MESMERIZED

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Lord Thorn left Dragonwood mansion as Dante had demanded. He was heading home on the road connecting the two estates. He pondered on how to get Rose out of Dragonwood. Christopher was so distracted by his thoughts. He never even heard the carriage coming down the road behind him.

"WHOA!..." the carriage driver pulled the brake and called for the stallions to halt. Jackson was troubled by the actions of others in the last few hours. He looked down from the driver's seat at The Lord, "What has gotten into you, Christopher Thorn? I just got thrown out on my backside without provocation by Dante."

"He was screaming something about you violating his daughter in the garden. Kane was laughing his ass off and told The Count something to the effect of I told you so. What did you do to Rose? Please, let me in on what is possessing you!" Jackson was beyond exasperated with The Lord.

Christopher climbed into the driver's box of the carriage next to Jackson and sighed. It suddenly dawned on him that his friend was not struggling with his bad leg. He could also see Lord Thorn's attention was being diverted by something; the man's mind was entirely elsewhere. The Lord acted as if he heard nothing that Jackson had asked him.

"I need to get Rose away from Dragonwood. It won't take Dante long until he ruins her like Giselle." Christopher was only concerned with Rose's safety.

"Milord, please start over and explain why Dante is acting like a lunatic. What did you do to Rose this evening?" Jackson pressed for the answer. He waited to see if his friend would acknowledge him.

"Hmm...." Lord Thorn hummed at Jackson's words as he came out of his reverie. He had been deep in thought about Rose's current quandary.

"Oh… sorry, Jackson. Christopher explained. The garden behind the Conservatory is where I followed Rose. I wanted to finish our conversation from dinner. You see, Rose is very conflicted over some things with Dante and Giselle. I only have part of the story. Rose's beauty was so tempting I got distracted and never got the information. When I tried to touch her face, she kicked the hell out of my bad leg. Rose saw how much agony I was in, and she cured my wounded thigh."

"We had a short pleasant conversation at dinner, and you are right. Jackson, Rose is a healer and life-giver. She has the gift to mend and restore those who are injured and sick. Another stunner is Rose is also telepathic. She is of moral character. After she repaired my injury, I hugged her, and Dante walked up. That is all Dante saw, and he is making a stir over nothing."

After Christopher finished his story, Jackson whistled and tapped the reins for the horses to move the carriage forward.

"You don't say? But what is up with you and this strange behavior?" Jackson gave Christopher a sideways glance as the team pulled them out of Dragonwood.

"Jackson, I have felt Rose's presence invading my soul since the night we found her in the tomb. I liken it to gravity pulling an apple to the ground. In the beginning, it started as a curiosity about Rose. My curiousness turned to fascination. After that, I felt a burning desire for her growing and branching out inside me."

"It has now turned into something more. After holding Rose in my arms tonight, my desire has bloomed into pure love. I want to hold, protect, and make her mine alone. It drives me crazy to hear another man speak Rose's name or reference anything about her. The very thought of it sends me into a jealous frenzy. There is little to nothing I know about Rose, but I wish to keep her next to me. It's weird, and I still can't explain it." Christopher said to his friend and stable master.

"There has to be an explanation for all this. I thought you would lose it tonight before dinner. You really had me concerned. Christopher, I think you should get your emotions in check before someone gets hurt." Jackson pulled the collar up on his coat. It was cold, and the wind was picking up. The two friends returned to the Thorn estate, and Christopher helped Jackson stable the horses.

"I have asked Rose to come to the conservatory if she can get away from the Count. If you see her, Jackson, let her be. Better yet, bring her to me. I have to speak with Cedric, too. He needs to inform the guards to let her pass unimpeded." Lord Thorn was making plans to meet with Rose.

The lovely woman he had held in his arms kept him mesmerized. He took out a cigar and struck the match on the side of the stable, lighting the tobacco. Lord Thorn took a long drag and blew the smoke into the night air, watching it rise to the heavens. Jackson watched The Lord get lost in his thoughts again.

"Are you sure about this? I wonder if your assessment of Rose is clouded by avarice. Christopher, Don't you think you are taking a significant risk in dealing with an unknown entity like her? Are you confident Rose will not turn and harm you or the others on the estate?"

Jackson had many worries about the current state of things. He had been with The Lord for many years, and they both had experience dealing with deceitful demons. Jackson was still tense about Christopher's odd demeanor, and that Rose might have bewitched him.

"I know what you're thinking, and no, I'm not under a siren's spell. I'm telling you, my heart is speaking loud and clear to love and defend Rose with my entire being."

"When I stole Lilith from Adam in the Garden of Eden, I didn't feel this much passion. Have you ever been truly in love with someone, Jackson? If you have, then magnify that love by a billion; that is how I feel about Rose."

"The urge to be with her makes me lose all self-control." Christopher wanted to get Jackson to understand he was not nuts or going mad. He was a man in the desperate throws of love.

"To answer the rest of your question, there are good and bad people in this world. We all understand that concept."

"So, now take that same notion, and you see that there are also good and bad demons and the same with angels. I'm a prime example of what I describe. I'm a good angel who does terrible things."

"God sent me here to find sinners, pass judgment on them and deliver justice by death. So why can it not be the same for Rose? She's a demon who heals others without question but takes the lifeblood of people to survive. Since she has been here, Rose has only taken blood from wrongdoers." Christopher puffed on his cigar, waiting for Jackson to say something.

"Milord, whatever you decide, I will go along with it. However, I must caution you to go slow. I know you, Christopher, and your passion sometimes overruns your common sense. That's all I wanted to say. Now, the time is late, and I have a heavy workload tomorrow. They are bringing hay in for the horses. We will unload wagons all day. I'm going to get rested." Jackson trusted Christopher. He was an intelligent man who made sound decisions. Jackson had no reason to doubt Lord Thorn. He would back The Lord in any determination he made about Rose.

"Have a good rest, my friend. Thank you for your support and hard work. Jackson Taylor, I never tell you this enough. You're a good friend." Christopher crushed the half-smoked cigar into the dirt and wandered back to the main house to speak with the captain of the guard.

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