Page 49 of The Beginning

Finally, I stood and faced Tobias.He was pale, his jaw set in a grim line."We need to get some of the Watchers here to clean this up," he said.

"See to it.I need to report this to the king" The weight of that responsibility settled on my shoulders like a lead cloak.How did you tell a king that one of his Watchers had been murdered by a creature that shouldn't have even been here?

Together, we left the grim dwelling.I put a sealing spell on the door, weaving the magic carefully to ensure no one could enter until we returned with a cleanup crew.Then Tobias and I portaled back to the manse.

When we arrived, we both took a moment to inhale deeply.I nodded at my lieutenant, and we left the room to our tasks.

One of my men stopped me as I walked through the mess hall.“Sir, you dropped this on the way,” he said, holding up Wenda's letter.

I looked at it, and for a brief moment, the world stopped.Then I looked up and around at the other men.Was there any chance they had read it?Not a chance, I thought.

“Toss it into the fire.I don't need it,” I said.

He turned and dropped it onto the flame.

I addressed my men."Gentlemen, I am sorry to report that there's been an attack.Corporal Logan Valemont is dead.Lieutenant Graystone has orders for you all.Excuse me, I must report this to the king."

The room erupted as I departed but Tobias reined them in.“Ready a team to cross over and collect our man.I need another team to gather the evidence from his fight.We'll need to clean his dwelling.We must be discreet.No one can know that he's been killed, or how.Not until the king advises disclosure.”

“Sir, yes sir!”their response echoed down the hall to my office as I conjured the king through the mirror to give him the bad news.

* * *

When the dream came, I stood before a window, taking in a view that looked like countless fireflies of every color imaginable.They glowed and twinkled in the wood, a strange and magical thing to behold.

I wore my former uniform of the King's Guard.My cape moved around my upper body as though floating as I turned.

I had to admit, I missed the cape.It lookedgood.

“Stay where you are!”a woman's voice shouted.

I whirled toward the voice to find the pink-haired woman I'd seen in my earlier dream, the one from the graveyard who had lost a finger.She was dressed in scanty clothing, which made me appreciate her figure in unexpected and… ratherfirmways.

She, however, didn't appreciate my appreciation because she swung a wooden club at me.I called out to her, but no sound came out of my mouth.

As the club swished by my face, her bare legs and pink hair dazzled me.She was really quite attractive, as my body insisted on reminding me.

When was the last time I’d looked at another woman in appreciation?There was something exciting about a woman willing to fight, to defend herself.I didn’t know any women like that.

This woman, who kept haunting my dreams, was fierce and determined.And beautiful.

Even if she was trying to remove my head from my shoulders.I couldn’t take my eyes from her body, the lines muscular shape of her legs, the curve of her hips, the slope her neck as it curved toward her face, her eyes… the rising of my manhood…

Not the time, Eamonn.

At least she hadn’t hit me.

I sat up in my bed, heart pounding, wanting, needing…

Needingher.

I reached for my hardening length, imagining I could know this woman.Picturing her pink hair brushing against my skin.

Pretending I was anywhere but here.