by Sasha Pruett
“There’s something else I think we need to consider. I plan to take her a great distance, but she is a missing person and one random photograph by a tourist or co-ed could cause problems. Nothing we couldn’t handle, but I believe a little preparation could save us any lingering issues. I propose that we provide a body for the authorities. Some kind of accident beside the road or something that went unnoticed. The girl’s family and the police would have closure and no one would be looking for her. This way if we were to be spotted even locally it would be less likely to raise alarm.”
“Yes, I agree. I’ll take care of it and might I suggest that you inform the girl of this. Use it to our advantage as it were. It might be a comfort to her to know that her family is no longer in pain over her disappearance. It may help her to let go of her past life and embrace you as her future.”
“As you wish. I’ll tell her tomorrow night when I steal into her room. Will that be appropriate?”
“Yes, I’ll have everything arranged by then. If there’s nothing else I’ll bid you goodnight. I’m sure you have other things to do and I have a few things to take care of myself so if you don’t mind.”
“Absolutely father.”
*****
It was during their walk together through the woods that he told her the first time.
“Calynn, I need to tell you something.” He hesitated before blurting out, “You’re dead.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry, that didn’t come out right. What I should have said was that my father has arranged for the police to find a body and have it positively identified as you. It will look like you were simply out for a walk and was hit by a car. A senseless tragedy, but at least your family will be able to get some closure. I know they’ve been on your mind. I’m sorry I couldn’t do more, but it’s the best I could manage. I wanted to tell you here so that you could do whatever you felt like, cry, scream, whatever and not have to play up to whomever may be listening.”
Calynn stopped dead in her tracks; frozen, before finally flinging her arms around him and holding on for dear life. He held her as she trembled uncontrollably then burst into tears.
“Shhh, it’s okay Calynn, I’m here, I’m here.” Drakon stood there, holding and comforting her until the tears stopped flowing and the shaking turned to deep full breaths. It amazed him that only a few short weeks ago the thought of comforting anyone, let alone a human woman would have come so easily for him. He would have some adjusting to do when this was all finally over. He put his fingers under her chin and lifted her face to look at him. “That’s my girl. Are you alright?”
“It’s strange.”
“What’s that?”
“I never thought I’d be so happy to be dead.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. Here she was learning that her parents were at this minute planning her funeral and she was making jokes.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t laugh. You truly are something Calynn.”
She wiped the last of the remaining tears from her eyes, “Well, when you figure out what let me know okay?”
“Hey I’m serious.” And he forced her to look at him again. “Neither of us would be here if you weren’t.”
“You make that sound like a good thing. Isn’t your father forcing you to marry me?”
“Listen to me and this is me talking, not some act for my father or whatever you might think I’m up to. Meeting you was the best thing that has ever happened to me and no matter what happens I regret nothing. Got that?” Where did that come from?
She simply nodded, now more confused than ever. “Thank you, Drakon for doing that for me; for them. I know I can never go home again, but at least this way they’ll be able to move on.” She paused a second, “I don’t suppose there’s any chance of me going to my funeral is there, I mean how often does a person get a chance to do that?”
He gave her another one of those looks, “I don’t think so Calynn.”
“I’m kidding. You really need to lighten up Drakon.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Now can I have serious Calynn back for a moment?”
“What’s wrong?” She seemed to be saying that a lot lately.
“Nothing, I just wanted to let you know that my father wants me to tell you about your death. He thinks it will bring you closer to me, so tonight when I see you I’ll be telling you this all over and this time...”
“I’ll be ready, don’t worry and Drakon?”
“Hmm?”
“Thank you.”
They continued their day together hand in hand and she held onto him like a lifeline. She didn’t know if it was him, the day, her changing hormones, or her death, but somehow, she felt that if she let go she’d be lost. When they were standing in front of her sitting room door, with her looking up at him, she realized her heart was pounding. Once again, his thumb was stroking her cheek gently tracing her lips and she felt as nervous as she had the night of her high school Valentine’s Day dance when Jimmy Mason slow danced her into a hidden spot beside the bleachers.
Drakon could hear every beat of her heart, felt every pulse of her blood and knew how easy it would be to kiss her right then and there. Instead he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers drawing a smile from her. Then he bent down and kissed her cheek whispering in her ear, “I’ll see you soon.”
She nodded gently, the grin still on her face and slowly slipped into her suite to wait for him. She didn’t have to wait long before she saw him move deftly into her bedroom from the shadows of the balcony and she wondered how many times he had done that without her knowing. Quietly he walked over to her and took her in his arms holding her close as she laid her head on his chest and dug her fingers into his shirt.
“I was hoping you would come.”
“I had to, I have something to tell you and I’m not sure how you’ll feel about me afterwards.”
“Nothing could change how I’m feeling about you Drakon.”
“You might after you hear what I’ve done.”
She pulled back slightly, but he held onto her.
“Drakon?”
“Calynn I know your family has been on your mind and you’ve been worried about them, about how they will never know what happened, so…”
“So?”
“I talked to my father and he arranged to have a body found beside the road, a victim of a hit and run that will be identified as you. Your family will be able to get some closure, to grieve and then to heal. I hope I haven’t overstepped my bounds, please tell me that I haven’t hurt you.”
“Drakon… I... I can’t believe you would do that for me. You risked your father finding out about us just to give me some peace of mind?”
“I’d risk that and more for you Calynn. You’re all I have in this place. You’re the reason I’m here. What good am I if I can’t ease your suffering?”
Calynn buried her head into his shirt, fresh tears streaming down her face, her words muffled in his chest, “Oh Drakon, thank you.”
He lifted her chin and wiped a salty droplet from her cheek, “Anything for you Calynn, anything for you.” Then he bent and kissed her forehead, then her cheek, and then he kissed her; soft and tender and lasting longer than he had intended. When they finally pulled apart she opened her eyes and asked, “Stay with me.”
“For as long as you want me.”
She took his hand and led him to the bed where they lay together, her head resting on his chest listening to the rhythm of his heart. His arms wrapped gently around her, delicately brushing her skin with his fingertips, a silent reminder that he was still there. There didn’t seem like much to say. Both were perfectly content to just be, neither caring what those listening in would report back to Sir Drake. She fell asleep in Drakon’s arms and for the first few hours he couldn’t bring himself to leave her. Finally, he slipped gently from her side kissing her one last time and disappeared into the night to finish what he had started earlier.
Chapter Nineteen
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br /> Calynn awoke with a smile still on her face, enjoying the memories that were coming to the surface as she dreamt. Had it not been for Millie coming in with her breakfast she would have gladly slept till noon.
“Good day my lady. I thought you might like to have your breakfast in here this morning. Did you sleep well miss?”
“Huh, oh yes, yes Millie, thank you.”
“I’ve also brought a message from Lady Delphine, miss. She will be out of her studio for a couple of days and will not be available for your fittings.”
“That’s fine Millie, thank you.”
“Also, I have this letter for you.” She handed her an envelope sealed with wax perfectly matching Drakon’s style. It read:
My Dearest Calynn,
I have planned a surprise for you tonight. Tell Millie to bring you an early dinner then not to bother you until tomorrow afternoon. Get some rest, you’ll need it. Be ready at sunset.
Yours Eternally
- D
“Is everything alright miss? You seem a bit flushed.”
“Oh yes, yes Millie everything is perfect, absolutely perfect. I never thought…”
“What miss?” The girl was a little too eager, but Calynn expected it. She also expected that Millie was enjoying being in the middle of this little Austen/Shelly/Stoker drama of hers.
“Nothing, nothing Millie. Um Millie, I think I’ll stay in today. Could you bring me an early dinner?”
“Absolutely miss, would be my pleasure. Anything else I can do? Deliver a message to anyone for you? I can do it real discretely if you’d like?”
Calynn pretended to contemplate her offer. The girl was definitely hooked. “No, no… I’m alright. I’m just going to take advantage of having the day to myself that’s all.” She stammered at just the right moments to give Millie some doubts and left it at that.
When Millie brought her supper tray she thanked her and gave strict instructions not to return for it. Not to let anyone disturb her until tomorrow afternoon, and not to wake her with breakfast. She assured her that she was fine, she just wanted some rest and alone time in her apartment, not that Millie would believer her. Then waited anxiously for Drakon on her balcony until he appeared silently behind her. She didn’t start or turn around, she simply asked, “How do you keep doing that?”
“I have my ways. Are you ready?”
“What are we doing?”
He picked her up in his arms and held her to his chest, “Just hang on.”
She clasped her hands tightly behind his neck and tensed, “Drakon?!”
“Don’t worry I’ve got you.”
The last of the sun disappeared beyond the western horizon and Drakon took one great leap from the balcony landing with barely a thump near the edge of the forest. Calynn felt the deafening roar of the wind as he sprinted through the trees and quick jolts as he leapt over obstacles and off cliffs and soon she noticed the salty tang of ocean air and felt its misty spray. She knew they had the ability to run over water, but a part of her still couldn’t believe it; until now. Minutes turned into hours, but his grip never faltered or waivered and she soon found herself drifting off, the welcoming warmth of his body a shield against the ocean breeze.
“Calynn… Calynn wake up, we’re here.”
She was still in his arms, but the darkness was gone and in its place, were the sights and sounds of life all around her. Slowly Drakon set her down holding onto her as she steadied herself. She was in a city with lights and people and smells, oh the smells. Suddenly she realized just how hungry she was.
“Where are we?”
“A small town on the Grecian coast. About ready for dinner? They have excellent seafood here. They pull it right out of the ocean and onto the grill. Shall we?”
“What time is it?” She looked at the sky as if that would tell her anything.
“Very late or very early. It depends on your point of view, but this is one of those villages that is more shall we say, nocturnal?”
Calynn felt like a normal person again sitting on the patio dock, eating the best fresh seafood she’d ever had in her life. Laughing and talking like life hadn’t become a macabre game of chess. She forgot about the role she had to play, her imprisonment, the baby and all that went with it even for just a little while, but the night wasn’t over yet. After dinner, they walked hand in hand along the shoreline until they were out of sight, then he picked her up again and not twenty minutes later she was sitting at a small café in the south of France sipping the best coffee she’s ever tasted and watching the people walk by. She couldn’t stop smiling, he had given her so much, done so much. Sure yes, it was all a preapproved outing sanctioned by his father to bring her closer to him, but Drakon could have taken her anywhere in the world, but he’d brought her here. To some small place where she could just be normal again, dinner, coffee all the things she had told him she missed.
“Are you about ready?” He asked as she stared off into the crowd of pedestrians.
“Isn’t it getting late?”
“Not if we keep heading west, but if you’re too tired and want to call it a night?”
“Not on your life! Where to next?” She set down her cup and nearly bounced out of her seat.
“Oh no, you’ll just have to wait until we get there.”
It didn’t take long before he set her down again, but instead of the sights and sounds of life and laughter there was only the gentle pulse of the ocean waves and the silver light of the full moon. Calynn’s breath caught as she took in her surroundings. She was standing on the edge of a lagoon fed by a cascading waterfall, the ocean only yards away adding to the serenity of the night. Frogs and insects chirped in the distance of the rustling trees reminding her of home and the peace and comfort that it offered her.
“This is amazing. Where are we?”
“A small, private island in the Bahamas. There’s no one here to bother you, it’s just us and it’s all yours.”
Her eyes gleamed in the moon light, just when she thought things couldn’t get any better here she was standing in a paradise all her own. Calynn spun into him, placing her hand on his cheek wanting to say so much, but not being able to. Then turned and stripped to her underwear stepping silently into the lagoon. She swam to the waterfall embracing it with open arms then dove back into the pool once more doing a couple of laps before resurfacing with an invitation for him to join her.
“I think I’ll stay up here where it’s considerably dryer.”
She glided towards him in the water pausing when she got close, her hands in front of her. “Either you come in on your own or I’ll drench you.”
“You know I can be on the other side of this island before you even move your hand.”
“Oh come on, live a little Drakon. It’s not like it’ll kill you. You’re not the wicked witch of the west. Or is there something I don’t know?”
“Alright, alright, you win.” He shed his clothes down to his boxers and waded in after her. The two spent the night swimming and splashing, diving and surfacing and simply standing beneath the waterfall. Then as the evening wore on they languidly lay against the rocky edge bobbing in the water, his arms wrapped around her as she lay against his chest.
“Thank you, Drakon, for everything.” Was all she could say.
“You’re welcome Calynn.” They stayed like that for some time, listening to the chirping insects and the crashing waves just content to be, but it couldn’t last.
“Calynn… I…”
“Hmm.” She said in a sleepy daze.
“I… it’s getting late, I think we should be getting back.”
“Just five more minutes.”
“Okay, but I don’t want to hear any complaining if we get stuck here. Especially when somebody starts getting hungry or needs to use the bathroom. This place is great for privacy, but it is seriously lacking in other amenities.”
“Okay, okay you win this one, I got you into the water so it’s only fair that you get me out.�
��
They sloshed out of the lagoon and Drakon disappeared into the foliage returning with two large, warm, fluffy spa towels for them to dry off. Then he retreated into the darkness grabbing his clothes along the way emerging once again fully dressed hanging his wet shorts and towel over a large palm to dry. Taking her cue from him she did the same.
“What about our clothes?”
“I’ll pick them up later.”
“Will they still be here?”
“Sure, unless there’s a hurricane. I didn’t find this island by accident Calynn.”
“I’d smack you if I wasn’t so tired you know.”
“I know, come on it’s time to go.” He lifted her easily into his arms and she nestled into his chest for the ride home, but when he set her down again it wasn’t where she was expecting. They were on the top of a cliff in a small rocky clearing surrounded by large dense trees. A thick mist covered the ground below in a carpet of grey that she could barely make out. Drakon sat down on the edge of the cliff his legs dangling over the precipice offering her a spot beside him. Cautiously she sat down next to him, not too crazy about the height, but she had to admit the view from on top of the world was breathtaking. What she could see anyway. They sat like that, side by side for some time in the growing dawn watching the sky turn from black, to grey to pink. It was one of those mornings where everything was bathed in hues of crimson and gold. As if they truly were looking at the world through rose colored glasses.
“This is where I came; during the equinox. I had planned to be a world away after I left you that last night. I’d cleared your memory, then left the house for… well where ever was farthest, the other side of the world, but when I got here to this spot on the edge of our grounds I couldn’t jump. I couldn’t leave. At first, I told myself that I’d just sit here a while and decide where I wanted to go, but a few minutes turned into hours, until like now I was watching the sun rise on your last day and I stayed. I stayed all day, until I knew… until it was late, expecting to return like always to a world where you no longer existed, but there you were. And then…, I was a coward; for leaving you then. I won’t do that again Calynn. I promise.” He took her hand and they sat watching the sun rise over the mountains before she fell asleep leaning against him. He lifted her gently in his arms and walked her back to the house, careful not to disturb her.