13. Osiris

13

OSIRIS

O siris sat across from Eleanor, interlacing his hands in front of him as he held her gaze. He did not know everything about human women; however, she was making the same face that Eddy would make when he was first learning to garden and harvested the wrong plants. Her brows were pinched together, and her eyes narrowed at him, hardly showing any signs of intimidation.

Even though Osiris was the one who asked to talk, sitting this close to her was causing his heart to beat erratically. His senses practically bathing in her vanilla scent that had been slowly mixing with his own.

Am I allergic to her scent?

Eleanor cleared her throat and his eyes lifted to hers. “I apologize, I was lost in thought. Please, speak freely. Anything you wish to know, I will answer.”

Eleanor nodded her head, her brows seeming to relax slightly as her muscled appeared less tense.

“What are you?” she asked, dropping her gaze to look up and down his form, her eyes lingering where his neck ended.

“I am a Dullahan.”

“Why do you have… shadows?”

“I do not know-”

Eleanor leaned forward slightly. “You said you would answer all of my questions without lying.”

“I am not lying, Eleanor. It was so long ago; I have no memory of what might have once existed or how I came to have my shadows. Perhaps I was born with them.”

She searched his gaze for any hint of deception before moving onto the next question. “Where are we?”

Osiris sighed. “We are in an enclave within the Evermore Forest. It is hidden away with the magic from one of our witches. It is not impossible to find, but” he continued, gesturing his hand in circles in front of him, “it is hard to find unless you know what you are looking for.”

“So why can’t I leave?”

“We are surrounded by other beings; it is not safe. They could spot you.”

“Beings?” she asked, tilting her head slightly. “Like that other man? I saw his elongated canines, is he a… vampire? Would he suck my blood if he found me?”

“Suck your - no , no, not at all,” he answered, shaking his head, “and yes, Elias is a vampire. Vampires are part of the group of beings that live in the enclave. As am I, and many others. Your kind calls us monsters, yet we have never done anything to deserve such a title.”

Eleanor’s shoulders sagged as she played with the end of the poker. “Will they hurt me if they find me?”

“No.”

She looked up from her weapon, her eyes wide and pleading. “Then why can’t I leave?”

Osiris held her worried gaze, wanting to offer her any comfort he could, but how was he to do that? “You have it backwards, the beings are not to be feared, they are fearful. This place,” he explained, gesturing to the area around them, “is safe. If they see you, they might all try to flee. But where would they go?”

“Will you hurt me?” she asked, her voice seeming more timid than before.

Osiris shook his head. “Never.”

His gaze lingered on her, then down to the weapon she held, to his surprise, loosely in her hand. He could take it from her if he wanted to. But he didn’t. He wanted her to discard it herself. He wanted her to trust him.

Taking a breath, he steeled himself. “I wish to make you an offer.”

Eleanor did not answer. Instead, she watched him as if she were calculating his every movement.

“Stay here until my next harvest. It will be in thirty days,” he said slowly. “If I leave with you now, the beings will ask questions. I hardly leave unless it is to dispose of my harvest or gather more seeds. I will not be able to sneak you out until then. If you can wait, I will provide a horse and a way to wherever it is you are going, seeing as the closest town on the other end of the forest would be at least ten days on foot.”

Her eyes narrowed with determination. “And if I decide to just leave, will you stop me?”

Would he stop her? He could. He was more than capable. But what would that make him in her mind? He would only be furthering her beliefs of him.

Osiris shook his head. “No, however, I do not believe you are one to knowingly cause distress among those who mean no harm.”

“And what would you want from me?”

Osiris tilted his head quizzically. “Want from you?”

“Nothing is free,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Every man wants something. Money? I have none. A maid? I can’t even leave the house; I do not wish to be stuck inside cleaning it. Or…” her voice trailed off.

“Or?” he asked.

“Pleasure.”

“Pleasure?” Men wanted pleasure? It seemed like an odd expression. Didn’t everyone enjoy pleasurable things? Osiris had many pleasures. Gardening, reading, brushing Shadow. They are all things that brought pleasure to his life. That seemed like a fair bargain if she felt as though she had to offer something.

Osiris nodded his head, smiling softly. “Yes, I will take pleasure if you are offering.”

Eleanor’s eyes widened as her face took on a soft pink that he had never seen on anyone, her scent thickened in the air and he found himself reveling in it. Before he could ask why both of these things had changed, she shot up from her seat and brandished her poker at his heart, her expression changing to that of a wild boar.

Osiris’ shadows came out to shield himself, but he did not touch her.

“You pig!”

“I am aDullahan, Eleanor, not a boar, why are you-”

“If you touch a hair on my head, I will chop it off!”

“Chop it off?” he repeated as his flames brightened, he had never felt so lost during a conversation before. “Chop what off? There is no need for threats of violence, Eleanor. I am only taking you up on your offer of pleasure! Still, if you feel neglected in this bargain, I can offer you pleasure as well—” Osiris’ shadows blocked her poker as she swung it at him again.

“Men!” she snapped, “you are all the same!”

Eleanor turned and walked away from him, moving to the other side of the house. He watched, still tense from her attack.

Were homicidal tendencies normal with human women?

Eleanor spun around to face him once more, standing in front of the bed, swinging her poker side to side while pointing it at the ground.

“This,” she began, “is my side. That,” she said, pointing to the opposite end of his cabin, “is your side. Do not cross this line.”

Osiris didn’t understand her. He understood her less than he understood Eddy when they first met. Eddy was never violent towards him. Did he say something wrong? Were human men not meant to seek pleasure? He shook his head. He would have to ask Elias.

For a being, he had spent many years around humans. Perhaps he will know.

Osiris pulled his shadows back and nodded his head slowly, placing his hand over his heart. “You have my word, Eleanor ,” he said with as much commitment as he could.

Eleanor’s face once again turned pink as her scent wafted through the air, taking on a sweeter tone. If somehow possible, her face looked even angrier as he said her name, and she turned on her heel marching to the bed before throwing herself on it.

Osiris remained on the sofa, sitting in his own bewilderment.?

What did I do wrong?