Dragon Dust

No Where To Hide

It was a few hours into morning and Dorian and Bianca still slumbered in each other's arms. It was overcast outside over the castle and Vitale City. Dorian slowly opened his eyes. He realized where he was and who was in his arms. For some reason he could only vaguely remember what happened the night before. He knew Bianca came to his room. They flirted, they kissed for the first time, and then blank. He began to sit up with an ache in his neck and an almost throbbing in his head. He looked down at the beautiful woman in his bed. Dorian hesitantly reached down and stroked her hair. She turned her head and opened her eyes. Dorian's stomach dropped. What if she couldn't remember? Then she smiled and reached up at him. She touched his face lightly. Dorian felt a wave of relief.

"Good morning my Prince," she said. It was true. She was his. Dorian grinned, wrapped his arms around her and began to attack her with kisses. Bianca giggled and fought for air.

"Dorian! Let me breathe!" she chuckled. He stopped kissing her, but didn't let go. Bianca laughed some more.

"So you spoke the truth ... you do love me," Bianca said. He gazed at her for a moment and then smiled softly.

"That's one thing I can't keep a secret," he said. Bianca was then disheartened at the thought of his darkest secret and that single one she did not know. Dorian saw this in her face. He knew what was coming. He thought of how he could get around it again. Dorian rolled onto his back and looked up at that ceiling. Then he recalled the potion he drank and how sick it had made him.

"Dorian?" Bianca said. He turned his head to her. There was a lost and worried look in his face.

"Yes?" he replied.

"Are you alright? Something seems wrong," she insisted. His voice was caught in his throat, unable to escape. She saw this and tried so hard to read him.

"I've just had a lot on my mind lately. It's nothing for you to worry about," he explained.

"This is about that dark secret of yours, isn't it?" Bianca accused. Dorian hesitated with his voice still caught in his throat.

"It scares you to death, whatever it is," she pointed out. Dorian could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks. Bianca could see right through him.

"I want to help you then," she declared quickly.

"You can't," he responded almost as quickly as she finished. Bianca was taken aback by his response. Dorian was becoming very uncomfortable now from his inability to keep his curse a secret from Bianca. She knew though, that if he loved her as much as he claimed he did, he would come around to talk to her about this secret of his.

"I love you Bianca," he said.

"And you'd be hopeless if I didn't love you!" Bianca snapped. Dorian still lay there gazing at her with that same lost and worried look in his face. However, flattered by her words. Then he admired her beauty for a while. Every moment from he night before came back to him. It made him overjoyed. 'Do not fret tomorrow when you wake. She will be safe in your arms again', the old gypsy woman's granddaughter's voice echoed in his mind. Dorian's heart became heavy. He was struck with fear. He'd completely forgotten. Something wicked was afoot and headed their way. Dorian violently sat up.

"No!" he gasped. Bianca sat up too and stroked his back.

"Dorian what is it?" she asked. This truly worried her. She could see he was near tears.

"Yesterday, an old gypsy woman found me and her granddaughter was one too! She read my palm!" he began to explain frantically.

"Yes ... and?" Bianca said, confused. Dorian got up on his knees in the bed and turned to her, holding her tightly in his grasp.