As the Duke placed me in a big old chair by the fire, he disappeared through the door he brought me from. Its was a cozy room with one bed and adjoin fireplace and two big leather chairs, the building itself was new, I guess; only two ghosts in the hallway.

Benjamin entered the room and sat next to me by the fire, he acted usually, like I was supposed to be there; the Duke rushed in with a bowl of, what I could see as soup, a piece of bread and a dark amber-colored liquid. He placed the items in my lap and then proceeded to sit on the floor for the only chairs were the two in the small room. I stood my feet to offer my chair as a sign of respect.

“My Lord, please” I gesture to my chair as I tried to balance all the items in my small hands.

“No” he shook his head “here, we are equal; just call me William and please do eat. You are shaken up by the events that have past"

For a moment, my thoughts of him shifted until he utters those words, oh but it gets worse.

“Amazes me” he whispered to Benjamin “how weak the female mind is"

“trust me, William; I am not weak," I said standing up and walking to the door. Before my hand could reach the handle, I heard a soft throat clearing; as I turned I was faced with the Dukes back as he stood at the fire.

“I wouldn’t leave, if I were you," he said not even bothering to look at me. “A bar full of drunk men with wandering eyes and indiscreet hands, a fair lady with golden hair, golden eyes and rich honey-colored skin will be an easy and yet most exotic target to tasted" his voice fell deep with every words as if he spoke to seduce.

“I walk with entities, Duke Evermore; a few drunks will be bugs under my shoes," I said as I was about to turn.

“Please, Ms. Melantha, at least finish your food, the brandy will help with the cold and the shock," Benjamin said politely as he bows his head at me.

“Ok" I whispered as I moved back to my chair, cozied up and began to eat. We ate in silence until I realized something “I thought my-, I mean Lady Evans is more the gracious host then this” I corrected myself before they could find out that she was actually my step-mother “or did you get the room just for me…really you shouldn’t have" I was about to get up to leave when the Duke gave me a death glare and I suck back into the chair.

“We didn’t, I got this place for myself. If I wanted to get a place for you, it would be the Nunnery down the street not a bar of drunks. It would be less trouble keeping you safe there than here" he said still not acknowledging my presence.

“I can take care of myself" he started laughing in a condescending way.

“Please….” He shook his head and started impersonating me “if you have any sense of humanity, you get me away from here...so dramatic” he laughed wholeheartedly

“You-" I was about to to to to to defend myself when Benjamin said

“Please stop” he hissed through his teeth as he gave us both a death glare. Silence graced our presence again“why did you run from the party?” He looked at me.

“I had a small run-in with fear but now I can fix this," I said as I started eating again “after I eat this though” I smiled at Benjamin as the Duke rolled his eyes.

“Fix what exactly?” the Duke turned around and looked at me.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you," I said with attitude.

“What happened?” Benjamin asked me and I saw complete trust in his eyes.

“Sir Richardson” for some reason Benjamin tensed up but the Duke looked at me bored. “Sir Richardson has had three wives in one year and all of them dead mysterious” I waved my fingers in the air magical as they stared at each other in confusion “or he bribed the authorities so that they would keep their traps shut about him beating the one and cutting the second then he said his she was hysterical and some nights he couldn’t control her" I sipped the brandy and cringed at its strong taste “he even played the ‘I don’t want to put her in a mental asylum because I love her so much' ugh" I crossed my arms

“But you said three wives" the Duke held out his hand. “What happened to the third wife"

“Oh she died in her sleep," I said taking again sip as it warmed my insides.

“Not unusual," Benjamin said looking at me as the Duke nodded.

“you could say that” I smiled as I swirled the drink around in my glass.

“What makes you think she didn’t?” He stood to his feet “the records of the case state it, no harm was done to the body"

“True,” I said looking up at him “the only problem is” I paused for effects “I didn’t know the dead could scream.” Benjamin gasped as the Duke walked to the only window in the room and looked out of it.

“you’re saying she was buried alive" he was still facing the window when he said those words.

“Yes" I looked at him then I realized “what do you mean by ‘the records of the case'”

“we-" Benjamin was about to speak when he was interrupted by the Duke

“None of your business, Miss Melantha” he finally turned and looked at me “now tell me how do you know all this"

“Even if I told you-" he cut me off again.

“I would never believe, I know” crossed his arms and exhaled “try us” I raised my eyebrow. “fine, try Ben" he gestured to him.

“Before the party, I was visited by three ghostly figure; in chains. Women, one of the woman’s face was beaten in, I couldn’t recognize her, then other one had cuts on her wrist and ankles, her wounds were still open and blood rained out and the third nails were gone as if she had tried to scratch her way out and her mouth was wide open by a silent scream"

“You saw that you must have been frightened” Benjamin whispered

“I have seen worse" we sat in silence for a moment “I should get going," I said getting up from the big comfortable chair.

“No, it’s too late" the Duke whispered as he turned back to the window. “I don’t trust the streets now" I moved next to him, to look out into the streets below and all I saw was darkness, not of the night but dark shadows running up and down. I looked to the moon and realized why.

“You are right, no one should leave tonight" I whispered moving back to the chair.

“Take the bed, we will sleep on the couches" the Duke pulled out some blankets from the cardboard.

“I think I should get back," Benjamin said trying to sound calm

“She is fine, she knows what out there now; don’t worry" I gave him a reassuring smile as I thought of a way to get my corset off with them in the room.

I don’t know if the Duke saw the condition I was in or did he sense it because his back was turned when he uttered these words.

“We won’t look, Miss Melantha; even though we have seen it all. You can trust us" he deep velvety voice seems to caress my ears.

“Yes, we will our backs turned; Mel" Benjamin smiled at me as they turned give me some private as I smiled at him using my nickname.

I pulled the scarf off and proceeded to wrap it around my head since my corset opened in the front; I undid it, letting it fall to my side as I pulled down my pegged pants. My shirt just came mid-thigh as I quickly jumped into bed.

“I am done" I whispered moving blanket up to my chin.

I watched them both pulled the blanket over themselves as they tried to fold their long limbs into the chair. Once the bushel of trying to find a comfortable position ended, silence fell around the room and not too long after sleep took me.

….

I woke up to soft mumbles, the room was still pitch black but I could recognize were the two voices were coming from.

“Ben, you trust this girl” I heard the Duke shout whisper.

“Yes, what she described was only stated in the autopsy report; I think she is the real deal" Benjamin argued back.

“Ha, you only think so because you are hang up on the chef" I heard movement, probably the Duke pacing the floor.

“Then explain, how she knows what happened,” Benjamin said back with attitude

“She didn’t tell us what happened, she told the condition of the victims which she could have found out like us and buried alive; that can’t be true" He fired back.

“then maybe we should ask her how she thought they died. Get a read on that" Benjamin whispered softly.

“That could work but I am convinced she is working for someone, maybe even him” I heard the Duke fall into one of the chairs.

“Please try to not be so judgmental” I heard Benjamin snuggle into the blankets

“I am not judgemental, she drives me crazy; I don’t know what to make of her. I can’t even observe her" I heard some fall.

“What? You mean you don’t know anything from her" Benjamin said as I heard him sitting up.

“Yes, well, I know she is Lord Evans, daughter, that she gets her genetic mutation from her grandmother, I know she bites her fingernails, that she spends too much time in those woods with a cannabis smoker and that’s she from New Orleans because of her sweet honey-like accent and what brought her here but why she is here? Or why she stays? Or how she got here is a mystery to me and it’s working on my senses. That’s the reason we are in this case. I need a distraction” I heard Benjamin beginning to chuckle

“What?” the Duke hissed back

“Nothing, Will, nothing"

That was the last words spoken amidst the two until silence settle again and before I could even think about what they were saying. I fell into a deep sleep.

I stood in the middle of a farm, the colors were there but dull versions of themselves; to my right was fields of corn and on my left was a field of wheat. I walked to an old farmhouse that appeared at the end of a dirt road, I got onto the porch when a soft song came to my ear; I couldn’t recognize it. I walked into the good-sized house, in the first room was a man sat with his head in hands, distressed while a middle-aged woman sat wrapped in a scarf by the window. As I ventured further into another room, I saw a young man asleep on the chair he was in and a very sickly girl in a bed; her skin was pale as a ghosted, her hair was matted against her forehead and her eyes hollow from malnutrition.

“Ethan” she whispered over and over again. I was just about to touch her when I pull out of the dream liked a wind suck me out.

I opened my eyes to see the Duke at my side, leaning over me and Benjamin standing at the fireplace with a look of concern and frightened. I stared at them for a while before the Duke broke the silence.

“If you were such a deep sleeper, you could’ve warned us" he huffed moving away from me.

“I wasn’t asleep," I said sitting up in the bed, crossing my legs.

“I told you” Benjamin sneered at the Duke. “Whatever you were doing, it's protected you; I couldn’t get close"

“how did he?” I pointed at the Duke and he crossed his arms.

“Maybe whatever is around you, trust him more," Benjamin said again.

The Duke seemed to ignore our conversation because he marched over to the table, which I now realized had packages on it; he through me a brown wig and said:

“Put that on, we are going to see Sir Richardson” he was about to walk out when I interrupted me.

“Why?” I said hold the itchy looking wig up.

“ugh, you will dress up as a maid and do that thing you do while we keep him busy" he turned to the door again.

“Oh did I not tell you that they were chained to him or was that a figment of my imagination,” I said to him throwing the wig back.

“ok, you did not tell me that" he pointed at me as he catches the wig.

“She did, you didn’t believe her stories until awhile ago when she was floating in the air" I nodded at Benjamin, smirk my ass off and realized I did it again.

“Fine, new plan" he sat down in the seat thinking, he suddenly sprang up and walked out. I looked to Benjamin and struggle as he followed him out.

As I got up and used the small bathroom too, kind of a wash as much as I could with cold water, I sipped on my pants and my shirt I slept in. I thought of sneaking out before they came back but something told me to stay, it was the same thing that told me to stay at my father estate; fate, I will now and always listen to it.

A few minutes later, the door busted open as I looked at the two gentlemen with such boredom before licking my finger and turning the page in the newspaper then going back to reading it.

“I thought you might have run" the Duke through more packages on the table.

“Pointless, you know where I live," I said not bothering to look up.

“ok, here’s the plan” I stop him before he could continue

“I realized something. Why I am telling you these things? I don’t know you" I looked thoughtful as I point to Benjamin “well I know him but I don’t know you. How do I know you won’t get rid of me after you get what you want?” the Duke crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

“Because it's tendentious” he looked at me. “Get dressed and….” He clutched his jaw as he struggled to say this “I will pay you for your inconvenience and you are not a fake" he sounded like was choking on the last words.

“Your belief is more than enough then payment,” I said putting the newspaper down and getting up.

“Don’t you need money to get out of the situation at the estate?” Benjamin looked at me with concern, once again as I just smiled.

“There is no situation, I could leave when I want to" I whispered as I turned my back to them “can you excuse me? I need to change” I didn’t look back as the door closed.

….

“Your great idea is turning me into a man," I said standing in an outfit that was one size too big with a short wig on my head, I had my arms waving up and down as they sat in the chairs; Benjamin had his elbows on his knees in a thinking position as the Duke laid back with his legs crossed thinking.

“Well," I shouted at them.

“My idea is to dress you up as a man, you get you closer to Sir Richardson; you can do that touch thing you did with Ophelia,” the Duke said still expecting my outfit.

“You want me to seek him" I looked at Duke as he does some approval with his eyes. “I can’t seek him without him knowing”

“When you umm…” the Duke stood to his feet walking over to me, his tall figure towered over me as he leaned into my space. “seek Ophelia, she seemed to be under a strands; her eyes were dilated, she remains unresponsive for 10 minutes straight, her mouth went dry and her eyelids seem to be flickering. She seemed unconscious”

“Seemed" I pointed out "Ophelia is used to being seeked; Lady Evans made her my test dummy” I moved away from his overpowering presence. “I know her future and past like the back of my hand"

“Why didn’t she let you practice on herself?” Benjamin asked from the chair.

“Only the waiting for Lady Evans is death and the poor house, Lord Evans hasn’t coughed up the Will,” I said pacing the room. “If I try to seek Sir Richardson, he can pull away and we could be found out"

“Ms. Emilia mentions you can make people sleep" Benjamin suggests from his seat.

“Wow, everyone is just telling my business” I throw my hands in the air and turned around.

“Can you do it?” the Duke looked at me with one hand on his hip and other gesturing to me.

“It's possible but if I do this I will need you to do exactly as I say" I looked up at him “promise me this”

“I promise” the Duke whispered with sincerity and a bit of doubt.

“Ok, this is how it works,” I said moving closer to them as I told them the plan, my plan.

After my long explanation, the Duke nodded as Benjamin wrote down some notes. Through the whole explanation, I couldn’t help but notice the Duke stared at my chest area; I hit his chest and gave the ‘come on man’ look.

“Please" he waved me away as if it was funny assumption “I was thinking of ways to make your bosoms not noticeable,” he said walking over to a small liquor tray.

“I just wrapped them with bandages,” I said turning away from both their wandering eyes.

"You have done this before?" Benjamin asked

"I have been in situations where I need to do this," I said trying to explain awkwardly as the Duke dismissed it.

“Sorry to point this out but you have very short arms and small hands, you wouldn’t get the job done properly” he pointed to Benjamin with a sudden drink is his hand. “help her"

“whoa, no," I said to both of them as the Duke rolled his eyes.

“We can’t let someone else help you, then we have to let them in on this; too risky” he explained.

“I swore on my soul I wouldn’t touch another woman" Benjamin pleaded with his hand on his chest as the Duke rolled his eyes again.

“I swear to god all this love shit is messing with your head" the Duke walked towards me in a fast and heavy paced, I back away from him as I tried to get away his pulled me back by my suspenders.

“Wait” I scream, pulling my suspenders from him. “at least let me wrap it once around me, just once" I held onto my boobs as if life depended on it, I looked up at the Duke’s dark gaze and motioned him to turn around.

I wrapped it once around me as tight as I could then cleared my throat for him but before I did, I asked Benjamin to leave the room at least my dignity will be intact on one occasion plus I didn’t care what the Duke thought of me.

We sat in silence as his fingers work around my bosom area, we had the occasional ‘is this ok’ or ‘it’s not too tight'. I realized I have never been this close to him, well not when I bumped into him that time; I got a good look at him. His straight nose and bright calculated eyes, the way his tongue ducked in and out of his mouth as he concentrated and dark brown curls fell into his face. Ok, stop; you are going into a dark hole. Come back, sweetie.

“My lord” I whispered because I thought speaking in a normal tone would be too loud for this.

“Yes," he grunted between his teeth.

“I need you to keep track of the time when I am putting him under” he looked up at me as his finish “every minute on the minute, I need to know" I looked into his eyes.

“Yes," he said softer as his eyes found mine “I am done" but we continue to stare at each other.

“I wish could read you” I whispered unintentionally, my mouth was on its own path.

“Be lucky you can’t" he groaned looking into my eyes.

The atmosphere around us became heavy as if a blanket was pulled over our heads and the air around us was getting warmer. The atmosphere cleared as Benjamin knocked on the door, wondering if we were ready; I grabbed my shirt as the Duke moved to liquor tray again and gulped down an amber-colored drink then walked out of the room. I pulled on the suspenders, through on the jacket and the short wig with a hat; I move the small mirror over the fireplace which I had to get onto a chair to see my face. I grabbed the fake thin mustache from the side table and put it on, well this is it…. I thought as I left the room.