HAGEN: 1. Revelations

by Jadhe HAMILTON

  Her enthusiasm, however, was dampened when she remembered that Van der Worthen would never let her go. With a heavy heart, she pulled out the letter that was folded inside:

  “Tara,

  As you explained to me in your message, I can understand that you want us to stop seeing each other for a while so you can take some time for yourself...”

  Tara stopped reading, horrified. So, this is what John and the others had said to Victor when they took the liberty of answering his messages on her behalf!

  Trembling with rage and despair, she continued reading:

  “I don't know what happened to make you refuse to answer my calls and to want me out of your life, but I think we became close enough over the past few weeks for you to allow me one last date. I need to see you face to face to understand what's going on and why you tossed me out of your life overnight.”

  Tara's eyes fogged up with tears as she continued reading, feeling helpless:

  “The day you left was also the day you were supposed to move your things over to my place. I freed up half my dressing room for you. I wanted you to feel like "my home" had become "our home". Even Max was going to join us... Is that why you left? Did I scare you by wanting so much so quickly? We can start over again, more slowly, if that's what you need. You know that my feelings for you are sincere. Your absence is unbearable to me. I’m ready to slow down and go at your pace if that’s what you want, and if there’s any chance it could save our wonderful love story.

  “Please accept this bouquet of roses. I know it won’t change your mind, but I still love you so much, despite your absence. I’ve also sent you a movie ticket for tonight. I'll be waiting for you in front of the Opera Garnier cinema. If you don't come, I'll understand that your decision is final, and out of love for you, I promise to respect it.

  “Yours truly, Victor”

  When she reached the end of the letter, Tara was crying her eyes out. Why had destiny allowed her to find the love of her life, if it was only to take him away from her in such a cruel way? In less than an hour, Victor would be waiting for her in front of the cinema and she knew she wouldn’t be able to go to him. She imagined her handsome beau waiting for her until long after the movie had started, and then finally leaving, convinced that she didn’t want anything more to do with him. There was nothing she could do to reassure him or hold on to him. She would have moved mountains to be able to tell him how much she wanted to be with him, but instead she was being held here like a prisoner, with no way of contacting him. How unfair!

  She tried her best to dry her tears, but the big warm drops kept running down her cheeks endlessly. She would have given anything to escape. If the apartment wasn't on the fifth floor, she would have jumped out of her window. If Victor had been within hearing distance, she would have gone out to the balcony and screamed until he came to get her. Why did she have to endure this?

  After several long minutes, she finally calmed down. All the crying had drained her. The whole situation was exhausting. Fed up, she turned to look at her clock. It read 8:00 p.m.

  Her heart leapt. She watched the minutes go by, barely breathing. Finally, when 8.30 p.m. arrived, her heart raced, and her tears flowed freely once again. She knew that Victor was in front of the cinema, waiting. She knew that he was hoping. Grief-stricken, she helplessly watched as the minutes went by... 8:31 p.m... 8:35 p.m... 8:40 p.m... 8:45 p.m....

  Victor must have realized by now that she wasn’t coming. Holding her breath, she looked at her clock in horror. It had just struck 9:00 p.m. Inconsolable, Tara burst into tears. He must have left the cinema by now. And by doing that, he had left her too. Damn missionaries! Damn guards and damn demons! Tara vowed to get Hagen back and conquer them all.

  She felt the rage and determination arise within her as she turned off the light and tried to go to sleep.

  Chapter 12

  Tall and powerful, he led the group of men with his spectacular presence. He was, without a doubt, superior to the others. He no longer needed to prove himself. Observing him as he shouted and directed his greedy troops towards these women in need of attention, was evidence enough. He watched as they devoured their prey, while he himself remained standing there, enjoying the show. This was his masterpiece, his battlefield. In contrast, it seemed like he was above it all. As though he had already gotten everything he wanted; and as though he knew he could have anything.

  Suddenly, Madeleine's blood froze: he had seen her. She would surely become his new prey. For the first time in her life, she was flustered in the face of a man. Sitting on her chair, petrified, she watched him move towards her, unable to take her eyes off his beguiling face. All around them, the men and women continued to run after one another, laughing hysterically. But none of that mattered anymore. Mesmerized, all she could see was him.

  Standing in front of her, the marquis bowed so splendidly that she was unable to utter a word. He was even more attractive than the day before.

  “Duchess De La Fortelle?” he asked in a charming tone.

  Troubled, Madeleine could only nod in agreement. The marquis then took her hand in his and kissed it delicately:

  “Seeing you again gives me great joy. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since last night.”

  Madeleine's heart leapt. How could she tell him that it was mutual? The marquis continued:

  “Would you do me the honor of walking with me in the baroness's gardens?”

  A walk with him? Even in her wildest and most hopeful dreams, she had never imagined something so idyllic.

  “Nothing would please me more,” she managed to articulate in a shy voice.

  The marquis's face lit up. When Madeleine saw him offer her his arm, nothing else in the world seemed to exist. For the first time since she had been created, she had fallen under the spell of a man. She felt almost hypnotized by him. With her heart pounding, she took his arm and accompanied him into the gardens, far away from the crowd.

  “How long have you been here?” asked the marquis, genuinely interested.

  “I arrived about a month ago. I settled here with my husband, the Duke De La Fortelle. He was already living here when we met.”

  “Did anyone else from your family follow you here?”

  “Yes, my two young cousins... I've gone from a hectic social life to a life as a nanny, alone in a big castle with my husband and those two little girls...”

  “Isolation is terrible, isn’t it?” the marquis sympathized. “Paris, with its balls and its beautiful people… It must have been difficult to adapt to such a peaceful region!”

  Madeleine smiled:

  “You can't begin to imagine!”

  After a few seconds of silence, the Marquis De Villiers continued:

  “If you feel lonely, you can always call for me. It would delight me to make your stay here more pleasant.”

  Even though her heart was incapable of resisting him, Madeleine found his proposal indecent. Disappointed, she made a point of drawing his attention to it. Surprised, the marquis interrupted her and knelt down before her, holding her hand as if he was going to propose:

  “Rest assured duchess, I would never allow myself to disrespect you. Neither in thought nor in deed! You’re far too precious to me.”

  “Precious? It’s not like we know each other...” replied Madeleine, who didn’t believe what he said, even though she hoped he was sincere.

  The marquis didn’t respond. Without saying another word, he got up and led her into the labyrinth. Madeleine understood that he wanted to hide them from the sight of the others, and though his intentions weren’t clear, she couldn’t help but follow him, curious to see what he would do.

  When they had disappeared behind the big hedge, the marquis suddenly turned to her and grabbed her by the waist, pushing her up against the bushes:

  “Duchess, please don't go home tonight.”

  “Excuse me?” exclaimed Madeleine, outraged, as she tried to free herself from his powerful masculine embrace. �
�You’re not very gentlemanly for a man of your rank, Marquis De Villiers!”

  “Ruben!” said the marquis. “My first name is Ruben. And what shall I call you?”

  Madeleine didn’t answer and instead, looked away. She was outraged by his attempt to manipulate her. If he continued disrespecting her, she would show him who he was dealing with. She had killed men much stronger than him.

  “Duchess,” he insisted. “My sisters will cover for us, they'll say you spent the night in their apartments.”

  “Oh! You mean you’re accustomed to having your sisters cover for you when you organize your little rendezvous!” exclaimed Madeleine, disgusted.

  The marquis put his hand over her mouth so she wouldn’t be heard, before whispering in her ear:

  “I don't think of you in the same way as the whores I've brought to what you call my little rendezvous!”

  Ruben spoke in an authoritative voice. Madeleine listened to him attentively, as she pretended to want to get away from him. She wanted to know what would happen next. Ruben continued in a softer tone, still blocking her between his body and the bush:

  “I've heard a lot about your husband. He’s not the noblest of men in terms of behavior. He’s a disgusting man, and you’re far too beautiful to belong to someone like him. It would be a crime to leave you in the hands of that bugger!”

  “Because you think you're better than him? From what I've seen so far, I don't think so.”

  Annoyed, Madeleine tried once more to break away. She thought this man only wanted what every other man wanted: her body. Deeply disappointed, she latched on to his fingers and tried to lift them off her waist, in vain. Her feet still weren’t touching the ground. She tried repeatedly to escape his embrace, but Ruben wouldn't let go. In an ultimate attempt to free herself, she decided to use her angelic power, but Ruben still resisted. Amazed, she stared at him, wide-eyed: Ruben didn’t have the strength of an ordinary man. Yet her instinct didn’t tell her to be wary of him, quite the contrary.

  “I’m much better than your duke,” Ruben said, in answer to her question. “Come with me tonight duchess, I promise we'll do nothing.”

  Madeleine looked at him suspiciously. It was the first time that a man claimed to not want her for her body. She listened with interest to what followed.

  “We'll talk all night,” Ruben continued. “We'll get to know each other better... I won't touch you. I give you my word.”

  His promise touched Madeleine's heart. Spending a night in the same bed with a man without being touched had never happened to her in thousands of years of different incarnations. It was the perfect way to test the sincerity of the handsome marquis. If he kept his word, her heart and body would be his. She accepted immediately.

  “My name is Madeleine,” she confessed boldly.

  The Marquis De Villiers smiled, happy and proud to have succeeded in taming the tigress that he held in his arms. He caressed her cheek and looked her tenderly in the eyes. Madeleine felt herself melt under his touch. The next moment, they ran to take refuge in his carriage, taking care to avoid any prying eyes, as they left for the marquis' castle.

  When they arrived at his estate, and so as not to run into any servants, he brought her into his living quarters through a door to which only he had the key. Upon entering the room, the marquis lit the candle that sat on the chest of drawers near the door. He then took the time to light each and every candle in the room, giving Madeleine a chance to discover the place.

  The room was spacious and tastefully decorated. The furniture was made of solid wood, the bed was big enough for a whole family, and the drapery was silken and refined.

  “Duchess, welcome to my sacred lair,” Ruben said with joy. “Thank you for allowing me the honor of your presence.”

  Madeleine looked sadly at the large bed. She wondered how many ladies and damsels had slept here before her.

  “I’ve never brought another woman here,” said Ruben, reading into her thoughts. “As I said, this is my sacred lair.”

  Madeleine looked up at him, touched, but didn’t dare believe it. By the sound of his voice, she could tell that he hadn’t lied, yet it still seemed so impossible to her; he was such a handsome man... He must surely have taken lovers to other rooms of the castle.

  Her sadness, however, was short-lived, as he slowly approached her and took her delicately by the waist. Completely under his spell, she surrendered herself to him as her heart beat wildly. They gazed into each other's eyes for a long moment, perfectly connected to one another. Then, the marquis ran his hand through her hair in a loving gesture, refusing to let go of such a marvelous creature. Never before had he encountered such beauty. He would savor every second, overjoyed by the thought of spending the night alone with her.

  For the first time in her life, Madeleine was unable to think straight. This man was making her forget her values and moral principles... He was unlike any other human she had ever known. He seemed to have a supernatural power over her. Was this what human beings called love? Was she finally feeling that sublime life-creating sensation?

  When he removed his hands from her waist, her heart broke. Why was he moving away? If only she could remain in his embrace for eternity… She imagined herself belonging to him forever.

  A few inches away from her, the marquis began to undress. His slender figure was muscular and well proportioned; he was tremendously well built. But his body had nothing to envy the perfection of his face. Madeleine’s heart raced and her breath fell short as she watched him take off his clothes. How could she bring herself to resist such an exceptional specimen? He had everything she adored in a man.

  “I care for you, Madeleine,” said Ruben, as he caressed her shoulders. “You’re safe with me.”

  Madeleine nearly choked. What gift did he possess that gave him such influence over her? She remained immobile as she stared at him, drinking in his words, until finally, he invited her into his bed. Her whole being ached to belong to him. She knew she would have trouble resisting him, but she also knew that if she let him have his way with her, he would lose all respect for her. Hence, she would do everything in her power to restrain herself.

  Noticing that she hadn’t moved, Ruben got out of bed, and in a respectful gesture towards her, blew out the candles, before helping her undo her corset. Madeleine took advantage of the darkness to quickly remove the dagger from her cleavage and hide it.

  As he untied the laces, the marquis felt her breasts fall free from the fabric that had held them so tightly. Her breasts called to him. He longed to touch them and kiss them, but he knew he would have to restrain himself. As he helped her take off her petticoats in the dark, he could feel the fabric descending, revealing the body of the goddess who stood before him. It felt like torture to him. But he was already in love with the duchess, and wanted her love in return, even more than he wanted her body.

  Madeleine paused for a moment in the dark, totally naked. She feared she wouldn’t be able to resist the marquis’s warm, firm muscles once she lay down beside him. After a few seconds of hesitation, she slipped into the bed alongside him, while doing her best to control herself. The marquis took her in his arms and pulled her close to him. She could feel his body aching with desire for her. Nonetheless, they both endured their longing in silence.

  After a few minutes, she managed to relax. She was so happy and blissful in his arms that she felt as though they were suspended in a parallel dimension. A dimension to which only she and Ruben had access. There was no need for words. They both knew they were meant for each other.

  Chapter 13

  Tara woke up unhurriedly, slowly leaving the arms of the handsome marquis. This truer-than-life dream had propelled her into another dimension, far more beautiful than the harsh reality she woke up to. Her first reflex when she opened her eyes completely, was to look up to the two miserable angels staring at her from the ceiling. How horrendous they were, with their googly black and yellow eyes and their cruel expressions. She would
have gotten rid of them if she could, but the threat against her was more real than ever. Without her weapon, she was aware she couldn’t defend herself on her own.

  With a sigh, she prayed she would regain her strength quickly, knowing that the demons would no longer pursue her once she was armed. The first thing she would do when she retrieved Hagen was leave the apartment, find Victor, and explain everything to him.

  Victor... Her heart tightened as she pursed her lips to keep her tears from falling again. Those missionaries had destroyed the most beautiful thing that had ever happened to her... Victor, her handsome and wonderful Marquis De Villiers. When she got Hagen back, nothing and no one could stop her from being with him.

  As she closed her eyes to regain her calm, imagining the blessed moment when she would finally be free, someone knocked on the door. She didn't even have time to open her eyes before Emily entered the room. The lack of respect for her privacy made her moan under her breath. She would try to be patient...

  “Hello Tara, it's seven o'clock!” Emily exclaimed, as she hurried across the room and briskly tore open the curtains.

  Tara watched her sadly, knowing that it was because of Emily and the others that Victor thought she no longer loved him. She was heartbroken. It was only after opening the window and letting in the icy air that Emily turned to her with a compassionate look on her face:

  “I know how you feel.”

  “No, you don't.”

  “Yes,” Emily insisted, sitting on her bed. “I may be an exemplary archangel, but I couldn't always prevent myself from falling in love either. But in thirteen thousand, five hundred and forty-eight years at the head of my regiment, I never gave in to any of love’s weaknesses.”

  “Being in love isn’t a weakness,” Tara answered coldly.