Dream Lover

by Cassie Walder

  Klaus laughed. “There is no such thing with us, my dear,” he answered in English.

  “Your garden.”

  “How many acres of nursery ground do you have?”

  “I own a majority position in the corporation that owns one hundred and sixty acres of ground.”

  “That’s a lot of trees and shrubs.”

  “It’s enough to provide support for the landscaping business.”

  “And it gives you a great deal of greenhouse space.”

  “That too, although most of the greenhouse space is occupied right now with bedding plants for the spring planting season or lilies for the Easter season. Those sort of things are a profit center for the spring season.”

  Klaus nodded. “Most of it?”

  She glanced at him over the top of her eyeglasses. Then she changed the subject. “This was really delicious. Thank you.”

  “Have you eaten all you’re going to?”

  “I guess I have. It was all very good. Just there was enough food here to feed five or six people.”

  “Try a little more. You need to fuel up.”

  “I do? For what?”

  “We’re going dancing.”

  “Klaus, I’m not dressed for dancing.”

  “You look fine to me.”

  Edwina smiled and shook her head negatively. “Thanks. I wasn’t fishing for compliments.”

  “No. You never do.”

  “I wouldn’t say ‘never’,” she replied quietly.

  “When was the last time that you fished for a compliment?”

  Edwina thought for a long moment. “I really can’t remember.”

  “That’s what I thought. You are entirely comfortable with yourself.”

  “I doubt that any of us are entirely comfortable with ourselves, Klaus,” she answered thoughtfully. “I know that I’m not.”

  He smiled and took her hand. “Come on, Edwina, come dancing with me. I want to hold you in my arms. Dancing provides an excuse. We could dance all night.”

  “No. I couldn’t. I have a piece of property to walk off with my staff first thing in the morning. Something about a small commission of a garden to be planted for a German.”

  Klaus smiled. “That can wait.”

  “No. I don’t think it can,” she said remembering her dream. The plantings had been underway. The sooner this began, the sooner… Edwina’s face grew hot.

  “You’re blushing again. What are you thinking?”

  Edwina shook her head negatively. “Nothing really.”

  “Somehow, I think it was more than nothing.”

  With a sigh, Edwina admitted, “Klaus, I’m trying to work this out in my mind. Just give me some time.”

  “Tell me about this dream you had that was set in my bedroom.”

  “No. I don’t think so.”

  “Do you normally dream in such accurate detail as you described to me?”

  “More often than I care to.”

  “They aren’t always good dreams?”

  “No.”

  “What was the worst?” he asked.

  She was quiet for a long moment, uncertain of whether to tell him about this or not. “The night before my parents died.”

  Klaus looked at her. “You saw them die in your dream?”

  “I saw the accident,” she said. “I got up, wrote down the description of my dream in my journal, like I always do when it’s a profoundly real dream, with the description of the dream and sketches of what I saw.”

  “Did you sketch last night’s dream?” Klaus demanded.

  “Of course. I always document my dreams.”

  “Why?”

  “To separate out the fantasy from the reality so that I can stay sane.”

  “I want to see those sketches.”

  “My journal is my own concern. It is none of anyone else’s business.”

  “Then sketch the room for me, now!” he ordered with some urgency in his voice.

  Edwina looked at him. She sighed. “I haven’t any paper.”

  Klaus called over the waitress. Less than a minute later, she returned with a few sheets of typing paper. “Now, you have paper. Show me what you saw in your dream.”

  She removed a pen from her purse and quickly produced two sketches for him of the room from different vantage points. She didn’t look up at him.

  Then she handed him the drawings. He looked at them, at her, and then back at the sketches once more.

  “How do you explain your dreams, Edwina Elizabeth?” Klaus asked gently.

  “I don’t. Is the room accurate?”

  “I ordered those chairs a month ago. They’ll be delivered after the new carpet goes down,” Klaus said. “But, yes, the room accurately reflects what it will be in a couple of weeks. What else did you dream?”

  “I’m not entirely comfortable discussing it.”

  “Why not? Edwina, the dream was about us, wasn’t it?”

  “Definitely.”

  “And you said it was a good dream,” he urged.

  “It was a profoundly sensual dream.”

  “Then why would you be hesitant to discuss it?”

  “I’m not entirely comfortable with the paranormal.”

  “Had much experience with the paranormal, aside from dreams?” he asked carefully.

  “Aside from my resident ghost, no,” she said flippantly.

  Edwina could sense the tension in him.

  “Your resident ghost? Are you joking?” he asked tightly.

  “One of my tenants swears up and down that the building is haunted.”

  ‘That’s not the same thing as a resident ghost,” he said in concern.

  Edwina shrugged.

  “The Schloss allegedly has a couple of ghosts,” he said easily. “I’ve never seen them, but the staff swears that they are there. Then again, it would be an odd castle that didn’t have some sort of legend like that.”

  “Do you believe in ghosts, Klaus?” Edwina asked quietly.

  “I believe that there are evil things who sometimes masquerade as ghosts. I have seen something in the house in Madrid. The figure was ethereal. The room dropped at least ten degrees in temperature when I saw it. He spoke to me. Said his name was Luis.”

  Edwina sighed. “How did that make you feel to talk to a shade?”

  “Like I was losing my mind.”

  “I can identify with that. So what did you do?”

  “Called a cousin of mine who is a priest. And I asked him to come. He did.”

  “Did it get rid of Luis?”

  “Yes.”

  Edwina sighed. “I offered to pay for a priest to come to bless the building, when this tenant began complaining about spirits in his shop. I probably ought to make the arrangements. I’ve been hesitant to do that because I didn’t want to raise the issue of something supernatural. It’s not a topic usually raised within the normal areas of conversation.”

  “You say you haven’t seen anything malevolent,” Klaus said carefully. “How about anything benign or even neutral?”

  “You should have taken your degrees in law instead of in medicine and biochemistry, Klaus.”

  “You have done a little research on me,” he said quietly.

  “Just to find out who you were. It took me all of five minutes on the Internet.”

  “Have you seen anything unusual in the building?”

  Edwina sighed. “Just every time I look into a mirror,” she teased.

  Klaus smiled at her. “I’m serious.”

  She didn’t know whether to say anything or not. She sighed. “There is one presence. She calls herself ‘Catherine’ and she pops in at odd times. The room chills and there she is. First few times I saw her, I thought I was going to die of fright. I’ve gradually gotten used to her. I ignore her most of the time.”

  “She didn’t pop in last night.”

  “Yes, she did, after you left the bathroom.”

  “About the time the cats howled?”

  �
��They always yowl when she pops in.”

  “Would you like for me to make arrangements with my cousin for him to come? He deals with the paranormal every day. That’s his area of expertise. He’s technically assigned to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments and has an office in the Vatican.”

  “That would be your cousin Wilhelm?” she asked carefully.

  “You know Willie?” Klaus asked in surprise.

  “No.”

  He looked at her for the longest time. “How deep did your research on me go, Edwina?”

  “This wasn’t research. I had a dream about ten years ago in which I met Wilhelm. I’d forgotten about that until I went through my journals the other day.”

  Klaus looked at her carefully. “You met Willie in your dreams? In what context?”

  Edwina felt her face grow hot again. “It’s not significant, Klaus.”

  “If you’re blushing it is significant.”

  “He was officiating at a wedding.”

  “Whose wedding?”

  “Ours.”

  Klaus was silent for a long moment. He sat back and looked at her for a long time. “You have been dreaming of me for some time then?” he asked carefully.

  “You could say that.”

  “How long have you had dreams about me?”

  “A long time.”

  “How long? The ten years you mentioned?”

  “Longer than that.”

  Klaus was silent for a moment as he tried to absorb that. “How many dreams have you had about me, Edwina?”

  “Thousands.”

  “Have they been pleasant dreams?”

  “For the most part.”

  “Is it the same dream or are they different?”

  “There haven’t been two that have been the same.”

  “Then how can you say that you do not know me?”

  “Dreams aren’t real, Klaus.”

  “Willie should be happy to come to help you deal with the problems with ghosts.”

  “Bringing in an outside ‘expert’ might step on a few ecclesiastical toes. I know that the Archdiocese has an exorcist on staff. I don’t know who he is. But I know that the Cardinal has one on staff. It would be a small matter to ask the Archdiocese for assistance in this matter. Of course, it would likely have to be channeled through the parish.”

  “It wouldn’t step on any toes if my cousin came for our wedding. I can arrange for this to happen.”

  “It’s not even Lent, yet, Klaus. I don’t think I can wait on this until after Easter.”

  “Ash Wednesday is in two weeks. We could set up a wedding before then.”

  Edwina laughed nervously, remembering the Mardi Gras notation. “If we did, people would be counting the weeks between our marriage and the birth of a first child.”

  Klaus smiled broadly. “Let them. That is the least of our problems.”

  “Oh, Klaus!”

  He brought a velvet box out of his pocket and handed it to her.

  She opened the box and looked at the ring. It was the ring from her dream- a narrow platinum band with a marquis cut emerald. Then she looked at him, panic on her face. “I didn’t tell you about this.”

  Klaus looked at her in concern. “Edwina?”

  “I saw this ring on my hand in several of the dreams. Along with a wedding band set with diamonds.”

  He brought another box out of his pocket. “This ring?” he demanded as he opened the second box.

  Edwina looked at the rings, and then at him. “Those are the rings.”

  He was quiet for a moment. “I bought this ring yesterday before I came to see you. It was in my pocket. Large diamonds are so cold. I thought that the emerald would suit you better. It matches the fire in your eyes. I was going to give them to you last night. But we rather became distracted, one way and another.”

  Edwina looked at the ring. “What do you want from me, Klaus?”

  Klaus looked at her carefully. “What do you think I want from you?”

  “You’ve been known to date truly beautiful women.”

  Klaus looked at her as though she had just sprouted two heads. “Yes. I have. Yet none of them hold a candle to you. None of them engaged my heart and my mind. I was torn with none of them between the joint desires to ravish and to protect.”

  “Just to ravish.”

  “I am a man, Edwina, who has a large sexual appetite. It’s part of who I am. It’s been a very long time since I was an innocent.”

  “So, why are you here with me?”

  “Edwina, nothing in this world or the next would make me a happier man than to have you as my wife. Will you please marry me?”

  “I want to say ‘yes’.”

  “Then say it.”

  “I need time, Klaus. Marriage is a lifetime commitment. I need to be sure.”

  He called over the waitress and paid the bill. He handed her a one hundred dollar bill and obviously told her to keep the change. That had definitely won him welcome again. “Since you won’t go dancing with me at least let me walk you home.”

  They walked in silence for several minutes.

  “Did I make you angry, Klaus?”

  “No, my dear. I am not angry. I certainly cannot blame you for being cautious. We have not known one another that long.”

  “No. We haven’t. Thank you for being reasonable.”

  “I am generally reasonable.”

  “I do love you, Klaus.” And I’ve loved you for a long time, she thought but didn’t dare say.

  He smiled. “That’s a beginning. I’m not a patient man, Edwina.”

  “That’s because you’ve always had beautiful women at your beck and call,” she offered dryly.

  “Why, Edwina, that sounds almost jealous,” he observed.

  She shrugged slightly. “Given your dating history, I have to wonder what you see in me.”

  “Insecurity? From you, my dear?” Klaus asked in disbelief.

  “I’m as human as the next woman.”

  “And twice as interesting.”

  Edwina laughed quietly. “Right,” she dismissed.

  They arrived back at her shop. “Are you going to invite me in for a cup of coffee?” he asked hopefully.

  “No. I’m not. Thank you for dinner, Klaus. It was lovely.”

  “It was my pleasure.”

  “Well, goodnight.”

  “Not yet, my dear,” he said quietly as they stood in the doorway to the shop. He gathered her into his arms. “You wouldn’t send me away without a good-night kiss, would you?”

  She kissed his cheek. “Good night, Klaus.”

  “Vixen,” he murmured just before he captured her lips with his.

  As before, the passion flared immediately. His passion demanded her response, which she freely gave. Passion built on passion.

  “Edwina,” he whispered in her ear, “Invite me inside.”

  “No, Klaus. That wouldn’t be a good idea,” she said as she stepped back from him.

  “It sounds good to me.”

  “Can you settle for coffee?”

  “No.”

  She looked at him for a long moment and finally came to the decision that had been bothering her for days. “Then I suppose that you should come up.”

  He didn’t have to be asked twice.

  Chapter Seven

  Edwina let herself into the shop and made her way up the stairs to her apartment. Klaus followed her.

  “Go on into the study. Light the fire. I’ll be with you in a few moments,” she said quietly.

  “Edwina, you needn’t be so nervous.”

  “I just need ten minutes. Make yourself at home. Coffee or something stronger?”

  “Coffee would be fine. Would you like for me to make it?”

  Edwina smiled at him. “Sure…if you want to. I keep the coffee beans in the freezer. The grinder is on the counter. Just put the ground beans in a filter and put that into the basket of the drip machine. It’s hooked
into the water supply, so just hit the start button. The coffee will be ready in a couple of minutes.”

  He smiled at her. “Leave it to you to take your coffee that seriously.”

  “I live on caffeine.”

  He chuckled. “Caffeine is a food group?”

  “It’s an essential of life. Excuse me for a few minutes.”

  She left him and went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, washed her face, took down her hair and began to brush it. The room temperature dropped ten degrees. When she turned around, Catherine was standing there.

  “You’re playing with fire, Edwina.”

  “If I were, the room would be much warmer,” Edwina told the shade.

  “This is not a joking matter!”

  “Go away, Catherine.”

  “That creature, that von Bruner, is going to destroy you, Edwina. He cares about nothing and no one except himself.”

  “That’s not true, Catherine.”

  “You’ve fallen under that creature’s spell!”

  “I’ve fallen under no one’s spell.”

  “He has a seductive charm. But then again, beasts of his ilk do. It’s one of their major and defining characteristics.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “He’s a creature of the night, Edwina.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Have you ever seen him in the daytime?”

  “What does that have to do with anything? He is intolerant of UV.”

  “Oh, he’s intolerant of UV. That’s putting it mildly. What was your first thought when you saw him for the very first time?” the shade demanded.

  “Again, what does that have to do with anything?”

  “Edwina, you have a good sense of what is dangerous and what is not. What was your first impression of the creature?”

  “Catherine, go away.”

  “Not this time. You have to listen. I won’t be here much longer to help you. I’ll have to be moving on soon. You have to listen to me. Edwina, please!”

  “Where would you go?”

  “Wherever I’m sent. It’s my duty. I go and I do the bidding of the Master.”

  “And who is the Master?”

  The shade looked at Edwina for a long moment. “You were raised in the Church. You know who the Master is. It is forbidden for any of us to speak the name. Now, listen to me, well, Edwina. I won’t be with you much longer.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “Ask your grandmother to find the photograph of Regina and Johann von Bruner. It’s among her copies of the family records. It’s an old glass negative photo, so it’s very fragile. But, look at it hard. Do it without much more delay. Time is of the essence. Nothing less than your immortal soul lies in the balance.”