Eliza's Cursed Dragon

9. Eliza

I woke in a strange environment, lying on a soft surface that reminded me of a mattress, but with something hard by my side.

A feather tickled my nose and instantly I was awake, remembering everything. My hands moved up and down Caspian’s body, who lifted his head and let out a small squawk in greeting.

My eyes searched his. Are you alright?

I’m hurt, but I’ll be alright, he answered right back, or so I imagined.

I squeezed him as tightly as I dared and pulled his neck to give him a kiss on the top of his head.

A bandage was wrapped around his torso, but otherwise he seemed no worse for the wear.

“You’re awake,” a male voice called out.

Edward stood in the doorway. For some reason, his sudden appearance wasn’t as unexpected as it should have been. It seemed natural for him to be here.

“Your swan is okay,” he told me. “The doctor stitched him up. He also prescribed some antibiotics and painkillers. We need to come back here in ten days to get the stitches out.”

All his words jumbled in my head, because my mind focused on him using the word we. Questioningly, I looked at him.

“You can’t stay at the graveyard. The ghouls have tasted blood now and will be waiting for you.”

Ghouls? Was that what had attacked us? I shuddered at the memory of the terrifying creatures. The terrible truth of Edward’s words hit me full-on. We couldn’t stay here. We had to leave. I wouldn’t see him again. Ever.

Sadness overcame me, even though I didn’t know him, but there had been a dream, a vision of what could be, and now I was losing that too.

Slowly I rose from the couch, careful of Caspian who watched Edward and me through squinted eyes. Maybe my brothers could fly back and get the nettles and some of our belongings, mainly the already finished mantles. We needed them.

Edward’s other words came back to me. Caspian needed to return here, have his stitches removed. How would we do this if we had to leave?

“If you like you can… stay with me. I have a large house. You and your swans of course,” Edward offered, awkwardly scratching at the back of his neck. A gesture that made him appear ten years younger and adorable.

Stay with him though?

I tilted my head, searching his features.

“It really is a big house, we don’t even have to see each other if you don’t want to. But you can’t leave yet and you can’t stay at the church.” His lips twitched, making him look even more insecure. “Or I can get you a room in one of the hotels, but I don’t know about what the other guests will say or do about your swans.”

Staying in a hotel had occurred to me, but I had had the same objections he had just given. Most people were nice to animals, but I had seen others trying to shoot at my brothers. Which was why we usually stayed away from people and towns.

I wasn’t sure what exactly I was agreeing to, but since I didn’t have many choices, I smiled tentatively at Edward and nodded.

“Yes?”

I nodded again.

“Yes to the hotel or my place?”

I gave him a look and he realized his mistake. With a goofy grin, he asked, “My place?”

I nodded.

His face lit up. “Good! Excellent. I have a cook, she’ll fix you meals, and a gardener. I… Oh, the swans. I’ll have my crew come over and pour a pond for them. A large pond.”

He was so excited his words blurred into one another but I got stuck on pour a pond. He was going to build a pond for my brothers? Who was this man? The idea that he was a king or prince entered my head and filled me with giddiness. Wouldn’t that be like a dream come true?

Not much later we said goodbye to the Pinkertons and loaded into Edward’s truck. My brothers in the bed in the back and me next to Edward in the front seat.

I had never been in a mechanical vehicle before. I had watched them drive by at dizzying speeds, but I had never sat in one. Curiously, I watched Edward put it into gear, turn the steering wheel, and slowly we pulled away from the curb.

My stomach lurched when he drove faster. Never in a hundred years would I have thought it possible to travel this fast. I held on to a handle and threw nervous glances alternately through the window and at Edward, who seemed relaxed behind the wheel. Eyes on the road.

When he looked over at me, a puzzled expression moved over his features. “You look like you’ve never been in a car before.”

Then something like realization hit him. “You haven’t, have you?”

I shook my head and he slowed down. Grateful, I sank back in the seat.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

I held up my hand, my thumb and pointer finger making an O, like I had seen others do to indicate it was okay.

“We’re almost there anyway,” he said, pulling off the highway and passing the hotels I had seen from afar.

A long road wound through the hills for a couple of miles, with nothing between the hotel and our destination, which turned out to be a small palace.

Impressed, I stared at the mansion as we drew closer and navigated a half-circle driveway with a fountain in the middle.

Just like at my father’s palace, several wide stone steps led up to large double doors, which opened as soon as we exited the truck.

“Master Seymore, we were getting worried when you didn’t come down for breakfast,” an older man called out from atop the stairs.

“I’m sorry, Simon, I didn’t mean to worry you. Something happened and I brought a guest home, this is…” He looked at me startled, remembering that he didn’t know my name. “Susan?” he mouthed.

I grinned and shook my head. He had been closer the first time.

Edward found his bearings. “Miss Swan,” he introduced me. “Please find accommodations for her and… her pets.”

On cue, my brothers flew out of the truck’s bed, landing next to us. They began waddling up the steps as if coming home.

“I see. Miss Swan?” Simon’s expression was dubious, but he held his composure as he watched my brothers enter the mansion. I would have loved to call them back and remind them of their manners, but I couldn’t, so I shrugged apologetically at Edward, who only chuckled. “No worries, I want you all to feel right at home here. Alright?”

A bright smile that I couldn’t have stopped even if I had tried, spread over my features, and he grinned back at me just as idiotically.

“If you please?” Simon pointed at the winding, double staircases in the large foyer. “I will ready the lavender room for her if it pleases you, Master Seamor. It’s the largest with a wide balcony for… her pets.”

“Perfect,” Edward praised. Taking hold of my elbow, he led me to the other side of the house first. “Let me give you a tour, I have a feeling your swans are planning their own.”

My eyes followed William’s waddling tail as he turned a corner, while Richard and Philip were off in another direction.

I would have loved to tell Edward how sorry I was and that we did have manners, but all I could do was pull my lips into a rueful line and hope he understood my meaning.

His chuckle told me he did. “No worries, princess. I want all of you to feel right at home here.”

“Here’s the large dining room.” He opened doors to our left, giving me a glimpse of a room housing a table that would comfortably seat twenty people.

“The small dining room.” He opened another set of doors to a more intimate space, a round table for four was set in the center.

To the right he pointed and said, “Library and my office.”

The two rooms were separated by a set of sliding doors, open at the moment and in stark contrast with one another. The library was done in old-fashioned brown tones, with leather couches and recliners and a fireplace. Just as expected, floor-to-ceiling shelves were stacked with books, some of which were so old, they were kept behind glass. A sliding ladder rested in the center.

The other room was decorated in cool metallics, from a shining chrome desk to gray chairs and couches. A computer sat in the corner of the desks and paper was scattered across the surface.

“Ballroom,” Edward announced, but his voice sounded subdued, as if he was silently shaking his head at having a ballroom, which I didn’t understand, because it was one of the most important rooms to me. Fondly, I remembered many balls my parents had held, dancing and laughing.

“Living room.” We entered a long room, sectioned off with different seating arrangements. The left wall was filled with a large-screen TV, the right with a fireplace. Straight ahead humongous folding doors opened completely to a veranda, where pony walls were interspersed with short pillars carrying colorful flowerpots. A set of short stairs led down into a luscious, park-like backyard.

To the right was an Olympic-sized pool complete with a Jacuzzi, waterslide, and grotto. Behind it was a tennis court and, if I wasn’t mistaken, a golf course or very well-maintained park.

“I thought that would be the ideal spot to add a pond for the swans.” Edward turned my attention to the left where three weeping willows stood in the most picture-perfect spot for a pond.

“In the meantime, they can probably use the pool. I’ll tell the pool guy to lay off the chlorine until the pond is done.”

Immense gratitude swelled in my chest and I spontaneously grabbed his hand, squeezing it.

“It’s my pleasure, really,” he said, looking down at me with his deep green eyes as he squeezed my hand right back.

We didn’t let go while he showed me the rest of the house, the kitchen, pantry, laundry, and powder room as well as a guest suite before we went upstairs.

There he took me to a movie room, showed me his suite, several guest bedrooms—complete with their own bathrooms—until we reached the lavender room, which he declared mine. In between we ran into my brothers here and there, who under loud squawking ran through the house as if they owned it. I wanted to chastise them, and would have a few years ago, but unfortunately I couldn’t now and they took full advantage of it.

By the time we finished the tour, it was time for dinner, or so Edward declared although it was only five in the afternoon.

“I always eat early,” he said apologetically. “I hope you don’t mind.”

I shook my head, I didn’t. It had been so long since I sat at a table, eating a real meal instead of peanut butter sandwiches, that tears pricked my eyes.

They fell in earnest when I watched a maid bring in eleven silver bowls filled with greens for my brothers, who noisily ate with us.

“Don’t cry,” Edward stood by my side, gently wiping my tears. I grabbed hold of his hand and kissed it, not knowing any other way to show him how grateful I was for his kindness.

“Oh princess, you don’t know what you’re doing to me,” he groaned, gently pulling his hand back and encompassing mine with it. He leaned over and kissed my forehead. The contact sent currents of pleasure down my back. Something happened inside my private parts. A slow pulse took up between my legs. It was a never-before-experienced sensation that filled me with curiosity, anticipation, and longing for something I couldn’t quite define.

The maid returned with our plates and we drew apart. The skin where his lips had touched me burned and seemed to have a life of its own. My finger moved up to it, brushed against it, but it still felt the same.

Edward watched me attentively as I selected the salad fork from several others to begin eating.

Simon brought an assortment of wines, different from the ones I was used to, but they had a rich taste to them indicating they were expensive and well chosen.

“You have been raised in an upper class,” Edward observed when dessert was brought.

I smiled in confirmation.

“That’s not surprising, There’s such a natural grace about you…” He drifted off, his eyes resting on me and I felt my face blushing. “You intrigue me.”

“Sir, please forgive the intrusion, but you wanted me to remind you when it was six o’clock.” Simon appeared at the door.

“Oh, yes,” Edward looked startled. He placed his napkin on his dish and stood up. He looked at me apologetically. “I have to leave for… tonight. But I’ll be back in the morning. Please make yourself at home and if you need anything…” He stopped, remembering I couldn’t ask for it. “Just go get it,” he added with a crooked grin that made my stomach flutter.

I had an idea where he was going. I didn’t want to intrude on his time, but I also didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable around me or because of his secret.

Before he left, I caught his elbow. Questioningly, he looked at me. I pointed at him, then outside, then I made flying motions with my arms. He cocked his head, hope flared in his eyes. “You know?”

I nodded, biting my lip I tried to figure out how to make him understand how grateful I was and that he didn’t have to worry about me knowing his secret.

Just then my eyes fell on the picture of a dragon on the wall. I made sure I still had his attention when I walked over there. The dragon in the picture was red, but it would do. I pointed at it, him, and then for good measure at the green leaves of a plant.

“How do you know?” He looked stunned.

I pointed at his eyes.

“You are the most amazing person I have ever met,” he said, crossing the distance between us and putting his hands on my hips. “You don’t mind? What I am?”

I melted in his arms and the desperation in his words.

I framed his face with my hands, looking him deep in the eyes, I slowly shook my head.

“Princess,” he said, and lowered his head. His lips hovered only inches from mine when one of my brothers squawked, breaking the spell.

Edward rubbed his arms as if they were itching. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to go!”

He hastened out of the room and I heard the hard trot of his steps as he ascended the stairs as if the devil was after him.

I glared at Charles, who had been the one squawking, and he glared right back, while Richard nudged me and snuggled his neck around my leg.