The Captain of the Manor Read Online Free PDF

to mine?"
    "No. No. This feels right. You can touch me in either form. Perhaps… There is something more to this curse," Edmund said, rubbing his fingers over Aiden's hand.
    Stepping across the threshold, Aiden stopped as something flew through his body and mind. His hair blew back with the internal wind. The lights flickered several times and Edmund cried out and dropped into a crouch.
    "What the hell was that?"

Chapter 7
    "What the hell is going on around here?" Aidan asked as he looked around after the event. He shoved a hand through his wild tangled hair, but didn't move from the threshold.
    Edmund remained kneeling on the ground, arms around his body as it flickered from his corporeal to ghost form several times. His mouth opened in a scream, but there was no sound.
    "Edmund? Edmund, what happened? Are you all right?"
    Before Aiden could move, the balcony doors burst open and smoke and ashes blew through, encircling them. The wavy image of a female in tribal like clothing appeared.
    Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust Twist and bend the bones of thy enemy I bring pain With this curse to learn thy soul and heart I control the soul with eternal fire On all hallows' eve my curse can be undone Touch not heart before By the light of the full moon take thy heart in thy body Pledge forever more and become corporeal By sun rise you will be forever gone or leave the shadows With the eternal fires out of control With this curse I release thy soul This is my will let it be done
     
    The woman faded away along with the wind, smoke, and a few strange scents. Aiden braced his hands on the doorframe at the last burst.
    "Leave. Please leave," Edmund said in a low strangled tone.
    "Edmund?"
    Edmund glared at him and turned away. "Leave."
    "What happened?"
    "No other man who crossed the entrance was touched by my curse. Not in almost 300 years has the blasted image of the priestess appeared to me. Only by your step over my threshold, the barrier of my prison, did she take notice," Edmund said.
    "Which means?"
    "On All Hallows' Eve, I will either die permanently or become a man."
    "Can you choose to remain cursed?"
    "Why would I continue my existence?"
    Aiden stepped forward but stopped when Edmund held up a hand.
    "Leave, please. Return to your room. I will not ask someone to endure my cursed existence."
    "You would rather die. Without your soul, you'll be damned."
    "I've already been damned the moment the curse will lay upon. Finally, I will be at peace and rest. My life over. It is done," Edmund said and disappeared from Aiden's view.
    "Edmund! Damn you, get your misty ass back here and talk to me," Aiden demanded to the room, slamming his fist against the doorframe. "Edmund! You rotten stinking ghost! Fine! Have at it. I was willing to offer myself for you, but screw you, Captain."
    Turning, Aiden yanked on the ancient handle and the door slammed behind him. He stomped down the hall, the stairs, and found his way on the porch and boardwalk leading to the beach. Kicking off his shoes and socks, Aiden left them at the end. Rolling up his pants, he stepped on the sand, cool with the evening air and breeze. He strolled up and down the beach, thinking, considering options, and wondering what the hell he was going to do. Hours later, exhausted, he plopped his ass in the sand and stared over the dark water, the gentle waves with the misty breaks rolling up the beach.
    * * *
    Appearing in the lower lighthouse's abandoned caretaker's room, Edmund shoved hands through his hair. Since he oversaw the conversion of the lighthouse to electrical, there wasn't a need for a caretaker to remain on the property since it could be monitored from the manor. Instead, he used it as a reclusive area throughout the rest of the year. He hated having people walk through his form. It bothered him at how he couldn't interact with anyone.
    Now this chance, this appearance of the priestess who ruined his entire life, and his entire world was turned upside down. There was