Part 5
Safely in his chambers, Howard set Samantha on the bed and took the quilt off her. "You’re soaked, my lady," and he began to undo the many layers of clothing. "It hasn’t rained for days. How long have you been out there?"
Carefully, he peeled the wet clothing from her chilled body but when he reached the final layer, he stopped. She was a lady, there was no doubt about that, and another man’s wife. He would be compromising her reputation to see her like this but whom else was he going to get to do this? The staff had retired for the evening and he didn’t want to leave her alone. He could wait for Alex who wouldn’t have any problems with this but there was no telling how long he would be out. He was probably off with one of his many wenches. He had to go ahead and do this so he could warm her.
Doing his best to avert his eyes, he began to unbutton the wet chemise but he couldn’t help himself. Her creamy white skin drew him in. Gently, he pulled her up and lovingly pushed the wet cotton from her skin. As he lay her back, her firm young breasts exposed, he touched her, caressing the smooth skin but being careful not to touch her most intimate spots. Never before had he seen such beauty and he wanted her.
Realizing he didn’t have anything to put on her, Howard pulled the covers over her and moved to his wardrobe. He searched quickly and found one of his nightshirts. With very little trouble, he managed to get it on her without compromising her any further.
Howard sat on the bed beside this beauty watching as she slept. There had been women through the years, mostly wenches Alex had found but never a lady. Respectable ladies were afraid to venture this far into the forest, afraid that the Dark Lords of Eternity would ‘turn’ them. At first, gaining his powers and immortality had been a gift but as the time passed, the loneliness overshadowed the gift. Now, time was slipping away and it could all end without ever knowing what it was like to love a lady.
"Brian."
Her whispered call for her husband called him back to the present and he looked down. Tiny beads of perspiration dripped down her forehead as she began to stir. Going to his washstand, he got a cool cloth and returned to wipe the sweat.
Struggling against the fever and sleep, Samantha opened her eyes and focused on Howard as he sat beside her. His gentle touch and kind eyes kept her from panicking but she was still somewhat scared.
"Shh, I’m not going to hurt you," he reassured.
"Where am I?" she asked in a weak whisper.
"Eternity." Seeing the confusion in her eyes, he smiled and explained, "That’s the name of our estate. You’re in my chambers."
"Where’s Brian?"
"Your husband?" Getting a weak ‘yes’, Howard explained, "I’m not sure. Nickolas, our groundskeeper, said your horse wandered in with you barely clinging to him and you were alone."
It was a lie but Howard knew that she would never be allowed to leave the estate and if Kevin or Alex found out about her husband, he would be dead soon. It was best to let her think he was already dead until Alex could work his magic to erase him from her memory.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she said in a hoarse voice, "He was with me…in the woods. We….we got lost. Please, can you find him?"
"It’s dark now but in the morning, I’ll have Nickolas look for him." Wiping her face, he asked, "Are you hungry?"
"Yes."
"Nickolas should be here soon with some broth for you. Rest for now so you can regain your strength."
Howard began to get up so that she could go back to sleep but her soft hand touched his. "Please, don’t go."
A warm smile lit her eyes as he answered, "I’m not going to leave you alone. I was just going to move off the bed so you could rest."
With her eyes closed, Howard was unable to draw himself away from her. She had to be a witch who could use her eyes to cast spells or a siren that had enticed him with her voice. He was more determined now to have her as his own.
He could use his powers to enter her dreams but as he was about to, the door burst open and Alex swept in.
Pulling away from her, "What do you want?"
"HER! I told Nickolas to take her to MY chambers!" growled Alex advancing towards the bed.
"You weren’t around so I instructed him to bring her here," answered Howard calmly. "Don’t be angry with him."
"ANGRY! He betrayed us!" hissed Alex.
"How?" challenged Howard. "By telling her husband to leave? There was nothing to gain with him.…or her," he said motioning to Samantha.
"Oh but there is!" gleamed Alex malevolently as he stepped closer to the bed.
"You heard the witch….Kevin’s destiny would be achieved with the pure one who bears the mark of the half moon. She’s not pure!"
"Oh but she is. I got it out of her husband, in his dreams. Now all we have to do is find out if she has the mark of the half moon," and Alex moved even closer to Samantha.
Howard stopped him. "You’re not going to touch her…not now! Even if she IS the one, she won’t survive it. She’s too weak."
From the door a shadow fell across both men and they looked up to face their master. Looking past them, Kevin’s eyes fell on Samantha’s sleeping form. "Is that the one?"
"We don’t know yet, My lord," said Alex bowing his head. "I know that she is pure but we don’t know if she bears the half moon."
Kevin seemed to float across the room, moving between the two men and taking a seat on the bed beside her. Cautiously, he reached out to caress her skin. As he spoke, his voice softened, "She’s beautiful."
"Very," responded Howard. "But she needs rest and food. Nickolas is bringing me something to feed her."
Standing up quickly, Kevin instructed, "Get her well and find out if she is the one," and he was gone.
When they were alone, Howard asked, "Did you take care of her husband?"
"Yes, now I must make him but a dream to her. How long will it take you to get her well?"
"A week or so, maybe sooner if we can find the witch and get her to make some of her potions."
"We don’t have time. The witch said she must bear Kevin a male child before his thirtieth birthday."
"Do what you have to do then but be careful."
Howard stepped aside and watched as Alex sat beside her. He placed his hands on the side of her face and closed his eyes. For several minutes, he sat this way and when he was done, he leaned in touching his lips to hers.
When he was gone, Howard watched as she slept peacefully, no longer tortured with dreams. Would she be able to love him now that she was free of her memories of her husband?
