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***
Michael was forced to leave, and somehow no one had any idea where Rebecca had gone. We had to send for Mary by nightfall as staff had already been limited since Samuel’s death. With Rebecca miraculously missing, validating our lie even further, and Michael gone, my wealthy family had not a clue how to go about themselves.
Mother fashioned a dinner of roast stew, and to everyone’s surprise but my own, William did not join us. When the house finally lay quiet that evening, I waited for what I knew would surely come; the three quiet knocks.
I padded across the cool wood floors to the door, quickly opening it before anyone could see or suspect. Leaned against the threshold with his arm above his head, William stood. I raked my eyes over his bare shoulders and his well-muscled chest, down to the trail of hair leading below his undone trousers.
“Well, madam? Are you going to continue to ogle at me or are you going to be a proper lady and invite me in?” Snapping my mouth shut, I brought my eyes back to his face, to the amused smirk and laughter dancing in his eyes.
“Come in,” I exaggeratingly threw my arm to the side. William sauntered across the floor, throwing himself onto my bed with such ease, the sight was almost too heady.
“Join me?” he asked, coming onto his side. “I remember the first night we shared in this bed not long ago, how it still haunts my every waking moment.”
Sliding onto my side next to him, I wet my bottom lip. I realized a piece of my heart was guarded after our day covering up lies.
“I think about it when you aren’t here,” I admitted despite myself, gazing up at him, his eyes full of need.
“And what do you think about when I am here?” he asked, voice low. His hand began stroking the bare skin of my thigh where my nightgown had ridden up.
“When you’re here, I think about taking you in every room we’re in.”
“Mmmm, as do I.” His hand traveled over my hip, up to my waist as his eyes followed in its wake. His features grew stark, shadows gathering around his eyes and under his cheek bones.
“What are you?” I blurted out. His eyes found mine in an instant, brows stitching tightly together.
“Rose,” he cautioned.
“What are you?” I asked again, pushing him onto his back and straddling him. He threw his hands above his head, exasperated even though I could feel the growing thickness which met my seat. I rocked against it, dragging my center across it, watching him writhe as I did.
“What are you doing?” he asked, gripping my hips.
“I want to know what you are,” I replied, grinning as I pulled my nightgown off over my head, exposing my nakedness for him to get a clear view. It was a power I had yet to wield, one I’d hoped would coax his secrets from him. William groaned, bringing a hand to one of my breasts.
“You are dangerous,” he said, chuckling darkly, palming my breast as he ground against me. I leaned over, kissing his neck, trailing soft kisses slowly up to his ear. I didn’t realize how sore I was until then.
“I do not think you know how dangerous I can be,” I murmured.
In a whirl, I was on my back with him above me, the air knocked out of me from the speed. William kicked off his trousers when he came down to my ear, catching the lobe with his teeth. My toes curled in response, hips lifting to meet his of their own will. He was right at my entrance, I lost all coherent thought.
“You may be right, my love, but I do not think you know how dangerousIam,” he whispered, thrusting deeply into me. I cried out, wrapping my arms around him as he groaned, burying his face into my neck. “Fuck, you are so ready for me.”
His sharp teeth grazed the skin of my shoulder as his hips rolled, my body reacting in new ways, overcome with the need for release. This was not at all how I’d planned for my questioning to go and as every stroke deepened, the cries from my lips grew more and more desperate. William gripped my hair at the nape, craning my head to the side so he could kiss my pulse, dragging his teeth over the skin. A thrill coursed through me, digging my nails into his back as I let release wash over my tightly wound body, crumbling with his name on my lips.
***
William was to stay with us for the week. He snuck into my room nearly every night and worshiped me in ways that were beyond religious. I thought perhaps this was a means of distraction, as whenever I brought up what he was, he’d climb under my nightgown and revel in the connection of our bodies.
When he’d lay asleep afterward, I would sift through my mind the superstitions told to children growing up, watching his features relax into the face of a most innocent man. Sometimes I would brush my fingertips along the line of his jaw, but he would wake instantly, and smile apologetically.
By the end of the week, I wished he would never leave. And it thrilled me that it very well may be the case soon as we planned the wedding for the following weekend. William woke me early the morning he left and I lay there in my bed, playing with his long fingers as he sat waiting for my good-bye kiss.
“You'll be back no later than Friday, right?” I asked for the thousandth time. He laughed, stroking my hair and sending chills down my spine. The fire crackled in the background, his face only illuminated by its glow.
“Yes, Rose. Friday morning, before you even wake from your dreams,” he said, squeezing my hand. I sighed wistfully. “Will it seem like forever for you?”
“Yes! It will. I will miss you more with each breath I take. You have no idea how hard it is for me,” I sat up and pulled myself into his lap, resting my head on his ever-quiet chest. I’d added the lack of heartbeat to my growing list of oddities.
“I do not know how hard it is for you? Are you forgetting that I am the one leaving? Leaving you is like willingly cutting out my own heart.”
