Into The Shadows, page 11
As Hera wandered through the wooded area on the outskirts of Visceria, she was unaware that someone had been following, spying on her as she hiked through the deeper set of snow off the usual path so she could explore the forest that ran along the mountainside. The stalker remained as silent as was humanly possible, the snow muting his footsteps, allowing him to sneak up behind her.
Before she could even realize what was going on, Velkan had caught up with her and without warning, the prince tackled her into the snow, laughing at her exclamation of surprise. When she realized it was him, she sent him a look and punched him in the chest as he continued to chuckle.
"Velkan, that isn't funny," she insisted, pushing him off of her and he rolled over in the snow beside her.
"Hera, you should have seen your expression," he exclaimed, imitating her startled look with mocked exaggeration. Hera threw a fistful of snow into his face and snickered as he sent her a playfully evil look. "Did you just throw snow at me?"
"Velkan, honestly… do I look that dumb to you?" she asked innocently. He gathered a fistful of snow and began to pack it into a dense ball.
"Yes Hera… you do!" and he threw it at her, hitting the side of her head before he got up and started to run.
"Oh, it's over for you now, your highness!" she called teasingly, getting up and chasing after him as he ran ahead of her. "Just because you're a prince doesn't mean I won't beat the crap out of you!" He glanced behind to see how far back she was – clearly not far enough.
"Hera, I was just playing!" he insisted and he felt a snowball hit him in the back of the head, the remnants sliding down into his shirt and he jumped in surprise as the rapidly melting ice touched his heated skin. "Hera! You're dead!" he called and he whirled around to chase after her.
They went on like this for some time into the late afternoon, pursuing one another, throwing snowballs, unwittingly traveling deeper and deeper into the dark woods, not really paying attention to where they were going. At this point, Velkan was racing after Hera again. She had thrown a snowball right into his face and rather hard too and he was determined to have his revenge, the arctic sting still reddening the spot on his brow where she had struck him.
"Hera!" he kept calling, and she continued to run, her laughter making it hard for her to catch her breath, which ultimately slowed her down.
Man, I'm out of shape, she thought idly to herself as she continued to huff and puff the cold air.
"Velkan, I'm sorry!" she swore. "I didn't mean it!"
"I still want my revenge!" he exclaimed as he lunged forward, grabbing hold of her and tackling her down to the ground. Velkan soon had her on her back, pinning her with the bulk of his weight, both laughing. "Do you surrender?"
Hera just rolled her eyes.
"To you? Ha! Yeah right!" she said, trying to push him off of her, but he seized her wrists and held them down in the snow.
"Very well… just remember. You have brought this on yourself."
"Brought what on myself?" The devious grin that curved his lips confirmed all and she sent him a warning look. "Velkan, don't you dare…" but he ignored her warning, digging his fingers into her sides and she screamed as he tickled her.
Soon she was laughing the word "no" as she tried to keep his torturous fingers from her sides and underarms, but he was too fast. After some difficulty she managed to grab his hands and pry them away from her body, tears streaming down her face, too distracted to notice how indecently damp her clothes had become.
"Velkan Valerious, I'm going to kill you," she promised when he finally got off of her, sitting beside her in the snow, both in dire need of a breather.
"I'd love to see you try," he baited.
He then collapsed on his back beside her and the two of them started to watch the sky overhead, a canopy of leafless oaks and snow-covered firs and pines towering above them. A comfortable silence lingered in the air for a few moments until Hera looked over at the gypsy prince and noticed a pensiveness in his countenance.
"I never got to congratulate you on your upcoming betrothal," Hera suddenly said, looking away from him and staring up at the sky above, knowing all too well that he was observing her as she spoke. "I wish you every happiness, Velkan. I hope that after all of this business with Dracula is over that you can live your life. You have so much to live for."
Velkan rolled over so that he was on his side facing her now, his head propped up with his hand.
"Thank you for the kind well-wishes, but I must confess I am not very excited about this betrothal."
"Why ever not?" she asked. The look in his eyes when he glanced up at her answered that question. "Oh…" she whispered, looking away from him.
She sat up, uncomfortable with his scrutiny. But even with him at her back, she could still feel his gaze on her and it made her conscious of how damp and cold she was.
"I'm sure I'll be happy, if she's anything like you," the prince finally answered.
She got his hint, read it loud and clear, and although she normally would have been thrilled to know that Velkan was falling in love with her, it didn't take long for her to understand how much that could change the future and she became very cognizant of the situation she was now in.
"You don't mean that," Hera said, but he sat up immediately, trying to capture her gaze. Her eyes remained fixed on the ground until he gently took her chin in his hand.
"Yes, Hera… I do…" he replied gently. He moved a stray curl from her face, tucking it behind her ear before he climbed to his feet and offered her his hand. "Come with me. I want to show you something."
Hera accepted his hand and allowed him to help her up, but instead of releasing her like she had expected him to, he held her steadfast, leading her through the woods, guiding her up the mountainside. After a good fifteen-minute hike through the snow, Hera realized where he was leading her: Castle Frankenstein.
"What are we doing here?" she asked when they reached the entrance.
He smiled mischievously.
"I want to show you something," he repeated.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked, looking hesitantly up at the foreboding fortress. Velkan chuckled, pulling her towards the castle.
"Are you scared?" he mocked.
She forced a laugh.
"No! I have no reason to be," she answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "If Dracula happens to be in there, he's more likely to kill you than me."
"Is that so? And why do you think that?"
An unabashed smirk curved her lips as Hera realized that he was flirting with her.
Two could play that game.
"Because I can talk him out of it."
Velkan grabbed her by the hand, pulling her towards the castle's entrance.
"Well then, let's hope Dracula isn't in there," he replied, and he led her up the front steps, ushering her inside the abandoned castle and then shutting the main door behind them.
"So what is it you wanted to show me?" she queued while fiercely rubbing her arms, trying to ward off the cold.
The abandoned castle was like an ice-box, notably chillier than the temperature outside and for the briefest of moments, Hera wondered if it was just the lack of life in the structure, or maybe something a little more nefarious.
The woman visibly shuddered. What she wouldn't give for a hot bath and some dry clothes right about now.
"It's a surprise," Velkan explained. "Now come on, while there's still sunlight outside."
The gypsy prince directed her upstairs towards the west wing of the castle, then down a long hall with many doors. Hera obviously had no idea as to where he was taking her, but when they reached their destination, he turned to her and smiled.
"Close your eyes," he commanded.
"Why?" she asked, watching as he took his two fingers and ran them over her eyelids, closing her eyes.
"Because I said so," he teased, so she humored him and listened as he opened the set of doors in front of her. Within moments, she felt the warmth of his hands in her own as he led her into the mystery room, shutting them inside the dark chamber before leading her farther inside.
She felt his hands slip away and soon she could hear him scurrying about the room, throwing open what sounded like heavy drapes, what was left of the sun shining through the windows.
"Now?" she asked impatiently.
"Alright… now," he said and he watched as her eyes fluttered open and then widened in astonishment at the sight before her. Hera covered her mouth with both hands as she spun around slowly taking in the vast library that surrounded her.
"I am totally having a Beauty and the Beast moment right now," she whispered, though mostly to herself so Velkan wouldn't hear. Not that it would have mattered; he was too entranced with the smile that was radiating off her entire face. "Velkan, this is gorgeous!" she exclaimed, turning to look over at him. "Can I?"
"Can you browse? By all means! It's not like Victor is here to say no."
Hera had to suppress a giggle as she raced through the rows and rows of books with childlike wonder and excitement, her fingers running reverently over the spines as she sang out the familiar titles and authors.
Although the vast majority of the late Doctor Frankenstein's collection was primarily scientific in nature, Hera was pleased to discover that the genres also included philosophy, psychology, several volumes on cultural and anthropological studies, and even a fairly decent handful of novels – some she recognized and others that were completely foreign to her.
Frankenstein even had a compilation of Ovid's Amores and The Art of Love, and Hera gasped in delight as she pulled the book off the shelf, disturbing the dust but hardly caring as she stared in bewilderment.
As she thumbed excitedly through the pages, Velkan removed his cloak and began to make his way over to her, his smile ear to ear as he watched Hera in paradise. He had never seen her so happy, so animated before, and seeing the woman thus did the most astonishing things to his insides, things he had never felt until this moment.
While Hera continued to peruse the volume in her hand, the prince came up from behind and boldly wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder in an affectionate manner.
"Do you like it?" he asked hopefully.
"Yes," she answered, turning to look back at him. "Although it is not mine to keep, I suppose it would be nice to enjoy it while I can."
Velkan looked longingly at Hera, catching her subtle hinting. She wasn't just talking about the books; she was talking about him. She felt it too – the attraction. She turned slowly in his arms so she could face him, the book in her hand dropping absently to the floor.
"Hera, why couldn't you have been part of my time?" he asked her. "Why couldn't I find someone like you without running the risk of altering the future?"
Hera lightly touched the side of his stubble-laden face.
"You know, we're not supposed to like each other in that way, Velkan," she reminded him with a teasing lilt in her voice, though the mirth in her eyes soon faded when she noticed how he was now staring intently at her mouth. His thumb ran over her bottom lip as he held her face in his hands.
Heaven forgive him, he wanted to kiss her – more than anything in this world, he wanted to feel her mouth on his, to taste her sweetness and breathe her in deep so she'd fill his lungs.
"I know. I just hope this future wife of mine is a fraction what you are," he said softly, his lips inching closer to hers to the point where she could feel the heat of his breath.
Their mouths were inches apart, but neither had the courage to make the first move.
"Velkan, we shouldn't," Hera said in hushed tones, although the look in her eyes and the light moistening of her lips with her tongue certainly said otherwise.
Velkan rested his forehead against hers.
"I know Hera, but for once I want to do something that I want to do, not what is expected of me. Humor me? Just this once?"
"What is it you want from me, your grace?" she whispered, her expression unapologetically sensuous.
"Can I kiss you?"
"You're asking me for permission?"
"I don't want to do this without your consent," he explained. She gently brushed the tip of her nose against his, a soft, flirtatious smile curving her lips.
"Of course you can," she breathed. "Just don't tell Anna."
"Anna doesn't need to know," he agreed, and then he slowly captured her lips with his in an easy and slightly timid kiss.
The tender pressure of the prince's lips against her mouth was unlike anything Hera had expected. He was surprisingly temperate and sweet, and although their kiss started out pure, a warm passion gradually swelled and then crescendoed between them as they became more acquainted with one another. He cupped her face more fully in his hands, his tongue exploring her mouth, a little at a time before thrusting in with confidence.
Velkan's skill genuinely surprised Hera, and as the kiss continued, indescribable sensations pooled within the pit of her abdomen, thawing out the chill she had felt earlier, replacing it with a pleasant warmth that made her flush.
She had soon unconsciously unbuttoned the three large buttons of her jacket and the prince helped to push the damp garment off of her, neither noticing how it pooled to the floor in a heap of brown. Velkan wrapped his arm around the woman's waist, pulling her ever closer, longing to feel her against him and she let him, coiling an arm around his neck, while her other hand rested over the center of his chest until she was clutching to the front of his shirt.
While the private tryst continued, a pair of very perceptive blue eyes watched from the shadows, observing – attentive and vigilant. They watched as the gypsy prince held the swell of the woman's hip in his hand, squeezing it mildly as another hand smoothed along the curve of her spine, pushing her closer to him. The woman's body rose with each kiss, her responsive breasts brushing against the mortal man's masculine form, her fingers running through his hair, lightly tugging at the roots when he did something she liked.
And all the while, the eyes observed, curious – even slightly envious.
The sound of the clock below in the village striking the hour interrupted the moment before it could get too heated and Hera and Velkan finally stopped kissing. The prince's eyes remained fixed on her face, his hands holding each cheek with tenderness.
"Perhaps our souls aren't meant for each other. Maybe that is why we were meant for different times," he whispered, a hint of remorse in his tone.
"Perhaps you are right," Hera said softly, the taste of the man lingering in her mouth.
"But even if that's the case, I still can't help but feel something for you, Hera," Velkan insisted, unable to refrain from touching her, her skin one of the softest things he had ever felt.
"It's an infatuation, Velkan," she explained. "The pull of the forbidden. But I feel it too," and she touched his lips thoughtfully with the tips of her fingers.
"Do you truly?" he asked, pleased by her confession.
"More than you know," she whispered, and she started to lean in for another kiss, Velkan moving in to meet her half-way, when a familiar voice shattered the moment.
"My, my, my… what have we here?"
IX
Enter the Count
"Well this is a liaison I certainly hadn't anticipated," Count Dracula drawled from the shadows.
Velkan shot his eyes in the direction of the voice, which seemed to originate from the top floor of the library. Hera followed the prince's gaze and was surprised to see the Count, leaning against the railing, watching them closely with some unknown book in his hand. He snapped it shut when he realized he had their attention.
"Though I'll admit, Prince Velkan, I never saw you as the inamorato type. Don't you need experience for that?" he asked mockingly. "Oh dear, what would your beloved father say if he could see you now?"
Velkan stood in front of Hera protectively.
"Be gone, demon!" the prince shouted.
Dracula smiled a little apathetically before his eyes caught the gaze of Hera who appeared to be considering him with a deep kind of fascination, rather than the fear or disdain he had prepared himself for. He nodded his head in her direction.
"Good evening, Miss Garret. You are looking rather exceptional."
The Count suddenly vanished from his place on the third floor and then reappeared, sitting on top of a shelf of the second.
"Though I'm surprised to find you dressed so simply, considering your importance and quality. Granted, I've never met a woman who could make such a plain dress look as ravishing as you can," he continued before disappearing again, rematerializing on the mantle of the enormous fireplace. "But your clothes appear rather damp from your frolicking in the snow. You should get out of those wet things as soon as you can or you'll catch your death," he said with an obscene familiarity as his eyes lingered on the creamy swell of her breasts.
Hera blushed.
The prince turned to the woman who was watching the Count with more amusement than anything else.
"Don't listen to him," Velkan instructed her. "His words are poisonous lies."
Dracula laughed heartily as he materialized onto the ceiling now, walking about on the large chandelier up above, his hand gripping the chain so he could lean over a bit.
"Lies, Velkan? What? Don't try to tell me you wouldn't like to help your charming little paramour out of her wet dress! Your highness… I could smell your lust out in the hallway."
"That is enough," the prince snapped, more embarrassed than angry.
"There's no need to be ashamed. She is a rather appealing little thing, isn't she? I wonder what she tastes like…" and the vampire inhaled deeply, his eyes beginning to glow that vibrant electric blue. "She smells delicious," he said, purring like a large feline as his canines extended just slightly. "And I do believe she likes you, little prince. Though I have no idea why."
The Count allowed gravity to take hold of him and he plummeted to the floor. Landing with unearthly grace before the two of them, he placed his hands casually behind his back.
