MAIL ORDER BRIDE: ARISTOCRAT: The Duke’s Engagement (Historical Victorian Duke Romance) (New Adult Romance Short Stories) (28 page)

“How is it that you can teach me anything?” I questioned. “There's a story behind that.” He glared at the fire in the hearth. “Perhaps you would like to share it?” I suggested.

              “I used to be as you are. A time traveler. That was before I got bitten. I was a young chap living in London at the time. When I foolishly went time traveling, abusing my power to look for the paranormal. It was stupid but at the time I was bored and curious. I found something paranormal, well, it found me. A vampire trapped me in the alley way and sucked my blood, his efforts were distracted by a police officer and I was left to become this. Now I am oblivious to time. I can live anywhere and not be effected as you are.”

              “Sounds like a solution to me,” I said. “It is a curse!” he proclaimed. “I didn't mean to be insensitive,” I said. He reached and trailed his fingers down my cheek. “Rest now. I will explain more tomorrow and I will train you. As of now I suspect that you have only fifty-one days left. Then you will cease to exist,” he said. “How am I supposed to rest knowing that?”

              “Life can be a grim thing sometimes. Like-wise, I will have a hard time watching you sleep,” he said. “Talk to me,” I say barely above a whisper. His gentle words calm and embrace me with their soft tone. He tells me of his adventures in London, when he was a young boy. I tell him of my adventure that I happened upon while trying to find him. He gets close to me. So close we are nose to nose. My breath stops. Then he whispers, “I have loved you since the first time you dreamed of me.” I swallow hard and his lips tare into mine. I can't bring myself to stop. His lips are so warm and taste so sweet.

              His body is cold and it chills my bones, but I can't take myself away from him. Despite his coldness there is a warmth that radiates from him and I take energy from that. His kisses become hungrier, more passionate. My breasts harden and there is a tingling below. He awakens all of my senses. Then just like in all of my dreams, he is there and then he is gone. I breathe and bitter disappointment stabs at my heart. I lay on his sofa in wanting.

CHAPTER 5

The first kiss of sunshine blinded me. I was still on his sofa but I felt no pain. There was a cast on my arm. At some point he must have tended to it. I got up and found a note in that same fancy handwriting. It read:

Tonight I shall have a wonderful dinner planned for you.

                                          Meet me in the dinning hall. I trust that you will spend the

                                          day exploring and should find it effortlessly. Have a beautiful day,

                                          dream queen. I can't wait till our lips meet again and your beauty

                                          graces my presents. 

                                                                                                                              Forever your dream thief,

                                                                                                                            
 
Harcourt

                I sat the note back on the end table and smiled. He already knew me so well. I could hardly wait to have dinner with him. I walked through the mansion taking in the marvelous statues. The golds, reds, and silvers that colored the walls. The purple, blacks, and reds that made up each room. The mansion was purely a Gothic one, something straight out of the movies. Then I stumbled upon something I shouldn’t have. His room.

              I expected to find a coffin with him neatly tucked inside. Instead I found him lying in a bed. He was evenly breathing, little snores escaped from him. He was shirtless and looked so serene sleeping there. I grappled with myself. I wanted to reach out and caress his face, touch his muscular body. But I didn't want to wake him.

*              *              *              *

              Dusk had come much too soon but I was glad it had come, for now I would be dinning with this handsome creature. I had searched the other rooms and found a beautiful ball gown. It was black with gold trim and a gold circular design on the skirt. Thick straps lay at my shoulders. I found a pearl necklace to go about my neck. A pair of black leather shoes to match my attire.

              After I had dressed I returned to watch him sleep. When the sun disappeared behind the trees, he stirred. His eyes glanced up at me sitting at the edge of his bed. “You're beautiful when you sleep,” I said. “Only when I sleep?” he asked his voice still groggy. “I heard you have a fantastic dinner planned for me,” he smiled, flashing sharp white fangs. “I do,” he said stretching out and tossing off the covers. He got out of bed. Within a blink of an eye he was dressed elegantly in a beautiful suit.

              “My lady,” he said holding his arm out for me to take. I got up and put my arm through his. We walked into the spacious dining room. With its gold and red walls. The dining table was huge, made from durable mahogany. Harcourt snapped his fingers and servants brought out tons of food. There was duck, chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, and a whole assortment of things. It was like Thanksgiving without the turkey.

              Red wine was poured into a glass. I sat down and a servant handed me a napkin. “Dig in,” he said as he sipped thick red liquid from his glass. “I suppose you're just going to drink blood all night?” I asked trying not to think about it too much. He smiled and went back to drinking. “I was traveling with a group of creature hunters before I fell off that mountain side. They were looking for you. I worry that they could find us,” I confided. “Myths and legends,” he said. I stared at him. “You're not worried?” he flashed that white dazzling smile. “Not a bit. I'm a myth,” he answered.

              “How is it possible that I survived that mountain fall and only came away with a broken arm?” I questioned, changing the subject. “I broke your fall. It was storming pretty bad last night. If I hadn't been there, you'd not only be dead but it would have taken ages to find you,” he informed. “I guess I should thank you then,” I said. “The pleasure was mine.” He poured more blood into his glass from a pitcher. Soft music started to play from a violin and piano combo.

              We sat for a while, eating our own respected meals. After we had finished. The music still played. Harcourt got up and took my hand. “May I have this dance?” he asked. It was my turn to smile as I said, “Certainly good sir,” I got up and he embraced me. We began dancing slowly to the rhythm, losing ourselves to the moment where time stood still. In that one moment it was just me and him. He drew me closer, as we moved in circles with the rhythm.

              Suddenly, his mouth was on mine. He kissed me with passion, then his lips left my mouth and moved to my neck. His breath grew rapid and heavier. I felt an ache of anticipation below, my dress fell to the floor. I didn't even realize we were still dancing, until we stopped. He swooped me up effortlessly and laid me down on his bed.

              He slid off my chemise, his mouth took my breast. All thoughts and feelings escaped me. There was nothing in the world but me and him and endless pleasure. His mouth moved toward my naval and back up again. His hands explored every part of my body. I felt his hardness against my thigh, then without warning he drove deep inside me and my mind exploded with pleasure.

              I screamed with pleasure as he thrust inside me. His rhythm was slow and steady at first. Then became hungrier, more urgent. He thrust faster and harder. I threw my head back and screamed as I orgasmed. I heard him exhale and then he slumped down beside me. He cradled me into his arms and we stayed like that for the rest of the night.  

CHAPTER 6

              I woke up still cradled in his arms. The sunlight peered through the windows. I expected to hear him snoring softly, as I had the yesterday. But, to my surprise, I found him to be awake. His beautiful eyes stared at me and he whispered, “We have work to do.” I groaned not wanting to be free from his arms. He kissed me gently, then got up and returned dressed in an instant.

              He took me out to the sitting area. Moved all the furniture and said, “Okay, we're going to start with a meditation. Sit down and relax, breathe in and out.” I did as instructed. “Imagine you’re a feather, floating in the wind. Now imagine that a great wind has come and is taking you higher, higher, and higher till you reach the stars.

              Now, imagine that you are moving with the stars. You can go anywhere; to any time period you choose. Pick a time period and go there. It's that simple,” he instructed. I opened my eyes and looked at him. “You're saying time travel is as easy as choosing where you want to go and then imagining yourself there?” I asked. “Yes, that's all there is to it. Just choose and will yourself there. Practice building up your will power and you can go anywhere,” he explained.

              I closed my eyes and tried to imagine being somewhere, but I couldn't. I couldn't imagine being anywhere but with him. Over the next several days, I was instructed to meditate like clockwork. I had to practice willing myself to go different places. I never brought myself to actually leave him though. Every now and then he would offer advice.  

              Every night we would dine together, though I was ordered to go straight to my room after word. He didn't trust himself, not after our last dinner. As much as it pained me not to touch him, I knew that he was struggling more. He was trying to be strong but I knew he didn't want me to leave him. If I didn't it would mean the end of my existence.

              I went to bed that night feeling a sort of emptiness. He was counting the days we had left. In my heart I was too. Suddenly the night was too quiet, and I felt hot tears roll down my cheeks. I wouldn't leave him. I decided. Then I realized he would force me to leave if I refused. He wouldn't allow me to freely end my existence. I was restless all night thinking about my options. It all came back to the choice I didn't want to make.

              I was awakened by four gun shots outside my window. I shot up from my bed, fear pulsed through my veins. A hand flew over my mouth. “Don't make a sound, dream queen, your hunter friends are here.”  My eyes widened. He was confident the other night that he was a myth. Even when I tried to warn him. Now they had found him. No matter how good those hunters were to me, I couldn't let them hurt him. Not now, not when my heart sang every time he was near me. I didn't know what to do.

              There were voices outside and more gun fire. Then we heard the voice of Marcus shot, “Come on out you hideous vamp!” they group laughed hysterically as they ran around the mansion firing their guns and whooping. “Let me go out to them,” I said. “No! It's too dangerous. Stay quiet and they might go away,” he told me. “They won't, you don't know them, they live for this stuff,” I said concerned. “I'm not letting you go out there,” he argued.

              We waited for what seemed like hours. Outside the hunters still continued to taunt Harcourt. “We've got all night, vamp!” Finally, after hours of waiting Harcourt decided to face them. “Stay here,” he ordered. “No! I'm coming with you,” I persisted. We walked out to face them. It was dusk and the sun had gone way down. The night was fretfully chilly. “You want me I'm here,” announced Harcourt. I stood with him.

              “Good to see you Lucy, is the monster holding you hostage?” exclaimed Spencer. “I'm with the monster. If any of you try to hurt him, you'll have to kill me first,” I replied. “Aw, so the friend became the enemy. Well, good to know this is the thanks we get for saving your life,” said Marcus. “Too bad I liked you Lucy. Now I'll have to kill you,” said Spencer. “No one is going to hurt Lucy!” snarled Harcourt.

              The first shot fired, started the chaos. Harcourt pushed me to the ground as he moved in a blur and knocked the guns out of each of their hands. “Look out!” I yelled as Sofia threw a hunter’s knife. The knife jabbed Harcourt in the leg. At most the knife would slow him down some. But it was enough to get me moving. I leaped up and tackled Sofia to the ground.

              We wrestled on the ground, pulling up grass as we did so. She started choking me, I knocked her off clawing at her face with my bare hands. She screamed and knocked me in my chin. I tasted blood, my lip had been cut open. I pulled her hair as hard as I could manage. She spat in my face and at that point I lost it. I went hysterical with rage. “Of all the things you could do, why would you spit in my face!” I yelled.

              “You were pulling my hair; do you know how long it takes me to get it right?” she said. “At least you won't die, I'll probably get sick,” I pointed out. “Are you saying I have a disease?” I frantically wiped my face with the sleeves of my gown. “How am I supposed to know what you have?” I asked rhetorically.  Her icy stare was her reply to my comment. Then for no reason at all we stared at each other and burst out laughing.

              We both realized two things. First, spit was gross. Second, in another time and place we could have been best friends. Sophie was a quiet one but she was very down to earth. Someone grabbed my waist and I was slug over their shoulder. By the time I realized it was Harcourt we were miles from his mansion.