“Are you mine?” he asked.
“Yes, oh, yes,” she said.
He raised his hands to her breasts and stroked her nipples.
“I will protect you,” he said.
“I’m in love with you,” she said.
“As am I with you,” he said, tears forming in his eyes.
“I brought you your morning tea and some bread,” Lady Rema said, placing a tray on a table.
Standing at her window, Lela ignored her. She had no desire for tea or bread. Her thoughts were on Eldrich. He consumed every part of her. She wondered where he was.
“The King has asked for you,” Lady Rema said.
Lela turned to face her. “Tell him I’m ill,” she said.
“Should I send for the doctor?”
Lela gathered her long hair and then let it fall on her shoulders. “Yesterday you told me you were loyal to me.”
Lady Rema nodded.
“I need your help,” Lela said, approaching her.
“How may I serve you?” Lady Rema said, wringing her hands as she often did when she was nervous.
“First, you may stop fidgeting.”
“Apologies, Princess.”
“You must tell no one, not even the King.”
“Princess?”
“May I count on you?”
“Always.”
“Tell my father I’m ill. Tell him I’m experiencing lady troubles. And that I need to sleep.”
Lady Rema giggled.
“Come now, don’t be childish. Now go, do as I say.”
Lela knew that her father would stay far away from her until he was sure she was feeling better. Ah, for all their bravery men stayed away from a woman during her lady trouble time. Yes, we can be dreadfully evil during that time. Lela giggled.
She got dressed. Lady Rema had been gone for what seemed like a long time. Pacing the room, Lela formed her plan. She’d sneak out of the castle and return to the abandoned house in the forest. She was convinced she’d find Eldrich there. She should have figured it out sooner. It wasn’t just that he had known exactly where he was going the night he saved her, it was his determination. As if he had been there a thousand times before. Yes, how did she not see it? It was his home!
Flustered and out of breath, Lady Rema came into the room.
“What happened?” Lela asked her.
“I told the King…don’t worry…he said to come see him when you’re better.”
“My goodness, compose yourself, why are you so winded?”
“When I was making my way back to you, one of the guard’s dogs,” she took in a breath, “he chased me down the hall. The guard couldn’t get him to stop chasing me.”
“Oh for goodness sake, gather yourself. Has my father ordered his guards to watch me and keep me from leaving the castle?”
“They are not under such orders. You’re free to go as you want. I never told him you saw the ball.”
“Very good,” Lela grabbed her cloak.
“What about me?” Lady Rema asked.
“Yes, yes. You’ll need to stay here. Get under the covers and pretend you’re me, in case my father sends someone to check on me.”
“Oh no, I can’t.”
“I’ll return soon,” Lela said.
Once outside the castle, Lela made for the forest at quick pace. She had to see him and not only because every part of her body longed for him. She needed answers. Why did he take the golden ball? What did he do with it? How old was he really? Vampires were immortal. He had to be more than twenty-two-years-old. She needed to know how to protect herself from the vampires who meant to harm her. Drain her!
Flying through the forest, nearly tripping on fallen branches or sticks, she ignored her sanity. Yes, in order to have unequivocally fallen for a vampire, she had to be insane. No other way to explain it.
There, up ahead, was the house… his house. It was still daylight which meant if he was in there he was asleep somewhere hidden from the sun’s rays.
According to storybooks disturbing a sleeping vampire was suicidal. Since they were the most vulnerable when sleeping, their instinct was to kill anyone who woke them. Lela ignored this knowledge and yelled, “Eldrich! Where are you?”
She stomped through the crumbling house as if she were a warrior about to besiege a fortress. Going through halls and rooms, she yelled, “I know you’re here!”
To no avail, her screams did not provoke him. Giving in, she slumped to the floor and waited for the sun to go down. I implore you, Dear Sun, take your leave early today.
The sun set slowly as if it had heard her plea and chose to instead torture her. Once it disappeared and the moon took its place, Lela’s heart began to beat so fast she could not breathe and thought for sure she was dying. Her lungs refused to produce air. Standing, she frantically tried to calm herself. But she could not. A faint spell came over her. Get yourself together! This is what you wanted.
“Why have you come to my home?” a voice asked.
Yes, it was him. Eldrich, dear Eldrich.
“I needed to see you. I have so many questions,” she said.
He was now in front of her looking down at her. And he did not appear to be happy to see her.
“I could have killed you. Do you understand? If you had found my resting place, I would not have been able to stop myself from taking your life.”
Indeed, he was angry.
“I will not apologize,” she said.
“I do not require an apology,” he looked away for a moment, “I’m in love with you. Even in sleep, I think about you.”
“Where is the golden ball?” she had to ask now before she gave into his touches again. As it was, his very presence was bringing her to orgasm. She was not embarrassed to acknowledge it.
“I’ve hidden it,” he said, removing her cloak.
“Where?” Heat penetrated her soul.
Her eyes locked with his.
He kissed her nose, lightly. “In the sea. My kind can’t hurt you. Without the ball, they do not have a claim on your blood.”
“The ball has always followed me. It will find its way to me, again.”
“You’re safe. I swear to you.”
She flung her arms around him and rested her head on his chest.
“How old are you?” she asked, softly.
“I became a vampire when I was twenty-two. In human years, I’m seven- hundred-years-old.”
She raised her head off his chest. “Kiss me,” she said.
And he did. But his touch did not stop there. He undressed her and widened her legs. He then slipped one of his fingers inside her.
“Yes, my love, blessed Gods, yes,” she whimpered.
She spread her legs wider for him.
He sank his teeth into her breasts and drank from her all the while pleasuring her with his fingers.
“I shall fall,” she said, feeling lightheaded.
