CHAPTER 2
IRON KLAUS RETURNS

It was dusk when Klaus finally returned to the Schloss. Among other things, he had been to see his doctor and had ended up spending most of the day being poked and prodded. Despite what had happened to save his life, he decided that his opinion hadn’t changed. He really, really hated doctors.

Klaus was surprised to see the Schloss dark when he arrived. Not a single light in the front, and only one that he could see at the back. As he pulled up to the garage, he was surprised to see two people in the garden. One of them was undeniably Dorian, his mop of blond curls unmistakable, even in the failing light. He supposed now that his hair had gone completely white, he would be just as unmistakable. He had no idea who the other man was and wondered what they were doing out in the garden in the middle of winter.

Klaus still needed a cane to walk, which meant running to catch up with the pair was out of the question. Of course, all he had to do was follow the footprints in the snow. One set of prints looked as though the person were dragging his feet, which puzzled him. He became even more puzzled as the footprints passed through an arbor standing between a tall hedgerow. What the hell are they doing going to the pond in the middle of winter? Was the person dragging his feet carrying something heavy? Dammit, Dorian, you had better not be planning another Goddamn surprise.

When Klaus passed through the arbor, he did indeed get a surprise. Dorian was lying on the ground, his hands tied behind his back. Frederik was beside him holding his head underwater.

Klaus wasn’t conscious of moving. Nor was he conscious of going from convalescing retired General von dem Eberbach to Iron Klaus in the space of a few steps. Suddenly he was standing over the horrified Frederik, his cane raised above his head. Then his cousin was on his back, groaning, a hand to his temple. What Klaus was conscious of was pulling Dorian’s motionless form from the water. He checked for a pulse, breathing, anything…

Dorian’s body spasmed and he started to choke. Then he vomited, which did not surprise Klaus. What did surprise him was it was not just water. It was a multicolored collection of half-digested pills.

Klaus looked up sharply, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the now cowering Frederik. “What did you give him?” he demanded.

Frederik continued to stare in stupefied amazement. “You’re alive…”

Klaus gave a low growl and crossed to him, grabbing him by the throat. “Goddamn it, Frederik!” he thundered. “What did you give him? Tell me!”

“I…I don’t know…” Frederik stammered. “Whatever was in the kitchen.”

Klaus’s eyes grew wide. “You gave him my medications?” he said in horror.

Frederik gave a whimper when the hand at his throat tightened. “Yes,” he said meekly.

“What else?”

“Wine.”

Klaus rose to his feet and took a step back. “Pick him up.”

“What?”

“I can’t carry him, so you’re going to have to,” Klaus stated flatly.

“Klaus…I can’t…” Frederik broke off when his enraged cousin took him by the throat again, only this time, he almost completely cut off his air.

“You fucking vulture,” Klaus snarled. “I don’t know what the hell you thought you were doing, but you’re lucky he’s still alive. Now pick him up and carry him to my car.” His voice hardened further as he said in an unnaturally calm voice, “And if he dies, I’m going to kill you. Very…very…very…slowly.”

Frederik blanched visibly. He had never been confronted with Iron Klaus, although he knew his cousin’s reputation. He had stupidly thought Klaus would make exceptions for family. Only now did he realize he made exceptions for no one.

Frederik did as he was told, struggling to carry the unconscious Earl to the car. He managed to get him on to the back seat and closed the door. He turned to his cousin, a chill running down his spine when he saw the look in his eyes and he found himself praying that Dorian would live.

Klaus pointed to the rear of the car. “Stand there,” he ordered.

Frederik did as he was told.

“Turn around.”

“Klaus, please…”

“Shut up and turn around!”

Frederik wisely did as ordered. He was actually relieved when Klaus did nothing more violent than tie his hands behind his back.

Klaus saw raw terror on his cousin’s face and found himself pleased by it. How does it feel, you bloody bastard? Dorian wouldn’t hurt a fly. He opened the trunk and pointed. “Get in.” He watched in silence as the other man climbed into the car. “If you start yelling to be let out, I’ll leave you in there indefinitely,” he said before slamming the trunk closed.

Klaus got in and then drove like a maniac to the hospital. He didn’t care if the Emergency Room was overrun and would have driven straight through the entrance if he had to, which, fortunately, he didn’t. In fact, the Emergency Room was remarkably quiet.

Klaus did not even have to look around when he strode through the doors. He had lost count of the number of times he had been rushed to the hospital over the past three years. Within a few minutes, Dorian was being carefully removed from the car and placed on a stretcher.

Klaus held out the bag full of empty prescription bottles to the nearest doctor as Dorian was being wheeled inside. “I don’t know how many pills were left in these,” he said calmly, “but this is what his took. They were washed down with wine.”

“Thank you, that will be a big help,” the doctor said, quickly checking the labels. “The appropriate authorities will have to be notified,” he said without looking up.

“I bloody well hope so,” Klaus replied tersely. “I have the bastard who gave those to him in the trunk of my car.”

The physician blinked. “This wasn’t a suicide attempt?”

“Hell, no. It was a homicide attempt.”

The doctor looked the man in front of him up and down. How the hell could he be so calm? He looked back at the bottles in his hand, this time reading the name on the prescription, his eyes growing wide. He looked up again, his mouth dropping open in shock. “These pills…” he began slowly, “where did they come from?”

“My house.”

“Your house?”

Klaus sighed heavily. “Yes. Schloss Eberbach. That’s my name on the prescriptions.” The man continued to goggle at him and he finally lost his patience. “Are you going to stand there staring at me all night or are you going to go do your fucking job?”

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