Once Upon A [Stolen] Time - [Stolen] Series I

CHAPTER 13

MYRA

APRIL 2015

"Here we are...finally." Steve dropped his knapsack on the bed and collapsed on the plush white double bed. I looked around the room and settled myself on the couch.

We had landed an hour ago in Casablanca after a flight from London of almost four hours. Steve had booked business-class seats, so we were not tired at all. In fact, we were all charged up. Julia joined us at the airport before we left; now, she had just checked into her room next to ours. The hotel was magnificent with its traditional architecture. Still, I was more drawn to the craziness of the city: the Atlantic coast, fertile land, giant palm trees, tropical weather, and how it had preserved its history for so many years.

"Where do I sleep?" I asked Steve. Tyler had already gone for a quick shower.

"It's up to you, baby!" He grinned. "We have only two rooms. You want to stay with Julia? Go ahead, or if you stay with us, we will have fun and watch movies." He winked at me.

"I don't want to ruin your fun." I pursed my lips. "I don't think Tyler would like me to invade your privacy." And I didn't want to know what kind of fun they intended. "I should probably bother Julia then." I rose from the couch, collecting my trolley bag.

"Come here," he ordered, beckoning me to join him.

I dropped the handle of my trolley bag and walked towards him.

"Sit." He patted the mattress. "You know we are friends, right?" I nodded quietly. "We never discussed Edward. Wanna talk about him and share?"

I was taken by surprise. "What do you want to know?"

"Anything! What was he like?"

"He looked just like King David," pondering, I drew his picture in my mind. "Same eyes, same face, a trimmed beard like David, dark blond hair down to his shoulders... like his doppelganger. But I wonder why he resembled David so strongly. He was descended from Andrew, wasn't he?"

"True," he agreed. "I'm not asking about his looks. Tell me something I don't know." I blushed, heat rising from my cheeks. "When you spoke to him, your body was completely different...unlike it usually is. I had a feeling he turned you on." How was Steve able to read my body? "I'm sure he must have fallen for your beauty."

"You think I'm beautiful?"

"Hey... I'm gay, but it doesn't mean I don't have an eye to appreciate the beauty in a woman." Smiling, he asked. "So tell me, how was he?"

My heart raced at his question. I desperately wanted to share my excitement with someone. "He was amazing, Steve." I rubbed my palm. "I felt his touch, saw the need for me in his eyes like he had been waiting for me for so long." With a heavy sigh, I continued, "he asked me what he looked like as if he had never seen himself."

"He hadn't, I guess. Remember, Julia told us that they were all cursed, and all they saw was a hideous beast instead of a reflection. Perhaps he spent his entire life wanting to know about his looks."

My heart and soul had taken a perverse turn after looking into Edward's eyes and seeing his need for me. I never knew I had a dark side in me until it had started lusting for Edward. Since meeting him, I have been unable to get him out of my mind.

"But when I called him David, he was devastatingly disappointed." I shook my head. "His eyes were so eloquent, Steve. His soul was pouring out from his eyes. He was depressed that I called him by someone else's name."

Steve was listening to me intently.

"Maybe he left because I didn't call his name. Our first meeting shouldn't have happened like that." I was as sad as I had caused Edward to be by calling him the wrong name.