Velvet of Desire

A week went by since Connor's arrival in Louth, Ireland. She was loving the scenery, and loving the community. She felt happier here than she had all her life. She felt at home.

She stood outside on the porch, watching the sun come up when Henrich joined her. Connor smiled. “Henri, do you feel like you've found what you've been looking for?”

Henrich raised a brow. “Was I ever looking for something dear?”

Connor looked over at him. “Aren't we all looking for something?” She countered and Henrich looked out at the horizon and sighed.

“We are. I've found peace. I've found someone to share some happy memories with. I've been here a week and I've been treated better here than I have ever been treated. Boston is a crude place and I've come to realize that I was never meant for the city,”Henrich said and looked back out on the horizon. The glow made him feel warm inside. Just like Aedan. Aedan was the glow that he was looking for.

Connor nodded and gazed out at the horizon. She was thinking about her family. She was thinking about her studies back in Boston. Her other friends, and her apartment that she still had a lease for.

She had to make a lot of decisions and she wasn't sure which way to go. She felt trap in an in-between world. She was happy here in Ireland but she needed to go back to Boston because that's where her home was. She had to finish school and she couldn't leave her life.

She had wished so many times that she could run away from her life. Her life was always in a rut. If it wasn't for her Gran, she would of probably stepped in front of a bus a long time ago.

Henrich elbowed Connor lightly in her arm. “Why don't we stay?”

Connor looked over at him with tears in her eyes. “I can't Henri. I just can't. My life is in Boston. I have school, and commitments that I just can't walk out on.”

Henrich sighed. “Transfer. I'm sure there's a good school here. You can continue your studies here, and I'm sure the apartment complex would understand.”

Connor shook her head. “But Peter...”

Henrich had forgotten about him. He got pale. “He won't hurt you Connor. He won't be able to find you. I'm here, Lucien and your cousins won't allow him to come near you.”

Connor looked at Henrich. “Henri, I'm not afraid of him. I had been with him for years. I know I should of said this sooner...”

Henrich shook his head. “No. I don't want to hear those words come out of your mouth. Don't say them. I don't think I could bear it.”

“I am though. I didn't know until two days ago,” she sobbed.

Henrich felt nauseous. “Oh no...No Connor. I'm so sorry. I know you didn't want this. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Connor shook her head. “He told me he would wait. I wasn't really sure I wanted to still be with him. I just got sucked in. The beating made me afraid to leave and so I stayed. Three years Henri, and I just stayed. It took him raping me to leave him.”

Lucien had been standing in the doorway for most of that conversation. He felt a rage build up inside him. How could any man lay a hand on a woman. How could any man steal an innocence away.

Connor sobbed into Henrich's arms. Henrich knew that Lucien was standing there, but was certain that Connor didn't know. He looked up at Lucien and Lucien walked back inside.

Henrich kissed the top of her head. “Connor. Let's go inside. Let's get you cleaned up.”

Connor nodded and followed Henrich inside. She felt sick. She had to tell Peter. Had to tell him what he had done. Once they had made it to her bedroom she ran the rest of the way to the bathroom and threw up.

Henrich held her hair back and Lucien came into the bathroom. “Connor? Are you okay? Are you ill?”

Connor wiped her mouth with a tissue and stood up. She wobbled a little bit and looked up at Lucien. Her face was pale and full of sweat. “I'm fine. It'll pass over. Can you head to the barn and check on the horses? I'll be there shortly.”

Lucien nodded and left her to Henrich. He wanted to find the son of a bitch that did this to Connor. Lucien had never felt this angry before. He knew that Abigail rolled over in her grave and knew that if she were alive today, she would hunt him down and tell him exactly how it is. He recalled Abigail speaking briefly about Peter. He knew that she didn't like him, and thought that he was abusing Connor, but when she asked Connor about it she would only laugh and tell her that she was silly. Lucien clenched his fist and struck the barn wall. It relieved a little bit of the anger that was building up. He only wished that the barn wall was Peter's face.

Henrich eased Connor down on the bed. “Peter doesn't have to know. You don't want to go back to that. You don't want to put this baby's life in danger.”

Connor cried harder. “I don't want this baby.”

Henrich shook his head. “Connor you don't mean that. You love children. We'll work through this. Just stay here in Ireland. Take a year off from school. Have the baby. Connie and Eibhleann can help you. Trust me dear. Please.”

Connor looked at him. She put a hand to her stomach. “Will you stay too?”

Henrich nodded. “I will. I already set up an account here and transferred my funds. I had Aedan write a letter for me to officially become a citizen in Louth. He said it wouldn't take long for an answer.”

Connor smiled and sniffed.“So you were going to try and convince me anyways?”

“Of course silly. I wouldn't let my best friend leave a place that she was most happy in. I love you sweetie. I'm never leaving you behind," he drew her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

Henrich gave her shoulders a light rub. “Now come on. Let's get down to the stables and help pony boy out with the horses.”

Connor laughed and and followed Henrich to the stables. Lucien was saddling up Ginseng and Spitfire. Apollo was already saddled up and ready to go. She frowned. “I could have saddled him myself.”

Lucien nodded. “I know but I thought I would try and be nice for a day.”

She noticed that he wasn't very happy this morning. “Sorry for worrying you earlier. It was just a little spell. It's over. I feel fine now. Please don't worry.”

Henrich smiled. “Trust me. She doesn't like worry. It's best that you just listen to her.”

Lucien nodded and swung up on Spitfire. “Alright. Will do. Now let's get some riding in before lunch.”

Connor nodded and bounded up on Apollo in one swift move. Lucien watched her pale and lose consciousness. He hopped down off of Spitfire quicker than Henrich could reach her. She fell into Lucien's arms and Henrich came over in a panic.

“Let's get her back to the house,” Lucien hurried to the house with her in his arms. “Hang in there Connor...”

Henrich was getting his cellphone out to call Connie to see what they should do. Connor started shivering and moaning softly. Lucien felt a twinge of fear creep up his back. He wasn't sure what was wrong, and didn't know what to do.