Pale Men and Crimson Cocktails

Corinne dreamed, strange dreams of flashing strobe lights, pulsating music...then it would flash to a serene and tranquil patio, with a pool. And a darkly tanned, muscular handsome man with a form-fitting white sweater...Gabe.
Then her dream immediately flashed to a grey brick, sprawling Victorian estate, nestled near a lake...and a man, dark, mysterious...she could not see his face, but she could feel his aura all around her. His voice...as rich as crushed velvet, what was he saying?

Garrard watched the young woman sleeping fitfully, she tossed and turned and moaned softly.

He stood for the longest time in the blackness, watching...observing. His piercing dark gray eyes never leaving Corinne's face. They glinted like polished metal.
How long he had waited.

Corinne woke with a start, there was someone who was just in this room...she sensed it. She looked around, her eyes tried to focus, but the room was extremely dark. She sniffed the air, why could she smell...dirt? It was the odor of freshing turned or tilled earth, that's strange...

Corinne jumped out of bed, still her eyes could not adjust to the darkness. She felt a frosty, chilled air surround her body. It was very cold in the room. She looked down...where did her 'ugly' comfortable Pajamas go? She was wearing a very revealing camisole, she could not walk around in this!

She looked around the room, it was sparsely furnished, it was her bed sheets, she recognized her quilt, but this was not her bedroom. Besides two ornate end tables, the only other object in the room was a gown hanging on a hook on the opposite wall.
Well, it was better than traipsing around half-naked...she walked gingerly across the room so she would not trip...it was so dark!

The gown fit perfectly! It was rather a bleak and...what was the word? Gothic, yes, that would describe the gown. Gothic...Corinne wrinkled her nose, 'never cared for that look, but what choice do I have?'
Corinne headed toward the door. Now to find out where she was...and how did she get here...

Corinne stepped outside her bedroom door, more darkness. A large hallway, lit by candelabras, some gold cherubs on tables. Again, Corinne scanned the area, should she go downstairs, or through the double doors and the end of the hall?
The quiet stillness was eerie, as were her surroundings...

She decided to go through the double doors. Another hallway, more darkness.
Finally, she saw some light coming through a set of French doors. As she approached, she saw a dark haired man standing very still in the room. She froze...his dark eyes were drawing her, luring her. Corinne's insides began to flutter. She suddenly felt a bewildered yearning.
He motioned her to enter...

Corinne was trembling, she was not sure why. She slowly approached the man, he was like no other man she had ever seen! He was a tall, forbidding man, handsome in both face and form.
He exuded a potent sensuousness, that seemed to ooze from every pore. A strange force, a dangerous power surrounded him.

"Good evening my dear. How lovely you look. Are you well rested?" The deep voice rumbled.
Extraordinary looking man, Corinne thought, And that voice! Dark crushed velvet, with a hint of an accent, European, perhaps.
There was a hint of dark stubble that seductively hugged the sculpted line of his jaw. His gaze made her feel disoriented, her pulse began to gallop.

A man silently entered the room, breaking her gaze and her disorientation. He went over to the huge fireplace, and leaned down to light the logs in the hearth.
Corinne tilted her head. Where had she seen this man before? Even from the back there was something familiar to her.

He turned to face her, why it was the man from the bar! Morpheus! There could be no mistake! Or was it? Her mind was a jumble, confusion reigned.

"Ah, there is my man now, Fix our guest a drink, she thirsts..." The cultured voice said.

Morpheus silently went over to the bar and began to prepare some drinks. Corinne was flabbergasted. The man showed no sign of recognition whatsoever. Her mind raced, what could she say?
Confusion had rendered her all but speechless.

Finally she said, "Please, I know this sounds crazy, but who are you? Where am I?" Corinne pleaded.

The man threw back his head and laughed, a rolling, deep rumble. "Corinne my dear, you never cease to amuse me! Fine, I am Viscount Adlucra, Garrard by name, but you know this."
"No..." Corinne said softly. "I don't..."
"Ahh, our guests have arrived!" Garrard said brightly.
Corinne looked around, no one had come through the French doors, what was he talking about?

In the far dark corner of the room, three men stepped out of the shadows. Corinne gasped aloud.
"How long I have been waiting for you to meet my family Corinne my dear, may I introduce Victor, my son? Standing next to him is his oldest son and my grandson, Vic. The young lad here is Garrard, Victor's youngest son, and my namesake."


Corinne looked from one to the other. "But...sons? Grandsons? They do not look much older than you! I do not understand..." Corinne's head began to pound, coffee...right. She needed coffee. A latte...something!

Garrard chuckled low in his throat.

Corinne walked over to a nearby table, there was a silver goblet with a drink in it. She went to reach for it, but the man Garrard stepped forward. "No my dear. That is not for you, I can have Morpheus fix you a drink directly. First, come sit with me on the chesterfield my dear."
So it WAS Morpheus! It had to be the same man who was tending bar in that club! That club that seemingly disappeared into thin air!
Corinne sniffed the air, the thick, crimson drink was emitting a copper-metallic odor.

She followed Garrard to the sofa. Corinne stared at Morpheus, if she was confused before, now she was more so. She had no idea why she was here, and why the unknown contents of some phantom letter was nagging her incessantly. Her head was starting to throb, a quiet, rhythmic pounding.

Garrard moved in close to Corinne, putting his arm around her. She gasped aloud, his touch was sending waves of ecstasy through her body. He pulled her closer, so that she was making contact with him, his muscular thighs pressed against her side.
He reached over and took her hand. It was if a jolt of electricity raced up her arm. She shuddered, desire was flooding her, where was that coming from?
She did not know this man, regardless of how he acted as if they knew each other! In spite of herself, she began to smile, she was enjoying this closeness...thoroughly and completely.

The man he introduced as his son walked over, Garrard pulled away from Corinne.
"Father, I wonder if I may have a private word?" Victor said in a hushed tone. The man's voice was a deep and gravelly as his father's.
Corinne shook her head. No, this man could not be his son, they looked the same age!!
"Will you excuse me, my dear?" Garrard said softly.

Corinne got up and walked over to the bar.
"I believe I know what drink you would prefer Corinne." Morpheus said in a sing-song melodic voice, almost mockingly. His moon coloured eyes glittered in the starlight that washed over him from the nearby window.
He swiftly reached from under the bar and produced a pitcher.
He shook it. "You remember the 'Delirium' Corinne?"

"I...I will just have water." Corinne whispered.

Morpheus glanced over at Garrard, he was deep in conversation with his son.
He poured out the thick red concoction into some crystal tumblers.
"Nonsense, you do not desire water. You desire adventure, fantasy...romance." Morpheus said in a quiet, seductive tone.

The drinks were poured. She looked down at the crimson cocktail. Her hand slowly reached for it, then she quickly pulled her arm back.
"Afraid? I thought you wished to escape your humdrum life? Live out your fantasies?" Morpheus hissed. "Take it, and drink deeply."

Corinne reached for the drink, her hand shaking slightly. Walking over by the window, she raised the glass to her quivering lips.
The other men seemed to close in around her, watching her. Only Morpheus did not look at her, he just smiled, a small, satisfied grin.
Outside, a wolf howled mournfully at the moon...

Blackness enveloped her, that horrid feeling she was tumbling, drifting. The men's voices were fading, like she was traveling at a high speed through a long tunnel...everything was swirling....

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