by
now, so I brought Eric something to read.”

“I see that, and the pack?”
I asked as I gestured to the leather pouch slung over her
shoulder.

“Well he has to eat, you
know.”

“Of course. I’ll leave you
it, then; have a nice visit,” I said to Eric, but turned to Kate
with a smile and a wink. She gave me the merest glance, her eyes
going to Eric

I turned to see Eric
smiling back at Kate.

“Goodbye, Eric, I’ll see
you soon.”

“Yes, soon,” he mumbled,
not takings his eyes from Kate’s.

I rolled my eyes and shook
my head. Why was I thinking Eric needed company? My mind drifted
back to Damien then. We were going to have dinner alone, and there
wasn’t much time before dusk. I needed to change, so I quickly made
my way back to my room.

“I want something that will
look good with my green eyes,” I told Sarah as I sat in my
bath.

“How about the hunter
green, with the buttons on the sleeves?” Sarah said, as she rifled
through the dresses hanging in my armoire.

“Pretty, but too
formal.”

“How about the burgundy one
then? You look so pretty in that one.”

“I love it too, but it’s so
wintry.”

“This is perfect,” she
said, as she brought it over for me to see.

It
was
perfect:
grayish lilac silk, empire waist, square low neckline with short
cap sleeves. The empire waist was accented with hand-embroidered
white and yellow daisies.

“That’s the
one.”

“When my hair was almost
completely dry, Sarah twisted it around strips of rag cloth, rolled
it up to my scalp and tied them. Then she helped me get dressed
before brushing it out, letting it fall in soft curls down the
middle of my back. She pulled thin strands from the sides, drew
them up and pinned them with flowers at the back of my
head.

“Lovely, just lovely,” she
said, as she stepped back to take a look.

With just a touch of
perfume behind each ear, I left to meet Damien. The sun was just
slipping beyond the horizon as I walked to the gardens. When I got
halfway across the courtyard, I spotted him. He wore black pants, a
black vest, and a light blue shirt, and his hair was pulled back
with a leather tie. He was magnificent male specimen.

He smiled, casually
standing with one arm bent, his hand resting across his waist, the
other behind his back. As I got close to him he sighed.

“I never thought it could
happen, but it has.”

“What, what’s happened?” I
said franticly looking around.

He stepped forward and
pulled a bouquet of flowers from behind his back.

“You’re more beautiful than
you’ve ever been before, that’s what’s happened.”

I could feel the heat on my
cheeks.

“Lilies, my favorite,” I
took the lilies from his hand, and took in their sweet
fragrance.

“As I said before, they
suit you. I’ve had dinner laid. Would you like to eat
now?”

“That would be lovely,
thank you.”

He offered his arm, which I
accepted, the huge lily bouquet cradled in my other arm.

We turned the corner and
entered the gardens through one of those ivy-covered archways, and
what I saw next, took my breath away.

The garden was aglow with
dozens and dozens of candles, set singly and groups, on stands, in
votive containers or on candelabra, short and tall, their flames
flickering in the moonlight. At their center a small table, set for
two, made an intimate setting for our dinner. The atmosphere was
truly magical. Damien guided me over and pulled out my chair. He
took the bouquet from my arm and put it into a vase waiting for it
on a side table, which also held the wine.

Once he took his seat,
discreet waiters served course after course of a gourmet meal, each
with a complementing wine. We laughed and held hands in between
courses. With all that had happened since we met, the special
connection between us was still there. Now more than just an
attraction, our bond was growing stronger.

What I had thought in the
beginning was menacing turned out to be a smoldering passion. Luena
had tainted him, making him seem evil; freeing him from her gave
him his humanity back. Now he was mine - I was so proud he was all
mine - tears filled my eyes as the phrase ran through my
mind.

“What’s wrong? What have I
done to make you cry?” concern darkened his face.

“I can’t believe you’re
mine. These are tears of thankfulness.”

He stood and taking my
hands, he pulled me up and into his arms.

“We were meant to be
together, my love. Never forget that, no matter what happens. For
the rest of our lives, nothing and no one can keep us apart for
long. We will always find a way to be together, for our minds and
our hearts are linked, always.”

He kissed me passionately,
and I knew he was right; we
were
meant to be
together.

“I don’t want to leave you
tonight.”

“We have a lifetime,
Katrina, now I’ll escort you back to your room, your reputation
intact, as your father would expect.”

“Thank you for such a
lovely evening; it’s just what I needed.”

“I look forward to many
more.”

We walked, arm in arm,
across the courtyard. When we reached the bottom of the stairs, I
stepped back into his arms and kissed him deeply, after which I
whispered to him, “I want you, all of you, and soon I will have
you.” Then I turned and walked up the stairs to my room without
looking back.

“Have a nice evening?” El
asked.

“I did. It was nice to be
together and not have to kill anyone. How’s Thomas
doing?”

“He’s staying busy helping
Gunter with arrangements for the arriving the Council members and
their families. I’m worried beside the sadness, he’s secretly
feeling guilty.”

“Guilty? Why would he feel
guilty?”

“Because he’s alive and
they’re not. I’ve tried to talk to him about it, and so has Gunter,
but I just don’t know what to say.”

“You could ask him if his
brothers would want him to be dead too, or if he would want Gregor
or Cedrik to feel that way if one or both of them had lived instead
of him.”

“That’s a good point, I’ll
talk to Gunter about it again, but he probably just needs more
time.”

“Can I ask you to do
something tomorrow?”

“Sure, what is
it?”

“Would you go and see Eric?
He’s having trouble with his memory, and I thought maybe you could
help.”

“All right, I’ll go in the
morning. How does he seem to be otherwise?”

“His health is much better
and his mood is much improved too, but I have a feeling the mood
change is due to the fact Kate’s been spending a lot of time with
him. I think she’s quite taken with our handsome new
resident.”

“I hope she’s cautious
until we know more about him. Well, I think I’ll go to bed.”
 I stretched and yawned.

“Me too. See you in the
morning. Do you want to go work out early?”

“Yes, but not too early,
all right?”

“All right,” I said as I
walked into my room; but then I didn’t feel like going to bed yet.
After undressing and donning my nightgown, I took the flowers from
my hair and took my brush with me back into the common room. I sat
in front of the fire, where I brushed my hair mindlessly and
reflected on my day.

I closed my eyes.
“Damien?”
I called.

“I’m
here,”
he replied.

“What am I going to do
without you for all those months?”

“I’ll be as close as this,
and I’ve decided I may not stay with the whole group. I think I can
save time if I go out on my own or just with Demitrie and of course
Ivan. Then we can meet up with the group later, tell them what
we’ve seen, and head back.”

“As long as you can stay
safe, I’d love to have you back sooner.”

“Would you like to go for
a ride in the morning?”

“I’d love to.”

“Just after sunrise
then?”

“Perfect.”

“Goodnight,
Katrina.”

“Goodnight,
Damien.”

Now
I
was ready for bed. It had been a wonderful day. As I got up from my
chair, I sensed movement outside. Moving quietly to the door, I
eased it open and crept out onto the balcony. Mother was in the
courtyard, quietly pacing. She would stop periodically and peer
into the darkness; obviously waiting for something or someone. I
wondered where her Watcher was, and as I leaned over the balcony to
scan for him, a man came out of the shadows. He was dressed in
black from head to toe. She greeted him, and they embraced warmly.
Mother held his arm close and in whispered conversation they went
inside. “The wizard,” I thought. “Good; we should have some answers
soon.”

I must have fallen asleep
seconds after my head hit the pillow, because I awoke just before
dawn, totally refreshed, having slept through the night without
strange dreams or sleep interrupting visions.

I dressed in my riding
clothes, tied my hair back, pulled on my boots, and left to meet
Damien at the stables. It was a beautiful morning; the crisp cool
air filled my lungs. I could hear Klaus singing as I walked past
the kitchen. When I reached the stables I called out, but Damien
wasn’t there. Nulla was eating her oats and hay.

“Hey, girl, finish up and
I’ll give you a good brushing.”

As I went to the tack room
to get the brush, I passed Theo’s stall and noticed he wasn’t in
it.
“That’s strange,”
I thought, but I got
the brush and headed back to Nulla. She had finished her oats and
was now happily eating hay. I opened her stall door and walked in.
After I finished brushing her, I lead her out so I could saddle
her.

“Katrina?”
I heard in my mind.
“Meet
me in the meadow.”

“I’ll be
right there,”
I replied.

I finished saddling Nulla
and mounted. I suddenly shivered as a feeling of “wrongness” swept
through me.
Damn—
something is
wrong.

“Open the gate,” I shouted,
“and be alert!”

I galloped through the gate
and around the corner to the right and into the meadow. I could see
Theo in the distance, but where was Damien?

“Damien?”
I called with my mind. No answer.

I lowered my body over
Nulla’s neck and asked her for more speed. I used my gift and I
didn’t recognize the scent that raised my reaction and anxiety; I
just knew it wasn’t good.

When I finally got to the
top of the hill where Theo was standing, I could see a blanket had
been laid out with a willow basket covered with a red checkered
cloth, sitting at one corner.

“Damien?” I called out
loud.

“Over here,” I heard from
my right. I dismounted and left Nulla beside Theo. As I went in the
direction of Damien’s voice over the rise of the hill, I could see
him. He had his back to me, and when I approached, he
turned.

“I want you to meet
someone,” he said.

When he stepped aside, he
revealed the woman standing in front of him. She was about my
height, wearing a black riding habit including crop and hat, but I
didn’t see another horse. I couldn’t get a good look at her face
because the sun was at her back, putting her face in the shadow
from her hat. Damien held out his hand to me, which I took. My
heart was pounding - this couldn’t be good - but Damien seemed
happy and perfectly calm.

“Katrina, I want you to
meet the Countess Daniela Daminov, my mother.”

I wanted to run. I was sure
Damien could feel my apprehension. My body tensed and he put his
hand on the middle of my lower back, to steady me. I took the hand
Daniela held out for me to shake. It was ice cold. As we touched, I
looked into her eyes and felt a shock of surprise I hoped I kept
from my face, because standing here with her hand in mine was one
of the women from my vision, one of the three I’d seen in the dress
shop.