The Curse of the Eberbachs

"We're not going to Castle Gloria, " Dorian answered. "We're going to London to meet up with Bonham. He says he knows someone who might be able to help you."

Dorian turned back to the road, because he was steering the car onto the motorway now.

"Well, we had a few confessions among us while you were away. I told Bonham and James who you really are –"

"Don't be too harsh on him, Darling. It was James who told me where to look for you."

"Like it or not, Darling, it's a fact. Besides, Bonham's friend might be able to help us. Although Bonham says he isn't a fully trained wizard either –"

"A wizard, Darling. According to Bonham, a certain percentage of people always have magical power, in different degrees. All over the world. In every century. Most of them keep away from us, the non-magical people, but some also choose to live in our world. Bonham himself is a low-level wizard, not fully trained, because they threw him out of school."

"If I wasn't in dog shape, I would say this is the most stupid shit I've heard in a long time. But in my present situation, it is as good an explanation as any other. So, according to Bonham, I have pissed off a wizard, or what, and he changed me into a Doberman?"

"Either this, or you have annoyed someone who knows a wizard, dear. Or you haven't even offended someone, and it is a natural condition or development."

"So, as it'll be a while before we get to the meeting point, I thought perhaps it's time we had that talk."

"About what led up to your ... canine phase. We must solve this. I mean, I really am much more of a cat-person, my own. This won't do at all. So. You don't remember anything out of the ordinary the day before this happened?"

"Yes, but there must have been something. Think back on that day. Did you feel ... restless, perhaps? Ill? Out of sorts? Unusually hungry for something? Thirsty?" Horny? "Jittery? Tired? Anything?"

Klaus quickly rattled off his intake for the day, from each individual egg at breakfast to his last cup of coffee before bedtime.

"That does sound ordinary enough," Dorian agreed. "But there could have been something added, I suppose. Some tasteless poison or potion."

"I ate with the rest every time. Except for when I drank coffee, but that was from my personal stash. The others all looked fine."

Dorian leaned over and bapped the dog with two fingers on the head. "I'm not particularly interested in your little cloak and dagger games, darling. Avoid the names, then. Tell me in general, but do tell me."

"You know I was in London, and my mission was to find Patrick Retty. At around ten in the evening, we checked into the Marshbone Hotel at Aggerton Street. I went to bed at eleven as a human and woke up around 5:30 as a Doberman. See, nothing special."

"I suppose. But it could have happened earlier. Something slow-acting. Or during the night. You didn't wake up during the night?"

Its wide-eyed expression tore at Dorian's heart and he hurried to reassure his love. "No, no, you spoke. But you said it like a growl. You know? Like you do, sometimes."

Klaus laid back onto his belly. To sink into dog-talk was frighteningly easy. He had to concentrate the entire time to keep from doing it. The loss of self control his slips implied scared him. He wouldn't admit it to the fop, but rather suspected that Dorian knew.

He took a deep breath, smelling/tasting the car, the air and the man beside him.

"Me neither, really. Though I had the most satisfying dream the other—Ah ... Klaus? Your dream wasn't, but any chance, me as a highway-man and you as a wagon guard, offering yourself for my pleasure if I—" He smiled wide. "—didn't take advantage of any of the fair maidens in the wagon? Oh, that was such a nice dream ... I cut off your clothes with a knife and you cussed at me and—"

A growing smell of arousal saturated the air. Klaus abruptly sat up. "You dreamed of raping me?!" The little accountant had always seemed worried that the Earl would do just that. Klaus had never been overly concerned, since he knew he was stronger than the Englishman. Later he had come to realise that James was just paranoid to the extreme and that the Earl - in his own strange way - was too honourable to force a coupling.

Wide-eyed, Dorian shook his head. "No, no! I mean – it might have been a little ... semi-consensual, perhaps. But it was just a game we played. I think. You wanted it, I know you did."

"Klaus – it was a dream. My dream. My subconscious decided. You wanted it. But that's not important. I take it that that wasn't the dream you had, anyway. Right? So. What did you dream of, dear?"

"Don't call me that!" Klaus snapped. He had forced himself to overlook the other endearments - not very difficult, in the end, since they rolled so nicely off Dorian's tongue that Klaus often didn't even register them – but that felt too intimate; too couple-like. He wasn't ready to let Dorian take such liberties, even if many of the words did make him feel accepted and secure.

"—you do have to tell me. It might be important. You might not even think about it before you tell me, but there might be a clue somewhere. Come on, tell me, what was the dream about? Was it a good dream?"

"Ja." He knew that he must answer the questions, even if he didn't want to give information about that particular dream.

"I know! You invited me to the Schloss, implying heavily that we would finally consummate our union, and I got there just in time to hear you say 'I do' to some vapid girl with enormous hooters?" He illustrated the last word with cupping motions far away from his chest.

"Then I'm just fresh out of ideas, my dear. Though I'm glad you didn't get married. I had a nightmare like that, once. I surrender – what was the dream about?"

"Everything might be relevant, love, who knows? It might be helpful to lift your condition. It might even provide the key for the wizard to undo whatever binds you!"

The Fop might have a point. Besides, he was the one who has agreed to help me in my misery, has given me shelter, has even helped me to successfully wrap up my mission. There is no way around it, I owe Gloria in more ways than one. Now, don't be a wimp, von dem Eberbach! Own up to your weakness!

The car swerved slightly, and the fop stared at him. Just stared. Klaus wanted to duck his head, but forced himself to meet the other's gaze head on. For the first time since he had turned into a dog, the Major was glad for his condition. A dog could not blush in embarrassment.

"So, you see –nothing special." Not even NATO's Iron Klaus could control his dreams, no matter how much he might want to. He added firmly, "Just a dream."

The Earl lowered his gaze and bit his lip. Then he glanced up at Klaus from under a curl and the Major was surprised to see no glee or sexual excitement in his eyes. "Just a dream," he echoed softly.

Strange. He has me where he always wanted me – surrender, capitulation – but he does not triumph? Has the fun gone out of it, now that I show my true colours? "Ja. That's all it was."

"I ... Klaus, I ... " Then he sat up straighter and tossed his head. "Oh! That might be it!"

"The dream! It might have triggered this somehow! Maybe your ego rejected the dream with such force that it transformed you into a shape it knew I wouldn't be sexually interested in?" He looked so pleased to have found an explanation, even as he slowly began to pout, apparently as the implications became clear.

"Lord Gloria – that's plain stupid. The human body can't transform itself just because it's owner decides to do so – much less because of some stupid dream. And besides—" He broke off.

Ah, Hell, I must tell him, don't I? I'll give it a shot, see how he reacts. So he said it.

The dog rolled its eyes. "There was nothing special about that dream. Certainly nothing that would make my body ... rebel. I have had several similar dreams before." The dog gave him a definite glare of disapproval, as if Dorian was in any way responsible – which, he guessed, in a way maybe he was.

One such dream he could have understood and not been too hopeful about. He himself had once had this really strange dream about a red-haired woman with blue eyes, which had disturbed him greatly for almost a week. Once in a while the memory still haunted him. Several such dreams, however, was an entirely different kettle!

He wanted to proclaim his love to the world! Well, he wanted to do that just about every time he saw the Major, but for once he wanted to do it and perhaps, just possibly, not get pounded into the ground.

He did none of those things, though, since all his instincts screamed at him not to acknowledge the confession more than he already had. His beloved was skittish like a deer, for all his macho posturing. And he's a bit ... fragile right now. So. No teasing! I shan't tease him whatsoever about this! Not now. Later though ... When they had figured things out. When his Major was back to his stunningly handsome self again. Oh yes ... Then we shall have a long chat about this. My love.

"Well," he said out loud. "We're not getting anywhere with this, it seems. But Bonham's friend is an expert in his field and I'm sure he will be able to help us."