The Dragon & The Phoenix Chapter 3

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I woke the next morning very light headed. My memories from the night before were fuzzy at best and my neck felt like it had been seared by a hot brand meant for cattle. I looked around the stone room for signs of Christian, but by the looks of how my clothes were laid out, it had been some hours since he had left the chamber. Sitting up I pulled the cord that was closest to my bed for Morgan to come and help me dress. Hopefully there would be some hot breakfast left.

Morgan appeared at the door knocking. “Enter.” She opened the door and quickly came inside gathering my things for bathing. “What hour is it Morgan?” She looked at her feet as if what she was about to tell me would be the most offensive thing in the world. “Tis’ well past mid day Mistress, we thought you had died when no one could wake you.” She hurried away to pour hot water into the wash basin for my hands and face.

I stared after her in shock, how could I have slept all day?! I felt well enough, I touched my neck where it felt burned, it felt like an open wound! “Mistress? Are ye well?” Morgan looked at me in horror, she looked at me the same way she looked at Christian. What was she hiding, what did she know?

Christian sat at the head table in the dinning hall watching the servants buzz around him as they prepared for the evening meal. He watched one serving girl, she would have been about seventeen he thought. Blond hair hung out from her head scarf in a tight braid while her round arse and full bodice had him most impressed. He had ordered all the curtains on the four long windows drawn and the candles lit first thing that morning, so they had to change the remains of some of the candles for fresh ones. As she reached for one of the burnt-out candles, she knocked over some of the wax onto her arm. The poor girl flinched in pain and when she looked up her Lord was standing beside her. Startled she took a step back and tripped. Christian’s hand shot out to catch her before she caused more of a mess knocking things over. Some of the other servants stopped what they were doing to watch them. Their Lord was acting very strangely but when Christian looked up at them, they hurried away, to escape his gaze.

“What is yer name? I have not seen ye here before?” Christian held on to her as she composed herself. His gaze was starting to make her feel uncomfortable, so she started to stutter. “Ann My Lord. I was hired to work in the kitchen recently.” Christian looked around the stone room, only two servants remained stoking the fires in the hearths at either end of the large room. Threw a side door, a few more servants emerged carrying goblets and silver wear to start setting the long tables that were in the center of the room in front of the head table. The head table was raised up higher then the rest so when his Lord and Lady spoke they were easily heard over the crowed room. Soon guests would be arriving from noble houses in the surrounding valley. Tonight, this celebration was for his safe return from his hunt and the masses would want to be regaled with tales of the great beasts that he had claimed. And yet, Christian didn’t remember returning to the castle. He looked confused for a moment and Ann pulled her arm free of his grip. “M’Lord, are ye well? Shall I fetch ye some water?” The pain in her arm seemed to disappear and was replaced with an uneasy fear that started to settle in her stomach. Christian looked at her and smiled, “I wish to see what the chef has prepared for this evening. Show me.” His voice was soft and commanding, Ann had no choice but to obey him. Ann led the way across the stone floor, their foot steps echoed off the walls around them. As they reached the servants door, Ann went threw first, Christian looked around the room watching the other servants. No one was paying attention to them, they were all too busy preparing for later that night.

Christian had to duck his head under the door frame that led to the lower levels as his six-foot four frame wouldn’t fit all at once threw the narrow frame. The passage way was dimly lit as Ann followed the spiral stone steps down to the lower levels, she took care where she stepped so she would not slip and fall. Christian followed closely behind, he could hear the cooks in the kitchen below yelling orders, no one was coming this way, they were all too busy. This was the perfect opportunity. Ann rounded a step and found herself pined against the wall, her feet dangling off the floor. The face of her Lord was just inches from hers. His blue eyes glowed softly in the dim light, she could see every line around his eyes. His perfect lips parted to reveal two very long, sharp looking fangs. She struggled against his grip on her throat gasping for a breath of air, kicking wildly. “If you don’t scream, I’ll let you live forever.” Christian’s free hand found their way under her skirts, feeling the soft flesh between her legs. Ann watched him in horror as he lifted her skirts higher, exposing her in the most embarrassing way possible. He pushed her up higher on the wall, placing her legs on his shoulders.

Christian’s tongue found its way to her soft woman folds, caressing them like he had done to Carolyn the night before. He stopped for an instant and thought of his wife, the one he swore to stay loyal to for the rest of his day, then the hunger took over. He was so hungry, and his fangs priced the inside of her thigh. Ann moaned low in her throat as Christian gulped down her life force. Her head rolled forward, it felt like ecstasy, but she felt so very tired suddenly. He finished with his feeding and stood to face his latest prey. Ann could barley keep her eyes open to look at her Lord. His man hood screamed beneath his kilt wanting a release in its newly found prize. Moving the folds of his kilt to one side he plunged deep inside of her. The girl was still a virgin, making it even more enjoyable for him. Holding her against the wall, her petite frame weighing nothing in his arms, Christian reached up and ripped open the front of her bodice exposing her left breast. Ann could barely look at him, she felt so numb and cold against the stone. Still listening for passersby, Christian finished quickly, the animal in him wanted another victim his hunger was uncontrollable now. Releasing her, Ann fell to the floor with a thud. Shame, she was so young and pretty.

Christian wiped the blood from his mouth and re adjusted his kilt. Picking up Ann’s lifeless corpse, he continued down to the back door where the kitchen staff threw out the garbage. Opening the door slightly, he listened for anyone that might be back there. Hearing nothing but the rats he opened the door fully and slipped out in to the darkness. Christian looked around for the best place to hide the body, the stars and moon lit the way down to the reeds by the pond. Moving in that direction, Christian found himself by the lakes edge very quickly. Looking around, Christian place Ann’s body in the reeds, covering her over with moss and rush. Let the animals have my scraps, he thought, I have more pressing matters to attend to this evening.

He walked away smiling to himself as he thought about his next meal, Ann’s lifeless eyes staring up at the dark starry sky.

The castle was busy with noise from the talk of people arriving from the valley. I made my way to the dinning hall after Morgan bound my neck in a silk scarf to hide my wound. She was a master at putting together my outfits. Morgan chose a deep red dress that was cut high in the bodice and a red silk scarf to match. Pulling my hair into high curls to frame my long face, no one would know about my condition or the wound on my neck. The candle light burned my eyes and I was quite as I made my way to the head table as I entered the now bustling room. Christian wasn’t there which was odd for him, he was usually talking with the men of his great hunts and showing off his trophies.

A serving maid poured wine into my goblet as I sat waiting, “Where is the Lord of the castle?” I leaned into her ear, so she could hear me without having to shout over the noise. Why was it so loud? So much louder then it should be for a gathering. It hurt so much. “No one has seen him in quite some time M’Lady, shall I have a servant look for him?” I shook my head as I reached for my goblet. “Shall we have the guest sit for supper M’Lady?” I looked at her, the vein in her neck stood out and throbbed with every pulse of her heart beat. It was like the most beautiful song I had ever heard, I felt like it was calling my name, taunting me to give into the thirst that was starting to consume my parched throat.

“No,” I choked on my words, “We shall wait for the Lord. He will join us soon.” The door to the hall opened and my father entered with his new bride. It seemed that my father’s wives had a shorter life span than his ships at sea. At least this time he married someone younger, maybe she would have a better chance than the others before her, of surviving this marriage. My father approached the head table smiling up at me, “My beautiful daughter! I came as soon as I heard the news of Christian’s illness. I hope all is well and His Lordship is in excellent health?” He had the same green eyes as I, and really the only thing he was worried about was his ship business going under with out my husband’s funding. “His Lordship is in perfect health and will be joining us shortly. In the mean time, shall you introduce me to your new Bride? I am sorry we could not attend the wedding; business matters took over our time.” My smile and tone cut threw him like broken glass. Never had I ever spoken to him in such a way with out fearing his backlash.

His green eye’s darted over me, he stood there gapping like a dead fish on the dock that just escaped its basket and now struggled to hold on to its meagre life. “How dare you speak to your father that way?! He is your blood and demands your respect!” I looked to his wife, she was a small framed girl. Some people questioned his taste in woman, him being a balding man, well into his fifties, over weight and failing health. His new bride surely was only in her mid twenties, a petite frame with a full bodice. Her long red hair stood out against her snow-white skin. The green gown she had chosen to wear had a low-cut bodice, it looked new so no doubt it just came in with one of Fathers’ recent shipments from across the sea.

“As long as you are in my castle, you will show me the respect that is due for someone of my stature. Please be seated and enjoy the wine, my Lord will be joining us shortly.” My father pursed his thin lips at me in a grimace, “As M’Lady wishes.” He took his new wife’s hand and moved to a table furthest against the wall away from me. As they seated themselves, the door to the great hall burst open and Christian walked in. He looked not himself, yet he still looked like a god chiseled from marble. His muscled chest seemed stronger, harder like stone threw his linen shirt. His raven hair was tied back with a blue ribbon that matched his eyes, but even in the dim light around the room, his eyes seemed to glow unnaturally making them look more like ice. His smile wasn’t his smile, it was more like that of a criminal taking a secret to his grave as he made his way to the gallows. As he made his way threw the room, everyone around him fell silent. He watched only me, like I was the only person in the room. He reached the table and held up his hand for me to take, as I placed my slender hand in his, he raised it to his lips and kissed it. “M’Lady. I hope you are well?” His lips felt like ice, and his words were unnerving. Christians gaze cut threw me like a knife. He turned to the guests in the room, “Welcome everyone, please be seated so the meal can proceed.”

Everyone took their places and the servants entered with trays of fruit, wild animal meat, sweets and steamed vegetables piled high. A serving girl leaned over Christians chair with trays of food and wine. I watched as Christian eyed the girl and her many shapely parts. “I was worried when I woke, and you were not beside me. Where did you go?” I took a long sip of my wine waiting for his reply, this was not like him to be distracted by other maids. He rested his square chin in his hand as he blatantly eyed the serving maid. “Hmm? Oh yes, where I went doesn’t concern you my wife. I’m just glad you are finally awake, people in the castle were concerned about your health.” I stared at him wide eyed unable to comprehend what he had just said to me.

“Be prepared Mistress. The end and the beginning are coming.” Morgan’s voice echoed in my ears. She and I had spoken before I came down for the evening, she had given a warning. Christian was no longer the man I fell in love with. He wasn’t even a man as I would soon come to find out.