He was overtaken by the urge to show her that she holds his heart… but how?
Letting his eyes fall from the moon, he looked over the open field.
Suddenly, his fire sparked and brightened as he turned to Elias who was leaving his property.
“Wait,” Osiris called out, causing Elias to come to a halt and turn back around, “I must ask something of you.”
23
ELEANOR
Eleanor opened the door as she stepped out of the cottage, a watering pail hanging form her arm. The water sloshed around with each step.
The cold kiss of the day’s air on her skin caused her stomach to drop.
Less than eighteen days left of their deal.
The corners of her mouth lifted as she laughed softly.
Who would have thought that the niece of James Carver would be entertaining the idea of running off with the Headless Horseman.
When Osiris returned, she would be sure to tell him—
“Human,” came a voice, Elias’ grating voice, and as Eleanor turned her head to look up at the tree behind her, there he was. Sitting on one of the large branches and smirking like a cunning bastard. “Where are you going?”
Eleanor clenched her jaw. She wanted the freedom to be outdoors, but not like this. Not with him. She wanted this with Osiris. Yet, where was he? All night she had tossed and turned about what she had said to him.
What if she had upset him? What if he did not want her here? She did not know when exactly it had happened, but in the few days she had spent with Osiris, she had truly come to care for him. He had listened to her,reallylistened. Even when he insisted she stayed inside it was only for her safety and that of the other beings, and when she told him she needed more freedom, he had agreed to compromise.
She had never experienced such care before, hadn’t thought it possible. It went against all she thought she knew.
‘Money. Power. Control. All men are the same. And even this man, Osiris, who knows nothing of me, wants to tell me what to do and where to go.’
Remembering her thoughts from only days prior, Eleanor had to admit to herself that she had misjudged Osiris. She had come to trust him, and the thought that she may have upset him filled her with guilt. She needed to clear things up with him. She had planned to speak with him when she awoke but instead of being greeted by the sight of Osiris tending to his garden, Elias was there.
“To the garden. Right in front of you. To water the plants,” she muttered, stopping at the edge of the grass as she lifted the pail and let some of the water fall atop the fever few. “You do not need to ask me that every time I take a step outside.”
Elias barked a laugh. “Well, you are probably correct. Still, he asked me to make sure you were safe while he went to the market so that you could enjoy the outdoors.”
“I know,” Eleanor grit out, refusing to turn back to him as she focused on tending to the garden.
“He cares very much for you, you know?”
Reflexively, Eleanor looked back at the vampire, her eyebrows furrowed together.
“And what about you?” Elias mused. “Do you care for him?”
Setting the watering pail down with a sigh, she crossed her arms over her chest as she turned to face him. “Why do you care?”
Elias shrugged his shoulders. “I am curious. You are human, but you are not scared of him?”
“No,” Eleanor shook her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I was at first, but, once I got to know him, I realized how gentle he is.”
Elias looked at her with a pensive expression. “Are there other humans like you? Ones who would not be scared if they spoke to us? Preferably ones who would not squawk so much or have hearts that beat so loud.”
Eleanor scoffed, looking away before she found his gaze once more. “Well with that attitude I hardly doubt any woman, human or being, would like to spend much of any time speaking with you. And I amsosorry,” she dragged on, placing one hand on her hip, “if mysquawkingwas too loud. Perhaps, if a vampire didn’t barge in out of nowhere, I wouldn’t have been so startled.”
“Hm,” Elias hummed, the corners of his mouth pulling back to reveal his fangs. “Yes, I think I also want a human woman. Though, mayhap a pet that is more delicate, a woman that is more comely and less viol—” Elias dogged as Eleanor’s watering pail went flying through the air, nearly hitting him straight in the head.
