“Ready for dessert?” Ethan asked, clearly eager for the final act in this dance of fine cuisine. She could see that he was in pure heaven.
“I’m not sure anything else will fit.”
“Make if fit, darling.”
“This is almost painful.”
“Oh, but it’s so worth it.”
“We’ll need to go back to our room after this. I won’t be able to move.” She glanced toward the wall of guards lingering nearby. “And maybe they’ll back off enough for us to actually feel like we’re alone,” she whispered, and then winced when she realized the guard on the right heard that, and smirked.
The man responded to her comment. “I’m afraid you are correct, Mrs. Deveroux. I’m getting reports that more” –he coughed into his fist— “are looking to have a word with you. Avoiding the nightlife and going to your suite would be advisable for tonight.”
She was speechless, but Ethan didn’t hesitate in following the suggestion—well, after he’d finished off his dessert, he raised one arm and said, “The bill please.”
* * * * *
It was a little bit of an improvement to be in their hotel room, even though she knew the men still manned the doors.
Focusing on each other rather than the vampires standing guard, they spent the evening watching black and white movies, munching on Ethan’s favorite movie snack, popcorn, and talking.
She leaned against his chest and listened to his pumping heart and gentle breathing as the credits rolled by. They may not have freedom, but at least the privacy remained.
Ethan coaxed a lock of her hair around his finger, exploring the texture. The look in his eyes told her what he wanted without him uttering a single word.
But movement caught her attention as a tall shadow shifted outside the balcony door and she worried that perhaps they didn’t have as much privacy as she’d thought. “Can they hear us?”
He exhaled. “It’s after dark…. I’m afraid they can hear every breath we take.”
Her shoulders slumped. “I was wrong. We’re not alone. We’re never alone.”
Ethan didn’t respond to that, and she figured it was because he didn’t know exactly what to say.
Danielle couldn’t take it. She lunged from the bed, stomped toward the glass door and slung it open. “Go! I want you out of hearing ra—” She choked on the last word when she recognized Cedric and Seth standing there.
The men stared at each other, never sparing a glance in her direction, and she realized that she’d just confronted two vampires with the curse fully surrounding them.
Nervous now, she glanced toward Ethan and then eased because he still appeared quite relaxed. He was lounging casually on the bed with his hands linked behind his head and his long legs stretched out over the blankets. He was watching her curiously, most likely wondering how this would work out.
Cedric said to Seth, “You’re—”
“Right, I’m the adult,” Seth responded, clearly irritated, except with Cedric and not her. He turned to address Danielle, but kept his eyes averted. “We’ll go, but we’ll be back.”
“And what about the men at the other door?”
“I’ll talk to them. We can maintain a certain distance, Danielle, but not for long. Use your time wisely.”
Oh yeah, that really helped to set the mood, she mused, and pouted.
“Well, that got rid of them,” Ethan said as she rejoined him.
“Yeah, but now I’m distracted.”
Ethan chuckled, leaned upright, directed her to rest her head on his lap, and proceeded to tickle her face with soft touches.
“Are you trying to make me fall asleep?” Because this could usually do the trick.
“Definitely not! There will be no sleeping on our honeymoon.” With that he gifted her with a wicked grin. His finger trailed along the bridge of her nose, over the tip, down to her top lip, then over the bottom, then to her chin and neck and….
“But when you do this—”
“I’m merely attempting to help you unwind.” He bent closer and then blew into her face.
She reacted as she knew he expected and drew it into her lungs with a long and languid pull. Her eyes rolled and slid shut. She felt herself unraveling just as she always did when he touched her like this, and then tantalized her with his seductive breath. She was besotted by him, and by his scent, all over again. And the spell he cast was more potent than any vampire magic before it. “Ah, yes, that relaxes me.” Could he even understand what she’d just slurred?
“Too much?”
“Never too much.”
He fanned another breath across her face. “Mmm,” she murmured. Inside and out she hummed, every nerve ending buzzed. And then his clever hands continued his gentle caress which was more thorough than it had been before they’d married. Had she thought it was this staggering before?
Tenderness burned in his gaze as he rubbed his thumb over her cheek and his breath surrounded her. He wasn’t intentionally puffing his scent into her face the entire time they made love, but their closeness made it inevitable.
Curling up under the covers with him as they settled and drifted toward sleep, she noticed them through her fringe of lashes … the shadows had returned.
And again, privacy was whisked away.
Chapter 10
Hobbits, Pixies and Werewolves?
“Today, the shire.”
“Where hobbits live?”
“Lived, Danielle. They’re extinct, but the ruins are still intact and really fascinating.”
“Can we see fairies again too?”
He shook his head. “Pixies dwell there, but they’re a mischievous lot. We need to avoid them.”
“Why, what could they do to us?”
“They’d definitely kidnap you.”
She gasped when he tapped her nose playfully. “Why?”
Ethan chuckled.
“Now what are you laughing about? And you didn’t answer my question, just like you didn’t tell me if werewolves are real or not.”
“Werewolves are real. It’s another curse, like vampirism, but much worse.”
“Do they come out when the moon is full?”
“Yes.”
“Can they turn you with a bite or scratch?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Eat flesh?”
“Horrible, isn’t it?”
Danielle swallowed hard and nodded. “They’re really for real? All the crazy myths about them are true?”
“That’s what I just said, isn’t it?” His words didn’t have an impatient tone about them, but she wondered if he ever got tired of her constant questions.
“And what about the pixies? Would they really abduct me? And what about you?”
He laughed again.
“What is so funny?” she demanded.
Still laughing, he said, “Darling, it’s adorable when you ask me all these questions. The innocence is charming. So curious and eager, you are.”
“You still didn’t answer my question.”
“Pixies would love nothing more than to take a pretty thing like you captive. They wouldn’t be interested in me, just females. I don’t know why that is. But don’t worry, I know what they don’t like, and I came armed with it.”
“What’s that?”
“Salt.”
“No way!” She tilted her head to study him. “Where do you have that hiding?”
“I put some in my pocket.”
She laughed with a snort, then turned to look out the window when Ethan pulled the Land Rover onto a dirt road that twisted like a brown ribbon through green rolling hills.
They’d been back from their honeymoon for a couple of weeks now, and the guards had not let up. They’d managed to gain more privacy in their home, and today they’d managed to coax the men into allowing this outing only because the location was so secluded and pixies were the only danger. As Ethan parked, and the security detail parked, Danielle lifted her sketchpad and pencil
from the backseat then she stepped out of the vehicle. “Can I draw pixies?” she asked.
“Mrs. Deveroux,” the guard with the French accent said, “you mustn’t get too close to them.”
“I won’t.” She rolled her eyes wondering if she’d ever be able to keep track of all the men protecting them. They changed daily. This French guy had only been around today so far.
Ethan gathered her hand. “Darling,” he whispered in a gentle but warning tone, “you must remain close to me. They don’t like men, so if you’re near me, they shouldn’t bother you.”
“Okay.” She leaned toward his ear. “Are they really that dangerous?”
“Trust me, you need to stay close to me,” he gave his pocket a pat, “and the salt.”
Danielle really wanted to laugh again, but thought better of it, and took in this fantastic English landscape. It was another scene that was perfect for a painting. With rolling hills, long grasses waving in the wind, and thick trees dotting the scene like oversized green mushrooms. The names of paint colors flitted through her thoughts. Grinning, she believed these paintings would be marketable in London and she wouldn’t have to rely on Ethan for everything.
Ethan led her down the hill on the right to another smaller hill jutting from the bigger one, and as they neared it, she realized she was seeing a real life hobbit hole. The stained glass windows were clouded with dirt and many of them were broken. The rounded door was mottled with peeling blue paint, and hung at an odd angle by one remaining and rusty hinge. She dropped Ethan’s hand and flipped to a blank page to start drawing.
Ethan smiled, stood behind her, slid his hands around her waist and dropped his chin on her shoulder.
“Um, Ethan, you know I can’t draw with you so close.”
He said nothing as he pushed her hair from her neck and brushed his mouth along the exposed flesh he’d revealed.
She shuddered. “Still not helping.” Her gaze fell on the men standing nearby, staring. “And we’re not exactly alone.”
“Think of it like those people on reality television,” He mumbled while nibbling her ear. “They forget the camera is there all of the time, right? So forget about the audience.”
“I can’t do that, and I want to draw. Please, Ethan, behave.”
“Very well.” He released her and took one step back, then lunged forward fanning a handful of salt in front of her.
She was so startled she stepped back, located a rock with her foot, lost her balance, and fell backwards into the long grass, dropping her pencil and sketchbook. She then found herself staring up into the tiny, but violent faces of several … pixies? If they were pixies, they truly were frightening creatures with their long skinny bodies, claw-tipped fingers and sharp-looking bared teeth. Like sadistic fairies. And they smelled of … rotten apples. The pungent scent overpowered the more pleasant fragrance of the grass and flowers.
Ethan cursed and ordered, “Shut your eyes!”
She did and then felt a spray of salt pelting her. Danielle was too surprised to look, and waited for Ethan to tell her when it was okay to open her eyes. But he never did, she felt him tug her from the ground and snatch her into a protective hug. “I have never seen them be so aggressive before. I can hardly believe it! You were surrounded by men. They never should have even come so close.”
She cracked her eyes open, and could only see his shirt. “Really? What exactly just happened?”
He leaned back just enough to make eye contact. “It was an organized attack. Virtually a swarm. And they knew what they were after.”
“They must know,” the blond-haired guard said.
“Know what?” Danielle asked.
“They must know who you are.”
“What do you mean? That I cured a vampire?”
“I think he’s right,” Ethan said. “I never considered that other creatures would be interested in you too.”
“I don’t understand what they could possibly want from me.”
Ethan and the other men looked just as dumbfounded.
“Maybe we should leave.”
“But—the hobbit house. I didn’t get to even start a drawing.” She cast a longing look toward the round structure, or tried to, as she bent down to collect her art supplies. Every single one of the guards had gathered to form a tight circle around her and Ethan. She couldn’t see much else.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“Please. I want to see inside of it so badly, and we came all the way out here…”
“I could check it out first,” offered the Frenchman.
“Good idea,” said Ethan.
The man ambled off, and Danielle still couldn’t see much of anything. She just heard the one hinge groan as the door was opened and then the heavy footfalls of the guard as he entered the miniature dwelling.
After a few moments of listening to his boots clomp around on what sounded like wooden floors, he then came out and said, “There’s no sign of pixies inside. It’s all clear.”
Ethan considered her for a beat or two or three, before he said, “All right, but only for a moment. And you can’t sketch while you’re here. I want you to just take mental notes and start doing that in the Land Rover.”
“Okay,” she agreed quickly, hoping he wouldn’t soon change his mind.
It was almost comical the way they kept close to her and worked themselves into the small doorway as one, only thinning enough to squeeze their way in. Ethan wouldn’t even allow air to pass between his chest and her back as they stepped inside, and hunched their backs so they could fit.
But once she got a good look of the interior she smiled and gasped, “Wow!”
The furnishings were still there, rugs and curtains and books. It was as if the inhabitants had not simply become extinct but vanished suddenly. “Why? Why are their belongings still here?”
“I don’t know. No one knows.”
“But don’t the books tell their story? Shouldn’t the information inside them be recorded? Reprinted?”
“The information has been recorded and then returned here. And the fey have actually reprinted the works that are here.”
“So then they know the history?”
“I’m afraid not. The books are simply filled with recipes, gardening tips, and hobbit fairytales. There was no history to be found.”
“Weird.”
“Yes,” Ethan whispered into her ear. “Are you taking mental notes of this? Would you like to see the kitchen and the bedroom?”
Danielle sucked in a breath. “Please.”
They moved from room to room in this funny tight huddle and then traveled back outside.
When they had more headroom, she spun around and hugged Ethan. “Thank you for not freaking out and letting me see that. I can’t wait to start painting.”
Ethan smiled, and kissed her. “You’re welcome, darling.” He surveyed their surroundings cautiously, then said, “I’m terribly sorry, but while I would like to show you more here, I think it would be best if we left.”
Danielle took a moment to devour the rest of the landscape and then nodded. She could have spent hours exploring that place, but not with creepy little pixies with a hunger to snatch her lurking about.
“What was with those things, those pixies? Why did they want me? Are they cursed like vampires are?”
“No. They’re beings of nature, just as fairies are. I don’t understand their interest in you.”
She shuddered.
“It does make me wonder, however…” Ethan said as he hooked one arm behind her knees and one behind her back to lift her into his arms.
“Wonder what?” she asked, locking her arms around his shoulders.
“What other beasts have become fascinated in you?”
“Oh, now that’s just wrong! Having vampires after me is quite enough.” And of course, her thoughts were on werewolves and if they too would want to take her. Chills shimmied up her spine and she shivered again. Then her blood froze at wha
t she could see flying directly behind them as they traversed back to the cars. That horde of evil sprites was crowding them, snapping their teeth and making snarling buzzing sounds. The guards behind her and Ethan were swatting at them like they were an obnoxious mass of mosquitoes. “Why are they following?”
Ethan didn’t look; he just scowled and kept walking, accelerating his pace. When they got to the Land Rover he shoved her into the driver’s side door, pushed her to the passenger’s side, then jumped in next to her and slammed the door. The mini-monsters paid no attention to the men who casually filed into the other vehicle because they had their hideous little faces squished against the windows. She’d certainly have nightmares after this. “Will they come into the city too?”
He tugged her to his side as he revved the engine and cranked the music to drown out the spooky noises they were making against the glass. “No, darling, they’d die there. They’re extremely susceptible to pollution.”
She slanted another look at the flying beasts. “But won’t the exhaust kill them then?”
Danielle followed his gaze as he considered the pixies in the rear view mirror, and gasped when one of them stiffened and then dropped dead. “Well, I guess that answers my question.”
Silence hung between them, as more pixies dropped off, which encouraged the rest to finally fall away.
“I can’t believe it…”
“Hm,” he agreed.
“And I thought getting married would solve some of our problems.”
Danielle clung to her husband until they neared London and she knew the pixies were no longer a threat. “Ethan?”
“Yes, love.”
“Are there any creatures like that that I need to worry about at home? Trolls? Zombies? Demons? The boogie man?”
She gulped when his reply took a long time in coming. “Not that I know of.” And that was his answer...?
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