THE ARRIVAL AT LONGDEN CASTLE
It had been a week since the meeting between Belial and Count Longden at Blood House Onyx, a meeting that had gone very well indeed. However, Belial had lost concentration after the Count had so passionately kissed her. She had been forced to bring their time together to an abrupt end before temptation had the chance to sweep her off her feet completely. Belial had grown far too much over the past years to allow impulse to hold sway over reason, no matter the attraction. Yet . . . their business was far from done. The Count, ever the gracious of souls, had invited her to Longden Castle to conclude their business.
Tonight was the night.
The carriage rolled to a stop and the coachman hopped down to open the door. Belial had been admiring the view, for the castle was indeed grand if looming. It reminded her of a scene from the movie, ?The Raven? with Vincent Price and Jack Nicholson, for it too had such a commanding castle with an air of foreboding. The feeling was enhanced due to the darkness of the night and the chill on the wind, not to mention the overwhelming sense that one has been tossed back to medieval days. Belial stepped down from the coach; a nodding smile was given to the young Blood who had been driving.
?Go ahead and take the carriage home, sweets. I shan?t need it for my return,? Belial said before gliding away towards the door. She had many talents, and finding her way home was one of them.
The Blood driver hopped back atop the carriage and whipped up the horses. Belial waited until he and her ride were well down the drive before lifting the small hand to rap lightly on the thick wooden door.
She noticed that light spilled from several windows but otherwise the night was rather quiet and calm, if a bit on the cloudy side. No moon lent light to the darkness, leaving the surrounding landscape little more than a smear of broken detail on the horizon. The Count had chosen well with the placement of his home, nestled as it was it would be easy to protect should it ever come under siege. An odd thought to have perhaps, but it seemed to fit in with the ambiance the castle invited.
Never in his 634 years had a week passed by so slowly. One might think that those for whom time means little, that days and weeks would be relatively meaningless. Perhaps in some ways that might be a fair perspective, but not when describing this week. Count Talomar Longden had become even more of an enigma than he usually was to those in the castle. His impatience made life a bit more unbearable for the servants, yet there were times when he was so gregarious that he treated them to time off and bonuses. Thus were the moods of the Count as he waiting for this day to arrive.
The week had been well spent with his lawyer devoting a great amount of time to the contract that Talomar had only perused. In the end it was determined that the Count and S.E.C.T.O.R. would have no trouble signing the document. Thus the contract was copied in duplicate, signed and waiting on the desk in his study as the night arrived for Lady Belial?s visit.
Longden was in a very good mood as he dressed stylishly, yet comfortably. Black pants come over the tops of his low boots. A deep-blue silk shirt was tucked into his muscular waistline, but left unlaced at the top, exposing his neck and just a bit of his chest. His hair was clean and silky and flowed over his shoulders, and he smelled far better than any man had a right to. He had informed his Valet, Charles Dukette, that there will be a visitor, but that he need not bother himself with the door, for the Count would do the honors ? a rather unusual request.
He was sitting at his desk, sipping fine wine when his head suddenly snapped toward the window.
He felt her.
She had arrived.
There was no mistaking that Lady Belial was within the gates of Longden Castle. She had an ardour that could not be mistaken, one that he had seldom felt, but rapidly wanted more of.
Belial had been looking forward to seeing the Count again and had taken great care in her appearance for the night. Dressed in a dark blood red gown of velvet, it clung to every curve, leaving just enough to the imagination as a tease. Lacing ran up the front, lifting her breast in an appealing manner, a display of her bounty seldom seen, as she normally tends towards a more demure style in public. Ebon curls were fresh and soft, practically begging to be touched and that green gaze was bright with anticipation.
Bel was not surprised when the door opened so quickly, she too had an odd connection to the Count, she had felt him as he moved nearer. A cant of her head as she extended her hand towards him, her smile radiant and yet there was a hint of something lurking just underneath; a hint of her hunger for him perhaps? Whatever it was it heightened the spicy scent of her as she stepped in close.
?Count Longden, tis a pleasure, indeed! I confess I have been waiting for this night.?
Her beauty took his breath away once more, and he doubted he?d ever get used to that or take it for granted. He took her hand that was held out to him, and without thinking and while gazing into her eyes, he turned the hand so that her wrist was up, and he placed a kiss there, feeling her pulse just beneath the surface of her flesh. For the briefest moment he had visions in his head and his heart pounded and he felt his control slipping. Then he pulled his lips from her wrist and reality snapped into focus again and he tried to recover with a smile.
?I?m very happy to hear your confession, my dear. You are totally absolved for I?ve had the same desire pulling at me all week long. I think I?ve been impossible to live with.? He paused and let his eyes do the smiling. ?But I?m afraid I?m a poor host to keep you standing out here. Please, do come in.? He held out his arm to escort her into the castle foyer.
Belial felt his response and had to fight back her own. Her desire was growing like an incoming tide, sweeping aside her resolutions with every wave. She had intended to stick strictly to business but alas, that goal was becoming increasingly impossible. She did her best to hide the rising turmoil, but Talomar would easily recognize the signs. His nature was as sharp and honed as hers. She would be foolish to assume otherwise.
She nodded and took the offered hand, slipping her arm through it, stepping in close enough to truly appreciate the luscious smell of him. She thought she?d remembered his scent so clearly, yet in this moment it struck her with the intensity of something brand new. Odd . . . that had never happened to her before. She tried to force her attentions from him to his home, wanting to present herself the perfect and gracious guest, but she couldn?t seem to drag her gaze from him. It was becoming increasingly obvious to her that there would be no easy route here. She wanted him and nothing was going to assuage her fixation until she did.
?Mmm, you have a lovely home, I?m sure.? She said, although those green eyes haven?t strayed from him in the least.
It had been a week since the meeting between Belial and Count Longden at Blood House Onyx, a meeting that had gone very well indeed. However, Belial had lost concentration after the Count had so passionately kissed her. She had been forced to bring their time together to an abrupt end before temptation had the chance to sweep her off her feet completely. Belial had grown far too much over the past years to allow impulse to hold sway over reason, no matter the attraction. Yet . . . their business was far from done. The Count, ever the gracious of souls, had invited her to Longden Castle to conclude their business.
Tonight was the night.
The carriage rolled to a stop and the coachman hopped down to open the door. Belial had been admiring the view, for the castle was indeed grand if looming. It reminded her of a scene from the movie, ?The Raven? with Vincent Price and Jack Nicholson, for it too had such a commanding castle with an air of foreboding. The feeling was enhanced due to the darkness of the night and the chill on the wind, not to mention the overwhelming sense that one has been tossed back to medieval days. Belial stepped down from the coach; a nodding smile was given to the young Blood who had been driving.
?Go ahead and take the carriage home, sweets. I shan?t need it for my return,? Belial said before gliding away towards the door. She had many talents, and finding her way home was one of them.
The Blood driver hopped back atop the carriage and whipped up the horses. Belial waited until he and her ride were well down the drive before lifting the small hand to rap lightly on the thick wooden door.
She noticed that light spilled from several windows but otherwise the night was rather quiet and calm, if a bit on the cloudy side. No moon lent light to the darkness, leaving the surrounding landscape little more than a smear of broken detail on the horizon. The Count had chosen well with the placement of his home, nestled as it was it would be easy to protect should it ever come under siege. An odd thought to have perhaps, but it seemed to fit in with the ambiance the castle invited.
Never in his 634 years had a week passed by so slowly. One might think that those for whom time means little, that days and weeks would be relatively meaningless. Perhaps in some ways that might be a fair perspective, but not when describing this week. Count Talomar Longden had become even more of an enigma than he usually was to those in the castle. His impatience made life a bit more unbearable for the servants, yet there were times when he was so gregarious that he treated them to time off and bonuses. Thus were the moods of the Count as he waiting for this day to arrive.
The week had been well spent with his lawyer devoting a great amount of time to the contract that Talomar had only perused. In the end it was determined that the Count and S.E.C.T.O.R. would have no trouble signing the document. Thus the contract was copied in duplicate, signed and waiting on the desk in his study as the night arrived for Lady Belial?s visit.
Longden was in a very good mood as he dressed stylishly, yet comfortably. Black pants come over the tops of his low boots. A deep-blue silk shirt was tucked into his muscular waistline, but left unlaced at the top, exposing his neck and just a bit of his chest. His hair was clean and silky and flowed over his shoulders, and he smelled far better than any man had a right to. He had informed his Valet, Charles Dukette, that there will be a visitor, but that he need not bother himself with the door, for the Count would do the honors ? a rather unusual request.
He was sitting at his desk, sipping fine wine when his head suddenly snapped toward the window.
He felt her.
She had arrived.
There was no mistaking that Lady Belial was within the gates of Longden Castle. She had an ardour that could not be mistaken, one that he had seldom felt, but rapidly wanted more of.
Belial had been looking forward to seeing the Count again and had taken great care in her appearance for the night. Dressed in a dark blood red gown of velvet, it clung to every curve, leaving just enough to the imagination as a tease. Lacing ran up the front, lifting her breast in an appealing manner, a display of her bounty seldom seen, as she normally tends towards a more demure style in public. Ebon curls were fresh and soft, practically begging to be touched and that green gaze was bright with anticipation.
Bel was not surprised when the door opened so quickly, she too had an odd connection to the Count, she had felt him as he moved nearer. A cant of her head as she extended her hand towards him, her smile radiant and yet there was a hint of something lurking just underneath; a hint of her hunger for him perhaps? Whatever it was it heightened the spicy scent of her as she stepped in close.
?Count Longden, tis a pleasure, indeed! I confess I have been waiting for this night.?
Her beauty took his breath away once more, and he doubted he?d ever get used to that or take it for granted. He took her hand that was held out to him, and without thinking and while gazing into her eyes, he turned the hand so that her wrist was up, and he placed a kiss there, feeling her pulse just beneath the surface of her flesh. For the briefest moment he had visions in his head and his heart pounded and he felt his control slipping. Then he pulled his lips from her wrist and reality snapped into focus again and he tried to recover with a smile.
?I?m very happy to hear your confession, my dear. You are totally absolved for I?ve had the same desire pulling at me all week long. I think I?ve been impossible to live with.? He paused and let his eyes do the smiling. ?But I?m afraid I?m a poor host to keep you standing out here. Please, do come in.? He held out his arm to escort her into the castle foyer.
Belial felt his response and had to fight back her own. Her desire was growing like an incoming tide, sweeping aside her resolutions with every wave. She had intended to stick strictly to business but alas, that goal was becoming increasingly impossible. She did her best to hide the rising turmoil, but Talomar would easily recognize the signs. His nature was as sharp and honed as hers. She would be foolish to assume otherwise.
She nodded and took the offered hand, slipping her arm through it, stepping in close enough to truly appreciate the luscious smell of him. She thought she?d remembered his scent so clearly, yet in this moment it struck her with the intensity of something brand new. Odd . . . that had never happened to her before. She tried to force her attentions from him to his home, wanting to present herself the perfect and gracious guest, but she couldn?t seem to drag her gaze from him. It was becoming increasingly obvious to her that there would be no easy route here. She wanted him and nothing was going to assuage her fixation until she did.
?Mmm, you have a lovely home, I?m sure.? She said, although those green eyes haven?t strayed from him in the least.