Free A Dream Forbidden (Lillith Mercury ) by Tracey H. Kitts Page B

naturally flipped out a bit on the ends. My hair seemed even redder against the black. I was just putting the final touches on my makeup when I heard a knock at my balcony window.
    I opened the French doors and let Dracula in. My heart fluttered when I looked at him, and I avoided looking directly into his eyes. Not because he could hypnotize me, but because I was afraid of what he might see there. Eyes really are the windows of the soul, and I wasn't ready to bare mine.
    He was wearing black slacks and a long-sleeved dress shirt. The top few buttons were left open to reveal his throat and part of his chest. The shirt was blood red and it suited him perfectly. He smelled of expensive cologne, and I noticed as he stepped behind me in the mirror that he was once again wearing a half mask to cover the right side of his face.
    Dracula put his hand on my waist as he leaned into me and took a deep breath.
    "You smell like vanilla," he said.
    His voice brushed across my skin almost like a cat and I shivered.
    "It's my soap."
    "Are you ready?" he asked softly.
    "No," I thought. I wasn't ready. Not to risk hurting Marco or to accidentally kill Dracula if I didn't take that chance.
    He put his hand underneath my chin and made me look at him. The kindness I found in his eyes was nearly too much for me.
    "Whatever it is," he said softly, "I will help if I can."
    "You can't," I said, turning around before I started to cry.
    If I told Dracula why I was upset, he would never let me go through with what I had in mind. He would never risk my happiness, even for his own life. But I would give my happiness if that's what it took to save him.
    Without another word, I took him by the hand and led him outside. The night was cooler than I had expected, but still comfortable. I welcomed the breeze as we got in his car. Dracula drove a sleek black car with silver accents. It was a classic model and positively reeked of expensive taste.
    After he got behind the wheel I asked, "Why did you come to the window when you drove to the front door?"
    "Melodrama," he said with a smile. "Besides, I was hoping you could appreciate the fact that Don Juan has finally reached your window."
    As his meaning sunk in I began to laugh, and it felt good. The rose that grew on my balcony was a climbing Don Juan, and I had been waiting years for it to grow tall enough to reach my window. Plus The Phantom (in the original French novel published in 1910 by Gaston Leroux) wrote an opera about Don Juan. How appropriate that Dracula should come to my balcony, just as the famous Don Juan had visited his lovers.
    "You look good in a smile," he teased. "You should wear it more often."
    When we arrived at Ms. Wilson's house people were already flocking toward the back yard. She has a huge antebellum style house on the opposite end of town. As we approached the front door where she was busy greeting other guests she stopped in mid sentence to stare at Dracula. I must admit, even with half his face covered, he was quite the sight.
    "Betty," he purred as he pulled her close and kissed her cheek. "How have you been?"
    "Oh," she said, fanning herself profusely. "I'm just fine, just fine. I'm so glad you could come," she said, beaming at us both.
    We followed the rest of the crowd through the house. Small white tables were sprinkled about the large back yard with matching wicker chairs and white tablecloths. There was a lovely tea set on each table, all with different expensive looking patterns and a small bouquet of fresh wildflowers. It was pretty much like her usual spring tea party set up, except for the rows and rows of lanterns strung through the large oak trees. There were also white candles lit on each table.
    Dracula and I found a nice spot underneath the same tree where Richard and I had sat with Elijah last year. Ms. Wilson stood up to give her usual welcome speech, and while he watched her, I took the opportunity to get a good look at him. His left side was turned to me, and