"You know I don't like people, especially new people," a fragile, sweet voice escaped the room when Maddie opened the door again.
"Come," Maddie said, pulling me inside.
"I don't think it is a good idea. She clearly said she doesn't like people," I protested.
"He," Maddie corrected me.
"He?" I questioned confused.
"Eric, meet Lumin," Maddie introduced me.
"Hi," I said with a small wave. Eric had very short hair. His future was that of a woman. Even his body looked like that of a woman.
"Eric used to be Erica. You see," Maddie started to explain.
"Is it not for Eric to tell his own story?" I stopped Maddie from talking. "If he wants, of course."
Eric's eyes finally met mine.
"Leave us," Eric said.
"No problem," I said and stepped towards the door.
"Not you," Eric stopped me.
"Have fun, kids," Maddie chuckled as she left.
"You are very pretty," Eric said softly.
"So I've heard," I blushed. Not sure why, though. I knew I had good looks.
"You are good-looking too," I complimented back. "Why do you hide in here?"
"I don't like people," Eric said and found his way back in front of an easel.
"Sit," Eric ordered, pointing towards a chair with his paintbrush.
"So you want to be a guy?" I asked, taking a seat.
"It is not what you think," Eric said, dipping his paintbrush into some paint.
"I am not thinking anything," I countered. The room was filled with artworks. Most of them half painted. Different portraits. Dark, deep, sad.
"I want to be a man so that men will feel intimidated by me. I want them to fear me. Don't use me like a piece of ass," Eric explained.
"Men can be jerks sometimes," I agreed.
"Can you paint?" Eric questioned after a few brush strokes.
"Nope," I chuckled.
"I see you know Luca," I stated, pointing at a painting with Luca's face.
Eric's eyes turned to the painting of Luca, one of the few completed paintings.
"I wish I were Xan. I won't mind being a woman next to him," Eric blushed.
"That makes two of us," my tone dreamy.
"How long have you two been together?" Eric paused his painting.
"Xan gifted me to him as a birthday present a few weeks ago," I chuckled.
"Did he make love to you?" Eric wanted more details.
"We did," I admitted, every moment with Luca in printed in mind. "I take it there was something romantic between the two of you?"
"There was, until Xan came around," Eric said, his tone resentful. He faced his painting again.
"You knew Luca before she did?" I questioned.
"It is that exact painting that got her attention. When she found out he was Lindi's son, she made her move first on his mother and then him," Eric sighed. It was clear he no longer wanted to paint.
"How did you meet?" I wondered.
"The same way we just met. He came to visit his mother once, and she was complaining that she did not see him enough, so she asked me to paint him." Eric smiled at the fond memories.
My eyes drifted to the painting of Luca again.
"I took my sweet time with it," Eric chuckled. "I didn't expect to fall in love so deeply."
"Were you Erica or Eric with him?" I couldn't help but wonder.
"Both," Eric chuckled.
"How did you get over him?" I needed to know.
"You don't," Eric said flatly. With a big sigh, he stood up and walked over to the window. I noted the longing in her eyes. Was it longing for Luca or the longing to be outside?
"Why are you scared to leave this room?" I finally asked him.
"People hurt me," his voice was soft.
"Does the Lycan king know?" I wanted to know, surely he would do something about it. No one should live in fear.
"He had them executed. But their families are still here. They blame me," Eric explained, his voice cracking.
"How long have you been here?" I suspected he had been here as long as Maddie had been.
"Not as long as Maddie. Just over two hundred years. But I've decided it is time to grow old. I don't want to live any longer than I have to," Eric stated moving away from the window.
"Because of Luca?" I stood up from the chair and walked among the paintings. Some of them were stack against the walls.
"It is a lonely life without love," was his response. Not admitting that it was Luca's fault for not wanting to live anymore.
"May I?" I asked, wanting to peek at what was behind the first paintings.
"Go ahead," Eric said as if he didn't care much about his art.
I flipped through the paintings moving down the wall of stacked paintings.
"Who is this?" I stopped at a painting that looked like we could have been related. A woman who looked somewhat like Nebra but was just older.
Eric walked over and pulled the painting up. "Ah, I remember her. She looks like she could be related to you," Eric remarked.
"Who is she?" I questioned.
"Some Egyptian queen," Eric said. I studied his face. He was clearly trying to remember more about her.
"You painted this twenty-five years ago," I stated, looking at the date Eric left on the painting.
"She was pregnant. I've never seen a woman carry so big as this one. I swear she must have carried twins or more," Eric chuckled. "Now this one,.." Eric pulled another painting.
"Where is this woman now?" I pulled his attention back to the painting.
"I don't know. I never saw her again after I finished the painting," Eric said. It was clear he wanted to show me some of his favorite paintings, so I let him, even though I wanted to know more about the woman who looked like she was related to me.
Eric picked up that I was distracted. "You should talk to the were-owl prince. He knows everyone."
"How do I do that?" I snorted. The guy didn't even want to invite me in.
"Tell him Erica says he owes her one," Eric chuckled.
"So you are Erica now?" I questioned confused.
"No. But I will always be Erica to him. He refuses to accept me as anything else," Eric laughed.
"Is there a reason why you still have boobs?" The question slipped passed my lips before I could stop it. "Ignore that. I am sorry for asking."
"Because the Lycan King is not allowing me to go through all the necessary procedures to fully turn into a guy. He says I will regret it," Eric said.
"Why not leave here then?" I questioned.
"And go where? My family is long dead. All I have is this place. Besides, where must I get my own money for such procedures?" Eric questioned with dismissal in his tone.
I opened my mouth, but Eric stopped me. "I have accepted my fate."
"Can I come back later?" I asked with my hand on the door nob, ready to leave, but at the same time I flet safe there. In that room.
"Of course," Eric smiled and sat in front of his canvas again.
I took a slow walk through the castle. I got a few nods and after stairs from a few, but ignored them.
"There you are," Maddie's familiar voice found me.
"How do I get to the entrance of the castle?" I asked her.
"Leaving so soon?" Maddie pouted.
"Not exactly. I want to ask the Were-owl prince a question," I informed her.
"Oh. Ok." Maddie hooked her arm in with mine. "I will take you."
Of course we didn't find the were-owl outside. "Just my luck."
"Why do you want to speak to him?" Maddie wanted to know.
"There is a painting that Eric painted, and the woman looks like she could be related to me, plus she was pregnant at the time of painting, which dates twenty-five years ago. I am twenty-five years old," I explained.
"I see. Well then, Prince Andre is your best bet to get information on anyone who has entered the castle," Maddie agreed. "Lets go see if he is in their throne room."
"Do all the different were-species have their own throne rooms?" I had to ask.
"Yes. Not all as big as the main supernatural one that the Lycans use," Maddie explained.
We turned into an exquisite room. Near the large windows were four elegant white chairs. The décor was white and gold. On the main throne chair sat the most beautiful woman. She was obviously the queen. She looked too much like the Prince Andre that was sitting next to her to be his wife. She also looked too young to be the mother of an adult child, but then again, all were-species looked in their twenties.
"What is it now?" Prince Andre sighed, looking at me.
"Your majesties," Maddie curtseyed. I wasn't sure if I should as well, so I went for it.
Both the queen and Prince Andre burst out laughing. Of course, Maddie chuckled as well.
"I was just being sarcastic," she said under her breath.
"Wont you lose your head?" I asked in a whisper.
"Not today, no. Maybe one day, when they actually manage to overthrow the Lyans," she said out loud enough for them to hear.
"What brings you here?" the queen wanted to know.
"There is a woman that Eric,.. I mean Erica painted,.." I started to explain.
"Leave," the queen waved us away.
"Erica says you owe her one," I stated, looking the prince straight in the face.