Inflaming the Vampire's Stone Heart

Chapter Five

“Nice to meet you, Laura. I am sure I will see you around.” Robert said which sounded more like a threat than a good evening. 

I am hoping I never have to run into him again. I have no idea what he is capable of but I am most definitely certain another encounter with him would not be pleasant. I have an incline that he was going to drag me back into the forest only a moment ago and do whatever he pleased with me. He is an absolute prick. He turned and walked back towards his friends who were laughing at Carl nearly falling over into the fire. 

The second that he was gone I took another step further away from the hunter and looked back at the stranger who just helped me. Robert was not about to let me go and I was ready to call out desperately for either Carl or Eddy to help me before he offered to. But why had he helped me? I did not expect a rescue from a complete stranger. Maybe he was actually a gentleman who saw that I was in danger from Robert and decided to intervene. Still, that did not explain his stern position when I stepped towards him a moment ago. Whatever the reason for his coming to my aid, I was grateful he did. 

“Thank you.” I said across to him sincerely. 

His gaze was focused on Robert as he stalked towards his friends. Upon reaching one of them, he murmured something to her with a frown. I am sure he was calling me a b***h, or something worse. Robert was disappointed he did not get more from me. His ego was now bruised and the only way he could flap his feathers again was to call me names. What a jerk. 

“A friend of yours?” The hunter asked, me stilling watching him now instead of giving Robert any more of my attention. 

His continued watch of Robert was becoming strange. 

His voice was so low, commanding, and articulate. His English was perfect, but his accent was like none I had ever heard. It is not Irish, I conclude, but still do not know its origin. It sounded, almost as if it was older than anything I have heard over the last two weeks. 

“No. Just some asshole who could not take no for an answer.” I said feeling the remaining anger directed at Robert start to subside. 

His gaze quickly turned in my direction as I made that comment. I did not mean to sound so angry. I did not even curse often. After all, it was the way that I felt. But now this strangers glance back at me seemed outraged as well, just like before when I accidently witnessed him kill the deer. I did not know if that displeasure was directed at me or at Robert for his rough grab that hurt my arm. 

I lifted my hand to the sensation of a bruise beginning to form as blood started to lift to the surface of my skin. The hunter’s eyes fell to where I held my arm. 

“Are you alright?” He asked. 

His grey eyes studied me like he was looking for the emotions that I was feeling and I felt like the air had been stripped from my lungs once more. His gaze moved from my bruised arm to the constricted gold corset. It was not the same way that Nicolae or Robert had looked over me. No, this look has me frightened. He licked his lips like he was thinking what I would look like with that corset off. The glance was noticeable, bold and lingered far longer than when we were by the stream earlier. He was admiring my beauty and made no indication to hide it. 

“I am fine.” I said with an instant feeling of fear returning in his stare. 

Other from feeling offended, like I did when Nicolae made that glance, I felt like I should cover up so that he could not see my beautiful features. I did not want him to see me that way. For some reason, I feel like it put me in danger and that I should look less seductive in such revealing clothing.  

“Your cup is nearly empty. May I offer you another?” He offered looking up to my lips. 

I looked at my cup and thought about refusing. I was already feeling tipsy. I opened my mouth to say that I was finished drinking for the evening, but a servant approached the instant he made the offer and began to pour into my glass from a pitcher. 

“Thank you.” I repeated deciding I will probably not finish this glass. 

I have had enough mulled wine and I want to enjoy this village tomorrow, not have a headache. My three friends are definitely going to be feeling the latter in the morning. 

“The death of the animal bothered you?” he asked unexpectedly. 

I looked back at him to study that question. He was now dressed in a black silk tailcoat with a silver stitched decoration covering its lapels and cuffs. It was similar in style to the one that Nicolae wore, but its own design and probable worth was incomparable. Beneath, there was another white silk shirt with black opal buttons and a striking silver and black belt. Nicolae had been dressed in a similar fashion but he does not at all hold the same appeal as the man in front of me. The clothes are worn with such ease like it was an everyday thing. 

He looked damn good, like he was treating this casual festival like a date out to the opera. This mysterious man was attractive alright, but that feeling of danger is still covering him. I do not feel like he is safe to be around at all. 

I look past him, anything to avoid addressing the way he is looking over my features so carefully. I look around for his partner. The woman in the red dress with the raven-hair. I believe she would be jealous to find out that her man was speaking with me and looking me over in such a way of intense desire. If he was with that woman, then his glance to me was not appropriate at all. He may as well have been cheating on her by whatever he was thinking about me right now. 

“Yes. I am sorry I know that I should not judge that you hunted or killed her. I just have not seen something like that before.”

“Of course. You are not from here.” He made that comment as if it was an excuse for me. 

There was an austere silence between us and I felt ice remaining over my naked shoulders until he finally spoke again. 

“I am Lord Dorian Lark.” He broke that silence in order to introduce himself. 

Wow, an actual descendent from royalty. No wonder his presence was so intimidating. He was a royal Lord. The way that he held himself with that privileged a stance, seemed to add to that air around him I was direly trying to define. 

“Laura.” I offered my name, unsure if I should bow or something. 

“Laura.” When he said my name it sounded like the pronunciation of a Latin flower, crisp yet soft taught elegance, “Tomorrow night, I am having a small gathering at my castle for dinner. Would you and the company you arrived with like to attend?” 

An invitation to dinner with him? I was left speechless. I did not realize that Julia had spotted me talking to this man, a descendent of royalty, and now ran over towards us. She nearly fell against me as she stopped, very drunk. I instinctively ran my hand around her waist to help her stand. Dorian noted the gesture and his eyes fell to where I held her. In fact, he did not take his eyes off of my hold for several seconds. 

“Dinner at a castle!” She shouted and Carl and Eddy were quick to follow her. “Hell, yeah man. Hey are you Lark?” She slurred as I finally felt it was safe for me to drop my hand back and let her stand on her own two feet. 

“Dorian Lark.” He stated with a strict nod in her direction. “A pleasure to meet you.” He then took hold of Julia’s hand and lifted it to his lips. 

A gentle brush of his lips over her knuckles sent needles across mine. He was royalty. Yet, he didn’t seem to like to be titled as a Lord. Perhaps, it was too modern a time to be using an old title that no longer was famous outside this village. But Lord? To my recollection, there were no such titles in Romania since it was separated from Hungary. So, where was he from?

“Wow. Like yeah, ok. A pleasure to meet you too.” Julia said with her face burning pink with blush. 

Then he looked back at me releasing her hand like he held it with disdain. Julia did not seem to notice that fall of his hand back into the formation of a fist at his side, but I definitely did. 

“I will have apartments prepared for you in the village inn tonight. I will have one of my servants collect you tomorrow evening at dusk for the engagement. I bid you each a good evening.” He stated like he was now tired of this entire night, did not care to stay, and that was it. 

I saw either of his hands at his side had now both formed into fists. Why did he offer to kiss Julia’s hand in an introduction as formal as that if he did not even like the contact?

He wanted to leave as soon as possible. I thought it was rather rude, or if anything odd. The woman that I had seen before was waiting a few steps away from us, watching him. I looked for her only a few seconds ago. I don’t know how I did not see her standing there watching us as she now did. I wanted to consider that was his girlfriend, or wife. I have no idea of the title, but it was more like she served him as a secretary. The second that I could no longer see his back as he moved past the throngs of dancers, she approached us. 

“I will show you were you shall be staying this evening, if you like.” She offered. 

Her accent was not the same at his. It was closer to Nicolae’s. Her voice was feminine yes, but it was not light or delicate. She sounded more like a principle at a school. Educated and untouchable, and not one to tolerate anything that was beyond perfection. I thought that I might hear jealousy in her voice in the way that Dorian had spoken and looked me over. She must have seen it. Either she was very good at hiding such an emotion, or she did not feel it at all. If he was royalty in the way that Dorian Lark held himself, she seems just the same. I think that she would be very easy to offend. High-maintenance and cost are written all over her. 

“Thank you.” I said looking back at Julia as I accepted her invitation to show me the inn. 

“You go ahead, we are going to stay and PARTAAA.” Was Julia’s quip response. 

The woman only turned, and I definitely saw her eyes squint at Julia’s distasteful comments the second that she had. I agreed, she was on the last foot of seriously embarrassing herself in a place where we were guests. It was not the way that I wanted to come across. I was not much of a partier. But I was also not the level of elite that knew how to behave around royalty. The way that the Dorian Lark spoke was another level of loftiness that I had never heard before, perhaps only read about in Bronte Sister’s books of high-level court romance and intrigue. Dinner tomorrow night, is definitely going to be an experience I am sure I will never forget.