Fateful

by Cheri Schmidt

  Danielle found herself believing his story, knowing it wasn’t true. Lights went on in the faces of the others. It obviously made perfect sense to them. Ethan was a really good liar, which was a bit daunting.

  Charlotte responded first, “Thank you, Ethan, thank you for bringing her home safely.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said softly, while he stared at a spot on the floor.

  “Well, I guess we’re done here then,” one of the policemen said. He turned to her. “Glad you made it home, miss.”

  “Thank you, sir,” she replied softly. Her trembling continued and was getting worse.

  “Danielle, are you cold?” Uncle Nick asked, sounding concerned.

  “Mm. I-I’m f-f-freezing. Could I please go t-t-take a bath?” She seemed to be having a hypothermic flash back.

  “Of course!” answered Charlotte.

  She turned to Ethan, who sort of looked at her, and tossed her arms around his shoulders so she could whisper, “Tomorrow,” then released him and made her way up the stairs to the bathroom.

  Chapter 7

  Once Upon a Time

  Danielle stretched her stiff muscles, arched her back, and groaned as she awoke. It seemed her body was still complaining about freezing. Colorado could get plenty cold in the winter, still, she had never been that cold before. Ever.

  The memory of last night’s shocking events flooded back to her. Her eyes snapped open.

  One glance out the window told her the fog from last night was completely gone. Good, she thought, she didn’t much like that creepy soup.

  Wondering what time it was, Danielle’s eyes flew to the alarm clock, which she’d forgotten to set, then widened in horror. I’ve got to get moving! she thought, when she noticed how late it was. She sprang from the bed, and forced her body to cooperate while her muscles continued to protest. It felt like she’d actually been hit by that lamppost.

  Wanting to look nice, she slid one of her favorite dresses off the hanger. The linen was white and the design was vintage-inspired. She’d purchased it from a trendy boutique that blended modern-chic with an antique twist into their fashion. Of course it was too froufrou for Brianna, but Danielle had an affinity for things of the past. And it seemed the perfect thing for a guy like Ethan.

  After yanking off her pajamas and donning her bra, she let the soft fabric glide over her head and then gazed at herself in the mirror. Her fingers traced the delicate lace trim and pin-tucking details, then she frowned. “Hmm, maybe this is too dressy.” Her gaze landed on the denim jacket hanging over the back of her chair and she reached for it, knowing that would dress it down. The forecast promised a warm day compared to the day before, so she selected flats instead of boots.

  Danielle could hear Ethan speaking with her uncle. Why couldn't he be late for once? He’ll have to wait this time, but her heart fluttered excitedly at the thought of him actually being there, and she was relieved he hadn’t bailed out. Finally she’d know who or what she was dating and how it seemed like they already knew each other.

  She gave her hair one more critique, tucked a rebellious wave behind her ear, and inspected her lip-gloss. Luckily the bath last night had freshened up her tresses, but just in case, she misted herself with an eau de toilette that was a mixture of berries, blooms and musk. She drew one big breath and let it out slowly as she slipped on her shoes and then left to descend the stairs, wondering what his reaction would be to her dress.

  Ethan stood from his seated position when he heard her coming down. Apparently it was something ingrained in him—always rise when a lady enters a room—another one of his cultured traits that enchanted her. When she saw his face, a wave of relief washed over her. She’d never seen that look of total captivation on his face before, but as she got closer, she was startled to see deep emotion darken his blue eyes, much like storm clouds taking over a clear sky.

  “What’s wrong?” she whispered as that strangely welcome wave of dizziness assailed her.

  “Nothing,” he chuckled. “Everything is perfect.” He leaned down to place his lips against her ear. “I nearly fainted when I saw you coming down dressed in white.” He straightened, beaming at her in total awe.

  The dancing pixies found their way to her middle again, and—Why is he so familiar?—was the question that continued to slide through her thoughts. Catching her elbow, he obviously noticed how she swayed when he made eye contact. Why was he more open with it now, compared to last night?

  “Am I over dressed?” Still thinking the difference between last night and now was puzzling, she stroked her dress to make sure it was laying flat. It was an unnecessary action, it didn’t need it.

  “No. You’re absolutely breathtaking. Shall we go?” he suggested, lifting her hand and slipping it around his arm.

  “Yes,” she breathed. She must have stared into his alluring eyes a little too long because she was pretty much whirling now. Clearly, Ethan remained aware of this because he let her lean on him as he led her to his Jaguar. Danielle realized then … he knew that he made her feel dizzy and he must know why.

  Once they were seated, she asked, “Where are we going?”

  “We’re going to the place I grew up, my childhood home.”

  “That sounds nice. Is it far?” Anxious to finally get answers, Danielle didn’t want to wait much longer. If she could get him to spill it now—that would have suited her.

  “Not really.”

  Danielle frowned at his vague reply, as he reached over to hold her hand. He must have been sensing her impatience. He glanced at her while he interlaced his fingers with hers, his eyes raking over every inch of her. “Did I mention you look lovely today?”

  “Yes, you mentioned it…” Don’t change the subject! “I mean how long will it take us to get there?” Danielle asked pleasantly, hoping he didn’t notice her teeth grinding.

  Ethan chuckled softly. “Patience, mon chérie.”

  “That’s French. What does that mean?”

  “Patience, my darling.”

  “Right, that’s what I thought.”

  “Then why did you ask?” He chuckled again, but his words remained kind, patient.

  “I was just making sure.” Danielle pouted, folding her arms across her chest, letting go of his hand in the process. This small talk was getting to her. She didn’t want to be patient. She wanted answers now. Mentally, she stomped her foot.

  “Why are you sullen, Danielle?”

  She exhaled sharply, but knew he didn’t like the fact that she’d removed her hand from his. “I’m sorry. I’m just not as patient as you.” She kept her petulant expression, but returned her hand, which he took back gratefully.

  “Patience comes with time.” Ethan grinned to himself, remembering a joke it seemed. “We’ll be there soon. I’ll tell you everything then. I want this to be special, and telling you in the car simply won’t do.”

  Ethan eyed her silently for a moment then suddenly released her hand, slung his arm around her shoulders and tugged her close. After placing one kiss on the top of her head, he took in a deep breath. Not releasing her, he hesitated before saying, “You smell like a vanilla cupcake.”

  “Uh, thanks.” That would be the shampoo from last night.

  “I like it, although I haven’t eaten cake in a very long time.” Danielle thought she felt his lips pull into a smile. “‘Sugar and spice, and everything nice…. That’s what little girls are made of.’” After quoting the nursery rhyme, he then chuckled to himself.

  Recalling the verse, she said, “So are you made of frogs and snails and puppy dog tails?”

  “I don’t know. I may be more toad-like than you realize, though I believe the rhyme goes ‘snips and snails,’ not ‘frogs and snails.’”

  “Really?” She’d never heard it that way. “What’s a snip?”

  “Good question.”

  Ethan rested his cheek against her head as he drove. Danielle turned her nose into his chest, as she leaned across the thin center console
. She couldn’t resist breathing in his scent as well. After that day in Uncle Nick’s garden, he’d only granted her faint whiffs of it here and there, never allowing her to inhale the full concentrated strength of it by keeping her at a distance. She realized then that he’d been reclusive about sharing this as much as his eye contact.

  Until now. Where was he taking this relationship? Not that she minded, because in truth she really liked him, despite the fact she didn’t know what his secrets where yet, she was actually liking the change. Liking the forwardness.

  She took full advantage as the musky potion filled her lungs and made her dazed. It was the perfect distraction to her impatience, and she was contentedly quiet the rest of the ride.

  Releasing his hold on her, Ethan parked his car at the edge of a lone street, lined with forest on either side. Ever the gentleman, he came around to open the door and help her out. Danielle hadn’t expected such a secluded place. She couldn’t see any homes anywhere because the trees were too thick. He pulled a blanket and a large picnic basket from the trunk. The blanket he draped over his shoulder, then hooked one arm through the handle of the basket.

  “Now we walk a ways.”

  She looked at him surprised. “Which way are we walking?”

  “Through the woods.”

  “Ethan,” she said, pointing to her dress, “a white dress, ballerina flats and hiking through a forest? Why didn’t you tell me? I could have dressed for a hike.”

  He laughed. “The dress is perfect.”

  “But—?”

  Ethan continued to laugh as he scooped her up into his arms—which were already loaded—and strode off into the forest. He walked with ease, even under his heavy burden, following no trail through the uneven terrain.

  Danielle couldn’t argue, her white dress would be smudge free and she wouldn’t have to tromp through weeds and bugs in a pretty little pair of flats. Resigned, she wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her nose against his delicious skin ... realizing Ethan was dropping the walls of casual courtship between them rather quickly, not that she minded as his fragrance filled her lungs.

  After what seemed like a good two miles, he shifted her weight. Drawn from whatever spell was holding her, she lifted her head to see ancient ruins nestled amongst the trees, seemingly forgotten. Only a fraction of the crumbling stone structures could be seen as thick green moss clung to what remained. With wild poppies springing up amongst the long grass covering the ground, it looked like an enchanted place where fairies dwelled. The large structure must have had many rooms, but arched doorways were most of what remained. The scene was beautiful, mythical, worthy of a painting.

  “Wow,” Danielle breathed.

  Immediately wanting to paint it, she was already deciding ... acrylic or watercolor? Danielle began trying to remember every detail. The deep shade of the surrounding trees, the way the light filtered through them and settled on the ruins with a green-tinged glow. She considered her shades of paint as she took in the mottled gray and tan colors of the weathered stone. The browns, the reds, the muted blue of the sky as it tried to show through the clouds.

  Ethan had told her what this place was, but she’d already forgotten.

  Gingerly, Ethan placed her down on a piece of crumbling stone floor, and moved to spread the blanket out over the grass. Next he settled the basket onto it and then returned to retrieve her. He held her hand as she curled down onto the blanket.

  After rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt, he lounged casually on his side, and propped himself up on one elbow. The sunlight glinted off his rich golden hair, creating the illusion of a halo. Danielle’s heart fluttered at the unearthly sight, thinking God could come down at any moment to gather his angel back up into Heaven.

  “Hungry?” he said, interrupting her angel-swooning.

  Between ogling at him and trying to memorize this place so she could paint it later, hunger was the furthest thing from her mind, but after the mention of it, she realized she was. “Oh ... yes, actually.”

  He set a pretty china plate on the blanket in front of her and then reached back into the basket. An array of different gourmet food items followed as he arranged it all in front of her on the plate.

  “Where did you get all of this?”

  “I prepared it myself.”

  Danielle looked at him in total amazement because the items he served looked very complicated and not at all homemade. Could he possibly be any more irresistible? For a short moment she thought she could forget the strange happenings of last night, but just as quickly changed her mind. She did want to know.

  “I spent a lot of time with the family cook as a child. She liked having an assistant. I loved learning how to concoct delectable things to eat, and I loved good food. I later went to culinary school.”

  Danielle took a bite of the delicious sandwich he’d given her, then froze. His comment reminded her of the reason they came here in the first place. The place he grew up. Swallowing, she set the sandwich down and looked at the ancient ruins surrounding them. She knew Ethan could tell by the look on her face that it was finally registering in her brain. This is where he grew up! This place that was clearly older than him, this structure—which had obviously been in a state of rubble for longer than he appears to have been alive—was his childhood home.

  “Ethan? I—”

  He set two fingers softly to her lips to stop her, then let them slide away as he spoke. “Danielle, may I do something first?” A mixture of emotions rolled across his expression, so many she couldn’t pinpoint anything specific. “I need you to know something, before I tell you everything.”

  Speechless now, Danielle only nodded in reply.

  Her gaze lifted to his familiar, magnetic eyes. What did he want to do? Then she knew as he leaned toward her and cradled her face with his hands. He slowly dipped his head, their noses brushing as he aligned his lips with hers. Danielle’s hands rose up to meet his and her lashes lowered as his mouth pressed against hers. His musky scent swirled around her and made the kiss delicious and sweet.

  When he pulled away her hands tightened their grasp on his. She didn’t want him to stop because it was like kissing someone ... someone she’d already kissed before? Yes, it was like a first kiss, but also not.... Ethan smiled at her reaction, gifted her with another soft kiss, then brushed his cheek against hers so he could whisper into her ear. “Do you feel it?”

  If he was talking about the déjà vu thing between them, she could feel it. “Is that what you wanted to show me, but couldn’t last night?”

  “Yes.”

  “So that’s it? We recognize each other?” With her brow furrowing, she again considered the events of the night before and couldn’t see how this explained it. “I don’t get it. What happened last night?”

  “The two things are separate.”

  “What?” Her confused gaze shot his way. He still wasn’t making any sense at all.

  Ethan put the sandwich back in her hand. “Eat, Danielle. I can hear your stomach complaining.”

  “But—”

  “Please enjoy the lunch. I want to tell you a story.” He paused, studying her face, then, “Is that all right?”

  Staring at him, and probably gaping, she finally said, “Okay?” She had no idea how a story was going to help her understand this connection they had or how he’d been able to physically do what he’d done last night.

  Taking another bite, however, she noticed he wasn’t eating with her and asked, “Aren’t you hungry too?”

  “No, I’m not ... my taste buds have changed. I don’t have the same love for food that I once did, although I still like to cook.”

  Well, that didn’t make any sense either. Danielle decided to eat quietly, growing more puzzled by the minute, but hoping he would start making sense soon.

  Ethan slid a container full of fancy, little tarts closer to her.

  “Please, Ethan, begin. The suspense is killing me,” she pleaded, and took one of the offered t
arts because he’d nudged it even closer. Was he trying to distract her with food? Her eyes wandered back to the ruins—his childhood home. How can that be?

  “I’ll start with a story. It’s sort of a fairytale, but it is true nonetheless.”

  Danielle nodded, now tasting the tart because he was looking at it in her hand. It was so delicious she couldn’t help the “mmm” that escaped. But then realized from his expression that she’d misled him into thinking she wasn’t listening. “Please, the story…”

  Ethan grinned patiently but uncertainty passed over his gaze. “It is a rather frightening tale,” he said, his expression growing troubled.

  Danielle sighed and met his eyes, which made her head whirl, but she was learning to fight it. “Ethan, it’s okay, I trust you. Please just tell me.” She wanted him to feel like he could trust her too. She wanted to hear what he had to say, no matter how “frightening” he said it was. It just can’t be that bad, she thought.

  Ethan exhaled, his golden brows wrinkled, and then he began. “Once upon a time there was a sorceress who fell in love with a mortal man named Benjamin. He didn’t know she was a sorceress, but when she confessed this to him, wanting him to know the truth, he was disgusted. When he tried to leave her, he told her that she was a curse to humanity. Lilith, that was her name, was so hurt and so angry that she cast a spell on him before he could leave. She said, ‘Now you will forever be the curse to humanity!’ Her spell turned him into a demon, a predator of humanity. She gave him immortality like herself, so he would be forced to wander this earth, forever lonely. And she made him beautiful so women would want to love him, but he wouldn’t be able to love them back without killing them. She also took his heart away from him, by causing it to stop beating, because he had broken hers. She made him into a demonic human to curse humanity … she turned him into a vampire.”