Beauty and The Cursed

Dreams

Had he seen her through the window? Tresa had been looking out the window at the night sky when she noticed movement in the large garden that sat at the bottom of her window. Upon further inspection, she saw that Edmond was walking down the cobble stones through the aisles of flowers.

Tresa let her mind drift to the mysterious master of this beautiful mansion. Upon first glance, Tresa thought him scary. His dark demeanor and appearance. The more she looked at him the more she realized he wasn't scary, but lonely. The man seemed constantly lost in thought. She wondered what could occupy his thoughts so completely.

Just then Edmond stopped walking through the garden and his gaze shot at her window. For a moment Tresa was frozen in place. Could he see her? She was uncertain. She slowly backed away from the window. She hoped that he had not caught her staring.

Tresa walked back over to the bed that sat in the center of the room. The meal that Rose had brought for her helped to restore a little of her strength. Tresa had not been able to eat a lot of it. She had thanked the woman. Rose looked concerned as she took the tray away and could see how much food was still on it.

Tresa wanted to eat more but feared that it would hurt her more than help at this point in time. She needed to slowly stretch her stomach back out. The others in the household did not realize how long she had been without food on a daily basis. Rose had questioned her earlier. Tresa knew that Edmond would want answers. He would not just willingly take on a stranger without learning their story.

How long would he allow her to stay? Tresa was unsure. She knew that she would need to talk to the man soon, but she also dreaded that conversation. Tresa had made a decision to find someone that would help her and her family out of Ireland. Unfortunately, the only way she could see that happening was if she could marry. Tresa knew that she was not such a sight now, but if only she could have sometime to help get her figure back close to what it used to be. She could marry someone with enough money to help get her family out of their current predicament.

Tresa went to the large bed and pulled the sheets up to her chin. She missed her family terribly. She knew it would be difficult on her own. Tresa could imagine how her family had reacted to finding her note and finding Tresa gone. Her mother would be upset with her for taking matters into her own hands.

Tresa's mother, Maeve, was the quiet type. She did as she was told by her husband and never questioned him, even if she knew it was wrong. Tresa's father, Ronan, was a larger man. He worked on the farmers that once fed their entire village and town. When the famine began, Ronan was too stubborn to think that it would affect them. Maeve had been nervous but said nothing. Tresa on the other hand voiced her concerns. There were many arguments between her and her father. Tresa knew that her father would be angry at Tresa leaving. He would say that it wasn't her place to take it upon herself to help the family. That was the man's job.

Tresa's heart ached at the thought of her little brother, Finn. He would be confused as to why Tresa was not coming home. He was only ten years old. Tresa had helped to raise him as their father spent some time away from the home. Tresa and Finn both got their dark blonde hair from their mother. Ronan, on the other hand, had dark brown hair that was unkept most of the time. Maeve tried to keep up on it, but Ronan could not sit still long enough for her to trim it regularly.

Tresa rolled over to her side and stared at the single candle that was burning on the side table. She hoped that once she got her family out of Ireland, they would forgive her for leaving them. She knew her mother and brother would. Her father, Tresa, wasn't so sure.

Eventually, the darkness overtook Tresa's thoughts and she was able to sleep. It was a restless sleep, however. Tresa's dreams were filled with her fears coming to life. Between being tossed into he sea and the cold saltiness chocking her, and her family's pain after she had left.

At some point, one of her dreams contained the mysterious man whose house she was currently staying in. Edmond. Even his name was mysterious. Tresa had been walking through one of the darkened halls. She looked around at the pictures that lined either side of her. Out of the darkness came Edmond from behind Tresa. He was so close she could have sworn he was touching her, but he wasn't.

"Why have you come here?" He asked in her ear. His breath tickled her neck.

"To get away from the famine," Tresa whispered.

"That is not all though, is it?" His voice was quiet but firm. There was also something else hidden in his tone.

"No." Tresa would not admit to her plans.

"Do not lie to me, Tresa. I will find out. You will be punished." Tresa's body shook with fear. As he had said, it was not meant to be taken lightly.

Suddenly Edmond's lips descended onto Tresa's neck. His lips were soft but hard at the same time. He kissed up and down her neck with force. His hands glided up her body. They stopped at the top her hips and he twirled her around in his arms. Tresa gasped out of surprise.

Tresa shot up in the bed she was sleeping in. What was that? Had she just had a sensual dream about Edmond? Tresa could not deny the fact that he was the most handsome man she had ever seen, but she could tell from a mile away that he was in trouble. Tresa shook her head slightly in an attempt to clear her head and to try and remove the images that had tried to resurface.

Tresa grabbed the glass of water that was left on the side table and took a large drink. She put the glass back on and threw herself back against the pillows. She stared up at the ceiling. It was only illuminated by the dying fire that was in the fireplace.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edmond shot up from his bed. The dream that he had just woken from left his manhood standing at awkward attention. He had not thought of a woman in that way in quite some time. Here he was dreaming about his guest in the most inappropriate manner. Of course, he could not act out the images that flashed before he had woken himself.

Edmond looked out the window. The morning light barely touched the top of the ocean. Edmond groaned as he knew he was not going to be able to get back to sleep. Edmond threw his legs over the side of the bed and put his head in his hands. "What is wrong with me?" He whispered to himself. Edmond stood off the bed and walked over to the large wood dresser that held his clothes. He needed to get out. He dressed quickly and went down to the kitchen. None of the staff was up yet. Edmond grabbed an apple fro the basket in the center of the table and went out the back door.

Edmond walked along the edge of the ocean for a while. His mind was restless. It kept wanting to go back to the dreams. Edmond shook his head and tried to think about something else.

Out of nowhere, Edmond thought about his family. His mother had been writing him regularly to update him on the rest of his family members or the gossip around the town. His father wrote him only when he had questions about their business endeavors. Edmond was still in line to be heir. Edmond was always sorrowful when he thought about having to stay out at this secluded mansion. But he reminded himself, it was for their own protection. Edmond was unpredictable when the full moon changed him into the monster he had been cursed with.

Edmond let out a long sigh. He turned on his heel and headed back to the mansion. He had a few things to take care of before he left for the evening.