Chapter 6

'She doesn't seem to like me' Cole looked in Eloise's direction.

She had a scowl she didn't bother you hide on her face.

Whenever their eyes met she glared only to look away. He wondered what was wrong. Women usually adored him at first sight.

Wrath glanced from Eloise back to his horse, straightening his saddle ready for the next ride.

'If it makes you feel any better she doesn't like me either' he told him with a chuckle.

He mounted his horse casting another glance in Eloise's direction. She was seated under the tent with Corianne, Miles and Henry.

Leo and Thorne had already headed off with their horses.

Was that fear he sensed of her?

'We going brother or you are going to stare at your wife all day? I mean she is a sight for sore eyes' Cole said with a smirk quickly galloping ahead.

Eloise watched as the two galloped away, laughing about something.

Cole Carl Chamberlain was a high born vampire and a very close friend to the Valerians. His family and the Valerians have been friends for hundreds of years.

An hour ago, she hoped he wasn't the same person who killed her. It turns out he was. He spoke like him. Smiled like him and looked exactly like her Cole.

Her Cole?

Thinking of him made her terrified. She still wasn't used to this world. Yet, that didn't stop it from shattering the very moment she lay eyes on him. And to think she thought she could settle in without worry.

She hadn't wrapped her head around this dying and time leaping situation entirely, and from nowhere he pops up into her life.

Yet, it seemed he had no idea who she was. Yes, he had no idea who she was or what he'd done to her in the future.

But it his sister knew her. Elvira. Where was she?

'I will go lay down for a while. I don't feel so good' Eloise stood up from her seat saying.

'What is wrong, Eloise? Should Elric fetch the doctor?' Miles asked his brows creasing with worry.

'No, no. That wouldn't be necessary. I'm sure a little sleep will help. Excuse me' Lucy quickly followed after Eloise.

The siblings watched as they headed towards the manor.

'Anne, what happened earlier?' Miles turned to his sister.

'Elvira touched her, that's what happened' Corianne muttered.

'Well, that's not good' Henry murmured.

'What's not good?' Thorne asked, entering the tent with Leonard behind him.

'Elvira the mad touched Eloise' Henry good his brothers.

'Well, that is never good. Where is she?' Thorne asked.

'She's off for a nap' Miles told them stepping from his seat.

Thorne glanced in the direction of the manor. What was this feeling she wasn't exactly taking a nap?

Elvira Chamberlain was a half witch and vampire. She was a seer, a famous one amongst her rare kind. She earned the name Elvira the mad when she massacred a whole town of humans hundred years ago. Elvira's powers were erratic but not her visions.

'My lady, that's not the way to your chambers' Lucy muttered as Eloise headed towards the drawing room.

Eloise stepped into the drawing room to find Elvira standing by the fireplace. She immediately turned to her sensing her presence.

'About earlier? Did you see…'

'Three questions. I don't have time' Elvira said abruptly. Her eyes glanced at the entrance now and then. As if she was expecting someone to walk through any moment.

'You saw… the vision earlier?'

'Yes, I did. Wrong question, Eloise!' Elvira yelled. Eloise noticed the restlessness in her tone as she spoke. As if she was hinting at the questions to be asked.

She walked closer to her cautiously.

'My Lady be careful?' Lucy said from behind watching Elvira closely.

'What are you?' Eloise asked narrowly glancing at the girl before her.

'I'm a seer. Two questions?' Elvira said abruptly.

'Who is coming?' Eloise asked remembering what she said earlier.

'He doesn't know. I didn't tell him. But I know. I know you are a time leaper…. someone's coming' Elvira glanced at the entrance, quickly stepping away from Eloise.

The three suddenly turned around to find Thorne at the door. Next to him were two maidservants.

'Lady Elvira, the Lord Cole's asked to send you back home' the maid announced.

Elvira turned to a stunned Eloise with a sad look.

'I'm sorry…. Again' A confused Eloise watched as Elvira walked away.

Her eyes fell on Thorne, who had a worried look on his face.

'I'm sorry about her. Whatever she told you, don't take it to heart. She's called the mad for a reason' he told her.

Eloise nodded with a meek smile.

'You will retire now, my lady?' Lucy placed a hand on her small back.

'Yes, excuse me' Eloise said to Thorne walking past him towards the stairs.

In her room, Eloise laid back in bed staring at the roof of the canopy bed.

Lucy quietly took off her shoes, slowly massaging her feet.

'My Lady, I have a question?'

'I'm all ears, Lu' Eloise replied blankly staring at the roof.

Several unanswered questions running through her mind.

'The part about you being a time leaper, it's all part of the madness, right?' Lucy asked gently pulling the sheets over Eloise's body.

'Don't be silly, Lu. You think I'd still be here if I had such powers?' Eloise said sincerely.

She would go back to where she belonged if she had such powers. Go back to face Cole, and make him pay for what he did to her.

If only she could.

Eloise didn't think Elvira was mad as they presumed. She was in her right mind, a little crooked in some corners but not entirely insane.

As she spoke to her, all she saw was terror and an urgency to tell her something she couldn't.

"He doesn't know. I didn't tell him" Elvira's words rang in her head.

He in this context was Cole, she presumed. Her brother.

Must explain why she couldn't speak openly to her. Must explain the fear.

With these unanswered questions running through her mind, it all came down to one.

Why was she here?

Wrath stepped into his study to find Thorne standing quietly by the window. Hands tucked in his pockets staring as Cole's carriage rode outside the window.

'I know that look' Wrath poured himself a glass of wine, slouching into his seat at the desk.

'There's news from Furrham and Oaken town' Thorne told him still glancing outside.

'Ah, do tell' Wrath replied opening a box of fresh cigars.

He placed a stick between his lips, and snapped his fingers with the cigar lighting up instantly. He took a long hard draw slowly exhaling with smoke puffing from his nostrils.

'Fairies and daemons have begun disappearing in Furrham. Oaken town was massacred a fortnight ago. Our informants discovered an incomplete sigil at the centre of the town'

'The conjured sigil, I heard' Wrath muttered softly.

'Work of the Enclave no doubt' Thorne muttered.

'mmm' His brother mumbled taking another long pull from his cigar.

'What did Chamberlain want?' Thorne asked.

Wrath glanced at his brother with a sigh.

'I've always wondered what is with you and your dislike for Cole?' Wrath glanced at his brother with a narrowed look.

'He's crooked. You don't see it because you are worse than he is' Thorne said bluntly.

Wrath laughed. 'Your words wound me, brother'

'I don't trust him. He's up to something'

'On other days, I would say you're just being your paranoid self but there seems to be truth to your words' Wrath said.

'What are you doing about it?' Thorne asked him.

Wrath dipped the last of his cigar in the crystal bowl, slowly standing to his feet.

'Nothing' He said with a smile. Thorne chuckled. He knew his brother too well to know his nothing meant everything.

'Ease up, brother. Go have a drink, and get a good fuck. Release some tension. You need it' Wrath patted him on the shoulder with a chuckle.

'You have a wife now, you should put a stop to your… hobbies'

Wrath headed towards the door, hands in his pocket with a smug look on his face.

'Well, that depends on her, doesn't it?' He said over his shoulder, quickly striding outside towards the stairs.

As he approached the hallway to his chambers, he paused for a second. A familiar whiff of rosemary filled his nostrils.

He headed towards the bedroom to find the doors slightly open. He slowly stepped inside to find Elric, Lucy and two maids around a half naked Eloise.

Eloise quickly grabbed the robe covering her breasts. The others turned to him wondering when he entered.

'What are you doing here?' Eloise asked with a frown. Her small mouth did that stubborn pout whenever she was angry. Wrath smiled with a sigh.

'Leave us' he ordered. The room was quickly cleared with Elric shutting the doors behind them, leaving the two.

'Alright, El. How do we do this?' He slowly walked towards Eloise, unbuttoning his shirt as he did.

'Do what?' Eloise frowned.

'Spare me the false naivety. How do you want it?' He pulled off his shirt revealing his well built muscles and abs.

Eloise stood her ground as he stepped closer to her. Wrath was a very attractive man that she couldn't deny. She looked anyway apart from his magnificent torso.

He was probably referring to them consummating their marriage.

Eloise felt reluctant to. She wasn't ready to lie down for an arrogant man like this to have his way with her. No matter how tempted she was to give in.

A naked image of Cole flashed in her head and she cursed herself for it.

How on earth can she be thinking of him in a time like this?

'El' She turned to find Wrath a breath inch away from her lips. She quickly stepped away from him, clasping the robe to her chest.

'Don't touch me…' She muttered.

'You're my wife. I have the right to do whatever I want with you' He said blatantly.

'I may be your wife. But I am not an object. It's my body and I decide whether you get to fuck it or not' She snapped.

Wrath smiled looking at her closely. His eyes roamed her body and her face took in every detail.

'You know sex doesn't have to be about love right? I mean, it's a plus if there is love. But if there isn't, it changes nothing. We are just two consensual adults, who want to have a good time' he told her.

'You don't have to go mansplaining things to me. No means no' Eloise said flatly.

Wrath suddenly rushed towards her taking her lips forcefully. Eloise surprised herself, she didn't fight him.

Her brain screamed at her to resist but her body had a mind of its own.

His mouth on hers felt different. Not gentle as Cole's was but wild and possessive. She got lost in herself as their tongues intertwined, exploring each other's depth.

Wrath broke off their kiss stepping back to look at her. Her chest heaved slowly, gasping for air. Her face was bright red yet with that stubborn pout on her mouth.

'You're a terrible liar, El' He said with a smile, slowly picking up his shirt and putting it back on.

Eloise clutched the robe tightly as if it would cover her shame. One minute she was playing hard to get, another minute she was giving him keys to the mansion.

Well done, El. Her brain hissed sarcastically.

She watched as he suddenly stopped at the door. His hands were on the knobs ready to step out.

'You know, it may be your body but you are mine, Eloise. Mine' His smile was dark as he glanced at her.

He stepped out of the room leaving her with his words ringing in her mind.

Elvira ran down the hallway trampling on her cloak. She fell to the ground out of breath. She stopped to look over her shoulder, wondering where he was. The wound on her forehead had already healed but the blood was all over her hands. He was going to kill her. She had to escape no matter what it took.

She could sense his presence but where was he?

'Elvira, Elvira, Elviiiiraaaaa' Cole's voice resonated through the manor in a sing song voice.

Elvira gasped in horror, this was her price for showing up at the Valerian manor. From the minute he got back from the manor, he'd been chasing her all over the manor with the Claw dagger. The only thing that could kill her.

Cole knew she was hiding something from him.

'I only want to talk, sister' She heard him say.

Yes, torture the truth out of her that is?

She rushed towards the main foyer heading for the entrance. Just a little further and she was going to be free.

Cole suddenly appeared before her abruptly stabbing her in the shoulder.

Elvira groaned in pain quickly stepping away from him. She placed a hand on her wound to stop the bleeding. Unable to heal, she fell to her feet her eyes wide with horror. She was going to die again, wasn't she?

She felt him slowly raise her chin to meet his eyes.

'You know I could just end this misery. Just tell me why you went there. And don't even think of lying to me, you know I would know if you try to?' he warned her.

'To what end?' Elvira whispered.

'Wrong answer, sister' He abruptly pulled the dagger from her shoulder.

Elvira groaned in pain with tears running down her face.

'Let's try this again, shall we? Why were you at the Valerian manor?' Cole grabbed her face in his palm.

'I went to see her' Elvira muttered.

'And by her you mean?' he inquired digging his thumb into her wound. Elvira screamed in pain.

'Eloise!' she yelled.

Cole the smile on his face disappeared.

'She died…you said she died' he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

His mind went back to the red haired, Lady Valerian.

He remembered the look in her eyes. Pure terror.

He was no daemon but from the shock in her eyes, and the rate of her heartbeat. Anyone could tell?

Elvira laughing to herself disrupted his thoughts.

'What's funny?' he muttered in an annoyed tone.

'I told you she died but I never told you, she could time leap. What are you going to do now, brother?' Cole moved towards her angrily ready to silence her.

Besides, he could bring her back. But just as a lesson for misleading him, he would bury her for more than a century this time.

'Expelis luminous!' Elvira chanted with a sudden glow of light blinding Cole.

He fell to his knees groaning in pain. Elvira staggered towards the door as quickly as she could.

Cole's sudden horrid laughter made her stop in her tracks.

He slowly looked up at her, his eyes a pale shade of grey, from the spell she just cast. It was going to blind him for a few hours but it was temporary.

'There's nowhere you go, I can't find, V. You can run but you can never hide! You hear me!' He yelled bursting into that horrid laughter again.

Elvira raced through the doors outside the manor. The sound of Cole's terrible laughter echoed from behind. She was going to disappear far away from him and this time, for good.