Fateful 2-Fractured

by Cheri Schmidt

  “Whoa!”

  He chuckled at her surprised reaction, and keeping his gaze on the floor, said, “Haven’t you ever seen Ethan do that?”

  “No, I was usually sleeping.” She took the flower from Max’s fingers, noting that he’d removed all of the thorns and wondered where he’d gotten it. “Thank you for the rose, Sir Knight Maximilian.”

  “You’re very welcome, fair maiden.” He bowed sweeping his arm aside, just like a knight might, and then said with a smirk, “I stole it from your uncle’s garden.”

  Danielle laughed. “Wouldn’t you like to come in for a quick karate lesson?” It was something he’d requested of her quite frequently, but they hadn’t done it yet, and she figured since he was here now....

  “The martial arts are something I’d love to add to my combat skills. However, I suggest we do that at the bed and breakfast. I’m under strict orders from Ethan to never enter your bedchamber.”

  “Why?” Was Ethan still jealous of Max and his jovial flirting?

  “We’re still dangerous to you, Danielle, especially at night. And Ethan is feeling a little over-protective these days, mainly because he can’t be here to protect you himself.”

  She missed that too. He’d been her only protector most of the time when he was a vampire, but he couldn’t do that any longer. She lifted the rose to her nose, drawing a breath of the beautiful fragrance. “Thanks for everything, Max,” she said, again tasting guilt for all of the time he had to spend lingering below her window. Danielle couldn’t see why it was really necessary. It must be so boring for him, for all of them.

  “Have the sweetest dreams. You’re safe and so is Ethan.” He gave her hand a gentle pat and then dropped to the ground like a great big cat.

  She placed the rose in water, and went to bed.

  * * * * *

  It was obvious to Danielle that Ethan was trying to hide his wince of pain as he pushed up off the floor and murmured, “Well, I think that’s quite enough karate, and I’ve decided that now is a fine time to move on to fencing.” He couldn’t disguise the fact that his words came out a bit squeakier than his normal speech, again testifying to the fact that he was in pain after Danielle swept his feet out from under him during their first martial arts lesson.

  She’d done it to Max too, and was struggling to hide the smirk attempting to show itself on her face, but feared they could see the pride she was feeling in having dumped two men flat onto their backs, though she suspected Max had allowed it, and agreed, “I’m ready to do that.”

  For her fencing lessons, Ethan insisted she wear all of the proper fencing gear: the mask, the gloves, the white jacket and pants. A karate uniform was much more flattering, in her opinion. Ethan was also quite adamant that she only used the practice foil with a button on the end, because it was “safe,” while they also used the “safe” foils against her. She was a little irritated with his intense need to keep her from harm. She wanted to use the real sword, the one he wore slung low around his hips. She’d been trained to fight with nunchakus and scais, and felt she could handle a sword. “I think you should let me try using your sword,” Danielle petitioned one more time.

  “It’s too heavy for you, you might hurt yourself. And it’s extremely sharp!”

  Glowering at that, she said, “I’ve used other weapons before—”

  “Danielle.” He gave her that stubborn look of his. That annoying, I’m going to put you over my knee, look. That had to be something from his Victorian past. How did men treat their women in the eighteen hundreds? She didn’t really know.

  “Don’t go there, Ethan!” she warned. However, as she noted the smirk playing about his mouth and the twinkle of mirth in his eyes, she doubted he’d ever actually do it. He was simply teasing her and using a tactic that had worked for him in the past, just like the time when he’d fooled her into opening her eyes so he could check for signs of a concussion.

  Poor Max had to be present during this tiff, and apparently decided to intercede, “Ethan, let her try the sword. She did great with the foils, and didn’t you see that double nunchaku thing she did earlier? She’ll be fine.”

  “Thank you, Max!” Danielle gave him a grateful punch on the shoulder.

  “Stay out of it!” Ethan growled as all humor fell from his expression.

  Danielle smirked as she leaned into Ethan, pressing against his chest with hers. She took his face into her hand and turned his blue glare from Max, then brushed her nose against his. “Please?” she whispered as flirtatiously as she could, slipping her other hand over the hilt of the sword he wore.

  His breath hitched and he set his hand gently over hers. Danielle tightened her grasp on the handle. “Danielle, behave yourself.”

  “Pretty please, with sugar on top?” She pulled on the sword to release it from the sheath. Ethan’s hand tightened on hers.

  She pressed her lips to his, then watched the muscles in his throat work as he swallowed and then groaned. “Fine, but be extremely careful or I will take you to the hospital—even if you get the tiniest nick,” he threatened, clearly knowing her intense hatred toward hospitals and doctors.

  Danielle did feel a twinge of fear tweak her insides at just the thought. She knew he’d follow through with this warning. “I’ll be careful.”

  Once the blade was free, she realized Ethan was right. The sword was quite heavy. She knew she needed to be extra careful as she handled it. But she wasn’t going to let Ethan know that, and hoped he couldn’t read it on her face. The rascal grin to his lips told her he could. Dang it! She dropped her chin trying to recompose.

  Max rumbled with a chuckle. “Wow, Danielle, did they teach you that at the dojo you go to? You’re more dangerous than I realized.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied innocently while brandishing her prize.

  “I suggest you watch your back with Nadia, Max. I’m afraid that particular weapon of hers has more to do with gender than martial arts,” Ethan advised.

  “Too true. I’m ashamed to admit I’ve already fallen victim to that one,” Max replied.

  “Clearly, I as well, am a sucker to their beguiling talents,” Ethan said, eyeing his sword in her hands.

  “Cunning little creatures, females are, aren’t they?” Max went on.

  “Seriously, guys, that’s enough.” Danielle swung the sword toward Max, but stopped in front of him. “Shall we duel?”

  Max met his sword with hers, a huge cheeky smile stretching his lips. The blades set off one high metallic ping as they made contact.

  “No!” Ethan bellowed. “If she fights anyone, she fights me!”

  For her own safety, she was sure of that. And wow, he’s moody today.

  Ethan angrily reached for Max’s sword. Max surrendered it while laughing and stepped back. It seemed he enjoyed seeing Ethan so riled and manipulated, and rewarded Danielle with one of his notorious winks. Ethan didn’t see it. Danielle stifled a snicker.

  “Now, darling, let’s see what you’ve learned,” Ethan said, his tone slightly threatening.

  She swung the sword as she’d done with the lightweight, safe sword, and nearly lost her balance.

  Ethan exploded into a peel of chuckles. “I told you it was heavy.”

  She scowled and swung again, handling the blade better this time. Ethan raised an eyebrow and blocked it. “Better,” he said.

  As they parried and maneuvered, Ethan remained extremely careful, never using much force against her. They fenced with the blades until Danielle couldn’t swing the heavy thing any longer. The practice foil had been much lighter, and while she was in good shape, she wasn’t accustomed to swinging heavy steel.

  As usual, Ethan was acutely aware of how she was feeling. “All right, that’s quite enough. I hope you’re satisfied now.”

  “I am. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Now I suggest you move aside while I fight Max.” He motioned to a chair several feet away, took his sword back from her a
nd returned Max’s sword to him.

  “Ethan, I don’t think you’ll do as well against a vampire now that you’re mortal,” she reminded, but knew from the frown tugging down the corners of his mouth and because he completely ignored her comment that he didn’t want to hear it. Without even a glance in her direction, Ethan engaged Max in an aggressive fencing bout that appeared just as dangerous as when they’d both been vampires.

  Danielle groaned audibly, he’s going to get himself injured, she mused. And feared they would be taking a trip to the hospital anyway, just not for her. Her only comfort was that she could tell Max restrained himself, trying not to hurt the now weaker Ethan. To Ethan’s annoyance, however, he still walked away from the exchange with a sprained wrist and a bruised ego.

  “I need more karate training, Danielle, I feel like a weakling now,” Ethan whispered when they were out of earshot from Max.

  “You’re no weakling.” She ran her fingers along the contours of his muscle-packed arms, and a smirk crept into her lips. “Very few mortal men have anything like this.” Even if this wouldn’t likely help him against a vampire ... but she wasn’t going to remind him of that part.

  “Do you think I’ll lose my tone?” He sounded anxious, and was clearly ignoring her obvious infatuation with his buff body.

  “You might if you don’t pump iron. But I do think it’s harder to build it up than it is to maintain. Or maybe it’s another thing you get to keep from being a vampire,” she offered encouragingly.

  “Perhaps,” he said, but he didn’t seem satisfied.

  The next time Danielle visited, he showed her the weight room he’d set up in a spare bedroom. Ethan also requested private karate lessons, hoping to gain an advantage over Max in that area. Danielle obliged because, obviously, she couldn’t deny Ethan anything. They went to the secret garden in the back of Beon’s garden to practice, so Max wouldn’t see.

  Once they emerged from the hedges and strode onto the stony path beyond, Ethan said, “So, Danielle,” while holding her waist and forcing her to step back as he stalked forward, “what would you do if someone did this to you?” He suddenly took hold of her wrists and pinned them behind her back, his arms wrapped around her. Their eyes locked for a moment before Ethan closed his and gave her one kiss—that lingered.

  Uncertain if Ethan meant to come off as threatening or tempting, she decided tempting worked fine for her, and also decided she was a willing captive. Defense was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. “I suppose I’d have to kiss him back.”

  “What if it wasn’t me? You’d better not kiss him back.”

  “Oh, well in that case. I’d have to bring my knee up into someplace rather sensitive, just to get my message across accurately.”

  “Good girl, and … what if he did this?” Ethan lifted her wrists above her head and pushed her back into the smooth stone wall with his body.

  A soft giggle escaped her. “Can I kiss him back now?” she asked, her gaze glued to his mouth.

  “Danielle,” Ethan said disapprovingly, “would you really kiss someone who had you in this position?”

  “Sure,” she whispered as she tipped her face towards his, trying to close the gap.

  Ethan gathered both of her wrists in one hand and took her chin in his other, preventing the kiss. All humor had left his expression. “You’re supposed to be teaching me your defensive skills. We’re in the middle of a war. I need to learn what you know. Spar with me, Danielle.” The last was an order.

  “Is it really war? I mean nothing’s happened—”

  “Yes.”

  “But—”

  “This is serious, Danielle. This isn’t just about my pride. I’m seriously handicapped!”

  “Fine. But if you’re so serious then why all the flirting?”

  Ethan rolled his jaw, an abashed smirk lingering at the edge of his lips. “I ... well, when I got that close to you I couldn’t resist a kiss or two before we began.”

  Laughing softly at him, Danielle said, “Very well, but could I have one more before we begin?”

  Grinning like a fool in love, Ethan angled his head to possess her mouth. Again he lingered, but no way was she complaining about it.

  As his lips left hers, she sobered and got back to seriousness. “I should hold back this time. I could hurt you.”

  “I’m no flower. Go for it, with all you’ve got.”

  “You do realize these skills won’t help you against Max, or any other vampire.”

  “I realize that,” Ethan ground out. Obviously what taunted her self confidence also troubled his.

  “You wish you were still cursed, don’t you?” He’d said he was handicapped. Did he regret being turned back into a mortal? Was he one of the ones who didn’t really want this cure?

  Apparently, he’d chosen not to answer as he pinned her harder against the wall. “What’s the defense against this?”

  “I don’t think anyone would do this to you, Ethan.”

  “Just show me, Danielle.”

  “And you’re sure you want to be the dummy?”

  His brows drew together. “What’s that?”

  “The attacker. The one I use my skills against.”

  “Sure, I’ll be the dummy.”

  Just as the words left Ethan’s mouth, Danielle pulled the move on him, swiftly reversing their position with Ethan facing the wall and his wrists pinned behind his back.

  Ethan grunted and then chuckled. “Wow, I didn’t see that coming.”

  “You’re lucky actually,” she whispered against the shell of his ear, “I left the strike to the groin out of the move. I’m guessing you’re not wearing a cup.” Smirking, Danielle noticed that she’d actually made him blush with that.

  “No, ma’am.”

  Danielle wanted to burst out laughing, but held back for his sake. “You’d better get one if we’re really going to do this.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Ethan replied almost sheepishly.

  She released him and stepped away.

  “Did you expect me to get the cup now? Because ... I don’t actually own one.”

  “You don’t?”

  “No. Never a need.”

  “I’ll be careful with you today.”

  “Thanks. “

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Now show me how you just did that because it was absolutely brilliant!”

  They switched positions so Ethan was the one pinned against the wall, and Danielle taught him the technique.

  Near the end of their lesson, Ethan decided to pin her again. Again, she allowed it. She sort of liked it and laughed as Ethan attempted to look menacing. She knew he could pull it off if he really wanted to. She’d seen him look quite fierce before, and it was truly a look she’d never like to have directed her way, but this one was just adorable.

  “Aren’t you going to defend yourself?” Ethan whispered against the space just beneath her jaw, right before he pressed a kiss to the spot.

  Relieved to see that he’d gone back to teasing rather than the serious topic of war, Danielle smiled. “Hmm … uh … sure.” She shuddered and her fingers laced their way into his soft hair.

  “I’m afraid the attacker might like that,” Ethan crooned. His hand slid from shoulder to hip, snaked around to the small of her back and nudged her closer.

  “I suppose this position calls for a technique called, um, snogging. I think—yes, yes, that’s it. I need to snog you this time.”

  “My, my, Danielle, where did you learn such language?” he muttered, feigning disapproval, as he continued to move his lips against her ticklish flesh.

  “It seems Brianna is corrupting me with her funny British lingo.”

  “I’m afraid you’re corrupting me, Danielle.”

  “I know you’ve corrupted me.”

  “A bit of snogging, you say?” Ethan’s nose brushed against the tip of hers as his lips lingered dangerously close to hers, yet painfully too far away.

  “That�
��s right.”

  “Anything you wish, my darling.” And his lips smashed into hers for quite an amazing kiss, or snog, or whatever else one would want to call it.

  Chapter 3

  Pillow Talk

  Danielle was awakened when she felt a pressure on her mouth. Like a hand covering it. Ethan had done that to her before, but he wasn’t allowed to come to her room any longer. So she knew it couldn’t be him.

  Her eyes flew open and she blinked. Her vision hadn’t quite focused, but she could clearly see a man leaning over her. His face was only half-lit by the moonlight filtering though her windows. Although blurred and in shadow, it was enough for her to recognize him … Alex. The vampire who’d tried his magic on her at the ball. Danielle snapped her eyes shut before they focused. With his magic at full-strength, he was dangerous to her now, especially his eyes.

  And for the short moment that she did see them, she realized, with horror, that he was thirsty. What should have been a lighter shade of hazel was now a glowing shade of silver. Danielle pinched her eyes more tightly closed. How could he get in here when there was suppose to be a guard protecting her?

  “Hello, Danielle, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” Although his tone was light, friendly even, a sense of foreboding accompanied the voice which drifted over her.

  “I’m going to remove my hand now, but I recommend that you do not scream. I could easily stop you. Hence, it would be completely futile to attempt it.” There was no hesitation as he lifted his hand, proving his egotistical confidence in the threat.

  Danielle could feel his movement as he leaned closer and rested his hand on the other side of her body.

  After swallowing, Danielle said in the calmest tone she could muster, “Why are you here, and what do you want?”

  “I’m your guard tonight. I’m filling in for Cedric,” he informed her, sounding bored now.