Daddy Next Door

by Tina Lee

  Sia stuffed her face with food and Ben drank his beer. “Ben, come on, you know you can’t hide anything from me,” I said.

  “We slept together again last night.”

  Sia slapped him. “Are you that weak?”

  “I can’t keep secrets from Elizabeth.”

  “Wait, I thought you said Ben was a mistake,” I said.

  “I made the same mistake twice. So what.”

  I laughed, “so you two are a thing now?”

  “No,” they replied in unison.

  “Well, how many nights must you two sleep together before you become a thing?” I asked.

  “Shut up,” Sia said, and threw a chicken wing at me.

  “Well, I had sex with Dante today.”

  Ben nearly choked on his beer. “You what?”

  “What took you so long?” Sia said.

  “You don’t know what I’ve been through.”

  “You have what so many women want. I would have fucked him instantly,” Sia said.

  “I know, Sia. I know.”

  “Well?” Sia asked.

  “Well what?”

  “How was it?”

  “I’m going to take a piss. I can’t listen to this.” Ben walked away.

  “It was everything I expected. A man of fire.”

  “Oh Elizabeth, I envy you so,” Sia said, then winked at me.

  I called for him once again. When the moon was bright and the city was sleeping. I blew the whistle and wondered if he would stay true to his word. That if I blew this whistle a hundred times, he would appear a hundred times.

  I could use his company again. On nights when I felt lonely I thought of Leo. Dante’s aggressive nature was fun and it made heart race with excitement, but what I seek in these times was a certain calm that I could only find in Leo’s tranquil blue eyes.

  Leo appeared, and I felt foolish for even doubting him for a second. “What happened earlier?” he asked.

  Your crazy woman punched me in the gut. “Nothing. I just fell.”

  “Please tell me—”

  “Shhh,” I placed my hand on his lip. “Come, Your Grace. Let’s lay down.”

  “You’re abusing my gift. You’re not in danger.”

  “It won’t happen again. I can promise you that.” There would be no use for his whistle after he gets married. He would be busy with Victoria and I will be already gone. “How do you feel, Leo?”

  “Torn. I ask myself, at what point do I deserve to be selfish? To put my needs before anyone else’s.” He took my hand and gave it multiples of small kisses.

  “I wish I could give you an answer.”

  “You were brought here as a slave to serve. And I too have an obligation to serve. A slave and King are very similar. We aren’t really free.”

  “But the slave doesn’t get to wear fancy clothes,” I said.

  He kissed my forehead. “There is value in cloth only if you give it value. Otherwise it’s just a meaningless cloth. I value things in which the eye cannot see.” He touched my chest. “I value what’s inside you.”

  “Can you promise me that everything will be okay?”

  “I can’t. But I can promise that whatever happens, I’ll always be there for you.”

  Before I leave the North, there was one thing that I wanted to do. I pulled Leo into my kiss. His streaks of hair tickled my face and I couldn’t help but smile while we kissed.

  I loved how he fit nicely between my legs, like he was made to go there. My body screamed as he sucked and breathed on my neck.

  We held hands as he slid into my warmth. Me, mesmerized by his ocean blue as he grind in me, and me, writhing my hips against him as he explored my soul. His thrust was slow but true. He understood what I needed, and made me feel like the woman I was. I released my moans into the night along with my burdens. Lost in blue eyes, caught in a world between this one and the next, I was swept up by a sea of climax, and after, I felt what could only be described as a rebirth. I, Elizabeth, was born again.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Leo

  Elizabeth’s head rested on my chest, and I was the happiest I had ever been.

  I listened to her breathe. I wondered if she knew how precious she was to me. I wonder if she knew that she was the only woman that I’d ever loved. What difference would it make if I told her?

  She mumbled in her sleep, like how a baby would, pressing her lips and scratching her eye. It pained me to know that another man will wake and see her like this every morning. Dante could be that man. I will pray to the Gods that if I can’t marry her in this life, then I will marry her in the next, if the Gods allow it.

  I buried my nose in her hair. The smell of roses would stay with me for all my days. “Elizabeth.”

  She mumbled when she heard her name.

  “I love you,” I said. She didn’t hear me.

  Horns suddenly sounded off through the city, followed by screams and shouts. “Elizabeth! Wake up!”

  “What?” she yawned.

  “We are being invaded!”

  Her eyes shot open “What!?”

  “Listen.” Chaos began to ring outside. Things breaking. Men screaming in agony. Wolves howling. “Stay here. Hide. Do not leave!”

  “They could need my help!”

  “No! Stay here for now, I will come back for you.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “I must protect Victoria and the others.”

  I shifted and jumped out the window and immediately I am confronted by a wolf. It hesitated. It recognized who I was. I pounced on him and ripped his neck out.

  Wolves everywhere killing anyone in their path. I was able to assemble some members of my pack and split them into teams and spread out. Usually I would prefer us all together, but we needed to protect the people.

  I howled loud into the night, announcing that we were being attacked, and for all who could fight to join us.

  I chased two wolves through the street and into an alley. It was a dead end. Now they would have to face me. I attacked the first one, sinking my teeth into his head, his cry sent the other one running. My pack chased and killed the other.

  They somehow found a way through our wall. Something bothered me. Why were there so little of them. If they could get through our wall, then why only send these few. Why not the great numbers that we had seen before?

  I ran as fast I could back to my castle. I burst through the door and found Veronica hiding with Madam Irvine under the bed. I returned to my human form. Veronica ran in my arms and kissed me. “What is going on?”

  “The East, they’ve attacked us.” I looked at Madam Irvine. “Are you alright?”

  “It will take more than a few bad wolves to take me down,” Madam Irvine said.

  “I want you to stay here while I go look for King Agnor,” I told Veronica. “Madam Irvine, gather the cooks and maids and bring them here.”

  “You’re leaving us?” Veronica said, holding my hand.

  “I have to go and fight until they’re all dead.”

  She hugged me, “stay please.”

  “What kind of King would I be if I stayed inside and cower?”

  I felt a prick on the side on my neck. “What did you do?” there was a thorn in her hand. I took some steps back and leaned on my bed. My fingers felt heavier and harder to move. “What is that?” I asked.

  Veronica smiled.

  Screams rung outside the doors then Madam Irvine bolted inside. “It’s them! The West have betrayed us! They—” Veronica stabbed her in the heart, and I could do nothing but watch the Madam Irvine die.

  “I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!”

  She laughed, “how? You can’t even move.”

  “How could you do this? We are allies!”

  “Allies? I don’t think so,” King Agnor entered the room. “I respected your father. Not you.”

  “And you betray his son?”

  “I’m doing what needed to be done. You don’t deserve the North.’

>   “It is mine!”

  “By right, yes. But it needs new leadership.”

  I was numb from the neck down. I was useless. Just waiting to be killed.

  “You want lead the North?”

  “No. The East does.”

  Veronica sat beside me, poking me with the knife she used to kill Madam Irvine. “The East? The East is your enemy.”

  “Correction. Was our enemy. After your father died, the East began to treat us very well. Very generous people,” he laughed.

  “So that’s how the West suddenly started prospering. You started working for East.”

  “How did you convince your people to accept the East? They have been your enemy for centuries.”

  “I’m glad you asked because that is the best part. They don’t know about the East. They think we get all our coins by selling valuable minerals that we suddenly discovered we had. It had to be a secret.”

  “You were the enemy all along. We fought your men then I came to you for help,” I laughed. “What a joke. That’s why there were so few of you tonight. It’s because you didn’t breach our walls, your men had been inside all along waiting to attack.”

  “It was not my intention to attack with so few men. We were originally told to attack in six months, but then the East suddenly change their mind.”

  Veronica sighed, “It’s a shame. I was really looking forward to getting married and being Queen. You really are a beautiful man, Leo.” She kissed my lips. “Now I have to kill you.”

  “You think I fear death?” I laughed. They didn’t understand what it meant to be a Northerner. “When I die, someone else will replace me and continue where I left off. The Northern spirit can never die. The North will never conquered,” I smiled.

  “A man that smiles in the face of death. You really are Demetri’s son.” He signaled to Veronica. “Kill him.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Elizabeth

  “Where are you going?” I asked.

  “I must protect Victoria and the others,” Leo said. He shifted in front of me. All of his bones began breaking then reconstructing. New teeth grew in his extended jaw. A tail grew from his tail bone. Probably the strangest part of the transformation. Fur grew out his skin, covering him in a blanket of white. Snow jumped out the window.

  There was no way I was going to hide here while people were in danger. I grabbed my bow and arrows and went looking in the other rooms. Most were empty. One room had a pool of blood on the floor. A wolf was in this building. “Sia? Ben? I called out into the empty hall. An eerie quiet replied. I drew my arrow, waiting for a wolf to show his head so I can send an arrow in it.

  I heard shuffling behind me! I turned, ready to kill. “Show yourself so I can—”

  A little girl emerged from the darkness, “I’m scared.”

  I lowered my arrow. “It’s okay.”

  Suddenly we heard a loud growl then screams. “Come with me!” I grabbed her and ran. She screamed as she noticed the wolf chasing after us. I could hear it catching up to me. His steps got heavier and his growl got louder. I noticed an open door, I went inside and locked the door.

  He wasn’t giving up. He attacked the door with his heavy paws and huge frame. He was determined to kill us. “Hide under the bed,” I tell her.

  She started crying.

  “No. No. It’s okay. I won’t let the bad wolf get you.” It started pounding on the door harder. “Now, go hide.” She rolled under the bed.

  I drew my arrow, knowing I only have one chance to kill him. If I miss, I won’t have time to draw another arrow. I calmed myself. I trained for this.

  The wolf busted through the door and came charging. I let my arrow fly and it hit him right between his eyes. His body knocked me over and we both fell on the bed. The weight of his dead body pressed hard on my chest, pushing out any air I had left. I tried to push him off but he was too heavy.

  “What’s wrong?” the girl ask as I fought to breathe.

  Was this how I was going to die?

  The confused girl tried her best to drag him off me but it was futile. I was dying, and I was afraid. I could not greet death with such courage as the others. Dante was right. As long as there are people who you love, you could never greet death and smile. You will fight until you cannot fight anymore. I saw my mother. She was smiling at me. Ben and Sia appeared too as my life faded. I guess it was true what they say, you do see the people you love when you die.

  “Elizabeth,” a voice say. The hallucinations were speaking. “Elizabeth!”

  I gasped as air entered my lungs. “Elizabeth!” Sia’s face became clearer. Ben and Sia pushed the wolf off me. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. I gasped. We will win meet again, mother, but that time is not now.

  I sprung up and grabbed Ben. “It’s okay Elizabeth. We are here,’ Ben said. I held on to him with fear that I might die if I let go. “Come. We must leave.”

  I gathered myself. Breathe Elizabeth. Breathe.

  The streets were littered with death. Dead bodies of wolves brought me back to place I wanted to forget. I spotted a wolf chasing a woman down the street and I quickly drew my bow and sent two arrows in him.

  “You have really good aim,” Ben said.

  “No time for praises. Get this little girl to somewhere safe. Sia, you go with them too.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “I have something I need to do. Now, go!”

  Our wolves were winning. I sat on the roof and picked out the enemy below, one by one, building a death count in my mind. The Northern wolves were wiping all the invaders out. My work here was done.

  I needed to get to Leo. If this was an attack on the North then Leo would be their prime target. I must ensure that he was safe. I know Leo was strong and probably didn’t need me, but I couldn’t resist my need to protect him.

  Inside Leo castle was blood everywhere. Neatly tucked behind the flower pots was one of the maids body. The Enemy was already here. I rushed upstairs with my bow already drawn. I kicked in his door and saw Veronica about to stab Leo in the heart.

  I aimed at her heart, and just when I was about to let go, she turned and saw me.

  “Die bitch,” I said.

  She was surprised to see me. “No, pleas—” I shot her.

  Leo laid motionless on the bed. “Elizabeth, watch out!”

  Before I could turn, I was flung across the room and crashed in the table. I dived after my bow but King Agnor kicked it from reach.

  “What have you done!” he screamed. He looked at his dead daughter then back at me. “I’m going to cut off your head.” He drew his sword.

  “Father, stop!” Kronus ran in front of me.

  “Son, move!”

  “I cannot!”

  “You dare disobey your own father? And for who? A worthless commoner?”

  “I love you father, but I answer to powers greater than you. The Gods have ordered me to protect her.”

  “The Gods? The Gods do not care for a commoner! You are being fooled!”

  “Father. Don’t.”

  King Agnor spat on Kronor. “You are no son of mine.” He swung his sword and took off Kronus’s hands. I froze and stared at Kronus screaming. King Agnor raised his sword to finish me off. I looked death in the face once again. I glanced at Leo, who was shouting something, however, all I heard was silence. King Agnor smiled as he was about to take my life. The room was spinning. I faded into the darkness.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Dante

  I sat by the same river Elizabeth and I were in, watching the moon’s reflection. This was the time when I felt most alive. The Moon God always understood me. I could always rely on him. I preferred to be in the shadows. It was my home. The darkness from which I came.

  My seed was in Elizabeth, and I prayed to the Moon God so he would give her child. A boy. Strong like me. Strong like her. There was no one else who I wanted to have my son. With Leo getting married, she was all mine, and deservingly so. For once, I got
what I wanted.

  I loved her, and I planned on telling tomorrow, at training. I would tell her of my plans to marry her and have many children. I was sure now, more than ever before. I wanted to be with her for all my days.

  I missed Leo’s Dinner again. It was better off with me not there. His face made me angry. It was time for us to fight man to man and get all this tension behind us.

  Suddenly the horns blew. It meant that the enemy had breached our wall. That was not possible. We would have been alerted before they had even came close to our wall. I rushed into the city and found that the battle had already begun.

  I shifted and began doing what I born to do; killing. All who dared to face me had met their death. To be honest, I expected for there to be more of them. I went from building to building, ridding the North of these vermin. They were pathetic. There weren’t real warriors. Somebody probably paid these hungry men to fight. Was there no one who could challenge me?

  “Help!” a woman screamed from the roof, while hungry mouths waited for her to fall. The woman slipped off the roof. I quickly returned to human form then jumped and grabbed her before she hit the ground. The two wolves quickly attacked me, thinking I was weaker in this form. Don’t they know who I am? I am Dante! I don’t know weakness. The first one jumped. Too slow. I grabbed his throat. The other sneaked up behind me and sunk his teeth in my shoulder.

  “I am the Lord of the darkness!” I pulled out his windpipe, grabbed the other one’s head and threw him, he smashed through the wall and crashed inside the building. I walked in the building. It was him and me now. “There is honor in dying by my hands. You will not live to tell the tale, but you can die knowing the strongest man alive killed you.” I gave him a quick death.

  I spotted Ben leading women and children into the library. “Ben! Where is Elizabeth?”

  “I don’t know but I think she went to the castle.”

  Leo. Elizabeth, you fool. She went in face of danger to protect Leo. She loved him. And it hurt me, more than any sword possible could.

  “Here,” Ben took off his robe and gave me. It was then I realized I was naked. I took it and headed to the castle. Leo should be fine, but it was Elizabeth I was worrying about. I had trained her well, yet still I was worried.