Timeless (8 page)

He held her gaze. There was so much he wanted to tell her. If he opened his mouth now, though, sitting with her here like this, he was afraid that he might say too much and scare her away. But wasn't it already too late to be worrying about such things? If the way he had seen her looking at Bran last night was any indication, he was most certainly too late. Their almost kiss was an indication of that, too.

River jerked his hand away from Alexandria's cheek as though he'd been burned by a flame.

"I'm not with Bran," Alexandria blurted.

River looked at her. "What?"

Alexandria felt herself shrinking down into her seat, groaning inwardly. "Nothing. I don't know why I said that... Just forget I said anything. It's hot in here, isn't it?" she said, trying desperately to change the subject. "Are you hot? I'm hot..."

"Very," he replied, a smile finding its way to his lips as Alexandria shrank farther down into her seat.

"
Buttermilk blueberry pancakes with cream and maple syrup,
and two cappuccinos," the waitress announced, placing the plates and two mugs of steaming coffee down on the table. "Enjoy your meal. Anything else you'd like, just give me a shout."

Chapter 7 – Gypsies, Vamps & Spells.

Alexandria chastised herself all the way home from the pancake parlor, her cheeks still burning every time she thought about what she had said about Bran. And now there was River… What with a house to fix up on a meager inheritance, a ghost as a friend, a vampire as a boarder, and a new school, the last thing she needed was boy trouble of any kind.

She slowed the car as she drove through the gates of Witchwood Estate. In front of the house stood a quaint
Gypsy wagon and, nibbling from an overgrown flowerbed along the side of the house, was a beautiful
piebald stallion with a long, flowing mane and white feathering covering its lower legs
. She turned off the ignition a short distance away, not wanting to spook the animal, and slid out of the car. Did they still call themselves Gypsies? she wondered. As a child, she'd always been enthralled by the stories her father had told her about Gypsies. She had always imagined their lifestyle to be romantic and exciting, in a mysterious kind of way. She walked slowly towards the feeding animal, her hand outstretched. "Beautiful boy," she murmured, checking to make sure the horse was, in fact, a male. "Big boy," she murmured. The horse slowly lifted its head to look at her nonchalantly, continuing to munch lazily on a wad of grass. The horse nodded his head in an agreeable way as she ran her hand across his cheek, then combed her fingers through the beautiful, white mane. He stomped his hoof then, making her giggle.

"I will leave you to your food," she said, patting him on his broad chest. She glanced at the wagon again, fighting the urge to take a quick peek inside. Standing at the front door, she pushed it open apprehensively, wondering whom she might find waiting for her inside.

"Here she is now..."

She followed Andrew's voice into the kitchen.

"God, what happened to you? You look like you've been pulled through a bush backward," Kat exclaimed with a contemptuous look, her hands on her designer-swathed hips. As always, Kat looked as though she had just stepped off the covers of a glossy fashion magazine, regardless of the amount of alcohol she had consumed the night before. Her skin glowed beneath perfectly applied makeup, her long, dark hair shone, but it was her eyes that Alexandria noticed above all. Kat's eyes seriously sparkled, as though a light had been switched on. Did they sparkle because she was in love with Bran, too, Alexandria wondered, feeling an ache in her chest.

"I got caught in the storm," Alexandria said, feeling like a drowned rat in Kat's presence. She raked strands of her damp hair behind her ear, sending a shower of limp jasmine petals onto the floor. She tilted her head to examine the fair-haired woman sitting at the breakfast bar with Andrew. "Do I know you?" she asked, recognising the woman from somewhere. Colourful bangles decorated her arm, and long strings of beads hung jumbled around her neck. A real life Gypsy, Alexandria thought, excited by the notion. She motioned towards the front door with her hand. "Is that your horse and wagon outside?"

The woman stood up, walked towards her, and opened her arms, her bangles clanking noisily as she embraced Alexandria in a firm hug. "Yes and yes," the woman said joyfully. "The last time I saw you, you were tearing out of Kat's front door as though you had a demon hot on your tail." She held Alexandria at arm's length. "Let me take a good long look at you, child."

Alexandria stared at Kat over the woman's shoulder and shrugged.

"Meet Aunt Mindy," Kat said, leaning against the breakfast bar and tapping the lip of her empty mug with a perfectly manicured fingernail painted fire engine red. "A girl could do with a refill, Andrew."

"What did your last slave die of?" Andrew muttered, snatching the mug off the bench. "Anyone else for coffee?" he asked.

Alexandria shook her head, not taking her eyes off Aunt Mindy.

"Nothing for me right now, dear," Aunt Mindy purred, releasing Alexandria's shoulders.

"You're Kat's aunt?" Alexandria asked.

"I'm your aunt, too, child. I'm your mother's little sister, Mindy."

Alexandria's eyes widened. Another relative? She really did have family crawling out of the woodwork since her return to Ferntree Falls, only this one, she had to admit, with her long fair hair, really did look a little like her mother. Kat's mother, whom she had only seen in the family portrait hanging in the Abbots’ mansion, had dark hair, and bore no resemblance to Felicity whatsoever.

"Another aunt. Wow, who would have thought? Should I be expecting any more turning up on my doorstep any time soon?" Alexandria walked stiffly to the breakfast counter, pulled out a stool, and sat down. "I will have a coffee, thank you, Andrew. A strong one."

"What happened to you this morning, anyway?" Kat asked, heaving herself up on the breakfast bench and crossing her legs. "I thought you were going to help me clean up."

"You had company," Alexandria retorted, glaring at Kat.

"Do I sense a note of disapproval?" Kat asked curiously.

Andrew pushed a mug into Alexandria's hands. "Drink," he urged in a brotherly manner.

Alexandria took the mug from him eagerly. "Thanks, Andrew."

"Well, it is done now. The house is in its usual pristine condition, ready for your mother's return," Aunt Mindy said, brushing Alexandria's hair over her shoulder, then turning around to scan the kitchen. "I have really missed this old house," she said, melancholy dripping from every word. "I left when I was just eighteen and in love with..." Her voice trailed off. "Anyway, I'm back now, and just in time, too, I believe." She spun around and looked at Alexandria. "You remind me so much of your Grandmother Savannah, and me at your age. We all have the same rotten taste—"

"Just in time for what?" Alexandria asked, cutting her off. She took a long sip of her coffee, wondering where dear Aunt Aradia and Aunt Mindy had been when she was left alone after her parents had been murdered.

"Oh, I know what you must be thinking. Where was I when your mother died? Where were any of us, for that matter? You must have so many questions."

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Alexandria admitted, putting down her mug and folding her arms across her chest, waiting for answers.

"If I told you it was for your own protection, and your being sent away from here was your mother's wish, would you believe me?"

"Frankly, I don't know who or what to believe..." Alexandria fell silent, noticing the sudden, icy look on Aunt Mindy's face, as though someone had just walked over her grave.

Mindy drew in a breath and stared open-mouthed at the kitchen doorway. Cups and dishes in kitchen cabinets and on counters rattled noisily in objection.

Everyone turned slowly to see what, or who, had captured Mindy's absolute attention. Then, just as suddenly, she said, "What the hell are you doing here, you disgusting little bloodsucker?"

Nina was standing in the doorway, her fangs bared, a deep hissing sound escaping from between her rose colored lips. Her eyes narrowed, fixed intently on Mindy, but it was impossible for her to penetrate Mindy's mind.

"Don't even think about trying to get into my mind, vampire."

"And I love you too, witch," Nina retorted, edging slowly into the room, her long, black velvet dress dragging silently on the floor behind her.

Chapter 8 – Revenge.

Carmen stood, snatching up a long, red satin robe off the end of the sofa in her underground lair, and slipped effortlessly into it, concealing her nakedness. "It's time for you to go. Get dressed," she said, padding barefoot over to a small table and pouring herself a Scotch from an exquisite crystal decanter. She did not offer her guest one, nor did she intend to.

"I'm not finished with you yet," Raymond said, reaching for her robe.

Carmen slapped his hand away. "Didn't you hear me? I said, get dressed and go, I'm expecting company."

Raymond pouted, pushing himself up on his elbows. "Who are you expecting? Should I be jealous?"

Carmen poured the liquor down her throat in one shot, picked up Raymond's clothes, and tossed them at him. "It is none of your business. And you can be as jealous as you wish, I do not care. Get dressed and get out. Now. I do not have time for your questions or petty jealousies."

Tiamat, Carmen's snake, slithered its way along the floor on its belly in a smooth, swaying motion toward Raymond, hissing fiercely.

"Okay, okay. I'll go," he snapped, gathering up his clothes and dressing as quickly as possible while stepping out of the path of the oncoming snake. He openly feared the snake that Carmen held in such high regard, as though it were an instrument of an all-powerful god.

Carmen put her glass down. "Good Tiamat," she purred. "My beautiful creature, gifted with such wonderful motivational skills." She smirked at Raymond, who was keeping a watchful eye on the snake as he dressed. "Don't you agree, Raymond?" The snake hissed again in chuckle-like intervals as it curled lazily up, then around Carmen's torso. Carmen held her arm out, pulling back the sleeve of the robe, allowing Tiamat to coil around her arm before transforming himself into a solid gold serpent bracelet, with lustrous black pearls for eyes.

Raymond snatched his jacket up off the floor, brushed it off, then stomped toward the narrow stairwell leading back up into the foyer of Lancaster House.

"Not that way, idiot," Carmen spat, picking up her glass and pouring herself another drink. She motioned toward the rear of the room with her free hand. "Use the tunnel, you stupid man. I cannot take the risk of someone seeing you leave."

Raymond wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into him. "My shrew," he said, kissing her hard before pulling back the curtain and disappearing into the dark shadows of the tunnel.