Chapter 9

"You learned to run from what you feel, and that's why you have nightmares. To deny is to invite madness. To accept is to control." 
― Megan Chance, The Spiritualist

I walked out of the living room with Serena and Alexander following behind me. We walked into the main hallway and I stopped outside the entrance to the kitchen.

"Um...well...this house, if you can even call it that, is actually really freaking huge so it is a bit of a walk. I hope you don't mind," I rambled.

"Nope, we don't mind. It's better than sitting around doing nothing right?" Serena walked over to me and slung her arm through mine.

"Right," I muttered.

I threw open the door to the now spotless kitchen and led them in.

"This is the kitchen. If you need anything or you are hungry just tell either me or Ava, the cook, and we will whip something up for you," I stated.

I watched as they took in the kitchen from the stainless steel refrigerator and stove top to the marble counters and island.

"So what if I am hungry at three in the morning?" Serena teased.

"Just wake me up and I will see what I can do for you," I replied with a tiny smile.

"Is, Ava, was it? Is she the only person who works here?" Alexander suddenly asked, the same curiosity on his face from earlier.

"Yes," I told him. "It is just me and Ava and this ridiculously large house."

"Why? Where are all the other staff? The two of you can't possibly be the ones taking care of this entire house?" Serena asked.

"Well...um...there used to be more staff but...they all quit after about a week of working here. Some left within hours of working here and a couple had nervous breakdowns," I said nervously biting my lip.

"Nervous breakdowns?" muttered Alexander.

"Why did they quit? Was the pay not enough?" asked Serena.

"No it's not that. It's just...working for the Kinsleys, specifically Kierra and Terra...is not exactly something sane people would willingly put themselves through," I hesitated in saying. "They can be really brutal to work for."

And they really were. The last woman we hired to help around the house quit within four hours of showing up. Kierra had ripped her a new one when the woman accidentally placed expensive Valentino dresses in the wash instead of taking them to the dry cleaner.

Kierra had called her a "Stupid, worthless, rat who obviously didn't know a brand name when she saw one."

She also told the poor woman, Kim I think her name was, that she would be better off working the streets if she didn't know how to properly deal with laundry. The woman had left and never returned.

The woman before Kim, Amber, had been tasked with going with Terra shopping. Terra had spent the entire shopping spree picking on the poor woman.

She had told her that she was a "Fat pig who would never know what it was like to be with a real man instead of her plastic vibrator."

She then told the woman that she would be better off as a catholic nun and to turn in her right to womanhood.

I relayed this information to Serena and Alexander and watched as they both tried hard not to burst into laughter but in the end they couldn't help it. Serena snorted in laughter and Alexander hung his head, shoulders shaking silently.

"I know it is cruel and it's not supposed to be funny but goddamn,'' Serena snorted, tears invading her eyes as she reached up and swiped at them before they could fall.

I was glad I could make her cry laughing instead of making her cry from horrible singing.

"Onward with the tour," I said, swiping my arm out to the side in an overly fancy gesture.

"Why thank you my fair lady," Serena replied. Alexander said nothing but the amused smirk didn't leave his face.

I led them to the laundry room, tea room, game room, pantry, wine cellar, libraries, bathrooms, parlor and well you get the picture.

I led them outside to the garden and showed them the pool house on our way back to the house.

We were passing by the white vine covered gazebo when Alexander suddenly stopped. He was staring at something in the gazebo with a glint in his eye. I stepped up next to him and followed his line of sight to the white grand piano that was sitting in the center.

"You can play it whenever you like," I murmured.

He just grunted in response and walked away back towards the house. Serena stepped up next to me with a sad smile.

"You will have to excuse him. He doesn't really feel comfortable around women. Especially after...well anyways, I'm sure he will grow to like you," She said.

She mumbled something under her breath that sounded a lot like "Maybe even love you." I ignored it and plastered a smile on my face.

"I am sure everything will be fine," I reassured her.

"I hope so. My brother, he is...damaged," She said hesitating. "He has been hurt a lot over the past couple of years and...I just worry about him you know?" She looked at me sadly.

It became silent then. Alexander was ahead of us by a couple feet. His shoulders were stiff and his back was rigid-hands were stuffed into his pockets.

"Callista?" Serena said as I turned to look at her.

"Will you do me a favor?" She asked.

I nodded my head as she put her hands on my shoulders as we came to a stop.

"Will you try to be his friend, please? I know he seems very standoffish and aloof but please give him a chance. Maybe you will be able to help him. Please?" She looked at me with big doe eyes and I found myself nodding before I could think about my decision.

"Thank you!" Serena exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear, the moon glinting off her pearly teeth as she threw her arms around me in a hug and I awkwardly patted her back.

We met up with Alexander and entered the house from the back door before walking into the main hall and up the stairs.

"Okay, the last part of this tour are your bedrooms," I said as I led them up the stairs. "Serena your room is on the second floor."

I led them to her room on the right side of the hallway, three doors down from the stairs. I threw the door open, revealing a bright turquoise room. It was a lot more simpler than my room and yet somewhat grander in its simplicity.

All the furniture was white except for her bed sheets and her u-shaped sofa. Her bay windows were covered with sleek turquoise curtains.

Serena stepped into the room with her eyes wide a huge grin on her face. She spun around her arms outstretched and let out a glee filled laugh.

"I love it!" She exclaimed.

"I'm glad that you do," I replied honestly.

She jumped onto the bed and started making angels in her sheets. Alexander shook his head at her antics but kept silent.

"Okay, next is your room, Alexander," I said without looking right at him. He made me nervous for some reason, especially with the sometimes hostile, sometimes curious looks he gave me.

"You guys go ahead," Serena said. "I want to spend some quality time with my new bed."

I led Alexander out of the room leaving the sounds of Serena cooing to her headboard trailing after us.

Silently, we made our way to the third floor. I could feel his presence behind me and even though the anxiety was still there I didn't feel uncomfortable. Yet.

I cleared my throat awkwardly as we stopped in front of his room.

"This is your room," I said. "My room is right across from yours if you need anything."

I threw the door open revealing an exact replica of my room. It was the same down to a T. The only difference was the lack of photos, the color scheme, and the bed.

While my room was a royal purple, his was a royal blue and silver. His patio doors had been left open, curtains billowing in the wind, the only source of light was the moon.

I swiveled around about to leave the room when I felt a hand grip my arm. I turned to look at Alexander to find that he was staring at me intently, his green eyes blazing in the moon light.

"Thank you," He murmured.

I looked up at him slightly surprised that he was actually speaking to me.

I swallowed quickly and replied with a quiet, "You are welcome."

He didn't let go. If anything his hand seemed to tighten even though it didn't hurt. The temperature in the room seemed to rise as I stared at his hand gripping my arm and my eyes flickered to his only to find him looking at me in confusion.

"Are you like her?" He asked cocking his head to the side. His other hand reached up suddenly to grip the side of my face, his thumb stroking my cheek softy as his head suddenly began to descend towards mine.

"No, you're not like her," His breath fanned across my face as his soft lips slowly connected with mine. His lips tasted like chocolate and caramel and I could feel myself drowning in his intoxicating taste. I reached a hand up into his hair, gripping it tightly and his hands wrapped around my waist as he pushed me up against the door.

I parted my lips for him as his tongue pressed for entrance, fighting for dominance. I pulled away as I gasped for breath but he didn't stop. His head dipped down and he trailed kisses down my neck, sucking softly on the skin there.

A moan left my lips but I was too distracted by the feeling to feel embarrassed about it. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, giving him more access.

A giggle suddenly sounded from somewhere in the room and my eyes snapped open. There sitting in front of the patio doors was the little girl from my dreams-Troianne. She giggled again and suddenly something appeared next to her.

Standing next to her was a dark shadow holding her hand. A scream tore from my throat as the figure picked her up, cradling her.

Everything disappeared as my eyes flew open. I was in my bed, sweat making my t-shirt stick to my skin. It was just a dream, I told myself. Just a dream. I let myself relax back into my bed when a giggle sounded next to my left ear.

Wide eyed, I slowly turned over onto my side and there lying next to me was Troianne with the shadowy figure standing above us next to the bed. I screamed as it reached towards me, crawled backwards towards the end of the bed, and fell off in my panic.

I gasped for breath as I slowly sat up looking around. They were gone. I raked my hands through my hair as my heart slowly stopped pounding.

The blazing red lights of the clock on my nightstand read 6:20am and I sighed as I stood up on shaky feet. I made my way into the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face trying to get my wits about me.

I was so confused. The dream was...was...strange to say the least, if not the part where Troianne and the shadow showed up then definitely the part where Alexander was...k-kissing me.

After I had shown him his room I asked him if he needed anything and in response he slammed the door in my face.

Dream or not, to think that I actually let him touch me like that, let him take my first kiss...I could still feel his hands on my waist, his lips pressing against mine. I reached up and touched my lips absentmindedly.

I won't lie and say I didn't enjoy it because I had liked it. The fact that I reacted like that, so wantonly, shook me up to the core but it was nothing compared to opening my eyes and finding Troianne and the shadow in my room, in my bed.

I shook my head as once again the only words that came to me finally did.

What the actual f**k?