by K. Lyn
Shutting his eyes, burning filled his body and, as he heard the sound of his clothes ripping, he saw red.
When Dr. Manheim undid the bandages on Victoria's leg, the wound throbbed again. The bushel of twigs Dr. Manheim had brought lay on top of the wound, nudging the goo. But even as Dr. Manheim laid his jar of horrible leeches on the side of the bed and unscrewed the clear bottle of liquid in his hand, she thought only of the kiss between her and Leon. He had behaved like he had enjoyed the magic of the moment as much as she, but then he was gone – away from her, away from the room.
"Are you ready for this?" Dr. Manheim asked, drawing her back to the present. "It will sting. I would feel more comfortable about your readiness if Leon was here, but I saw him charge down the hall a few minutes ago, and he did not appear to be comfortable with soothing anyone, not even himself."
"That would be my fault." Victoria bit her bottom lip.
"I doubt it," Dr. Manheim frowned. "I consider Leon and I to have a private relationship, but I will tell you this to help you. Leon is very attracted to you. I can see it in his eyes when he gazes upon you; however, his past is darker than you can ever imagine, and he believes that some things cannot be overlooked."
"But the past is just the past." At least, that was what she told herself in regard to Sir William. "He should be trying to make his life better for the future."
"I have told him something similar," Dr. Manheim said. "The man is stubborn, though. He will not listen to me. Perhaps there will come a time when he will listen to you. But let us speak no more on the topic. Wouldn't you rather have Leon tell you himself what ails him?"
She nodded. Though she wished to know desperately what had caused Leon to flee from the room after their heated kiss, she wanted to learn from him what was wrong. He would tell her if and when he was ready. For now, she just had to deal with the throbbing pain in her swollen leg before it killed her.
"What is the clear liquid, Dr. Manheim?" she asked, wishing to draw her thoughts away from Leon for the moment.
"The clear liquid is alcohol." Dr. Manheim uncapped the top and the intense scent of alcohol filled the air. It caused her nose to wrinkle. "My father learned some of his skills from traveling, and he passed them on to me. I must once again warn you of the pain you will be forced to endure."
Though she wanted to jump off the bed and run, she nodded and then gripped the material between her fingers. Physical pain she could endure. The mental pain of losing people was the type of agony she could not stand.
"All right." Dr. Manheim smiled encouragingly at her.
Lowering the bottle over the wolf's bite, Dr. Manheim tilted it over her leg and the clear liquid dribbled out of the opening and onto her wound. The moment the alcohol met her leg, burning filled her limb and caused her to throw her head back and cry out in agony. It hurt bad, so bad that she could hardly breathe. Tears of pain filled her eyes and she longed to wipe the alcohol off of her wound.
She shuddered and curled up in a ball as Dr. Manheim touched her arm. "It will be all right. You will be all right. The pain of the alcohol will leave you soon."
Shutting her eyes, she groaned in agony and tried to calm herself down. A few minutes went by and the burning subsided. Finally, she was able to open her eyes and glance down at her trembling leg. The next time Dr. Manheim said that something would be very painful, she wasn't going to take him lightly. And this was just the alcohol.
"Are you ready for the next part of my treatment?" Dr. Manheim asked.
"Can I…" She took a deep breath to steady herself. "Can I have a quick moment to ready myself? My leg still burns."
"It would be easier on you if you got it over with quickly," Dr. Manheim said. "The vinegar will burn equally as much."
"I understand." She shuddered at the thought. "I just want a moment."
Dr. Manheim nodded, though his eyebrows furrowed in dislike. Shrugging it off, Victoria struggled to her feet and then limped over to the window, gripping it to comfort herself. As she gazed outside into the forest, she saw a strange creature dart in front of her window, making her scream and nearly fall backward to the floor.
The creature had dark black fur, glowing red eyes, and perked ears. It appeared to be a strange cross between the wolf which had bitten her and a massive, ten foot tall bear. Though the beast left her sight as fast as it had come, she could not erase it from her mind. Her heart pounded as she thought, Did I just see the Devil? Did he come to take me? She pressed her hands to her lips.
It was only when Leon transformed into a human a few hours later that he realized the horrors of what he had done. She saw me, he thought, staring at the ground with large eyes as he panted and shook his head. I can't believe she saw me. I was stupid, going to her window after I heard her scream. He should have remembered that being in a werewolf form oftentimes went hand in hand with unintelligent behavior.
As he straightened up, he realized he had a lot to apologize for to Victoria. First, he had run out on her after the kiss, and she would not understand why, and would likely blame herself. Second, he had left her all alone when she had needed him. Third, he darted in front of her window as a werewolf, but she wouldn't have any idea that was his fault. He swore and dusted himself off, glancing at the doors to his estate. It was time for him to head back inside now and smell the roses. He also had to face his own intense attraction to Victoria, whether he wanted to or not.
With a sigh, Leon shook his head, approached the doors of his estate, opened them and entered inside. Once there, he took a right and headed down the hallway to his bedroom. He collected his clothes, got dressed, and then left his bedroom by way of the door to his left. The door led to his office. He entered, went over to his dusty desk which hadn't seen his hand in years except for when he had contacted Dr. Manheim, and grabbed his quill, ink stone, and sheets of parchment that Victoria could use in order to contact her mother. That should be a good enough peace offering for the moment.
Turning around, Leon headed for the door and left his office. He then took a right and headed over to Victoria's room. He knocked on the door.
"Victoria, it's me, Leon," Leon said.
"Since when do you knock?" Victoria asked. "It's your room and your estate. Just come inside."
Leon entered her room and saw that Victoria appeared worse now than she had this morning. Her face was pale and her white gown was soaked through with sweat. Her hair was pasted to her forehead in thick, curly ringlets. Her mouth was pursed and she grasped at her wound with tight fists.
"Victoria," Leon gasped. "Are you all right? Are you growing more ill?"
"I think it's more the result of Dr. Manheim's treatment." Victoria gave a hesitant smile which did not reach her eyes. "I feel like my leg has twice been doused with acid, and then there were the leeches which made me feel lightheaded. He may be making me better, but right now I feel much worse. On top of that, I saw this wild animal running around your estate. Please be careful, Leon. It was ten times bigger than any wolf, and one bite from it would remove a leg completely, not just leave an evil bite mark."
She did see me. She did. Biting his lip, he decided to ignore it and focus on her pains. Maybe she would not mention the wild beast she had seen again, and he could get away with his grave error.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there." Leon frowned at his feet. "And I'm sorry about how I reacted after I kissed you. I did not have the intention to be so bold. I do not think it's a good idea for us to become involved that way."
For a moment Victoria was silent, but then she said, "Leon, why are you so dead set against us being together? And where were you this afternoon? You weren't outside, were you? I am frightened by that creature I saw."
Silence filled the room, and Leon felt the stinging blow of her words. "I am frightened by the creature I saw." Of course she was frightened of him. He was a large, hulking beast, and he had killed a man before, which proved that he was dangerous. This just showed how wrong he had been to kiss her.
"I was off getting your parchment," he lied. "Here it is. While you write your letter to your mother, I am going to make supper."
Confusion filled Victoria as she gazed down at the parchment she had set upon one of Leon's books in order to write to her mother. Leon had acted even odder this afternoon, especially when she mentioned the creature she had seen. He had been so adamant about killing the wolves, but he appeared to not care that a monstrous, unknown beast wandered around his estate. Maybe he didn’t believe her, and rightfully so. Maybe she had seen the Devil dancing around in her head.
She bit her bottom lip so hard it hurt and then she dipped the tip of her quill into her ink, ignoring the way her balmy hand quaked and the way her leg shook and ached after her treatment with Dr. Manheim. Some of the healing sticks were wedged into the bandages, which only added to her misery because the rough bark roughly rubbed against the sticky parts of the wound and caused her leg to burn. Focus on writing to your mother. Focus, focus, focus.
Dear Mother,
I traveled many miles from home all the way to a place called Harlow. At first I thought Harlow was a magical town, especially since I saw an opening for a servant position at a large estate upon the hill. You can imagine my excitement when I traveled up the hill. Unfortunately, this is when the bad news in my letter starts, but I suppose there is some good too.
When heading up the mountain, I was bitten by a wild wolf. Though I managed to survive, my leg has become swollen and appears evil. The man of the estate, Leon, is taking care of me, and a doctor is looking after my leg. There is a chance I may not make it home to see you again, Mother, so I thought I would take this chance to tell you some things. Too many people do not get the opportunity to tell their beloved family members how much they mean to them, and I do not intend to make such an error.
I love you more than I can ever say. Remember when you used to attempt to teach me to sew and I was horrible at it? Well, I really could sew. I used to miss stitches on purpose, just so you would pay attention to me and show me how to do it properly. I so love the sound of your voice and still do. I miss it terribly, especially now when I am ill. I was such a troublesome child, wasn't I? A troublesome child who grew up to become a troublesome adult.
And now for my more pleasant news. The man of this estate is so kind. I remembered when you told me you knew Father was a kind soul and the man you wanted to wed when you first met him. I think I understand what you meant now. Leon is the kindest person I have ever encountered. He cares for me diligently, though he does not have to. Unfortunately, I am afraid that his heart is as torn apart as my leg. We make quite a pair, he and I.
I wish I could see your wedding. I will send word every day I can. I pray someday soon this letter will be considered foolish and that I am in good health.
With the deepest love imaginable,
Your daughter,
Victoria
Victoria sighed and put down her quill. She grabbed a second piece of parchment and scribbled down the whereabouts of Leon's estate on it because she had a feeling her mother may come for a visit, whether Leon allowed it or not.
***
Sir William paced back and forth in the room where Cecile and Dawson remained tied to the table, covered in blood. Remains of their dinner, bread covered in mold, and glasses of water were at their side. It had annoyed Sir William to no end that he had to hand feed them in order to keep them alive. Maybe he should have slaughtered them both and lured Victoria back to an empty house. It was a good idea. He was too wealthy to be on his hands and knees feeding anyone.
"Where is the letter?" Sir William barked at Cecile, who shivered. "Where is Victoria? It has been days. Days. And yet there is no word."
Cecile did not respond. In Sir William's frustration, he lunged at her, drew back his leg, and kicked her. Cecile screamed and Dawson groaned and attempted to move. In response to Dawson's actions, Sir William turned and kicked him in the groin, causing Dawson to wheeze and gasp for air. Shaking in anger, Sir William then returned to pacing back and forth in front of them.
"Maybe I was mistaken." Sir William bit his bottom lip. "Maybe your daughter does not love you as much as I thought. That could be a problem for me. A very big problem."
Neither Dawson nor Cecile moved. Sir William swore and continued to pace.
Chapter Eight
That night, Leon entered Victoria's bedroom, and she thought he appeared pale. She bit her bottom lip, grasped her aching and swollen leg, and wondered whether she should comfort him. She glanced at the letter by her bedside, wondering whether she should ask him to deliver it for her if he was growing ill, too. Leon had put himself out enough for her cause.
"Here is your dinner," Leon said quietly, placing the meal in front of Victoria. Leon straightened and turned to leave, and Victoria caught his arm, nearly spilling the bowl of beef and potato stew all over the sheets.
"Leon, wait," Victoria wheezed. "Are you…are you all right, Leon? You are unlike yourself. You appear pale, and normally you keep me company in the evenings. I could really use it. I grow so lonely in here by myself."
Leon paused and then stared at the floor. "I'm fine, Victoria. Just fine. I am sorry if you are feeling neglected. I'll stay."
When Leon sat, she could see distance in his eyes. Victoria touched his arm and squeezed it in confusion. Her leg throbbed again, and she winced. Leon must have seen it because his expression softened and some of the previous hardness dissolved.
"Are you all right, Victoria?" He shook his head. "Here I am, worrying about myself, when I should be caring about you. I am a selfish man."
"No, you're not," Victoria smiled sadly. "But I don't know why I keep trying to insist that you are kindhearted. You are too stubborn to listen to me."
He chuckled. "It runs in my family. My brother was the same way."
Then Leon sucked in air as if mentioning his brother hurt him. Victoria longed to probe him to see what caused such a deep hurt in his heart, but she did not want him to harden toward her again. She longed for his company, and his coldness hurt.
"I wrote a letter to my mother," Victoria said, changing the subject. Leon appeared relieved.
"Really?" Leon nodded. "I will go to town and pay someone to deliver it to your home tomorrow. It will be a bit late to do so tonight."
"Yes." She wrapped her arms tighter around herself and a bead of sweat dribbled down her face. "I feel bad about worrying her, though. Maybe it would be better if I had not written. Then either I'll be fine or…"
"You'll be fine," Leon said defiantly, his voice angry. It took Victoria by surprise, and she put her hand to her breast. "I already see color in your cheeks and you have more energy now. I do not think that you will die."
The determination in his voice gave her hope. She felt as if, even as she knocked on heaven's door, Leon would be right there behind her, pulling her back and bringing her home. If only she knew what would happen if she did get better. The more she stayed here, the less she wanted to leave. She wondered if that was why Leon acted so distant.
She began to watch Leon in his angry silence. He stared out the window. Following his gaze, Victoria looked outside at the moon which was three-quarters full. It was beautiful and blazing in the sky.
"It's a beautiful night," Victoria said. "On a night like tonight, I would normally be outside, lying in the grass. Back home, I used to sleep outside on clear nights sometimes. My father would too, always lying beside me. My mother was always too scared to. She called my father and me her 'forest animals'."
"Mmmm." He nodded his head, but even though his response was threadbare, she could tell that he was listening to her.
"Full moons were always my favorite, even though my neighbors called it witching hour." Victoria laughed and then winced as shooting pain went up her leg. "I wonder how long until the next one and whether I'll still be around to see it."
"The next full moon is in less than a week," Leon said.
Shock filled her. She h
ad never met a person who knew about moon times.
"How did you know that?" she asked, shocked.
"I count." Brow furrowing, Leon tore his eyes away from the glowing three-fourths moon and glanced down at his hands. "There are twenty-nine days between each set. I like to keep track of things. It helps."
"Twenty-nine days to a cycle." Victoria frowned at the moon. "Who would have thought? Maybe I'll be able to count it every month so I'll know. It's so beautiful."
But when Victoria turned to glance at Leon, his eyes had the same cold hardness to them again. What did I say now? She watched him get up, his back stiff, and then saw him still and whip back around again.
"The letter." He held out his hand. "I almost forgot. Where is it?"
"Here." Victoria grabbed the letter and pressed it into his hand. "Thank you so much."
"Yes." He swallowed. "Don't mention it. Be sure to eat your supper. Leave the dirty dishes by the bed and I'll collect them in the morning."
She prodded his arm. "Be sure to actually do them and not leave them to rot."
Finally, he chuckled. It was good to hear the sound. She sighed in relief.
Leon turned around and headed for the door, and she said, "Leon, be careful on the way to town tomorrow. That creature was massive, and I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you. Whether you like it or not, you are a very special man to me."
That night, Leon could not sleep again. It was as if Victoria's words were a choir in his ears. "Whether you like it or not, you are a very special man to me." He both liked it and disliked it. Some part of him longed to tell her what he was, that he was the hideous monster she spoke of, the one who had the potential to devour her and everyone he cared about. The thought made him sick to his stomach and made him slam his fist against the wall. He knew there would be no use going to bed again. When he went, he would dream of only one person – Victoria…Victoria with her sweet breath…Victoria with her arms around him. And then there were the nightmares. He oftentimes awoke in a cold sweat, imagining Victoria dripping with blood and her body having a seizure in his arms. How could he live with himself if that happened to her? And if Victoria knew the real him, he doubted she would care for him so much anyway.